Pacers’ Bird Sees Himself In Hansbrough

[duncan228]

Pacers’ Bird sees himself in Hansbrough (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-pacers-hansbrough&prov=ap&type=lgns)
By Cliff Brunt

Tyler Hansbrough’s path to the NBA looks familiar to Pacers president Larry Bird.

Both entered their draft nights as 6-foot-9 forwards from small towns. Both could have left school early, but instead stayed and played in the national championship game. Both built reputations for being tireless workers, and both had doubters who said they weren’t athletic enough to make it in the NBA.

Bird eventually won three championships and three most valuable player awards for the Boston Celtics. He doesn’t expect that from Hansbrough, but he believes Indiana’s first-round pick will be a key to the Pacers’ rebuilding effort.

The Pacers introduced Hansbrough during a news conference Friday afternoon.

[ShoogarBear]

I was literally just about to start a thread titled, "LOL, Larry Bird".

Bird seems intent on seeing himself in every single member of the Pacers.

[hater]

Hasborough needs to watch his back in the locker room showers

[BlackBellamy]

Gross. Bird just getting Tyler ready for the nightly ass-raping he will receive from the rest of the NBA.

[resistanze]

We all knew Hansbrough was going to either that Jazz or the Pacers.

[mavs>spurs2]

I'm surprised the Jazz or Pacers haven't inquired about Dirk

[Thunder Dan]

that sounds really gay..

[resistanze]

I'm surprised the Jazz or Pacers haven't inquired about Dirk
They like a fine balance between talent and whiteness. Dirk upsets that balance.

[Thunder Dan]

the Pacers are already a very white team, the last thing they should have done is add another. I'm not a rascist, I'm white myself, but lets be honest, if you have a team with more than 4 American White guys on it, you won't make the playoffs. We suck at basketball.

Hansbrough
Dunlevey
Jeff Foster
Travis Diener
Troy Murphy
McRoberts

no way this team wins more than 35 games. Looks like a local YMCA team

[JamStone]

Bird should get a really bad tan so he can see himself in some darker draft prospects.

[Thunder Dan]

the Pacers look like a team from the 50's. They have to be the most boring team in the league. Nobody wants to pay $40-$100 to go watch a bunch of white guys hustle and play defense. I want to see high flying action and no defense until April, it's the NBA

[hater]

you obviously didn't watch Hoosiers

[Thunder Dan]

you obviously didn't watch Hoosiers

they look like the team on Hoosiers. The Pacers should be forced by the NBA to wear Chuck Taylors and wear short shorts

[jacobdrj]

the Pacers look like a team from the 50's. They have to be the most boring team in the league. Nobody wants to pay $40-$100 to go watch a bunch of white guys hustle and play defense. I want to see high flying action and no defense until April, it's the NBA

A) Many people, including myself, do want to see people hustle and play defense, and could care less about the final score. People get bored with high scores in the Midwest.

B) This does 'look' like a team from the 50's, but people in the 50's didn't play defense... that trend started 'hard core' as we know it in the 80's.

C) Jazz couldn't get Hans, so they got Suton instead. LOL!

[mardigan]

the Pacers are already a very white team, the last thing they should have done is add another. I'm not a rascist, I'm white myself, but lets be honest, if you have a team with more than 4 American White guys on it, you won't make the playoffs. We suck at basketball.

Hansbrough
Dunlevey
Jeff Foster
Travis Diener
Troy Murphy
McRoberts

no way this team wins more than 35 games. Looks like a local YMCA team

They won 36 games last year with the same roster. I don't see how adding a energy guy off the bench will subtract 2 wins from their total.
It's funny how so many people want this guy to fail for no other reason than him being goofy white guy and going to a great school.

[baseline bum]

I agree with Bird. He and Hansbrough have about the same worth to an NBA roster right now.

[ploto]

the Pacers look like a team from the 50's. They have to be the most boring team in the league. Nobody wants to pay $40-$100 to go watch a bunch of white guys hustle and play defense. I want to see high flying action and no defense until April, it's the NBA

http://taylormadetirade.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/dannygranger1.jpg

[mogrovejo]

Last season Bird drafted Rush and Hibbert, two very white guys. He also traded for Jack and TJ Ford. Most of the white players were acquired by Donnie Walsh. Now he drafts 1 white player and 1 black player (Price), after acquiring 4 black ones last off-season and people start playing the race card.

[BRHornet45]

sons yay for white people!!! whitey is taking the NBA back!!!

P.S.: sons we ALL must give props to the Utah Jazz first though. they have been trying to keep the NBA white for decades

[VivaPopovich]

hansbrough at #13 was the biggest steal of the 1st round