Rick Pitino’s ‘Larry Bird is not walking through that door’ speech is now old enough to drink

On this day, 21 year ago, one of the greatest quotes in sports history happened.

“Larry Bird is not walking through that door, fans. Kevin McHale is not walking through that door, and Robert Parish is not walking through that door. And if you expect them to walk through that door, they’re going to be gray and old. What we are is young, exciting, hardworking, and we’re going to improve. People don’t realize that, and as soon as they realize those three guys are not coming through that door, the better this town will be for all of us because there are young guys in that (locker) room playing their asses off. I wish we had $90 million under the salary cap. I wish we could buy the world. We can’t; the only thing we can do is work hard, and all the negativity that’s in this town sucks. I’ve been around when Jim Rice was booed. I’ve been around when Yastrzemski was booed. And it stinks. It makes the greatest town, greatest city in the world, lousy. The only thing that will turn this around is being upbeat and positive like we are in that locker room ... and if you think I’m going to succumb to negativity, you’re wrong. You’ve got the wrong guy leading this team.With only a young Paul Pierce as the centerpiece for the future in Boston, Rick Pitino was over it during his third season in New England. Boston fans have never been a patient bunch as they were itching for a winner. The Celtics finished that season 35-37, and were last in their division and tenth in the Eastern Conference. Pitino would only last one more season in Boston, but that quote would last forever. 

Today, it turned 21years old and can legally drink. 

We’re old.