UNEDITED COMPARISON-CONTRAST COMPOSITION
Luis Alfredo E. De Mesa
III-Becquerel
As with any rivalry, the facts speak for themselves. With that said, as with any rivalry, the emotion, the stakes and the competition speaks a little bit more to the true results. This was always the case when speaking of Chamberlain and Russell. The facts do not tell the total true story behind one of the greatest one on one rivalry in basketball history.
Wilt “the stilt” Chamberlain, the 7-2 310 pound giant who played center considered as the best offensive basketball player until the coming of Michael Jordan, recorded numerous individual records during his illustrious 13 years in the NBA(National Basketball Association). Despite winning all the individual awards amassing several records, even recording 100 points in one game, capturing that elusive NBA title remained ghost to him. Until he realizes the value of team play and selflessness, his team won 1967 NBA title after dethroning the Boston Celtics and ending a string of 8 straight NBA titles. The next 2 years would prove to be hard for him as they were defeated by the aging Boston Celtics and Bill Russell. Old as he may be entering the 70’s, he served as a role player, leading the league in passing, a common waterloo for big men, and helped his team the Los Angeles Lakers win a title before he retired in 1972. He was the antagonist of the two during their rivalry but as Russell retires he soon won the hearts of many people.
William Felton “bill” Russell, a diminutive center played a brand of basketball never seen in the early roots of NBA through defense, was the cornerstone that helped Boston Celtics become one of the greatest dynasties in the history of sport and team play. He led a team valuing the virtues of selflessness, teamwork and hard work. In spite of being inferior in size versus most of the big men in the NBA, he became a force to be reckoned with although he doesn’t posses a great offensive game like his rival Chamberlain, he preached defense and teamwork to his teammates as his team the Boston Celtics won 11 titles in 13 years and for Russell 5 MVP awards. In the later parts of the dynasty the Boston Celtics were aging and lost to the up and coming young and talented team led by Wilt Chamberlain the Lakers. After the loss the Celtics, led by player coach Bill Russell, fought back and won the last 2 titles in the 60’s beating the heavily favored Lakers in each of the years and soon after Bill Russell retired and the Celtics mystic soon faded away. Though their mystic was lost, they paved the way for other teams and show how it is to really win a championship.
The rivalry of Chamberlain and Russell showcased the action inside of the court with their opposite perspective to the game of basketball but both proved to be great in their own way. It only shows that Chamberlain was the best but Russell proved himself to be the Greatest and Chamberlain was Superman and Russell was the Kryptonite. Their contributions to the game of basketball may be different (offense-defense) but their love and passion for the game remains the same. Through the years no one has seen a rivalry as big as this, until Magic versus Larry Bird, in the time dubbed as the “Golden age of basketball.”
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ReplyDeleteby Ma. Josephine E. Inocencio
Being a student in a prestigious school would definitely confirm that your high school life will be a mess. It would be full of school works; cramming for a test, a 15-minute project and a copy-paste assignment. Sometimes, a critic teacher or a tomorrow-is-the-deadline teacher would handle one of your subjects and you really need to cope up to his class so you will not get failing grades. Yes, pressure is everywhere. But, you’re a high school student so this will mean that friends and acquaintances are also everywhere.
My life as a sophomore student is very exhausting yet exciting. I experienced different problems and trials that made me cry. There were so many things that made my second year life remarkable. We do not have our own rooms and I was a bit chubby before. There were also times that I was called in the Faculty room because I cheated. I eat my “baon” with Katherine during our first break. We were always together. I am happy when I am with her because she is so funny. My second year in Makati Science High School is the last year that I was with him. I was very sad. I was not able to attend the dance night and even his graduation. And yes, I cried a lot.
I am a junior student now, a member of III – Roentgen. I have already been humiliated many times and been hurt. I am still happy, though, with the current section and I am glad that I have some of my old classmates but I do not have Katherine now. I have been talked about without my knowledge and everyone got mad at me. Why? Simple. I cheated. Funny but humiliating. And now, I do not see him as often as before but we still find time to see each other.
My life here as a student is very rewarding. I learned how to be strong and face all the obstacles as long as I can hold back the tears. I also learned how to suppress my emotions so that I cannot hurt others. I learned not to talk because I am scared of what others will say about me. I am scared in this reality, life. And maybe, forever.
One thing is, I learned how to be happy.
NYC!!
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ReplyDeletefor being able to post it ahead of the deadline...
copy paste??
ReplyDeletehaha