Wiretap: Bird wants Lebron to stay in Cleveland

[onlyonesharky]

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archi ... cleveland/

Translation: "I don't want Lebron going to the Knicks. I hate the Knicks and New Yorkers."

I always have respected Birds' game, but he was always that player that I loved to hate.

Here is the article:
Larry Bird is among those that hope LeBron James re-signs with the Cavaliers.

"I hope he stays in Cleveland," Bird told the New York Daily News.

"He's from Ohio and he means so much to that team and that state. I used to love to go and play in Cleveland because they love the game. And, I like to see the great players stay in the cities and with the teams that drafted them. It means so much for the league and the state. So I would rather see him stay."

[Teppler]

Kind of a dick thing to say "I hate New Yorkers".

[KnicksScholar24]

Once those stars get over-the-hill status (or has a career changing injury), no cares if a player sticks with his original team, but when their in the prime, every one wants them to stay. That team and state wouldn't give two sh*ts about LeBron if his career turn into Penny Hardaway's. Plenty of stars have played on different teams in this,era of pro basketball. When a player plays poorly the franchise, usually, wouldn't show much loyalty to that player. After a trade of said player, you'll hear, "we did it because we feel it will improve the team." The Cavaliers existed before Lebron James and it will survive without him.

I could see why Bird wants James to stay, though, because if the Knicks can get enough cap space to sign two young MAX players in 2010, the Pacers will have to say goodbye to any type of EC championship aspirations over the next decade.

Don't think Bird was specifically talking about the Knicks, though. Only Knicks fans would be so self-absorbed that they think LeBron James is guarantee to sign with NY, and only NY, if he does decide to leave Cleveland.

[onlyonesharky]

Kind of a dick thing to say "I hate New Yorkers".

If you know the relationship between NY and Boston fans it's not "tidy and neat" and "Brady Bunch". Also, I didn't think you could write curse words like a dick....

[Teppler]

It's one thing to be really competitive with another team/state, it's another to profess hate for all the people that live there.

Believe me, I understand the relationship between NY and Boston. I follow all the major sports and my Irish/Scottish side of my family lives in Massachusetts(my Dad has 8 siblings with families now). They are all into sports.

[echelonNYK]

Things like this makes me believe HE IS COMING. Lol

haters never prosper.

[King of Canada]

Who cares what Bird says? He's affilited with the pacers anyway, so he shouldn't be making comments on another team's player.

[onlyonesharky]

Once those stars get over-the-hill status (or has a career changing injury), no cares if a player sticks with his original team, but when their in the prime, every one wants them to stay. That team and state wouldn't give two sh*ts about LeBron if his career turn into Penny Hardaway's. Plenty of stars have played on different teams in this,era of pro basketball. When a player plays poorly the franchise, usually, wouldn't show much loyalty to that player. After a trade of said player, you'll hear, "we did it because we feel it will improve the team." The Cavaliers existed before Lebron James and it will survive without him.

I could see why Bird wants James to stay, though, because if the Knicks can get enough cap space to sign two young MAX players in 2010, the Pacers will have to say goodbye to any type of EC championship aspirations over the next decade.

Don't think Bird was specifically talking about the Knicks, though. Only Knicks fans would be so self-absorbed that they think LeBron James is guarantee to sign with NY, and only NY, if he does decide to leave Cleveland.

I am an ultimate Knicks fan and I am not "self-absorbed" in my beliefs of where Lebron is going. There we go again bunching all New Yorkers and how they think together. We are not one consciousness.

Lebron is going where he wants to go. If he were wearing Cleveland hats or LA caps all the time would not indicate some idea of where he would like to go either.

[4PointPlay]

I wonder how much Bird enjoyed watching his team get *absolutely destroyed* again last night.

[onlyonesharky]

It's one thing to be really competitive with another team/state, it's another to profess hate for all the people that live there.

Believe me, I understand the relationship between NY and Boston. I follow all the major sports and my Irish/Scottish side of my family lives in Massachusetts(my Dad has 8 siblings with families now). They are all into sports.

I can appreciate that and I am Puerto Rican and my wife is Irish and my sister went to Harvard and every time I would visit her at the bars there it was damn near close to pure hate for New York, New York teams and New Yorkers. But, in defense also, not everyone hates New Yorkers as a whole but if there was ever a player/coach/GM who I would think would, it would be Larry Legend.

Remember I love the guy and his competitiveness. But he was always that player that I loved to hate.

[moocow007]

Bird needs to worry about finding his lips after all these decades rather than where Lebron's going. I mean what the heck, there's got to be a medical condition for being born with no lips (apologies to other no lip people out there).

[DJ CHACH]

he doesnt want donnie walsh to get everything right after leaving indiana thats y

[!nstinct]

Really Bird, you like to see players stay with the teams that drafted them? If that's so, why did you go after KG, Allen? That was the dumbest thing I ever heard somebody say about basketball. Imagine every team staying with all the players they draft, ewk. He's a coward, he can't even speak his mind.

Of course he doesn't want LeBron in NY, we are in the same division. A real punk, afraid of challenge. I am glad the idea of LBJ in orange and blue keep him awake at night.

[Nupe_1911]

Didn't Bird destroy the Pacer's which were borderline contenders when he got there and now they suck? He is an awful gm, even worse than Zeke, and should zip his hole.

[putiger78]

His comments are so innocuous why would you guys care either way. Nothing he said is a big deal; and I agree with him that, in general, its good when guys stick with the team that drafted him. Its good for the fans and for the league. Again, in general and not in all cases. Its not like Bird has some secret plan to keep LeBron out of NY. If anything, he would want LeBron out of his division.