Mr. President Bird

[Douglas342@aol.com]

  There were few voices in fervent opposition to the arrival of St. Rick lo 
these many years ago.  He seems to have fallen short of his self-professed 
goals.  But every barrier that he faced (Minor, Barros, etc.), and/or those 
that he added (Walker's max, Wallah, VP, Battie contracts, for example) will 
still be there to face St. Larry if and when he takes over.  We know Bird was 
a great player.  He seems to have been one hell of a coach on the pro level, 
coaching a team of veterans perhaps just past their primes and squeezing one 
or two good years out of them.  (KC Jones comes to mind as another good 
"veterans' coach.") 
     But as a GM, he's up against the same cap that may have been Pitino's 
undoing.  What reason do we have to think that he can do much better?  We may 
have reasons, but I wonder.  This is a new game now, with the new CBA.  It 
seems that you roll the dice, assemble a team, and hope they jell, because if 
they don't, you're stuck with them.  This year, it appears to be Shaq and the 
28 dwarves.  Could the Lakers run off 4 or 5 titles?  Who's gonna bet against 
that?  (And can you imagine the Lakers AND Yankees winning the same year?  
Damn!)  And what could Bird the President/owner do to stop it?  What can he 
do that Pitino couldn't do?
    But I agree that it would be nice to see him try.  At least they'd go 
down bleeding Celtic green instead of Pitino whatever....