| | INDIANAPOLIS -- Larry Bird, one of the greatest players in
Boston Celtics history, said Monday he would prefer owning the
Indiana Pacers.
And the Indiana coach, who has announced plans to leave the
bench at the end of the season, said he doesn't anticipate becoming
an owner of either team.
"The Pacers are not for sale, the Celtics are not for sale. I
know that, I knew that eight years ago that they weren't for sale.
Bird said Monday. "You can't buy something that's not for sale."
The Boston Globe reported Sunday that Bird indicated interest in
buying the Celtics.
"I could get people together to buy the team in a day," Bird
told the newspaper. "I could get it done tomorrow."
Celtics owner Paul Gaston has said publicly that the team is not
for sale.
Bird has been offered an executive position in the Pacers' front
office, but said Monday he was uncertain what he would do when the
season ends.
"I'll tell you again, I'm not going back there," Bird said of
Boston. "As far as being here, I really don't know yet."
Bird said he had talked about the future with Pacers president
Donnie Walsh a number of times.
"It's just according to how I feel. I've always said to build a
team is very intriguing. Do I want to spend five years doing that?
I've got a family. It really comes down to where my kids want to
live," said Bird, who has three children. "My wife has followed
me around for 23 years. ... She loves it here."
Bird worked as a Celtics consultant for five years after
retiring as a player.
He has coached the Pacers into the Eastern Conference finals
both years as a coach. In his debut as a coach at any level the
Pacers set a franchise record of 58-24 and lost in the conference
finals to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in seven games.
Indiana won the Central Division championship in last year's
lockout-shortened season, finishing 33-17, and lost the conference
final to the New York Knicks in six games.
The Pacers have the best record in the Eastern Conference this
season.
Asked if he had talked with Indiana owners Herb and Mel Simon
about becoming an owner of the team, Bird responded, "You can
forget about it."
Bird was also asked if he was interested in becoming an owner of
the Dallas team and responded negatively.
"I'd rather buy this team, because of this place," he said in
reference to the new Conseco Fieldhouse, which has had a capacity
crowd for every game this season.
Indiana has compiled a franchise-record 19-game winning streak
at Conseco and its 22-2 home mark is the best in the league. | |
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