导出博客文章INDIANAPOLIS -- A year away from basketball has rejuvenated Larry Bird.
Lauri Markkanen Jersey . Now he wants to win a championship. Bird, the former NBA star who left his job last season after rebuilding the Indiana Pacers and winning the leagues executive of the year award, will be reintroduced to the media Thursday morning as the president of basketball operations. Thats the same job Bird held from 2003-12. "The year off gave me a chance to reflect, to rest, to take care of some health issues and it re-charged me," Bird said in a statement issued by the team. The move is hardly a surprise. He reportedly met earlier this month with Sacramento about becoming that teams general manager and had become a regular in recent weeks as the Pacers held public draft workouts, making his imminent return one of the worst kept secrets in Indy. Following Tuesdays draft workout, general manager Kevin Pritchard even alluded to the fact that Bird appeared on the verge of making a comeback. Donnie Walsh, who preceded Bird as the Pacers top decision-maker then succeeded him last summer as president of basketball operations, will now settle in his new role -- as a team consultant. Walsh had said all along that if, or when, Bird wanted to return, he would gladly step aside. He has. "Hes ready and I couldnt be happier," Walsh said. "I had a great year last year with this team. It is a great group of guys who have the potential for some great things and to remain a part of this, with two people who I love to work with and respect greatly, is very special." Bird has a long track record of success in the NBA. As a player with Boston, he won three championships, three MVP awards, was twice the MVP of the NBA Finals and retired in 1992 as one of the greatest players in league history. In 1997, he returned to the bench this time as coach of the Pacers -- his home state team. He was the 1998 NBA coach of the year and two years later led the Pacers into the franchises only appearance in the NBA Finals. Indiana lost that year to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games, and Bird retired after the season in part because of health problems. Three years later, he came back to the Pacers in a front office job. He and Walsh worked together as a team for five years before Walsh left to join the New York Knicks and Bird took over most of the day-to-day decisions with the Pacers. Under Birds guidance, the Pacers returned to the playoffs in 2011. Birds shrewd moves included a draft-day trade for Roy Hibbert and another draft-day trade for George Hill, the signing of free-agent power forward David West and the selections of Paul George and Lance Stephenson in the 2010 draft. Those five, and Danny Granger, produced the franchises first playoffs series win in seven years last season, and it was those five, without Granger, that pushed Miami to the limit in Indianas first conference finals appearance in nine years. "We are all very happy to have Larry back," team owner Herb Simon said. "Larry had a huge impact on this team and where it is now, so its fitting that he comes back at this time. Donnie has been a friend and a valuable contributor to the franchise and will continue to be both. I wanted him to agree to stay in some capacity as I believe with Larry and Kevin, it gives us three of the best basketball minds in the business." The team will hold a news conference Thursday morning to introduce Bird, who will officially take over July 1.
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http://www.shopbullsonline.com/Cheap-Denzel-Valentine-Bulls-Jersey/ . LOUIS -- Theres no telling how these wacky World Series games will end.KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- After striking out his first three times, Lorenzo Cain came through in the ninth inning for the Kansas City Royals. Cain hit a tying, two-run homer off Jose Valverde with two outs in the ninth and Eric Hosmer had a winning RBI single in the 10th, helping the Royals rally for a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday. Cain struck out three times against Detroit ace Justin Verlander, who pitched seven scoreless innings. "It was a crazy game from having the hat trick to being able to get a ball out of here was huge," Cain said. "I was glad I was able to get a good pitch and get it over the fence for us to tie the game up." Drew Smyly pitched a one-hit eighth, then allowed a leadoff single in the ninth to Hosmer and was replaced by Valverde. He retired Santiago Perez on a flyout and struck out Billy Butler as Hosmer stole second -- becoming the first Kansas City runner in scoring position. Cain fouled off three pitches, then sent an 85 mph offering over the wall in left-centre. Valverde blew a save for the third time in 12 chances. Cain was not sure it was going to clear the fence. "I put it on the barrel, but after that it was either wind or carry," Cain said. "I thought it was in the gap. I was just blowing for it to go out for me and it did." Verlander did not allow a batter past first base, giving up three singles, striking out eight and walking two in a 117-pitch outing, his second-highest total this season. "It was a tough outing, Verlander being Verlander as usual, dominating," Cain said. "I say continue to battle, got a pitch up, put a nice easy swing on it and it got over the fence." Verlander has a 15-2 record with a 2.56 ERA in 25 starts against the Royals. "It hurts," Verlander said. "Youve got two outs and two strikes, and when the ball leaves the yard, its not a good feeling. It only tied the game, so we immediately need to change our mindset to OK, lets win it. To lose it that way, its a tough pill to swallow. "Losing period stinks. When you lose one thats so close to a win makes it that much more difficult." Greg Holland (2-1) pitched a perfect 10th, striking out Torii Hunter and Miguel Cabrera and retiring Prince Fielder on a lineout, and Miguel Tejada singled off Phil Coke (0-4) leading off the bottom half. Tejada advanced to third on Alcides Escobars sacrifice and Alex Gordons groundout to first, and Hosmer singled tto centre.
Tony Kukoc Jersey. "That was a great win," Hosmer said. "Were down to our last strike with the closer on the mound. Thats just the character of this team. Were not going to give up until the last out is made. "Cain had a day like he did, the first couple of at-bats, strikes out. The way he comes up in the last inning with two strikes, its battling right there." Tigers manager Jim Leylands post-game press conference was brief, lasting 97 seconds. "Verlander showed why hes the horse today," Leyland said. "He was terrific, absolutely terrific. He stepped up today. Thats the way hes been the seven years Ive been here." But the Tigers bullpen remains an Achilles heel with a 4-12 record and eight blown saves. "He (Valverde) got two quick outs and then he hung a splitter," Leyland said. "He left it out over the plate. It didnt split and the kid hit it out. The key was the ninth inning. We got two quick outs and two strikes and the guy hit it out." James Shields, acquired from Tampa Bay in a December trade, allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings for the Royals. He is 0-4 in eight starts since beating the Rays on April 30 despite a 2.64 ERA in that span. Detroit built its lead on Fielders RBI single in the first and consecutive doubles by Matt Tuiasosopo and Brayan Pena in the fifth. Pena, who played the four previous years with Kansas City, has three doubles, two homer and 10 RBIs in his past 16 games. Royals right fielder David Lough robbed Cabrera of a run-producing extra-base hit in the third when he made a diving catch of his liner to the gap with Hunter on first. Lough received a standing ovation from the Kauffman Stadium crowd of 24,564, while Shields tipped his cap and waited for Lough in front of the Royals dugout to congratulate him. "If you rate it a 15 on a 10 (scale), thats how I would rate his catch," Shields said. "Its a very crucial part of the game. Thats going to be up there for catch of the year as far as Im concerned." NOTES: Royals manager Ned Yost will miss the game Thursday at Tampa Bay to attend his daughters wedding. Bench coach Chino Cadahia will manage in Yosts absence. ... Tigers RHP Anibal Sanchez, who sat out his previous start with shoulder tightness, is scheduled to start Saturday at Minnesota. ... The Tigers had three sacrifice bunts, including two by Ramon Santiago. They had only eight in their first 64 games.
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