Bill Russell and the racial issues he faced in this town were deplorable. Deficating on his bed and trashing his house in Reading simply because he was a black man in a rich white neighborhood is something not one other player in the history of Boston sports has had to suffer.
Good point Nick,as i have heard over the years from different people across the nation, still view Boston professional sports,the fans,media,etc. as being prejudice towards their blk athletics,(outside the arenas).Even though times have changed,and people have come full circle with others,the stigmas lives on.(imo) Ive felt Paul Pierce has been lowballed and passed over because he's a Celtic,(by the media).Even though the incidents to Russell were many years ago,the effects may still lingere,or lingered for years.Ashame,if its true,how people(mainly the media),uses pro sports to fuel something that should be a nonsport issue.Nick,have you ever asked yourself this question,"how would MJ's career turned out,if he had been a Celtic during his best yrs.(taking Bird out of the equation),or would he have gotten the media attn,and acalades the same way as a Celtic player?I don't think so,and maybe Paul Pierce would have gotten more attn,and been in more visable stuff over the years,if he had been in a different media market or in a city more minority based ?Just questions ive asked myself,and others have brought it up to me over the yrs.,because at one time,Pierce was probably in the top 3 best players in the league.He's no slouch today,but he never got the attn i felt he deserved in his youth by the media.