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Retired in 1991? Hardly. Rick Pitino's ego let it be well known that Red Aurbach was not welcomed with opinions, because Red was still around in 1997. So now we know why Rick Pitino completely failed in the NBA. He can not co-operate with others, they can only co-operate with him. Seems to work in college, doesn't work in the pro's. That's why they're the pros, they're the best of the best.

Red Aurbach just had a vision. He was an innovator, ahead of times in basketball. And he had a keen eye for the talent needed to do what he was trying to do. He made most of the most lopsided trades in sports history with relative ease. While he had some blunders, such as "I'm not going to draft some guy just because he happens to be a local-yokel", while referring to Bob Cousy, he had enough flexibility to retract and get Cousy for his no-look, drive to the hole, dish-it-out, style (and for what its worth, Bob Cousy played at Holyoke, Mass, which is VERY close to Springfield, Ma where the NBA Hall Of Fame is). This style was new to basketball, so you can't blame Red here.

Aurbach was said to be a loner in the likes of Bill Russell (for obviously different reasons, given the times). He ate take-out chinese in his hotel-room nearly every night and just generally had the same routines day in and day out. He was a routine man just as the "lighting of the victory cigar" suggested.

It has also been said that the Celtics would run only 5 plays over and over with such great execution that it couldn't be stopped, and I don't doubt this. In addition to that, it has been said that in crunch time he would call on his pupils and ask them for a play. I also believe this to be true.

Red Aurbach just had a certain presence of deserved-arrogance about him, with the right touch of humility to compliment it. He was a good man and a great coach and GM, and he should always be remembered and prized for it.

Learn more about this author, Michael Severance.
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