phunkdaddy said:

Thank you!!!!!

'68 Sixers, '72 Lakers, '83 Sixers, '85 Lakers, '86 Celtics, '87 Lakers > '96 Bulls. The NBA was more physical back in the day, and it wasn't watered-down by expansion.

uPtoWnNY said:

lol.....U guys are funny.
6 titles.....no losses.

I haven't watched a lot of old players like Wilt & Russell, but I will say that over the course of watching Magic, Bird, Dr. J, Kobe, Hakeem, Lebron, etc, that Michael made me say "OH MY GOD!" more than any other player.

Even watching him play as a paraplegic in Washington was a lesson in intelligent (if not athletic) basketball. He found a way to play even though he could not jump anymore. It didn't hurt to watch the same way that Magic's comeback did (though I know I am in the minority with that opinion). I relished every game I saw him play in a Wizards uniform.

NDRU said:

lol.....Magic's comebacks had me closing my eyes half the time.
Thanks 4 the memories.

Graycap23 said:

None of the teams the whiner faced compare to the teams I mentioned.

uPtoWnNY said:

It does NOT take away a single title the Bulls EARNED.
[Edited 9/14/09 11:37am]

Graycap23 said:

Magic's numbers weren't that bad in his comeback, but as you said, it's not always about the numbers.

It just hurt to watch. Seeing him push that ref & get kicked out of a playoff game because he couldn't go coast to coast anymore was just sad.

I thought Mike's Speech was hilarious.

You can see some of the people he was talking about laughing in the crowd. So a lot of people need to shut the fuck up.

Mike Played against some of the greatest players of all time and left them ringless.

Obviously when he was a younger player teams like the Celtics and Pistons whooped his ass, but those loses taught him to play with his team and learn how to win.

To say MJ isn't the greatest because opposing teams didn't play him physically is bullshit. The Pistons and Knicks whooped his ass.

The hand check rules weren't in place then and he still was dropping 60.

Obviously the title of "Greatest of All-Time is subjective". It's all about opinion.

However, in my opinion. Michael Jordan is the Greatest Basketball Player of all-time.

Paris9748430 said:

Co-sign.

There is no "I" in "team" but there is an "I" in "win"

comparing mj to older players is like comparing tiger woods to sam snead or jack nicklaus or saying the williams sisters (in their prime) couldn't beat chris evert---you'll just never know

Russell to Jordan: Game on

Bryon Russell has a message for Michael Jordan: Whenever you’re ready, I’ll be waiting in California – in my basketball shorts.

“I’ll play his a— right now,” Russell told Yahoo! Sports. “This is a call-out for him to come play me. He can come out here in his private jet and come play. He’s got millions of dollars. He can pay for the jet. He can meet me at the Recreation Center in Calabasas.

“We can have Mark Jackson do the commentating. We can have Mitch Richmond do the officiating. We can put it on TV and see if Michael’s still got it.”

Jordan spent much of his enshrinement speech at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame singling out players and coaches who had slighted, criticized or motivated him. Russell merited a special mention.

After Jordan’s first retirement from the NBA, he was playing minor-league baseball and stopped by the Chicago Bulls’ practice facility, where the Utah Jazz were working out. Jordan said Russell, then a rookie with the Jazz, introduced himself and challenged him.

“…At this time I had no thoughts of coming back and playing the game of basketball,” Jordan said during his speech. “Bryon Russell came over to me and said, ‘Why’d you quit? You know I could guard you. If I ever see you in a pair of shorts…’

“When I did come back in 1995 and we played Utah in ’96, I’m at the center circle and Bryon Russell is standing next to me. I said, ‘You remember the [comments] you made in 1994 about, ‘I think I can guard you, I can shut you down, I would love to play against you? Well, you’re about to get your chance.’ ”

When the teams met in the ’98 Finals, Jordan hit his famous championship-clinching shot after knocking Russell backward. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan and point guard John Stockton, who also were being inducted, both shook their heads as Jordan told the story.

“From this day forward,” Jordan said, “if I ever see him in shorts, I’m coming at him.”

Russell said Jordan’s story was accurate and that he was honored, not offended, by his words.

“It was during my rookie year,” Russell said. “He turned to Karl [Malone] and said, ‘Hey Karl, is that your rookie?’ I really did say that to him. Karl was laughing and [Jordan] was laughing, too. …I guess I motivated him to come back. There had to be other reasons. You know he likes all challenges.

“Out of all the people he came across, he thought about me. I’m happy to be in his Hall of Fame speech.”

Russell said “not a single day passes” in which someone doesn’t ask him about Jordan’s shot over him. While playing for the Denver Nuggets, Russell and then-Nuggets interim coach Michael Cooper got in a heated debate about whether Jordan’s shot over Russell or Julius Erving’s famous acrobatic dunk over Cooper was more embarrassing. Looking back, Russell said he wasn’t humiliated to be part of such a historic play.

“To me, that’s the greatest play in basketball history,” Russell said. “It will stay that way because he will always be the greatest player to play the game. I didn’t mind. But the referees didn’t make the call on the push off.

“It’s long done and gone. It was a call that wasn’t made on a play that was great.”

Russell didn’t watch the Hall of Fame induction ceremony live because he was running errands with his 11-year-old son, Brandon, in Calabasas, Calif., but he did record it. After Jordan mentioned him, Russell received a voice message from his old Long Beach State coach, Seth Greenberg. Several other friends and family members also called and sent him text messages. As soon as Russell got home, he rushed to the television to watch Jordan.

Jordan and Russell were teammates with the Washington Wizards during the 2002-03 season, Jordan’s last in the NBA. Russell said Jordan never brought up the story while they were together and they never played one-on-one, either. Russell, now 38, last played in the NBA during the 2005-06 season, but he works out daily and is eager to “guard [Jordan] again and beat him.”

Russell encouraged Jordan to get his phone number from a mutual friend if he’s up for the challenge. Until then, he wants Jordan to know this:

“I keep my basketball shorts on.”

SCNDLS said:

Graycap23 said:

Remind me again what Jordan's record was against the Rockets.

RodeoSchro said:

That would have been a great series vs the Rockets.
I didn't even bother watching the two against the Jazz.
I hated both teams so i watched reruns and i knew how
it would turn out anyway.

RodeoSchro said:

No one could stop Dream, they had some cats to at least TRY to stop Mike (Maxwell, Elie, young Horry)

Graycap23 said:

Mike never won a title without Scottie Pippen. Hell, he never got past the first round without Pippen. When Mike left, Pippen and the Bulls won 54 games, and damn near got the the Conference Finals.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Being that Mike was on a team with cats like Brad Sellers and Dave Corizine before Scottie was drafted. I could see how it's possible that Mike wouldn't be able to get past the first round.

Basketball is a team sport and you need good teammates to be successful.

One of the reasons why Magic had so much success so early is that he already had a Hall of Famer on his team.

Please, stop trying to act like Mike wouldn't have had any rings without Scottie, because Scottie doesn't have any rings without Mike either.

I know Mike's speech may have gotten your little panties in a bunch, but you need to get over it.

Paris9748430 said:

But the Worm got two rings without Mike or Scottie!

jone70 said:

Yup all he had on his squad were 2 bums named Isaiah Thomas and Joe Dumars. Those 2 hacks never amounted to SHIT!!!

Paris9748430 said:

We'll the world will never know. If the BUlls don't trade Pip for Oldyn Polynice, HIStory would have been re-written.

Also, I never cared for Mike (damn good though, just never worshiped him like 95% of basketball fans.) He's not the GOAT though ...

LittleBLUECorvette said:

1. That's your OPINION

2. You're a Rockets fan so I see how you could be a little bitter.

Paris9748430 said:

Bitter about what?

LittleBLUECorvette said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Pippen is highly underrated so U won't get an arguement from me.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

I wonder how many were actually Bulls fans before MJ's arrival. The only thing
worse is the since 2001 Patriot fans.

phunkdaddy said:

...or after.

uPtoWnNY said:

Unfortunamtely not many. I used 2 go 2 games and there would be 4 or 5 thousand fans. U could damn near sit where ever u wanted. Reggie Theus got the bulls going and Jordan just exploded the joint.

uPtoWnNY said:

Being that I was only 1 when Jordan was drafted, I wasn't really thinking about the Bulls.

I'm Chicago born and bred so yes I'm still a huge Bulls fan after Jordan's retirement(s).

I'm not so some bandwagon jumper.

Yes, I became a Bulls fan while Jordan was playing, and young players like Derrick Rose keep me around.
[Edited 9/15/09 13:12pm]

Watching the video & seeing him in tears, I don't exactly feel sorry for him, but it must be hard for athletes who give their lives for the sport and can no longer compete.

At least musicians can still play on a big stage even if they are not what they were.

Is there still that league for seniors? I think Kareem was maybe the one who started it?