English
Español
There is nothing like a good discussion amongst people when things are civil and both can present coherent and thoughtful views while also being willing to hear what the other has to say, even if you don’t agree with them.
However more often than not these discussions delve into arguments usually with either side digging in to their view and getting nasty and mean and then the insults come out and the name calling starts and next thing you know you are both frustrated.
Even though I am all for a good discussion, there are some arguments that people make that as soon as I hear them I just walk away before I get started because there is no point, since I already know that person isn’t open to hearing any opinion other than the one they just espoused.
So what is one of those arguments I am tired of?
It has to be the basketball G.O.A.T. conversation. In the past 10 years or so there has been a rise to declare LeBron James the G.O.A.T. over the real G.O.A.T. Michael Jordan. I have tried to defend his case but those who think it is LeBron have no desire to listen. So just for the sake of consistency, let me lay it out one more time:
NBA Championships: Jordan is 6-0, LeBron 4-6. Jordan never played a game 7 in a Championship game, which I think is as impressive as anything.
NBA Finals MVPs: Jordan 6, LeBron 4
NBA MVPs: Jordan 5, LeBron 4
NBA Defensive Player of the Year: Jordan 1, LeBron 0
NBA Defensive first team: Jordan 9, LeBron 5
NBA Scoring Champion: Jordan 10, LeBron 1
In these next stats keep in mind that Jordan played 14.5 seasons compared to James 23
NBA All-Stars: Jordan 14, LeBron 22 (though Jordan never pulled out of one hours before tip off preventing a substitution from happening)
NBA All-Star MVP: Jordan 3, LeBron 3
All NBA: Jordan 11 (10 first, 1 second), LeBron 21 (13 first, 4 second, 4 third)
Olympics: Jordan 2 golds in 2 trips, LeBron 3 golds and a Bronze in 4 trips
PPG: Jordan 30.1, Lebron 26.9 (yes LeBron has more points but he also has played 8.5 more seasons)
PPG Playoffs: Jordan 33.4, LeBron 28.4 (Again, I understand LeBron has more points but also played 113 more games than Jordan)
I could keep going but instead I am going to end with this story. I was at the dentist one day. The dental assistant was a Duke fan and she knew I went to UNC. She started talking about how Duke was better and I mentioned how none of Duke’s players were any good in the pros (this was back in the early 2000’s) due to injury or just being bad. Her response was well who does UNC have, Michael Jordan? I thought about this for half a second and just started laughing because not only did UNC have some of the best players in the league at that time with Antwan Jamison, Rasheed Wallace, Jerry Stackhouse, and Vince Carter, but at the same time, even if they didn’t, they still had the Greatest of All Time…Michael Jordan.
Are you a Jordan guy or do you think its LeBron? Are there other arguments you are tired of? Let us know in the comments below.