The Fred Roberts Interview
By:
Michael D. McClellan
|
Tuesday, March 6th, 2012
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Did you every meet the great Bill Russell?
I never did get to meet Bill Russell. But I got to meet John Havlicek and Sam Jones, and
now I think the Celtics are
trying to bring some of that back. The
team sends out a monthly newsletter, and
it's been way fun for me to get that.
And even though I was only there for two
years and I don't expect people to
remember me, it's great just to be
thought of as a part of that great
organization.
Jeff Twiss (VP – Media Relations) is a longtime member of the Celtics, and as much a part of the fabric of the team as as anyone. Do you remember Jeff?
What a great guy. You just don't meet many people like Jeff. I remember opening night at the Garden, and the Celtics were going to raise the '86 championship banner to the rafters. Well, I didn't know what to do. Jeff could tell that I was feeling awkward, because I hadn't been a part of that championship team. He came to me and told me I could do what I felt was right – if I wanted to stay on the bench I could do that, or if I wanted to go out on the floor with the team I could go out there with them. Well, I thought about it for awhile and then decided I didn't want to be the only guy left on the bench sitting by myself. So I went on the court with the team while they raised the banner, and I remember Bird looking at me with the snarliest look because I hadn't done anything to contribute to that championship. At that point I wished I'd just stayed in the locker room [laughs]. I'm just joking – it was a great privilege to just witness that ceremony. I'll never forget that.
Following two seasons in Boston, you were part of the 1988 expansion draft and were selected by the Miami Heat. Ironically, you were dealt to Milwaukee, where you would play for 5 seasons, your most productive period in the NBA. What was it like to come full circle to the team that drafted you?
My impression of Milwaukee was not great, because my only experience was walking from the Hyatt across the street to the Mecca. The weather was cold and miserable, but once I got there I loved it. The city was easy to get around in. It just felt comfortable for us as a family, and the system just fit my game. Coach Dell Harris trusted me and believed that I could be a good player. I got a lot of regular playing time. It was a good team situation. It was a great sports city – not as big as Boston, but people loved their teams and took pride in their teams. They loved Sidney Moncrief, Terry Cummings, Jack Sikma. So it was a good situation for me to move into. And because I was from Boston I had some respect, more than I'd ever had before. It wasn't because I'd suddenly become a better player. It came from being a part of that great Celtics organization.
In Milwaukee you played with an aging Moses Malone. What was that like?
Moses was great. He was great fun to play with. He played hard, and he was serious about the game. Some guys get to the end of their careers and they're not as serious anymore. Moses was very serious. He wanted to be a good player and an important part of our team. He was very respectful to all of the guys on the team. He was a good leader. He was like Bird, in that they both did it on the floor. Moses wasn't much of a talker. Bird wasn't much of a talker. But on the floor, you knew that those guys were going to lead. I was never a soldier, but if I was, I would go to war with both of those guys. I would want to be in a foxhole with those guys because I knew I could trust them. And that's the way it was on the basketball court.
