SI Flashback: A Player For the Ages-Larry Bird

[duncan228]

For those old enough to have seen him play.

Larry Bird is how I became an NBA fan.
This was a fun find.
Hope someone else enjoys it as much as I did.

It's 9 pages, I'm not going to post it.

If you're a fan, you should read it.
If you're not really sure of who he was or the kind of player he was, you should read it.
If you've never heard his name, it's required reading.


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/basketball/nba/10/24/flashback032188/index.html

SI Flashback: A Player For the Ages
Boston's Larry Bird, in what may be his finest season, gets Red Auerbach's vote -- over Bill Russell -- as the best ever

March 21, 1988 issue.
Dick Raphael/SI

[JMarkJohns]

I was lucky enough to have seen him in the late 80's. He's already won all of his Titles by then, but I still remember seeing some games. I remember him in 1992 with The Dream Team, as well...

He was greatness, and I love his nickname: Larry Legend.

He, Magic, Zeke, Jordan... throw in the late 80's Suns and you have some GREAT players, phenomenal offense and fantastic TV ratings (just had to throw it in there :) )

[duncan228]

I was lucky enough to have seen him in the late 80's. He's already won all of his Titles by then, but I still remember seeing some games. I remember him in 1992 with The Dream Team, as well...

He was greatness, and I love his nickname: Larry Legend.

He, Magic, Zeke, Jordan... throw in the late 80's Suns and you have some GREAT players, phenomenal offense and fantastic TV ratings (just had to throw it in there :) )

All true.

I saw him his rookie year, it's why I am a fan today.

[samikeyp]

throw in the late 80's Suns

Armon Gilliam, Winston Crite and Mike Sanders?

:elephant



(I keed, I keed...)

[samikeyp]

If you're a fan, you should read it.
If you're not really sure of who he was or the kind of player he was, you should read it.
If you've never heard his name, it's required reading.

Amen.

Yes kids...there was actually basketball before 1990.

[duncan228]

Amen.

Yes kids...there was actually basketball before 1990.

:tu
And it was great fun to watch!

[samikeyp]

Yes it was.

Except for the Spurs 1984-1989. :(

[JMarkJohns]

Armon Gilliam, Winston Crite and Mike Sanders?

:elephant



(I keed, I keed...)

Charmin Armon? Suns really are cursed. The two years they happened to land the #2 pick and not a single player worthy of selection available... :dramaquee

[jackseven]

Larry Bird = Mike Sanders but white.

Basketball needed a white guy star.

Bird = Spur Stalk posters gushing about SI article.

SI article = Yes kids, there was basketball.

Yes kids doesn't make sense because kids know that. I believe Jordan started playing before then.

[YoMamaIsCallin]

jesus, only took 8 posts before someone played the race card

what a tool. get some perspective, man. Everything is not about race. Basketball is basketball.

Ask Magic Johnson if Larry Bird was "Mike Sanders but white".

[jackseven]

jesus, only took 8 posts before someone played the race card

what a tool. get some perspective, man. Everything is not about race. Basketball is basketball.

Ask Magic Johnson if Larry Bird was "Mike Sanders but white".

Haha - I just had to be that guy. I don't really think it.

His status may be slightly inflated but I attribute that to his teammates and I still think he's one of the all-time star players.

[baseline bum]

Bird is easily the greatest forward in league history. What's amazing about him is he was a top-3 player all time despite playing with a horrible back injury from his third year on. There's never been a clutch player like him. He and the Celtics used to just crush teams in ridiculous fashion, and it was a shock when Bird missed a game winner at the buzzer.

Stats don't do this guy justice, and neither does his ring count. He had to go through Moses Malone and Dr. J, Isiah and the Pistons, and Micheal. The Eastern Conference of the 80s was insane, and then you had to go through Magic and Kareem after their cakewalk to the Finals if you got out of the East.

It's too bad McHale was injured in the 87 Finals, because Bird was a madman. Bird was such a jack of all trades, and was unbelievable to watch.

[LEN BIAS 4EVER]

How many weren't old enough to see him play?? I really feel sorry for them not to have watched the 80's NBA and the classic Celtics vs Lakers rivalry.

First basketball game I ever saw was Bird vs Magic in the 1979 NCAA title game and fell in love with the sport. 1984 Finals game 4 was the pinnacle of the game for me, most famously known for the Kevin McHale clothsline of Kurt Rambis. It was all out warfare, and I was soaked completely thru 2 t-shirts in sweat by the time Bird hit the game winner in OT. Celtics won game 7 at home to take the title. 1985 Kareem leads them to victory in the garden in game 6 to win it all. The greatness of the 1986 Celtics was denied the honor of beating the Lakers in the Finals, and 1987 it was Bird damn near single handedly willing the Celtics to the Finals only to lose to the Lakers.

If only my namesake hadn't died, it would have been a different story and Bird's legacy would have included several more Titles.