That is the common thread whether or not we wish to state it. And the change has not been for the better. The remarkable double dribbles that pass as fantastic skills. The lousy attitudes and laughable skills. When I think awesome memories I think of The Dr., Oscar Robertson, Earl Monroe, Bing, DeBusher, West, Unsel, Love, Walker, Hawkins, Berry, Hondo, Frazier, the list goes on. The game was different then. The attitude was different, the fans were different. Kobe needs to mature more. The league needs to leave the high schools kids to grow. Mentally and otherwise. We have all been treated to some stellar competitions and players over the years. I count my blessings to have been able to even toe the line with some. For me, today's group of NBA brats are not really worthy of much more than a yawn in comparison.
Hmm, depends on who he did it against. Mike's feats were accomplished night in and night out against the best. All while being double (and sometimes triple) teamed. Many nights while even battling the flu or some other illness. Kobe loses out in the comparison when you call for clutch points too. Game on the line seconds to go, the Lakers are going through Shaq hoping Kobe can create. I've seen him come up short too many times. In Mike's case, we knew, the opposition knew, hell the cars in the parking lot knew who was taking the last shot. And yet through it all, he still scored. The Glove (Payton), one of the top defenders in the league, has defended against them both. Ask him which one he'd rather have to defend against in the last seconds.
Actually, the current incarnation of the Chicago Bulls are the ones suffering through "Rose-colored" passes.
23 As anyone call tell from my tag line, I'm a huge UNC fan. Thus a huge Jordan fan. Excellent work 777! Great Thread!
Jordan leaving Chicago rates as _THE_ saddest and most insanely stupid thing in Chicago sports history. Living about 9 miles from United Center, I have been to UC and watched Jordan on TV more times than I can count. My favorite game of all time is the game vs the Cavs on a Friday night - I think it was 1989-90. This was before the bulls had won their first of 6. The bulls were down like 26 points at the half and had been dragging their feet the whole evening. I remember being exhausted from the work week, and it "felt" like the whole place was the same, players too... It was astonishing what happened next. A few of us got a second wind and started getting pissed at what we were seeing and started chanting "defesense, defense, defense." Michael and Pippen woke up and made a couple of incredible defensive plays. From then on, the the ENTIRE United Center went nuts ON EVERY PLAY FOR WHAT SEEMED LIKE TWO HOURS. The bulls went on to win that game. I was horse for three days straight and my ears were ringing for what seemed like a day. From that day forward, the bulls had a confidence I had never seen in them. They realized just how good they were, and they became a unit unlike I had never seen before. In trading like in basketball, you have to learn not to lose before you can win. "Dea..fense... dea..fense... dea...fense." nitro
2/1/03 WASHINGTON (AP) -- Michael Jordan's season-high 45 points alone weren't enough. He needed help, and he finally got it in the fourth quarter. With starters Jerry Stackhouse and Larry Hughes injured, Jordan carried the Washington Wizards on his shoulders from the opening whistle and rested just four minutes in Saturday night's 109-104 victory over the New Orleans Hornets. "With two key starters out, I had to step my game up early -- just to get some momentum," Jordan said. "My offense ignited everything energy-wise, and the guys fed off me. I was going to try to pull anybody along with me as much as I could. "In the second half, things changed. The first half was me; the second half was everybody." Jordan, who turns 40 this month, was 18-for-33 from the field, 9-for-10 from the free-throw line. His 44 minutes were his most in regulation this season and second only to the 53 he played in a double-overtime game against Indiana. The only time he sat was a four-minute stretch in the second quarter -- the Hornets went on a 14-4 to take their first lead. Nearly 40 years old....played 44 minutes....scores 45 points....un freaking believable!!!