So Long Red

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the passing of NBA Legend emeritus Red Auerbach. Though I was never a Boston Celtic fan in any regard and I thought Auerbach a bit crass and arrogant, I will give him his due for a lot of things. When I was younger, I was a big big Lakers Fan. Kareem, Magic, Worthy et al from the showtime era. I thought the Celtics were slow, boring and dumpy. But dammit they always won. And Auerbach was there smoking that cigar. I was happier when the Lakers broke thru in 85 and 87, but the older I got and the more I read about Auerbach and the Celtics, the more I respected what he had done for the game. I didn't know that he was so influential in getting the first black drafted in the NBA, Chuck Cooper. I knew that Auerbach hired the black to coach a pro team in the US in Bill Russell, but I didn't know that he was the first to put 5 black players on the floor to start a game. Auerbach was of the mind set "You can keep all that racial quota bs, I'm putting my best 5 on the court. And he did it in a racially charged era and a racially tough town in Boston. But the fact is that he won...a lot. Auerbach was a winner and a legend. NBA Commish David Stern put it best when he said that Auerbach's death creates a void that can never be filled. Auerbach was a sharp cat up until his death and will be missed.