Naturally, there's a site that collects tacky tourist photos and, yes, of course, one of the entries involves the Red Auerbach statue and some guy's finger. Guess it beats what Harvard students do to poor John Harvard, though.
... Here's what made Auerbach a legendary figure, though. He didn't do any of those things because he felt sorry for black people, out of some sort of white liberal guilt. He did them because they were the right things to do, at those moments, for the success of the Boston Celtics basketball team. In my book, that makes him far greater than someone trying to address a past inequity or whose main purpose is to fill a quota. ...
... Did all of you forget that he was famous for being a jerk too? He may have been super at what he did, a wonderful coach, a friend, a husband, a father~ I don't know... but I DO know that I am not the only one who has had more than one not-so-nice encounter with the man. ...
Former Herald sportswriter Michael Gee says Auerbach was a genius, no doubt, but he had hs flaws:
... Auerbach flat out lied to the Herald the night Len Bias died so that his buddy Will McDonough could have an exclusive. It was worth it to Red to have yet another big favor in Will's bank. A couple of old pros, those two, something both good and bad in both. ...
But, he adds:
... Hero, liar, racial pioneer, cheapskate, a man I hated in youth and am weeping as I write his obit. Sports and the world are duller and poorer places this morning. ...
... It was a magical moment for players and fans alike, as the Civic Center erupted with an earthquake of cheering. And leave it to my Dad to go over to where Red Auerbach was sitting and hand him a cigar. Red promptly slid off the band and lit up. Right there! ...
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