Lex did it again. He got me thinking. He's pretty good at doing that. Whether it's on his blog Lex Nihil Novi with thought provoking posts like his post on Jeff Green or with videos and commentary on the good old days. But it was a comment on my post about Rondo wanting to be the best point guard in Celtics history that got me thinking this time.

Rondo is over in the Philippines and made the statement that he wants to retire as the best point guard in Celtics history. Rondo is going to have to go some to surpass Bob Cousy, the Houdini of the Hardwood, who currently holds that position. Lex's comment on that post was very true and reveals the true measure of greatness.

So really it is Rondo v. Cous, and, to paraphrase my man Larry, well, Rajon, you know what it's gonna come down to don't you?

Titles.

So dammit, get busy.

Hoist.

That should be your watch word this season.

Hoist this team on your back every night like losing a game is worse than losing your mother.

Read about how magic locked himself in a room after the 1984 season.

This is how you have to come out...every night

Period.

Champions react to losses in different ways. But every champion takes losses hard and they ultimately react by working harder and coming back better the next year. Lex mentioned Magic after that loss in 1984. Johnson took that defeat particularly hard and took much of the blame himself for his team coming short. He spent the entire summer of 1984 in his house. He never left the property. Didn't want to go anywhere. Didn't want to see anyone. But, he worked on his game. He made himself better. He came back the next year with a renewed sense of purpose and led his team to the championship in 1985.


There are many stories of how Larry Bird took Finals losses hard and wouldn't even take time off after the season before he would get back to work. He would spend hours every day in the offseason working on parts of his game. He would add new moves and new facets to his game every off-season. He was never satisfied unless the season ended in a championship and when they didn't, he would take it personally and he would work even harder to get back to the top the next year.

After that loss to Magic and the Lakers in 1985, Bird spent the summer working even harder. He came back better than ever. He challenged his teammates to join him in committing their all to bringing the championship back to Boston. That team took a pledge that none of them would drink another beer until they won the championship. And for a bunch of guys who liked their brew, that was a major commitment. But with every player buying into that pledge to put their all into working toward that common goal, they succeeded and in the end, were crowned the champions.

I posted about Jason Terry's tattoo of the Larry O'Brien trophy in Dallas. He said that when his teammates saw that tattoo, they knew he was serious and their conversation and talk from that point on was all about winning and making a commitment to work together to win the championship that season. And they followed through with that talk and won their very first championship.

If Rondo wants to be the greatest point guard in Celtics history, he's going to have to work like he's never worked before. As Lex said, he's going to have to hoist the team on his back and take losing as hard as Larry and Magic did. He's going to have to motivate his teammates and he's going to have to lead by example. Jason Terry has done his part and I have no doubt that he will continue to work hard and to motivate his teammates. Rondo is going to have to lift his game to the next level. He has to lift his teammates to the next level.

If Rondo wants to be the best point guard in Celtics history, he is going to have to work for it. He's going to have to put the work in on his game. Work on his jumper. Work on every facet of his game.  It's great going all around the world putting on clinics and representing Red Bull.  But, he'd better be working on his game at the same time.   He is going to have to inspire his teammates to work harder and to work together. It's not just individual greatness or individual work. It's about making your teammates better and about motivating them to work together toward a common goal. It's all about hard work and just as Paul Pierce posted recently, Banner 18 begins in the offseason. And Rondo's legacy will be up to him and how hard he's willing to work for it.

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