Bill Russell, the undisputed greatest winner in the history of professional sports, won two NBA championships in his first three seasons as coach of the Celtics. Not so coincidentally, Russell had himself to play center on those squads on the final run of the Boston dynasty that won 11 titles in 13 seasons.
But when Russell became coach of Seattle a few years after his retirement as a player, the Sonics finished an aggregate four games under .500 in his four seasons attempting to lead that club while in street clothes.
There are two Captains with a Capital C in Garden history. One of them is the great Willis Reed, the inspirational leader of the only two Knicks’ championship squads in franchise history.
But when Reed became coach of the Knicks just five years removed from the club’s second title, he lasted only 14 games into his second season before he was dismissed.
The other Captain with a Capital C in Garden history is, of course, Mark Messier, who, sources have confirmed, is prepared to seek the Rangers’ coaching job that became available on Wednesday upon the dismissal of John Tortorella.
MESSIER AND GRETZKY WANT TO COACH RANGERS
VOTE: WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE THE NEW RANGERS COACH?
And the moral of the tale is that the combination of greatness and great leadership in uniform that wins championships does not necessarily translate into leadership that can duplicate the achievement in street clothes.
There is another wrinkle to this and it’s a sexy one, all right. Informed sources have told The Post that Wayne Gretzky, who has absented himself from the game since leaving Phoenix in 2009 after four seasons behind the Coyotes’ bench, is keenly interested in returning to the NHL in a meaningful capacity.
We’re told The Great One, who surely learned from his experience as Coyotes’ coach and would be far better off from it his second time around, would covet the opportunity to return to The Big Stage as coach of the Blueshirts, though there is great sensitivity on his part in competing for a position with Messier.
This is serious business for the Rangers and for general manager Glen Sather and owner Jim Dolan. This can’t be about romance. This can’t be about star power behind the bench. The Blueshirts aren’t some expansion team or low-budget operation in need of a name coach to give the operation credibility.
The charge here is to hire the coach who will give the Rangers their best opportunity to win a Stanley Cup before the window closes on the prime of Henrik Lundqvist, not to mention this particular core of players that could break apart via free agency next summer.
There is a need here for a coach who is not going to attempt to lead through intimidation or brow-beating. Been there, done that for this group.
Alain Vigneault, the former Vancouver coach whom the Rangers have received permission to interview, would have a Stanley Cup on his resume if Roberto Luongo had been able to make a save or two in Boston in the finals two years ago. There is a record there.
Dave Tippett, who succeeded Gretzky in Phoenix but may not be available to the Rangers, is regarded as a coach’s coach. Dallas Eakins of the AHL Marlies is regarded as the most notable young coach on the come for what is becoming a young coach’s NHL.
I believe the Rangers are fortunate to have candidacies of both Messier and Gretzky, two of the greatest hockey minds extant, to contemplate. There is no doubt that each offers a unique brand of leadership, no doubt that each would immediately grab the attention of the Rangers through the power of positive thinking.
No doubt that each is a credible contender.
Gretzky has lived this life. Messier hasn’t, not at all. With Messier, there is a record as a player. A great record as a player with six Stanley Cups. Of course it is.
But what Sather and Dolan must have uppermost in their mind is that the Rangers would not be hiring Messier to play center or be captain like in 1991, but to be coach in 2013.
Those are very different things.