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Sorry, I know it's a football blog, but somebody is celebrating a major birthday today. Larry Bird turns 50. Yes, 50. Just can't be. He is forever in my mind the mullet-wearing, slick-passing, trash-talking, three-point shooting legend. He can't be 50. Bird is the greatest forward to ever play the game. Ever. NBA-TV is airing a Bird special all day, showing some of his greatest games, moments. And I forgot to TiVo the deal. Bird, as well as Magic, made the NBA great. And they did it by making the assist cool. When we grew up we all tried to make the great pass, not the great shot. We'd try and outdo each other in practice by coming up with something Bird did. Now you hear the announcers say something about teams making the extra pass with amazement. That was commonplace in the NBA in the 1980s. From the little I get to see of the Mavs, it seems they make the extra pass too. Same with the Suns. OK, now back to football. Sorry to divert your attention. All of Matt's best, t |
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Comments
Posted by Bernard @ 11:06 AM Thu, Dec 07, 2006
Larry Bird turns 50. Wow what would the NBA be without the Larry Birds of the world ! I wonder who will win next years bounce pass challenge at the All Star game.
Posted by Gary @ 11:20 AM Thu, Dec 07, 2006
Highly forgiveable. Bird made the most amazing plays a non-physically gifted person could ever dream of. And more than most incredibly gifted people could also.
Posted by P @ 11:22 AM Thu, Dec 07, 2006
You can't divert our attention. We're not Eagles fans that get distracted by shiny objects. True Cowboys fans can multi-task. Don't forget Bird was the king of the 3 point contest as well from 86-88.
Posted by Louie @ 11:30 AM Thu, Dec 07, 2006
I remember watching Larry play against us when I was at New Mexico State. You know youre getting older when you look in the mirror and say Dad, is that you?
Or in my case when your back goes out more than you do.
Happy Birthday Larry
Posted by Tony D @ 11:42 AM Thu, Dec 07, 2006
Divert my attention any time. I'm a Huge Dallas Cowboys fan but I'm an even bigger Larry Bird Fan. I stopped following the NBA when he retired, that's how much he had an impact on the game.
Posted by Robert @ 12:14 PM Thu, Dec 07, 2006
In one sense, Michael Jordan exploits coarsened the game of basketball because he was not a great passer and youth quickly stopped emulating Magic and Larry and started emulating MJ ....
The problem with MJ's game, as an example for youth sports, is that unless you are an incredible athlete you "can't be like Mike." Anyone with hard work and decent athletic skills can be like Larry or Johnson.
Red Auerbach said something akin to this before he died. MJ was the greatest combination of athleticism and skill EVER but not the best PURE basketball player.
I agree. Bird was a best I ever saw and in many ways because he was a horrid athlete.
Posted by Doug @ 2:17 PM Thu, Dec 07, 2006
Since the Bird and Magic era, the NBA is just no fun to watch anymore. I'll stick with NCAA basketball...second, of course, to the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL!