The Public Perception of Rings

[Noyze]

One thing my favorite player Michael Jordan taught me a long time ago is that it's not about how many rings you win but how you do it. in 1990 if you asked fans who the greatest player of all time was the discussion was all over the place. Since we were fresh in the 90's the first names you'd get were Magic and Bird, but hardcore fans knew Kareem and Wilt were better, at least it was arguable. With push back Jordan would get mentioned too. The point is you'd get multiple names, but by the summer of 1993 it was pretty much definitive. Jordan was the greatest player of all time.

We gotta ask ourselves, why is that? Jordan had only 3 rings at the time. Magic had 5, Bird had 3, Kareem had 6, and he only had 1 more then Wilt. Well, part of it is because Jordan came in a different form then the players before him. Jordan's athletic ability made him seem elemental to us at the time. It stretched our imagination. There weren't as many players jumping that high at the time which helped raise him to an incredible level in the minds of the public.

Also he won 3 in a row. Something that hadn't been done in 20 years before him, a feat Bird and Magic weren't able to achieve. On average we as fans aren't fascinated by Kareem and Wilt. You can't identify with a 7 footer so you gravitate to the thing closest to you.

It's memorable performances to the ultimate goal that elevate a player in the minds of his peers and the fans. Jordan beat Magic in 91, goes up for a dunk with the right hand and switches mid air for a left hand layup. In 92 he shuts down the Drexler vs Jordan debate, scores 35 in the first half of game 1. In 93 he scores 55 against the Suns to help secure his 3rd championship in a row. The picture is in your mind, you remember the And 1 against Barkley, you remember Jordan shrugging his arms in somewhat disbelief after hitting his 6th three pointer in a row against Portland.

Although Jordan retired in 93, when he came back everything he did after that was just adding to his legacy. But he was already cemented as the greatest despite having less Rings then a few great players before him. It was the way it was done that captivated us.

The law of diminishing returns. In the NBA there are hundreds of players who jump as high as Jordan now. Hitting 6 three pointers in the first or 2nd half of a game is impressive still, but has been done a few times since then. The Lakers have won 3 in a row twice since The Bulls did it, almost 3 times. Miami almost got 3 in a row.

Our fascination today with rings today is borderline wreckless. One thing I argued in regards to Kobe chasing Jordan is that Kobe doesn't stretch our imagination, he just reminds us of the past. Steph Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant (or any other great player you think can get to GOAT level) all come in a different form. When I watched Jordan's Imax movie in 1999 I remember at the end of it he said something like "there will be another player better then me." Not sure if he actually meant it at the time but it opened my eyes. "Oh shit, is this possible?" Indeed, there will be a greater player and he wont look like or play like Jordan. For the next great player, it wont be about how many Rings he has but what he does to get them that will elevate him to a status high enough to rival Michael Jordan.....In My Opinion.

[Spurs m8]

The Jordan era

So real

[LostCause]

Our fascination today with rings today is borderline wreckless. One thing I argued in regards to Kobe chasing Jordan is that Kobe doesn't stretch our imagination, he just reminds us of the past. Steph Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant (or any other great player you think can get to GOAT level) all come in a different form

Good point, real shit too

[Big164]

It was actually the summer of 92 after I failed 3rd grade, when everyone proclaimed MJ was the goat.

The three peat in 93 was so overwhelming MJ retired from the game. It was almost like it was Too easy for him. His career average was 32+ at the time well ahead of wilts...and even wilt had to somewhat concede MJ was something special. He didn't need 5 rings, MJ was the goat after the 2nd.

[Lord P]

It was actually the summer of 92 after I failed 3rd grade, when everyone proclaimed MJ was the goat.

The three peat in 93 was so overwhelming MJ retired from the game. It was almost like it was Too easy for him. His career average was 32+ at the time well ahead of wilts...and even wilt had to somewhat concede MJ was something special. He didn't need 5 rings, MJ was the goat after the 2nd.

OT
I'm still surprised that rings are still used to define individual success by so many people.

[ClipperRevival]

OP.

Yes, it's the impressions that an athlete leaves us that ultimately decides how highly he is regarded in history to some extent, beyond ring count and stats. The moments when he left your jaw in utter amazement. Like Ali. MJ had so many of these moments.

And like many who lived through the MJ era, I am convinced that he just might be the GOAT for eternity.

[CuhGetsBucks]

OP.

Yes, it's the impressions that an athlete leaves us that ultimately decides how highly he is regarded in history to some extent, beyond ring count and stats. The moments when he left your jaw in utter amazement. Like Ali. MJ had so many of these moments.

And like many who lived through the MJ era, I am convinced that he just might be the GOAT for eternity.

The same thing will happen in terms of the generation that watched LBJ, we're seeing him put up god like numbers in the past finals. All the teenagers in this generation will rave about is how Bron did this how Bron did that. I believe he may go down as a more polarizing athlete than Kobe. MJ in my eyes is untouchable, MJ played his way into the lore of United States culture. He will always be seen as the greatest to ever do it, until another basketball player can transform the game such as MJ did. Not a shot at Bron or Kobe, but MJ is practically worshipped, the only one who can hurt MJ is MJ.

[Big164]

Lebron will be forgotten. Not totally but much in the same vain as dr j, oscar and bird are forgotten today. Another hot shot sf/g will come up in 2025 and we will move on.

Chamberlain will keep popping up like herpes tho. Everytime someone breaks 60 points or gets close to a 33 game win streak, we'll hear his name.

[ClipperRevival]

The same thing will happen in terms of the generation that watched LBJ, we're seeing him put up god like numbers in the past finals. All the teenagers in this generation will rave about is how Bron did this how Bron did that. I believe he may go down as a more polarizing athlete than Kobe. MJ in my eyes is untouchable, MJ played his way into the lore of United States culture. He will always be seen as the greatest to ever do it, until another basketball player can transform the game such as MJ did. Not a shot at Bron or Kobe, but MJ is practically worshipped, the only one who can hurt MJ is MJ.

You're right about LeBron. Many who grew up watching him will be convinced at their sole that no one did it better than him. But the good thing about all this is there is always the older folks who can provide proper context. When 99% of all people who watched both say MJ, that's not by mistake. He was just better.

[ClipperRevival]

Speaking of impressions, what comes to mind first when I think about MJ was his will to win, above anything else. You knew that every time he stepped on the court, he would try his absolute best to try beat you.

[Big164]

You're right about LeBron. Many who grew up watching him will be convinced at their sole that no one did it better than him. But the good thing about all this is there is always the older folks who can provide proper context. When 99% of all people who watched both say MJ, that's not by mistake. He was just better.

Exactly! I'm like 30 so I saw both. I never actually wondered if MJ was gonna choke to the jaZz. But Lebron v mavs 2011 I kinda was expecting a choke. And 2015 v the warriors, 2014 spurs..,It was totally different witnessing MJ. You really had to watch MJ live to understand how unbeatable he was. Never lost a series he was favored to win.

No amount of rings can match that.

[aj1987]

It was actually the summer of 92 after I failed 3rd grade, when everyone proclaimed MJ was the goat.

The three peat in 93 was so overwhelming MJ retired from the game. It was almost like it was Too easy for him. His career average was 32+ at the time well ahead of wilts...and even wilt had to somewhat concede MJ was something special. He didn't need 5 rings, MJ was the goat after the 2nd.

How the [COLOR="Black"]f[/COLOR]uck does anyone fail in the 3rd grade? That pretty much explains all your posts though.

[Noyze]

It was actually the summer of 92 after I failed 3rd grade, when everyone proclaimed MJ was the goat.

The three peat in 93 was so overwhelming MJ retired from the game. It was almost like it was Too easy for him. His career average was 32+ at the time well ahead of wilts...and even wilt had to somewhat concede MJ was something special. He didn't need 5 rings, MJ was the goat after the 2nd.

I agree, as dominant as Jordan was though I remember there was still a few holdouts. But shortly after winning his 3rd Bob Costas the voice of sports went to the Bulls locker room in an interivew and called him the greatest player of all time on national television. I remember it being a big deal.

[Hey Yo]

Originally Posted by Noyze
The law of diminishing returns. In the NBA there are hundreds of players who jump as high as Jordan now. Hitting 6 three pointers in the first or 2nd half of a game is impressive still, but has been done a few times since then. The Lakers have won 3 in a row twice since The Bulls did it, almost 3 times. Miami almost got 3 in a row.

The Lakers have only 3-peated once since the Bulls last did it.

When was the 3rd time that Chicago "almost" 3-peated? They've only won 6x

[BigKAT]

The Lakers have only 3-peated once since the Bulls last did it.

When was the 3rd time that Chicago "almost" 3-peated? They've only won 6x

Well, obviously he's talking about the Derrick Rose Injury.
Or something.

Okay, I'm actually clueless on that statement actually.