Author Topic: How many living athletes are in Bill Russell's class?  (Read 13959 times)

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How many living athletes are in Bill Russell's class?
« on: August 01, 2022, 09:40:07 AM »

Online Roy H.

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How many athletes, were they to pass today, would be universally as respected for their accomplishments (in sport and humanity) as Bill Russell?


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Re: How many living athletes are in Bill Russell's class?
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2022, 09:57:47 AM »

Online Kernewek

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Quick thoughts:

- Not on this blog, probably, but Kareem.

-Serena Williams has put a lot of money into charity but isn't visibly associated with those causes, perhaps. But she's certainly got the sport accomplishments on lock.

-Marcus Rashford could get there in a few decades - although hopefully he outlives me.


I want to be spicy and say that the reason there wouldn't be 'universal respect' in American Sports is because none of the other shortlisted folks played for the Celtics, though.  :laugh:
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Re: How many living athletes are in Bill Russell's class?
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2022, 10:02:25 AM »

Offline Moranis

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With Hank Aaron passing last year, Kareem is probably the only one currently, but I could certainly see the case for someone like Lebron 50 years from now.  There is a lot of time before some of the recent (or current) athletes will pass on for the humanity side of it to be formed.
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Re: How many living athletes are in Bill Russell's class?
« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2022, 10:10:04 AM »

Online Roy H.

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Quick thoughts:

- Not on this blog, probably, but Kareem.

-Serena Williams has put a lot of money into charity but isn't visibly associated with those causes, perhaps. But she's certainly got the sport accomplishments on lock.

-Marcus Rashford could get there in a few decades - although hopefully he outlives me.


I want to be spicy and say that the reason there wouldn't be 'universal respect' in American Sports is because none of the other shortlisted folks played for the Celtics, though.  :laugh:

I have a hard time rating sports outside of the "big four", just because I don't know how the general public views them.  But, just in terms of sports accomplishments and being universally admired athletically / seen as "legends", you've got:

Kareem
Jordan
Magic
Bird
Lebron

Willie Mays
Sandy Koufax

Tom Brady
Joe Montana

Bobby Orr
Wayne Gretzky

Jack Nicklaus
Tiger Woods

Serena Williams
Martina Navratilova

I think when you add "great humanitarian" to the list, it's extraordinarily small.  Kareem, for sure. 


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Re: How many living athletes are in Bill Russell's class?
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2022, 10:39:59 AM »

Offline Moranis

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Quick thoughts:

- Not on this blog, probably, but Kareem.

-Serena Williams has put a lot of money into charity but isn't visibly associated with those causes, perhaps. But she's certainly got the sport accomplishments on lock.

-Marcus Rashford could get there in a few decades - although hopefully he outlives me.


I want to be spicy and say that the reason there wouldn't be 'universal respect' in American Sports is because none of the other shortlisted folks played for the Celtics, though.  :laugh:

I have a hard time rating sports outside of the "big four", just because I don't know how the general public views them.  But, just in terms of sports accomplishments and being universally admired athletically / seen as "legends", you've got:

Kareem
Jordan
Magic
Bird
Lebron

Willie Mays
Sandy Koufax

Tom Brady
Joe Montana

Bobby Orr
Wayne Gretzky

Jack Nicklaus
Tiger Woods

Serena Williams
Martina Navratilova

I think when you add "great humanitarian" to the list, it's extraordinarily small.  Kareem, for sure.
There are plenty more legends.  I mean someone like Jeter is a legend in baseball.  As is Bonds and Clemens.  Those guys aren't anywhere near the humanitarians of others though, at least not yet, which is why this is hard. 

The one guy I forgot to mention and I think should be is Jim Brown.  He is a bit trickier because some of his activism isn't always viewed in a positive manner and he has had some legal trouble.  But he is the greatest non-QB offensive player in league history (with no one even close to him) and was clearly active outside of football.
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Re: How many living athletes are in Bill Russell's class?
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2022, 11:12:53 AM »

Online Donoghus

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Quick thoughts:

- Not on this blog, probably, but Kareem.

-Serena Williams has put a lot of money into charity but isn't visibly associated with those causes, perhaps. But she's certainly got the sport accomplishments on lock.

-Marcus Rashford could get there in a few decades - although hopefully he outlives me.


I want to be spicy and say that the reason there wouldn't be 'universal respect' in American Sports is because none of the other shortlisted folks played for the Celtics, though.  :laugh:

I have a hard time rating sports outside of the "big four", just because I don't know how the general public views them.  But, just in terms of sports accomplishments and being universally admired athletically / seen as "legends", you've got:

Kareem
Jordan
Magic
Bird
Lebron

Willie Mays
Sandy Koufax

Tom Brady
Joe Montana

Bobby Orr
Wayne Gretzky

Jack Nicklaus
Tiger Woods

Serena Williams
Martina Navratilova

I think when you add "great humanitarian" to the list, it's extraordinarily small.  Kareem, for sure.
There are plenty more legends.  I mean someone like Jeter is a legend in baseball.  As is Bonds and Clemens.  Those guys aren't anywhere near the humanitarians of others though, at least not yet, which is why this is hard. 

The one guy I forgot to mention and I think should be is Jim Brown.  He is a bit trickier because some of his activism isn't always viewed in a positive manner and he has had some legal trouble.  But he is the greatest non-QB offensive player in league history (with no one even close to him) and was clearly active outside of football.

Brown beat the hell out of women.  He's certainly one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century and his death will certainly be all over the news but the adulation won't necessarily be.   Plenty of media will be bringing that to light too.


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Re: How many living athletes are in Bill Russell's class?
« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2022, 12:13:07 PM »

Offline Moranis

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Quick thoughts:

- Not on this blog, probably, but Kareem.

-Serena Williams has put a lot of money into charity but isn't visibly associated with those causes, perhaps. But she's certainly got the sport accomplishments on lock.

-Marcus Rashford could get there in a few decades - although hopefully he outlives me.


I want to be spicy and say that the reason there wouldn't be 'universal respect' in American Sports is because none of the other shortlisted folks played for the Celtics, though.  :laugh:

I have a hard time rating sports outside of the "big four", just because I don't know how the general public views them.  But, just in terms of sports accomplishments and being universally admired athletically / seen as "legends", you've got:

Kareem
Jordan
Magic
Bird
Lebron

Willie Mays
Sandy Koufax

Tom Brady
Joe Montana

Bobby Orr
Wayne Gretzky

Jack Nicklaus
Tiger Woods

Serena Williams
Martina Navratilova

I think when you add "great humanitarian" to the list, it's extraordinarily small.  Kareem, for sure.
There are plenty more legends.  I mean someone like Jeter is a legend in baseball.  As is Bonds and Clemens.  Those guys aren't anywhere near the humanitarians of others though, at least not yet, which is why this is hard. 

The one guy I forgot to mention and I think should be is Jim Brown.  He is a bit trickier because some of his activism isn't always viewed in a positive manner and he has had some legal trouble.  But he is the greatest non-QB offensive player in league history (with no one even close to him) and was clearly active outside of football.

Brown beat the hell out of women.  He's certainly one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century and his death will certainly be all over the news but the adulation won't necessarily be.   Plenty of media will be bringing that to light too.
As they should, but Brown did a lot of social activism after his playing days.  Great player.  Great activist.  crappy human.  The last one obviously separates him from Bill, but Ali wasn't exactly a great human (affair with a 16 year old when he was 32 - he "married" her while still married to his 2nd wife - other children from affairs - just a long list of infidelity, children, etc.) and he was adored when he died. 
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Re: How many living athletes are in Bill Russell's class?
« Reply #7 on: August 01, 2022, 12:22:46 PM »

Offline celticsclay

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Wow I did not know about this jim brown stuff. This article makes ray rice seem like a choir boy. Insane

https://deadspin.com/jim-brown-did-great-things-he-also-beat-woman-1784269329/amp

Re: How many living athletes are in Bill Russell's class?
« Reply #8 on: August 01, 2022, 01:47:12 PM »

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but I could certainly see the case for someone like Lebron 50 years from now.  There is a lot of time before some of the recent (or current) athletes will pass on for the humanity side of it to be formed.

It will be interesting to see how LeBron's post playing career plays out.

You have a guy like Magic, brought huge awareness to HIV, did things like Magic Johnson Theaters which brought movie theaters to overlooked communities, but I think now he's thought as more of a businessman than some great humanitarian. 

Michael Jordan is probably similar, has done a lot for charities, but is really thought of more as a business man than anything else now. 

Shaq too.

And these are all guys with huge amounts of charisma.  If anybody was going to be seen in a great humanitarian light, you'd think it would be these guys.  But I just think the business aspect overshadows it all.  They're seen as businessmen first who give to charity second.  (The opposite would probably be someone like Mutombo, seen as a humanitarian first, and not someone just trying to make money).


I think LeBron will probably play out similar to those guys (Magic, Jordan, etc.).  His quest to be a billionaire (achieved according to Forbes) will overshadow the charity (like the I Promise schools).


Guys like Russell and Kareem had the "benefit" of playing in the Civil Rights era and before the money got to insane levels to help shape their humanitarian reputations/outlooks.  It would take a superstar doing something like Kaepernick or speaking out against China to really set them up as a humanitarian icon now.  Someone needs to boycott something other than back-to-backs.



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Re: How many living athletes are in Bill Russell's class?
« Reply #9 on: August 01, 2022, 01:53:30 PM »

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Guys like Russell and Kareem had the "benefit" of playing in the Civil Rights era and before the money got to insane levels to help shape their humanitarian reputations/outlooks.  It would take a superstar doing something like Kaepernick or speaking out against China to really set them up as a humanitarian icon now.  Someone needs to boycott something other than back-to-backs.

This is a big part of it.  Also the fact that the accolades and the kudos came much much later. It reminds me of that Tommy quote that kind of summed up Russell's relationship with Boston (I think I originally read it here after Tommy passed away a couple of years ago: https://defector.com/lets-remember-a-great-tommy-heinsohn-quote/ ):

"Look, all I know is the guy won two NCAA championships, 50-some college games in a row, the ['56] Olympics, then he came to Boston and won 11 championships in 13 years, and they named a f-ing tunnel after Ted Williams."
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Re: How many living athletes are in Bill Russell's class?
« Reply #10 on: August 01, 2022, 03:00:11 PM »

Offline johnnygreen

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I agree with Kareem.

I'm not sure if Magic Johnson belongs on this list. However, I will never forget the time I heard on the radio that Magic tested positive for HIV. My sister and I had just rented a video from Blockbuster. We were at a red light, when the news broke, and I couldn't stop crying. Being a die hard Celtics fan made no difference, as Magic was my second favorite athlete, only behind Larry. Magic may not be the humanitarian that Russell or Kareem were, but the sports world will stop to pay him respect.

Re: How many living athletes are in Bill Russell's class?
« Reply #11 on: August 01, 2022, 03:09:36 PM »

Offline celticsclay

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but I could certainly see the case for someone like Lebron 50 years from now.  There is a lot of time before some of the recent (or current) athletes will pass on for the humanity side of it to be formed.

It will be interesting to see how LeBron's post playing career plays out.

You have a guy like Magic, brought huge awareness to HIV, did things like Magic Johnson Theaters which brought movie theaters to overlooked communities, but I think now he's thought as more of a businessman than some great humanitarian. 

Michael Jordan is probably similar, has done a lot for charities, but is really thought of more as a business man than anything else now. 

Shaq too.

And these are all guys with huge amounts of charisma.  If anybody was going to be seen in a great humanitarian light, you'd think it would be these guys.  But I just think the business aspect overshadows it all.  They're seen as businessmen first who give to charity second.  (The opposite would probably be someone like Mutombo, seen as a humanitarian first, and not someone just trying to make money).


I think LeBron will probably play out similar to those guys (Magic, Jordan, etc.).  His quest to be a billionaire (achieved according to Forbes) will overshadow the charity (like the I Promise schools).


Guys like Russell and Kareem had the "benefit" of playing in the Civil Rights era and before the money got to insane levels to help shape their humanitarian reputations/outlooks.  It would take a superstar doing something like Kaepernick or speaking out against China to really set them up as a humanitarian icon now.  Someone needs to boycott something other than back-to-backs.

Yeah, I agree with all of this, and I’m not sure if any players will reach the levels of kareem and Russell anymore as a humanitarian. Mutombo really deserves more credit, He actually was at an event for a new school opening a few years ago that my company did. He just seemed genuinely happy spending time with the kids. Now there is just too much money involved. I don’t blame players for staying quiet on China (though Lebron went even further attacking Morey). But none of the guys in any sport now if you think about the best players (betts, trout, Brady, Rodgers, Lebron, Durant) really seems super involved off the field to the point of being know for it.

Re: How many living athletes are in Bill Russell's class?
« Reply #12 on: August 01, 2022, 03:18:01 PM »

Offline footey

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I agree with Kareem.

I'm not sure if Magic Johnson belongs on this list. However, I will never forget the time I heard on the radio that Magic tested positive for HIV. My sister and I had just rented a video from Blockbuster. We were at a red light, when the news broke, and I couldn't stop crying. Being a die hard Celtics fan made no difference, as Magic was my second favorite athlete, only behind Larry. Magic may not be the humanitarian that Russell or Kareem were, but the sports world will stop to pay him respect.

Magic for all his acknowledged greatness, has become underrated with the emergence of Jordan, Kobe and Lebron.  Go back and watch old high lights of Magic Johnson, he was so special. 6'9" point guard with unmatched passing skills.  Such an exciting player. 

Re: How many living athletes are in Bill Russell's class?
« Reply #13 on: August 01, 2022, 03:51:37 PM »

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Re: How many living athletes are in Bill Russell's class?
« Reply #14 on: August 01, 2022, 04:06:25 PM »

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I’m sure there are athletes who do a lot in terms of humanitarian efforts that we don’t know about. There are some very rich actors/entertainers who devote their lives to humanitarian causes but are scoffed at by some in the media. Sean Penn could easily sit by the pool in his LA mansion for the rest of his days but he’s out there in throes of things. Jon Stewart is another.