Re: your mail -MJ & Malone

[Sherry & Hart <hartleyo@ix.netcom.com>]

Shawn Roth wrote:
> 
> This lockout has little, if anything to do with MJs salary.  MJ is MJ.  Karl
> Malone is not average superstar (not sure how you could be an average
> superstar).  I'm sure the league will survive without MJ, becuase the NBA has a
> huge marketing department that will push some new star (Garnett, Walker,
> Duncan), but without MJ it does suffer in overall appeal.  I'm pretty sure the
> NBA picked up viewers last year when it might have been MJs last. Oh and by the
> way, Karl has already said he wants twenty mill, regardless of Jordans choice.
> 
> Shawn
> 
I disagree completely. Reinsdorf and the other owners want out of this
situation. Reinsdorf has his championships and wants to go forward and
the bar has been set so high because of MJ's salary the league as a
whole cannot afford to give out salaries approximating 20-30 mill any
more. The small town teams cannot compete. Do you really think Minnesota
can afford to sign a Marbury for 120 mill plus contract and Gugliotta
also. I think not. What a shame that the Minnesota team which could have
been one of the next real good teams cannot akeep this team together and
much of this dilemma started with that outrageous MJ contract. Minnesota
was stuck in a situation that if they did not sign Garnett, he bolts out
of there as a a free agent to sign most likely with Chicago.  Do you
really want to see BB games where there is no competitiveness other than
a few good games on your home schedule year in year out?

I ask you or any on this list the following:
	Who other than Chicago can give Jordan 35-40 Mill a year?
	Who in their right mind will give Malone(35 years old)the contract he
is looking for a 20 mill per season multiple(3)year contract? 
If Jordan plays for Chicago this year it puts Utah under the gun to sign
Malone at his price. If MJ retires(I hope)and Malone will have no chance
to get 20 mill from Utah and attempts to go elsewhere, he will not get
anywhere near that kind of money because of cap restrictions.

Regarding your Superstar query, I have the following opinion.
	Superstars carry and lead their teams to the dance that win
Championships!
	Average Superstars are just good enough to carry and lead their teams
to the dance to play and hope! 
This is not a knock on the Malones, Ewings, Shaq and Robinson's of the
league, it is just that they are not in the same class of MJ, Bird,
Magic, and Isaah's, who all lead their teams to multiple ring
ceremonies. 

Regards,
Hart