OT "Bill Russell Legend" on Netflix

[rochrist]

What was the Rick Barry incident?

Rick Barry belittling Bill Russell on TV revealed the real fool

 

[jlu52]

Russell claimed he had a 48" vertical which might be a bit high. There were some pics of his nose parallel to the rim. I remember Cooz saying during a WBZ Celts broadcast w/ Santos back in the mid-80s saying Russell could touch to top of the backboard.

Insane jumps.

Track and Field had Russ ranked #7 in the world, #2 in the U.S. in high jump in 1956, he turned down the Olympics in 56, in order to compete in the basketball Olympics, where the team won gold. Russell could high jump pretty much his full height. He still holds USF high jump records. Amazing athlete, Mr. Russell.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Rick Barry belittling Bill Russell on TV revealed the real fool

Rick Barry was a great basketball player with a toxic personality.

In the beginning of the 1974-75 year, Clifford Ray led a meeting of the Warriors players without Rick. He said, "Look, we need this guy. I know and I understand. But if we rally around him and play as a team we can make it."

Now, I think at that time Cliff was talking about just making it through the season. It's a testament to how good Barry was that they wound up going all the way. They deserved it for putting up with him.

As for Russ, a rare televised moment when he put on the deadpan face, usually an alarming precursor to the dreaded scowl.

I always related to Russ, being the baby of the family, introverted, quirky, obsessive, overly competitive, and although always instantly on the alert for anything silly or funny, having a corresponding deep dark side people didn't want to see.

 

[everlong]

What was the Rick Barry incident?

 

[BUSTAMOVE]

When people gave him respect, like kids often did, he was quite a teacher, not just about basketball but about being human. I don't know that any of the other "Mount Rushmore" candidates had that quality about them (don't know anything about Orr).

He was a genuinely nice man. And that laugh.
This is going to sound lame like I’m making stuff up. But genuine stories.
Orr was my childhood idol. Never wore a sports game jersey other than Orr. T-shirts but not game jerseys.
I was a firefighter and left work one morning in the late 90’s to buy a Boston Garden chair and have Orr autograph it when the old Garden closed. I was still in my work clothes and when I got close to Orr with the #4 chair that I bought. It was explained to all of us. No pictures or chat. Move along so everyone could get their autograph. When I approached Orr he seen I was a firefighter and started raving to me how much he respected what I did. The guy who told us to keep moving along approached me and asked that I move along. Orr in his classy way chewed him a new butt. I was stunned. My idol made me his idol. Will never forget it.
Edit. Russell’s meeting was an autograph signing also. Been to alot of those but those 2 men were the only ones that engaged