Rooting for Red

Red Auerbach, without whom my Boston Celtics would be nothing, is currently hospitalized here in Washington, DC, suffering from an undisclosed ailment.

Red is widely and rightly considered the best coach and general manager in sports history. Red drafted Larry Bird, my favorite person of all time. Red smokes cigars. Red (who lives a couple of blocks from me) drives a Mercedes with the license place "CELTIC". I once saw Red driving in his Mercedes while smoking a cigar. I gave him a big thumbs up. He waved back to me. Red hates Phil Jackson as much as I hate Phil Jackson. Red and I (and Sophia Loren) share a birthday. Red will be 88 years old in twelve days. As a coach Red won eight NBA championships in a row, and nine in all. He won a handful more as a GM. Other facts about Red:

He was the first to draft an African-American player into the NBA (Chuck Cooper in the second round of the 1950 draft), and the first to start five African-American players. Red further broke racial barriers when he hired Bill Russell as Boston's coach (the first African-American coach in the NBA).

Red also said this: "Show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser." Red is nothing but a great man and great winner. Needless to say, I'm pulling for Red.