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[JSD]

What was the initial thought when Bird was drafted with the 6th pick in the 78 draft? What did people think when he elected to play his senior year and not enter the NBA? Was anyone ripping Red at the time?

Also, in the late 1970’s, what was the NBA’s popularity in today’s terms? Was it say, as big as MLS or bigger? Just curious.

[Redz]

I was 10 at the time, but already  a diehard.  Red was pretty much a God like genius who we all trusted implicitly (any shortcomings at the time were dished off on scrappy ownership). Picking Larry was well received as a crafty move.  Then of course we got to kick back and watch proudly as Larry tore it up at Indiana St..  The anticipation for his rookie year was wild and the Celts sold a bunch of tickets.

I'd say the nba has always been bigger than MLS it just was lacking star power and accessibility.  Check, I'd say NASL was more populAr in its prime than MLS .

[JSD]

I was 10 at the time, but already  a diehard.  Red was pretty much a God like genius who we all trusted implicitly (any shortcomings at the time were dished off on scrappy ownership). Picking Larry was well received as a crafty move.  Then of course we got to kick back and watch proudly as Larry tore it up at Indiana St..  The anticipation for his rookie year was wild and the Celts sold a bunch of tickets.

I'd say the nba has always been bigger than MLS it just was lacking star power and accessibility.  Check, I'd say NASL was more populAr in its prime than MLS .

Thanks for the perspective, Redz.

[CelticG1]

What's NASL?

[CelticG1]

Nevermind got it.
haha I was born in 85 caught me slack

[Kuberski33]

If I remember correctly, the feeling was the Celtics were going to draft Freeman Williams out of Portland State who was the leading scorer in the country.  Red pretty much shocked everyone by picking Bird, but it was a very shrewd move, albeit a risky one because Bird was considered a bit of an enigma and people weren't sure he'd even go pro.

The media being what it was back then, you had to be a college hoops junkie to have even heard of Bird, though he was on a Sports Illustrated cover earlier that year.

Red took advantage of a loophole that allowed teams to draft Juniors if, like Bird, they had been forced to sit out a year. In Bird's case because he transferred from Indiana.  Within a year or two of that draft the NBA eliminated the loophole.

The NBA back then was the equivalent of the NHL today, but maybe slightly more popular.  Their TV ratings were horrible and we were forced to listen to..Brent Musberger. 

[Kuberski33]

I'd say the nba has always been bigger than MLS it just was lacking star power and accessibility.  Check, I'd say NASL was more populAr in its prime than MLS .

Gotta disagree with you on NASL.  Pele was in the league and pretty close to still being in his prime, so the Cosmos were huge. The league itself was not popular outside of NY.  MLS is a much more successful league and won't be going away anytime soon.

[Redz]

I'd say the nba has always been bigger than MLS it just was lacking star power and accessibility.  Check, I'd say NASL was more populAr in its prime than MLS .

Gotta disagree with you on NASL.  Pele was in the league and pretty close to still being in his prime, so the Cosmos were huge. The league itself was not popular outside of NY.  MLS is a much more successful league and won't be going away anytime soon.

You're absolutely right with MLS being more popular with soccer fans, but NASL did a decent job initially in bringing in non-soccer fans to watch their games based on that star appeal (Pele).  They just couldn't sustain or build on the momentum. MLS is a far superior league, but it is still a niche.