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Thread started 09/29/02 5:11pm

mistermaxxx

Magic Johnson into the Hall of Fame:Classic

it truly felt good seeing Magic Johnson going into the Hall of Fame with Larry Bird there&Pat Riley.you know Magic has truly Re-Invented Himself Since He left the Game of Basketball.we always think of Music Artists or Movie Actors&Actress's,Politicians,etc.. when it comes to Re-Invention but Magic has flipped the Script&Been Even More of a Winner over the Past Decade.Magic was the Man on the Court.Him&Bird were the last time for Me that the NBA truly had Battles IMHO.any Magic thoughts?
mistermaxxx
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Reply #1 posted 09/29/02 6:24pm

Nep2nes

I think it's strange that he has survived this long with HIV. I always found it a little weird but I guess being that he is rich he can get the best treatment or something. Which is fucked up.
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Reply #2 posted 09/29/02 6:24pm

Nep2nes

Note: Not that I want him 2 drop dead, I just wish others could get whatever treatment he's getting.
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Reply #3 posted 09/29/02 6:27pm

BattierBeMyDad
dy

avatar

Nep2nes said:

I think it's strange that he has survived this long with HIV. I always found it a little weird but I guess being that he is rich he can get the best treatment or something. Which is fucked up.


It is fucked up, but that's the way it works. Besides, it's not the HIV that kills you, or the AIDS. It's what you get while you have it.

Anyways, back in the early 90s, I guess it was, they had a program where the common folk could get the pricey treatments for free. A friend of my sister-in-law...Clyde, has had AIDS for 10 years now, and gets all of his medicine through that.

Hi, Neppy. wave
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Reply #4 posted 09/29/02 6:39pm

4LOVE

It was nice to see him and bird go in.To me they had the best rivalry in any sport at any time.I loved the championship games between those two.
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Reply #5 posted 09/29/02 6:48pm

BattierBeMyDad
dy

avatar

4LOVE said:

It was nice to see him and bird go in.To me they had the best rivalry in any sport at any time.I loved the championship games between those two.


I never liked either one of 'em too much.

I can't wait til they put Rodman in. lol
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Reply #6 posted 09/29/02 6:52pm

4LOVE

BattierBeMyDaddy said:

4LOVE said:

It was nice to see him and bird go in.To me they had the best rivalry in any sport at any time.I loved the championship games between those two.


I never liked either one of 'em too much.

I can't wait til they put Rodman in. lol


I like Rodman.It will be fun to see his antics when he's inducted biggrin .Do you think Shane will make it to the Hall Of Fame one day? lol
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Reply #7 posted 09/29/02 7:39pm

BattierBeMyDad
dy

avatar

4LOVE said:

BattierBeMyDaddy said:

4LOVE said:

It was nice to see him and bird go in.To me they had the best rivalry in any sport at any time.I loved the championship games between those two.


I never liked either one of 'em too much.

I can't wait til they put Rodman in. lol


I like Rodman.It will be fun to see his antics when he's inducted biggrin .Do you think Shane will make it to the Hall Of Fame one day? lol


Of course he will. evil And he will be the best looking man to ever make it. love
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"I've just had an apostrophe!"
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Reply #8 posted 09/29/02 8:11pm

Supernova

avatar

Nope. It's not always money that makes you live longer with HIV - though it sure as hell helps. There are people who have survived longer than Magic with HIV and don't have nearly the funds.



As far as Magic goes...he's just one of those players that made everyone around him play better if he was on the court. Nobody ever made their teammates play better than a Magic Johnson led-team. Won titles at every level from high school thru the pros. And Magic won pro titles in an era when the competition had much more depth than the last dozen years. Every team the Lakers beat during the 80s had at least two trips to the Finals. The depth of talent was spread out over many teams. The one thing those other teams didn't have was Magic.

Think of this; a 20 year old rookie is asked to fill in in a FINALS game for a player the caliber of Kareem Abdul Jabbar. When Kareem was hurt in the Finals and the 20 year old rookie filled in for him, it was the worst decision that could have been made from the Sixers standpoint. His stat line was 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists. That's a great game for any REAL Center. That's a monster game for ANY rookie filling in for anyone on the road against the opposition in THE FINALS.

He was(is) 6'9", not an ideal height for a point guard. Too tall for most players. But he could handle the ball like no other point guard before or since. His skill level and size allowed him to play every position on the floor and excel at it. He revolutionized the position.

Those no-look passes were a thing of beauty. As an opponent you never knew what Magic was going to do with the ball, pass or score. As a teammate you knew you'd BETTER be ready for a pin-point laser that you may not think he'll get to you. Right between defenders, in a crowd, etc. Those passes that you could only dream of are passes that Magic made on a game by game basis. He dominated games without scoring much sometimes. And when he wanted to take over and score, he'd have games like that night in Philly ... in front of a hostile crowd.

Magic and Bird brought the NBA out of the dark ages of the 70s and into the 80s and made the world take notice of the new breed of basketball players. The Laker/Celtic battles were as good a rivalry as in any sport, and better than most.

I hated the Celtics. And I couldn't stand the weirdness that Kevin McHale ran the court with. He just looked odd and that made me dislike the Celtics more. I hated the team because Red Auerbach was a smirking, smarmy, cigar smoking jackass. I hated the team in general because they had a history of beating the Lakers...until the 1980s. Three Finals appearances against each other...2-1 against the Celtics they go in the Finals.

The 1984 series was a heartbreaker. The first series for the Lakers vs. the Celtics during the Magic era. The one person I never hated on that Celtic team was Larry Bird. I hated on principal because he was a Celtic, but I never truly hated Bird. I FEARED Bird. He was the next best thing to Magic, and Lord, did that guy have game! evil

Yes, Bird is a Hall of Famer, yes, he's received a lot of acclaim over the years, especially during the 80s thru early 90s. But as much acclaim as he has gotten, he's largely forgotten it seems (today) when talking about the great ones. That's a shame.

Watching the Magic/Bird rivalry was a year in and year out thing of beauty. Both of their teams played the game the way it SHOULD be played. Their greatness was elevated because they competed against each other, and like Ali against Frazier/Foreman/Norton (and a couple of others I can't remember at the moment), their legacy is legendary because each player has to have someone to define themselves against. Yes, it's basically apples/oranges, because boxing is an individual sport. Basketball is not. But you get the gist. Without Bird, the Celtics don't become a dynasty during the 80s. Without Magic, the Lakers don't become a dynasty in the 80s. You could say that about one of each players teammates too (it ALWAYS takes two great ones to put together a dynasty), but no one on their teams were their equals.

In 1989 when Magic's hamstring snapped in the Finals against the Detroit, it took the wind out of the Lakers sales because they knew they had no chance without him to complete a 3peat. They knew it, and he KNEW it. He basically through a tantrum on the court about himself because his hammy snapped. That scene is as clear in my mind today as it was 13 years ago. It took him a while to leave the court. He was truly pissed. No Magic. No title. Triple doubles here, 42/15/7 there. That was the end of Showtime. And the beginning of a less spectacular brand of bball in the NBA.

You don't get a nickname like "Magic" for nothing.

Don't you just love Magic, Battier? biggrin
This post not for the wimp contingent. All whiny wusses avert your eyes.
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Reply #9 posted 09/29/02 9:11pm

mistermaxxx

Supernova said:

Nope. It's not always money that makes you live longer with HIV - though it sure as hell helps. There are people who have survived longer than Magic with HIV and don't have nearly the funds.



As far as Magic goes...he's just one of those players that made everyone around him play better if he was on the court. Nobody ever made their teammates play better than a Magic Johnson led-team. Won titles at every level from high school thru the pros. And Magic won pro titles in an era when the competition had much more depth than the last dozen years. Every team the Lakers beat during the 80s had at least two trips to the Finals. The depth of talent was spread out over many teams. The one thing those other teams didn't have was Magic.

Think of this; a 20 year old rookie is asked to fill in in a FINALS game for a player the caliber of Kareem Abdul Jabbar. When Kareem was hurt in the Finals and the 20 year old rookie filled in for him, it was the worst decision that could have been made from the Sixers standpoint. His stat line was 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists. That's a great game for any REAL Center. That's a monster game for ANY rookie filling in for anyone on the road against the opposition in THE FINALS.

He was(is) 6'9", not an ideal height for a point guard. Too tall for most players. But he could handle the ball like no other point guard before or since. His skill level and size allowed him to play every position on the floor and excel at it. He revolutionized the position.

Those no-look passes were a thing of beauty. As an opponent you never knew what Magic was going to do with the ball, pass or score. As a teammate you knew you'd BETTER be ready for a pin-point laser that you may not think he'll get to you. Right between defenders, in a crowd, etc. Those passes that you could only dream of are passes that Magic made on a game by game basis. He dominated games without scoring much sometimes. And when he wanted to take over and score, he'd have games like that night in Philly ... in front of a hostile crowd.

Magic and Bird brought the NBA out of the dark ages of the 70s and into the 80s and made the world take notice of the new breed of basketball players. The Laker/Celtic battles were as good a rivalry as in any sport, and better than most.

I hated the Celtics. And I couldn't stand the weirdness that Kevin McHale ran the court with. He just looked odd and that made me dislike the Celtics more. I hated the team because Red Auerbach was a smirking, smarmy, cigar smoking jackass. I hated the team in general because they had a history of beating the Lakers...until the 1980s. Three Finals appearances against each other...2-1 against the Celtics they go in the Finals.

The 1984 series was a heartbreaker. The first series for the Lakers vs. the Celtics during the Magic era. The one person I never hated on that Celtic team was Larry Bird. I hated on principal because he was a Celtic, but I never truly hated Bird. I FEARED Bird. He was the next best thing to Magic, and Lord, did that guy have game! evil

Yes, Bird is a Hall of Famer, yes, he's received a lot of acclaim over the years, especially during the 80s thru early 90s. But as much acclaim as he has gotten, he's largely forgotten it seems (today) when talking about the great ones. That's a shame.

Watching the Magic/Bird rivalry was a year in and year out thing of beauty. Both of their teams played the game the way it SHOULD be played. Their greatness was elevated because they competed against each other, and like Ali against Frazier/Foreman/Norton (and a couple of others I can't remember at the moment), their legacy is legendary because each player has to have someone to define themselves against. Yes, it's basically apples/oranges, because boxing is an individual sport. Basketball is not. But you get the gist. Without Bird, the Celtics don't become a dynasty during the 80s. Without Magic, the Lakers don't become a dynasty in the 80s. You could say that about one of each players teammates too (it ALWAYS takes two great ones to put together a dynasty), but no one on their teams were their equals.

In 1989 when Magic's hamstring snapped in the Finals against the Detroit, it took the wind out of the Lakers sales because they knew they had no chance without him to complete a 3peat. They knew it, and he KNEW it. He basically through a tantrum on the court about himself because his hammy snapped. That scene is as clear in my mind today as it was 13 years ago. It took him a while to leave the court. He was truly pissed. No Magic. No title. Triple doubles here, 42/15/7 there. That was the end of Showtime. And the beginning of a less spectacular brand of bball in the NBA.

You don't get a nickname like "Magic" for nothing.

Don't you just love Magic, Battier? biggrin
DIG That 1!
mistermaxxx
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Reply #10 posted 09/29/02 9:18pm

4LOVE

Supernova said:

Nope. It's not always money that makes you live longer with HIV - though it sure as hell helps. There are people who have survived longer than Magic with HIV and don't have nearly the funds.



As far as Magic goes...he's just one of those players that made everyone around him play better if he was on the court. Nobody ever made their teammates play better than a Magic Johnson led-team. Won titles at every level from high school thru the pros. And Magic won pro titles in an era when the competition had much more depth than the last dozen years. Every team the Lakers beat during the 80s had at least two trips to the Finals. The depth of talent was spread out over many teams. The one thing those other teams didn't have was Magic.

Think of this; a 20 year old rookie is asked to fill in in a FINALS game for a player the caliber of Kareem Abdul Jabbar. When Kareem was hurt in the Finals and the 20 year old rookie filled in for him, it was the worst decision that could have been made from the Sixers standpoint. His stat line was 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists. That's a great game for any REAL Center. That's a monster game for ANY rookie filling in for anyone on the road against the opposition in THE FINALS.

He was(is) 6'9", not an ideal height for a point guard. Too tall for most players. But he could handle the ball like no other point guard before or since. His skill level and size allowed him to play every position on the floor and excel at it. He revolutionized the position.

Those no-look passes were a thing of beauty. As an opponent you never knew what Magic was going to do with the ball, pass or score. As a teammate you knew you'd BETTER be ready for a pin-point laser that you may not think he'll get to you. Right between defenders, in a crowd, etc. Those passes that you could only dream of are passes that Magic made on a game by game basis. He dominated games without scoring much sometimes. And when he wanted to take over and score, he'd have games like that night in Philly ... in front of a hostile crowd.

Magic and Bird brought the NBA out of the dark ages of the 70s and into the 80s and made the world take notice of the new breed of basketball players. The Laker/Celtic battles were as good a rivalry as in any sport, and better than most.

I hated the Celtics. And I couldn't stand the weirdness that Kevin McHale ran the court with. He just looked odd and that made me dislike the Celtics more. I hated the team because Red Auerbach was a smirking, smarmy, cigar smoking jackass. I hated the team in general because they had a history of beating the Lakers...until the 1980s. Three Finals appearances against each other...2-1 against the Celtics they go in the Finals.

The 1984 series was a heartbreaker. The first series for the Lakers vs. the Celtics during the Magic era. The one person I never hated on that Celtic team was Larry Bird. I hated on principal because he was a Celtic, but I never truly hated Bird. I FEARED Bird. He was the next best thing to Magic, and Lord, did that guy have game! evil

Yes, Bird is a Hall of Famer, yes, he's received a lot of acclaim over the years, especially during the 80s thru early 90s. But as much acclaim as he has gotten, he's largely forgotten it seems (today) when talking about the great ones. That's a shame.

Watching the Magic/Bird rivalry was a year in and year out thing of beauty. Both of their teams played the game the way it SHOULD be played. Their greatness was elevated because they competed against each other, and like Ali against Frazier/Foreman/Norton (and a couple of others I can't remember at the moment), their legacy is legendary because each player has to have someone to define themselves against. Yes, it's basically apples/oranges, because boxing is an individual sport. Basketball is not. But you get the gist. Without Bird, the Celtics don't become a dynasty during the 80s. Without Magic, the Lakers don't become a dynasty in the 80s. You could say that about one of each players teammates too (it ALWAYS takes two great ones to put together a dynasty), but no one on their teams were their equals.

In 1989 when Magic's hamstring snapped in the Finals against the Detroit, it took the wind out of the Lakers sales because they knew they had no chance without him to complete a 3peat. They knew it, and he KNEW it. He basically through a tantrum on the court about himself because his hammy snapped. That scene is as clear in my mind today as it was 13 years ago. It took him a while to leave the court. He was truly pissed. No Magic. No title. Triple doubles here, 42/15/7 there. That was the end of Showtime. And the beginning of a less spectacular brand of bball in the NBA.

You don't get a nickname like "Magic" for nothing.

Don't you just love Magic, Battier? biggrin


Supernova love You broke down a whole career perfectly.
You definitely know your shit about basketball.
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Reply #11 posted 09/29/02 9:41pm

Moonbeam

The day I care about the Hall of Fame is the day that Adrian Dantley is inducted.
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Reply #12 posted 09/29/02 9:50pm

MostBeautifulG
rlNTheWorld

Larry Bird - Another great product of Indiana... big grin
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Reply #13 posted 09/29/02 10:07pm

Supernova

avatar

Moonbeam said:

The day I care about the Hall of Fame is the day that Adrian Dantley is inducted.

We know how much you love Magic, Moonie. biggrin
This post not for the wimp contingent. All whiny wusses avert your eyes.
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Reply #14 posted 09/29/02 10:08pm

Moonbeam

Supernova said:

Moonbeam said:

The day I care about the Hall of Fame is the day that Adrian Dantley is inducted.

We know how much you love Magic, Moonie. biggrin


I actually do like Magic, a lot! He added so much to the game and truly transcended the sport. He belongs there! A.D. was once a Laker too, you know...wink
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Reply #15 posted 09/29/02 10:23pm

Supernova

avatar

Moonbeam said:

Supernova said:

Moonbeam said:

The day I care about the Hall of Fame is the day that Adrian Dantley is inducted.

We know how much you love Magic, Moonie. biggrin


I actually do like Magic, a lot! He added so much to the game and truly transcended the sport. He belongs there! A.D. was once a Laker too, you know...wink

eek

This has truly been removed from my memory. What year(s) was this?
This post not for the wimp contingent. All whiny wusses avert your eyes.
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Reply #16 posted 09/29/02 10:28pm

Moonbeam

Supernova said:

Moonbeam said:

Supernova said:

Moonbeam said:

The day I care about the Hall of Fame is the day that Adrian Dantley is inducted.

We know how much you love Magic, Moonie. biggrin


I actually do like Magic, a lot! He added so much to the game and truly transcended the sport. He belongs there! A.D. was once a Laker too, you know...wink

eek

This has truly been removed from my memory. What year(s) was this?


He played for them during the latter part of the 1977-78 season and during the 1978-79 campaign.
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Reply #17 posted 09/29/02 10:40pm

Supernova

avatar

Moonbeam said:

Supernova said:

Moonbeam said:

Supernova said:

Moonbeam said:

The day I care about the Hall of Fame is the day that Adrian Dantley is inducted.

We know how much you love Magic, Moonie. biggrin


I actually do like Magic, a lot! He added so much to the game and truly transcended the sport. He belongs there! A.D. was once a Laker too, you know...wink

eek

This has truly been removed from my memory. What year(s) was this?


He played for them during the latter part of the 1977-78 season and during the 1978-79 campaign.

Ahhh. OK, when Kareem was there for only a couple of seasons after coming from the Milwaukee Bucks.
This post not for the wimp contingent. All whiny wusses avert your eyes.
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Reply #18 posted 09/29/02 10:47pm

Moonbeam

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Reply #19 posted 09/29/02 11:06pm

Supernova

avatar

Moonbeam said:

http://www.nba.com/history/players/dantley_bio.html

This is just another instance of how Hall of Fame institutions can be run by politics. His stats seem to appear to me to be the type that he should be in already. 'Sup with that? evil
This post not for the wimp contingent. All whiny wusses avert your eyes.
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Reply #20 posted 09/29/02 11:08pm

Moonbeam

Supernova said:

Moonbeam said:

http://www.nba.com/history/players/dantley_bio.html

This is just another instance of how Hall of Fame institutions can be run by politics. His stats seem to appear to me to be the type that he should be in already. 'Sup with that? evil


Tell me about it... cry He is my hero- he means as much to me as Prince does, and his lack of inclusion is a CRIME. I think the fact remains that he never won a championship, had his best years in a small market, and was not a "showman." He simply came to work and do well. That he did. Check out www.fans4dantley.org if you are interested. biggrin
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Reply #21 posted 09/29/02 11:24pm

Supernova

avatar

Moonbeam said:

Supernova said:

Moonbeam said:

http://www.nba.com/history/players/dantley_bio.html

This is just another instance of how Hall of Fame institutions can be run by politics. His stats seem to appear to me to be the type that he should be in already. 'Sup with that? evil


Tell me about it... cry He is my hero- he means as much to me as Prince does, and his lack of inclusion is a CRIME. I think the fact remains that he never won a championship, had his best years in a small market, and was not a "showman." He simply came to work and do well. That he did. Check out www.fans4dantley.org if you are interested. biggrin

It does seem that championships help players get into the Hall in all the three major sports. And I don't think it's a good reason to keep those out that never won one. As much as I dislike Karl Malone the fact that he hasn't won a title wouldn't keep me from putting him in if I could make that decision. Charles Barkley never won one either, but I'd put him in in a heartbeat. Ultimately you have to have at least solid talent surrounding you to win it all. No matter how great you are as a player, your teammates potential with you on the team is important. It's a team game, after all. Their potential has to be there too. And as a player you can't control what moves a front office makes.
This post not for the wimp contingent. All whiny wusses avert your eyes.
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Reply #22 posted 09/30/02 12:29am

Moonbeam

Supernova said:

Moonbeam said:

Supernova said:

Moonbeam said:

http://www.nba.com/history/players/dantley_bio.html

This is just another instance of how Hall of Fame institutions can be run by politics. His stats seem to appear to me to be the type that he should be in already. 'Sup with that? evil


Tell me about it... cry He is my hero- he means as much to me as Prince does, and his lack of inclusion is a CRIME. I think the fact remains that he never won a championship, had his best years in a small market, and was not a "showman." He simply came to work and do well. That he did. Check out www.fans4dantley.org if you are interested. biggrin

It does seem that championships help players get into the Hall in all the three major sports. And I don't think it's a good reason to keep those out that never won one. As much as I dislike Karl Malone the fact that he hasn't won a title wouldn't keep me from putting him in if I could make that decision. Charles Barkley never won one either, but I'd put him in in a heartbeat. Ultimately you have to have at least solid talent surrounding you to win it all. No matter how great you are as a player, your teammates potential with you on the team is important. It's a team game, after all. Their potential has to be there too. And as a player you can't control what moves a front office makes.


I fully agree! In the 1988-89 campaign, Adrian began the season with the Detroit Pistons. He had become a crucial part of the team (the leading scorer) and was adored by all of his teammates other than Isiah Thomas. Halfway through the season, Detroit was clearly the best team in the league. However, they traded my hero away to Dallas for Mark Aguirre. I was BROKEN. In any case, Adrian was also very upset about the move, and didn't even leave for Dallas for an entire week. The Pistons went on to win the championship, and Adrian played for only one more full season. It was truly tragic, and I haven't fully forgiven the Pistons.
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Reply #23 posted 09/30/02 7:02pm

mistermaxxx

Moonbeam said:

Supernova said:

Moonbeam said:

Supernova said:

Moonbeam said:

http://www.nba.com/history/players/dantley_bio.html

This is just another instance of how Hall of Fame institutions can be run by politics. His stats seem to appear to me to be the type that he should be in already. 'Sup with that? evil


Tell me about it... cry He is my hero- he means as much to me as Prince does, and his lack of inclusion is a CRIME. I think the fact remains that he never won a championship, had his best years in a small market, and was not a "showman." He simply came to work and do well. That he did. Check out www.fans4dantley.org if you are interested. biggrin

It does seem that championships help players get into the Hall in all the three major sports. And I don't think it's a good reason to keep those out that never won one. As much as I dislike Karl Malone the fact that he hasn't won a title wouldn't keep me from putting him in if I could make that decision. Charles Barkley never won one either, but I'd put him in in a heartbeat. Ultimately you have to have at least solid talent surrounding you to win it all. No matter how great you are as a player, your teammates potential with you on the team is important. It's a team game, after all. Their potential has to be there too. And as a player you can't control what moves a front office makes.


I fully agree! In the 1988-89 campaign, Adrian began the season with the Detroit Pistons. He had become a crucial part of the team (the leading scorer) and was adored by all of his teammates other than Isiah Thomas. Halfway through the season, Detroit was clearly the best team in the league. However, they traded my hero away to Dallas for Mark Aguirre. I was BROKEN. In any case, Adrian was also very upset about the move, and didn't even leave for Dallas for an entire week. The Pistons went on to win the championship, and Adrian played for only one more full season. It was truly tragic, and I haven't fully forgiven the Pistons.
Isiah:I think alot of Him as a Player but He made so many Enemies including Michael Jordan back in the day which Cost Him a Spot on the Original "DREAM-TEAM".Isiah still burns bridges just the past year Jalen Rose.I like His Fight,Drive&Will but His Ego sometimes got the better of Him IMHO.Adrian should be in the Hall just as Bob Mcadoo should have been on the top 50 All-time IMHO.but Politics always gets in the way.as far as Winning Rings: it's all Selective.if folks went by Winning then Bill Russell would be a Statue at every NBA Building but He barely gets half His Due IMHO.take Jordan for instance: He has Won one more Ring than Magic buy you'd think it was 11 more.he power of Media,Hype&the Powers that Be "Pimping" Product.
mistermaxxx
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Reply #24 posted 09/30/02 8:39pm

Moonbeam

That "top 50" was a FARSE! Shaq was in there after FOUR YEARS, but no A.D.? No Bernard King? No Bob McAdoo? It WAS ridiculous!
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Reply #25 posted 09/30/02 8:42pm

Supernova

avatar

It really was at that time. They put Shaq on due to potential. Even I complained about it. But with what he's done within the last 3 or 4 years nobody in their right mind would deny it. He's proven to be at least in the top 10 among Centers of all time already if you ask me.

Oh, Russell doesn't have a statue because he didn't play in the ESPN generation. And having said that, if he had he wouldn't have 11 titles either. But that's a whole other issue.
This post not for the wimp contingent. All whiny wusses avert your eyes.
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Reply #26 posted 10/01/02 1:36pm

mltijchr

avatar

Magic is so deserving of this, it hardly seems to do his career justice.

In my opinion, he's the greatest basketball player ever.

I know a lot of people would say Jordan, but Magic made more of his teammates better, & Jordan never played center in the NBA finals & led his team to victory. Magic could literally do it all on the basketball court & as great as he was, he still worked hard to do better.


I loved how Larry Bird presented him. Truly Magic wouldn't have been as great as he was without Larry (& vice versa.) Those 2 really brought out the best in each other. I
REALLY HATED
Bird & the Celtics then, but I respect Bird now, he really was a great player too. Maybe the purest, most clutch shooter ever.


Much props, love & respect to Earvin "Magic" Johnson.
I'll see you tonight..
in ALL MY DREAMS..
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Reply #27 posted 10/01/02 8:30pm

mistermaxxx

Supernova said:

It really was at that time. They put Shaq on due to potential. Even I complained about it. But with what he's done within the last 3 or 4 years nobody in their right mind would deny it. He's proven to be at least in the top 10 among Centers of all time already if you ask me.

Oh, Russell doesn't have a statue because he didn't play in the ESPN generation. And having said that, if he had he wouldn't have 11 titles either. But that's a whole other issue.
you were on Point with all your Basketball Statements until you made that Remark about Bil Russell: time for me to give you a Fred Sanford:Are You Crazy? Russell time Out.you are Right He would have More.Russell Played Defense Versus the Greatest Player Ever in Wilt Chamberlin&the Guy truly made others Around Him Better.put it like this with Russell you are getting Better Defense than anything from the Center Spot Ever from anyone.also remember Defense Wins Championships.Russell Won as a Coach&as a Player you can't even Touch what that Man has Accomplished IMHO.Shaq is in the Top 4 All-Time as a Center up there with Wilt,Russell,Kareem,.BTW Bill Russell Picked Shaq on the Top 50 All-Time.Shaq was His First Pick BTW.anyway Bill Russell is Timeless Period.let Russell&His Celtics from the 60's Play over the Past 15 Years& I Easily see 10-12 Titles.they wouldn't be the Most Talented Team overall not to Win like Portland has over the past 15 Years.Russell Made Everybody on His Team Great Period.Ted WIlliams was a Badd Ass Baseball Player but if Russell was White the Cat would have the City Re-Named Russell-Boston, Mass.His Feats are Outta this World.I Know Older Cats who Grew up during that Era&would Laugh at anyone Doubting the Greatness of Bill Russell on the Court in Any Era.and one day Shaq will Be Considered The Greatest&Kobe Right after Him they are a Scary Duet but there Team isn't Great but Good Enough for what's out nowadays to Stack up on Rings.
mistermaxxx
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Reply #28 posted 10/01/02 8:36pm

mistermaxxx

mltijchr said:

Magic is so deserving of this, it hardly seems to do his career justice.

In my opinion, he's the greatest basketball player ever.

I know a lot of people would say Jordan, but Magic made more of his teammates better, & Jordan never played center in the NBA finals & led his team to victory. Magic could literally do it all on the basketball court & as great as he was, he still worked hard to do better.


I loved how Larry Bird presented him. Truly Magic wouldn't have been as great as he was without Larry (& vice versa.) Those 2 really brought out the best in each other. I
REALLY HATED
Bird & the Celtics then, but I respect Bird now, he really was a great player too. Maybe the purest, most clutch shooter ever.


Much props, love & respect to Earvin "Magic" Johnson.
Magic was My Favorite from the 80's but Bird was a Better Player Overall IMHO.Couldn't stand the Celtics but I Give Mchale Props He earned His Spot from 6th Man to Top 50 All-Time.Parrish Held His Own as well.Magic easily over Jordan because just on Playing in a Tougher League.when Magic won Rings it was a Far TOugher League.Jordan Won in a More Watered Down Era IMHO.not taking anything from his game but Magic did far more.Jordan was given the Mantile without even Winning back in 89.Isiah Thomas didn't get Hardly a Mention despite 3 Straight Times to the Show&winning back to back when it wasn't the Norm.Jordan while a Great Player is also a Product of Commericialism that Blew Him Up even further along the lines of Sugar Ray Leonard&OJ Simpson.
mistermaxxx
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Reply #29 posted 10/01/02 9:17pm

Supernova

avatar

mistermaxxx said:

let Russell&His Celtics from the 60's Play over the Past 15 Years& I Easily see 10-12 Titles.

I'm sorry, if you easily see that from ANY team (in this case Russell's Celtics) over the past 15 years you should be in the market for bifocals (no offense intended).

Russell's accomplishments are not lost on me at all. But no team of the free agent era has ever, or WILL ever win 12 titles in a 15 year span. Russell did not win those titles in a free agent era, so it's a clear bananas/watermelons conjecture/comparison to make. You have no example to back you up, simply because nothing close like it ever happened with the advent of free agency. There is no precedence, and until there is in a free agent era it's purely conjecture and nothing else.

Player turnover because of more money dangling in front of players' faces is so drastic comparative to Russell's heyday that it's not reasonable to even think such a thing. What Russell did will never be accomplished in any sport that has free agency. He didn't have to deal with that. The NBA prior to the advent of free agency and the NBA of the free agent era are entirely DIFFERENT beasts. You don't win a string of titles with high player turnover on a year by year basis at the rate of 10-12 titles within a 15 year span now. Come on, Maxxx, anyone who believes players coming and going as they do now wouldn't hurt a team in a quest for 10-12 titles in a span of 15 years is fooling themselves.

Oh, the ESPN remark is a reflection of the sports media climate way more than a reflection of Russell.
[This message was edited Tue Oct 1 21:20:02 PDT 2002 by Supernova]
This post not for the wimp contingent. All whiny wusses avert your eyes.
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Forums > General Discussion > Magic Johnson into the Hall of Fame:Classic