Wilt kept Russell No. 2
Wilt Chamberlain died five years ago Tuesday. Bill Russell was among those at Chamberlain’s memorial service, and recently told the New York Post this story:
“One of his nephews walked up to me and said, ‘Mr. Russell, I want to tell you something you might want to know. I was clearing out my uncle’s desk and he had a pad up there of people to call the day he died. Your name was second on the list.’ “
Russell, talking about Chamberlain, told the Post, “He was far and away the best offensive player to play any game. He was more prolific as an offensive player than Babe Ruth or Hank Aaron or Barry Bonds were at baseball, or some big hockey players.”
Hank hammers home his point
Hank Aaron, interviewed recently by James Brown on Sporting News radio, had this to say about Barry Bonds:
“I think that he is the greatest hitter, the greatest athlete, the greatest ballplayer that has every played the game. Bar none.
“They try to compare Babe Ruth. There is no comparison. … Barry is the greatest hitter of all time, period.”
Literally a 12th man
Nebraska was penalized for having 12 men on the field while trailing Texas Tech 63-10 on Saturday. Said TBS’ Ron Thulin, “I disagree with that. You allow 63 points, you should get another player.”
To his amusement
Oklahoma defeated Texas for a fifth consecutive time by shutting out the Longhorns on Saturday, 12-0. Folks in Oklahoma have more about which to gloat. Wrote Berry Tramel of the Daily Oklahoman, “Texas has Six Flags. Oklahoma has seven national championships.”
Flip-flopper
Terry Bradshaw retired as a quarterback after the 1983 season, but he is still pretty good at backpedaling. He has sure changed his tune about New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin, now that the Giants have won four consecutive games.
During Week One’s edition of “Fox NFL Sunday,” Bradshaw called Coughlin a jerk. Sunday, he said, “This is a live show, and I never should have called him a jerk.
“I never met the man. My point was primarily based on the fact that I think that no white socks, feet flat on the floor, no flip-flops and silly rules like that for grown men are no good. … Now the team is winning, and hats off to Coughlin. He’s doing a wonderful job.”
Add Coughlin
Some NFL coaches give players a “victory Monday” off, in addition to their regular Tuesday off. “We’re not ready for that,” Coughlin told Fox’s Pam Oliver. “A couple of weeks ago (after a victory), one of the guys yelled, ‘See you Wednesday.’ And I said, ‘No, no, we’re not getting started on that one.’ “
The bright side
“There was plenty of glory for Cal in the 23-17 loss to the Trojans,” wrote the San Francisco Chronicle’s Scott Ostler. “On the list of heroic, honorable Cal defeats, wherever that list is kept, Saturday’s game will be inscribed near the top.”