Dwight Howard is No Bill Russell
If Bill Russell was suspended from a road playoff game for hitting an opponent with an elbow how would he have spent his time?
(I know, it's impossible to imagine Russell losing his head in the heat of battle and getting suspended — but leave that aside for now, this is what professors call a "thought experiment.")
Would Russell have stayed back in Boston, listening to the game on the radio, pacing his house like a panther?
Would he have taken a long, solitary walk through the night?
Or, would Russell have traveled with his team?
Would the majestic "Eagle with a Beard" have stayed back in his hotel room listening to the game?
Or would he have sat silently, alone, waiting for Cousy, K.C., Sam, Tom, Hondo and Satch to knock on his door? (Or would only Red have gone up to the room?)
No matter how you conjure it up, it's impossible to imagine Russell picking up the phone on an old-fashioned party line and chatting the night away, guffawing with Celtic fans.
But that's exactly what Dwight Howard did tonight, as the Orlando Magic closed out their first-round playoff series without him.
Dwight tweeted the night away.
Practically doing play-by-play. Real-time tweets.
The player who has embraced the new "Era of First-Person Communication" as much as any athlete sat back in his hotel room, surrounded by family and friends who had traveled with him to Philly and communicated directly with his fans throughout the game.
Some may see this as another example of Dwight's not being serious enough, not being intense enough to win an NBA Championship. Of Dwight not being another Russell.
Others, no doubt, will see this as a sign of the times — with some of those believing it to be for the better, while others believe it to be only for worse.
Either way, below, we bring you just a taste — about half of Dwight's Tweets — displayed on TheJockosphere in reverse order, so you can continue reading down the line.
It's not like reading Red Smith.
Nor Gary Smith.
Nor Schaap, Kornheiser, Wilbon, Albom, Ryan, Lupica or Deford.
It's not Shakespeare.
And it's certainly not Russell.
It just is.
yo wassup yall im in the room watchin and waiting to see wuts gonna happen we gonna pull it off
about 4 hours ago from webi wish i was playin. i never intended to hurt nebody or my team
about 4 hours ago from webhahahaha randy savage elbow pads. lol actually thats one of nicknames. and i dont need elbow pads. jus gotta keep my cool
about 4 hours ago from webyea i do keep my head. but it happened for a reason. im not mad. more upset with myself for allowing small things get to my head
about 4 hours ago from webbig boy. and love doctress its over with. i already went through the bashing and everything i apologized and its over with
about 4 hours ago from webthats wasnt a foulllll on marshhhh
about 4 hours ago from weblol im in philly. not at home. im in the room with my fam that didnt go to the game. i miss the court man. i miss the fans, ughh
about 4 hours ago from webno but i flew up here to be with my team. i went to practice
about 4 hours ago from webwas it fair umm yea. it was outta character for me. i really didnt mean it. i felt bad when i got home. its over though.
about 4 hours ago from web@Ronp412 i hate losing. but games are won in the 4th qtr
about 3 hours ago from web in reply to Ronp412@takovablue yea she is my pastors daughter she was in my brothers class
about 3 hours ago from web in reply to takovablue@QTPieFencer121 fav player is wilt chamberlin. only player i wanted to meet. but he's dead. so i try and read his books. to get to know him
about 3 hours ago from web in reply to QTPieFencer121[NOTE: WE'LL BE WRITING MORE ABOUT DWIGHT AND WILT IN THE DAYS AHEAD.]
this for all yall. i love yall man. yall make life and me playin bball fun.
about 3 hours ago from web@BrieParaham i am. it jus hurts. i love my boys
about 3 hours ago from web in reply to BrieParaham@sexyshay90 i cant be in the arena. i woulda been there with a lewis jersey on and some jeans lol.
about 3 hours ago from web in reply to sexyshay90@jdavis84 hmm when i ws 3 lol. i fell in love with bball i slept with my bball
about 3 hours ago from web in reply to jdavis84@sexyshay90 who u tellin lol. i usually cant stay on here like this. but now. i love talkin. i be bored lol when im not playin
about 3 hours ago from web in reply to sexyshay90with the left. yeaaaaa polish hammer
about 3 hours ago from webhttp://twitpic.com/4b5rn - Me and my sis @ the hotel tweeting
about 2 hours ago from TwitPicare yalll watching. omg i am such a cheerleader lol. goooo magiiccc
about 2 hours ago from webyes yes yes yes yalll we in the room doin the superman. yuuuuuuaaa
about 2 hours ago from webman im soo proud man. yall have no clue. we gonna be on the plane doin the pool palace lol.
about 2 hours ago from webay yall im out. i gotta get on the plane. yall keep watching. and check out the websitedwighthoward.com goo magic. i love yall peaceeeeeeeee
about 1 hour ago from web
5 Responses to “Dwight Howard is No Bill Russell”
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Didn't see the foul, don't know this guy, but sounds to me like he's taken responsibility for his actions and remains committed to his team. It's hard not to like him from his tweets, despite his obvious lack of basic writing skills. Comparing him to Bill Russell is a bit unfair. Not everyone can be an articulate, bone fide sports hero. There must be some Bill Russells in this generation of ball players, right? In 10 years, when Howard is forgotten on the court, I wonder what he'll be doing. Hate to see a guy chewed up in a system that rewards his talents but will cast him out ill-equipped when he can no longer play the game. Was he drafted right out of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy? Someone there ought to be ashamed of themselves for not giving him some basic skills in English.
He's no Billy Smith either. This is most definitely a sign of the times. Not particularly useful to evaluate. It is what it is. At least he was watching the game. I wonder if Dennis Rodman would have? Mickey Mantle would have been in a bar :)
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Russell to Howard--a bridge far too far.
In the Russell days a good shot with the elbow just meant "game on"