- Aug 2, 2006
- 34,188
- 29,512
Anyone who is a consumer of the game of basketball, and respects the history of the game should be insulted at the notion that Jordan is the undisputed GOAT, and it is most certainly true that the "mystique" of Jordan plays a large part into prevailing public opinion of him and his legacy. There are players whos resumes of WINNING are just as good if not better (Russel, KAJ), there are players whos statistical PRODUCTION is just as good if not better so the idea that he should be handed the crown without question is absurd.
Jordan mystique is powerful and cannot be discounted and while it obviously exists partly because of his excellence ON the court, the media environment that he played in gives him a particular advantages compared to the other GOAT players in other eras.
1. The media was large enough to influence culture globally.
2. The group of people producing media was small enough where the message could still be controlled.
3. The consumers of the media had no way voicing divergent opinions.
4. Athletes and the advisers of athletes reached a level of consciousness about how to control it.
These factors helped Jordan's legacy and because of the internet we will never see someone as highly regarded as Jordan. The spotlight shine on players brigter than ever and the flaws are BOUND to show through, LeBron's game has been picked apart thoroughly something that MJ never had to withstand. His philandering and gambling and douche-!%*#!%% were not in the public consciousness becuase unlike LeBron he and nike can control the message, in a way that could NEVER happen today.
Even if LeBron wins 7 championships, puts up identical numbers to Jordan he will never be looked upon the same way, the way media works it's basically impossible to be a legend. Your FEATS may be legendary but ultimatley you will always be viewed as flawed...human, not some ultra competitive god of war view people have of Jordan.
Jordan mystique is powerful and cannot be discounted and while it obviously exists partly because of his excellence ON the court, the media environment that he played in gives him a particular advantages compared to the other GOAT players in other eras.
1. The media was large enough to influence culture globally.
2. The group of people producing media was small enough where the message could still be controlled.
3. The consumers of the media had no way voicing divergent opinions.
4. Athletes and the advisers of athletes reached a level of consciousness about how to control it.
These factors helped Jordan's legacy and because of the internet we will never see someone as highly regarded as Jordan. The spotlight shine on players brigter than ever and the flaws are BOUND to show through, LeBron's game has been picked apart thoroughly something that MJ never had to withstand. His philandering and gambling and douche-!%*#!%% were not in the public consciousness becuase unlike LeBron he and nike can control the message, in a way that could NEVER happen today.
Even if LeBron wins 7 championships, puts up identical numbers to Jordan he will never be looked upon the same way, the way media works it's basically impossible to be a legend. Your FEATS may be legendary but ultimatley you will always be viewed as flawed...human, not some ultra competitive god of war view people have of Jordan.
