Sam Jones had no authority

It's always darkest before the dawn. Before Celtics fans know it, KG and Quis will be back to terrorizing opponents, the second unit will be the force it was earlier in the season, and everyone will be looking forward to hanging the next banner.

Meanwhile, here are a few stories about Mr. Jones to lighten the mood.

LENNY WILKENS: "Sam liked to mess with your head during the game. He'd say, "You can't guard me." Or he'd say, "Where's your shot? How come they never let you shoot the ball? Don't they think you can shoot?"

GENE CONLEY: "Sam loved to talk to Wilt. He'd drive the lane, arc a shot over Wilt and as the ball settled into the net, he'd tell Wilt, "Too late, baby."

WAYNE EMBRY: "Sam would say, "Wilt, you can't get that. What makes you think you can get my shot?"

JOHN HAVLICEK: "From my era, the greatest guards were Jerry West and Oscar Robertson. But the third on my list would be Sam Jones. He was only 6-foot-4, but he wore the same size pants as Bill Russell - which tells you how long Sam's legs are. That meant his first step wasn't just quick, it was long. He was always under control. He had no weaknesses and was a great, great clutch player."

FRANK RAMSEY: "Sam had a very quirky personality. One day, he was on the floor, obviously in pain. I said, "Sam, what's wrong?"
He said, "Oh, my mortgage."
I said, "What?"
He said, "My knee hurts and I just bought a new house. Who's gonna pay the mortgage?"

JOHN HAVLICEK: "One night, Sam just wouldn't shoot the ball, even when he was wide open.
Red said, "Sam, you've got to take the shots."
Sam said, "I'm not shooting."
Red said, "Why not?"
Sam said, "I'm just not shooting the ball."
Red said, "You've got to have a reason."
Sam said, "I can't shoot the ball when my feet are cold."
Red just shook his head and went back to the bench. It was rare that Sam got into one of those moods, but when he did all you coud do was wait for it to pass."

WAYNE EMBRY: "When I was with the Celtics and Russell was the coach, he called a meeting and complained to the guards, "I don't have a leader out there. I need someone to take charge. Sam, I want you to be the leader. You control the game."
Sam said, "Russ, I can't do that."
Russ said, "Why not?"
Sam said, "Russ, I've got no authority to call the plays."
Russ said, "Well, I'm giving you the authority."
Sam said, "I just can't do it."
Like Red did before him, Russell just shook his head.

LAO TZU: "It is because he does not seek greatness that his greatness is assured."

Thanks, Spike.

Sam had the right instinct about the authority. When Russell was coach, the next leader of the Celtics was nearing the apex of his career, was captain of the team, and usually played most of the game. What would have been the sense of trying to convert unassuming Sam Jones into the team leader in control of the game when Havlicek was the obvious choice?

The Other Sam

The Other Sam

It's a loaded statement when you think about it. The first reaction, reading it, is to laugh. Like the answer to Ramsey's 'what's wrong', - "Oh, my mortgage." - or the Yogiesque, "I can't shoot the ball when my feet are cold", the humor comes out of left field. Red probably walked away before he burst out laughing at that one.

Then, you think, Sam was a shooting guard who could run faster than anyone in the league and the ball belongs in the hands of the playmaker. Cousy used to say that often they didn't call a play the entire game. He said that's when they were running effectively. This was the offensive philosophy Sam learned to play under, Russell knew that, so maybe Russell was psyching Sam?

Sam and Havlicek got along like gangbusters and still do, attending the same charity events, etc. It's almost as though an intricate little mental dance was going on there among the team's leadership. Sam's humor made it all right.

WAYNE EMBRY: "When I was with the Celtics and Russell was the coach, he called a meeting and complained to the guards, "I don't have a leader out there. I need someone to take charge. Sam, I want you to be the leader. You control the game."
Sam said, "Russ, I can't do that."
Russ said, "Why not?"
Sam said, "Russ, I've got no authority to call the plays."
Russ said, "Well, I'm giving you the authority."
Sam said, "I just can't do it."
Like Red did before him, Russell just shook his head.

I love this last one Spike....LOL...
There is a certain strength is coming out of left field sometimes....It's a way of dealing with the situation by befuddling whomever you're dealing with to the point that they just walk away shaking the head. They can't really get mad because they can't figure out what the hell your talking about. It's easier for them just to move on. Sounds like Sam was a master at befuddling, on and off the court....

Sam sometimes likes to take a contrarian view of things, almost as though he doesn't want people around him to get overly comfortable. Sometimes, when someone makes a deliberately innocuous, rhetorical comment, Sam will find a way to contest it. For instance, suppose someone says up was up. Sam might come back with, "Not always. Suppose you're standing on your head....."

Or he'll sometimes interpret a throwaway comment very literally, as though to bring someone up short. He doesn't like mindless chit chat. He has always been a man of great purpose, which is why one feels like a king if he passes Sam's little conversational tests.

The Other Sam

I have to laugh about the reports that the Celtics (KG in particular) trash talk constantly. This has been going on for years and years! Do you think that Larry was quiet? He was a huge trash talker, along with Max and McHale.
The quietest one on the team was Parish, he let his play do his talking for him.

This is a bunch of baloney. I can remember sitting in the stands listening to
the players yap at one another all game long. So....KG, keep it up, that's what keeps you fired up!