Bird's words ring true - Chicago Suntimes

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Bird's words ring true
May 23, 2000
BY LACY J. BANKS STAFF REPORTER
INDIANAPOLIS--Larry Bird, who will coach the Indiana Pacers against the New York Knicks tonight in the opening game of the Eastern Conference finals, has achieved virtually every significant individual goal the NBA can offer.
Among his most prized accomplishments are earning the 1980 Rookie of the Year award, a gold medal from the 1992 U.S. Olympic team, three NBA championship rings with the Boston Celtics, two Finals MVP trophies, three regular-season MVP awards, three Long Distance Shootout titles, 12 All-Star team selections, one All-Star MVP award, three All-Defensive team selections and nine All-NBA first-team selections.
"I've got just about everything any player could hope for," Bird said.
But regrets, yeah, he has a few.
"I wish I had been able to play against Michael Jordan when he was in his prime," said Bird, 43, who ended his 13-year playing career in 1992. "I played against Magic Johnson in his prime. That's how we were able to build up such a great rivalry between us individually and between our teams. I played against Michael earlier in his career. But by the time he came into his own and was winning all those championships, I was in the process of retiring."
Hindered by a bad back, Bird was able to play in only 60 and 45 games his final two seasons while Jordan was leading the Bulls to the first two of their six NBA titles. Bird was in his prime during Jordan's early years in the league and helped the Celtics sweep the Bulls out of the playoffs in 1986 and '87, despite Jordan's 63-point effort in Game 2 of the '86 series. Those were the only years Bird and Jordan met in the playoffs.
Bird also regrets that so many stellar NBA performers have not been able to experience winning a championship.
"I'm at the stage now where I want things for other people," said Bird, who is in his third and final season as Pacers coach. "That's why I really feel sorry for people like Karl Malone, John Stockton, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing and Jeff Hornacek.
"I feel sorry that they have never gotten a championship ring. These guys are all fine veterans who have done a lot for the game, and it just doesn't seem fair for them to not be able to crown their career with at least one championship."
And what about his own veterans, such as shooting guard Reggie Miller, point guard Mark Jackson, center Rik Smits and forward Chris Mullin?
"Hey, I feel even sorrier for them, believe me," Bird said. "That's one of the reasons I took this job--because [Indiana] had those players on the team, and the team had the potential to win a championship now.
"You see, guys like Malone, Stockton, Ewing, Barkley and Hornacek--at least they got a chance to make it to a Finals to play for a championship. But Reggie, Mark, Rik and Chris haven't. That's one thing I'm stressing real hard to them now that they have another chance.
"And the special thing about this chance is it may be their best chance and their last chance."
The Pacers need four more victories to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in the club's 24 years in the league. They have come this far by eliminating the Milwaukee Bucks 3-2 and the Philadelphia 76ers 4-2. Last year, they reached the conference finals only to be upset by the eighth-seeded Knicks in six games.
Bird is undecided about what he will do after he steps down as Indiana's coach.
"I would like for him to stay here and succeed me," Pacers president Donnie Walsh said. "Larry would do an excellent job in that capacity, just as he has been doing as a coach. I would like to see him keep coaching or become player personnel director until I retire.
"It's all his call. He said he wasn't going to coach a long time when he took the job. We just appreciate what he was able to give us as a coach. And if he chooses to stay in another capacity here, we'd welcome that, too."
Bird has contemplated other NBA options beyond coaching.
"I tell myself I'd like to work in a job where I can put a team together or maybe even buy a team," Bird said. "I've always been intrigued with opportunities like those. I definitely know that I don't want to coach anymore. It was rewarding, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. But now it's time to move on to something else."
Bird wanted to address rumors about his next step. One has him interested in buying his old team, the Celtics.
"No, I doubt that," Bird said. "They're not for sale, anyway. I tried to do that years ago after I retired and was told they were not for sale."
Another rumor has Bird succeeding Walsh.
"We've talked about it, and that might be a good situation for me," Bird said. "But there's been no firm decision on that yet."
As for Bird joining NBA headquarters as a member of commissioner David Stern's staff, forget it.
"Ain't no damn way I'm going to be working in the NBA office," Bird said with a grin. "No way."
One more rumor is Bird agreed to coach the Pacers because he wanted to punish the Celtics for not hiring him instead of Rick Pitino.
"No, that's not true," Bird said. "It was because this team is an older, more mature and more talented team. I played against many of these guys and grew to know them as a bunch of good guys who work hard, play hard and it also gave me a chance to come back to Indiana, my home state. So this job had a lot more pluses going for me."
The biggest plus would be if Bird and his veteran players can savor an NBA title in June.