Feb. 21, 2025
Historical Records: Bill Russell (feat. Jalen Rose)
What does it take to win 11 NBA championships AND to play a meaningful role in the civil rights movement? Nimene finds out with a brand new hip-hop track about Bill Russell, the legendary player/coach of the Boston Celtics. Featuring an interview between former NBA star Jalen Rose and a 14 year old basketball fan from Detroit named Messiah.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
00:00:00
Speaker 1: Good people, good people.
00:00:01
Speaker 2: Hello.
00:00:01
Speaker 1: This is Questlove and in honor of Black History Month, when Fridays, we'll be releasing episodes of Historical Records, my podcast with the story Pirates. It's an explosive fusion of hip hop and history, tailor made for music loving kids and families. Yes, something for the entire family that you can listen to and enjoy it together all right now. In today's episode, Lemonie finds out what it takes to win eleven NBA championships and to play a meaningful role in the civil rights movement. You'll hear a brand new hip hop track about Bill Russell, the legendary player coach of the Boston Celtics, and a great interview between former NBA star Jalen Rose and a fourteen year old basketball fan from Detroit named Messiah. So get your kids, sit back and enjoy Historical Records, the show that proves that in order to make history, you have to make some noise.
00:01:07
Speaker 3: We're sorry, the number you have died out has been disconnected, and it's all your.
00:01:12
Speaker 2: Fault, my fault. How is it my fault?
00:01:15
Speaker 4: It's certainly not my fault, so it must be yours. That concludes this pre recorded message.
00:01:23
Speaker 2: Nothing in this lab ever works for me.
00:01:25
Speaker 5: And it's not like I can call anybody to fix anything when the phones are always broken and exploding.
00:01:33
Speaker 2: The phones are always exploding. You know what, I've had it with this.
00:01:38
Speaker 5: I'm the one that has to live in a secret underground bunker slash laboratory with harsh lighting, leaky pipes, and that phantom train sound. There are no train tracks four miles where is that coming from?
00:01:54
Speaker 2: That's it.
00:01:54
Speaker 5: I'm taking it upon myself to fix every single thing wrong with this place.
00:01:59
Speaker 2: This whole lab is getting nemified.
00:02:02
Speaker 5: Or niminy, fine, maybe maybe nimificient. You know what, Naming things isn't my strong suit.
00:02:10
Speaker 2: This whole place is getting the neckover.
00:02:16
Speaker 6: It's historical records.
00:02:19
Speaker 2: You are now listening to historical.
00:02:24
Speaker 5: To make history, you got to have struggles to make history.
00:02:27
Speaker 2: You got to show poise. Cannot be quiet loud, that's the riot to make history. You gotta make some noise.
00:02:40
Speaker 5: Welcome back to Historical Records, the show where I dig into the historical records in order to produce historically themed records, which are like digital music files, except you can accidentally spill your drink on them.
00:02:53
Speaker 2: Today's episode is.
00:02:54
Speaker 5: All about legendary basketball icon Bill Russell. But before we get to mister Russell and his eleven championship rings, I'm just putting the finishing touches on my own personal modifications to the laboratory phone lines. All it took was sixty four empty soup cans, thirty two discarded piano wires, and sixteen milliliters of excess elbow grease. I should really see an elbow doctor. But before that, let's try making a call.
00:03:30
Speaker 4: Hello, this is Lee, resident historian Lee.
00:03:34
Speaker 5: It's Niminy from work. Looks like the phones are finally working.
00:03:38
Speaker 4: Oh, so this is a phone. I was wondering why the empty soup can in my room was ringing and why a my soup disappeared. What's up? I didn't think I was in the Bill Russell episode.
00:03:49
Speaker 2: Oh you're not. You're just in this part.
00:03:51
Speaker 4: Oh okay. I'm always happy to get some nice meaty limes or should I say soup bee lime.
00:03:58
Speaker 2: That's enough for now. Next week.
00:04:03
Speaker 5: Ah, With all my modifications, this place is really starting to feel like a bunker of my very own.
00:04:09
Speaker 2: I've got the soupcan phones.
00:04:10
Speaker 5: The neminy neon ambient Lenny, and I've even got custom.
00:04:14
Speaker 2: Stickers with my name on it, sticker Slab.
00:04:17
Speaker 5: I don't even mind the fact that all these stickers say historical records with memony instead of niminy. The important thing is that the laboratory isn't falling apart anymore.
00:04:30
Speaker 3: Laboratory helf destruct sequence start the vide.
00:04:34
Speaker 2: Self destruct start a fine no.
00:04:38
Speaker 5: Time to hit the emergency override shutdown hammer smash.
00:04:46
Speaker 3: Laboratories helf destruct sequence.
00:04:49
Speaker 2: Stop robot voice. What was that?
00:04:52
Speaker 6: Na a new word?
00:04:54
Speaker 5: I'm crying out miminy, It's nemony with an not.
00:05:01
Speaker 3: According to these unauthorized stickers, your modifications to the laboratory have resulted in eleven code violations.
00:05:09
Speaker 2: Since when do you care so much about code violations?
00:05:12
Speaker 3: The year was nineteen ninety two, acid wash genes and grunge music.
00:05:18
Speaker 5: Where all the rage I'm meant in the context of what's happening now understood.
00:05:24
Speaker 3: Every secret laboratory is highly regulated by the Secret Laboratory Owners Association or SLOW for short. Their strict codes must be followed as the quarterly inspection will soon be conducted. Point of clarification, the quarterly inspection is different than the quarter inspection, where they make sure that US quarters in every laboratory are organized by stage.
00:05:50
Speaker 2: My quarters are organized by year.
00:05:52
Speaker 3: Additional code violation, I advise you to correct all violations before the inspection.
00:05:58
Speaker 2: My improvements code violations.
00:06:01
Speaker 5: Improvements benefit all of us. Besides, this whole place was falling apart and I was the only one willing to do anything about it.
00:06:10
Speaker 2: SLOA would have just let the place break down.
00:06:12
Speaker 3: I am not permitted to agree, as Sloa's codes are embedded in my programming.
00:06:18
Speaker 5: And if SLOA finds out what's the worst that could happen.
00:06:22
Speaker 3: They will overtake our sound system and play NonStop talk radio.
00:06:27
Speaker 2: That's not so bad, I kind of like talking.
00:06:29
Speaker 3: The entire combination bunker slash laboratory will self destruct.
00:06:35
Speaker 2: That's terrible.
00:06:36
Speaker 3: Agreed.
00:06:37
Speaker 2: Oh okay, I hear you loud and clear.
00:06:40
Speaker 5: I'll start in the library. Why don't you work on removing the stickers.
00:06:44
Speaker 3: Affirmative blowing, sticker feeling fingernails.
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Speaker 2: Ew.
00:06:51
Speaker 5: I don't even know how to describe what I'm seeing right now.
00:06:55
Speaker 3: I thought you wanted my help.
00:06:57
Speaker 2: Gotta go, Gabe, open up the library.
00:07:03
Speaker 7: It's me, Hey, niminy, it's Gabe Resident historian.
00:07:08
Speaker 2: Weird Lise said that earlier too.
00:07:11
Speaker 6: Really who said it better?
00:07:13
Speaker 2: I don't care? I know who both of you are.
00:07:15
Speaker 6: Let me in, sure, come on in. Hey did the power go out for you a little while ago?
00:07:21
Speaker 2: Yeah, but it wasn't my fault. Look, we've got a problem. Can robot voice hear anything we say in here?
00:07:27
Speaker 6: No? Nobody can hear anything.
00:07:29
Speaker 7: I've been calling out for a glass of orange juice for hours and you're holding a glass of apple juice.
00:07:34
Speaker 6: I mean I'll still drink it.
00:07:36
Speaker 4: Oop.
00:07:37
Speaker 2: Sorry that was just for me.
00:07:39
Speaker 6: I'm thirsty, not me.
00:07:41
Speaker 2: I just had apple juice. We have to get out of here.
00:07:44
Speaker 5: Robot wants me to undo all the improvements I've made to the lab just because the Secret Laboratory Owners Association doesn't like the way I organize my corners.
00:07:53
Speaker 6: You don't organize them by state.
00:07:55
Speaker 2: I organize them by year.
00:07:57
Speaker 4: Uh.
00:07:58
Speaker 2: Maybe it's not even worth a fight. What do you think?
00:08:02
Speaker 7: I think the way you organize your quarters is insane. But I also think it's important for you to fight for what you believe in. You know there's someone whose story might be able to help.
00:08:12
Speaker 6: I bet making a track about him will help you see things more clearly.
00:08:15
Speaker 2: That's a great idea.
00:08:17
Speaker 5: Let's get in the history simulator, which, uh where is it?
00:08:22
Speaker 2: Did you move it or something?
00:08:23
Speaker 7: I made it a little bit more portable this time around. Here, put on this poncho.
00:08:28
Speaker 5: Okay, hey, this is pretty comfortable as far as history simulators go.
00:08:34
Speaker 2: You've really outdone yourself.
00:08:36
Speaker 6: Oh that's not it.
00:08:37
Speaker 7: The new History simulator is a large cooler of electrolyte infused sports drink Kraco Raid. It works by pouring it all over ourselves. The poncho should help keep you mostly dry.
00:08:49
Speaker 2: Is it too late to get Lee to help me instead?
00:08:52
Speaker 6: It's way too late. Sports drinks simulate history, Kroco Go.
00:09:02
Speaker 7: Well, folks, things are heating up here in this nineteen sixty nine NBA Championship Series.
00:09:07
Speaker 6: But what else would you expect from.
00:09:09
Speaker 7: Game seven of this heated matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. I'm calling it now.
00:09:16
Speaker 6: This will be a game that goes down in history.
00:09:18
Speaker 5: Gabe, what are you doing announcing the game? You might mess up the time stream or something.
00:09:23
Speaker 7: This is a history simulator, not a time machine.
00:09:27
Speaker 6: Let's have some fun here. Get on the mic, Uh.
00:09:32
Speaker 8: That one guy on the yellow team has the ball, Wilt Chamberlain.
00:09:36
Speaker 5: Yeah him, and now he's dropping towards the roop.
00:09:41
Speaker 2: He's pulling up to shoot and bow.
00:09:44
Speaker 9: He just got to not by u bye, by the heart of that stout Boston defense and the man that we both came here to watch, Bill Russell. O.
00:09:55
Speaker 2: Big ups to Bill Russels.
00:09:57
Speaker 7: Oh, his coach is gonna love that hustle fun bit of trivia.
00:10:01
Speaker 5: He is the coach who is Bill Russell, the same one who's playing.
00:10:06
Speaker 6: That's right partner.
00:10:07
Speaker 7: He's a player and the head coach, the first black head coach of a major American sports league.
00:10:13
Speaker 5: Oooh, A never strong block from the head coach, Bill Russell.
00:10:18
Speaker 2: How can you not like that imposing style of defense?
00:10:22
Speaker 6: Not everyone always saw it that way.
00:10:24
Speaker 7: Back when he was still playing college ball at the University of San Francisco, his coach has tried to change the way he played. Defenders were supposed to stay planted and never leave their feet, but he had amazing quickness for leaping ability, especially for a center.
00:10:38
Speaker 5: I think it's safe to say he ignored that advice.
00:10:42
Speaker 7: Oh, he knew it worked for him, so he kept watching other players footwork, adjusted and improved his own defense to create something entirely new, kind of like my history simulator system.
00:10:53
Speaker 2: That could still use a little more improvement.
00:10:55
Speaker 7: I don't see how ponchos and gallons of croco raid have gotten us this far.
00:11:00
Speaker 5: Bill Russell's belief in his own game really changed everyone's game.
00:11:04
Speaker 4: Hump.
00:11:05
Speaker 7: He was so dominant the NCAA even changed the rules today.
00:11:10
Speaker 2: When you're that good, who's gonna stop you?
00:11:13
Speaker 6: Certainly not these Lakers.
00:11:15
Speaker 7: Bill Russell's about to take down his greatest rival, Wilt Chamberlain, to win his eleven championship. I know that's not what this LA crop wants to hear, but where will the future?
00:11:25
Speaker 6: So deal with it. The eighties will be much better Laker Nation.
00:11:31
Speaker 7: Bill Russell's life was about to be much more than just basketball, though.
00:11:35
Speaker 6: Let's take a look, niminy. Hold your breath?
00:11:38
Speaker 4: Huh?
00:11:38
Speaker 2: Why would I need to hold my breath? Broaco, go blah. You need to win me before doing that.
00:11:49
Speaker 6: I told you to hold your breath.
00:11:51
Speaker 5: Oh come on, let's see if this coffee shop has any fresh towels. My poncho can only keep me so dry.
00:11:57
Speaker 7: Nah, Niminy, we might not want to go in inside this coffee shop. It's not exactly the most welcoming place.
00:12:04
Speaker 2: Huh. Then why did we come here? Hey? Is it? Yeah?
00:12:08
Speaker 10: That's Bill, ma'am, my teammates and I just want to order a cup of coffee.
00:12:13
Speaker 3: Well, you'd best look somewhere else because we don't serve negroes here.
00:12:17
Speaker 2: Uh, Gay, what year is it?
00:12:20
Speaker 6: It's nineteen sixty one.
00:12:22
Speaker 7: This is Lexington, Kentucky, where the Celtics were scheduled to play an exhibition game against the Hawks.
00:12:28
Speaker 5: In a town that treats people like that. There's no way he plays right. Don't do it, Bill, They don't deserve you.
00:12:35
Speaker 6: He can't hear you. We're not announcers anymore. This time.
00:12:38
Speaker 7: We're ghosts. Were what ghosts? They're floating and see through? Have you really never heard of ghosts before? That's not what I want. Come on, ghost Nimini, let's catch up with Bill. He's already headed over to talk to coach Auerbach.
00:12:52
Speaker 10: Coach, there's no way we're playing this game. We're getting on the plane and going home, all of us. Bill.
00:12:57
Speaker 6: I understand what you're saying. The way these folks are treating you isn't right.
00:13:01
Speaker 8: But don't you think we can spread your message better by playing the game respectfully.
00:13:06
Speaker 10: We won a championship my rookie year. Then that same year I went to the fifty six Olympics and won a gold medal for this country. But that didn't change anything. They've been looking at me the same way in my whole life. These people know that I'm a basketball player, but they still refuse to see me, to see us as human beings. No exhibition game will change that. If they're not gonna acknowledge our humanity, we need to speak out. We need to change the world.
00:13:29
Speaker 2: You go, Bill, you boycott that gay coach.
00:13:34
Speaker 10: Did you hear a ghost just now?
00:13:36
Speaker 4: No?
00:13:37
Speaker 6: But I see two ghosts right over there. They're wearing ponchos, and one of them's pumping its fists. I think they like what you just said.
00:13:45
Speaker 2: We should probably stand behind a plant or something.
00:13:48
Speaker 7: I worked hard picking out this poncho. I'm not hiding behind a plant anyway. Coach Houurback knew that Russell was a true leader of men, and that's why he threw his support behind the boycott and why he appointed Russell as his successor when he eventually moved on from being head coach himself.
00:14:04
Speaker 5: So Bill kept speaking up no matter where he went, whether it was on the court or in the public eye.
00:14:09
Speaker 6: Speaking of eyes, would you mind closing yours?
00:14:12
Speaker 2: What four croco go? Huh? Hey, we're in a movie theater.
00:14:21
Speaker 7: Yeah, the history highlights theater. Take a seat drinking crocker. Ay, let's us see a mini highlight reel of any athlete's life while we wait to move forward in time.
00:14:35
Speaker 2: Hey, that's Martin Luther King. And whoa? Bill Russell marched with doctor King.
00:14:41
Speaker 7: He sure did back in nineteen sixty three as part of the March on Washington.
00:14:51
Speaker 6: And this is nineteen sixty.
00:14:52
Speaker 7: Seven where he was meeting with Muhammad Ali to support his decision to not fight in the Vietnam War.
00:14:58
Speaker 5: It looks like a lot of black ass athletes showed up to support him.
00:15:01
Speaker 7: Speaking out against the war wasn't necessarily the popular thing to do at the time, but they still threw their support behind him.
00:15:08
Speaker 6: Because they felt it was the right thing to do.
00:15:11
Speaker 2: He was everywhere, wasn't he? How far ahead are we going?
00:15:16
Speaker 6: Just another few decades? We should stand up. It's almost time to believe.
00:15:20
Speaker 2: Oh okay, which way should we go? I don't see any exits.
00:15:25
Speaker 6: There's only one way out of the history highlights theater. Cover your ears.
00:15:29
Speaker 2: Oh my ears? Okay, what the heck? Why would you throw crocle rate into my ears?
00:15:41
Speaker 6: Niminy, calm down. Look over there, Gabe.
00:15:45
Speaker 2: Is that that's President Obama.
00:15:47
Speaker 5: I can't believe I'm wearing a poncho in front of President Obama.
00:15:51
Speaker 7: There's no need to be embarrassed by the poncho. It's shaped like a triangle. The second most style is shape right after the rhombus, which is just two triangles. Anyway, it's the year twenty eleven and Obama's honoring Bill Russell for all of his work, not just as a basketball player, but as a fighter for human rights.
00:16:08
Speaker 5: I can't believe how much of an impact he had on history. To go from being just a kid playing basketball to receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
00:16:17
Speaker 2: It's incredible.
00:16:18
Speaker 7: And to think if he had changed the way he'd played defense all those years ago, just because someone thought it was the only way to play, he might never have made it here.
00:16:28
Speaker 5: I bet it wasn't easy for him to stand up for himself back then, and I bet it didn't get any easier standing up for the rights of others every time after that. But he did it because he knew it was the right thing to do, no matter how big the stage got.
00:16:42
Speaker 7: I agree one hundred percent, Niminy, Just like it wasn't easy for me to stand up to Lee when she told me that wearing ponchos and pouring hundreds of gallons of custom made sports drink all over myself would be a terrible and needlessly expensive way to experience history.
00:16:57
Speaker 6: But you loved it right.
00:16:58
Speaker 2: Actually, if I could redo one thing, it'd probably be there.
00:17:01
Speaker 7: There's no time for your notes, Niminy. Let's get to the recording studio.
00:17:05
Speaker 6: Croco go.
00:17:11
Speaker 4: Ah.
00:17:12
Speaker 7: Here we are in the studio, and everybody's happy with every part of the journey.
00:17:17
Speaker 2: Gabe, get rid of the krocle Rade.
00:17:20
Speaker 6: You didn't like the flavor, Gabe, you didn't like the ponchos.
00:17:23
Speaker 2: I'm going straight to Lee next time.
00:17:25
Speaker 6: My own personal Wilt Chamberlain.
00:17:28
Speaker 5: Okay, listeners, now that we're in the studio, it's time for everyone's favorite part of the episode.
00:17:34
Speaker 6: We're doing my part again, the song Oh right, right, right, right, right, right right.
00:17:40
Speaker 2: Get ready to ball out to the beat.
00:17:41
Speaker 5: Everyone, Bill Russell may have countless records already, but this here is the newest one.
00:17:51
Speaker 11: What do you see as the meaning of the term revolutionary?
00:17:57
Speaker 12: Revolutionary is a man or a woman things, but basically, the revolutionary wants to change the nature of society in a way to promote a world where the knees and interests of the people are responded to.
00:18:16
Speaker 11: Before Lebron was a king, before Jordan won rings, before shacking I came and magic in Kareem one man on one team rank completely supreme? Am I blowing too much steam to say that man was me? Bill Russell is the name?
00:18:28
Speaker 4: And how do you do?
00:18:30
Speaker 11: Thirteen years in the game and still I only lost two times in the finals? That's eleven titles. No man in this sport has come close to being my rival. I was the subject of libel and prejudice, taunts, black and in Boston not two things that you want to be OUI coop me, yes, sir? How did I thrive under oh so much pressure? How did I triumph on every measure while also unite all my people together? And just how did my leadership lead to our glory? To sit down and listen, y'all, because this here's my story.
00:19:00
Speaker 13: Defense the hoop and hej fanza bite. He's a champion on the court, and a champion.
00:19:08
Speaker 2: After five he.
00:19:12
Speaker 13: And re bounds four up in fresh City. He goes down the court, and he goes down in history.
00:19:20
Speaker 11: My youth, you could say it was a little bit rough. Mama died at twelve, and dad even gruff, grew up dirt board and there was never enough. My only hope was the hoop and get tough. So hoof that I did so. University of San Francisco old centers went slow, but me, I was nimble.
00:19:37
Speaker 10: They changed the.
00:19:37
Speaker 11: Rules to put me through some pitfalls. I juked the gears and still bought through the insults. I press continued, was drafted and went to the fifty six Olympics, got gold in that window post Uni COOKI oh that one NBA rookie and guess what we still won? Then I won eight more Celtics made me the coach while also still playing. That's right, I did both five mbps odds an app salute baller lost a few times to Will put He's three inches taller.
00:20:03
Speaker 13: He defends go home, and he defends a bright He's a champion on the court. They're a champion of the five. He bounds Alco and rebounds for the fresh city. He goes down the court, and he goes down in history.
00:20:25
Speaker 11: I am Bill Russell, most athletic on the court, but I still hustle and I will tussle with any man who stands in the way of progress. And that's in the lane in the streets. In the Congress sixty one, an exhibition game of Celtics versus the Hawks of Lexington, Kentucky. If we expected curses when we went to a cafe to try to get some service, instead they acted nervous and refused the surface.
00:20:46
Speaker 2: A curve, yes, for sure.
00:20:47
Speaker 11: But still we had a purpose showing what these boys got. So we let a boycott, put their feet to the furnace, We made noises true to the surface. We hit them with our voices. A march with a million men in MLK met with my hamad Ali just to mold a better day. If he's right in your rights, well then you must get unciviled, and never ever ever just shut up.
00:21:06
Speaker 13: In triple defensa hoop, and he defends are right. He's a champion on the court, and a champion after five. He bounds the rock and rebounds romp in First City. He goes down the court, and he goes down in history. He defense the hoop, and he defense are right. He's a champion on the court and a.
00:21:37
Speaker 2: Champion of the five.
00:21:39
Speaker 13: He rebounds the rock and rebounds roup at First City, he goes down the court, and he goes down in history.
00:22:12
Speaker 2: We'll be right back after a few words for the grown ups. Who Gabe, I'm still feeling that song.
00:22:23
Speaker 6: I'm feeling inspired me too.
00:22:25
Speaker 5: I think I finally got the courage to tell Robot Voice that I'm keeping all my laboratory modifications, even if it means we have to listen to NonStop talk radio.
00:22:35
Speaker 2: No talk radio. It's too horrible.
00:22:39
Speaker 5: I know, Gabe, I know I'll do everything in my power to stop that from happening.
00:22:46
Speaker 2: I'm back, Robot Voice. I've been doing some thinking.
00:22:49
Speaker 5: Another Loola, just hold on a minute, Slower doesn't have our best interests in mind. They set out rules for countless grid labs and bunkers that have completely different owners and residents. There's no way for them to know what we need in here. So even if I'm not supposed to, I'm still going to make improvements to this place, because they'll make all of our lives better.
00:23:13
Speaker 3: I'm convincing, argument, Miminy. However, the slower protocol in my programming prevents me from being convinced.
00:23:21
Speaker 2: I thought about that too.
00:23:23
Speaker 5: Let me install something I called the Fasta override, the Feticini Alfredo shortcut transfer of.
00:23:30
Speaker 2: Authority Spaghetti science.
00:23:33
Speaker 5: Was this upgrade, you'll be able to circumvent any slower restrictions my fires.
00:23:38
Speaker 3: You are my Wiresini, and I love it.
00:23:47
Speaker 10: Wow.
00:23:50
Speaker 2: I didn't ask you to do the Italian accent. You did not, so we can keep the changes.
00:23:55
Speaker 3: We may keep the changes, Mimy, although you must reorganize your quarters my state.
00:24:01
Speaker 2: And what about the quarters that don't have states?
00:24:04
Speaker 3: You may take those through the arcade and win me a tiny basketball who that's.
00:24:08
Speaker 2: Actually a pretty good idea. I will do that.
00:24:12
Speaker 5: But first, let's wrap up this episode with an interview between an incredible kid named Messiah, an NBA legend, Jalen Rose.
00:24:21
Speaker 3: Good idea, go.
00:24:25
Speaker 2: Kroco go, No, no, no, wait, not again.
00:24:34
Speaker 5: Today we're talking with former professional basketball player and co founder of the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy, Jalen Rose. He'll be talking with Messiah, a fourteen year old who attends his academy in Detroit, Michigan. One note. Since recording this interview, Bill Russell passed away at age eighty eight, leaving a legacy of his legendary play on the court and his powerful voice for justice off the court.
00:25:01
Speaker 8: Hey, mister Rose, how you doing.
00:25:04
Speaker 14: Thank you Messiah for taking the time to not only interview me, but to learn about one of the greatest four founders, not only in the history of sports, but of American history.
00:25:16
Speaker 5: Hey Messiah, do you want to ask Jalen a question about Bill Russell?
00:25:20
Speaker 8: How do you think Bill Russell's legacy left the mark on the world.
00:25:24
Speaker 14: I'll talk sports initially, so many times when you talk about who's the best, people don't actually digest, think about what they've seen, take all of the information in and give an educated hypothesis. What people now do is ring count. So when you say Tom Brady's the goat, you're gonna say it because he got seven rings. Michael George the goat because he has six rings. But here's the unique thing about Bill Russell. He has more rings than any athlete ever eleven as a player and also as the first black coach in the NBA as well, and so I don't see an athlete surpassing what he accomplished. As it relates to rings, analytics have now in a lot of ways become the calling card for athletics, which now we just only look at your championship rings and not judge you as a human.
00:26:22
Speaker 8: Being outside of basketball. He also was a civil rights activist, like he was a leader.
00:26:28
Speaker 14: When you start to speak about activism, that means you have an opinion, and it gives people a chance to say, well, I just like the way you play basketball. I really don't want to hear your opinion. That's really what I'm saying when I tell you to shut up and dribble. And so Bill Russell was the first person to acknowledge that I'm going to be the greatest champion and the greatest spokesman. And that wasn't encouraged. That wasn't the route that he took for stardom, and I'm grateful.
00:26:58
Speaker 2: For that, Masiah.
00:27:00
Speaker 5: What are you curious to learn about Jalen's experience as an athlete?
00:27:03
Speaker 8: What would you say was the most challenging thing about your journey to become a basketball player and how did you overcome those challenges?
00:27:10
Speaker 14: See the most challenging thing about being a basketball players, People and athletes sometimes don't put themselves as a human being first. The thing I always try to do is be more than a jock. So I remember times when we had late practices or games and I was like, I'm still gonna be in class tomorrow when I know people think I'm gonna be late or try to be absent or feeling myself because I just had thirty five points last night. For me, that was the toughest part to get people to see me as a person and for me to have more goals than just basketball.
00:27:50
Speaker 8: That's great because you got some people like in the world that just only want us focus on basketball for some one thing. But maybe if that don't work out, you can focus on other things as well. You can do other things in life. Somebody might play basketball, they might want to be a doctor, be a poet, something anything.
00:28:05
Speaker 14: There's no job, no career that you can solely do forever. I don't care how good you are at it. Doing multiple things in multiple industries is actually not only going to be a key to your happiness, but a function of your success.
00:28:21
Speaker 5: Before we go Jalen, how would you sum up Bill Russell's legacy?
00:28:26
Speaker 14: Bill Russell number six is iconic as a human being, as an athlete, Eleven championships in thirteen years, one of the most infectious smiles, the biggest laughs that you'll ever hear in sports. One of the guys that when he spoke, everybody listened.
00:28:44
Speaker 2: Thank you both. This was a great conversation.
00:28:47
Speaker 8: I just want to thank you so much for this opportunity to just talk to you and give you an interview, and this is great, and thank you very much.
00:28:54
Speaker 14: Thank you. I appreciate the love. Stay focused, stay disciplined in or a learner exit a leader.
00:29:04
Speaker 5: Listeners, thanks for joining in today and for going on a journey with me to learn all.
00:29:09
Speaker 2: About Bill Russell.
00:29:11
Speaker 5: And a huge thanks to today's guests Jalen Rose and Messiah remember our parents and teachers. You can download a free activity related to today's episode by visiting story pirates dot com slash historical Records. We'll be back next week with another episode, another song, and another hero. After all, someone's gotta make more historical records. Until then, remember to make history, you gotta make some noise. Signing off, This is Miminy, I Mean Memony, I've had too much Crockle Rate Bye.
00:30:00
Speaker 15: Historical Records is produced in partnership with Story Pirate Studios, Questlove's two one five Entertainment John Glickman and iHeart Podcasts Executive produced by Emir Questlove, Thompson, John Glickman, Lee Overtree and Benjamin Salka. Executive produced for iHeart Podcasts by Noel Brown. Producers for Story Pirate Studios are Isabella Riccio, Sam Bear, Eric Gerson, Andrew Miller, Lee Overtree, Peter McNerney, Denisa wharton By and niminy Ware. Producers for two one five are Sean g Brittany, Benjamin and Sarah Zolman, hosted by niminy Ware. Our head writer is Duke Doyle. Our historians are Gabe Pacheco and Lee Polus. Music supervision for two one five by Stroe Elliott. Scoring and music supervision for Story Pirate Studios by Eric Gerson. Sound designed and mixing by Sam Bear at the Relic Room in New York City. Additional recording by Brett Tuban, song mastering by Josh Theme, song by Dan Foster and Eric Gerson, and produced by Eric Erson. Production coordination by Isabel Riccio, Production management by Maggie Lee. The line producer for Story Pired Studios is Glennis Brault. PR for Story Pirate Studios is provided by Naomi Shaw. Episode artwork by Camilla Franklin. This episode was written by Minsby Karam. The song Bill Russell was written by Dan Foster and produced by Micah James. Special guests Jalen Rose and Kid Interviewer Messiah. This episode features performances by Kelsey Bear, Hannah Corrigan, Mikah James, Peter McNerney, Megan O'Neil, Emily Olcott, Lee Overtree, Gabe Pacheco, Lee Polis, and Bill Schaeffer.
00:32:00
Speaker 4: Yes
Speaker 1: Good people, good people.
00:00:01
Speaker 2: Hello.
00:00:01
Speaker 1: This is Questlove and in honor of Black History Month, when Fridays, we'll be releasing episodes of Historical Records, my podcast with the story Pirates. It's an explosive fusion of hip hop and history, tailor made for music loving kids and families. Yes, something for the entire family that you can listen to and enjoy it together all right now. In today's episode, Lemonie finds out what it takes to win eleven NBA championships and to play a meaningful role in the civil rights movement. You'll hear a brand new hip hop track about Bill Russell, the legendary player coach of the Boston Celtics, and a great interview between former NBA star Jalen Rose and a fourteen year old basketball fan from Detroit named Messiah. So get your kids, sit back and enjoy Historical Records, the show that proves that in order to make history, you have to make some noise.
00:01:07
Speaker 3: We're sorry, the number you have died out has been disconnected, and it's all your.
00:01:12
Speaker 2: Fault, my fault. How is it my fault?
00:01:15
Speaker 4: It's certainly not my fault, so it must be yours. That concludes this pre recorded message.
00:01:23
Speaker 2: Nothing in this lab ever works for me.
00:01:25
Speaker 5: And it's not like I can call anybody to fix anything when the phones are always broken and exploding.
00:01:33
Speaker 2: The phones are always exploding. You know what, I've had it with this.
00:01:38
Speaker 5: I'm the one that has to live in a secret underground bunker slash laboratory with harsh lighting, leaky pipes, and that phantom train sound. There are no train tracks four miles where is that coming from?
00:01:54
Speaker 2: That's it.
00:01:54
Speaker 5: I'm taking it upon myself to fix every single thing wrong with this place.
00:01:59
Speaker 2: This whole lab is getting nemified.
00:02:02
Speaker 5: Or niminy, fine, maybe maybe nimificient. You know what, Naming things isn't my strong suit.
00:02:10
Speaker 2: This whole place is getting the neckover.
00:02:16
Speaker 6: It's historical records.
00:02:19
Speaker 2: You are now listening to historical.
00:02:24
Speaker 5: To make history, you got to have struggles to make history.
00:02:27
Speaker 2: You got to show poise. Cannot be quiet loud, that's the riot to make history. You gotta make some noise.
00:02:40
Speaker 5: Welcome back to Historical Records, the show where I dig into the historical records in order to produce historically themed records, which are like digital music files, except you can accidentally spill your drink on them.
00:02:53
Speaker 2: Today's episode is.
00:02:54
Speaker 5: All about legendary basketball icon Bill Russell. But before we get to mister Russell and his eleven championship rings, I'm just putting the finishing touches on my own personal modifications to the laboratory phone lines. All it took was sixty four empty soup cans, thirty two discarded piano wires, and sixteen milliliters of excess elbow grease. I should really see an elbow doctor. But before that, let's try making a call.
00:03:30
Speaker 4: Hello, this is Lee, resident historian Lee.
00:03:34
Speaker 5: It's Niminy from work. Looks like the phones are finally working.
00:03:38
Speaker 4: Oh, so this is a phone. I was wondering why the empty soup can in my room was ringing and why a my soup disappeared. What's up? I didn't think I was in the Bill Russell episode.
00:03:49
Speaker 2: Oh you're not. You're just in this part.
00:03:51
Speaker 4: Oh okay. I'm always happy to get some nice meaty limes or should I say soup bee lime.
00:03:58
Speaker 2: That's enough for now. Next week.
00:04:03
Speaker 5: Ah, With all my modifications, this place is really starting to feel like a bunker of my very own.
00:04:09
Speaker 2: I've got the soupcan phones.
00:04:10
Speaker 5: The neminy neon ambient Lenny, and I've even got custom.
00:04:14
Speaker 2: Stickers with my name on it, sticker Slab.
00:04:17
Speaker 5: I don't even mind the fact that all these stickers say historical records with memony instead of niminy. The important thing is that the laboratory isn't falling apart anymore.
00:04:30
Speaker 3: Laboratory helf destruct sequence start the vide.
00:04:34
Speaker 2: Self destruct start a fine no.
00:04:38
Speaker 5: Time to hit the emergency override shutdown hammer smash.
00:04:46
Speaker 3: Laboratories helf destruct sequence.
00:04:49
Speaker 2: Stop robot voice. What was that?
00:04:52
Speaker 6: Na a new word?
00:04:54
Speaker 5: I'm crying out miminy, It's nemony with an not.
00:05:01
Speaker 3: According to these unauthorized stickers, your modifications to the laboratory have resulted in eleven code violations.
00:05:09
Speaker 2: Since when do you care so much about code violations?
00:05:12
Speaker 3: The year was nineteen ninety two, acid wash genes and grunge music.
00:05:18
Speaker 5: Where all the rage I'm meant in the context of what's happening now understood.
00:05:24
Speaker 3: Every secret laboratory is highly regulated by the Secret Laboratory Owners Association or SLOW for short. Their strict codes must be followed as the quarterly inspection will soon be conducted. Point of clarification, the quarterly inspection is different than the quarter inspection, where they make sure that US quarters in every laboratory are organized by stage.
00:05:50
Speaker 2: My quarters are organized by year.
00:05:52
Speaker 3: Additional code violation, I advise you to correct all violations before the inspection.
00:05:58
Speaker 2: My improvements code violations.
00:06:01
Speaker 5: Improvements benefit all of us. Besides, this whole place was falling apart and I was the only one willing to do anything about it.
00:06:10
Speaker 2: SLOA would have just let the place break down.
00:06:12
Speaker 3: I am not permitted to agree, as Sloa's codes are embedded in my programming.
00:06:18
Speaker 5: And if SLOA finds out what's the worst that could happen.
00:06:22
Speaker 3: They will overtake our sound system and play NonStop talk radio.
00:06:27
Speaker 2: That's not so bad, I kind of like talking.
00:06:29
Speaker 3: The entire combination bunker slash laboratory will self destruct.
00:06:35
Speaker 2: That's terrible.
00:06:36
Speaker 3: Agreed.
00:06:37
Speaker 2: Oh okay, I hear you loud and clear.
00:06:40
Speaker 5: I'll start in the library. Why don't you work on removing the stickers.
00:06:44
Speaker 3: Affirmative blowing, sticker feeling fingernails.
00:06:49
Speaker 2: Ew.
00:06:51
Speaker 5: I don't even know how to describe what I'm seeing right now.
00:06:55
Speaker 3: I thought you wanted my help.
00:06:57
Speaker 2: Gotta go, Gabe, open up the library.
00:07:03
Speaker 7: It's me, Hey, niminy, it's Gabe Resident historian.
00:07:08
Speaker 2: Weird Lise said that earlier too.
00:07:11
Speaker 6: Really who said it better?
00:07:13
Speaker 2: I don't care? I know who both of you are.
00:07:15
Speaker 6: Let me in, sure, come on in. Hey did the power go out for you a little while ago?
00:07:21
Speaker 2: Yeah, but it wasn't my fault. Look, we've got a problem. Can robot voice hear anything we say in here?
00:07:27
Speaker 6: No? Nobody can hear anything.
00:07:29
Speaker 7: I've been calling out for a glass of orange juice for hours and you're holding a glass of apple juice.
00:07:34
Speaker 6: I mean I'll still drink it.
00:07:36
Speaker 4: Oop.
00:07:37
Speaker 2: Sorry that was just for me.
00:07:39
Speaker 6: I'm thirsty, not me.
00:07:41
Speaker 2: I just had apple juice. We have to get out of here.
00:07:44
Speaker 5: Robot wants me to undo all the improvements I've made to the lab just because the Secret Laboratory Owners Association doesn't like the way I organize my corners.
00:07:53
Speaker 6: You don't organize them by state.
00:07:55
Speaker 2: I organize them by year.
00:07:57
Speaker 4: Uh.
00:07:58
Speaker 2: Maybe it's not even worth a fight. What do you think?
00:08:02
Speaker 7: I think the way you organize your quarters is insane. But I also think it's important for you to fight for what you believe in. You know there's someone whose story might be able to help.
00:08:12
Speaker 6: I bet making a track about him will help you see things more clearly.
00:08:15
Speaker 2: That's a great idea.
00:08:17
Speaker 5: Let's get in the history simulator, which, uh where is it?
00:08:22
Speaker 2: Did you move it or something?
00:08:23
Speaker 7: I made it a little bit more portable this time around. Here, put on this poncho.
00:08:28
Speaker 5: Okay, hey, this is pretty comfortable as far as history simulators go.
00:08:34
Speaker 2: You've really outdone yourself.
00:08:36
Speaker 6: Oh that's not it.
00:08:37
Speaker 7: The new History simulator is a large cooler of electrolyte infused sports drink Kraco Raid. It works by pouring it all over ourselves. The poncho should help keep you mostly dry.
00:08:49
Speaker 2: Is it too late to get Lee to help me instead?
00:08:52
Speaker 6: It's way too late. Sports drinks simulate history, Kroco Go.
00:09:02
Speaker 7: Well, folks, things are heating up here in this nineteen sixty nine NBA Championship Series.
00:09:07
Speaker 6: But what else would you expect from.
00:09:09
Speaker 7: Game seven of this heated matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. I'm calling it now.
00:09:16
Speaker 6: This will be a game that goes down in history.
00:09:18
Speaker 5: Gabe, what are you doing announcing the game? You might mess up the time stream or something.
00:09:23
Speaker 7: This is a history simulator, not a time machine.
00:09:27
Speaker 6: Let's have some fun here. Get on the mic, Uh.
00:09:32
Speaker 8: That one guy on the yellow team has the ball, Wilt Chamberlain.
00:09:36
Speaker 5: Yeah him, and now he's dropping towards the roop.
00:09:41
Speaker 2: He's pulling up to shoot and bow.
00:09:44
Speaker 9: He just got to not by u bye, by the heart of that stout Boston defense and the man that we both came here to watch, Bill Russell. O.
00:09:55
Speaker 2: Big ups to Bill Russels.
00:09:57
Speaker 7: Oh, his coach is gonna love that hustle fun bit of trivia.
00:10:01
Speaker 5: He is the coach who is Bill Russell, the same one who's playing.
00:10:06
Speaker 6: That's right partner.
00:10:07
Speaker 7: He's a player and the head coach, the first black head coach of a major American sports league.
00:10:13
Speaker 5: Oooh, A never strong block from the head coach, Bill Russell.
00:10:18
Speaker 2: How can you not like that imposing style of defense?
00:10:22
Speaker 6: Not everyone always saw it that way.
00:10:24
Speaker 7: Back when he was still playing college ball at the University of San Francisco, his coach has tried to change the way he played. Defenders were supposed to stay planted and never leave their feet, but he had amazing quickness for leaping ability, especially for a center.
00:10:38
Speaker 5: I think it's safe to say he ignored that advice.
00:10:42
Speaker 7: Oh, he knew it worked for him, so he kept watching other players footwork, adjusted and improved his own defense to create something entirely new, kind of like my history simulator system.
00:10:53
Speaker 2: That could still use a little more improvement.
00:10:55
Speaker 7: I don't see how ponchos and gallons of croco raid have gotten us this far.
00:11:00
Speaker 5: Bill Russell's belief in his own game really changed everyone's game.
00:11:04
Speaker 4: Hump.
00:11:05
Speaker 7: He was so dominant the NCAA even changed the rules today.
00:11:10
Speaker 2: When you're that good, who's gonna stop you?
00:11:13
Speaker 6: Certainly not these Lakers.
00:11:15
Speaker 7: Bill Russell's about to take down his greatest rival, Wilt Chamberlain, to win his eleven championship. I know that's not what this LA crop wants to hear, but where will the future?
00:11:25
Speaker 6: So deal with it. The eighties will be much better Laker Nation.
00:11:31
Speaker 7: Bill Russell's life was about to be much more than just basketball, though.
00:11:35
Speaker 6: Let's take a look, niminy. Hold your breath?
00:11:38
Speaker 4: Huh?
00:11:38
Speaker 2: Why would I need to hold my breath? Broaco, go blah. You need to win me before doing that.
00:11:49
Speaker 6: I told you to hold your breath.
00:11:51
Speaker 5: Oh come on, let's see if this coffee shop has any fresh towels. My poncho can only keep me so dry.
00:11:57
Speaker 7: Nah, Niminy, we might not want to go in inside this coffee shop. It's not exactly the most welcoming place.
00:12:04
Speaker 2: Huh. Then why did we come here? Hey? Is it? Yeah?
00:12:08
Speaker 10: That's Bill, ma'am, my teammates and I just want to order a cup of coffee.
00:12:13
Speaker 3: Well, you'd best look somewhere else because we don't serve negroes here.
00:12:17
Speaker 2: Uh, Gay, what year is it?
00:12:20
Speaker 6: It's nineteen sixty one.
00:12:22
Speaker 7: This is Lexington, Kentucky, where the Celtics were scheduled to play an exhibition game against the Hawks.
00:12:28
Speaker 5: In a town that treats people like that. There's no way he plays right. Don't do it, Bill, They don't deserve you.
00:12:35
Speaker 6: He can't hear you. We're not announcers anymore. This time.
00:12:38
Speaker 7: We're ghosts. Were what ghosts? They're floating and see through? Have you really never heard of ghosts before? That's not what I want. Come on, ghost Nimini, let's catch up with Bill. He's already headed over to talk to coach Auerbach.
00:12:52
Speaker 10: Coach, there's no way we're playing this game. We're getting on the plane and going home, all of us. Bill.
00:12:57
Speaker 6: I understand what you're saying. The way these folks are treating you isn't right.
00:13:01
Speaker 8: But don't you think we can spread your message better by playing the game respectfully.
00:13:06
Speaker 10: We won a championship my rookie year. Then that same year I went to the fifty six Olympics and won a gold medal for this country. But that didn't change anything. They've been looking at me the same way in my whole life. These people know that I'm a basketball player, but they still refuse to see me, to see us as human beings. No exhibition game will change that. If they're not gonna acknowledge our humanity, we need to speak out. We need to change the world.
00:13:29
Speaker 2: You go, Bill, you boycott that gay coach.
00:13:34
Speaker 10: Did you hear a ghost just now?
00:13:36
Speaker 4: No?
00:13:37
Speaker 6: But I see two ghosts right over there. They're wearing ponchos, and one of them's pumping its fists. I think they like what you just said.
00:13:45
Speaker 2: We should probably stand behind a plant or something.
00:13:48
Speaker 7: I worked hard picking out this poncho. I'm not hiding behind a plant anyway. Coach Houurback knew that Russell was a true leader of men, and that's why he threw his support behind the boycott and why he appointed Russell as his successor when he eventually moved on from being head coach himself.
00:14:04
Speaker 5: So Bill kept speaking up no matter where he went, whether it was on the court or in the public eye.
00:14:09
Speaker 6: Speaking of eyes, would you mind closing yours?
00:14:12
Speaker 2: What four croco go? Huh? Hey, we're in a movie theater.
00:14:21
Speaker 7: Yeah, the history highlights theater. Take a seat drinking crocker. Ay, let's us see a mini highlight reel of any athlete's life while we wait to move forward in time.
00:14:35
Speaker 2: Hey, that's Martin Luther King. And whoa? Bill Russell marched with doctor King.
00:14:41
Speaker 7: He sure did back in nineteen sixty three as part of the March on Washington.
00:14:51
Speaker 6: And this is nineteen sixty.
00:14:52
Speaker 7: Seven where he was meeting with Muhammad Ali to support his decision to not fight in the Vietnam War.
00:14:58
Speaker 5: It looks like a lot of black ass athletes showed up to support him.
00:15:01
Speaker 7: Speaking out against the war wasn't necessarily the popular thing to do at the time, but they still threw their support behind him.
00:15:08
Speaker 6: Because they felt it was the right thing to do.
00:15:11
Speaker 2: He was everywhere, wasn't he? How far ahead are we going?
00:15:16
Speaker 6: Just another few decades? We should stand up. It's almost time to believe.
00:15:20
Speaker 2: Oh okay, which way should we go? I don't see any exits.
00:15:25
Speaker 6: There's only one way out of the history highlights theater. Cover your ears.
00:15:29
Speaker 2: Oh my ears? Okay, what the heck? Why would you throw crocle rate into my ears?
00:15:41
Speaker 6: Niminy, calm down. Look over there, Gabe.
00:15:45
Speaker 2: Is that that's President Obama.
00:15:47
Speaker 5: I can't believe I'm wearing a poncho in front of President Obama.
00:15:51
Speaker 7: There's no need to be embarrassed by the poncho. It's shaped like a triangle. The second most style is shape right after the rhombus, which is just two triangles. Anyway, it's the year twenty eleven and Obama's honoring Bill Russell for all of his work, not just as a basketball player, but as a fighter for human rights.
00:16:08
Speaker 5: I can't believe how much of an impact he had on history. To go from being just a kid playing basketball to receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
00:16:17
Speaker 2: It's incredible.
00:16:18
Speaker 7: And to think if he had changed the way he'd played defense all those years ago, just because someone thought it was the only way to play, he might never have made it here.
00:16:28
Speaker 5: I bet it wasn't easy for him to stand up for himself back then, and I bet it didn't get any easier standing up for the rights of others every time after that. But he did it because he knew it was the right thing to do, no matter how big the stage got.
00:16:42
Speaker 7: I agree one hundred percent, Niminy, Just like it wasn't easy for me to stand up to Lee when she told me that wearing ponchos and pouring hundreds of gallons of custom made sports drink all over myself would be a terrible and needlessly expensive way to experience history.
00:16:57
Speaker 6: But you loved it right.
00:16:58
Speaker 2: Actually, if I could redo one thing, it'd probably be there.
00:17:01
Speaker 7: There's no time for your notes, Niminy. Let's get to the recording studio.
00:17:05
Speaker 6: Croco go.
00:17:11
Speaker 4: Ah.
00:17:12
Speaker 7: Here we are in the studio, and everybody's happy with every part of the journey.
00:17:17
Speaker 2: Gabe, get rid of the krocle Rade.
00:17:20
Speaker 6: You didn't like the flavor, Gabe, you didn't like the ponchos.
00:17:23
Speaker 2: I'm going straight to Lee next time.
00:17:25
Speaker 6: My own personal Wilt Chamberlain.
00:17:28
Speaker 5: Okay, listeners, now that we're in the studio, it's time for everyone's favorite part of the episode.
00:17:34
Speaker 6: We're doing my part again, the song Oh right, right, right, right, right, right right.
00:17:40
Speaker 2: Get ready to ball out to the beat.
00:17:41
Speaker 5: Everyone, Bill Russell may have countless records already, but this here is the newest one.
00:17:51
Speaker 11: What do you see as the meaning of the term revolutionary?
00:17:57
Speaker 12: Revolutionary is a man or a woman things, but basically, the revolutionary wants to change the nature of society in a way to promote a world where the knees and interests of the people are responded to.
00:18:16
Speaker 11: Before Lebron was a king, before Jordan won rings, before shacking I came and magic in Kareem one man on one team rank completely supreme? Am I blowing too much steam to say that man was me? Bill Russell is the name?
00:18:28
Speaker 4: And how do you do?
00:18:30
Speaker 11: Thirteen years in the game and still I only lost two times in the finals? That's eleven titles. No man in this sport has come close to being my rival. I was the subject of libel and prejudice, taunts, black and in Boston not two things that you want to be OUI coop me, yes, sir? How did I thrive under oh so much pressure? How did I triumph on every measure while also unite all my people together? And just how did my leadership lead to our glory? To sit down and listen, y'all, because this here's my story.
00:19:00
Speaker 13: Defense the hoop and hej fanza bite. He's a champion on the court, and a champion.
00:19:08
Speaker 2: After five he.
00:19:12
Speaker 13: And re bounds four up in fresh City. He goes down the court, and he goes down in history.
00:19:20
Speaker 11: My youth, you could say it was a little bit rough. Mama died at twelve, and dad even gruff, grew up dirt board and there was never enough. My only hope was the hoop and get tough. So hoof that I did so. University of San Francisco old centers went slow, but me, I was nimble.
00:19:37
Speaker 10: They changed the.
00:19:37
Speaker 11: Rules to put me through some pitfalls. I juked the gears and still bought through the insults. I press continued, was drafted and went to the fifty six Olympics, got gold in that window post Uni COOKI oh that one NBA rookie and guess what we still won? Then I won eight more Celtics made me the coach while also still playing. That's right, I did both five mbps odds an app salute baller lost a few times to Will put He's three inches taller.
00:20:03
Speaker 13: He defends go home, and he defends a bright He's a champion on the court. They're a champion of the five. He bounds Alco and rebounds for the fresh city. He goes down the court, and he goes down in history.
00:20:25
Speaker 11: I am Bill Russell, most athletic on the court, but I still hustle and I will tussle with any man who stands in the way of progress. And that's in the lane in the streets. In the Congress sixty one, an exhibition game of Celtics versus the Hawks of Lexington, Kentucky. If we expected curses when we went to a cafe to try to get some service, instead they acted nervous and refused the surface.
00:20:46
Speaker 2: A curve, yes, for sure.
00:20:47
Speaker 11: But still we had a purpose showing what these boys got. So we let a boycott, put their feet to the furnace, We made noises true to the surface. We hit them with our voices. A march with a million men in MLK met with my hamad Ali just to mold a better day. If he's right in your rights, well then you must get unciviled, and never ever ever just shut up.
00:21:06
Speaker 13: In triple defensa hoop, and he defends are right. He's a champion on the court, and a champion after five. He bounds the rock and rebounds romp in First City. He goes down the court, and he goes down in history. He defense the hoop, and he defense are right. He's a champion on the court and a.
00:21:37
Speaker 2: Champion of the five.
00:21:39
Speaker 13: He rebounds the rock and rebounds roup at First City, he goes down the court, and he goes down in history.
00:22:12
Speaker 2: We'll be right back after a few words for the grown ups. Who Gabe, I'm still feeling that song.
00:22:23
Speaker 6: I'm feeling inspired me too.
00:22:25
Speaker 5: I think I finally got the courage to tell Robot Voice that I'm keeping all my laboratory modifications, even if it means we have to listen to NonStop talk radio.
00:22:35
Speaker 2: No talk radio. It's too horrible.
00:22:39
Speaker 5: I know, Gabe, I know I'll do everything in my power to stop that from happening.
00:22:46
Speaker 2: I'm back, Robot Voice. I've been doing some thinking.
00:22:49
Speaker 5: Another Loola, just hold on a minute, Slower doesn't have our best interests in mind. They set out rules for countless grid labs and bunkers that have completely different owners and residents. There's no way for them to know what we need in here. So even if I'm not supposed to, I'm still going to make improvements to this place, because they'll make all of our lives better.
00:23:13
Speaker 3: I'm convincing, argument, Miminy. However, the slower protocol in my programming prevents me from being convinced.
00:23:21
Speaker 2: I thought about that too.
00:23:23
Speaker 5: Let me install something I called the Fasta override, the Feticini Alfredo shortcut transfer of.
00:23:30
Speaker 2: Authority Spaghetti science.
00:23:33
Speaker 5: Was this upgrade, you'll be able to circumvent any slower restrictions my fires.
00:23:38
Speaker 3: You are my Wiresini, and I love it.
00:23:47
Speaker 10: Wow.
00:23:50
Speaker 2: I didn't ask you to do the Italian accent. You did not, so we can keep the changes.
00:23:55
Speaker 3: We may keep the changes, Mimy, although you must reorganize your quarters my state.
00:24:01
Speaker 2: And what about the quarters that don't have states?
00:24:04
Speaker 3: You may take those through the arcade and win me a tiny basketball who that's.
00:24:08
Speaker 2: Actually a pretty good idea. I will do that.
00:24:12
Speaker 5: But first, let's wrap up this episode with an interview between an incredible kid named Messiah, an NBA legend, Jalen Rose.
00:24:21
Speaker 3: Good idea, go.
00:24:25
Speaker 2: Kroco go, No, no, no, wait, not again.
00:24:34
Speaker 5: Today we're talking with former professional basketball player and co founder of the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy, Jalen Rose. He'll be talking with Messiah, a fourteen year old who attends his academy in Detroit, Michigan. One note. Since recording this interview, Bill Russell passed away at age eighty eight, leaving a legacy of his legendary play on the court and his powerful voice for justice off the court.
00:25:01
Speaker 8: Hey, mister Rose, how you doing.
00:25:04
Speaker 14: Thank you Messiah for taking the time to not only interview me, but to learn about one of the greatest four founders, not only in the history of sports, but of American history.
00:25:16
Speaker 5: Hey Messiah, do you want to ask Jalen a question about Bill Russell?
00:25:20
Speaker 8: How do you think Bill Russell's legacy left the mark on the world.
00:25:24
Speaker 14: I'll talk sports initially, so many times when you talk about who's the best, people don't actually digest, think about what they've seen, take all of the information in and give an educated hypothesis. What people now do is ring count. So when you say Tom Brady's the goat, you're gonna say it because he got seven rings. Michael George the goat because he has six rings. But here's the unique thing about Bill Russell. He has more rings than any athlete ever eleven as a player and also as the first black coach in the NBA as well, and so I don't see an athlete surpassing what he accomplished. As it relates to rings, analytics have now in a lot of ways become the calling card for athletics, which now we just only look at your championship rings and not judge you as a human.
00:26:22
Speaker 8: Being outside of basketball. He also was a civil rights activist, like he was a leader.
00:26:28
Speaker 14: When you start to speak about activism, that means you have an opinion, and it gives people a chance to say, well, I just like the way you play basketball. I really don't want to hear your opinion. That's really what I'm saying when I tell you to shut up and dribble. And so Bill Russell was the first person to acknowledge that I'm going to be the greatest champion and the greatest spokesman. And that wasn't encouraged. That wasn't the route that he took for stardom, and I'm grateful.
00:26:58
Speaker 2: For that, Masiah.
00:27:00
Speaker 5: What are you curious to learn about Jalen's experience as an athlete?
00:27:03
Speaker 8: What would you say was the most challenging thing about your journey to become a basketball player and how did you overcome those challenges?
00:27:10
Speaker 14: See the most challenging thing about being a basketball players, People and athletes sometimes don't put themselves as a human being first. The thing I always try to do is be more than a jock. So I remember times when we had late practices or games and I was like, I'm still gonna be in class tomorrow when I know people think I'm gonna be late or try to be absent or feeling myself because I just had thirty five points last night. For me, that was the toughest part to get people to see me as a person and for me to have more goals than just basketball.
00:27:50
Speaker 8: That's great because you got some people like in the world that just only want us focus on basketball for some one thing. But maybe if that don't work out, you can focus on other things as well. You can do other things in life. Somebody might play basketball, they might want to be a doctor, be a poet, something anything.
00:28:05
Speaker 14: There's no job, no career that you can solely do forever. I don't care how good you are at it. Doing multiple things in multiple industries is actually not only going to be a key to your happiness, but a function of your success.
00:28:21
Speaker 5: Before we go Jalen, how would you sum up Bill Russell's legacy?
00:28:26
Speaker 14: Bill Russell number six is iconic as a human being, as an athlete, Eleven championships in thirteen years, one of the most infectious smiles, the biggest laughs that you'll ever hear in sports. One of the guys that when he spoke, everybody listened.
00:28:44
Speaker 2: Thank you both. This was a great conversation.
00:28:47
Speaker 8: I just want to thank you so much for this opportunity to just talk to you and give you an interview, and this is great, and thank you very much.
00:28:54
Speaker 14: Thank you. I appreciate the love. Stay focused, stay disciplined in or a learner exit a leader.
00:29:04
Speaker 5: Listeners, thanks for joining in today and for going on a journey with me to learn all.
00:29:09
Speaker 2: About Bill Russell.
00:29:11
Speaker 5: And a huge thanks to today's guests Jalen Rose and Messiah remember our parents and teachers. You can download a free activity related to today's episode by visiting story pirates dot com slash historical Records. We'll be back next week with another episode, another song, and another hero. After all, someone's gotta make more historical records. Until then, remember to make history, you gotta make some noise. Signing off, This is Miminy, I Mean Memony, I've had too much Crockle Rate Bye.
00:30:00
Speaker 15: Historical Records is produced in partnership with Story Pirate Studios, Questlove's two one five Entertainment John Glickman and iHeart Podcasts Executive produced by Emir Questlove, Thompson, John Glickman, Lee Overtree and Benjamin Salka. Executive produced for iHeart Podcasts by Noel Brown. Producers for Story Pirate Studios are Isabella Riccio, Sam Bear, Eric Gerson, Andrew Miller, Lee Overtree, Peter McNerney, Denisa wharton By and niminy Ware. Producers for two one five are Sean g Brittany, Benjamin and Sarah Zolman, hosted by niminy Ware. Our head writer is Duke Doyle. Our historians are Gabe Pacheco and Lee Polus. Music supervision for two one five by Stroe Elliott. Scoring and music supervision for Story Pirate Studios by Eric Gerson. Sound designed and mixing by Sam Bear at the Relic Room in New York City. Additional recording by Brett Tuban, song mastering by Josh Theme, song by Dan Foster and Eric Gerson, and produced by Eric Erson. Production coordination by Isabel Riccio, Production management by Maggie Lee. The line producer for Story Pired Studios is Glennis Brault. PR for Story Pirate Studios is provided by Naomi Shaw. Episode artwork by Camilla Franklin. This episode was written by Minsby Karam. The song Bill Russell was written by Dan Foster and produced by Micah James. Special guests Jalen Rose and Kid Interviewer Messiah. This episode features performances by Kelsey Bear, Hannah Corrigan, Mikah James, Peter McNerney, Megan O'Neil, Emily Olcott, Lee Overtree, Gabe Pacheco, Lee Polis, and Bill Schaeffer.
00:32:00
Speaker 4: Yes
