INDIANAPOLIS -- A year away from basketball has rejuvenated Larry Bird. Cheap Shoes Free Shipping . Now he wants to win a championship. Bird, the former NBA star who left his job last season after rebuilding the Indiana Pacers and winning the leagues executive of the year award, will be reintroduced to the media Thursday morning as the president of basketball operations. Thats the same job Bird held from 2003-12. "The year off gave me a chance to reflect, to rest, to take care of some health issues and it re-charged me," Bird said in a statement issued by the team. The move is hardly a surprise. He reportedly met earlier this month with Sacramento about becoming that teams general manager and had become a regular in recent weeks as the Pacers held public draft workouts, making his imminent return one of the worst kept secrets in Indy. Following Tuesdays draft workout, general manager Kevin Pritchard even alluded to the fact that Bird appeared on the verge of making a comeback. Donnie Walsh, who preceded Bird as the Pacers top decision-maker then succeeded him last summer as president of basketball operations, will now settle in his new role -- as a team consultant. Walsh had said all along that if, or when, Bird wanted to return, he would gladly step aside. He has. "Hes ready and I couldnt be happier," Walsh said. "I had a great year last year with this team. It is a great group of guys who have the potential for some great things and to remain a part of this, with two people who I love to work with and respect greatly, is very special." Bird has a long track record of success in the NBA. As a player with Boston, he won three championships, three MVP awards, was twice the MVP of the NBA Finals and retired in 1992 as one of the greatest players in league history. In 1997, he returned to the bench this time as coach of the Pacers -- his home state team. He was the 1998 NBA coach of the year and two years later led the Pacers into the franchises only appearance in the NBA Finals. Indiana lost that year to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games, and Bird retired after the season in part because of health problems. Three years later, he came back to the Pacers in a front office job. He and Walsh worked together as a team for five years before Walsh left to join the New York Knicks and Bird took over most of the day-to-day decisions with the Pacers. Under Birds guidance, the Pacers returned to the playoffs in 2011. Birds shrewd moves included a draft-day trade for Roy Hibbert and another draft-day trade for George Hill, the signing of free-agent power forward David West and the selections of Paul George and Lance Stephenson in the 2010 draft. Those five, and Danny Granger, produced the franchises first playoffs series win in seven years last season, and it was those five, without Granger, that pushed Miami to the limit in Indianas first conference finals appearance in nine years. "We are all very happy to have Larry back," team owner Herb Simon said. "Larry had a huge impact on this team and where it is now, so its fitting that he comes back at this time. Donnie has been a friend and a valuable contributor to the franchise and will continue to be both. I wanted him to agree to stay in some capacity as I believe with Larry and Kevin, it gives us three of the best basketball minds in the business." The team will hold a news conference Thursday morning to introduce Bird, who will officially take over July 1. Discount Shoes Online Free Shipping . Once again, the third baseman delivered in a big spot. Ramirez kept up his torrid hitting with a two-run homer to help back Wily Peraltas solid start, and the Brewers extended their winning streak to seven with a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night. Cheap Discount Shoes Online . Burris threw for 247 yards in one half of a game -- on pace for a nearly 500-yard outing -- as the Redblacks downed the woeful Montreal Alouettes 26-10 in CFL pre-season play Friday night at Percival Molson Stadium. http://www.cheapshoesfastshipping.com/ . With the Rangers already leading 2-0, Carey Price was taken down early in the second period of New Yorks 7-2 pounding of the Canadiens in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final on Saturday afternoon.LIVERPOOL, England -- Liverpool completed the signing of England midfielder Adam Lallana from Southampton on Tuesday. Lallana, who is believed to have signed a five-year deal, underwent a medical at Liverpools training ground on Friday after Southampton accepted a reported "Im so excited for the next chapter of my career, coming to a special club like Liverpool," Lallana said in an interview with the official team website. "Im quite humbled and I just cant wait to get started. "Hopefully I can settle in quickly, and I will give it my best throughout the whole time Im here. I hope I can add something to the team and hopefully we can win trophies while Im here, because thats why Im here -- for success." Lallana impressed last season with Southampton, with nine goals and six assists earning him a place on the PFA Premier League Team of the Year. The 26-year-old was also part of Englands World Cup squad and featured in all three matches in Brazil before the disappointing group stage exit. Lallana, who has chosen the No. 20 jersey, will now go on holiday before joining his new teammates for pre-season training in about three weeks. There will be a familiar face around as former Southampton teammate Rickie Lambert was signed by Liverpool last month. "Its great that I can continue my career with him as well. Thats a special moment," Lallana said. "(Its) a massive help. Ive spent the last four or five years with him. "Weve had great careers at Southampton and achieved something special, but were both thoroughly looking forward to the new challenge. Its Rickies boyhood club and a club I cant wait to be a part of." Liiverpool missed out on its first league title in 24 years last season, finishing second to Manchester City by two points following a thrilling finale. Wholesale Shoes China Free Shipping. "Watching the run-in towards the end of last season was unbelievable," Lallana said. "Deep down, I was thinking to myself: hopefully one day Ill be able to play in that team. That dream has become a reality now, so I cant wait for that to get started. Lallana scored 58 goals in 250 appearances during his eight seasons at Southampton, and became club captain in 2012. The fixture list means Lallana and Lambert are likely to make their competitive debuts at home to former club Southampton on the opening day of the season. "It would have been worse if it was at St Marys, Im glad its at Anfield," Lallana said. "But to be lining up against my teammates from last year just had to happen. Its fate. Rickie and I spoke about it, and he said he could have bet his mortgage on it, he knew it was going to happen." Lallana is Brendan Rodgers third signing of the summer after Lambert and Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Emre Can, whose move from Germany will be ratified on Tuesday with the official opening of the transfer window for registrations. "What is apparent about Adam is that his character is on a par with his talent," Rodgers said. "We believe he fits right in with what we are trying to do at Liverpool. Adam is aware there will be great competition for places at this club and he is hungry to improve further." Southampton said it would reinvest the money received for Lallana in its squad for next season. ú25 million ($43 million) bid. 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