Michael Jordan says “the most absurd thing” Rick Barry has ever heard
"I don't understand why Michael would say that."...
Michael Jordan placed himself firmly on the "alpha dogs don't team up with alpha dogs" side of the fence with these recent comments about Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh:
"There's no way that, just hindsight, I would have never called up Larry, called up Magic and said, 'Hey, let's get together and play on one team.' But things are different. I can't say that's a bad thing. I mean, that's an opportunity these kids have today. In all honesty, I was trying to beat those guys. I don't know if they would've been on my team. If they would've been on my team obviously, if you look at the Dream Team, they were on my team and it wasn't too much of a competitive thing."
Another Basketball Hall of Famer, Rick Barry, heard those comments and mildly disagreed. As told to Hartman and Friends on Fox Sports Radio:
"I admire what those guys (James, Wade, and Bosh) did. That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard in my life. Basketball is not about individual accomplishments and how great you are, it's how good the team is. And if you can win championships, that's what it's supposed to be about. The fact that they're all willing to take less money to be a part of that experience, how can you not admire that?"
"Now, do I agree with the way LeBron went about doing it? No, he should have sat down and met (Cavaliers owner) Mr. (Dan) Gilbert and I think he owed them that and I don't think he handled it in the right manner and Mr. Gilbert didn't respond in a very mature manner as well... but I'm all for what those guys did and I don't understand why Michael would say that. I mean, hey, so if that's the case then maybe they should not have brought Scottie Pippen in and then he wouldn't have had any championships."
If there's anything more annoying about this little debate it's the perpetual: "LeBron didn't have the guts to stick it out in Cleveland" vs. "No, LeBron showed guts by sacrificing money and the individual spotlight for Miami."
Both arguments are completely beside the point. If LeBron James is to be judged, it should be by the standard he sets for himself. That standard was "global icon." A standard that is seemingly unattainable based upon "The Decision." If he wins 5 championships in Miami, the "global icon" didn't do it, the Miami trio did. Had he won titles in Cleveland, the "global icon" would have done it.
LeBron changed his career trajectory from a perception standpoint. If he's fine with getting off the "global icon" track, then that should be fine with everyone else (outside of Ohio state lines.)
If he believes he's still headed toward global iconic status, whatever that actually means, he's likely mistaken.
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