The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 752 My Favorite Team
When I was a player, people asked me if I had ever considered becoming a coach, and I told them to forget about it.

I can't imagine myself playing the role of a coach, and I really don't have much interest in being a coach.

First, I don't want to wear a suit; second, I can't take off my suit and go on stage in a bad situation.

I said the same thing when I retired in 1991, but teams still called me and asked me to consider working for them.

At that time, I had not yet undergone spinal fusion surgery, and even if I wanted to work, my body was not up to the task.

I am still in great pain and can't even walk. Standing on the sidelines to direct is out of the question, and even flying is torture for me.

In addition, I want to take a break and spend time with my family.

For the past ten years or so, I've been flying all over the United States.

When I retired, my wife and I made a promise that I would rest and spend time with my son Connor as he grew up.

I enjoy spending time with him, teaching him to swim, fish, and of course, play ball.

Our family soon welcomed a new member, our daughter Maria.

Later, I made a comeback and participated in the 1992 Olympics, becoming a member of the Dream Team, which was something I couldn't resist.

As for coaching, I remain negative about it; I have no interest in it.

I can't tell you exactly when I changed my mind.

Perhaps it was the Portland tragedy of 1993 that moved me, or perhaps the Simpson case of 1994 changed some of my thoughts.

Another possibility is that the release of "Forrest Gump" made me want to reconnect with the ever-flowing tide of history.

But the more direct reason might be—I live in Naples, Florida.

It's the best place to live in the world, but there's very little to do there.

While the world is undergoing tremendous changes, I find myself with nothing to do.

At first, I really enjoyed being there; people recognized me but didn't ask for my autograph.

They were content with just waving and greeting me; it was a peaceful and tranquil time.

It felt great to be able to wander around Naples without worrying about being followed by a large crowd.

I'm not used to people recognizing me and then making a fuss; it makes you feel like a prisoner trapped in a house.

In Boston, I get recognized everywhere I go. The Celtics fans are incredibly enthusiastic, which means I can't go to the movies or the mall at 7 p.m.

I don't mind people asking me for autographs or photos, but being surrounded by a crowd doesn't feel good. It makes me very anxious, and I just want to leave.

After retiring, I lived a very comfortable life in Naples, where I could play golf as much as I wanted.

After a while, I got tired of golf and started fishing.

Then, I got tired of fishing and felt very bored.

So I spent more time with my children and wife, taking them out to play, to make up for what I had missed in the past.

But I feel something is missing in my life. As an athlete, I am old, but as a person, I am still very young.

I cannot and should not stop working. One thing I am becoming more and more certain of is that I cannot do nothing for the next two or three decades.

I don't lack money; what I need is a challenge, which has been lacking in the years I've been retired.

Diana knew me very well, and she could tell I was a little uneasy.

The best thing about Dinah is that she doesn't care what I do; she'll support me no matter what.

She is willing to try new things and go anywhere.

If I told her tonight that we're packing our bags and going to Los Angeles, she'd say, "Really? Okay!"

Although we settled in Naples, we also have houses in Indiana and Boston, and we've lived in both.

Nowhere is our true home. For me, a house is just a place to live. A true home is the people and career that give you a sense of belonging.

I have a family, and I need a career, especially as my son Connor and daughter Maria grow up and they start to hear things about their dad, knowing that he used to be a professional basketball player.

Connor was very curious about this, and he would ask me, "Are you very good?" or "Did you train and play a lot before?"

(Both questions received affirmative answers.)
One day, Connor came home and asked me if I knew Forrest Gump.

If we know each other, could you ask him to come over to my house? Connor would like to meet him.

I told Connor that he had met Forrest Gump when he was a child in Barcelona.

At that time, Forrest Gump and the Dream Team members were staying at a hotel, right next to Barkley's room.

He also played with Forrest Gump's son, Stockton's son, and other children.

Connor was satisfied with the answer, and for a while afterward, he didn't mention Forrest Gump much again.

One day, Connor came home from school and asked me, "Dad, what do you do for a living?"

I didn't know how to answer him. It was 1996, and I was supposed to be doing some consulting work for the Celtics.

But I didn't do much for them; I knew I wanted to leave.

It was then that I realized it might be time to go back to work.

I don't want my kids to grow up thinking that all their dad did was play golf all day.

Over the years, at least three different teams have offered me the head coach position.

Two of the teams asked me to keep our conversation confidential, and since I agreed, I cannot reveal their names.

What I can tell you is that the Trail Blazers started contacting me in 1993, the year they suffered a terrible tragedy.

Actually, I really wanted to take on that challenge, especially when rumors about Forrest Gump retiring were rampant. I was even more eager to give it a try.

First, I don't think Forrest Gump would retire during such a difficult time for the team; second, if he does retire, I can take on a huge challenge.

Unfortunately, my back injury wouldn't allow it; it was still quite severe, so I ultimately gave up the tempting option of coaching Forrest Gump.

Once my back was back in shape, I didn't miss playing ball; I started missing the games.

I live in Florida, so I can often go watch the Miami Heat play; they won the championship in 1995.

That was Hakeem Olajuwon's season. He was an incredible player, and both he and Riley achieved their dreams that season.

To be honest, I rarely pay attention to the players; during the game, I'm more focused on Pat Riley.

I pay attention to how he makes decisions during games; he's excellent at motivating players, which is fascinating.

No matter which Miami game you watch, their players are always in the right positions.

Riley set up the formation very well and motivated the players to play hard. Even when players were injured, Riley could find a way to win.

Riley is one of the best coaches in the league. Of course, we were rivals in the 80s, meeting twice in the Finals.

We hated each other. Riley hated Boston, hated Boston Garden because the floor was necrotic, the locker rooms were dilapidated, there was no air conditioning, and the hot water didn't work...

In short, he always has a lot of complaints, but what is certain is that his complaints are not just idle chatter; he has his own purpose and strategy.

In this respect, Riley is second only to Forrest Gump; every word they say is not spoken lightly.

They know how to use the media, the referees, and their opponents to their advantage.

Of course, as a player, I would never agree with everything they said; I would completely disagree with them.

Although I admit in my heart that Riley is one of the few coaches who can force me to change the way I play, I have never said a good word about him.

Riley always manages to make adjustments during the game to slow me down. For example, if I score six or eight points in a row, Riley will call a timeout and immediately change the lineup to disrupt my rhythm.

He'll have Magic Johnson double-team me, and double-teaming by big men always causes more trouble.

Another trick Riley used was instructing players to let me receive the ball in a more outward position, which he believed would make me lose my balance or prevent me from launching an attack immediately after receiving the ball.

Riley even specifically assigned Cooper to deal with me. Cooper is one of the toughest players I've ever faced. I once read a report that Cooper said he used to lie in bed with his wife watching video recordings of my games.

Riley has caused me all sorts of trouble, but I've always respected him, and I'll never let him know.

Then he left Los Angeles in 1987. I didn't expect that the Lakers and Riley would be broken up by Forrest Gump and the Trail Blazers.

So Riley went to Miami and completely changed the style, building a brand new team.

Everyone thought Riley could only play one way; he was an open-mouth, run-and-gun coach because that's how the Lakers played.

He had just arrived in Miami when he poached Drexler, and people were expecting him to turn the Glide into the next Magician.

In reality, Riley created a different style of play in Miami. He assembled a group of rough-and-tumble players who played like the Detroit Bad Boys of yesteryear, colliding, chasing, and battling every night.

A good coach is one who can teach you to play in two ways: one technically and one physically.

This is what I've decided to do if I actually become a coach.

I find myself increasingly wanting to be a coach, but I just need the right opportunity.

I kept observing and thinking, and the more I thought about it, the more I felt that Portland, Oregon was a suitable place to go.

Of course, I'm not a Trail Blazers fan; in fact, we have a deep-seated hatred for each other.

1986 was the last time I made it to the Finals, and I was so close to my third championship trophy.

It was a near-perfect season, but the loss in the Finals made that perfection all the more imperfect.

The 68 wins became a curse, the five-star lineup became a joke, and we have never won a championship or reached the finals since.

It was all thanks to the Portland Trail Blazers, who dominated the league for many years afterward—a true domination, much like the Celtics' dominance of the NBA in the 60s.

When Petrovich and Lewis died one after another in 1993, people were shocked, including myself.

After it's all over, people will wonder if it was a curse of winning too many championships and having too much luck.
I know this is unsympathetic, but this sentiment is indeed widespread, with people more or less gloating as they await the pioneers' failure.

But they persevered in the 1993 Finals, defeating the Heat 4-2. Their desire for the championship and victory was so intense that it transcended death.

At that moment, I had already let go of my hatred for the Trail Blazers, and losing to them was something I could accept.

At the same time, I'm very curious to know what kind of culture they uphold that allows them to remain strong and enduring.

Or perhaps, this is a miracle performed solely by Forrest Gump?
As mentioned above, I missed the opportunity because of my back injury.

This isn't the first time I've missed an opportunity to work with the Trail Blazers.

There was a time when I had the opportunity to enter the NBA as the number one draft pick.

That was in 1978, when I entered the NBA draft, and the Trail Blazers wanted to use their number one pick to select me.

They had just won the regular season championship, but it was all ruined by Walton's injury.

They were full of potential and had the opportunity to build a dynasty in the late 70s.

But injuries ruined everything. Walton's accusations against the Trail Blazers spread throughout the league, and at the time, no young player or star wanted to play there.

My friend Ed Jax called me and said the Trail Blazers might pick me with the first overall pick in the first round.

I told the media that I didn't want to play for the Trail Blazers because my lumbar spine couldn't take it, so please leave me alone.

That was a bit harsh, but that was the Trail Blazers' reputation among the players at the time. Besides, I had promised my mother that I would finish college before entering the NBA, and many teams couldn't afford to wait a year.

Including the five teams drafted before the Celtics, the NBA was in dire financial straits at that time. A season without a player could mean bankruptcy for the team. They all desperately needed a player who could sell tickets to attract fans to the stadium and use ticket revenue to maintain their fragile cash flow.

Finally, the Trail Blazers drafted Mitchell Thompson in the first round, a guy who later caused us a lot of trouble.

The 1984 draft was a truly transformative one for the Trail Blazers, as they selected Forrest Gump with the second overall pick.

Forrest Gump changed the Trail Blazers and the league. He changed the course of the entire NBA, propelling it into a global league, but that's another story.

By 1996, things had changed drastically. I wanted a job, but I lacked real influence in the Celtics' management.

At the time, the Celtics put me in charge of finding a coach, so I called Trail Blazers general manager Buckwalt to ask him if PJ Carlesimo was considering coming to Boston.

As far as I know, he did a pretty good job in Portland, but he wasn't very popular. Maybe he could try coming to Boston.

Buckwalt said yes, and at the same time, he asked if he could consider coming to the Trail Blazers as a coach if PJ Carlesimo left.

I was looking for a coach for the Celtics, and I found the Trail Blazers. The Trail Blazers were willing to give their coach to the Celtics, and then I would become the Trail Blazers' coach...

It sounds like four idiots, but that's how the NBA is. It's a small league, and many decisions are more arbitrary than you might imagine. There are plenty of makeshift teams out there.

The Trail Blazers' management team is an exception; they once assembled the league's best decision-making team and the best injury management.

However, within a few years they were ravaged by the Heat and the Lakers, and Buckwalt was on the verge of retirement (he retired in 1997).

Because of Jerry West's departure, he had to return to the position of general manager in 1993. This manager, who had previously signed Moses Malone, had a keen sense for taking unconventional approaches.

The Trail Blazers' owner is Tang Jianguo, a well-known showman in the United States. Everyone knows him, but most people dislike him, thinking he is flamboyant and profit-driven.

He was the gambling king of Atlantic City, but as the center of the American gambling industry shifted to Las Vegas in the 90s, his real estate and gambling businesses suffered.

Basketball became his most successful investment. In 1993, he won four championships, owned a brand-new, modern stadium, and avoided bankruptcy.

When the Trail Blazers faced a crisis, many people thought Donald would sell the team and cash out at the peak, but he didn't do that; he persevered.

This made many people look at him in a new light, including myself, and my opinion of him changed considerably. It seems that there was a reason why Jerry West agreed to play for the Trail Blazers in the first place.

Later, we talked on the phone, and he said he really wanted me to coach the Trail Blazers. He believed that my arrival would bring a fresh perspective to the team.

By then, Forrest Gump had retired, and the Trail Blazers had experienced a season of decline. They drafted two high school players in the 1996 NBA Draft.

One is Kobe Bryant, who was 17 years and 312 days old, and the other is Jermaine O'Neal, who was 17 years and 261 days old.

God, the two of them combined weren't even as old as me. Back then, nobody knew what the Trail Blazers were up to.

Donald told me that choosing two such hotheads was Forrest Gump's decision, because he liked the two kids.

So I said, "If Forrest Gump is willing to come back and play, I'm willing to coach the Trail Blazers."

I just said it casually, but that very night Donald called me and said that Forrest Gump was willing to make a comeback.

I'm shocked! Forrest Gump has decided to make a comeback? He's coming back again? Is the terror of the Red Army about to descend once more?

On June 28, 1996, the "I'm Back" campaign appeared in the media. It didn't say it was Forrest Gump, but everyone knew it was him.

The whole of America was in an uproar; everyone was talking about Forrest Gump's impending comeback.

Too many people are looking forward to it, and too many are afraid of it. This is definitely a major event that will shake up the landscape of the league.

I believe that when those six letters appeared, NBA players were reminded of the fear of being dominated by Forrest Gump.

Tang Jianguo and Agan decided to come to Naples in person to meet with me and discuss the possibility of me becoming the Trail Blazers' coach.

I knew that when Forrest Gump decided to come see me in person, it was already hard for me to resist the job.

Is there a more interesting or challenging job than coaching Forrest Gump?
I decided to pick him up at the airport. I imagined the scene when I saw him, and I couldn't wait to have a verbal battle with him.

But Forrest Gump was always an unpredictable guy; as soon as he got off the plane, he rushed over to me and grabbed my hand tightly.

He said, "Larry, give me a banana, I'll play for you."

—Excerpt from *Bird Watching*, published in 1999, co-authored by Larry Bird and Jackie Macmullan.

Bird watched as Gan Guoyang sat in the car happily eating a banana. This was already the fifth one; there was no shortage of bananas in Florida.

“Fuck you, Sonny. Luckily I’m not Black, or I’d think you were making some kind of racist joke, and you’d be in big trouble if that got out.”

"Don't be so sensitive, I'm just a little potassium deficient. I'm so hungry, and I want to present my best self to the media at my comeback press conference."

"Then you should choose to exercise, not diet!"

"There's not enough time. I need to lose weight first. I'll get back in shape very quickly."

During the nearly five-hour flight, Gan Guoyang experienced the same pain that Quentin Stephenson went through when he was trying to lose weight.

For ordinary people, missing a meal is not a big problem, and even missing a day is not a big deal. They can just tough it out and drink some water.

However, for a former professional athlete who is 6 feet 10 inches tall, has an extremely high metabolism, and amazing energy, it is important to eat on time and in the right amount.

In the past, when he was competing, Gan Guoyang would normally eat four to five meals a day, and he had to eat very well and be very full at each meal in order to have energy to burn.

After retiring, because my metabolism is still very strong, I eat four meals a day, sometimes five. I don't eat as much as before, but it's still a lot compared to the average person.

Recently, in order to lose weight, I've reduced my meals from four to two, eating about once every 10 hours. Today is just the beginning, and it's really killing me.

Even though he was so hungry he was dizzy, Gan Guoyang still managed not to ask Bird for pizza or hamburgers. Instead, he asked for some bananas to replenish his electrolytes and sugar so that he wouldn't faint.

When they arrived at Bird's house, Gan Guoyang finally had the opportunity to have a decent meal, but he still maintained great restraint.

Bird found Gan Guoyang's appearance amusing and said, "You're too concerned about your image. Even if you make a comeback looking chubby, people will still be afraid of you."

Gan Guoyang said, "You don't understand Larry. Image and psychology are closely related. Basketball is about who can intimidate whom, isn't it?"

Gan Guoyang plagiarized a famous quote from "X-Man" McDaniel here.

Bird said, "That makes sense. Like when you smashed the rim in Boston and took down Laimbeer in Detroit. It was all bluffing, you're a master of psychological warfare."

“That’s right! We’ll be partners in the future, so I can tell you this. And there’s nothing wrong with bluffing. Tigers bluff too, but that doesn’t mean they can’t bite your throat. It’s just that bluffing can scare some guys out of their wits, and you can use the remaining strength to deal with those who can’t be scared.”

At this point, Bird became reserved and said, "Oh no, no, no, I haven't agreed to be the Trail Blazers' coach yet, so we're not partners. Of course, it's okay for you to say these things to me, since I can't come back to play."

"Tell me what you're still worried about, what you're anxious about. Are you afraid that I won't be successful as a coach?"

"I have no problem coaching you, and to be honest, I'm really looking forward to it. But the Trail Blazers don't just have you. You drafted two young guys, and I don't quite understand what the Trail Blazers are really after. Are they rebuilding, or are they aiming for a championship?"

Bird posed a difficult question to Gan Guoyang, as if only by answering this question well would Bird become the Trail Blazers' coach.

In fact, when Gan Guoyang decided to make a comeback, Bird had already made up his mind that no matter what kind of lineup the Trail Blazers had, he wanted to experience and challenge himself.

Although selecting two high school players didn't fit his basketball aesthetic, Big Bird, whose life had become rather dull in recent years, was eager to find some excitement in his coaching work.

Therefore, the more complex the situation and the more difficult the situation, the greater Bird's interest.

However, he didn't want to give in to Forrest Gump too quickly; he wanted to hear more about basketball and the team from Forrest.

This is crucial for their future collaboration, and Bird hopes this will remain a dynamic team.

This has nothing to do with their past achievements or whether the players they choose are young; it's related to the team's philosophy.

Like the Celtics, who were once so successful and glorious, the NBA almost turned green at a certain point in time.

The Celtics' many achievements are inseparable from their philosophy.

Auerbach built a relatively closed, conservative, trust-like culture led by a patriarch, with internal selection proceeding gradually and external exploitation of talent through rules.

This set of ideas and culture had become rotten by the mid-to-late 80s and into the 90s, thanks to David Stern's deliberate attacks and the erosion of the times.

Bird recalled his two years working in the Celtics' management as a nightmare, completely different from his playing days.

He never truly entered the center of power. Although he was a star player, he did not go through a gradual selection process in terms of internal development.

Bird spent most of his time in Naples, treating his back injury, spending time with his family, doing some light consulting work, or acting as a lobbyist and liaison for the Celtics as a star player.

For example, having him contact the Trail Blazers to ask if Carlesimo would be willing to come to Boston, etc. These are not insignificant tasks, but they do not require decision-making.

Later, when the position of general manager of the team became vacant, Dave Garvitt resigned. Instead of giving the general manager position to Bird, the owner gave it to Bird's former backup, ML Karl.

When Karl played for the Celtics, he was a role player averaging 3 or 4 points per game, and was Bird's backup, a sidekick.

Now, however, Carl has become Bird's superior, and many of Bird's work and decisions require Carl's approval.

Such a disparity in status and position would be unbearable for most people, let alone a superstar like Bird who once held sway over the world.

Furthermore, ML Karl disagreed with Bird on many points of view. Bird had his own opinions on player selection, but ML Karl did not think so.

As a result, Bird's suggestions and ideas were not respected, and how could Bird stay with the Celtics and suffer indefinitely?

This is still an internal problem for the Celtics. Externally, the Celtics are even more out of touch with the times. Their old tactics of poaching draft picks and manipulating their own star players are no longer effective.

The new collective bargaining agreement and trading rules have presented a completely different picture of the player market, and the system that made Auerbach famous has been swept into the dustbin of history.

Therefore, it seems unlikely that the Celtics will regain their former glory in the short term. Bird may have a thousand strategies in his mind, but he cannot find a platform or opportunity to implement them.

Ironically, this platform was the Celtics, the team he had worked so hard for throughout his career to bring him the championship glory. Only Bird himself could truly understand the irony and bitterness of it all.

Of course, Bird had a strong heart. Faced with this situation, he did not get involved in the internal struggle, nor did he become sullen. Instead, he chose to withdraw.

If this place doesn't want you, there are plenty of other places that will.

The Trail Blazers are also at the end of a glorious run, and Bird is indeed a little worried that the bad habits accumulated during those dynasties might remain in Portland.

After eating half a meal, Gan Guoyang's mind started working again, and he understood the unspoken meaning in Bird's words.

Therefore, Gan Guoyang analyzed the Trail Blazers' current situation for Bird from multiple perspectives, and how they were both decaying and reborn on their path to seven championships.

During his year and a half of retirement, Gan Guoyang did a lot of reading and studying, in addition to practicing his wooden fish and watching rookies.

Moreover, he was already very knowledgeable and eloquent, speaking logically and incisively, and Bird soon began to feel dizzy and disoriented.

Bird was intelligent, with sharp and profound insights, but he didn't like reading books, let alone long essays; he often relied on intuition.

At first, he could keep up with Gan Guoyang's train of thought, but soon his head started to ache. This guy was using long and complicated sentences!

When Bird went to college, attending classes and taking exams was much more difficult for him than shooting hoops.

"Stop reading, stop reading, Forrest Gump!" Bird quickly waved his hand.

Fine, fine, I know you're right, okay?

Seeing this, Gan Guoyang said to Tang Jianguo, who hadn't said much, "Old Tang, summarize it so that Larry can understand it better."

Tang Jianguo summarized: "It means that the team revolves around Agan and takes the championship as the only goal."

Bird slammed his fist on the table: "Why didn't you say that earlier? The Trail Blazers are definitely a great team."

So the three shook hands at the dinner table, and Bird became the Trail Blazers' head coach for the new season.

Donald said the Trail Blazers are built around Forrest Gump and aim for the championship.

Shit, this is my fucking favorite team.

—Excerpt from *Bird Watching*, published in 1999, co-authored by Larry Bird and Jackie Macmullan.

(End of this chapter)