Today, a great man has passed away.
Celtic legend Red Auerbach, age 89, passed away in his home in Washington from a heart attack.
Red wasn't just the best coach ever to grace the game, but he was an amazing man. He was one of the first coaches to embrace black players, and was 100% color blind. One of his closest friends, Bill Russell, is easily in the top 5 of the best NBA players of all time with Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson. Russell thrived in the NBA all because of Red. Russell had amazing talent and skill, but Red turned all that raw athleticism into a machine. Together they won 10 championships, and Russell was taught enough by Red to win his 11th as a player/coach.
Red was the King of Gamesmanship, lighting up his trademark cigar when he realized the game was in hand. He used to crank the heat in the Visitor's Locker Room, draining the energy out of the players before tipoff. He would coach the Celtics to learn where all the dead spots on the parquet and trap the opposition into those areas so when they dribbled the ball would just drop and barely come back waist high, easy pickings for a steal. Red truly was an ambassador of the game.
Every time I go to a Celtics game I seek out Red. He's always about 10 or 12 rows a bit off dead center court, edge of the aisle, with his cane propped in front of him. He's usually wearing a blue blazer, with a red sweater vest underneath. The Celtic faithful don't bother him, they merely respect him and allow him to enjoy the game that he helped create.
It will be a very weird feeling going back to the Garden for the first time and instinctively looking for Red and not finding him.
But he'll be there alright, I'll just have to look more carefully...
Rest in peace, Red.
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