LeBron Campaigning To Get Jordan's Number Retired By League

[Enigma869]

Doesn't this guy have anything better to do?


http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4650907

[Maui Tom]

Doesn't this guy have anything better to do?


http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4650907

tell him to win a title or five before he wades into shit like this....

[Luvsaugeri]

I think it's absolutely ridiculous!! If he wants to 'retire' his number in a show of respect....so be it. But where does he get off telling everyone else that they should retire the number?

[Ehwmatt]

He's a buffoon. It's nothing but a money grab - you know how much money he's gonna make selling his new # even if he stays with the Cavs?

[Rockindeano]

Ewhmatt is spot on. This is a money grab. The retirement of a jersey(number) is or should be undertaken by the Commissioner and the League of Owners(vote). The NHL retired Gretzky's number the right way. They didn't have Sidney Crosby running around campaigning for it, but I guess Sid didn't wear #99 either. Either way. James should worry about getting that fat assed Shaq back and try winning a conference title so they can have the honor of getting their asses kicked by LA in the Finals.

[Michigan Girl]

Wasn't it a bit controversial when he took that number to begin with?
Everyone thought he was comparing himself to the great one!

[Rockindeano]

Wasn't it a bit controversial when he took that number to begin with?
Everyone thought he was comparing himself to the great one!

As a hockey fan, I find when other athlete's are referred to as "the great one" I get insulted. Gretzky owns so many records, records which will never ever be broken. Jordan, while awesome, isn't even the all time leading scorer in his sport,

[Michigan Girl]

Sorry Deano, I didn't mean to insult you so early!!
Next time I'll wait until noonish, at least...CST!!! :wink:
Gretzky is great...you just hate the NBA and that's OK!! :wink:

[Enigma869]

Jordan, while awesome, isn't even the all time leading scorer in his sport,

Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner. That was my larger point, Dean. Listen...Jordan was a SPECTACULAR player. That said, we live in a society where people only pay attention to the athletes they saw play with their own eyes. If LeBron wants to crusade for a number to be retired, tell him to look up Bill Russell (sadly, he's probably never even heard of the guy). While I didn't see Russell play (it was long before my time), the guy's accomplishments blow Jordan's away. Russell won an astounding ELEVEN championships in 13 seasons! That is a record that NO athlete in ANY sport will EVER come close to. Oh...and he won two NCAA titles and an Olymic gold medal. If that's not enough, he played in 21 "winner take all" or elimination games throughout the course of his career. His record in those games was a paltry 21-0

[Enigma869]

As a hockey fan, I find when other athlete's are referred to as "the great one" I get insulted. Gretzky owns so many records, records which will never ever be broken.

There is no denying what an offensive machine Gretsky was. That said, he's also probably the only player in the history of the NHL to get through an entire career without ANYONE ever putting a body on him. In all the years I watched hockey, I was never more astounded than when I watched opposing players simply back off of Gretsky EVERY time he had the puck. The dude was 150lbs soaking wet and probably wouldn't have scored half as many points if just one guy would have even attempted to defend him

[bluejeangirl76]

LeBron James is a first class shithead.

[Michigan Girl]

Jordan, while awesome, isn't even the all time leading scorer in his sport,

Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner. That was my larger point, Dean. Listen...Jordan was a SPECTACULAR player. That said, we live in a society where people only pay attention to the athletes they saw play with their own eyes. If LeBron wants to crusade for a number to be retired, tell him to look up Bill Russell (sadly, he's probably never even heard of the guy). While I didn't see Russell play (it was long before my time), the guy's accomplishments blow Jordan's away. Russell won an astounding ELEVEN championships in 13 seasons! That is a record that NO athlete in ANY sport will EVER come close to. Oh...and he won two NCAA titles and an Olymic gold medal. If that's not enough, he played in 21 "winner take all" or elimination games throughout the course of his career. His record in those games was a paltry 21-0

Anyone that does not know of Mr. Russell is not an NBA fan!! The finals of 2008 alone should have given
the clueless some indication of who this great player is!!

[Don]

James is just jealous because when Kobe changed his number, his new numbered jersey shot straight to #1, dethroning Lebron's as the top selling Jersey.

[Saint John]

Lebron James is, at best, the 3rd best player in the NBA. Now he's trying to win over the hearts of the fans and sportswriters who are very soon going to start questioning whether this guy has lived up to the hype. I've said since day 1 that he's dumb and doesn't make anyone around him better like Magic, Bird, Jordan and Manute Bol did.

[Ehwmatt]

Lebron James is, at best, the 3rd best player in the NBA. Now he's trying to win over the hearts of the fans and sportswriters who are very soon going to start questioning whether this guy has lived up to the hype. I've said since day 1 that he's dumb and doesn't make anyone around him better like Magic, Bird, Jordan and Manute Bol did.

He does make guys better around him in a basketball sense. Look at what he's done for guys like Anderson Varejao and the blossoming JJ Hickson. Where he falls short is the leadership/killer instinct attitude he needs to show other guys as a leader. He doesn't have that and may never have it.

I do think at least D-Wade is a better player than LeBron at this point. He's crowned the best in the world frequently, but even as a huge Cavs fan, I'm inclined to believe Wade is better skill wise and Kobe is probably still a better overall player as well. CP3 is definitely up there but he's kind of a whole different animal and it's not really fair to compare him to the other players, on either side of the comparison

[Rockindeano]

Russell won an astounding ELEVEN championships in 13 seasons! That is a record that NO athlete in ANY sport will EVER come close to.

Well Jimmie Johnson may be the exception. He is in Tiger Woods territory with his dominance of his sport. 4 straight championships? I know you hate NASCAR John, but that is amazing and he will be favored for 5 straight next year. Think about it. He has to beat 42 other guys every race and every year.

[Saint John]

Well Jimmie Johnson may be the exception.

Come on, Dean, you can't really consider the guy an athlete or NASCAR a fucking sport! Highly skilled? Yes. An athlete and a sport? No. I drive to work every day and I don't consider that athletic.

[Rockindeano]

Well Jimmie Johnson may be the exception.

Come on, Dean, you can't really consider the guy an athlete or NASCAR a fucking sport! Highly skilled? Yes. An athlete and a sport? No. I drive to work every day and I don't consider that athletic.

Absolutely I do. He's in a lot better shape than say Shaq or CC Cebathia. Race car driving is a fucking sport and a hard one as well.

[Saint John]

Well Jimmie Johnson may be the exception.

Come on, Dean, you can't really consider the guy an athlete or NASCAR a fucking sport! Highly skilled? Yes. An athlete and a sport? No. I drive to work every day and I don't consider that athletic.

Absolutely I do. He's in a lot better shape than say Shaq or CC Cebathia. Race car driving is a fucking sport and a hard one as well.

I'll give you Sabathia and maybe Shaq now, but that fucker (Shaq) was a genetic beast for about 12 years. There's just nothing that tells or shows me they have some astounding athletic ability where as in any other sport I can name a bunch of freakishly athletic individuals. I see them as highly trained pilots with incredible hand/eye coordination and incredible touch. Kinda like bowlers.

[Enigma869]

Well Jimmie Johnson may be the exception. He is in Tiger Woods territory with his dominance of his sport. 4 straight championships? I know you hate NASCAR John, but that is amazing and he will be favored for 5 straight next year. Think about it. He has to beat 42 other guys every race and every year.

Well, as you already said, Dean...NASCAR isn't my thing. I'm with Dan on this one. It's not a sport in my world and never will be. Even if it were, team sports are a different animal and even though I'm too young (damn I love saying that) to have seen Russell play, I will always be in awe of the guy's accomplishments. Sadly, I don't know that a lot of casual sports fans have any idea how dominant of a player Russell was. Can you seriously even dream up ANY player in a team sport who could ever have more rings than fingers?

[(Crazy)Dulce Lady]

maybe if he sprinkles his magic dust on the number, it will help.

I have so much footage of his bricks during the SPURS game 2 of the championship series. Even the Cav fans were trash talking him--it was excellent.

someday I'll tell you what I really think of him.