Let’s hope Pats are seeing Red
Auerbach brought out best in players
It has to end sometime, which is why Sunday’s tangle with the Chargers feels a little ominous for those who love the Patriots. That Foxboro swagger that’s annoyed the NFL community for so long isn’t quite as robust this morning; in fact, it almost seems as if the team’s rabid fans are whistling past the graveyard. And that’s OK. That’s why they’re called fans, short for fanatics, which means you put your head in the back seat and your heart at the wheel, letting emotions lead the way. It can be exhilarating. It can also be exhausting, especially if your dreams are dashed. Players, however, need to keep their heads on straight, to ignore what Kipling called the tumult and the shouting, which is easier said than done. That’s where coaches are called upon to occupy a special role, putting aside fiery rhetoric to, in effect, become a calming influence — again, in Kipling’s words, to keep their heads while all about them others are losing theirs. The great Celtics dynasty that captured 11 NBA championships in 13 seasons knew moments like these when doubts inevitably arose: Could they squeeze one more title from a flattened tube that had already yielded unparalleled success? Was there enough gas remaining in their tank? According to Satch Sanders, a defensive stalwart on nine of those title winners, their legendary coach, Red Auerbach, was masterful at detecting and manipulating moods. “He always stressed how strong we were, how great we were,” Satch remembered. “He never frightened us with reports of how great and strong the other team might be.” It led to a classic pregame talk, one Bill Belichick, the nearest thing this town has seen to Auerbach, might ponder. “We were all in the locker room,” Sanders recalled. “It was just before one of those Game 7 situations. It was very quiet. No one was talking and (Bill) Russell hadn’t puked (which he did before every must-win game). “Each man was alone with his thoughts. There was no kidding around. “Then the door opened and Red walked in. Right away he could feel the tension, the nervousness, the uncertainty. So he put his hands on his hips and looked around the room at each of us like we were all crazy. “I’ll never forget it. He said, ‘If you guys are nervous about playing them, how the hell do you think they must feel about having to play us?’ “And he walked away. “It was beautiful. Pretty soon we were all laughing. “Then we went out and kicked their asses again.”