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From: lww@rti-sel.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.sport.hoops
Subject: Re: HOOPLA
Message-ID: <669@rti-sel.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 14-Feb-86 19:59:52 EST
Article-I.D.: rti-sel.669
Posted: Fri Feb 14 19:59:52 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 16-Feb-86 05:03:26 EST
References: <33500031@ISM780.UUCP> <98800002@haddock.UUCP>
Reply-To: lww@rti-sel.UUCP (Leo Weisbecker)
Organization: Research Triangle Institute, NC
Lines: 41
Summary: Aw c'mon

Though I like to watch D.J. and McHale is probably the most difficult off
ensive player to stop (next to Kareem's skyhook of course) I don't how you
see Bird not being the best Celt (most agree he's the best all-around
player in the league)
unless of course you're an NBA ref which would explain everything.

To best illustrate my opinion (which is the best any of us could hope to
do) I forward two points--

1)  McHale's quotation following the Celts victory over the Laker's coupla
weeks ago from SI (paraphrased)

'Everyone should be required to play with Larry Bird'

2)  During the Celts 105-103 victory on Super Bowl Sunday, over the Sixers
the Celts were in the midst of a third quarter comeback led by Walton and
Bird, Bird all alone on the receiving end of a fast break pass stopped near
the three point cirle, took the pass, spit in old man CHOKES face,
backed up three steps and 
buried his second consecutive three pointer.  This feat in and of itself
wasn't super Bird-like but more like typical Bird and taken in context of 
a high-pressure game and everyone expecting him to make it and him
all-alone in frontcourt makes it more impressive.  But it wasn't until the
camera panned to the bench that the full impact of Bird on the NBA became
obvious.  There watching was D.J. and Robert Parrish, each an all-star
several times, shaking their heads in disbelief.  

Bird is interesting in that despite his huge salary, that after, what
seven years? he still has the drive to give 110 percent everytime he gets
on the court.  Sure he has his bad shooting games occasionally, but I've
never seen the rest of his game suffer as a result and I have seen those
games where even the other aspects of his game are enough to lead his team
to victory.

Attitude?  Well Bird may be what some people call arrogant, even he has
said he disdains all his competition, but perhaps one almost has to be to
be the best.  It helps to guard against an emotional letdown I suppose,
which must occur over the course of the too-long NBA season.

"My God look at the size of that thing"
"We'll never get it on the album cover"