Great Larry Bird Story.

[CL82]

 

[donyell34]

Good find CL.The old Packers did that under Lombardi 's time. Power sweep right behind Fuzzy Thurston and Jerry Kramer here comes Jim Taylor and Paul Horning. (probably misspelled).

 

[Chin Diesel]

The required Larry Bird trash talk story was during the first NBA 3-point shooting contest.

Story is that Bird walks in to the locker room with the other contestants, looks around and says out loud, "Who's playing for second?".

I couldn't stand Bird as a player. I was a big Sixers fan in the early 80's.

But the guy could ball.

 

[tzznandrew]

I just love the Hawks' bench here:

 

[TasteofUConn]

3 observations about the great Larry Bird:
1. I was an 80s Lakers fan, and I hated him bitterly while having nothing but tremendous respect for him.
2. If the guy had grown up in the 3-ball era, and had been coached from a young age to bomb 3s, he'd have been, with his height, high release, and quick shot, at least as good as Curry, and probably better, as insane as that sounds.
3. His life is a testament to how far in the world you can rise as a Muppet if you are dedicated enough.

 

[tzznandrew]

2. If the guy had grown up in the 3-ball era, and had been coached from a young age to bomb 3s, he'd have been, with his height, high release, and quick shot, at least as good as Curry, and probably better, as insane as that sounds.

There are a couple of players like Bird who were great in their own era but who would be absolutely dominant in this one.

Not of the same height, but imagine Maravich with the 3 ball?

What about West?

Those are just a few guys I can think of aside from Bird who would go from great to somehow even greater in this era (keeping in mind that we'd also assume they'd get the best conditioning and all the stuff modern players get).

 

[TasteofUConn]

Those are just a few guys I can think of aside from Bird who would go from great to somehow even greater in this era (keeping in mind that we'd also assume they'd get the best conditioning and all the stuff modern players get).

I'm just trying to imagine that 80s Celtic's team where Bird would have been told, "shoot the 3 whenever you're open, regardless of time of possession, and shoot it otherwise at will if you think you can make it."
It wasn't done only because the style of the game was different, and the epiphany that "bombing the three and crashing the 2 is the most efficient use of each possession" had not been realized.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

I remember as a kid getting my pic with Bird. My best friends dad was part of the Hartford fire department. So my friend and I got clearance to wait outside the Celtics locker room right next to the team bus. I waited for Larry Bird with my heart pounding with nervous excitement. Bird was larger than life to me. I was prepared for this experience to be the highlight of my young life!

So it finally happens. Larry Bird exits the locker room area and starts walking the 10 yard journey to the parked bus to take the team back to Boston. I remember to this day his exact outfit. I politely ask Bird at the age of 11 if I can get a picture with him. Bird stops and turns toward my friends dad who is holding the camera. Birds direct quote that I will remember for the rest of my life expressed toward my friends dad...."hurry up man I ain't got all day"

Classic Bird!

I still have the pic.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

 

[Hoophound]

I've met Larry a couple of times in restaurants/bars. He was very gracious, then again, he's older now and I never ask for a picture.

 

[BoatShow]

 

[Deepster]

They asked Larry's brother, Eddie, what the greatest thing he'd ever seen his brother do on a basketball court. (Note: I'm paraphrasing this)

Eddie said "We were playing outside on a court once and he picked a ball that was almost half deflated and made a full court shot with it."

The reporter said something like "That's it?"

Eddie said "No, he then walked down to the other end of the court, threw it back and made another full court shot."