Re: The News Today Makes Me Sick

[Snoopy the Celtics Beagle <snoopy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 02:02 PM 7/11/03 -0400, Dan Forant wrote:

>Wow maybe the list is beginning to get used to no banners for awhile. This
>would be refreshing. We are in the very early stages of rebuilding. If Banks
>can't contribute, look out below.

Hate to tell you--no, I don't, really.  I'm looking forward to our next 
championship at the end of this season.  Hey, I may be overly optimistic, 
but I'm consistent.

>Bird is not the answer. After coaching an already made team he cut and ran.
>Now he's back again with the team showing some promise. Good for him. We
>have Ainge whose willing to roll up his sleeves for awhile.

I know there are people out there who are annoyed at Bird's limited contact 
with Boston since retiring as a player.  But let's be fair here.  He said, 
right from day one, that he was going to coach three years with the Pacers, 
period.  That's exactly what happened.  After the tremendous third season, 
they tried to talk him into another year and he declined.

After several years, he's returning, not as a coach, but in the kind of 
front-office position he's made clear he always wanted.  He wanted to have 
near-total control of a team, and tried to get it done in Boston, which 
rejected him by accepting Pitino.  His bid to land the replacement 
Charlotte franchise wend down in flames.  Boston's new ownership is looking 
to be more hands-on than Bird's way of doing things would stand.

Indiana is perfect for him.  Walsh is retiring, so he's not faced with 
"easing a friend out of a job".  Speculation of Isaiah's dismissal for 
ineptitude was vibrant long before the playoffs ended, and as mentioned 
elsewhere, Rick Carlisle is an ideal Coach for Larry.  They know each 
other, they get along well.  RC can do his job competently, and he's used 
to doing what Larry tells him.  :>)

There's also another factor that people forget.  Much as he is identified 
with Boston, he's never shied away from the fact that for Bird, Indiana is 
Home.  His family lives there.  The people he grew up and went to school 
with are there.  While I would have loved to see him back in Boston--and 
would like it if he came to visit the C's more often today--I can't find it 
in me to begrudge him going home.

Snoopy the Celtics Beagle
Please visit the <http://www.celticsbeagle.net/>Celtics Beagle Website