Tributes to DJ

Apparently Bob Ryan and Dan Shaughnessy, who made their reputations covering the 1980s Celtics, couldn't be bothered. No respect.

Things I learned (or had forgotten) about DJ: Red traded him for Rick Robey. (Which means we Celtics fans lost the great thrill of hearing Bob Cousy announce, 'Wick Wobey with the webound!' We still had Wobewt Pawwish with the webound, though.) He had those Groucho Marx eyebrows. When he wasn't running, he walked like an old man. His arms were freakishly long. He was a cut up. His coaching career was curtailed after he was charged with assaulting his wife in 1997. He, his wife, and their three kids first names all started with 'D'. (Dennis, Donna, Dwayne, Daniel and Denise.) He wasn't recruited by any college, and spent the year after high school driving a forklift. His first professional basketball coach was Bill Russell in Seattle.

Jackie MacMullan, Boston Globe: He always rose to the occasion

ESPN, Bill Simmons, The Sports Guy, Page 2: DJ should have made Springfield while still alive

East Valley (AZ) Tribune: Ex-Sun Dennis Johnson dies

Seattle Times: Biography | All about D.J. Bio

NYTimes: Dennis Johnson, 52, N.B.A. Defensive Wizard, Dies

Seattle Times: Goodbye, D.J., a favorite when Sonics were champs

Hartford Courant: Career Was No Layup
Dennis Johnson Dies; Bird's `Best' Teammate

LATimes: Dennis Johnson, 52; former NBA star played on 3 championship teams

SI.com: One cool customer
D.J.'s toughness, gamesmanship made him special

Metrowest News: Lenny Megliola: Farewell to a true C's great

SouthCoastToday.com: Celtics lose another great
D.J., coaching in NBDL, collapses after practice, dies at age 52

CapeCodTimes: Remembering DJ