If this could only come true.

["smishra" <smishra@ix.netcom.com>]

Mitch Lawrence of the NYPost has some pretty nice things to say about
upcoming celtics front office moves, read and savour its goodness. <By the
way is Mitch Lawrence a Celtics Fan in the Knicks shadow ?> - Mishra 

Larry Bird, seventh on the Celtics' administration flagpole as a "special
assistant," will trade in that title and move up into the post of general
manager. Word is, the ascension of the Celtic immortal will come by the
June draft. 

Whispers that Bird will replace executive VP M.L. Carr as chief
decision-maker have been around since the start of the season In actuality,
Bird has been quietly involved in some decisions already. 

"Larry has been a behind-the-scenes power in recent months," said one
league source. "He's been kind of hidden. But that will change." 

The Celtics, looking at their worst season since the late 1940s, are
convinced that they need to move Carr out and take advantage of Bird's
basketball know-how. 

Given the sensitivity of the issue — Carr is the team's highest-ranking
African-American — the Celtics aren't saying a word on Carr's future. But
Minnesota VP Kevin McHale, with a direct pipeline into his former team, is
one who has been privately telling friends that his old teammate will
indeed be taking over. 

"Larry is the first choice and I think he'll take it," said a league
source. "He wants more input in the draft and a more hands-on role." 

Bird's first order of business will be to replace Carr on the bench and
appoint his own man. In that scenario, you can forget Rick Pitino, who was
hoping to get a John Calipari total-control situation in Boston. The
odds-on favorite to succeed Carr is Dennis Johnson, now a Celtic assistant
and Bird's all-time favorite among his former teammates. 

Then Bird has to figure out a way to get the Celtics out of the dump. The
challenge won't be easy, unless he can pull a Red Auerbach and swindle
another team out of a superstar. But at least the Celtics will have two
lottery picks in June to rebuild. Their own pick could get Tim Duncan with
the No. 1 overall pick. 

The Celtics also own Dallas' No. 1 selection, which they received in the
Eric Montross deal last June. That was unquestionably Carr's best move of
his failed administration. If he made a few others like it, Bird would not
be putting down his golf clubs in Florida and heading back to Boston to
save his old team.