Despite Pacers coach and Exec VP Larry Bird stating
Sunday that he could put together a group to buy the
Celtics, Celtics Exec VP, CFO & COO Richard Pond told the
BOSTON GLOBE's Peter May that Celtics Chair Paul Gaston does
not plan to sell the team. Pond: "Paul continues to get a
lot of inquiries. ... But Paul has been consistent in his
position. The team is not for sale." Bird: "The Celtics
are not for sale. I know that" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/22). Pond:
"The only way I could see something happening is if it was
an unbelievable offer. If somebody came to Paul and offered
him half a billion dollars, he'd probably sell the team.
And I'm being serious about that figure. It would take
something like that" (BOSTON HERALD, 2/22). In
Indianapolis, Mark Montieth writes that Bird has "more
interest in owning the Pacers." Bird, referring to the
Pacers and Conseco Fieldhouse: "I'd rather buy this team,
because of this place." Bird, on the chances of either team
being sold: "They won't do it; you can forget it. It's the
same with the Celtics. Gaston won't sell them. I don't
blame them for not selling" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 2/22).
WORD FROM THE BIRD: On Sunday, Bird was quoted as
saying, "What kills me is that [Celtics President and coach
Rick] Pitino is taking all the hits there. Yeah, he's made
some moves that didn't work out. But the reason they're in
the state they're in is because of the owner." Bird said
the team has been a "cash cow" for years (BOSTON GLOBE,
2/20). Pond, on Bird calling the team a "cash cow": "Well,
we lost $10 million last year. I wish he was accurate. I
wish it was a cash cow" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/22). Also in
Boston, Will McDonough wrote that Pitino has four years
remaining on his contract at $7M a year, meaning the team
would have to pay Pitino $28M to buy out his contract.
Pond: "The team is not for sale and we are not buying out
Rick Pitino" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/19).
