Red October

We are all saddened to learn about the death of Boston Celtic's Patriarch Arnold "Red" Auerbach (1917-2006) last night.

"I think Arnold was an absolute giant in the field. I have been around a lot of competitive people but his commitment to winning was absolute -- nothing was more important. He was relentless and produced the greatest basketball dynasty so far that this country has ever seen and certainly that the NBA has ever seen. This is a personal loss for me, Arnold and I have been together since 1950. I was fortunate that I was able to attend a function with him Wednesday night when he was honored by the United States Naval Memorial Foundation in Washington, and I am so glad now that I took the time to be there and spend a few more moments with him." — Bob Cousy

"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. In my playing days he once gave me a loaded cigar and six months later I gave him one that was our relationship. We had a tremendous amount of fun and the game of basketball will never see anyone else like him." — Tom Heinsohn

"Beyond his incomparable achievements, Red had come to be our basketball soul and our basketball conscience; the void left by his death will never be filled." —David Stern, NBA Commissioner

Ora Pro Eo.

Photo: celtics.com