Re: Bulpett Says Bye Bye Birdy

["Dan Forant" <dforant1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Confirms my suspicion Bird has burned a few bridges behind him. Just too
aggressive. Let's see what he can do from scratch with a new franchise.

DanF

----- Original Message -----
From: "Way Of The Ray" <wayray@ix.netcom.com>
Newsgroups: alt.sports.basketball.nba.boston-celtics
To: <celtics@igtc.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 01, 2002 6:35 AM
Subject: Bulpett Says Bye Bye Birdy


> Celts don't flock to Bird: Sources: Larry doesn't fit in new owners'
> plans
> by Steve Bulpett
> Tuesday, October 1, 2002
>
> Larry Bird will not be returning to Boston to run the Celtics for the
> club's new ownership, sources close to the situation said yesterday.
> Several factors have combined to make a Bird comeback with the
> organization a non-starter at this time, they said.
>
>
> One source indicated the Celtics legend is tied strongly to local
> businessman Steven Belkin's attempt to purchase an NBA franchise, and
> the best chance of that remains an expansion franchise for Charlotte,
> N.C. While Belkin said he'd be willing to invest $20 million in the
> Celts if Bird were made director of basketball operations, it was
> reported here yesterday that Boston Basketball Partners L.P., which last
> week signed an agreement to acquire the club for $360 million, is happy
> with the team's current management.
>
> Contacted yesterday, Belkin said plans to meet this week with the new
> Celtics owners are now off. He said he was informed yesterday by an
> advisory firm working with the prospective Celtics owners that they are
> simply too busy working on obtaining NBA approval to meet this week.
>
> Belkin said there probably won't be a meeting until the NBA makes a
> final decision on which competing ownership group will be awarded the
> Charlotte franchise.
>
> ``It's not imminent,'' Belkin said.
>
> There was also word yesterday from a source involved in the Celtics
> transaction that the new ownership group, headed by Wycliffe and H.
> Irving Grousbeck and Steve Pagliuca, is wary of ceding control to Bird,
> who remains an overpowering presence in Boston. Bird's cache would
> obviously be a huge asset for the franchise even beyond his perspective
> on the game, but, in addition to satisfaction with the present regime,
> there are other issues.
>
> ``There's a real question as to whether it would work,'' the source
> said. ``There's a feeling that Larry would have the ability to go public
> to get his way if he and ownership disagreed on something - and that
> he'd use that ability. Whereas the new group may like Larry and respect
> his knowledge and what he could do, that's not a comfortable position
> for people who are putting up this kind of money.''
>
> Additionally, the Celtics seemed comfortable with their current lineup -
> both on and off the court - as they opened the 2002-03 season yesterday
> at The Sports Authority Center in Waltham.
>
> Bird's name was raised on several occasions at the team's media day, but
> at the dawn of training camp, changes are generally problematic to those
> involved.
>
> ``We have all the pieces, we think,'' coach Jim O'Brien said when asked
> about the possibility of Bird joining the organization. ``So any
> speculation about anyone becoming a part of the franchise is best left
> up to the owners. That's not something I really do a lot of thinking
> about.''
>
> Antoine Walker, who worked with Bird when he was drafted by the club in
> 1996, has mixed feelings but backed the status quo.
>
> ``I love Bird, but it's tough,'' he said. ``We have a good situation
> here. I like (general manager) Chris Wallace. I think he's doing a great
> job. I like the people that are in charge right now. And I also like
> Larry, so that's a tough position to put anybody in.
>
> ``I'm just hopeful the owners do the right thing for the team and the
> organization. I think right now we're in a good position. I don't think
> we need any changes personnel-wise or management-wise.''
>
> For his part, Wallace is unfazed by the speculation.
>
> ``I've been involved in a number of these in the past, and they've
> always worked out,'' he said. ``I'm sure this one will. At this point
> we're just going to concentrate on what we're here for, training camp
> and getting ready for the upcoming season.'' Wallace added that he is
> not concerned for his job, ``because, No. 1, we're coming off a very
> good season and, 2, I'm just not somebody who tends to worry and obsess
> about things I can't control. I'm not worried about it at all.''
>
> Assistant coach Dick Harter, who was on Bird's staff with the Indiana
> Pacers, is aware of Bird's career goals.
>
> ``I think Larry wants to run an organization,'' Harter said. ``I don't
> know if it's fair to say he only wants to come back here. I think he
> wants to run an organization, and I think he's realistic. He would want
> to be where it's the best situation, and that may be Boston or it may be
> somewhere else.''
>
> But Harter knows, too, Bird's oft-stated affection for this city.
>
> ``He loves Boston,'' Harter said. ``He truly loves the people here.
> That's a given, and that's not going to change.''
>
> Scott Van Voorhis contributed to this report.