Spike Lee: Larry Bird Most Overated Player in NBA History.

ESPN | 3/21/04 | CWB

[cwb]

I just caught a clip of this on ESPN and couldn't help but notice the similarities between what Spike Lee said and that of what Rush said. Not only did he say Bird was the most overated player, he said that the "white media" would make you think that there were no great players before Larry Bird. I could tell that McKindry was uncomfortable with the story and it's going to be interesting to see how other's respond. Maybe we can get a comment from Isiah Thomas and Dennis Rodman who said that if Bird was a black man, he'd be just another average B-ball player.

[reg45]

He should know

Spike Lee is the most overrated filmmaker in the United States.

[groanup]

Pete would come over to my friend's house and play "low goal" (8' goals) for hours on end.

[dwd1]

You expose two very interesting issues. One, celebrities think that just because they are successful in one area, their opinions on things outside of their discipline should be accepted and unchallenged. Second, you see the same people that were defending Rush attacking Spike. They were both wrong. Neither of them has ever played professional sports and could not spend thirty seconds competing against the people they denigrate. Rush made a racist statement. Spike made a racist statement. Shame on both of them...

[reg45]

Little Spikey might like Bird better if Bird were black and played for the Knicks.

[M-cubed]

Jimmy the Greek!!!!...Now isnt this wireless internet thing great!!!...and just for old times sake.. what the hell are my odds of making it up there with ya?..*W*

[reg45]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar invented the SLAM DUNK! Magic Johnson perferced it.

and Michael Jordan raised it to a whole new level.

[PallMal]

and Michael Jordan raised it to a whole new level

I guess you've never seen Julius Erving back in the Virginia Squires/New York Nets days.

[reg45]

Isn't Spike Lee the guy named after that network that shows "Star Trek" all the time?

Can't be - The Spike Network has quality programming.

[reg45]

I admit some bias as a Chicago area Bulls fan.

[VeritatisSplendor]

Hard to compare players at different positions, but....
1) Jordan 2) Wilt 3) Kareem 4-5 tie) Bird, Magic 6) Russell 7) Robertson 8-9 tie) Malone, Stockton 10) Walton

Putting together an all-time team (1 at each position):
A) Wilt, K. Malone, Bird, Jordan, Magic
B) Kareem, McHale, Dr. J, Robertson, Stockton
C) Russell, Hayes, Baylor, West, Cousy
D) Walton, Pettit, Havlicek, Maravich, Isiah
Honorable Mention: M. Malone, Olajuwon, Shaq, Thurmond, Gervin, Rodman, Monroe, Frazier, Archibald
Greatest all-around: Jordan, Wilt, Robertson
Smartest ever: Bird, Jordan
What I loved about watching Bird play was what didn't show up on TV but was obvious to people attending the game: the way he always moved to the right place; how he would, while running back on defense, throw his arms up blindly to interfere with any attempt to pass over his head; how he conserved his energy for exactly when it was needed; how infallibly he capitalized when the other guy made a mistake.

[Lawgvr1955]

Didn't Spike direct "Malcom the Tenth"?

[Vision]

Looks who's talkin'. That piece of trash has got to be the most overrated filmmaker in history.

[unspun]

Larry Bird could throw the ball in-bounds, take the pass back, shoot and score within 0.1 seconds.

Larry Bird ate basketballs and pooped Nikes.

Larry Bird could pull down his opponents' shorts and strip the basketball from him before the guy knew he was on the court.

Larry Bird could hit a jump shot from the top of the key surrounded by medeival pikers.

Larry Bird could bite the head off a lion and spit it at an elephant and kill it.

Larry Bird didn't even need to jump.

Larry Bird could become a black man at will, sometimes even Chinese.

Larry Bird could bounce a pass off Jack Nicholson's face, into hands of Robert Parish for an Alley Oop.

Larry Bird is the reason Danny Ainge was always wincing.

Larry Bird invented the French Lick.

[job]

clockers . . . with an excellent soundtrack

[international american]

Correct on all counts!!

[Chances Are]

I'll give you the Big "O", but not West.

CA....

[Fedora]

All true, except this part: Larry Bird invented the French Lick.

Actually, Al Gore invented that :)

[attiladhun2]

This "whitey" sure didn't make that a-frame rich. Never have seen a Spike Lee flick and never will. Won't even watch his crap on tv for nothing. He is pure d scum.

[international american]

I have never watched one and never will!

[don'tbedenied]

I have no knowledge of Pete's mom. This is a basketball expression, it is meant to indicate that Pete was a very poor defensive player.