Peter May (TSN) Raises Issues About Bird Not Informing The Celtics...

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

Also says the C's lack an inside presence (Hello Mo Taylor) and are a
small team...
      The Sporting News http://www.sportingnews.com
      Boston Celtics
      Team Report posted SEPTEMBER 4, 1999      

      By TSN correspondent
      Peter May
      Boston Globe
      Larry Bird hasn't played in Boston since 1992. But during his final years, 
      he apparently did so with a heart problem and without notifying his 
      employer of the situation. Apparently, the Celtics don't think it's a big 
      deal. Red Auerbach, who was the president of the team at the time, said he 
      wasn't aware of the situation until it was revealed this past week to 
      promote Bird's upcoming book. 
      "If it had been a big deal, don't you think we would have known about it 
      before now? The reason it's coming out now is obvious. He's got a book," 
      said Auerbach, no stranger to the literary life, having written a handful 
      of books himself. 
      Further, Auerbach said he wasn't upset to have been left in the dark 
      because Bird passed all his physicals, was constantly under the care of a 
      doctor, and nothing ever came of his illness. 
      But Bird should have told them about it because his livelihood depended on 
      being in shape. His condition, a mild problem called atrial fibrillation, 
      was basically due to lifestyle. Bird enjoyed his beer during the summer 
      and then would undergo ridiculous exercise regimens which only accelerated 
      the problem. There's also the matter of insurance. It's standard NBA 
      policy to insure big contracts like the one Bird had at the end of his 
      career. Most policies require the individual to answer questions about 
      health, and if Bird didn't come clean about his heart situation, is that 
      merely ignorance or something worse? 
      The late Reggie Lewis had an insurance policy and the company is now 
      seeking to recover some of the money it paid out because Lewis may have 
      been less than truthful. Bird, of course, didn't die, so the Celtics, not 
      the insurance company, paid the money. 
      Meanwhile, Lewis' widow is intent on pursuing her malpractice case against 
      the doctor who originally diagnosed the illness. The first trial ended 
      with a hung jury and settlement talks have gone nowhere. . . . The Celtics 
      will not go anywhere exotic for training camp. In Rick Pitino's first 
      year, they went to Newport, R.I., where most of the players got introduced 
      to the Pitino Way by requiring intravenous injections. This year, the team 
      will stick around and play at its new practice facility in suburban 
      Waltham. 
      The team also has decided that it will not attempt to re-sign any of its 
      remaining free agents, meaning Bruce Bowen and Eric Riley will be 
      elsewhere. Bowen, at one time a Pitino favorite, is talking to a few 
      teams. He apparently lost out to rookie Adrian Griffin. 
      Riley would be no better than a third-string center in Boston, and the 
      Celtics feel newcomer Danny Fortson can man that spot in a jam. Vitaly 
      Potapenko and Tony Battie are the other big men, and there's still Pervis 
      Ellison, although he's usually a lock for the injured list . . . . 
      The team also is deciding what to do about extending Battie or Fortson. 
      Battie made big strides last season while Fortson, a tenacious rebounder, 
      has yet to play for Pitino. The Celtics may elect to wait and see with 
      both players. The team has a month to sign either one to a long-term 
      extension. . . . PLAYER PROFILE 
      Who's the most fundamentally sound player on the Celtics roster? If you 
      listen to Pitino, it's the 6-5 Griffin. He played very well for the team 
      in the California Summer League and that was enough to get him a roster 
      spot. He's a scorer and was the Most Valuable Player in the CBA. Griffin 
      appears to be slotted as a backup shooting guard behind Paul Pierce and, 
      perhaps, even Calbert Cheaney. 
      One of the truisms of NBA life is that newcomers who make a stir in summer 
      league against sub-par competition tend to come back to earth when they go 
      up against the big boys in training camp. Griffin may break that mold, but 
      finding playing time will be difficult. 
      WHAT'S NEXT 
      Training camp. The Celtics already have 15 players under contract so any 
      additional bodies simply would be camp fodder candidates. One of the 15, 
      Greg Minor, still is recovering from a hip injury suffered last spring and 
      the club isn't sure if he'll play at all this season. Ellison has been 
      working out all summer -- he didn't play last season after his November 
      ankle surgery -- and is always a health question. 
      As of now, the team is small -- only Potapenko, Ellison, Battie, Walter 
      McCarty and Antoine Walker are 6-9 or taller. They have a lot of 6-6 and 
      6-7 guys who can float, but it still remains a team without a dominating 
      inside presence. 


      
      Privacy Policy. © 1999 Times Mirror Interzines, a division of Times Mirror 
      Magazines.