The Last Dance

[Puffer]

The elite of past eras would still be great in this era .... just not (as) elite.
Would Gretzky still challenge/win a scoring title today? Yup
Could Ovie score in every decade? Sure.
Would Jari Kurri or Mike Bossy or Rick Vaive score 50-60 today? Debatable or no.

Would lebron be the force he has been in any era. Likely but also not a dominant in some ways since he'd finally be hard fouled non stop and no bogus phantom foul whistles to prop up his numbers.

I would disagree with your claim. The elite of past eras, in this era, would have access to the training regimens, nutrition supplements, coaching, movement analysis, custom tailored workout routines, and in general, the sports science that wasn't even imagined in their own era.

If you are elite in any era, you are genetically gifted athletically and also you have the internal drive to separate you from the small crowd at the absolute top of your field.

[Apollo]

[slaw]

It took an ESPN documentary about the Bulls for "basketball fans“ to realize Draymond was never even close to Charles Barkley’s level. Lol.

IN fairness, anyone under the age of 35(?) or even 40 likely saw very little of Barkley and only know him from TV. Since the only thing that matters now is titles, there is a whole generation of fans who only care about that (cause they are told it is all that matters) and don't bother learning the history of the league or appreciating the game itself.

[The Great One]

It took an ESPN documentary about the Bulls for "basketball fans“ to realize Draymond was never even close to Charles Barkley’s level. Lol.

[Apollo]

[The Great One]

This is crazy.

[Superjudge]

IT is hilarious. He tries to be the nice guy but is clearly both petty and still pissed after all these years. At least MJ's straightforward about how he thinks and feels.

Anyone trying to diminish MJ's accomplishments only diminishes their own credibility. Guy could win a scoring title and a DPOY at the same time. 6 for 6 in the Finals. Just nuts, nuff said.

There were GREAT players in the 90s who couldn't do anything while MJ and the Bulls were at their peak. Hakeem, Barkley, Shaq, Stockton/Malone - guys high in the GOAT rankings themselves, and everyone knew MJ would win those chips.

What is hilariously consistent is how almost every former pro thinks the era after him is crap and couldn't hang with his own team/era. Always refreshing when guys like Gretzky admit the current era is bigger, faster, and more skilled than his own. Cause that's true in almost every sport. It's most clear in individual sports like track where the outcome is objective across eras. Athletes are bigger, stronger, faster. Period.

great post man.
cheers

[G__Deane]

Exactly how they train schutzhund or police dogs

[golden]

Zeke and MJ are both assholes btw. In this world of heros and villains, they're both flawed but very successful and driven humans

That’s a common trait of a lot ( but not all ) highly successful people. In their minds they always win at everything and they convince themselves that they’ve never lost... ever. If they have lost, then it was unforeseen bad luck or somebody else’s fault.

[Joey]

Preach

This gets me every time I see this:

[Rudy Bargnani]

The pistons should have shook hands. They are def under appreciated. IT beat Bird, Jordan, and Magic in the playoffs that is freaking insane. They won back to back championships and were a game 7 in the NBA finals with an injury away from a 3 peat. Should definitely get more love.
But it was a bitch move.

[chris]

They're remembered hardly at all. Sort of a footnote but the way they played caused the league to change the game, that says something. Jordan still harbours hard feelings against Zeke 30 years later because of basketball, that says something. Oh and they took the Lakers to seven games one year and lost due to a phantom call, then beat them the next year going on to win back to back chips. If not for the shitty call they'd be the first threepeat. They're a very important part of NBA history.

agree completely they're a very important part of nba history. but they're hardly remembered by whom? the majority millennial fans of today? they don't even know MJ's story how the hell can you expect them to care much about the pistons? watching the 88 finals are literally my first NBA memory and i remember hating them passionately as a young bulls fan, so i know how good they were. there's the aforementioned feature length ESPN documentary about them. bill simmons voted them (the 88-89 team) the 4th best of all time in his book and IT was a central figure in it in terms of basketball philosophy. so they are properly remembered by basketball historians for anyone who didn't live it if they care to find out, i think.

yes jordan still harbours hard feelings towards him but he's also the most ruthless and vengeful athlete of all time, so not sure how much that means. plenty of others still harbour animosity towards him though which is maybe more meaningful. perhaps he's misunderstood, to take a charitable view. or maybe he's an asshole.

also yes they could have had a three-peat if not for a bad call. they also could have gone 0 for 3 if magic didn't pull a hammy and scottie pippen didn't get a migraine. the two chamionships they got are about right in my opinion for how good they were and what they meant to the era.

[KeonClark]

Zeke and MJ are both assholes btw. In this world of heros and villains, they're both flawed but very successful and driven humans

[Apollo]

i don't think there's anything unfair going on with the pistons. they were the fourth best team of the era and are remembered as such. they were awesome, but the bulls, lakers and celtics were all better and had more star power.

also isiah thomas was a snake and plenty of players of that era couldn't stand him. magic had more to do with him being left off than anybody, but has said that nobody on the team wanted to play with him.

if you want the pistons side of the story there an espn 30 for 30 on them, that just re-aired the other night on sportsnet.

They're remembered hardly at all. Sort of a footnote but the way they played caused the league to change the game, that says something. Jordan still harbours hard feelings against Zeke 30 years later because of basketball, that says something. Oh and they took the Lakers to seven games one year and lost due to a phantom call, then beat them the next year going on to win back to back chips. If not for the shitty call they'd be the first threepeat. They're a very important part of NBA history.

[chris]

It's unfair for sure and sprinkle in there MJ and Pippen pulling a power move to keep Zeke off the Dream Team. Anyone would be frustrated with all that.

i don't think there's anything unfair going on with the pistons. they were the fourth best team of the era and are remembered as such. they were awesome, but the bulls, lakers and celtics were all better and had more star power.

also isiah thomas was a snake and plenty of players of that era couldn't stand him. magic had more to do with him being left off than anybody, but has said that nobody on the team wanted to play with him.

if you want the pistons side of the story there an espn 30 for 30 on them, that just re-aired the other night on sportsnet.