This is from the Pacer’s blog Indy Cornrows. Bill Laimbeer and his top seeded Detroit Shock are in Indy to start their best of three opening round playoff matchup with the Indiana Fever. Today Lambs was on the air being interviewed with 1070 The Fan’s Eddie White and Bob Kravitz.
Bill had some pretty entertaining things to say when the a certain Bean Town rival was brought up:
Kravitz: When you come to Indianapolis in a situation like this can we assume you and Larry Bird will be going out and having a couple of cocktails together.
Laimbeer: Larry Bird?
Kravitz: Talk about the old days
Laimbeer: He’s here in Indiana? (sarcasm oozing)
Kravitz: Yeah.
Laimbeer: Oh .. Oh, that’s right I did, I heard he works for the Pacers now.
Kravitz: He does have a job. We’re very happy about that.
Laimbeer: I don’t really pay attention to how they’re doing. Have they made the playoffs the last few years?
Kravitz: Uhh, I don’t believe so, I’ll have to check the books on that one.
Laimbeer: That’d drive me nuts, boy.
Kravitz: Not making the playoffs?
Laimbeer: I mean, not competing for the championship and being in the playoffs.
Kravitz: And everyone makes the playoffs.
Laimbeer: I’d probably quit.
It’s refreshing to see Bill with the hands still wrapped and the gloves still on. I think it’s safe to say you wouldn’t see Bird throwing down on some Madden ‘09 if MTV cribs were to stop by Bill’s pad. Gotta respect Lambs dedication to the rivalry.
I wont steal all of ICr’s thunder, so you should click on over and check out the rest of the interview transcript.
Bill Laimbeer - “The era that I grew up was very intense competition,” says Bill Laimbeer. “It was almost hatred of the other team and it still holds to this day on any players of those teams. Your teammates are all that matter and the other team is the enemy. There were some bitter rivalries and some bitter feelings … and I still won’t talk to Larry Bird.”
Isiah Thomas - “It was extremely personal [..] you just wanted to beat the (expletive) out of them, [..]I’ll say hello, but I’ll never be friends with them, [..] there’s no personal dislike. (pause) … We’re Pistons, they’re Celtics”
Chucky Atkins - “The thing about Detroit that separates them from Boston right now is, they’ve been through wars together,” Atkins said. “When it gets tough, they know they can rely on each other. Boston might have a good record, but they haven’t really been in any wars with anyone yet. So that could be the story toward the end of the year.”
Adrian Dantley - “I can see that being a good series,” Dantley said. “And that rivalry happening again.”
