From: msmiller@Rational.COM (Mark Miller)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro
Subject: Re: Jordan >= Magic && Bird
Date: 27 Aug 92 01:03:23 GMT
Organization: Rational

In article <1992Aug26.124147.2437@brtph560.bnr.ca>, markham@brtph600.bnr.ca (Andrew Markham P205) writes:
|> In article <5598@igor.Rational.COM> msmiller@Rational.COM (Mark Miller) writes:
|> >
|> >It's an insult to a great player that people keep this "Bird would have
|> >been a nobody if he wasn't white" crap going on.
|> >
|> >I look at it this way: if you had to show a 5 second clip to capture the
|> >essence of Bird, Magic, and Jordan the Jordan clip would be a slam,
|> >the Bird and Magic clips would be amazing no-look passes to teammates.
|> >And I think THAT says it all.
|> >
|> >	-MSM
|> 
|> Give me four clips to sum up Michael Jordan...
|> 
|> Clip one:  During a game at Utah, Jordan forces a switch to get Stockton on 
|>     him.  He gets the ball in the post and *BOOM* jams on him.  On his way 
|>     back up the court, a Utah fan is screaming at Jordan, "Why don't you pick 
|>     on somebody your own size!!!"  The next time down the court, Jordan dunks 
|>     on the Utah Jazz center, 7'0" Mel Turpin(?).

Jordan scores.

|> 
|> Clip two:  Jordan goes into the lane looking for a dunk during the Knicks-
|>     Bulls playoff series this year.  On his way up, Ewing and the X-man
|>     both come in to ruin his fun.  Xavier practically cross-body blocks him
|>     and Ewing is hanging on his arm.  Jordan can't finish the dunk but still
|>     manages to drop the ball in the bucket (YESSSSSSS, and it counts).  The
|>     play ends with Ewing and McDaniel both falling to the floor with Jordan
|>     standing over them shouting at them (obviously congratulating them for 
|>     such an effective defensive play ;^)

Jordan scores.

|> Clip three:  Patrick Ewing gets the ball in the low post (some time during 
|>     the mid-80's), turns around for one of his patented baseline jumpers, 
|>     and has Jordan throw his shot into the stands.

Jordan scores.

|> Clip four:  Game One, Championship series vs. the Blazers.  After making
|>     the fifth of his 5 3-pointers during the first half, while heading
|>     up the court Jordan looks at Magic, and simply shrugs his shoulders 
|>     suggesting the quote, "What can I say?"

Jordan scores.

|> Purely poetic.

Yes. And you've helped my case quite nicely too. <g>

|> Obviously everyone has their own opinion about who the greatest player is,
|> and my vote goes to Jordan.

In terms of pure physical skill and the ability to use that skill in
ways no one imagined before - I agree. So does Bird. So does Magic.
As you note:

|> As for quotes, how about these...
|> 
|> Bird, "Michael Jordan is God disguised as a basketball player."
|> 
|> Magic (in response to Arsenio Hall's question, "Who is the greatest 
|> basketball player you have ever seen?"):  "Michael, Michael, Michael."
|> 
|> IMHO, we won't EVER see another Michael, Larry, or Magic (just like we
|> haven't seen another Wilt, Kareem, Oscar R., Jerry W., etc...).

Nope.

But Bird/Magic and Jordan are two very different breeds of cat. For
all the great skills Jordan has, he does not have the playmaking
ability of Bird or Magic. Neither does Sir Charles, or Malone, or
a whole pile of other great players.

	-MSM

________________________________________________________________________
Mark S. Miller                                     msmiller@Rational.COM
"Life is a 4-letter word."                        msmiller@world.std.com
[ insert tedious disclaimer drivel here ]                           IV-Q
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro