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NBA.com reports: Rick Carlisle once called the Indiana Pacers’ head coaching position one of the top jobs in all of sports. He now has that job. On Sept. 2, 2003, Carlisle was named head coach of the Indiana Pacers. Larry Bird, Pacers’ President of Basketball Operations, had his No. 1 pick. “I have a lot of confidence in him,” said Bird. “I feel pretty good about it, there’s no question about that. I know what Rick is capable of doing. I’ve known him since 1985, so in my heart I know he’s the right man. I don’t want to hear all the excuses, I just want to win basketball games. And that’s what he’s got to produce.” So far, so good. So very good. In his first year as Pacers’ coach, Carlisle led the Pacers to the NBA’s best record at 61-21, the most victories in franchise history, the best winning percentage in franchise history and the Central Division championship. Carlisle, who coached his first two years at Detroit, became the first coach since Pat Riley to win 50 games and division championships in his first three seasons as coach. He also led the Pacers to the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals. Carlisle obviously didn’t flinch from the expectations of Bird. A teammate of Bird’s from when they played for the Boston Celtics, Carlisle was also on Bird’s staff when he coached the Pacers from 1997-2000. He knows his boss, he knows his expectations and Carlisle knows his own expectations.