LeMond and Jordan Should Zip It
This week, Michael Jordan sniffed at LeBron James’s decision to join a couple of superstars in Miami instead of making it on his own in Cleveland:
"There's no way, with hindsight, I would've ever called up Larry [Bird], called up Magic [Johnson] and said, 'Hey, look, let's get together and play on one team,'" Jordan said after playing in a celebrity golf tournament in Nevada. "... In all honesty, I was trying to beat those guys."
Key words: “with hindsight.” If that’s the case, then don’t say anything.
Also this week, the nearly-decade long feud between American cycling legends Greg LeMond and Lance Armstrong took a new turn as LeMond announced he will testify against Armstrong in the latest incarnation of Armstrong’s doping-accusation woes. According to the Daily News:
LeMond and his wife, Kathy LeMond, have long felt marginalized and mistreated by Armstrong's supporters. They applauded the subpoena.
"We are overjoyed," said Kathy LeMond. "I hope the truth will come out."
I have tremendous respect for the skills of Jordan and LeMond. (I’m a semi-obsessive -- but semi-retired -- cycling fan.) That said, these guys need to go off into the sunset with some class. Sure, their titles as Best Ever are in jeopardy. But ain’t the stakes higher for former presidents? And even publicity hogs know how to fade away:
“I think that once you’ve been president you shouldn’t gratuitously offer any advice to your successor. If somebody asks you what you think, you tell them. Otherwise you just show up when you’re asked to help.” -- Bill Clinton
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Comments :
Jun '10
Re: LeMond and Jordan Should Zip It
Unless you are Jimmy Carter, still seeking political significance. (Okay, that might be kind of mean).
May '10
Re: LeMond and Jordan Should Zip It
Jordan should be quietly relieved that his status as best-ever has been reinforced. LeBron, by contriving this allstar team, has now guaranteed that he will never threaten Jordan, who took no shortcuts. Shush, Mike, just smile.
Re: LeMond and Jordan Should Zip It
Agreed, Scott! After all, Barkley has said all that needs to be said. Jordan made a mistake by talking. But me thinks he's just too competitive to leave it alone ...
May '10
Re: LeMond and Jordan Should Zip It
I have lived the LeBron story for too long. (I produced three of the four high school state championship games he was in.) I have never seen so much placed on one person's shoulders at such a young age.
There is something about this "hometown" thing. I think of men who became the face of a franchise and very few "hometown boys" come to mind. Even Pete Rose languished in Cincinnati until Bob Hoswam surrounded him with the likes of Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez.
Even guys who were the toast of New York never came from the there. Willie, Mickey, the Babe, "Broadway" Joe (Do they have a "Broadway" in Beaver Falls?) - all from somewhere in fly-over country. The Yankee Clipper? Launched in San Francisco.
In this media-centric age, LeBron will never be anonymous anywhere. It's one thing to be asked to carry a team, another to carry an entire state.
May '10
Re: LeMond and Jordan Should Zip It
Agree on James- he blew his legacy by chickening out instead of building the local team and carrying it to wins.
Of course, no matter who is right or wrong, you realize that Minnesota's Greg LeMond can't be bad or wrong, because he is Minnesota, as are so many other fine people here (Ace Contributor Beau James L, John Hinderaker, Etoile du Nord, etc.) ;-0
May '10
Re: LeMond and Jordan Should Zip It
.....and that old-school catcher you got. If you all aren't writin' songs about that guy, you should be.
Re: LeMond and Jordan Should Zip It
Oh, you don't have to sell me on LeMond! To re-live his battles with Bernard Hinault ... a thing of sports beauty. But doesn't Minnesota boast the incomparable Mr. Oyen above all?
May '10
Re: LeMond and Jordan Should Zip It
Um, certainly not "incomparable." But I do spend some time here, and very carefully place myself well out of the sphere of those luminaries. The state needs a few center-right proles, so I volunteered.
Jul '10
Re: LeMond and Jordan Should Zip It
The Jordan comment I understand. Larry Bird said simply that he did not like whomever he was playing against. Actually he threw the word hate out there. It wasn't personal, it was just that they were the other team. Different era, but who has ever lined up against rivals in a competition and thought, "I'd like to play on the same team with that person." That's a strange idea to me as well, but (insert lengthy commentary on free agency in pro sports here).
May '10
Re: LeMond and Jordan Should Zip It
You're so right that there needs to be more class from our celebrities/sport stars. Examples of tacky, self-centered stars are so common it's cliche... but I gotta say that Jordan's comment doesn't seem that bad (and this is coming from a Pistons fan!). While LeBron's decision is his own, it's fine with me for someone like Jordan to call him out and say Hey, where's the competitive spirit? That's the price LeBron's gotta pay for being a celebrity.