From “Chief” to coach?
Robert Parish said he hopes to make a return to the basketball. (Boston Globe)
Robert Parish has been doing something out of character: making headlines. The characteristically stoic former center for the Boston Celtics has been making waves in the Boston media of late.
Nicknamed “The Chief” for his habit of venturing off alone and refusing to speak to the media, it appears that Parish has made small efforts to change his ways. Parish let his ties to Boston fray beyond repair; his habit of refusing to answer calls and neglect relationships with his former teammates has cast him off into relative isolation—which may have been his intention.
Parish may regret letting his ties to basketball dwindle though, as he is in a precarious financial situation and in need of a job. He sold his 1986 championship ring, much to the ire of the Celtics fans, along with his Hall of Fame ring for spending money yet is running out of memories to sell or forget.
“The truth is, I never looked at them,” Parish said.
Parish may have sold off his memories of Boston, but you can’t say that he was not a great player in his day. He made it to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003 and is widely regarded as one of the top 50 players in NBA history.
Parish had a brief stint with the Celtics in 2004 in a PR role before he quit. What the Chief really wants to do, apparently, is coach, and considering his selfless playing style, experience and intuition on the court there is no doubt he would do well in a role where he can impart his knowledge to a young staff in need of wisdom.
“I know X’s and O’s. I know when to call a timeout,” Parish said. “I earn respect. I’m a positive thinker. I’ve got 30 years’ experience playing basketball.”
All Parish can do now is wait to hear back from a team. Hopefully for him, his work to end his ties to basketball colleagues were not successful enough to close all his doors back into the NBA.
