The NBA feared that teams could lose their superstars simply because they could not afford to pay the player's market value without exceeding the salary cap. The NBA figured that it would be better for the popular teams to retain their stars if they so chose, so the "Larry Bird Exception" allows teams to exceed the salary cap, if necessary, to re-sign their own free agents. They could do so by matching offer sheets given to the free agent player by another team or simply giving the player a new contract (up to 6 years). To qualify as a Bird free agent, a player must have played three seasons without being waived or changing teams as a free agent. That is why a player can often get paid more to stay with their current team than they can by changing teams.

It is often mistakenly assumed that the "Larry Bird Exception" was named because the Celtics were the first team to use it in order to resign their superstar. The new salary cap was to go into effect for the 1984-85 season and Bird was a free agent during the 1983 offseason. Though the rule was likely intended to allow the Celtics to re-sign Bird, he actually signed his historic 7 year $12.6 million contract before the salary cap even kicked in. Actually, the Celtics first used this exception after the 1983-84 season to re-sign Cornbread Maxwell to a contract extension. Many teams have used it since. Ironically and interestingly, the Celtics did eventually use the "Larry Bird Exception" on Bird himself when they gave him another contract extension in 1988.

Though players still move from team to team quite a bit, this rule helps allow some players to stay in the same city for long portions of their careers. Many of the free agent players of today can thank the "Larry Bird Exception" when they cash checks that are a little larger. Many of us fans can thank the "Larry Bird Exception" when our favorite player is able to stay with our team a little longer than he might otherwise be able to. And yep, you guessed it, it first happened in the 80s.

That'll do it for this short issue of Kickin' it Old School. Thanks as always for reading. If you are interested in reading any of my other 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column to find any other issues you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the Fan Page where I ask you to then click on the "Like" button. Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. You can also follow Old School on Twitter by clicking on the FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER LOGO also in the upper right hand column. This will take you the page and you can just click on the box that says "Follow". I am sending daily 80s tweets, so sign up to get those. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.

Check this out: It is getting hot out now and a lot of folks are considering buying a swimming pool to keep cool. The little girl on the box seems happy enough, but I thought this was not a particularly desirable option as far as pools go. One of my favorite pool signs says, "We don't swim in your toilet, so please don't pee in our pool." I guess the same could be said for poop, too?!?!

Quote of the day: "All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom; justice; honor; duty; mercy; hope." -Winston Churchill