Re: Bird the Hick

[Matt Healy <mhealy@welchlink.welch.jhu.edu>]

>Larry Bird is still a hick. The hick from Indiana still hasn't learned how
>to get along with the world off the basketball court. At present, living
>off his past laurels, he is popular because he has been out of site for
>awhile. He has inherited a team that will be a contender at best for the
>2-5 spots in the NBA for a year or two.

He inherited a team that sucked last year, and now they are ripping through
the conference.  NOBODY has any reason to assume that a past player will be
an excellent coach.  By the way, his "past laurels" aren't anything to
shake a stick at.  If anybody could be popular based on what they have done
in the past, its Bird.  But I still think it is unfounded criticism.

 My bone with
>Larry is his arrogance. Did he give the Celts or Pitino any credit for
>gains we have made as a team? Haven't seen any remarks from him.

So what?  First, maybe he has said something that you didn't hear.  I don't
know how closely you have been listening.  I do know that he said he thinks
Pitino and Riley are the two best coaches around.  But why is it his
responsibility to come out and praise our team for what they are doing?  He
has a team of his own, you know.

Oh yes he
>said "Definitely my biggest win since I've been coaching" Down deep he
>feels the Celts organization let him down, by letting him go.

Possibly.  But he gives no real indication of that.  You can only say that
is true if you are privy to his deep down feelings.  Also, its an
interesting idea of "letting him go".  He left the Celtics, they didn't
abandon him.  In fact, he was instrumental in bringing Pitino on board, in
case you were going to suggest they forced him out.  Then Pitino wanted
Bird to stay in the organization, most likely, I believe, so he could take
over as coach when Pitino is finished and has brought the team back up to
prominence.  This really makes no sense at all.

>Only a big
>hug with Miller after the game, as if it were the 7th game of the playoffs.

Yeah, we all just hate seeing NBA players care about a regular season game.
Way too much of that going on, right?

>Bird's statement about the All Star game "I have no desire to coach an All
>Star game" and "I have no desire to go to an All Star game" Just who the
>hell does he think he is? No wonder he never really got along w/McHale.
>Another quote "I have no ties to this building, I loved that place next
>door" You just know anybody else would have said something nice about the
>new facility and the new Celtic start.

Man, what the heck is your problem?  So he doesn't care about coaching the
all-star game?  Big deal.  He cares about winning the real games.  What's
wrong with that?  Why is that arrogance?  And to say he has no ties to the
building is wrong, too?  He established his hall of fame career in the
Boston Garden.  OF COURSE HE HAS NO TIES TO THIS BUILDING!  He never played
there!  I would love to see how you would like standing up under the level
of criticism you put on him.

He's living in the past. After the
>way the Celts gave him and his team the run around Sunday I think the
>Pacers are a little overblown, even though their #2 in the Eastern
>Conference. He could be a great promoter of the NBA, but he isn't. He
>should realize the applause will start to fade as time moves on. Love ya
>Larry, but your still a hick.

I really wonder what is causing this irritation for you.  This is truly
irrational, absurd, and cheap criticism.  It sounds personal.  Did he beat
you up or something?

Matt