OT: Larry Bird, at 50, Still Has a Lot to Learn

Jammer · Post #1 » by **Jammer** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:10 pm

While watching the press conference in Indiana (on NBA.com) announcing Donny Walsh's departure at the end of the season

(attended by owner Herb Simon, Donny Walsh and Larry Bird);

I was somewhat surprised that Larry has not developed more sophistication, political acumen, or just downright human relations.

In the video,

owner Herb Simon and Donny Walsh gush over their 24 years together and explain how they became close friends and talk often.

Shortly thereafter, Larry Bird explains that Donny has been and still is his boss, and then Larry raves how nice it's been to have Donny to sound off to talk about the team to every day, especially with all the off court issues that the team has encountered.

Larry, while sitting next to owner Herb Simon, then goes on to say that from now on, "that it's one voice, Mine."

When a reporter asks Larry who Larry might turn to in the future?

Owner Herb Simon interjects (to Larry) "You can always ask me?"

To which Larry curtly responds "I'll ask you when I need investment advice."

I suspect that Mr. Indiana may not have a long tenure with that attitude, approach.

(The interchange occurs about 17:45 into the 22:15 minute press conference.) Click on the teams tab, and then Pacers, to pull up the Pacer list if you want to listen.

Can Bird be that naive? Or just plain stupid?

Does he actually think that it's his team?

He mentions that Donny is his boss, well, what about owner Herb Simon???

Post #2 » by **canman1971** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:24 pm

Bird is a competitor. He does things his way. He also has a dry sense of humor. Bird may not sound too smart, but he certainly isn't dumb or naive.

Jammer · Post #3 » by **Jammer** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:30 pm

canman1971 wrote:Bird is a competitor. He does things his way. He also has a dry sense of humor. Bird may not sound too smart, but he certainly isn't dumb or naive.

Putting one's foot in one's mouth is dumb, naive, and just plain boneheaded.

It also may indicate he doesn't comprehend his situation as well as a he should.

My point is I see the seeds of failure already.

An owner opens a door for dialogue, and Larry slams it in his face.

BrokenLeftyJumper · Post #4 » by **BrokenLeftyJumper** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 6:22 pm

It's a called a joke. Lighten up.

tonythewise · Post #5 » by **tonythewise** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 6:32 pm

Larry Bird as a person is not anywhere nearly as good as Larry Bird the basketball player. That is pretty much a given.

JJHondo17 · Post #6 » by **JJHondo17** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:04 pm

I'm sure Larry has known Mr. Simon long enough that he's comfortable joking with him and knowing that the joke would be taken in the same vein.

theman · Post #7 » by **theman** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:26 pm

To change the subject only slightly, is Donnie Walsh that great of a baskettball mind? Not sure if it's Larry's or Donnie's fault but they made a huge trade with G.S. who is in the playoff hunt while Indi is lotto bound.

Draft picks are average at best.
2007 None
2006 Shawnee Williams (Average at best).
2005 Granger (Nice Pick, Picked over Gerald Green)
but in the second round passed on Micka

TheSheriff · Post #8 » by **TheSheriff** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:45 pm

BrokenLeftyJumper wrote:It's a called a joke. Lighten up.

MyInsatiableOne · Post #9 » by **MyInsatiableOne** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:58 pm

tonythewise wrote:Larry Bird as a person is not anywhere nearly as good as Larry Bird the basketball player. That is pretty much a given.

As much as it pains me to admit it, since as a kid I was a huge Bird (the player) fan, it's true.

In all I've read of him (not just this quote) he seems to be a real jerk.

But we'll always love him in Boston!

GuyClinch · Post #10 » by **GuyClinch** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 1:11 pm

Judging by the standards you guys are judging Bird - everyone has 'alot to learn." <g> Let's not be ridiculous. Bird is a hero that doesn't meant he is a perfect person..no one is.

Pete

BrokenLeftyJumper · Post #11 » by **BrokenLeftyJumper** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:36 pm

I think one reason Bird comes off as a jerk to some fans is the fact that Bird receives a ton of hero worship, and Bird is disgusted by hero worship. Larry comes off as a guy who would never idolize someone else, a guy who was so confident in his skills that he never would stoop to the hero worship he receives so often. He just doesn't seem like a guy who is very big on his own or others celebrity. I bet Larry Bird was the kid who grew up with no posters on his walls.

So now Larry has to deal with all these people who constantly feign over him wherever he goes, and Larry has to try to deal with these people, while in the back of the mind he's probably thinking "what is wrong with you people? I'm just some hick from Indiana was really good at basketball, get over it."

MyInsatiableOne · Post #12 » by **MyInsatiableOne** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:51 pm

To be fair, my cousin's husband, when he was a kid, attended a bunch of basketball camps that Larry either ran or helped out at in the Boston area during the early-mid 1980s. When I saw all of the autographed pics of him and Larry from back then I thought it was so cool and my cuz's husband said "honestly, he was kind of an **** to all of the kids"........

Again, this is second-hand, but it's not unlike a lot of what we hear a lot of...

That being said he will always be my favorite all-time Celtic since I came of age watching those great 1980s Celtics teams.

GuyClinch · Post #13 » by **GuyClinch** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:27 pm

Well should we give Larry credit for running the camps or slam him for the second hand info about being an expletive to them..?

I will give LB the benefit of the doubt on this one. Any decent coach is going to tick off quite a few of his players. They aren't trying to be nice but rather teach kids how to play a tough sport.

Pete

MyInsatiableOne · Post #14 » by **MyInsatiableOne** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 1:05 pm

Oh sure, it *is* cool he was going to the camps for kids. I guess I'd just expect players (not just Larry, I'm sure loads are like this) to be a little nicer to KIDS, is all.

Anyway, like I said this was a story he told me a couple years ago when he showed me his pictures/memorabilia, so take it with a grain of salt

Red2 · Post #15 » by **Red2** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 1:08 pm

good post. Larry was never a diplomat and never will be. His smart a-- barbs played well when he was a superstar and everyone loved him but he is now in a different job and a different phase of his life and it would help him if he learned to play the game. Danny is a master of interviews even though he is pretty candid. Danny rarely burns bridges ( he did with antoine to some extent) while Larry can't wait to start the fire. all in all despite my love of Larry I think we wound up with the right former celtic as GM. Danny is a gambler and that's what Red was. A lot of Red's moves didn't pan out but when they did he hit a homerun. I am really anxous to see what Danny does in the off season as far as the draft and trades. As for LB he will always be my favorite Celtic player but he will never be my favorite Celtic person

MyInsatiableOne · Post #16 » by **MyInsatiableOne** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 1:14 pm

Good post, Red2.

Let's face it, Red was never Mr. Smooth with the media, but he could get away with it.

Anyway, Danny is running the C's, Larry is running the Pacers, and all C's fans will always worship Larry's playing days (rightfully so) so it can probably be left at that.

Jammer · Post #17 » by **Jammer** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 12:58 am

PostMortem:

After 24 years of staying on the sidelines (officially),

Owner Herb Simon has announced that he is now Chairman & CEO
of Pacer Sports & Entertainment,
with Team President Larry Bird now officially consulting with him on major basketball decisions.

bruno sundov · Post #18 » by **bruno sundov** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 11:06 am

tonythewise wrote:Larry Bird as a person is not anywhere nearly as good as Larry Bird the basketball player. That is pretty much a given.

The only great player to be a great GM was Jerry West. For Larry to do off the court what he did on is just a monumental task. I don't think Larry has it as a GM.

When you are a great player certain things come easy to you that average players will never see on the court. So how is Larry supposed to judge talent when he can't really see what is happening in front of him.

By that I mean he doesn't look at the game the way the average player does. So how does he distinguish the excellent from the average?

GuyClinch · Post #19 » by **GuyClinch** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 12:10 pm

You guys are pretty quick to right off Larry's failure as a GM. I think he will come through just like Ainge has. Larry knows the game and is smart..
No one thought he could coach either and he took his team to the finals.

Pete

MyInsatiableOne · Post #20 » by **MyInsatiableOne** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 12:53 pm

GuyClinch wrote:You guys are pretty quick to right off Larry's failure as a GM. I think he will come through just like Ainge has. Larry knows the game and is smart..
No one thought he could coach either and he took his team to the finals.

Pete

That's true, although to be fair I remember hearing back when Larry coached Indy that Rick Carlisle actually did most of the actual coaching...

I don't think he's had the success in the draft that Danny has had, though, and the trade for Dunleavy and Murphy looks like it *might* bear fruit now, but for a while it was downright dreadful.