Damn... Larry Bird is 60.

[BobbyMac]

Where has it gone?

This will always be my guy. The greatest sh!t talkin', stone cold assassin, ever.

I can't tell you how special it was to live through the Bird & Magic era as a basketball player from Indiana. I can't imagine there will ever be anything like it again.

If you're an old school NBA fan, here's a great read on Bird's early basketball career, how he got from HS to IU to AAU to ISU.

Larry Bird's Greatest Shot Was the One He Didn't Take

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[Irish YJ]

Will always be my favorite B-ball player.
Corn fed white boy from the Lick.
I miss those days of him and Magic.

 

[Irish YJ]

 

[phillyirish]

RIP he was a legend.

 

[BeauBenken]

RIP he was a legend.

He ain't dead, son. Just 60 years old.

 

[Irish#1]

RIP he was a legend.

He ain't dead, son. Just 60 years old.

That's comedy gold there Beau. lol


I used to work with a guy that was at ISU when Larry Legend played there. He told me a lot of stories. Bird basically ran practice and the huddles during timeouts. Give Hodges credit. He was smart enough to see what he had and stay out of the way. For those too young or not aware, he transferred from IU to ISU because it was too big and he didn't feel comfortable there. Yet he goes on to play in front of 15,000 plus every night.

Bobby Knight would probably have another banner if Bird would have stayed, but I could also see their personalities clashing.

 

[BobbyMac]

That's comedy gold there Beau. lol


I used to work with a guy that was at ISU when Larry Legend played there. He told me a lot of stories. Bird basically ran practice and the huddles during timeouts. Give Hodges credit. He was smart enough to see what he had and stay out of the way. For those too young or not aware, he transferred from IU to ISU because it was too big and he didn't feel comfortable there. Yet he goes on to play in front of 15,000 plus every night.

Bobby Knight would probably have another banner if Bird would have stayed, but I could also see their personalities clashing.

Yeah, hard to wrap your head around one of the 2 or 3 greatest college teams lost one of the Top 5 players to ever play the game.

Larry was ready for the NBA before he went to ISU and definitely should have left ISU after one season at the latest. He was too good for college. He averaged 33 & 13 his first year there. Between staying in college and hurting his back laying cement at his Mom's house, we lost 6-7 years of Larry in his prime.

 

[phillyirish]

He ain't dead, son. Just 60 years old.

lol ok. I think I would know when my favorite basketball player dies.

One thing I always loved about him was that big smile. Rest easy big Bird.

 

[Junkhead]

Not to derail Larry Legend, but I just now relalized (after looking at my info on the left), that I
joined this site 10 Years ago this month! Where does the time go????

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Damn... Larry Bird is 60.

Yeah, hard to wrap your head around one of the 2 or 3 greatest college teams lost one of the Top 5 players to ever play the game.



Larry was ready for the NBA before he went to ISU and definitely should have left ISU after one season at the latest. He was too good for college. He averaged 33 & 13 his first year there. Between staying in college and hurting his back laying cement at his Mom's house, we lost 6-7 years of Larry in his prime.

It's amazing to think he singlehandedly took ISU to an undefeated season and the NCG.

What would be the modern equivalent? Lebron going to college, taking Stetson to the title game undefeated, and losing to a Kobe led Duke?

The closest real life scenario has to be Curry carrying Davidson to seconds away from a FF.

 

[BGIF]

Not to derail Larry Legend, but I just now relalized (after looking at my info on the left), that I
joined this site 10 Years ago this month! Where does the time go????

The Twilight Zone

 

[Irish#1]

It's amazing to think he singlehandedly took ISU to an undefeated season and the NCG.

What would be the modern equivalent? Lebron going to college, taking Stetson to the title game undefeated, and losing to a Kobe led Duke?

The closest real life scenario has to be Curry carrying Davidson to seconds away from a FF.

Larry definitely carried that team. However,if it wasn't for Bob Heaton (think it was Bob, NDC you remember?), the Sycamore would have lost one game during the season. ISU was down, the other team misses a free throw with 1 or 2 seconds left. Heaton grabs the rebound and nails a full length shot.

 

[Irish#1]

Watch this. It's amazing. Bird's court awareness is off the charts.

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[Bishop2b5]

Question for those much more knowledgeable about basketball and Larry than I am: how much of Bird's success was due to natural talent or athletic ability and how much was due to an obsession with the game and working on his skills? My impression is that he was basically just a tall guy with average athletic ability who outworked everyone, but I really don't know if that's right or not.

 

[ND NYC]

favorite basketball player of all time and im not a celtic fan.

 

[Bishop2b5]

Watch this. It's amazing. Bird's court awareness is off the charts.

<iframe width="610" height="343" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hcXv0JtzNQA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Good grief! He made the unbelievable look easy. It's like watching Ali in his prime... just on a different planet from anyone else. Bird & Jordan were the two best I've seen in my life and the two most amazing to watch.

 

[BobbyMac]

Larry definitely carried that team. However,if it wasn't for Bob Heaton (think it was Bob, NDC you remember?), the Sycamore would have lost one game during the season. ISU was down, the other team misses a free throw with 1 or 2 seconds left. Heaton grabs the rebound and nails a full length shot.

Close.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ss9Hyxj7O8U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[BobbyMac]

Question for those much more knowledgeable about basketball and Larry than I am: how much of Bird's success was due to natural talent or athletic ability and how much was due to an obsession with the game and working on his skills? My impression is that he was basically just a tall guy with average athletic ability who outworked everyone, but I really don't know if that's right or not.

The way he played the game at his size is what makes him different. He played a lot like Jerry West but at 6-9+. That's a god given talent to be that athletic at that height. Imagine Kevin Durant if he could average 11 rpg or 7 apg while sharing the frontline with 2 HOFers in their prime.

In the end it's a once in a zillion confluence of size, coordination, athletic ability, desire, intelligence and alpha dog personality that made Bird who he is. There's no doubt in my mind he's the best small forward to ever play the game.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Wouldn't 2012-2013 be a better season to compare for Lebron?

 

[BobbyMac]

Wouldn't 2012-2013 be a better season to compare for Lebron?

The point of that meme is they were both 30.

 

[zelezo vlk]

The point of that meme is they were both 30.

Ah. I always have disliked the age comparison since Lebron and most of the recent NBA stars left either out of high school or very early, whereas you had guys like Larry, Magic, and MJ staying for several years. Different era etc.

But I getcha, I love dissing Lebron and Larry is often overlooked by this generation. Well, any of the older players outside of Wilt are.

 

[BobbyMac]

Ah. I always have disliked the age comparison since Lebron and most of the recent NBA stars left either out of high school or very early, whereas you had guys like Larry, Magic, and MJ staying for several years. Different era etc.

But I getcha, I love dissing Lebron and Larry is often overlooked by this generation. Well, any of the older players outside of Wilt are.

I think it's fair to compare two guys at the same age. Just as it's fair to compare their best year ever and their career stats, all different ways to look at it. I do believe LeBron will eventually be considered the consensus #1 small forward of all time (I do) because his stats will be astronomical due to his much longer playing career. That being said, if I'm building the all time team, Bird Magic & Jordan are my only must haves.

As far as years lost to college:

LeBron lost 0 years.
Magic lost 2 years
MJ lost 3
Bird lost 5. That's a shame.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Lebron also hasn't had to deal with any big injuries over his career either, he's pretty fortunate in that respect. There must be something in that flaming Cuyahoga River and South Beach water

 

[BobbyMac]

Lebron also hasn't had to deal with any big injuries over his career either, he's pretty fortunate in that respect. There must be something in that flaming Cuyahoga River and South Beach water

Well you'll never have to worry about LeBron seriously injuring his back while doing concrete work at his Mom's house.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Well you'll never have to worry about LeBron seriously injuring his back while doing concrete work at his Mom's house.

Yeah, pretty sure Delonte West took care of it for him

 

[Irish#1]

Question for those much more knowledgeable about basketball and Larry than I am: how much of Bird's success was due to natural talent or athletic ability and how much was due to an obsession with the game and working on his skills? My impression is that he was basically just a tall guy with average athletic ability who outworked everyone, but I really don't know if that's right or not.

Bird wasn't the slow white guy everyone thought he was. If you watch those highlights, you'll see he got some decent lift when he shot. What really separated him was his willingness to outwork everyone, his court awareness and his mindset that he hated your guts for 48 minutes and would do whatever it takes to win.