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Inevitably, with the beginning of a new year, we all stop and reflect back on the year, the people and the events that have also passed. One of the great architects of the NBA—Arnold “Red” Auerbach, died on October 28, 2006. He was 89 years old, and he had spent 56 of those years with the Boston Celtics....
Loved by his players—he coached for 20 years before moving into executive management positions for the Celtics—adored by legions of Boston fans and equally reviled by every competing team in the league, Red was a colorful figure. No pun intended.
His was a phenomenally successful coaching career, having won the longest consecutive string of victories in any North American sport--9—including 8 from 1959-1966. In all, as coach or executive, Red had a part in crafting 16 NBA championships over a 29-year span. Red’s wily ability to make complicated trades with other teams, and his uncanny ability to sniff out the very best talent available, made him a legend.
But what truly set Red apart, were his contributions beyond the game of basketball. Red Auerbach drafted the NBA’s first African American player, named the first African American coach in any professional sport, and had the first all-African American starting lineup in American history.
But he also innovated and elevated the game. Red was a stickler for sound fundamentals. He believed in a fast-break offense, stifling defense, control of game tempo, rebounding and the fabled sixth man off the bench.
Famous for saying things like “There is no 'I' in team,” he molded his players into unselfish, motivated teams that couldn’t abide the thought of losing. Red often commented that: “Only losers accept losing.”
And he knew how to motivate each and every one of his players. Red’s coaching style was relentless, and often appeared ruthless, yet Celtics players became part of a family that transcended the game. And it was apparent that Red was dear to each of them.
Red’s players included legends like Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, K.C. Jones, Tom Heinsohn, John Havlicek, Bill Sharman, and more—all of whom were inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. After his coaching days, Red was instrumental in drafting and trading for the likes Dave Cowens, Larry Bird, Robert Parrish and Kevin McHale, all Hall of Famers. Of course, Red himself was inducted into the Hall in 1969.
After his death, a TV interview that Red had given some time in the late '90s were again aired. One of the most memorable moments in the interview came when the reporter asked Red how he handled people (his players). Red bristled at the question and replied:
“You don’t handle people. You handle animals. You deal with people.”
This paraphrased Red’s simple philosophy which he put forth in a book he co-wrote with sportswriter John Feinstein about coaching: “Let Me Tell You a Story: A Lifetime in the Game,” where he iterated the same thing:
“Players are people, not horses. You don’t handle them. You work with them, you coach them, you teach them, and, maybe most important, you listen to them.”
What did his players, competitors, and other coaches and NBA executives think of him? After he died, they all came to pay their respects. All of them.
Tom Heinsohn memorialized him in this way: "Nobody has had as much impact on a sport as Red Auerbach had on the game of basketball. He was a pioneer of the NBA. He left his philosophy of winning championships, playing hard and playing as a team with several generations of players. He was truly a great manager of people because he got people to commit to who they were as people and what their role was on the team. He was exceptional at listening and motivating people to put out their very best.”
A great legacy, and one we should all learn from. I can’t help but wonder what we, as marketers, might be able to learn from Red Auerbach and his philosophy of dealing with people.
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Comments
Ted,
Having grown up north of Boston in the '50s and '60s, I benefitted from Red's teachings.
To this day, I try my best to build relationships based on trust, equality, and sharing. I fall far short of Red's standards, but without his presence, I would have been in need and in search of a role model like him.
We marketers can learn much from Red.
Posted by: Lewis Green | 01.05.07
Ted - Nice post and good reminder to anyone who manages people. I will confess that, having watched the Russell, Cowens, and Parrish teams while growing up, I no longer enjoy watching the NBA because there's way too much "I" in team these days. But Tommy Heinsohn's speaks volumes when he says "he got people to commit to who they were as people and what their role was on the team." What a true reminder that however important the team, they're all made up of individuals.
From a pure marketing perspective, let's not forget that Red was instrumental in creating the Celtic brand, with its long-lived notion of "Celtic Pride."
Posted by: Maureen Rogers | 01.07.07
Thanks, Lewis and Maureen for your observations. Marketing is all about working with people to reach people with a viable message, isn't it? Therefore, I think Red was obviously a master at marketing. He did indeed create the great Celtic mystique known as "Celtic Pride". As you say Maureen, the NBA needs to take a page from Red's book now since it suffers from many negative perceptions--and that starts with the idea of "teams" and not many individual "I's". Otherwise, basketball audiences will continue to stay away.
Posted by: Ted Mininni | 01.08.07
Hi Ted,
I liked Tom Heinsohn's quote: . . ."He was truly a great manager of people because he got people to commit to who they were as people and what their role was on the team. He was exceptional at listening and motivating people to put out their very best.”
This is all about leadership. BTW: where has all the leadership gone in some companies? Leadership that solicits and expects commitment from people (read: the team) within organizations to offer the very best product or service, with the very best customer service? Leadership that responds positively to challenge and marketplace changes? Leadership that inspires by example? I think Red Auerbach offers us a stunning example of great leadership. We need more Red Auerbachs in business.
Posted by: Claire Ratushny | 01.08.07
I must say - I am shocked ! Stunned. What happened Kobe? I mean really? What is going on? I expect a major move again this off season for the Lakers. Danny Ainge is really good GM.
Anyhow I hope they did not get tired on the Airflight, that is a LONG trip and you need all the rest in the NBA FINALS.
I am a Big NBA Fan, but I wanted a closer match-up. Poor Lakers. I guess the Refs could not cheat to force a Seventh Game because of the David Stern-Tim Donaghy Scandal? Any ESPN Insights on that one?
I also think perhaps, so it seems, that the Lakers wore "Sede Vacante" Caps or maybe I should (with Richard Williamson) call them"Mente vacante" Baseball hats? I mean really:
http://www.zazzle.com/vatican_baseball_cap_hat-148990466825652270
All I know the "Big Three" (Pierce, Garnett, Allen) went to the Vatican in Rome, Italy before the season with Doc Rivers to find a Common Basketball Philosophy, I am not sure what happened there? Anyone know about the Vatican-Roma Camp the Celtics had? I know Kobe's dad owns a team, I think in Milano? Maybe there is some special Latin Tridentine Mass Papal Ritual they attended to bless their Record Season?
Where were all the Hollywood Stars cheering on LA? I mean everyone loves to "jump on" the Hollywood Bandwagon, right? Like for example, Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, Mike Huckabee, Chuck Norris, Timothy Henneberry, George Michael, Anthony Hopkins, Robert De Niro, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Don Johnson, Clarence Kelly, Michael Bishop, Marc Anthony, J Lo, Irving "Magic" Johnson, Matthew "The Valid" Parker, Sylvester Stallone, Jack Nicholson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, George W. Bush, Vince Young, Michael Vick, T.O., Lefty Cekada, Kenyan West, Britney Spears, Monsignor Georg Gänswein, Sean O'Malley, Bernard Law, John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Barack Obama, John McCain, Tony Blair, Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, Guy Richie, Mon. Bernard Fellay SSPX, Tom Delay, Howard Stern, Tony Armani, Ronald Bryant, Sting, Jose Canseco Bono, Ronnie Brown, Al Gore, Santana, Dario Castrillon Hoyos, Richard Jamison, John Henry, Bill Gates, Donald Trump, Anthony Sanborn, Donald Rumsfeld, Solomon Rosenberg, Bob "The Center" Michael, Peter Marcel, Timmy Dimond, Al Michaels, Hulk Hogan, Karl "The Mailman" Malone, "The Worm" Dennis Rodman, James Lefebvre, Tony Romo, Jessica Simpson, Ric Flair, Bill Richardson, Vince McMahon, Joseph Ratzinger, Bob Kraft, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Eddie Murphy, Bobby Thuc, Tom Hanks, Shakira, Paula Abdul, Roberto Gonzalez, Colin Powell, Jerry Lawler, Howard Dean, Dick Cheney, Tony Garcia, Adam Sandler, Jerry Seinfeld, Bob Barker, Jerry Lewis, Regis Philbin, etc.?
I mean really, this was suppose to be the BIG TIME Lakers vs Celtics Rivalry FINALS, and I did not see many Hollywood Stars and other Celebrities at the Boston Garden there,why? Did David Stern and Senator Arlen Specter deny them invitations? Is Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens banned from NBA Games? And how about Sir Charles Barkley (Is he banned for Gambling on Games)? Or is it just traditional pro-forma to have to receive an "Universal Indult", you know, to get into the Front Row Seats?
The crowd booed David Stern, is that Anti-Semitic? I felt weird.
Anyhow, Congrats to Paul Pierce (a LA Boy) -- we all can cheer for him, he is a secret-Lakers fan, I heard from a certain unknown Rafa Erofadaps,
Shhh!
The NBA is Fantastic.
I can't wait for the Olympic Games in China, I hope Kobe Bryant and Yo Ming play.
- Jason "Sede Vacante" McMichaels
Posted by: Sede Vacante | 06.18.08
Wow! Loved all of your input, Jason. Let me say this: there is tremendous talent and parity in professional sports. When a team like the "new look" Celtics come out and shut Kobe and the Lakers down, it came down to a few things, in my view. Great passion, a hard work ethic, unselfishness and an almost maniacal will to win. Period. Red must be proud. Somewhere out there, he lit up his victory stoggy and said "That's my team. We're back."
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Jason.
Posted by: Ted Mininni | 06.18.08