My 2¢ on Jordan vs Lebron

Disclaimer- I grew up on late 80s- early 90s basketball. It was the best basketball ever played IMO.

The Jordan vs Lebron debate might be the most overplayed conflict on this board. Everyone seems to have a favorite but it always devolves into a stats pissing-contest where nobody can seem to find a mutual respect for the other guys favorite. So here's what I REALLY think the dividing line is between the two: It's a generational difference in the way Pre-Millenials and Millenials see the world.

1/ Attitude about Competition

Jordan was the ultimate competitor in modern sports. When he won he was pragmatic about it. When he lost he was pissed and probably went back and practiced some more. He loved the game, knew he was lucky to be able to play it, and had a mission to win.

Lebron- on the other had- has never had a killer instinct. He is humble when he wins but an unbearable twat when he loses. This is what I think is the real divider between MJ fans and LJ fans. Pre-millenial people are just far more pragmatic so we respect MJ's attitude for the game. Millenials and after have been raised in a victim society that actually listens to the complaints rather than just sayin, "shut up and play better".

2/ Being a Leader

MJ was a hard assed leader. He did not frick around with *playing* leader like LJ. Lebron is a good leader when everything is sticking to the script and he is winning but he folds like a Walmart beach chair when things get even a little complicated. For me this is the ultimate signal of being a baby back bitch and LJ has a PHD in it. If this was a video game with character stats it would look like this:

MJ:
CHARISMA: 10
TALENT: 10
LEADERSHIP: 10
INTELLIGENCE: 9

LJ:
CHARISMA: 5
TALENT: 10
LEADERSHIP: 3
INTELLIGENCE: 5

That's not hyperbole.

3/ Being a Businessman

MJ was the original OG basketball moneymaker. He invented the *shoe-deal* but he knew it was secondary to playing basketball and winning championships. He set up an empire and somehow managed to play basketball successfully for a really long time. Social causes were not how he built the Jordan brand: It was being a relentless winner that is the Jordan brand. He also understood the importance of being a good employee and respecting people that knew more than he did. MJ respected his coaches and worked with what he had. He understood that he needed a supporting cast.

Lebron- on the other hand- seemingly is spread out into many businesses that he has no expertise in at all. He also wants to be a social crusader. He wants to be respected for deep thinking which is definitely NOT his forte.

Bottom Line

In the end I think that people that watched Jordan in the day respected and loved the guy because in a roundabout way he was a selfless winner doing his own thing and looking out for himself. I loved that about him.

LJ- on the other hand- seems like a self-serving narcissist who is very good at the basketball part of his brand but he might be the worst *leader* in the history of the NBA. He is always 5 minutes away from getting the coach fired, or talking trash about his teammates, or moving to a new team... He is like a terrible girlfriend: She's hot but she might just decide to go frick your best friend or air out your dirty laundry on twitter or embarrass you with personal business. In short, he's a egomaniacal, bitchy ho.

So anyway, I think that the bottom line is that those born prior to the 90's have a completely different worldview than the younger generation. Personally, I just can't generate respect for a guy that in *only* good at the basketball part of being a hero when he is so fricking terrible at all of the other important parts. Nobody wants a hero that bases part of his mystique on being the victim, and with LJ his victimhood is 110% self-inflicted wounds. Just shut up and play for your team and your city...