Mook vs the Jordan/LeBron debate

Michael Jordan and now Magic have come out and said they would never do what LeBron and Wade have done... of course we didn't need them to say that, we know they never would have. They were fierce competitors.
They were also on good teams. More loyal to their teams. Playing in huge markets. And not very close friends.

This is not the first time a player went to a team to win. Remember Danny Manning?
He led Kansas to the National Championship, as a #6 seed, with no talent around him. He was the first guy who was supposed to be the savior of the Clippers (of course they had the #1 & #3 pick that year - imagine if that was 2003 a team could have had Bron & Bosh or Wade from the get-go!).
He was traded to the Hawks, but then as a free agent signed a one-year deal with the Suns, already a good team(BArkley, KJ, Majerle,Ainge),for just one million dollars. People mocked him then... and worse after he got hurt - but since forgot... especially since they never won...


This article on espn is worth a look. It is very good insight to Jordan... and why people dislike LeBron's choice.

For guys like Jordan & Magic & Bird... it wasn't just about winning, it was aboout being the best... and thus proving themselves... and being a man.

And men like that. We all want to be the best. There is even a book for boys called how to be the best at everything. There is something that resonates with us about "manning up." And winning despite the odds.


But can we blame these kids?
Don't we teach kids to have fun.
Don't tv shows & books - as well as life- tell us: "It doesn't matter what you do, all that matters is who you do it with"?

One of the most interesting comments i saw about LeBron was a reader comment from Bill simmons mailbag (and i'll post it even though it came from Bloomington, In.

City: Bloomington, Ind.
Name: Alan
My wife is a psychologist and after watching the documentary about James' high school years, she is convinced LeBron is trying to recapitulate his high school years with the "five friends" only this time it's with highly paid peers in Miami.

Another wrote
City: St. Cloud, Wis.
Name: Jake
Bill, in your LeBronocalypse column, you said the message LeBron was sending by signing with the Heat was "Help!" Is it possible that this was more about LeBron deciding that what he wanted most was to have fun? Think about it, he never went to college and has been looked upon as a franchise savior since before he was drafted, now he can live in one of most fun cities in America and play ball with two of his best buddies in the league, and he doesn't have to carry the franchise every night...

And this one:
City: Chicago
Name: Ron
I think we're realizing that LeBron was never made up of the same stuff as Kobe or MJ. And the things that we saw him doing in the future were things that we wanted for him, because of his transcendent skills. But in the end, he just didn't want those things. He was abandoned as a kid, if you see his high school documentary, you see all he wants to do is be a part of something, not be something. He just wants to be a part of a group and be wanted. We've just all along wished he was wired for greatness. He's not. And it's a shame.


LeBron (And the other boys) just want to have fun.

They want to win, of course- that's the best way to have fun. But more than just winning, they want to win together and they want to have fun doing it.

In my original LeBron post, i questioned how good of friends they are. It seems like they really are good friends. Then why should we be so bitter about them?

Maybe we should be praising them for valuing fun over winning; praising them for valuing friendships over competition, fame & pride; praising them for putting their values above what everyone else thinks they should do

LeBron wanted to have fun. He wanted to be with his friends. Those are good things.
They just aren't Jordanesque.

Sportsfan have neen looking for the next Jordan for years: Vince Carter, Jerry Stackhouse, Kobe, LeBron...

But if you're LeBron why would you want to be the next Jordan? Wouldn't you want to be the first LeBron?

Many are saying he is now the next Pippen instead of the next Jordan.
i don't think there will be any comparison when his career is done.

What if he can go on to average 20-10-10 and be the defensive player of the year, and win a championship? and what if he does that 3 times?

And LeBron is not afraid of taking the big shot. He has done it, and he has made them. As an 18 year old kid he was leading teams.
Sure this will be Wade's team, but that doesn't mean Wade will always take the last shot. Sometimes it will be Wade, sometimes it will be LeBron. It will never be Chris Bosh.

LeBron doesn't need to be the next Jordan. He can be his own person, and that is why he's doing this.


So, why do we hate him so much? Why do we get so angry?


1st we want that next Jordan. We like cycle. And like i wrote about we want the man's man.


i read another person who compared the Heat signings to kids coming the playground and stacking their team. You know, they miss their free-throw on purpose... or like some of my friends in college, would show up 20 minutes late and even if we hadn't started yet, would just say "Oh we just got here, we got next."

i remember being furious at those guys. They weren't that great- one guy was a Tight End for the Purdue football team, and the other guys good- but you better believe we played our hearts out to beat them.

No one likes it when people stack teams.


And of course, it was all about "The Decision"
If they came out on day 1 of free agency and said we're 90% going to lay with each other in Miami, we just want to consider our options, it would have been better. But they played with people's hearts.
And then LeBron went on air for one hour to announce his decision.

He should have gone to Cleveland management, let them know is intentions. He should have made a small announcement in Akron about his intentions to play with the Heat. He should have been honest. He shouldn't have made such a big deal out of himself.

The Fans were going to be somewhat bitter anyway, but they would have gotten over it more quickly and not have felt so betrayed.


Meanwhile Jordan & Magic should stay out of this.
Jordan and Bird did commercials together and made video games. Bird & Magic had a lot of history together - but are any of these guys friends?
Bird & Magic played on the tow most storied franchises. Michael played in Chicago.
And Jordan doesn't have any friends at all.

Though we all want another Jordan on the court, do we want another Jordan in life? His life is marked by bitterness, greed, pride and foolishness.

Maybe LeBron winds up a better person for this decision.
His legacy was ruined because of the decision, but it can be reconciled, and i think it will.