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From: sdp@chinet.UUCP (steve d. pruitt)
Newsgroups: net.sport.hoops
Subject: Re: Celtics Racial Policy
Message-ID: <206@chinet.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 14-Oct-85 13:24:59 EDT
Article-I.D.: chinet.206
Posted: Mon Oct 14 13:24:59 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 15-Oct-85 20:25:17 EDT
References: <787@decwrl.UUCP>
Reply-To: sdp@chinet.UUCP (steve d. pruitt)
Organization: chi-net, Public Access UN*X, Chicago IL
Lines: 44
Keywords: Bill Russell

> Q: Which NBA team was the first to draft a Black basketball player?
>> Q: Which NBA team was the first to have a Black coach?
>> Hint:  They wear green sneakers.
> ...
>>                                    ...NBA history shows that Red Auerbach
>> helped to break down the racist policies that once pervaded the league.
>
>But I wonder what the NBA players think.  Beware! Things are sometimes
>different than what they appear. (Sorry about the politics.)

I can recall when CBS sports had an excellent NBA
"color"	commentator named (Bill R.), who kept his side-kick and 
play by play announcer (Brent M.) in stitches the entire game with
is humorous frankness about the game.  Once during a Celtic telecast
Bill was being praised by Brent for his glory days in green.
Brent (obviously in jest) inadvertently and very unadvisedly
asked Bill if he would "do it all over again" (play for the Celtics)
if he had the choice.  Well with a straight face Bill 
simply said "NO", much the the chagrin of Brent
(with of course a national TV audience).  So you see, some things
do appear much differently to the untrained eye.  If you read
Russell's first book he clearly states that he was a victim of
much racism as a member of the Celtics (is anyone naive enough
to think otherwise?).  And please don't make Red A. out to be the
Branch Ricky of the NBA.  Red has a knack for drafting the best
talent available, and in 1954? when he desperately needed a center
the man would have been crazy if he didn't look to USF for the
best in the land in one Bill Russell.  Oh, by the way, to finish
that story about the announcer and the frank "color" commentator,
the next year CBS replaced the man who had done such a competent
job for 2-3 years? with a not so competent, not so colorful Dummy
(I mean Tommy) Heinson(sp) a blatant Celtic loyalist to the bitter
end (as both Celtic and non Celtic fans have observed his total 
bias toward the green while in a supposedly neutral position,
unlike his predecessor).  Amazing how much power Red has in all
facets of the game, which includes of course officiating.

-- 
		.........................................
		. "Living forever isn't just a dream!"	.
		.					.
		.	     Steve Pruitt		.
		.	 ..!ihnp4!chinet!sdp		.
		.........................................