Ok folks, 44CaliberThrilla has sportingly volunteered to be my first debate opponent and he's fittingly chosen a Celtic Theme. :thumbsup: <u>His topic: </u> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> <font color="DarkGreen">"Who is the greatest Boston Celtic of all time?" </font> </div> This thread will be unlocked at 10am EST with 44 having the first post. The thread will stay open for 24 hours or up to one page, with myself left the final post. All posts will alternate, with a maximum limit of words per post of 250-300. Please: This thread should not be posted to by anyone other than Myself or 44CaliberThrilla during the debate. <font color="DarkRed"><font size="5">Any other posts will be deleted. In case anyone decides they need some attention, Multiple offenders will face disciplinary action, as per site rules.</font></font> I hope this will provide some entertainment and prove to be a learning experience for all. Best of luck to my opponent.
This thread is now open and the clock has started. 44, feel free to make your opening statement, whenever you're ready. :thumbsup:
Who is the Greatest Boston Celtic of all time? That's an easy question. William Felton Russell was not only the greatest Celtic of all time, but also the greatest player of all time, period. Russell joined the Boston Celtics after the 1956 Olympics. He joined a team that had never won an NBA title. 13 seasons later....The Celtics had 11 NBA titles under their belt. Who was the one player to play for all 11 championship teams? Bill Russell. Who won the league MVP award 5 times during that period? Bill Russell. Which Celtic averaged 15.1 points, 4.3 assists, and 22.5 boards during those 13 seasons? Bill Russell. Russell was by far the most important part of any of those Championship winning seasons. He is the greatest defensive player to ever play the game. The success of the rest of the players he played with directly involved what he was able to do on the defensive end of the court. Never, in the history of the NBA, has a team relied on one player the way the Boston Celtics relied on Russell. If he was never on the team, they would have never won even one championship in that era. Thus, everything we know about Celtics history would be very different. End of post
Well done 44! (somebody get JBB a clapping smilie!) Good structure, well researched, and well presented. All in all, a quality start to the debate. However, since this is a learning experience as well as entertainment, I'm going to afford you the opportunity to fortify your points that Bill Russell is the greatest Boston Celtic of all time. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">That's an easy question.</div> Before I present my greatest Boston Celtic, are you sure about that? end post.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">are you sure about that?</div> Yes. Why wouldn't I be? What is the ultimate goal of each and every athlete that plays any sport at any level? To win a championship Most great players would be lucky to win just one championship in their career. Others never had a chance to taste the champagne. How can anybody downplay the greatness of a man that almost single-handedly authored the storied history of the greatest Franchise in NBA history? Say what you'd like about any other player in Celtics history, but there's no telling what they would have been without following in the shadows of Russell. The Boston Celtics have established themselves as a great organization with a rich history. They have won a total of 16 NBA championships, 11 in the 13 years that Russell played, and a mere 5 in the last 35 years. End of post.
Good, just checking to be sure before we move on. Unfortunately, the championships angle won't win you this debate. Confused yet? <font size="1"><font color="DarkRed">(I apologize for setting you up like this, but if you step back and re-read the topic, you'll figure it out before I even have to say who. Once the cats out of the bag, you can't win the debate.)</font></font> <u>I'll give you hint:</u> Remember, part of the reason we're doing this is to teach people about the best ways to approach posting. Sometimes that means thinking beyond what the first appearance of what the question is asking. <font size="1"><font color="DarkRed">If you do come up with it before my next post, please don't be mad. I wish I could have been given this set up by someone else. </font></font> end post
I understand what you are trying to say, and it doesn't change my stance on the question one bit. That's assuming I know what you are talking about. If you're talking about the absence of the word "player" in the topic, that was intentional. If that isn't what you are refering to, than I'm totally lost. End of post.
Very good 44. That omission was critical. <font color="DarkGreen">"Who is the Greatest Boston Celtic of All time?"</font> While I will freely concede that Bill Russell is the greatest player to ever don the Celtics uniform, he's only surpassed by one man. The feats he accomplished as player will likely never be surpassed This man is the only person in franchise history with more Championship rings than Bill Russell. He is also the person primarily responsible for Bill Russell winning those 11 Championships. He's the guy who put the players around Russell so that those dominant teams, with that final (and ultimately most important) piece in place could make that amazing and historical Championship run. He'll forever be linked with Russell, because in a time when Russell shut the world out, he was Russell's main confidant. He stood right there with Russell and Satch as they struggled through the racially inflamed times. He's the guy who without him, the Celtic Mystique might truly not exist at all. While Russell is truly great, there's only one greatest Boston Celtic. He is the man, the architect, in fact the icon of the Boston Celtics and the scent of his victory cigar will forever linger in the memory of those of us who've had the pleasure to experience it. The greatest Boston Celtic of all Time? <font color="DarkGreen"> Forever our Coach: Red Auerbach.</font> end post
Yes, Hagrid, I was hoping you would say that. But, you see, A coach is only as good as the players he puts on the court. Saying Red was the greatest Celtic of all time is like saying that Phil Jackson is the greatest Chicago Bull of all time. While I agree that Red Auerbach was an amazing coach, most of what he put in his gameplan was all based on his 6-foot-9 center's ability to stabilize the entire defense. What kind of a fast break team would the Celtics have been without Bill Russell grabbing over 20 rebounds a night and blocking shots more frequently than a hockey goaltender? Auerbach had a very special player playing for him. One that no other coach in the history of the NBA has had the luxury of coaching. Russell's consistent defensive play, along with his unmatched abilty to control possesion of block shots, made coaching so much easier for Red. He could have his wing players cheat down the court every trip down the floor, because he knew that more often than not, Russell was going to end up with the ball. Russell made it so easy for Red that he rarely worked on anything other than running the fast break. I once read that Auerbach ran less than 10 set plays on offense in the time that Russell played for him. All of this is confirmed by the 2 championships that Russell won in his final 2 seasons. Bill Russell coached the team himself to 2 more NBA titles, after Red handed the team over to him. End of post.
Good man, you came back out fighting. :thumbsup: He did indeed, but how do you explain the 5 championships after Russells departure from the Celtics? Red was still a primary front office person with the franchise for all those championships. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Auerbach had a very special player playing for him. One that no other coach in the history of the NBA has had the luxury of coaching.</div> I'm quite sure that Wilt Chamberlain would take offense to that, particularly since he donminated Russell in most of thier meetings. The reason that the Celtics prevailed in the majority of those meetings is because Red put players around Bill that could get the job done. For all of Russell's defensive prowess, he took a back seat to the offensive dominance of Chamberlain. He may have been viewed as the final piece of the championship puzzle for that era, but let's not forget that he wasn't the only piece. As such, the rest of the picture needs to be credited to coaching and putting the right players on the court to get the job done. I'm going to ignore the Phil Jackson comparison. We both know you don't want to go there. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Saying Red was the greatest Celtic of all time is like saying that Phil Jackson is the greatest Chicago Bull of all time. </div> If you polled NBA and Bulls fans, Phil would come in a distant second to MJ. He primarily managed talent and wasn't responsible for assembling the talent around MJ, like Red was with Russell. Red helped construct championships after Russell was gone, while still being in the front office, giving Bill players to help get those championships when Red was no longer coach (remember that he went directly to the GM role after leaving coaching) If you're going to credit Russ with coaching those teams to championships after Red went to the front office, then by default you have to afford Red his due credit for handing Russ a team that basically would have had a hard time failing. end post
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">He did indeed, but how do you explain the 5 championships after Russells departure from the Celtics?</div>Well, to be exact, that would be: 1974 1976 1981 1984 1986 That's 5 championships in a span on 12 years. It is a very impressive statistic, but it does not measure up to the 11 that Russell won in his 13 year career. Sure, you can say that Auerbach played a rather large role in putting the pieces together on those teams, but still, the players are the ones that have to perform. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The reason that the Celtics prevailed in the majority of those meetings is because Red put players around Bill that could get the job done</div>I disagree with that. While Wilt may have put up better numbers in their head-to-head meetings. The Celtics still remained victorious in those meetings because--simply put--Russell did all the dirty work in order to win those games. All the things that he needed to do; stuff that you don't notice unless you watch the game. Sure, Chamberlain can put up 58 points, but if his team loses, does it really matter? In this day and age of modern basketball where guys like Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Steve Francis, Allen Iverson, and many others like them attract the attention of the fans, it's nice to focus on a guy that went out every night and did all the dirty work. All he wanted to do was win. He didn't care how he had to do it, he just swallowed his pride and went to work. Also, If you are going to credit Red for putting the correct pieces along side Russell, than you have to credit Bill Russell for making each and every teammate that he ever played with a better player. The guards could get away with below average defense, the forwards could get away with losing position on the boards, and the whole offensive mentatilty was to beat the opponent down the floor for uncontested shots. You could even say that a great formula was put into place in his era : An above average player + Bill Russell as a teammate = a hall of fame induction. I believe it was Tom Heinsohn who once said that Russell came up to him when they started playing together, and he said, "Don't worry about going for rebounds. Just keep a body on your man, and I'll take care of the rest." That statement is drowning in greatness. His whole "I'll do what I do best, and you do what you do best" mentality is very rare. We haven't seen any other NBA player that can even compare to Bill Russell in that element. Red Auerbach built his entire reputation on Bill Russell. If Bill Russell never came to the Celtics, Red wouldn't be as highly regarded as he is. Reputation and respect means everything if you are involved in a professional sports front office, and if it weren't for the great William Felton Russell, Red Auerbach would have never been given a shot at running the Celtics Front Office. When you think of the name "Red Auerbach", you think of winning. But when you think of why they won so many championships, the most important part of that was Bill Russell. End of post.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Red Auerbach built his entire reputation on Bill Russell. If Bill Russell never came to the Celtics, Red wouldn't be as highly regarded as he is.</div> Really?...... Red started coaching in the 1950 season, taking over a Celtics team that didn't make the playoffs the previous season. From 50-56 (Pre-Bill Russell being drafted) The Celtics made the playoffs every year and battled for the ECF with the Knicks every year. The Celtics weren't exactly the league doormats without Russell. Then, there was that unknown, 6-1 guard from Holy Cross (Cousy) that Red took a chance on, who dropped 50 points in a playoff game, without the help of Russell. The fast break offense was there before Russell as well. Auerbach drafted the first Black player in the history of the NBA. He made Russell the first black coach in the history of the NBA. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">All the things that he needed to do; stuff that you don't notice unless you watch the game. Sure, Chamberlain can put up 58 points, but if his team loses, does it really matter?</div> Your point only solidifies what I said earlier. Without players around him, no one player is going to get it done. Case in point, some guy knicknamed MJ who dropped 63 on the C's, but lost because there was no one there to support him. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">That's 5 championships in a span on 12 years. It is a very impressive statistic, but it does not measure up to the 11 that Russell won in his 13 year career.</div> 9 of which Auerbach coached and he GMed the others. While we're talking about those other Championships, lets keep in mind a singularly profound change that occured in the NBA, which made what Red assembled during those Russell years even more impressive: FREE AGENCY. Saying that Red wouldn't have gotten a shot at being the Celtics GM without Russell is almost heresy. When he was done coaching, Red would have been the GM without much thought involved. He put together winning teams the old fashioned way, without spoiled superstars jumping from one team to another, depending on who could offer them the most money. That's quality, there's no debating that. end post
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Celtics weren't exactly the league doormats without Russell.</div>True, but can a coach build a reputation on solely that? <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Red started coaching in the 1950 season, taking over a Celtics team that didn't make the playoffs the previous season. From 50-56 (Pre-Bill Russell being drafted) The Celtics made the playoffs every year...</div>Sounds a little similar to Jim O'Brien's situation with the Celtics. Care to give us your honest opinion of Jim O'Brien? I'm pretty sure that you don't think very highly of him. But, if the Celtics traded for a Bill Russell-type player that led them to 9 championships in 10 years, your view of OB would change, wouldn't it? When a player as special as Russell comes along, you don't have to be the greatest coach of all time to get them to win. Maybe even good ol' Jimmy OB could do it. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Your point only solidifies what I said earlier. Without players around him, no one player is going to get it done.</div>Nah, that's not what that means. It's only pointing out that Bill Russell wasn't one-dimensional like Chamberlain was. In my opinion, bringing Chamberlain into this conversation is an insult to Bill Russell. Chamberlain didn't make the players around him into better players the way Russell did. Jordan, who you mention, was the same way as Chamberlain when he dropped in 63, and it wasn't until later in his career that he started winning championships. He made guys like Paxson, Kerr, Pippen, Longley, Cartwright, and others into better players than they really were. He finally grew up. Russell was grown up the minute he stepped out on the court in 1956, HE was the leader of the team. HE made decent players into great players and great players into all-stars. Auerbach had a role in that too, but it was secondary. Deep down, he knows he owes it all to Russell, he made it easier for him because he knew he was sending the greatest out there every game. Before I start sounding like I'm trying to tell you that Red Auerbach isn't a great part of the franchise, I just want to say that that is not the case at all. Red is the greatest coach of all time. He is also one of the greatest GMs of all time. But, The play on the court is what matters. A GM can only do so much. Ask Mitch Kupcheck, he put together a starting lineup with 4 future hall of famers in it. Of those 4, 2 of them are widely considered 2 of the best 5 players in the entire league. Did they win a championship? No, because they didn't play well enough to win it. Was that a great move by a GM, to sign 2 hall of famers to a team that already has 2 others? Yes, one of the best examples of a GM positively affecting a team, but in the end, they didn't win, so people will forget about it all. Play on the court is what decides what was a great move, and what was a bad move. EDIT-accidently posted before finishing. All things considered, You cannot call Red the greatest Celtic of all time. He has done alot for the team, and he still does. But Bill Russell was the best ever. He did nothing but win. He is the one that is responsible for the winning atmosphere that was put in place from 1956 on. He was reponsible for the greatest championship run ever put on by any team in Pro Sports. That run is what the team's history was based on, and Red did a great job continuing that history on, but guys like Havlichek, Cowens, Bird, McHale, and Parish were the ones that actually got it done. You can put together what on paper is the greatest team of all time, but it all means nothing unless they win. Russell did nothing but win games in any way that he could, that's why he is the greatest Celtic of all time. End of post.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">It's only pointing out that Bill Russell wasn't one-dimensional like Chamberlain was. In my opinion, bringing Chamberlain into this conversation is an insult to Bill Russell.</div> Let's see: Wilt Chamberlain averaged 30.1 pts, and 22.9 rbs per game over his career. 4 Time League MVP and 2 times All-Defensive team. If that's an insult to Russell, then I'm going to keep on insulting Russell. Jim O'brien is a joke and everyone knows I think that. You're point is flawed in using that point in this debate in that in the modern NBA, no one will ever win 8 consecutive championships in a row. The Lakers (your example) and the Bulls have proven that. I'm not sure that adding a marquee center to the mix would have garnered more than one fluke championship with the O'Brien teams. He didn't know how to use a center, nor was his offensive philosophy predicated on effectively using one. Most Centers don't shoot 3 pointers. Auerbach has shared his touch in the coaching area and front office for the better part of 4 decades (basically becoming more of an honorary fixture in the 90's). Auerbach rebuilt the Celtics several times, including a one season turn around of worst to first, after Russell was gone. Auerbach also was responsible for one of the most savy moves ever made in the NBA: Securing the rights to "the hick from French Lick" an entire year before he even entered the NBA. To put it in a modern comparison, he got Lebron, when Lebron was only a Junior. The Celtics had remained a dominant force in the NBA until the late 80's, long after Russell was gone, but one thing remained consistant: Red was still making big moves to make this team what it was behind the scenes. Even if I was willing to concede that Bill Russell made Auerbach's reputation, Red has more than proven that he didn't need any hand holding to accomplish the goal that this franchise is now legendary for: Winning Championships. He's been the only consistant piece in all of them. I love Russ, but he only helped carry the ball so far. Thing was, Red was the guy handing it off to him and Red was the guy who handed it off to all the other Hall of Famers that have come through Boston. You can't simply dismiss Red's architect like building and rebuilding of this team, as well as the guy who found or traded for all those hall of famers. Boston has the most Hall of Famers of any franchise in the NBA. That doesn't just include the guys who played alongside of Russ. Red is the architect of every championship team the Celtics have. Russ may have helped jump start them, but not only didn't he do it alone, but he also wasn't at all responsible for the ones that he wasn't with the team for. One Consistant force: Red Auerbach End post.
Well, you are saying that, for many reasons, Red Auerbach is the greatest Celtic of all time. But that just cannot be. In order to be the greatest Celtic, you need to wear a Celtic uniform. Basically what you have been saying is that Red Auerbach was the GM of the team for a long time. Yes, he has done his job well enough to put together 5 championship teams in 12 years. That's all fine and good, except he is what he is. The greatest Celtics coach and the greatest Celtics GM in history, but that's it. No person has ever had the impact on a franchise like Bill Russell with the Celtics. It cannot be denied that he was the most important factor in making the team into what it is today. There are certain things that are expected of Celtics players that aren't expected of anybody else. Bill Russell set that tone. There's something special about a player who thinks nothing about his own personal stats and his own public opinion. With a player like Russell, you can't help but think that just about any coach could have coached him to 9 championships. He was just too good not to win all the time. It's not like he had no history of winning until he was under the coaching of Auerbach. In college, Russell led his team to 55 straight victories, two undefeated seasons, and two NCAA championships. He was a winner much before Red got a hold of him. He also changed the entire game of basketball with his "Defense wins championships" legacy. The game had never seen a Defensive presence like him. Before him, the game focused primarily on Offense. In his Hall of fame Biography it states, "Russell initiated a defensive mentality that remains a focal part of championship basketball at every level." Russell is the Babe Ruth of Basketball. There's no way you can consider his coach as a more important part of the Team's history, even if the coach goes on to be a GM for years to come. I hate to say it but, without Bill Russell, Red Auerbach is just a decent coach with a good eye for talent. End of post.
The topic of this debate is... "Who is the greatest Boston Celtic of all time?" The reason that I came up with such a vague question is because I wanted to hit on a much bigger issue than the specific example in question. My main point is that the most important aspect of the game of basketball, the NBA as we know it, and the vast history of the Boston Celtics is the players that actually go out and give it all each and every game. Too much of what we hear in an analysis of basketball issues, is focused on coaches and front office personnel. We all need to start giving credit where credit is due, and criticize the correct people when needed. In this case, Hagrid is arguing that Red Auerbach is the greatest Boston Celtic of all time. This is an example of both a coach and a GM recieving boat loads of credit for the great history that the Boston Celtics franchise has had in its many years. Some people feel as if Red was the brain behind the 27 years in which they won 16 Championships. My main point is that a coach and a GM can only do so much in the creation of a dynasty. He can only put pieces together that he thinks will do the job. But ultimately, it all comes down to what the players do on the court. The players are the ones that have to go out and perform to the extent that it takes to win games. A coach can help them along, make sure he plays the best players he has, and point out things that they may be getting wrong. A coach has no control over how his players are actually going to play. If he has players that aren't capable of winning, it is not the coaches fault, the players are responsible for their own actions. It goes both ways though, a coach such as Red Auerbach, is also only as good as his players. But it just so happens that Red had the benefit of having the greatest overall presence to ever play in a basketball game. A player that was directly involved in every aspect of the game. Bill Russell deserves the most credit for being the player that he is, he showed us that by his winning ways before and after Auerbach was his coach. The GM also has a vital role in a team's sucess. But they also, have no control over what is going to happen on the court. As a GM, you are nothing but a gambler. You take chances on guys as if you were putting bets on them. If a GM takes a chance on a guy, and that guy doesn't turn out as the GM expected, we all jump all over that GM. Most of the time asking for that GM to be fired. If the player ends up performing to his abilities, the GM looks great. Just like gambling, its a win/lose situation. We credit a player's abilty/inability on a GM, when in all reality, the GM has no control over how the player plays on the court. Red Auerbach made his share of moves that didn't end up as expected, but we still continued to love him. We focused on the great acquisitions that he made: Players like Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and John Havlichek. Why didn't we mind when he made a move that didn't turn out? Because of his reputation! Red Auerbach's reputation was built the moment Bill Russell put on a Boston Celtics uniform. Russell went on to win 11 championships under Red. We did what we always do, we gave the credit to Auerbach without thinking about how much different of a player Russell really was. He wasn't good at just 2 or 3 things, he was good at everything. Never has a team relied on one player more in all of eternity than the Boston Celtics relied on Bill Russell. The way he went about playing the game will never be matched by any player. It seemed like he had complete control of every single game, and Auerbach could just sit back and watch him work. <u>Bottom Line.</u> When you think of the Boston Celtics' history, you think of the 16 championships that they have won. 11 of those could not have happened without Bill Russell. Don't try to tell me that they couldn't have happened without Auerbach, either. With a player like Russell, <u>many</u> coaches could have won it all. Even Russell himself coached his team to 2 titles, and most people would say that the teams Russell coached to victory pales in comparison to the ones Red coached to the title. Players are what make teams what they are. Bill Russell is the greatest Celtic player of all time. Bill Russell is the greatest Celtic of all time. Bill Russell is the greatest player of all time. He deserves the credit for what he did for the team, and for establishing a winning attitude for many many years. Russell built the entire winning atmoshere of this historic franchise. Bill Russell-The Reason The Celtics Are What They Are Today.
IF we were to ask who were the greatest UCLA BRUIN, North Carolina TarHeel, or Duke Blue Devil (for basketball), you'd probably get answers that include Walton and Jabbar, Micheal Jordan and James Worthy, Christian Laettner and Grant Hill. However, there are going to the 3 names that continue to come out from everyone you talk to: Coach John Wooden, Coach Dean Smith, and Coach K. Theres not a serious college basketball fan in the world who doesn't see those men as the architects of thier respective programs. They've all seen thier share of truly special players: The all-time scoring leader, arguably the greatest of all time,. etc. That's not to take away from any of those players, but the fact is, Players come and go. These men have provided decades of dominance and championships both while and after the great ones had gone. When you think about the greatest Boston Celtic of All-Time, that what we need to measure, of all time. Bill Russell is a basketball playing god for alot of us. Thing is, by 1969 he had retired from the team. Leaving in his wake a considerable legacy that my counterpart has so eliquently shown us all. After he retired, the Celtics won 5 Championships. Now, while that number seems palty in comparison to the 11 that Russell was PART of, those 5 Titles still puts the Celtics ahead of 27 of the 29 teams in the National Basketball Association for most Championships won. That's right, if you factor out every Championship that the Russell teams won, the Celtics would still be the 3rd winningest franchise in NBA history and only 1 behind 2nd place. My counterpart says you have to play in order to be considered the greatest. I'm going to counter that you have to be around in order to make an impact and whlie his arguements are certainly compelling, it's a cyclical arguement that ignores 20+ years of Celtic history. He's insinuated that Red Auerbach wouldn't have been ther person he is without Bill Russell. The problem is, it ignores the counter to that and the inevitable question of would Bill Russell have been the player he was without Red Auerbach? Would the quiet man we all know have been able to endure the racial climate that those early teams had to endure without his closest confidant? Would another coach have done what Red did to comfort and make alternate arrangements for his players, when guys like Bill and Satch couldn't eat at restuarants with the other players? Bill was able to do what Bill does best, because Red made sure he could focus on it. Red Auerbach was the guy that was the first to do something that most NBA fans take for granted in the modern era: He Drafted the first black player. He appointed the first Black Coach, which was coincidentally Bill Russell. When we look back, some will argue that had Red not integrated, that someone else would have. That's obviously true and we'd be celebrating that man instead of Red, but it doesn't diminish the events. They are some of the most profound changes to ever grace the NBA or Professional sports. Red Auerbach has been there for everyone of the 29 Hall of Famers. In fact he's among them. He drafted or traded for the large majority of them, without the benefit of Free-Agency. Red was there for all 16 World Championships. Making that famous and remarkable picture of all Bills rings that much more profound: Unlike Bill, Red needs 4 hands to hold all of his, not just 3. He made moves that are still considered absolute genius, even by todays standards, for example, securing Larry Bird an entire year before he left ISU. How about worst to First, a feat never before accomplished. The biggest of pictures is what we have to look at here. Russell had direct impact on the Celtics for roughly a decade and a half. Pure dominance, but still only a small portion of the overall history of the Celtics. Even in a diminished role since the 90's, Red Auerbach represents 4 decades of pure genius, building and rebuilding the franchise over and over again to remain a dominant force in the league for 40 years. Yes, coaches can only do so much. Thing is we're not talking about just any coach here. The Dean, The Wizard of Westwood, and Coach K aren't just coaches. Neither is Red Auerbach. Add to that, that he not only held a dual role as GM during those Russell years, but he kept the franchise what it was after he had handed the bench over to others. In looking at the Boston Celtics and All-Time, you have to examine it in it's entirety, not just a dozen exemplary years. Red managed to not only survive, but thrive in an ever changing NBA for 40 years. During that timespan, about the only thing that has remained consistant since he started was the fact that the point of the game is still to put the ball in the hoop. On thing has remained consistant with the Celtics for all but 4 of the years of thier existance: Red Auerbach That is why he is the <font color="DarkGreen">Greatest Boston Celtic of All Time</font>
