MJ sells out players with hard-line stance

[stb]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/Michael-Jordan-siding-with-David-Stern-in-NBA-lockout-a-selfish-betrayal-110411?utm_source=bleacherreport.com&utm_medium=referral

[greenpride32]

Uh I stopped reading when the author decided to make it a race issue.  I should have known better than to keep reading after the first sentence.  The article should be re-titled "MJ sells out African American players".

[Donoghus]

Whitlock is a joke.  Has been for years.

Take anything he writes with a pillar of salt.

[Celtics4ever]

I too have ready not just this article about MJ being a big force in hard line demands.  His team is one of the one's losing money and he is protecting his interest as an owner.   I hated him as a player but even I can understand this motivation to protect his investment. 

Too bad that he is a former player.  He is an owner now so deal with it.

[Roy H.]

Terrible argument, in my mind.  There are lots of reasons to disagree with the owners, but the argument that Jordan should somehow compromise his position because he's a role model to black athletes isn't one of them.

[Finkelskyhook]

I think Whitlock is the speechwriter for Obama's teleprompter.

Owners are greedy.  Poor players struggling to get their "fair share". 

Same drivel

[nickagneta]

Interspersed with the racial drivel are a few gems:

With Kwame Brown and Adam Morrison on his resume, Jordan is arguably the most incompetent NBA executive working today. He wants the current players to pay for his incompetence. This is ego and arrogance run amok.

But Jordan is not a giver. He’s a bloodthirsty competitor..... bitter that the current players — even the mediocre ones — can earn way more than he did in all but two years of his career.

I fully comprehend the shortcomings of modern-day pro athletes, but I do not understand the outright hatred of them. They don’t deserve it. Save the venom for a hypocrite sellout who can easily betray the very people who made him a billionaire global icon.

[Chris]

Interspersed with the racial drivel are a few gems:

With Kwame Brown and Adam Morrison on his resume, Jordan is arguably the most incompetent NBA executive working today. He wants the current players to pay for his incompetence. This is ego and arrogance run amok.

But Jordan is not a giver. He’s a bloodthirsty competitor..... bitter that the current players — even the mediocre ones — can earn way more than he did in all but two years of his career.

I fully comprehend the shortcomings of modern-day pro athletes, but I do not understand the outright hatred of them. They don’t deserve it. Save the venom for a hypocrite sellout who can easily betray the very people who made him a billionaire global icon.

I agree with one part of those.  Jordan is a bloodthirsty competitor.  While money plays a role here, I think the biggest reason he is such a hard line guy is that he is the type of guy who not only always NEEDS to win, but he always wants to crush his opponent.

There is nothing personal here, it is not because he is bitter, it is just that he never was, and never will be the type who knows he has the upper hand, but will give in even the slightest bit.  He will gladly lose money, if it means he can walk out of there knowing that he won.

Whether we have a season or not, might depend on how many other guys in that room have the same mindframe...my guess is not as many as some might think.

[cman88]

maybe Jordan sees that mediocre players are making just as much as he did as a superstar when he played the game just over a decade ago(besides 2 years 96 and 97)

[StartOrien]

I saw that the NBPA retweeted this, which I thought was odd.

[Jon]

Well, as great as Jordan was, it's not like he's been very sharp since his retirement (see Kwame Brown). 

[BASS_THUMPER]

i never saw the big deal bout rockin jordans..

i thought and still think it's kinda dumb buyin $200 shoes to playball on a black top..even indoor cuz fools will go out they way to step on em..

and plus they game was no better cuz of it...



give me sum pro wings and two pair of ankle socks and im good...

[Celtics4ever]

maybe Jordan sees that mediocre players are making just as much as he did as a superstar when he played the game just over a decade ago

I think Jordan made 30 million a few of those years.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jordami01.html

I think Kobe is the only other guy to ever get paid 30 million for a season.

http://www.aolnews.com/2010/04/02/kobe-bryant-to-become-nbas-second-ever-30-million-player/


What I think eats at Jordan is hearing about guys like LeBron being compared to him.  I bet this irks the heck out of him.   Here he is a solid winner and great clutch player argubly the greatest player ever and they are throwing up a choke artist in comparison to him.

It's almost certain he will be just as ruthless as an owner as he was a player.   The man is 48 years old and set in his nature/personality.   Some guys mellow a little but not too much.

Well, as great as Jordan was, it's not like he's been very sharp since his retirement

Don't forget Adam Morrison.   I agree he isn't a good GM but does anyone really think he had a great basketball mind.   I for one do not.   I see him as a confident ruthless cutthroat who had massive will to win coupled with physical talent of the highest caliber.  I don't think he had poor basketball IQ but I don't think he was coach in the making either.

[Finkelskyhook]

Don't forget Adam Morrison. 

I think a lot of people would have struck out on Morrison.  I also think that Jordan saw a lot of himself in Morrison.  The crying episode was probably the best thing that happened to Morrison's status where Jordan was concerned.  He saw a talented guy who hated to lose.

I just see classless people like flame throwers Whitlock, Bryant Gumbel, and the illiterate Jamele Hill....Who love to play the race card..As people say absolutely nothing when they "write" or comment on sports.

This has nothing to do with race.

[Chris]

Don't forget Adam Morrison. 

I think a lot of people would have struck out on Morrison.  I also think that Jordan saw a lot of himself in Morrison.  The crying episode was probably the best thing that happened to Morrison's status where Jordan was concerned.  He saw a talented guy who hated to lose.

I just see classless people like flame throwers Whitlock, Bryant Gumbel, and the illiterate Jamele Hill....Who love to play the race card..As people say absolutely nothing when they "write" or comment on sports.

This has nothing to do with race.

I think he saw a guy that, even if he wasn't great, if he was even decent, he would fill seats in a town that is much more interested in college basketball players than pro basketball players.

Obviously, it was a huge swing and a miss, much like the other guys they drafted because of their college pedigree and their ability to draw Duke/UNC fans to watch the Bobcats play.