Monday, March 30, 2009

I Just Thought You Should Know




I hate that when people talk about Michael Jordan that people have to talk about Kobe Bryant in the same breath like you need to include a clear alternative like it's creationism and evolution. Jordan's greatness is palatable and scientific. Kobe's legacy is disagreed upon like religion. It's based on faith and hope. Don't bring that weak stuff up in here (an NBA discussion). Jordan is literally science. His legend is concrete and easily verifiable to anyone with five minutes and curiosity. He's the leader in the clubhouse right now. Kobe's? No so much. He's playing for his legacy still. He's in his 12th year and is way behind Jordan. He's got a long way to go and time isn't on his side. Until he's there which may or not ever be (and I'd bet the lives of my nieces he won't and I love them more than anything) I don't owe it to people to make that concession that there is an equal parallel argument that exists in contradiction to Jilla. There isn't. It's false equivalence to compare him, his teams, his career, his mental toughness, his clutchness, his accomplishments, his anything to Jordan. I won't deny that when Kobe gets hot *pause* it's masterful to watch and when you think about it very few people can get off like him *again pause* and when Jordan was feeling it *pause* very few people could get off like him but that's not enough to make valid comparison. Being shot and being stabbed both hurt generally but you can't make them comparable experiences just because pain is a likely outcome for both. There are surface comparisons to be made about any of the greats, but that's all they are. Nothing more nothing less. To suggest anything more is an insult and affront to Jordan and a disservice to Kobe because of the slamming he's certainly going to be in for. Kobe himself admits he's not Michael Jordan. Why can't his stanleys?

No comments: