Re: Just sit back, enjoy Celtics double feature

[snoopy1@pig.net]

At 01:47 PM 5/9/02 -0400, Dan Forant wrote:
>Bird owes Boston everything. He could make an appearance for the troops.
>They paid him well for his services. He performed well. Bird is not what you
>would call an ambassador for basketball. He's had this complex all his life
>over something....I didn't believe it back
>when, but now after the dust has settled, Magic was better than Bird.

And Bird GAVE Boston everything.  I clearly remember exhibition games where 
he was diving for loose balls.  It's not like he was fighting for a spot on 
the roster.  As a player he put everything he had on the floor, arriving 
early to warm up before games, and working tirelessly in the 
offseasons.  He made it clear that any season where the Celtics didn't win 
it all might as well be a losing season.

He only retired when his back problems wouldn't let him play the way he 
felt the game should be played--all out.  Then, he moved to a nebulous 
"front office" position with the Celtics, where it became clear Gaston paid 
lip service to taking any of Bird's contributions seriously.  When it came 
to coaching, Boston had it's chance to get Bird for the head job, and 
Indiana made him a better offer--not just because he grew up there--heck if 
that was his main reason, he'd have been traded to the Pacers as a 
player.  But Out-of Gaston had no problem giving Rick Pitiful anything he 
wanted--including forcing Red to step aside from day to day 
operations.  Tell me you believe Bird would have done that, and I'll be 
happy to offer some land here in Florida, cheap.

Bird promptly coached in Indiana the way he wanted to in Boston, and did 
everything but take the court himself to get the Pacers a 
championship.  Simultaneously, ML Carr Crash and Ricky Retarded managed to 
do what even the rightly despised John Y. Brown couldn't do--he made the 
Celtics a joke in the NBA.

Then, when Bird headed up a group to buy the Celtics, he practically handed 
Gaston a blank check, but Gaston didn't want to sell to Larry.  So Larry 
decided he was doing just fine living as a retiree in Naples, Florida.  He 
doesn't have heart palpitations anymore, he doesn't bang heads with Gaston, 
and he plays golf when he likes.

You want to damn him for not visiting Boston?  Feh.  If I'd given as much 
to the team as he did, and was treated like that in return, I'd have 
publicly told Gaston where to go and what to do when he got there.  Larry's 
got too much class for that, lucky bum that Gaston is.

I think "thanksdad" ought to try thanking Larry for what he's done, and 
apologize for the shabby treatment he gave Larry.  Perhaps that might 
encourage the Legend to pay a visit to the Celtics.

Snoopy the Celtics Beagle