The village idiot of Las Vegas reminisces about his boyhood idiot Larry Bird...Part 3

"How many times have I told you not to dribble the ball in the house?" I was only in eighth grade, but there was no doubt in my mind that I was on my way to the NBA. So whenever my mother scolded me for practicing my ball handling skills in the living room, it tended to go in one ear and out the other. "Mom, I've got to be able to handle the rock when the Celtics call my number. Larry Bird says that no matter where you're at you should always be practicing." Unfortunately, my mother was never a big believer in my NBA dream. "Look, when you make a million dollars a year like Larry Bird. You can dribble your basketball as much as you want in the house. Until then, go outside."

"Get the ball to Larry!" It was Game 7 of the '88 Eastern Conference semifinals. The Celtics were in a fight for their playoff lives against the upstart Atlanta Hawks. Dominique Wilkins was the star for the Hawk's and he was putting on a shooting clinic to the tune of 19-23, with a game high forty seven points. Everyone, including myself felt the Celtics were going to lose: Enter Larry Bird - The final quarter will live in NBA playoff lore forever - Bird scored twenty points to lead the Celtics to a two point victory, thus advancing them to the Eastern Finals.

I've been in one jam after another the last five years. I always ask myself the same question when I need a pick me up. "What would Larry do?" The answer is always the same, "Dig deeper! Try harder!" I'm holding onto the notion that sheer determination will get me what I'm looking for. Nowadays, my once unwavering confidence is shaken to the core. That's not a good thing according to Larry. "The one trait a successful person has to have in life is confidence. If that ever leaves you; forget about it." That's a direct quote from his autobiography.

I like to end every post of mine with a thought I'm having...Call it the village idiot thought of the day. "I called my ex wife the other day. I wanted to make sure that we were square. She told me this, 'Don't worry about a thing between the two of us. We're square, it's you that I worry about.' Knowing the two of us were square was a relieving feeling for me."