Taking Larry Bird to the Hole

I thought I was a sports fan because I sometimes watch SportsCenter back to back. This guy is hard core:

Larry Bird Inspires Man's Longer Jail Term

OKLAHOMA CITY - A man got a prison term longer than prosecutors and defense attorneys had agreed to — all because of Celtics great Larry Bird.

The lawyers reached a plea agreement Tuesday for a 30-year term for a man accused of shooting with an intent to kill and robbery. But Eric James Torpy wanted his prison term to match Bird's jersey number 33.

"He said if he was going to go down, he was going to go down in Larry Bird's jersey," Oklahoma County District Judge Ray Elliott said Wednesday. "We accommodated his request and he was just as happy as he could be.

"I've never seen anything like this in 26 years in the courthouse. But, I know the DA is happy about it."

Bird was one of my faves too,though I was also a big fan of Robert Parish, a former Celtic great and a teammate of Bird. Since Eric James Torpy is already doing a stretch in honor of Bird's jersey, if I were being sentenced I guess I'd have to ask to do Parish's number.

Any Celtic or hoops fans out there who remember what Chief's number was?