Bill Russell said that Tom Heinsohn was the most talented basketball player he ever played with. That alone would be enough to set someone apart. But it barely begins to cover this man's contribution to the sport and the city of Boston. Red Auerbach used Tom as his locker room punching bag, because he knew he could take it, and Red could get his point across without damaging anyone else's fragile ego. He was relentless, but Russ actually though Red should have rode him more. That's how good he was. Every decision Heinsohn made after retiring as a player was considered, and as much as his basketball acumen was keen, took human and personal aspects into consideration. I'd say he is what everyone thinks Phil Jackson is, only better.
Tom is loved, but he is among the most locally underappreciated sports stars in Boston history, as people think of M.L. Carr merely as the guy who waived a white towel. His humble personality and outgoing Fred Flintstone voice made him a target of fans when he coached, and many felt he simply "didn't blow" the title winning series in '74 vs. the Bucks and in '76 vs. the Suns. As a broadcaster he was a homer like all of the old Celts; but his criticism of the officials was 99% spot on correct.
I was happy that my high school classmate Wyc Grousbeck and his partners rescued us from ThanksDad Gaston, but immediately apprehensive about hiring Ainge as the czar, as Trader Danny's philosophy was fundamentally counter to Auerbach's. As scintillating as the run of great moves was in the six months after losing the 2007 lottery were, after winning the title in '08 we were frankly set up to win at least two more. The Lakers, Bulls and Spurs did so by simply not screwing it up. And Tom Heinsohn made it clear that we needed to keep James Posey in the fold. But Danny fiddled and diddled and let Posey go, and I said, "That's it. There will be no more titles." Sadly, I was right.
To promote the fledgling league, the old Celts used to barnstorm across New England playing for local crowds, and Tommy never really stopped promoting the game. He inherited the unofficial title of sharpest basketball mind in Boston, if not the world, when Red passed away.
Whenever we turned on the TV, Tom was a beloved close member of the family. We loved, trusted and listened to him. I guess that's his greatest legacy, love. Of basketball, and each other.
