Miami

[Michael Gooen <callmebogie@xxxxxxxxx>]

Egg wrote:


<<Speaking of Jordan, I wanted to get back to Jessen, on this.  Be it
ever so trivial.

Michael has given so very much to the NBA, Jessen, so why do you feel 
it is ''disgusting'' or a show of weakness that another team would 
honor him?>>

There's nothing disgusting or weak about honoring Jordan.  I'm sure the
Celtics will give him a piece of the parquet.  I don't think anyone would
have raised an eyebrow had the Heat done something given him a token
representing their tradition (perhaps a tube of hair gel?).  

But mocking up a half-Bulls, half-Wizards jersey and retiring his number
so that no member of the Heat can wear 23?  That's pathetic.  The only
precedent I can recall is Major League Baseball's decision to retire
Jackie Robinson's 42.  As great a player as Jordan has been, there's no
comparison between his athletic achievements and Jackie Robinson's
contribution to the sport and American society.  I think Jordan would
happily acknowledge that.  Yet if the NBA were to make a judgment that
Jordan's greatness merited retiring his number on a league-wide basis,
that wouldn't be nearly as egregious as the Heat's decision to do it
themselves.

<<Sure Miami doesn't have our storied history. They are 15 yrs. old; we 
are 57 yrs. old.>>

Miami doesn't have anyone's storied history.  Can you think of a single
memorable confrontation between the Heat and any Jordan-led team?  I seem
to recall the Bulls sweeping them out of the playoffs once, but that's it.

<<But I feel one is living in the past by smugly jesting at scars that
never felt a wound.  Please don't forget that today is today, and
yesterday was yesterday.  Really, just what has Celtic tradition got to do
with our team's present mediocre status anyway.>>

Don't think this issue has anything to do with _Celtic_ tradition.  But
since you bring it up, I've been a fan for 30 years, and last year's team
had some moments (Antoine's buzzer-beater in LA, Game 5 vs. Philly, and,
of course, The Comeback) that were right up there with anything from the
70s or 80s.  Sure, they've regressed this year, but I'm not giving up on
them.
  
<<While you diss Miami for living vicariously off Jordan's success in the
absence of their own superstars, you still have to wonder if with a 
healthy Alonzo not missing the entire season, with top-scorer Eddie 
Jones not missing about half the season, along with Brian Grant, ROY 
candidate Caron Butler, ace rebounder Stepania, and Coach Riley - 
would ''nouveau'' Miami have actually ended up ahead of us in the 
standings again this season as they have a half-dozen times in 
the past eight seasons.>>

Not a chance -- not with our healthy superstars Pierce and Walker, our
healthy center Battie, our ace sophs Murphy, Jefferson and Parker (who
splits point guard duties with Kenny Anderson), and grizzled veterans Bias
and Lewis.  :-)

Oh, I suppose one could make a case that Miami would be a good team under
those optimal circumstances.  But in real life, they're scraping the
bottom of the NBA barrel.  HAVE A NICE TRIP TO SECAUCUS, GREASEMAN!  MAYBE
YOU CAN GET THE HEAT TO RETIRE MAGIC'S AND KAREEM'S JERSEYS NEXT YEAR TO
ATTRACT SOME LAKER FANS TO ALL THOSE EMPTY SEATS! 
BWAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I apologize for the outburst, but does anyone inspire schadenfreude like
Riley?

Michael Gooen
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