Celtics Legend Bob Cousy A Rajon Rondo Fan

http://www.telegram.com/article/20141004/NEWS/310049709/1120/sports10




Saturday, October 4, 2014
Celtics legend Bob Cousy a Rajon Rondo fan







Worcester resident and Celtics great Bob Cousy says players like Rajon Rondo "come along only every 20 years." ... (T&G Staff/PAUL KAPTEYN)


By Bill Doyle TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
william.doyle@telegram.com






WORCESTER — As Bob Cousy slowly recovers from back surgery that he underwent in August, the Celtics legend walks with a cane around his circular driveway off Salisbury Street for 10 minutes three times a day to build up his strength.

No, he doesn't bounce a basketball while he walks. At age 86, he said those days are over, but he wants Rajon Rondo's days with the Celtics to last quite a while longer. Cousy hopes the Celtics don't trade Rondo and sign him to a contract extension next summer.

"Guys like Rondo come along only every 20 years," Cousy said. "So I would do everything I could to keep him."

Rondo's contract expires at the end of the season, and he said that he'd like to remain in Boston, but there's no guarantee of that, especially if the Celtics post another losing season and another team offers him a maximum contract. So Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge will have to decide before the February trading deadline if he should deal him.

"Obviously," Cousy said, "you don't want to lose a talent like that and get nothing for him. I'm a big Ainge fan. I think Danny has done an excellent job since he's been there. He's a hard worker, he's a good guy, he's smart. If he really thinks he's going, then sure try to salvage something."

Joining the Celtics out of Holy Cross, Cousy practically invented the point guard position in the NBA in the 1950s, taking advantage of his superior peripheral vision and court sense to run the fast break. Rondo ranks among the top point guards in the NBA today, and he'll tell you that he thinks he ranks atop that list.

So are Cousy and Rondo the two best point guards in Celtics history?

"Well, I guess," Cousy replied. "Who the hell else is there?

When the names of Tiny Archibald, Dennis Johnson and JoJo White were mentioned, Cousy insisted they weren't pure point guards.

"No one jumps out at us," Cousy said.

As Cousy pointed out, there have never been many pure point guards in the NBA.

"Coming through the playgrounds of the world," he explained, "there aren't a lot of people saying to kids, 'Hey, you'd better work on your passing game. That's where it's at, that's going to get you to the NBA someday.' It's more, 'Man, keep that slam dunk going.' "

Cousy said no one ever urged him to work on his passing skills.

"I wasn't pushed that way by anyone," he said. "I just gravitated there, I guess. When you're good at one aspect, you tend to focus on that."

Cousy and Rondo, two 6-foot-1 point guards, played in different eras, but does Cousy believe he was better than Rondo?

"Better is in the eyes of the beholder," Cousy said. "I'll leave that for history."

The accomplishments certainly favor Cousy. He was the 1957 NBA MVP, the MVP of the All-Star Game twice, a six-time NBA champion and a 13-time All-Star, and he made All-NBA first team 10 times and second team twice. He also led the NBA in assists eight consecutive years.

Rondo is only 28, and his career isn't over yet, but so far he has been a four-time All-Star, made the All-NBA third team once, led the NBA in assists twice and was All-Defensive first team twice and second team twice.

Rondo averaged a franchise-record 11.7 assists a game two years ago. Cousy's season high was 9.5.

With 30 teams now as opposed to eight when Cousy played, there is more competition these days, but Cousy will tell you that the league is watered down.

"Now that they've diluted the league with 30 teams," Cousy said, "it's even more evident what one great player can do. Rondo fits into that category, this especially applies to point guards.

"A point guard who is as multitalented as Rondo is, he's an outstanding defender, he rebounds like a man much taller. He's physically tough. He's not a great shooter, but, hell, neither was I."

Cousy gives Rondo the edge on defense and as a rebounder, but Cousy was a far better foul shooter. While both are known for running an offense, Cousy believes he was more imaginative.

"I would still to this day," Cousy said, "match my imagination and creative skills from the standpoint of a guard point with anyone who has played the game. Rondo isn't as creative, but he is functional. He doesn't throw the ball away. I think he recognizes what his talents are, and he stays within them. He gets the job done on so many levels."

Cousy has been asked often over the years if he sees any similarities between his game and Rondo's. The answer is always no. The point guard who most reminded Cousy of himself was Ernie DiGregorio, the former Providence College star who finished his NBA career with the Celtics.

Even though Cousy lives only an hour from the Garden, he hasn't had the occasion to speak with Rondo much over the years. CSNNE wanted Cousy to do a sit-down with Rondo a couple of years ago, but Cousy was still upset with the network for letting him go as a Celtics broadcaster and said no.

Cousy used to run the entire game.

"I used to have guys (guarding him) pleading with me," Cousy recalled, "to please stop running. 'Couz, geez, come one. Give it a rest. Please.' I just never got tired. My legs were always my strong point. That's why I'm so frustrated now."

Cousy underwent spinal surgery in January on his second, third and fourth lumbar vertebrae, but the pain persisted so he had surgery on his fifth lumbar vertebra at New England Baptist Hospital in Boston on Aug. 21. Dr. Eric Carkner, who works with the Celtics, performed the surgery.

"It sounds like a musical group," Cousy said. "They put four screws and a rod in there."

The pain has subsided, and Cousy is walking better, but he's still building up his strength. After he heads for Florida in about a month, he'll begin physical therapy.

He has been told he should be much better in about three months.

"We'll see, but I'm encouraged," Cousy said.




bob
MY NOTE:  This is going to sound strange, but I'm glad that Cousy's silence over the past summer has been due to back surgery.  His mental state, after the passing of his wife, was what I thought it was due to.  I'm glad I'm wrong although I'm sure that pain will never subside.  Get well, Cooz, heal what you can.

Back to basketball, I'd take Houdini of the Hardwood's opinion about Rondo over most people's, especially dumbasses like Tanguay and Marshall.



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As usual, Bob Cousy makes perfect sense to me: Rondo is a rare talent and Ainge is doing an excellent job. Great that Cooz is starting to heal from back pain. Thanks for posting this, Bob. Hawk

Missy Cousy died a year ago this past September 20. Bob's almost hermit-like existence for several months thereafter was most definitely due to her loss. It appears that what finally got him out of the house was the pain of a physical ailment that even overshadowed the pain in his heart over the loss of Missie In a weird sense, the back problem might have been a blessing in disguise if it forced him to realize that life must go on.

Nonetheless, it has to be really difficult when one's life is regulated by which challenge is more demanding than the next challenge. And his inability to play golf has to be yet another one that'll come to the surface as his back recovery continues.

I've said so many times on this board that The Cooz was not only the best floor general of all-time but was also the most creative. It's not surprising that his creativity is uppermost in his mind whenever he reflects on the past.

When I focus on it, I realize there's a continuous loop in my brain that never stops playing the image of #14 flying up the floor, head up, a little bandy legged, plotting two or three steps ahead, ready to meet any challenge, and preparing to author another two points for the Celtics.

I'm not much into comparing individual players; and, whenever I err in that direction, it's always within the context of their impact on the team. Cooz versus Rondo? Give me a friggin' break! I wouldn't waste my breath talking about it.

Dsm

Cooz's home is 1/4 mile away from where I grew up. My dad worked with him for years. My sister went to school with his daughter Patricia who I met at my sis's 50th birthday party, but sadly I never met Bob. He's still my favorite Celtic. I agree with him that Rajon is special, and I hope we keep him till he retires...then he can be an understudy and eventually replace Brad as coach and go on to win banners 23 and 24.

The new TV deal the NBA just got should make it a lot easier to give Rondo a max contract, or something close to it, without killing the team's ability to land someone else of comparable stature.



bob



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That deal should have a lot of ramifications throughout the league. But the bottom line will likely be what it has been for many years now. The players and agents will be getting richer and will have increasing power.

Sam