Pacers/Bulls Jordan/Bird

[jumpshot@nobbys.net.au (Karen J Davies)]

>
>Did you actually see the Pacers/bulls series? The bulls were essentially
>given free rein, Pippen was allowed to mug Mark Jackson at every
>opportuinity, but if anyone so much as breathed on Jordan it was a foul. How
>about Ron Harper on Reggie Miller? Someone, I think it was Doug Collins of
>all people, saw Harper grab Miller(for the umptienth time) and he said
>essentially(I don't remember his exact statement) "how can the refs allow
>Harper to defend Miller like that? You can't let any player guard an
>established scoring star like that. the Pacer's can't win like that".

I only saw the last two games in full, the rest in highlight.  And I did see
Pip abusinng Jackson, which turned at least one game for them.  But after
that, after Larry spat about it (he was a little more clever about his
"tirade" managinf to avoid a fine...) the refs made the calls.  Miller got
away with a pretty decent push off on God himself to win a game you know....

The Bulls won the series because of their control of the glass.  Larry even
said b4 game 1 even started "the team wins will win on the boards".  the man
is a hoop God.

>> But anyway you look at it - Jordan is not overrated on the court and he is
>> certainly worth to the Bulls and the NBA every cent he recieves.
>
>I would go so far as to say Jordan is merely a media creation. Even
>statistically Larry Bird beat Jordan out(and Larry had just as many clutch
>plays). Larry may not have as many titles but, to beat the dead horse, how
>many times did Jordan beat the 80's celtics or lakers? And does anyone
>really think today's,or even a few years ago's, bulls could beat either
>team?

This is a rather strange position for me to be in.  My wife is always
complaining about my Larry one-side-ness.  I am a Celtic fan who grew up in
the 80's....  I believe that the 85/6 Celts were the greatest team in hoop
history full stop.  Larry is the greatest player at his position to play the
game.  Jordan just seems to have managed to find an era for himself where
there is nobody else to be his nemesis.  There is no one player out there
who can consistantly match his talent and drive to win.  Bird had Magic.

>> Does any man DESERVE that sort of money for being able to drop a pumped up
>> bit of leather through an iron ring?
>
>That I'll dispute. The players deserve at least what their getting. How many
>games do you go to see in order to watch Paul Gaston?

I was talking about the amount of money a person recieves as compared to the
contribution they make to society as a whole.  That is what I meant by
DESERVE.  Up above I said that Jordan is worth every cent he gets to the
NBA/owners/businesses etc, from a purely fiscal viewpoint.  The amount of
money Jordan or any of these pro athletes recieves for playing a SPORT is
not deserved. There are many people out there that save lives/teach/create
etc etc   

I HATE the business side of basketball with a passion, and wish the whole
thing would just go away......

:)

JD
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Karen J Davies   )         PO Box 376          (          Jeremy Davies
Sports Journalism)      Cessnock NSW 2325      (     Writer-in-progress
& Photographics  )          AUSTRALIA          (Fantasy, horror, sci-fi
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