Larry Bird ...
 

Happened right down the street in Hartford, CT. The Celtics use to play a few regular season games here each year, when the Hartford Civic Center (now XL Center) had a larger capacity than the old Boston Garden.

Yahoo! Video Detail for Larry Bird hits an incredible behind the backboard shot

I see your point. However, your use of scare quotes calls into question only the existence of such rules, not of the "association" itself. :p