The Myth of Old School Competitiveness = Not Befriending Your Rival

[jlip]

In light of the story surrounding Lebron's and Durant's controversial off season workouts and the multiple claims of this being reflective of this generation's "lack of competitive spirit", I decided to do some research on some older legends to determine if they did similar things. Here is what I've uncovered.

Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain were actually close friends. The Celtics and Wilt Chamberlain's Philadelphia Warriors often played each other on Thanksgiving Day. On games in Philadelphia, Russell, along teammates K.C. Jones and Sam Jones, would eat turkey dinner at Chamberlain's house.
Source


In this video (@ 2:51 mark) Bill Russell says, "When Elgin was playing for the Lakers...every pre game meal we had, we had together. In Boston he was at my house. And at Minneapolis and in LA, I was at his house."

The video also speaks of how Russell, after having Thanksgiving dinner with Wilt's family, would take a nap in Wilt's bed, and then they would head to the game.

What captured me in this video is the fact that the host, Chris Rose, actually was under the familiar impression that "old school" competitors would never fraternize with one another like that, telling Russell that such things just don't sound like his perception of what "old school" players used to do. He was wrong.

This was not some off season workout we're talking about. This was during the season and just a couple of hours before the game. Try telling Russell he wasn't competitive.

[jlip]

"Johnson calls Thomas "Zeke,"...Thomas calls Johnson Earvin or Buck...Zeke says he and Buck are kindred spirits in many ways, one their shared spontaneity. To illustrate, Thomas recreated a typical off-season conversation. It begins with a call from him, though it could just as easily be the other way around.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing."
Me. too. Want to go to New York?"
"Yeah."
"Meet you there."
The would meet, go to a play, go dancing, take a hansom cab ride through Central Park...

"He's not Magic and I'm not Isiah; we're just two guys, two friends, two brothers talking...We play ball, call each other names and get a lot off our chests," Johnson said.

Thomas was Johnson's house guest and cheerleader during the Laker-Celtic wars of the past few years. There's an "Isiah Room" in the mansion.The friendship is on hold. "On the court, he's the enemy, and it will be that way until the day the series ends," said Johnson. "We can talk then."

Source- June 14, 1988


While having this type of friendship during the offseason these two rivals, who played the same position, were still competitive enough to try and take each other's head off in the Finals. Try telling Magic and Isiah that they were not competitive.

[jlip]

"Michael Jordan is my friend and I keep that separate from basketball," Barkley said Thursday. "One thing doesn't have anything to do with the other. I don't have to put the friendship aside during the finals."

Both players have said they intend to play golf during the series...
Source- June 11, 1993 During the Finals


Magic Johnson, already unpopular in Phoenix, has another critic: Charles Barkley.

Barkley is unhappy at Magic for saying that Barkley and Michael Jordan have been too friendly during the NBA Finals.

Magic is just talking to talk," Barkley said Thursday...

In his role as an NBC analyst, Johnson implied he was surprised that Barkley and Jordan had gone out to dinner during the championship series, which the Bulls can wrap up Friday night by winning Game 5.

Barkley dined with Jordan at Jordan's restaurant after Sunday's Game 3. Johnson also was there.

Meanwhile, Barkley said he and Jordan dined together at the popular nightspot after Wednesday night's game.

Source- June 18, 1993 During the Finals

[jlip]

So maybe Durant and Lebron should show real "old school competitive drive" by going out to dinner and having sleepovers with each other right before the game like Wilt, Russell, MJ, and Barkley.

[Raz]

Keep

Will sell post #5 for 50 cents.

[LakersReign]

"Johnson calls Thomas "Zeke,"...Thomas calls Johnson Earvin or Buck...Zeke says he and Buck are kindred spirits in many ways, one their shared spontaneity. To illustrate, Thomas recreated a typical off-season conversation. It begins with a call from him, though it could just as easily be the other way around.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing."
Me. too. Want to go to New York?"
"Yeah."
"Meet you there."
The would meet, go to a play, go dancing, take a hansom cab ride through Central Park...

"He's not Magic and I'm not Isiah; we're just two guys, two friends, two brothers talking...We play ball, call each other names and get a lot off our chests," Johnson said.

Thomas was Johnson's house guest and cheerleader during the Laker-Celtic wars of the past few years. There's an "Isiah Room" in the mansion.The friendship is on hold. "On the court, he's the enemy, and it will be that way until the day the series ends," said Johnson. "We can talk then."

Source- June 14, 1988


While having this type of friendship during the offseason these two rivals, who played the same position, were still competitive enough to try and take each other's head off in the Finals. Try telling Magic and Isiah that they were not competitive.

Yet another butthurt Lebron fanboy, desperately looking for validation of Lebron's behavior. Big surprise.

You CONVENIENTLY forgot to mention that Magic and Isiah are no longer friends. Since it's alleged that Isiah was the one who started telling people Magic had HIV. Too bad there's no part in any of that which says they decided to team up together to dominate the league, like Lebron/Wade/Bosh did. Nice try though

[jlip]

Yet another butthurt Lebron fanboy, looking to validate Lebron's behavior. Big surprise.

You CONVENIENTLY forgot to mention that Magic and Isiah are no longer friends. Since it's alleged that Isiah was the one who started telling people Magic had the AIDS virus. Too bad there's no part in any of that which says they decided to team up together to dominate the league, like Lebron/Wade/Bosh did. Nice try though

You will soon be on the ignore list. I don't know why I am dignifying your ignorance, but I am going to do it. Did you not read that WHILE THEY WERE PLAYING they were good friends and despite being rivals they spent a considerable amount of time together in the offseason while still remaining true competitors on the court? The article was written during the 1988 Finals before anyone knew that Magic was HIV positive. And... What the heck does some feud that they had AFTER Magic retired and the Heat Big 3 have to do with Lebron and Durant working out?

[DatAsh]

Yet another butthurt Lebron fanboy, desperately looking for validation of Lebron's behavior. Big surprise.

You CONVENIENTLY forgot to mention that Magic and Isiah are no longer friends. Since it's alleged that Isiah was the one who started telling people Magic had HIV. Too bad there's no part in any of that which says they decided to team up together to dominate the league, like Lebron/Wade/Bosh did. Nice try though

Jlip is not a Lebron fanboy.

[blablabla]

Yeah but i don't like Lebron so I have to hate on his behavior no matter what

[get these NETS]

magic and isiah's friendship deteriorated,naturally, once the pistons ascended to the Finals level while Lakers were still there.


there's a famous quoe that Obama used during his initial pres. run..."when I was down 20 points, they(the Clintons) said I was a nice guy"..after Hillary took the gloves off once the race got close


let barkley and jordan face each other in finals 2 years in a row and see how close they would be today


as far as wilt and Bill, their friendship had more to do with lack of support mechanisms for these super visible Black athletes in a much more openly racist society than exists today.

[LakersReign]

You will soon be on the ignore list. I don't know why I am dignifying your ignorance, but I am going to do it. Did you not read that WHILE THEY WERE PLAYING they were good friends and despite being rivals they spent a considerable amount of time together in the offseason while still remaining true competitors on the court? The article was written during the 1988 Finals before anyone knew that Magic was HIV positive. And... What the heck does some feud that they had AFTER Magic retired and the Heat Big 3 have to do with Lebron and Durant working out?

(Sarcasm)Damn.....I'm like.....soooooo....scared. The preferred OFFICIAL b***h move of ISHiots, who can't defend their arguments, so they dip out like a b***h

Do whatever you want, but FACTS WILL ALWAYS BE FACTS.....PURE AND SIMPLE!!!! And the FACT is, there is no comparison between Magic/Isiah and Lebron/Wade/Bosh, so keep reaching

[KG215]

You will soon be on the ignore list. I don't know why I am dignifying your ignorance, but I am going to do it. Did you not read that WHILE THEY WERE PLAYING they were good friends and despite being rivals they spent a considerable amount of time together in the offseason while still remaining true competitors on the court? The article was written during the 1988 Finals before anyone knew that Magic was HIV positive. And... What the heck does some feud that they had AFTER Magic retired and the Heat Big 3 have to do with Lebron and Durant working out?

Don't worry. Although every single part of his post was completey wrong, he'll comeback with an emoticon ellipses filled post telling you how he "owned" you and how he's right.

I'm 100% convinced he's mentally ill.

[KG215]

(Sarcasm)Damn.....I'm like.....soooooo....scared. The preferred OFFICIAL b***h move of ISHiots, who can't defend their arguments, so they dip out like a b***h

Do whatever you want, but FACTS WILL ALWAYS BE FACTS.....PURE AND SIMPLE!!!! And the FACT is, there is no comparison between Magic/Isiah and Lebron/Wade/Bosh, so keep reaching

I was half right. Only one emoticon.

The rest is just a bunch of unrelated incoherent psychobabble.

[LakersReign]

Don't worry. Although every single part of his post was completey wrong, he'll comeback with an emoticon ellipses filled post telling you how he "owned" you and how he's right.

I'm 100% convinced he's mentally ill.

...cuz left4dead MADE UP some bullcrap, and SAID it's true, even though he can't prove it. And a pure ret**d(kg215) like you, is seriously dumb enough to beleive him....right?

[KG215]

Who the hell is left4dead?