The Indiana Pacers franchise turned 40 this past season, so, naturally, some sort of mid-life crisis is always a possibility. Here s hoping it becomes reality. How about this: outlandishly stylish new uniforms to replace the dull ones the Pacers have been wearing since retiring the pinstripes .
.. and Kobe Bryant in one of them?
When it comes to mid-life, this is as gutsy as a professional sports franchise can get. It s the purchase of a souped-up convertible, hairplugs and liposuction all rolled into a single afternoon. Most of us realize such a scenario unfolding in Indianapolis is as likely as Ron Artest running for mayor, and winning.
Team president Larry Bird doesn t strike me as a dice-roller, at least not to this degree. The recent hiring of All-Retread Team member Jim O Brien as head coach serves as all the proof I need. Besides, Bird knows that to bring a megawatt attraction such as Bryant to Small Market, U.
S.A., he would have to ship Jermaine O Neal, Danny Granger and probably no less than two other primary contributors west so that they re within earshot of Jack Nicholson.
To which I say ...
Larry, what s holding you back? It s one thing if the current roster of Pacers is primed for anything better than a No. 6 seed Eastern Conference playoff slot in 2007-08 or had the franchise landed one of the top draft positions and could nab a future superstar such as Greg Oden or Kevin Durant.
But unless O Brien winds up being the reincarnation of Red Auerbach, Indiana will continue to spin its tires with an unaffected odometer reading. The Pacers are marginal. As middle-of-the-road as a yellow stripe.
8 Pacers jersey would be the biggest jump-start a professional sports franchise in this state has ever experienced, and that includes the Colts acquiring All-Pro tailback Eric Dickerson 20 years ago. Only 29 as of this Aug. 23, Bryant is in his prime both as a basketball player and as a draw.
Most the NBA s young demographic adores Bryant. They emulate his moves on the court and his mannerisms off it. They snatch up replicas of Bryant s Lakers jersey and inch forward on their sofa cushions when watching him play on television.
The Pacers need such a magnet as 18,500-seat Conseco Fieldhouse pulled in crowds more in the 13,000-14,000 neighborhood over the latter stages of last season. A nine-time NBA All-Star and twice the league s scoring champion, Bryant would pack the house. Wouldn t matter if Indiana found itself hosting an NBA power like Phoenix or some sad sack like Atlanta or Memphis, 18,500 would fast become the norm rather than the exception.
I read an article recently that named Chicago, Washington and New York in that order as the franchises best equipped to make a trade with Los Angeles for Bryant, who has grown tired of being a one-man wrecking ball for the Lakers due to a suspect supporting cast. Bryant and the word Indiana never appear in the same sentence. After life in the L.
A. pressure-cooker, toiling in the nation s corn belt and working for The Hick from French Lick might serve as culture-shock overload for Bryant. Nonetheless, Bird should at least pick up the phone to see if there is interest on the other line.
Reggie Miller, who is Los Angeles to the core, played all 18 seasons of his NBA career in Indianapolis and loved every minute of it. There s no reason Bryant can t become a Hoosier for four or five. Mike Beas writes for The Herald Bulletin in Anderson, Ind.
Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.
News RSS