[| -- This a joke? Lebron changing to #6 for NBA 2010/2011 Season? -- |]

[riker]

Originally Posted by Durden7

The whole argument that Jordan made basketball a global sport is idiotic and laughable. THATS the best case for him having his jersey retired league-wide???

Try again, boys.

Yeah......it's really Mikan's fault.


I see the Jordan haters are gonna flip after this, and it makes it even more special then. I'm not for his jersey retirement cause that would be forcing.

But seeing this......Lebron james character....finally givin up that #.....

MJ's tounge, huge hands and bloody red uniform still glooms over the NBA and there aint sh#t you can do about it.....but cry on a forum. So I wont arguewith anyone here.

Vent men!

Vent.

If you focus your hatred maybe James keeps his 23.....

 

[doublejs07]

Read this earlier on SBB...GREAT points...

One small problem: #6 was worn by a NBA player every bit as influential as Jordan, a player who won nearly twice as many championships as Jordan and who changed the way the game was played. The player? Bill Russell. Oh yeah, and there's the little matter of Julius Erving's personal digit too. Like he didn't have something to say about how the NBA game is played today?


and then on JRIB...

 

[N41D]

Do people really believe this is anything more than a highly-calculated marketing gimmick by LeBron? This isn't any different than everything elsethat comes outta dude's mouth every night..

 

[mjshoefanatic]

Phil Jackson Likes Idea Of Retiring No. 23

Lakers coach Phil Jackson likes the idea of honoring Michael Jordan by retiring the No. 23.
Cavaliers star LeBron James kicked off the discussion when he announced on Thursday night that he'll change from the No. 23 to No. 6 next season.

Jackson, who coached Jordan to six NBA titles in Chicago, compared the idea to the NHL's retirement of No. 99 to honor Wayne Gretzky.

He added that the only negative he sees with retiring No. 23 league-wide is it might be "a little step on the toes for a guy like Magic (Johnson) or (Larry) Bird."

Via ESPN

 

[mo matik]

There is also a possibility of pressure to change his number for jersey sales. These players probably get a % of that.

Remember when Kobe changed his Jersey, there were rumors of that being a motive. And when people came up to him with #8 jerseys to sign, he refused and toldthem to get the new ones.

 

[sneakerfan93]

The number definitely needs to be retired

..What's worse is that*look at the players wearing it*

Oh, andMJ>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Gretzky.F hockey.NBA>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>NHL

 

[big j 33]

What a well thought out and articulated response... the fact that you put so many greater than signs really does strengthen your argument.

No one is debating the qualities of two DISTINCT sports, but rather the individual impact of the players within their sports.

I don't think you can retire Jordan's number, at least without retiring Russel's as well. Not to mention at DoubleJ's mentioned, Erving'simpact on the NBA can't be ignored. MJ's impact is evident on most of this board, since he was the greatest player we all saw growing up, but to sayhe's the sole reason for the growth of the NBA is ignoring and disregarding Magic and Larry's impact in the 80s.

I personally would rather not retire jerseys league wide, Robinson breaking the color barrier is an exception to me, but in the NBA, just leave it up to theindividual teams.

 

[durden7]

Originally Posted by sneakerfan93

The number definitely needs to be retired

..What's worse is that *look at the players wearing it*

Oh, and MJ>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Gretzky. F hockey. NBA>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>NHL

You dont know sports.

 

[bowzer blitz]

You people give Jordan way to much knowledge.

 

[gameover2]

Bill Russell was great, no doubt. Such a class act too.

Too bad he played when the NBA wasn't that popular, and there wasn't internet and satellite tv during his time.

It ain't MJ's fault he was the face of the NBA when the era of globalization was starting.

Let's put it this way. Jordan's impact on the world? Everybody, yes you and I included, wore (or wanted to wear) #23 while growing up. Just like everyother hockey kid wanted #99 in honor of the great one.

 

[jpzx]

Why is this thread 10 pages again?

 

[kb8sandiego]

Originally Posted by Flight8403

Why all this talk about russell magic and bird? How many of you picked up the rock because of them? MJ inspired the freakin world to play basketball. Not Bill or Magic..Why wouldnt the NBA pay respect and retire his number. Gretsky didnt make hockey a worldwide like sport like MJ did for basketball so why would the N..H..L lol do that? Most of you IT SEEMS have a natural hate against everything about Lebron so I can understand the hate. But why no hate for Kobe? If you watched tonights game they clearly made reference to the number being retired since it is retired by the Heat. Its not like Lebron was just being hella random. Let that man be...
And Lebron will be in Cleveland next year along with Amare.

This has to be the dumbest thing I've read, EVER.

Commit that.

 

[DYNAMICS]

[h1]NBA unlikely to retire No. 23[/h1]
[table][tr][td]

LeBron James said he may change his number next year out of deference to Michael Jordan.

Issac Baldizon/NBAE/Getty Images
[/td] [/tr][/table]
NEW YORK (AP) -- LeBron James may persuade NBA players to give up their No. 23s, but a leaguewide retirement of Michael Jordan's number seems unlikely.

James said on Thursday that he is considering switching his number next season and wants other players to do the same in honor of Jordan, the Hall of Famer who is often regarded as the league's best player ever.

Major League Baseball retired Jackie Robinson's No. 42 and the NHL did the same with Wayne Gretzky's No. 99, but that hasn't been done in the NBA. Spokesman Tim Frank said on Saturday that "retiring a player's number is a decision that has been made by the teams" and not the league.

The NBA has no policy preventing every player wearing No. 23 from petitioning for a change, but players generally have to wear a number five years before they can switch.

There are 13 No. 23s in the NBA, though James is the only superstar. Oklahoma City rookie Byron Mullens ended up with the number after finding his preferred No. 32 was retired by the organization for Seattle SuperSonics great Fred Brown, and would be open to a switch.

"I don't have a problem," Mullens said. "I'm a rookie so I don't have no say-so. It's Jordan, man. His number should be retired from the NBA. If it is, then congratulations and good for him. If it's not, then I guess I'll stick to it. I was kidding around with my teammates, though. I told them, 'Jordan's going to have to pay me out."'

Knicks rookie Toney Douglas wasn't so sure, saying he's worn No. 23 since he was 3 years old.

Any players wanting to switch would have to officially notify the league by early March. James, who said he would probably change to No. 6, his number with the U.S. Olympic team, would not need permission to change if he leaves Cleveland as a free agent.

James first made his comments during an on-air interview on TNT following the Cavaliers' victory over the Heat. Jordan was at the game in Miami -- where Heat president Pat Riley retired the number in 2003 even though he never played for the franchise. No Miami player has worn No. 23 since Cedric Ceballos in 2001.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who coached Jordan in Chicago, endorsed the idea, though noted it might be "a little step on the toes for a guy like Magic (Johnson) or (Larry) Bird."

That seems to be one reason for disagreement with James' plan. Charles Barkley said after James' interview that Johnson and Bird "had a greater impact on the game than Michael Jordan."

The other players wearing No. 23 are: Kevin Martin (Sacramento), Stephen Graham (Charlotte), C.J. Watson (Golden State), Marcus Camby (Los Angeles Clippers), Jodie Meeks (Milwaukee), Devin Brown (New Orleans), Lou Williams (Philadelphia), Jason Richardson (Phoenix), Martell Webster (Portland) and Wesley Matthews (Utah).

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/basketball/nba/11/14/lebron.number.ap/index.html#ixzz0WsHQTZPi
Get a free NFL Team Jacket and Tee with SI Subscription


LINK

 

[laced up jordans]

Originally Posted by Durden7

Originally Posted by sneakerfan93

The number definitely needs to be retired

..What's worse is that *look at the players wearing it*

Oh, and MJ>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Gretzky. F hockey. NBA>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>NHL

You dont know sports.

why would you take that dude seriously. Just look at his sn! I bet you $100 dude never EVER seen MJ play except fro what he saw on NBA Classic and what themedia and all his friends say about him.

 

[coolnificent]

 

[Animal Thug]

Trust me if Stern wanted this number retired, he would've done this in 1999-2000.

Not 7 years after MJ retired from the wizards.

 

[pig love]

Just think fellas, in ten or twelve years a lot of players will changetheir numbers every few years and
people are just gonna keep buying the new ones to keep up. Players gotta get paid right, word to Kobe
getting all that money back he spent on his trial.

 

[inine5]

Originally Posted by KB8sandiego

Originally Posted by Flight8403

Why all this talk about russell magic and bird? How many of you picked up the rock because of them? MJ inspired the freakin world to play basketball. Not Bill or Magic..Why wouldnt the NBA pay respect and retire his number. Gretsky didnt make hockey a worldwide like sport like MJ did for basketball so why would the N..H..L lol do that? Most of you IT SEEMS have a natural hate against everything about Lebron so I can understand the hate. But why no hate for Kobe? If you watched tonights game they clearly made reference to the number being retired since it is retired by the Heat. Its not like Lebron was just being hella random. Let that man be...
And Lebron will be in Cleveland next year along with Amare.

This has to be the dumbest thing I've read, EVER.

Commit that.

co-sign.... it;s like what, they put Magic and Bird on the Dream Team to fill up roster spots.....?

 

[riker]

lol vent vent vent little men


vent

 

[TheGift23]

Originally Posted by JPZx

Why is this thread 10 pages again?

1. Dudes love to hate on the best player on the planet.

2. Jordan vs Gretzky.

 

[duba169]

Originally Posted by JPZx

Why is this thread 10 pages again?

some people here think that basketball was invented around 1985

 

[needsomejays]

Originally Posted by Bowzer Blitz

You people give Jordan way to much knowledge.

huh?

 

[trasoul82]

Originally Posted by needsomejays

Originally Posted by Bowzer Blitz

You people give Jordan way to much knowledge.

huh?

It's really not that complicated.

 

[-Red-]

LeBron James has officially solidified his spot as the most arrogant sack of #%$$ in the game of basketball... possibly all of sports.

First this guy states that because he suddenly doesn't want to wear the number 23 anymore, that no one else should want to or be able to wear it and theentire league should retire the number.

at the sheer audacity of this fella.

Then there's the fact that he wants to change his number to 6... Bill Russell's number. I mean, I thought LeBron was supposed to be come kind of"historian" who has so much "respect for the game and its history?" Even if LeBron doesn't think (which he doesn't) that Russellis the GOAT (which he is), why would he change his number to the "second" greatest player ever's number? Why not pick another number thatwasn't worn by someone who is even arguably the greatest player ever? If you're changing from number 23 out of "respect" then isn't it"disrespectful" to pick number 6? That doesn't sound like the decision of someone who knows (or cares about) their history to me...

LeBron as a basketball player is a beast... LeBron as a person is a joke.

 

[freddypee]

Originally Posted by Bowzer Blitz

You people give Jordan way to much knowledge.

qft