Larry Bird Is Better Than Michael Jordan

[KevinNYC]

since bird lacks the work ethic to get his body back to normal after devastating injuries

if bird wrecked his knee like kobe did in the 2003 playoffs then he probably would

This is revisionist nonsense. The level of medical training and surgical procedures available in the mid 1980's is waaaaaaay behind what was available in 2003.

See Bernard King. He took a looooong time to get back where he was after his knee injury in 1985.

Basketball players did not weight train in mid 80's. It was actively discouraged by NBA coaches and trainers. It was believed to mess up your shot and slow you down. This applies to most players across the board and it certainly applied to Jordan and Bird who did not start weight training until the late 1980's

Jordan started his serious training in 1989. In fact he was one of the first basketball players to benefit from a trainer who understood modern techniques and the importance of core strength.

One key to the transformation was MJ's athletic performance enhancement guru, Tim Grover. Known as the industry leader in boosting players' athletic abilities through proper training, Grover began training Jordan in 1989, and continued to do so for the remainder of his career. The training took Jordan beyond what any player, past or present, has ever accomplished. Critics went from "Can he do that?" to "How did he do that?"

A cornerstone of Grover's training is core development. A solid core will help any athlete jump higher, run faster, move quicker and reach his or her true athletic potential.

Michael didn't start lifting until like 1990/91

Michael Jordan said before Sunday`s game that despite the knee and back problems, he felt stronger than ever for the playoffs because of the weight-training regimen he has been on the last year and a half.

Jordan, who works with a personal trainer and works only on his upper body, said he has gained 20 pounds.

``I never really lifted weights before because I was always afraid it would mess up my shot or slow me down,`` he said.

In fact, it was Bird's training regimen that inspired Jordan to look into weight training. This article is from 1988.

A Sleeker Bird Keeps Celtics Flying

The rest of the National Basketball Association has already seen enough of the trimmer, closely cropped, more muscular Bird-a result of a first-ever weightlifting program over the summer.

``He doesn`t look slimmer, he is slimmer,`` said Detroit`s Isiah Thomas about Bird and his lost 20 pounds. ``And that`s all we need is something else (from Bird).``

``Just what the league needs: a quicker Larry Bird,`` Detroit coach Chuck Daly said.

Fortunately for the Bulls, Bird was slowed by Achilles` tendon problems that forced him to miss four games earlier this season. When the Bulls beat Boston 107-102 Nov. 23 in Hartford, Conn., Bird and Kevin McHale were out.

After returning to the starting lineup, Bird went on a 17-game tear where he shot 56 percent from the floor and averaged 31 points a game. His added quickness and strength resulted in 42 points and 20 rebounds in a game against Indiana in November. The new look is complete with a different hairstyle-short all the way around.

Bird`s summer vacation was spent lifting weights, running and exercising five or six days a week beginning at 6 a.m. He built himself up and set a goal of going all out for 82 regular-season games and through the playoffs. When he missed eight games last season, he said he felt like everyone was being shortchanged.

``The great ones find a way to improve themselves and come up with new weapons,`` Collins said about Bird`s weight training. ``He is one of the all- time greats.``

....

[COLOR="Red"]Bulls star Michael Jordan knows Bird is looking for every edge he can get.

``He doesn`t settle for just one style of play,`` Jordan said. ``He is always trying to get better and better. Perhaps he is at that time in his career where he wanted to try it (weight training). When I get to that point in my career, I might pick up a few weights.``[/COLOR]

This was after Bird's several back injuries (including one where Michael Jordan landed on him during an off-season charity game.) Bird had his highest scoring year that year putting up
29.9, 9.3 and 6.1
This was one of the years he shot 50-40-90. So much for not getting his body back in shape.
The next season he snapped both his Achilles tendons on the same play. He had bone spurs in both feet that had been affecting him for at least a year. Do you know an effective training regimen for getting rid of bone spurs? Because I don't.

Also when the Bird-Magic book came out it was revealed he had back issues even without the injuries.

MacMullan adds that Bird had “a congenital back problem” to begin with. “The canal that led the nerves through his spine was too small. He was going to end up with those back problems anyway

Bird's work ethic was well known and he was known for his stamina. He was a dedicated runner and bicylist. The main difference is he didn't use modern training methods until injuries had already set it.