Bird Watching

August 30, 1999
Fans expecting the literary highlight reel of the NBA legend's championship years with the Boston Celtics may be initially put off by this loosely organized collection of opinions and reminiscences. They should stick with it, however, because ultimately the book is an endearingly honest self-portrait of a humble man who has made the most of his opportunities. Celtic fans will be titillated by the frank reports of just how Larry Legend wound up leaving Boston. Being a give-it-to-me-straight kind of guy, he was disgusted with the disingenuous ways of the Celtic front office, where he briefly worked after his playing days. Bird, now the head coach of the Indiana Pacers, also explains, quite briskly, how his relationship with fellow Celtic Kevin McHale went sour: as their careers wound down, McHale and another teammate went behind Bird's back to reporters with complaints that his play had become selfish. But Bird's refusal to pull punches doesn't hit only his adversaries: he admits that he was lucky that his good friend Rick Robey was traded away from the Celtics, because the good times they had together got in the way of Bird's career. He also writes that not he, but Jerry Sloan of the Utah Jazz should have been named Coach of the Year in 1998. The Hick from French Lick solidifies his reputation as a straight-talker unimpressed with his own legend.

September 1, 1999
This intelligently written collaboration covers the second act in Bird's life. Drive, his 1989 autobiography (written with Bob Ryan), covered the first act--his early life and his career as a basketball player. The second act opens when a debilitating congenital back condition forced Bird's 1992 retirement as an NBA player, a retirement he postponed so that he could participate in the 1992 Olympics as a member of the U.S. Dream Team. Any sports fan can tell you what happened next: surgery, recovery, the job as head coach of the Indiana Pacers, being named NBA Coach of the Year at the end of his rookie year, and induction into the NBA Hall of Fame. These recent events have launched an avalanche of Bird biographies. Libraries that need a comprehensive biography of Bird may wish to choose one of the other recent titles. However, for libraries that already have a good Bird biography, Bird's insightful observations on other NBA participants make Bird Watching an excellent addition to most sports collections. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 5/1/99.]--Terry Jo Madden, Boise State Univ. Lib., ID

Copyright 1999 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 1999
Bird was synonymous with intelligent, unselfish play as a Hall of Fame forward with the Boston Celtics in the 1980s. His preparation and conditioning were legendary as he led the Green "to three NBA titles. His name was also more closely linked to the Celtic franchise than anyone since Red Auerbach, so many were surprised when he left the organization to become head coach of the Indiana Pacers prior to the 1997^-98 season. The consensus was that he wanted to be back in his home state of Indiana. Wrong. Bird reveals here that he wanted to coach a veteran team that he felt had a legitimate opportunity to dethrone the then-champion Chicago Bulls. There are plenty of other insights into the intensely private Bird in this surprisingly revealing memoir: he discusses, for example, his disdain for coaches who are screamers; his admiration for fellow coach Pat Riley (who supplies an equally admiring foreword); and his overwhelming affection for his hometown of French Lick, Indiana. There are anecdotes from his playing days, insights into his coaching philosophy, and even some details of life in French Lick: Bird really does hang around the gas station with the same friends he's had since high school. Bird is an uncomplicated man who has attained a great deal through hard work, dedication, and loyalty. And when Bird talks basketball, people listen. Expect demand. ((Reviewed August 1999))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1999, American Library Association.)