Bob Cousy will receive the Presidential Medal for Freedom 8-22 at the White House

Late this afternoon I listened with delight to Bob Cousy holding court with Eddie Johnson and and Justin Termini on Sirius XM NBA radio. Do track it down somehow. It was 45 minutes of the best Celtic and NBA talk I've heard in years. Cooz said what he was most proud of was the Celts winning 11 championships in 13 years (he was there for six of them), and that he started the NBA Players Association at a time when he was the face and drawing card of the NBA and thus the only player the owners could not bully into backing down. He laughed to recount that he had been the highest paid player in 1963 earning a whopping $35,000! He said that no one could ever imagine back then an NBA player making $40 million a year. He is really happy to have played a part in that process.

Cooz went on and on about how Russ was the greatest champion in any sport because what he did for the Celts. Bill's first NBA game was late, like December, and he only played 16 minutes, but the impression he left his teammates was, "Hmm. This guy might be able to play some defense." Bob thinks that to this day no other NBA player has matched Russell's prowess as a shot blocker. Cooz said Russ was a superb track and field athlete and could easily play in today's NBA, unlike most of his contemporary centers who were just too slow and unathletic, which was not the hindrance then which it would be today. He thinks today's players are much much better than he and the players of his era were (with exceptions like Russ), but he also thinks Tommy Heinsohn is the most under rated top 50 player of all time. Tommy was always in the shadow of Russ and Cooz and did not get the credit for his great accomplishments as a player. However, Cooz said that none of the Celts on his teams cared about their stats. The only ONLY thing that mattered was getting that championship banner at the end of the season. They were a team,Team, Team. Team. Justin then brought up about Kyrie and how he dissed the Celtics. Cooz wouldn't comment except to say he did not know Kyrie well enough to talk about it. Cooz also waxed nostalgic about Arnold who he thought of foremost a great businessman more than a coach. He said Arnold was so smart at evaluating and acquiring talent and motivating players. Cooz also said in the beginning they played 23 exhibition games a season plus a 69 game regular schedule in 1951, 72 game regular season in 1956, and then eventually an 80 game schedule in 1963, plus the playoffs.

Coz also told about his 15 minute telephone conversation wit President Trump in December 2018 who told him he'd be getting the award soon (Tiger winning the Master's pushed Cooz back to August). #45 inquired about the health of Russ, John H., and Sam J., and Trump really gave Cooz a sense that he knew a LOT about the Celtics. As he should!

Cooz was quite humble in the interview yet so very funny and sharp as a tack. I admire the man immensely and most of all for the human qualities he showed in the following interview. (His daughter Patricia is seated to his left in one of the photos. She went to high school with my sister and I met her at my sis' 50th birthday party.)

Bob Cousy is the ultimate mensch.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2441171/NBA-legend-Bob-Cousy-let-dementia-suffering-wife-believe-healthy.html

You can always count on Cousy to offer very candid opinions about the game that he made so popular in boston - he was so very special - sure deserving of this most recent honor. I'll be watching.

swish

Worcester, have you read “The Last Pass” by Cousy. I am in the middle of it, It is so interesting for old timers who can remember the players he is talking about. It also is a mea culpa for not giving Russ the help he needed in fighting the civil rights battle. Very very interesting.

Not yet. I will get it. Thanks, Rosalie.