My Two Cents
By Coup
Before I tear into Jemele Hill, how ridiculous was Sheed’s half-courter to take the Pistons/Nuggets game to OT? I’m sure it will pop up on YouTube (if it hasn’t already) but wow. I do not think any team could recover from their opponent making a shot like that.
It’s amazing on this glorious day that we were handed such stupidity to rip to shreds. Seriously? When I went to ESPN.com and saw the Kobe/MJ split screen (the story has since been downgraded) I almost gagged. Then I saw these words;
“Kobe Bryant is better than Michael Jordan.”
No, no and no. This is my theory and I am sticking to it. Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Magic, Bird, Oscar, Kareem, Wilt. Those are the seven (in my eyes) that can be in the ‘best ever’ argument. Besides that…this is Michael F’n Jordan we are talking about here. He was so good he made Larry Bird state that “There’s Michael Jordan and then there is the rest of us”
Seriously?
She says “Kobe is just as good a defender.”
MJ – Defensive Player of the Year in 1988
Kobe -0-Time Defensive Player of the Year
*ahem*
“At the very least, Kobe’s scoring spree over the last week should put to rest any lingering doubts that he’s the best player in the NBA.”
I’ll throw her a bone here and agree. Right now at this very second he is the best player in the NBA. It could be argued “Oh he was ball hogging, he was this, he was that” hey he still made the shots. He’s scored 40+ in 5 straight games come on now. Dirk will more than likely win the MVP because of their record (and he is playing exceptional). D-Wade, once he becomes a better defender, free throw shooter and gets a more reliable shot, will be the best player in the NBA hands down. But that is for another topic.
“Truthfully, Kobe should have tacked another 50 on Golden State on Sunday night.”
Well he didn’t. The Blazers should have drafted Jordan, the Clippers shouldn’t have drafted Olowkandi and Paris Hilton should have stayed away from video cameras. That hindsight is a SOB huh?
“Even though Kobe has proven himself under pressure countless times, he gets the A-Rod treatment.”
In no way does he get the A-Rod treatment (at least that I know of). A-Rod is someone who has proven to not come through in the clutch. Kobe has time and time again (I have seen it way too many times) most recently in the playoffs against Phoenix. That’s just dumb but I have a feeling it is going to get worse.
“Yesterday’s NBA player certainly was more fundamentally sound, but there’s no question that today’s player is bigger, stronger and faster. When Jordan played, he was a singular force that could not be equaled. Jordan was guarded by the likes of John Starks and Joe Dumars, who were fine players but weren’t nearly as skilled or physically imposing as LeBron, D-Wade, Tracy McGrady or even Vince Carter.”
This is literally the dumbest thing I have ever heard in my life. You’re telling me Vince Carter is more physically imposing than John Starks and Joe Dumars. I love VC…but there is nothing imposing about him. It has been well noted that he is soft. The funny part is, from the four players she named they share one All-Defensive honor. And it comes from D-Wade who was 2nd Team All-Defense in 2005. John Starks by himself had the same honor in 1992-93.
Dumars was on 5 All-Defensive teams, 4 first teams.
Joe Dumars is a Hall of Famer. Last time I checked that is about a million times ahead of “fine”. Wasn’t nearly as skilled? The man was an NBA Finals MVP. He averaged 28 points against the Lakers. That group right there has one Finals MVP in it…Wade. To say that about Joe Dumars is ridiculous.
Also the whole singular force thing; come on now. I guess she forgets how Jordan got man-handeled by the Pistons year after year until, he a) finally got stronger and b) found a way to beat them. Excuse me if I find the Bad Boys 20x more imposing than anything running in the League these days.
Couper already covered it..but to say that Phoenix, Dallas and San Antonio were better than the old Utah, Portland and Phoenix team is just repulsive.
“There are two two-time MVPs in Kobe’s own conference (Duncan, Nash), which is a problem Jordan never faced during his championship runs.”
Yeah…good point. He was too busy being the MVP. And when he didn’t win it he destroyed whoever did (Malone & Barkley). I’m pretty sure Nash won the MVP last year and Kobe responded by crapping the bed in Game 7. Hell of a killer instinct huh Jemele?
She says “Seven-footers weren’t launching 3s back then.” What does that even mean? Seven-footers were too busy doing what they’re supposed to do; post the bleep up and score. She says the Lakers were on a downward spiral
From Wikipedia
88-89; 57-25 (lost the Finals to Detroit)
89-90; 63-19 (lost Conference Semis to Phoenix)
90-91; 58-24 (lost Finals to Chicago)
Hell of a downward slide when the played them huh? While they were falling, Portland was rising as was Utah.
The thing about Kobe is…he is so good that he’s made people almost forget about all the negative things he has done/has been alleged to do. Think about it he didn’t want people calling him a dirty player so he went on an amazing scoring spree. He is that good.
But he will never be Michael Jordan. There will never be another Michael Jordan.
Ever.
As much as I love D-Wade, it even made me sick when they put the split-screen with him and MJ.