RIP Bill Russell

ojb81 said:
OHHHH-HO-HOOHHHHH NOW YOU DUN GON' 'N DID IT!!!

Bill Hader Reaction GIF by Saturday Night Live
Click to expand...
I'm innocent. Innocent, I tell ya.
 
Kburjr said:
Yeah, I think so.

Bill Russell was the Tom Brady of basketball. Not always the best player in the game but he was the greatest winner.
Click to expand...
Great comparison!

Translation: at the right place at the right time with the right team.

Elvis Grbac > Tom Brady
 
Kburjr said:
It is impossible to measure individual contributions in a sport where defense is a team effort moreso than an individual effort. The Celtics may have been able to play their style of defense merely because of what Russell could do inside and therefore his rating is undervalued. Too many ifs and buts.
Click to expand...
React Reaction GIF by John Crist Comedy


It's impossible to name a player known for defense as the greatest ever. Sorry, that's not even debatable.
 
Kburjr said:
You jeep adding the -est. Only you are arguing that. Great, yes, greatest?
Click to expand...

I responded to a message earlier (not yours) which didn't say "greatest" but at least suggested that Bill was superior to Wilt.
 
HammerDown said:
React Reaction GIF by John Crist Comedy


It's impossible to name a player known for defense as the greatest ever. Sorry, that's not even debatable.
Click to expand...
Who here has said “greatest”. No one has said it.

The lactic acid is getting to your brain.
 
DragonFromTo said:
I responded to a message earlier (not yours) which didn't say "greatest" but at least suggested that Bill was superior to Wilt.
Click to expand...
That sounds more fair. I’m only replying off this as I said (not in actual words, but context) that Bills career was superior to Wilts. Wilt had the stats, and far less rings than he really should have.

I’m sure Wilt would have traded some stats for rings. I know Jerry West would….he’s said as much many times.
 
HammerDown said:
If your contention is that he's not widely hailed as the greatest ever, you haven't been on social media in the last few days, have you?
Click to expand...
Some people on social media consider him the greatest, some don't. I haven't been keeping score.
 
Orlando_Eagles said:
That sounds more fair. I’m only replying off this as I said (not in actual words, but context) that Bills career was superior to Wilts. Wilt had the stats, and far less rings than he really should have.

I’m sure Wilt would have traded some stats for rings. I know Jerry West would….he’s said as much many times.
Click to expand...

Would you mind expanding on the bolded statement a bit please?

"I'm sure Wilt would have traded some stats for rings". I'm sure that every player would make this type of trade (even Bill) but it's not that simple. It's not like there is a fork in the road and one way leads to stats and the other way leads to team championships.

I seem to recall that Red Auerbach wanted Wilt on the Celtics after meeting him as a teen but couldn't make it happen, I think the deal was that he wanted Wilt to go to a prep school in New England so that he'd be in their "territory". If that was true then he must have thought that he could win with Wilt on his team.
 
DragonFromTo said:
Would you mind expanding on the bolded statement a bit please?

"I'm sure Wilt would have traded some stats for rings". I'm sure that every player would make this type of trade (even Bill) but it's not that simple. It's not like there is a fork in the road and one way leads to stats and the other way leads to team championships.

I seem to recall that Red Auerbach wanted Wilt on the Celtics after meeting him as a teen but couldn't make it happen, I think the deal was that he wanted Wilt to go to a prep school in New England so that he'd be in their "territory". If that was true then he must have thought that he could win with Wilt on his team.
Click to expand...
Red would have been willing to do anything to get all the top talent on his team, not really relevant.

But, to your point, I did lay that out like Wilt was THE reason Wilt didn’t win more championships, and that’s not accurate. Wilt was rarely supported enough to come out on top.

When Wilt died I said “That was one of the greats. He didn’t deserve to be let down the way he was in his career”. That respect. And I feel respect for Russell as a great for his reasons.
 
Kburjr said:
Some people on social media consider him the greatest, some don't. I haven't been keeping score.
Click to expand...
Well, I'm certainly proud that on this site we all are in complete agreement that Bill Russell isn't the greatest ever! I especially applaud the Celtics fans for their courage in admitting that. Our Celtics fans here are the only ones I've ever seen do that! :clap:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top