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GOAT thread
RaceBannon
Member, Swaye's Wigwam Posts: 105,998 
MJ is still pretty much in the wheelhouse of the guy people grew up with and love to this day. That doesn't mean he is not (james) worthy of the honor. I go back to actually watching Russell play Wilt on the ABC game of the week and started really paying attention in 1967 at the age of 11 (111) when the Sonics were born. So I caught the end of the Russell era of championships.
Since not that many people saw him the popular wisdom now is that he had a great team, wasn't great on offense, the league sucked so we can ignore his 11 rings in 12 tries including one as a coach, the first Black head coach in major sports not counting Fritz Pollard (look it up)
I've given in to that myself as time as gone by. Jabbar hit UCLA in the late 60's and the NBA by 1970. The debate was between Kareem, Wilt and Russell and Kareem being youngest and somewhat radical and scary after changing his name back to Lew Alcindor did not fare well in the comparisons. Jerry West lost 8 finals. NO way to be the GOAT when the guy who beat you every year is in the argument.
Bill Walton got some run after UCLA and the title in Portland but got hurt. He was really good - more Russell than Jabar. Great passer and a winner
There is a common theme in the early decades of the NBA - our beloved Center was the star of the league. Couldn't win without one. They were the GOATS
My favorite players were Earl Monroe, Dr. J, and others who were the pre MJ non center guys who could swing a game. The Knicks with Clyde Fraizer. The flash was starting to emerge and Center was receding with guys like Unseld and Sickma winning titles.
Then the Magic era with some Larry thrown in and the dynamic changed again for fans of that generation. These were the fans that hated on Jordan and wanted to see something before they crowned his ass. Me included. I was a hater up until the push off when I realized he was going to LEAVE and I would miss him a great deal.
Shaq got fat and lazy and Kobe basically got two rings on his own but that was the league between MJ and James.
I liked James early on because like Tiger he came in with unreasonable expectations that no one could meet and they both did their damndest to meet. Tiger will fall short of Jack and James won't get 6 but they were worth the price of admission.
My favorite James game was 2010 against Pierce and Boston, the last Eastern Conference loss for the King. That's when I said, this guy is legit. I mean in 2007 he beat Detroit all by himself (take that Mike)
The Decision didn't bother me. I'd like to see him win more Finals. I'd like to see him 2-2 against the Warriors, but mainly I like to watch him play.
Having said all this I have revised my top 5 GOAT list to recognize the GOAT
1. Bill Russell - all he did was win championships in college and the pros while cleaning the boards, starting and finishing the break and making the most physically talented player of his time irrelevant - Wilt. Tell your dad to try carrying Wilt up and down the court all night.
2 and 2A - Kareem and Magic. Kareem won without Magic with the Bucks but together they won 5 in LA. Kareem is the all time scorer and Magic is the best PG ever.
4. Michael Jordan - for all the reasons most here have him number 1. No argument.
5. Lebron James - he could be 4 but 6-0 is a tough argument to beat.
The players over the years that don't make the cut is amazing. Look at the Top 50 list. And that is already out of date. This has been a great league for a long fucking time. Fuck you Howard Schultz.
Since not that many people saw him the popular wisdom now is that he had a great team, wasn't great on offense, the league sucked so we can ignore his 11 rings in 12 tries including one as a coach, the first Black head coach in major sports not counting Fritz Pollard (look it up)
I've given in to that myself as time as gone by. Jabbar hit UCLA in the late 60's and the NBA by 1970. The debate was between Kareem, Wilt and Russell and Kareem being youngest and somewhat radical and scary after changing his name back to Lew Alcindor did not fare well in the comparisons. Jerry West lost 8 finals. NO way to be the GOAT when the guy who beat you every year is in the argument.
Bill Walton got some run after UCLA and the title in Portland but got hurt. He was really good - more Russell than Jabar. Great passer and a winner
There is a common theme in the early decades of the NBA - our beloved Center was the star of the league. Couldn't win without one. They were the GOATS
My favorite players were Earl Monroe, Dr. J, and others who were the pre MJ non center guys who could swing a game. The Knicks with Clyde Fraizer. The flash was starting to emerge and Center was receding with guys like Unseld and Sickma winning titles.
Then the Magic era with some Larry thrown in and the dynamic changed again for fans of that generation. These were the fans that hated on Jordan and wanted to see something before they crowned his ass. Me included. I was a hater up until the push off when I realized he was going to LEAVE and I would miss him a great deal.
Shaq got fat and lazy and Kobe basically got two rings on his own but that was the league between MJ and James.
I liked James early on because like Tiger he came in with unreasonable expectations that no one could meet and they both did their damndest to meet. Tiger will fall short of Jack and James won't get 6 but they were worth the price of admission.
My favorite James game was 2010 against Pierce and Boston, the last Eastern Conference loss for the King. That's when I said, this guy is legit. I mean in 2007 he beat Detroit all by himself (take that Mike)
The Decision didn't bother me. I'd like to see him win more Finals. I'd like to see him 2-2 against the Warriors, but mainly I like to watch him play.
Having said all this I have revised my top 5 GOAT list to recognize the GOAT
1. Bill Russell - all he did was win championships in college and the pros while cleaning the boards, starting and finishing the break and making the most physically talented player of his time irrelevant - Wilt. Tell your dad to try carrying Wilt up and down the court all night.
2 and 2A - Kareem and Magic. Kareem won without Magic with the Bucks but together they won 5 in LA. Kareem is the all time scorer and Magic is the best PG ever.
4. Michael Jordan - for all the reasons most here have him number 1. No argument.
5. Lebron James - he could be 4 but 6-0 is a tough argument to beat.
The players over the years that don't make the cut is amazing. Look at the Top 50 list. And that is already out of date. This has been a great league for a long fucking time. Fuck you Howard Schultz.
Comments
With all that being said, this is by far the dumbest top 5 list I have ever seen. You are an idiot and disgrace basketball. How DARE you put Michael fourth. How dare you pretend to know anything about basketball. If I had any mod power I would ban you from hardcore husky.
Dude was slow, couldn't jump, hobbled around like an old man but nobody could stop him. If Magic is there, so too has to be Bird.
Kobe deserves some free pub, too.
And fuck you for not mentioning the GOAT under 160 pounds.
And Fuck Balmer for not writing a fat check when he had the chance to do the right thing.
Like I said there are so many fucking great players
1. Wayne Gretzky
Same for Curry, Harden is on his way. Simmons could be an all timer.
When James is gone and the Warriors are done we'll see the next gen step up
Fucked his knee up at Studio 54
1978 final regular season game Thompson dropped 73 on Detroit, the same year, Thompson led Nuggets lost in six to the Sonics in the Western Confrence finals
The problem with these debates is that most of the folks weighing in here have never seen him play live. And most here were children when Jordan retired. But some guys watched some Youtube videos that featured white guys in short, shorts that Jordan abused.
So He couldn't be the GOAT.