Happy Birthday Larry Bird! Plus: the man who asked for a 33-year prison sentence to honor No. 33

Is there a better way to celebrate Larry Bird's birthday than with a Pacers vs. Spurs Saturday-night marquee?

The former Boston Celtics All-Star forward, current Indiana Pacers president, and inspiration behind Twitter's bird logo (seriously) is 57 years old today, but he'll always be No. 33 in our hearts.

In fact, the legend of Bird lives so strongly in Eric Torpy's heart, he asked an Oklahoma judge to add three years to his 30-year prison sentence for armed robbery and two counts of shooting with intent to kill in 2005.

From Stan Grossfeld of the Boston Globe:

The 33 imagery doesn’t end there. Put his arms together and the tattoos on his elbows read “33.’’ He also has a small green shamrock tattooed near his eye.

“I’ll always represent Larry Bird,’’ he says. “He’ll always be on me.’’

Why Bird?

“Larry Bird is a legend,’’ he says. “To me, he supersedes all basketball legends.’’

Before his own 33rd birthday in 2011, the inmate told Grossfeld he wished he hadn't asked for the extra time. 

“I told [the court], ‘Look, you might as well just give me three more and give me a number I like,’ ’’ he told the Globe. “And I’ve always liked Larry Bird. And I’ve always liked the Boston Celtics.’’

[Courtesy: Stan Grossfeld/Boston Globe]

Fittingly, Torpy is not eligible for parole until 2033. He claims he can shoot three's like Bird on the prison's court, but can't make a layup.

[h/t @rich_levine for sharing Florida Man's BFF]