MJ Should Shut Up

I'm sure you've probably heard Michael Jordan's comments this past weekend about Lebron James' decision to join the Miami Heat. Recently, ESPN.com/TrueHoop blogger Henry Abbott wrote a response article (which can be seen HERE) which made some valid points. Rather than repeat what he said, I'll post my own thoughts and you can check his by clicking the link.
My thoughts on the matter after the jump.
Many of those in the media have celebrated Jordan for stepping up and setting the record straight. They seem to consider him basketball God and to them, his opinion puts the matter to rest. Who else would know about Lebron's situation but the last person who was in his situation. The one little tiny problem I have with that point is...


HE WAS NEVER IN THIS SITUATION. Michael spent his career in Chicago, probably the 3rd best American city (behind NY and LA) for attracting players in any sport. Lebron's in a city that couldn't attract ANY, I repeat ANY marquee or 2nd tier free agents even with Lebron there on free agency. Every Cleveland personnel change was made in trades, many of which they got the worst of, or didn't profit from. Bosh even ended up in Miami because he told Lebron he'd go anywhere BUT Cleveland. Jordan had a solid team in the city he was drafted in. He already had Pippen and Horace Grant. The one person Lebron had coming into the league, Carlos Boozer, spent most of Lebron's seven years in Utah. ANOTHER free agent that left Cleveland.
Also, equating MJ, Magic and Larry's relationship to Lebron, Wade and Bosh's is not even close to adequate. Lebron, and Dwayne are really close friends. Magic and Bird were NOT his best friends by any stretch of the imagination.

Neither player came in the league with Michael. They were never free agents together and were only in their primes collectively during the mid to late 1980s. There was no opportunity to play together so Michael can't say what DID in the situation, he can only say what he THINKS he WOULD'VE done. Even Michael doesn't know what he would do if he were in that situation.
And last I check Magic and Larry didn't need Michael. They were doing just fine without him. Magic had multiple rings. Larry had multiple rings. They BOTH had no trouble overcoming the Pistons who sent MJ fishing more than once. And there wasn't enough room in the inn anyway. Both Boston and LA were stacked with good players that fit their system. You think Michael would've fit in Boston? You think he would've been as unselfish as the other Lakers, even Magic himself was? If you do I got some tickets to the Barcelona Olympics I want to sell to you.

Magic had Kareem, James Worthy, Bob McAdoo, Jamaal Wilks, Norm Nixon and Byron Scott. They were all former or current all stars. The same goes for Larry in Boston who went to battle with Robert Parrish, Kevin Mchale, Bill Walton and KC Jones. Those names were the Wades and Boshes of their era. They didn't need to join other stars. The stars link up now were ALREADY ON THEIR TEAM. Further, by the time Dream Team '92 happen, everyone had already won a ring. Miami's Big 3 (besides Wade) got their first taste of a title in 2008 in China. If MJ Larry and Magic were free agents with no rings in the summer of '93, BEST BELIEVE they would have been talkin about signing together. There was no reason for any of the 3, MJ celebrating his 2nd title, and Magic and Larry having won all of theirs, to go anywhere. For MJ to act like he was in the same situation and is in a position to comment is asinine. 
Further, he should keep his self out of someone else's shine. I don't remember Bill Russell saying, "Well I've got 5 more than you do Jeffrey Jordan AND I coached some of those teams WHILE playing. You ain't the G.O.A.T" Why? Because Bill Russell's not a bitter old man who still can't get over seeing others in his spotlight, deserved or not. He let Michael have his shine. 

Magic and Larry had nothing to say about how they had to be the best against each other, and EVERY OTHER PLAYER ON THE DREAM TEAM, including MJ, in their collective primes. Neither did Oscar Robinson ask Mike about who was a better triple-double machine (this was BEFORE they instituted the 3 pointer in the NBA). Kareem didn't ask Michael about who is STILL the NBA's all time leading scorer today. People had their reign in their era and they let Michael have his without making any comparisons. Michael needs to shutup, let Kobe, Lebron, Wade, KD, etc. shine and worry more about fixing his wretched Bobcats....

And His Airness was NOT always a winner. It took him just as many seasons of playoff exits, that being seven, before he could get over THREE CONSECUTIVE playoff losses to the Pistons. This was with Scottie Pippen and Charles Oakley. Those exits were always attributed to Pippen and other Bulls' youth. He never lacked for talent in those first seven years like Lebron has...

Furthermore, Jordan's teams were definitely better than ANY team Lebron's had in Cleveland. The year Michael was gone, Scottie Pippen, BJ Armstrong and Horace Grant (3 all stars that year) led the Bulls to 55 wins and the 2nd round. Lets see how 2010 Cleveland does compared to 1994 Chicago. Hmmm. The next year with Ron Harper added and Jordan himself coming back in mid-march they STILL loss to Shaq, former "non important teammate" Horace Grant and the Orlando Magic in the SAME 2nd round of the playoffs. The next year, he got Dennis Rodman in a trade for NOTHING. Dennis went on to win his FIFTH rebounding title and Toni "Europe Jordan" Kukoc won 6th man of the year. They also had the best bench in the league that year. They ALSO were the only team EVER to have 3 people on the all defensive first team in one year. To act like Michael didn't have help is doubly as asinine...

Heck, the next year they even got old Robert Parrish off that Celtics team on their bench! Cmon Michael jeffrey Jordan. Judging by that Hitler mustache and the cigar you always smoke while playing tournament golf, I can tell no one in your entourage will tell you when somethings a bad idea, or when you should shut up. So let me do it for you His Hairlessness: 

SHUT UP...