BigHands wrote:Russell was his own man from the start and lived life on his own terms. He has said more than once that Red Auerbach's approach gave him the freedom to be just himself and that it is most unlikely he would have achieved anything like what he did under a different coach.
One implication is that his relationship with the media was always strained. They were always there, always looking for an angle, but to Russell they were shallow, intrusive, and only incidental to what he sought to achieve.
Despite needing the money he later got out of broadcasting because of its inevitable sound-bite approach. Rick Barry's infamous "watermelon grin" comment on national TV was an example of what Russell fought his whole life and the fact that Barry was allowed to slide by that was an example of the crap Russell hated.
There was racism of course, and the media seldom, if ever, held white racists responsible, but the problem was more than that. Ted Williams had many of the same problems for some of the same reasons.
Like the Cleveland Browns great running back Jim Brown, Russell wanted no part of role model game the media likes to play. He did not sign autographs and he did not make nice as a public figure even though he got along fine with his peers.
It was the 60's and black people were often angry....and high levels of integrity and self-respect often increased that anger....Jim Brown took a similar stance, as did John Carlos, and in his own way so did Muhammad Ali - although Ali, patterned after Jack Johnson, was willing to provide the show media outlets need.
For example, were Russell playing today and had the same attitude he would probably refuse to travel to the local schools with a bunch of NBA players who cut more classes than they attended and preach the value of reading to kids.
The hypocrisy just would not fly with him and both the NBA and the press would disturbed at his unwillingness to help sell the league to the public.
So the media resented Russell and the feeling was mutual.
Russell did not attend when his number was retired and he did not attend when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Like many people (Ted Williams included) Russell mellowed with age and there might be a statue of him at some point.
But the lack of one at present is as much Russell's responsibility as anyone else's.
And while he certainly deserves public recognition, it should not be forgotten that Russell was about the team and its successes. Some sort of monument to the whole roster of the period with Russell's image playing the leading role would actually be more appropriate.
wow great post man i never really considered it that way but you're right on....statue or not statue, the nba should still name the DPOY after russell though, they need to get thier heads out of there asses
