Drive: The Story of My Life (Pages 215-259)

SUMMARY:
In today's reading of Part III in Drive: The Story of My Life, Larry Bird talked about all the teams he faced and the places he been to because of the games. From Part III, Larry Bird talked about each place and team in a summary. He talked about how he doesn't like staying over night in the hotels of New York for a game because it is way too noisy but he love the audience at Madison Square Garden. He loves Philadelphia's fans and the feeling of rivalry so he didn't mind going there. He didn't like New Jersey because the building of New Jersey had too much open space. Larry Bird liked Washington because he had memories in the Capital Centre. For example: he never lost any games there in his first three or four years as a Celtics. Cleveland was a place he enjoyed because the building was set up really nice and he liked the lighting in Indiana and the fans recognize him because that was his home town. He had good games in Chicago and also bad games but he liked how he can see people like Michael Jordan there. Los Angeles was a place Larry Bird enjoyed going to. As he says, "The Forum is another place I just looove to play in"(Bird 225). There were more places.
After his opinion on the teams and places, he talked about the referees how some are appreciated and some were not. He thinks referees were "important" to the game. If they miss a call first time, they will never miss it again the second time and so on. Larry Bird thinks too much people make triple doubles in a game and he thinks he can make at least 41 triple-doubles in 82 games. Larry Bird praticed his free throws and concentrated on it. That is why he doesn't get why players won't pratice their free throws because it's easier to get an extra 2-points for the team. Then the last part was when he talked about how playoff games were different from regular season. He wasn't as excited and energetic about regular season although he did good in the games he played. Playoffs to him bring an different environment that can make him loose sleep because he thinking about the upcoming game.
Part IV was the conclusion of the book and Larry Bird's story of his life. He sums everything up about the day he became a part of the Celtics and he will play until the end. He injured himself multiple times and he appreciated everything the team and fans did for him. Larry Bird wanted to challenge and compete against the great new players at their time like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Dominique Wilkinses and much more. When it was time for him to retired, he wants to emulate Bill Russell. He going to retire without any Farewell Tour etc...He just wants to be a part of the Celtics forever and retire as a Celtics and his last words was to say "Thank you".
QUOTE:
As Larry Bird says, "I'll always be a Celtic. If they ever traded me, I'd be shattered. I have no desire to end my career with any other team. At this stage of my career, I'm just thinking about getting healthy again and giving the Celtics some more good years and the getting out"(Bird 257-258).
REACTION:
As I was reading the ending of this book to me Larry Bird is a true Celtics player. He joined the Celtics as a great player and did nothing but do his best at all times. He didn't think about going to another team because the team had a rough year, he didn't go to another team because it was a bigger chance to win a championship. Fore xample, Leone Powe, he was part of the Celtics, when he got injured, he didn't sign back with the Celtis evenwhen they offered him a contract. He thinks he could find a better team than the Celtics. Since day one when Larry Bird became a member of the Boston's team, he knows he's going to end his career as a retired Celtics. I admire hoe he would retire without having a ceremony or a farewell tour, he just wants to step out on the cout and say a one last, thank you. He had great determination and have a stream of fire that can never be put off.
In a way he reminds me of Paul Pierce, Pierce had been in the Celtics since he got drafted. He did nothing but play and defend for the team. He's a great leader, as Larry Bird said in the book about leadership, "Leadership is getting players to believe in you"(Bird 247).