Jottings from the Granite Studio

Warning: The following post has nothing to do with China but a little to do with history.

Today is not only Pearl Harbor day but also the 50th birthday of one Larry Joe Bird, known forever as “The Basketball Jesus.”

It’s easy to forget just what a special player Bird was and too many people who are too young to have even seen the man play dismiss him as the “Great White Hope.” For those not fortunate enough to grow up watching basketball in the Larry/Magic era, I highly recommend this clip of highlights from youtube. There has never been another Larry Bird…he was truly one of a kind. And unlike Magic…or Michael…he knew when the time had come to hang up the sneakers. No comebacks. He just walked away.

The always readable Bill Simmons (like me, a 1980s kid from New England) wrote a fabulous column on Bird for ESPN.com. Well worth checking out.