What Could have been: Bulls vs Rockets in NBA Finals

There are always events or situations in history where we look back and wonder "What Could have been?". Whether it was a great team that could not win a championship ('90s Orlando Magic), or a great match that never happened (ex: Shawn Michaels vs The Rock). There are also dream matchups that never manifest (Hogan vs Flair at WrestleMania VIII, Austin vs. Hogan at WM X8). In this case, I would like to look at what would have been the ultimate dream series (pun intended) between the two best players of their respective era. In this case, I would like to examine what could have been the premiere Finals series between Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls and Hakeem Olajuwon's Houston Rockets. If only Mike did not put the Basketball down to pickup the Baseball bat. We would have the best Finals series of that decade in my view.

People always like to run with this idea that the Chicago Bulls would have won eight straight championships if Michael never left for baseball. First and foremost, Michael Jordan is the greatest player to ever pick up a basketball. He is to Basketball what Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold Steve Austin are to Wrestling and what Jerry Rice is to Football. I just wanted to clear that point. However, I would like to take a quick flashback to the year 1984. There was a young man from the University of Houston by way of Lagos, Nigeria who was drafted two spots ahead of Michael as the 1st Overall Draft pick. His name was Akeem Olajuwon (later Hakeem). MJ was incredible in North Carolina, but Dream was very close in his own way as he carried the U of H on his back. For the record, I knew nothing about the University of Houston until I found out that Hakeem Olajuwon played there. Plain and simple, this man put that school on the map. Hakeem was not some nameless scrub player. He did not have to carry the regret of being the player that his team passed over Michael Jordan to draft (Sam Bowie). The Dream had a remarkable career in his own right.

In fact, I would like to fast forward to 1986. That season, Jordan was injured for most of that season. As we all know, Michael torched the 1986 Celtics Empire for a Playoff Record 63 points. Unfortunately, the Bulls were swept in that series. Meanwhile, Olajuwon led the Houston Rockets to the NBA Finals against that same Boston Celtics team led by NBA MVP Larry Bird. Boston would capture their 16th Title in that series. Remember, the Dream led his team to the Finals five years before Jordan would conquer Magic Johnson's Lakers for his first championship. What makes this fantasy series even more special is that Olajuwon was THE Dominant Center of his Era/Generation in a time where you had at least four other Hall of Fame (future Hall of Fame) Centers in their prime or entering their prime. You name the player, Hakeem has given him a lesson at some point. Out of that era, he was the most versatile. He had the quickness and handles that wing players envied, along with a presence that traditional pivotmen were not able to match.

Whenever this topic is brought up, everybody wants to put an asterisk next to Houston's two championships as if they meant nothing. At least Hakeem stepped to the plate to become a champion, instead of becoming another ringless statistic like Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley or Karl Malone. None of them took advantage of that window of opportunity, and their legacies have suffered because of that. It is hard to argue against Michael going undefeated in the Finals (6-for-6). On his path to the Championship, Jordan went through some giants such as the Celtics led by Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons as well as Magic's Showtime Lakers.

Jordan's first three-peat was his most statistically dominating run as the Bulls defeated the Lakers, Blazers and Suns (his numbers speak for themselves). However, there is one common denominator in each series. None of those teams had a dominant Center like Hakeem Olajuwon in Houston. The Dream would give Chicago matchup nightmares in the Finals. Chicago's defense would be faced with threats that they never had to face in the first or second three-peat. Kareem was retired by the time the Bulls played the Lakers. Hakeem's post moves and footwork would have Bill Cartwright and Horace Grant pretty much dumbfounded. The Sonics and Jazz did not have Centers that created major threats either. Next to Michael Jordan, I would say that Hakeem was the 2nd best player of the 90's. These two titans dominated in what is considered by many to be the "Golden Era" as it was a time where every team across the league seemed to be loaded with Hall of Fame talent.

On one hand, I won't say that the Bulls would have had a run of eight straight championships. The Rockets have proven that they can give Chicago matchup issues in the regular season. On the other hand, I will not say that Houston would have won two straight over Chicago. You could go with either season, and Houston would have walked away with at least one trophy. The Rockets are the one team that has a career winning record against Michael Jordan. From 91-93, Jordan went 1-4 against the Rockets.



Figuring out a defensive scheme against Olajuwon would have been much harder than creating a defensive scheme against Karl Malone or Charles Barkley.

Just like Jordan in 1988, Hakeem won both MVP and DPOY during the 1994 Season. However, Dream won Finals MVP in that same season where he picked up the other two awards. That 1994 team defeated Chicago's rival New York Knicks in seven games during their first championship run. New York was led by Hakeem's rival Patrick Ewing. For the 1995 campaign, Houston managed to win their second title as a 6th seed with under 50 wins (47-35). They were called "Road Warriors" for a reason as they never had home court advantage during their playoff run. Along the way, Houston defeated the No. 3 seed Utah Jazz (60-22), No. 2 seed Phoenix Suns (59-23) and the No. 1 seed San Antonio Spurs (62-20). Those teams featured very decorated players: Karl Malone and John Stockton (both 1st Team All-NBA), Charles Barkley (2nd Team All-NBA) and David Robinson (1st Team All-NBA, MVP). In the finals, they would squash a young Orlando Magic Team (57-25) led by Shaquille O'Neal (2nd Team All-NBA, Scoring Champion) and Penny Hardaway (1st Team All-NBA). Houston conquered the top teams and stars of the league during that two-year window. During the second run, the second biggest factor next to Hakeem was Clyde Drexler.

Clyde was acquired by The Rockets during a trade midway through the 1995 Season as the Blazers traded him in exchange for Otis Thorpe. Despite the rough start, Drexler was able to play a key role in Houston's second title chase. Clyde was looking to redeem his image after Michael Jordan demoralized him in the 1992 NBA Finals. If Houston plays Chicago, Drexler would be looking to seek revenge. Drexler's legacy was revived once he reunited with his former College Teammate Hakeem Olajuwon. Clyde needed Hakeem more than Hakeem needed Clyde. Drexler's window was closing to win a championship as he was in the twilight of his prime.

If I had to lean to any one of those Rockets teams to defeat Chicago, I might lean towards the 1995 Team slightly. Michael Jordan was the main player who demanded double teams, because of the damage that he can do on the offense. Scottie Pippen did a great job in Michael's absence, but he only averaged 16.7 ppg while Jordan was gone. That would not fly when you are trying to establish yourself as a leader away from His Airness. Scottie was not a player who screamed "Double Team". Meanwhile, Olajuwon and Drexler each demanded double teams as they could create problems in their own way.

As for the series outcome, Houston wins in a 7-game series as Olajuwon wins Finals MVP. It would have been great to see this happen. All we can do is fantasize about what could have been.

Jerry Rice: Football Royalty

I have been waiting for the longest time to do this project. The Model of Consistency. One of the true Ironmen of Sports, especially in a Sport like Pro Football. The Gold Standard that other Wide Receivers are measured by. Jerry Rice is the embodiment of commitment, discipline and greatness. Although he was not the fastest or the most physical wideout, Jerry's work ethic and technique brought him a countless number of accolades. Rice was a standout wide receiver ever since his days at Mississippi Valley State, an HBCU (Historically Black College University). Jerry attended MVS from 1981-1984. While there, he received the nickname "World", because there wasn't a ball in the world that he couldn't catch. In 1982, Jerry caught 66 passes for 1,133 yards and 7 touchdowns. 1983 was his standout campaign, as he set numerous records. That season, Jerry had 102 receptions, with 1,450 yards while being named First Team Division I-AA, All-America. The next season, he broke those records with 112 receptions and 1,845 yards, with 27 touchdowns. Jerry finished his historic College Career with 301 receptions, 4,693 yards, and 50 touchdowns. In spite of his record-setting career at MVS, the one weakness that scouts discovered was his speed. During the combine, Rice clocked in a 4.7 speed, which is not very high for receiver standards for the draft. However, there were two key teams that kept a very close eye on him. Fittingly enough, the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys. Niners coach Bill Walsh saw a huge investment in Jerry and drafted him with the 16th overall pick in the 1985 NFL Draft. Walsh was impressed after watching highlights of Rice the Saturday before San Francisco played the Houston Oilers on October, 21, 1984. The investment would prove to pay off in great ways. San Francisco came off the heels of winning their second Super Bowl Trophy in late January, when they drilled Dan Marino's Miami Dolphins 38-16 in Super Bowl XIX. San Fran looked to add to their dominance, and Rice was the perfect new weapon for Joe Montana. In his rookie campaign, even though he struggled at times, Rice gave glimpses of his greatness, when he caught 49 passes for 927 yards (18.9 yards per catch) and 3 TDs. This performance earned Jerry the NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year. His standout game was a 10-catch, 241 yard game against Division rival Los Angeles Rams. 1986 proved to be Rice's first breakthrough season where he had his first of 11-straight 1,000 yard seasons. This was also the first season with double digit Touchdowns and 80 or more receptions. That season, Jerry recorded 86 receptions for 1,570 yards and 15 TD's. This campaign also marked the first of six seasons where he would lead the NFL in receiving yards and touchdowns. The rewards would include, his first of 13 Pro Bowl Selections, his first of 10 First-Team All-Pro Selections along with the NFC Offensive Player of the Year Award. This is where Jerry truly raised his game to become a transcendant player. The 1987 season was shortened by a strike, which typically became a roadblock for statistics. However, Jerry became the exception to the rule. Despite playing only 12 games, Rice lead the league with 1,078 yards and a then NFL-record 22 Touchdowns. For his brilliant season, Jerry was named NFL MVP by both the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA), and Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). Rice also received his first of 2 NFL AP (Associated Press) Offensive Player of the Year Awards. Philadelphia Eagles Wide Receiver Mike Quick was in second place with 11. This marked the first time in NFL history since the merger, where a player doubled the numbers of his nearest competitor. In 1988, Jerry caught 64 passes for 1,306 yards (career-high 20.4 YPC) and 9 Touchdowns. This was his first Super Bowl Campaign, as San Francisco won the NFC West with a 10-6 record. In the playoffs, Rice raised his level of dominance, as he helped lead the 49ers to a 28-3 thrashing over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in the NFC Championship. That game, he had 5 receptions for 123 yards and 2 touchdowns. Jerry raised the bar even higher in his first Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XXIII, Jerry was unstoppable, as he set records for receptions (11) and receiving yards (215) with 1 Touchdown to help the San Francisco 49ers defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 20-16. This was the third Super Bowl in team history, as Jerry won the Super Bowl MVP Award. Rice only became the third wide receiver in history to win the award. 1989 is considered by many to be the greatest season in 49er History. That season, they went 14-2, with Jerry's 82 receptions, 1,483 yards and 17 touchdowns. In the playoffs, he was still sensational, with 12 receptions, 169 yards and 2 touchdowns in their 2 playoff games before the Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XXIV, Rice was once again a major weapon for the Niner Army with 7 receptions for 148 yards and a record 3 touchdowns as San Francisco dismantled the Denver Broncos 55-10 to win their 4th Lombardi Trophy. Rice continued his success in 1990, with a league-leading 100 receptions, 1,502 yards and 13 touchdowns. Unfortunately, San Francisco failed to three-peat as they lost in the NFC Championship game to the eventual champion New York Giants. For six seasons, the Jerry Rice-Joe Montana Connection was the most lethal QB-WR Combination in the NFL. Together, they scored for 55 Touchdowns, and won back-to-back Super Bowls. Even though Joe had been a champion twice, Jerry helped to extend his greatness. The 1989 Season was the perfect example of that. However, the party would soon end, when Montana went down with an injury that sidelined him for the entire 1991 season. Steve Young would take the torch as the new starting QB. Jerry admits that he had to make slight adjustments, because Young was not only a left-handed QB, but he was also mobile. However, Jerry continued business as usual (80 catches, 1,206 yards, 14 touchdowns). In 1992, Rice caught 84 passes, 1,201 yards and 10 touchdowns as he and Steve Young led the Niners back to the NFC Championship. San Fran would fall to the future champion Dallas Cowboys. In 1993, Rice caught 98 passes for 1,503 yards and 15 TD's to win his second AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award. In 1994, Jerry had his finest season at that point, with a career-high 112 receptions, 1,499 yards and 13 touchdowns. In the first game of the season against the Los Angeles Raiders, he broke Jim Brown's all-time record for Career Touchdowns. During the game, Jerry caught 7 passes for a season-high 169 yards and 2 touchdowns (rushed for one more), to move into first place with 127. Even though he only had 6 catches in the playoffs, Rice once again became unstoppable when it mattered most, in the Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XXIX, Rice recorded 10 receptions for 149 yards and 3 touchdowns as the 49ers torched the San Diego Chargers 49-26 to become the first team to win 5 Super Bowls. In 1995, Rice superseded his previous season numbers with a career-high 122 receptions (tied with Cris Carter for 2nd place), a career-high 1,848 yards (1st place, a record now broken by Calvin Johnson) and 15 touchdowns, before the Niners would fall to Green Bay in the Divisional Playoffs. From '94-'96, Rice racked up a phenomenal 342 receptions, 4,601 receiving yards and 36 touchdowns. This has to be considered the best three year stretch by any receiver in history. However, his prime would soon come to a close. In 1997, Rice tore ligaments in his knee on a WR Reverse play. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defensive Tackle Warren Sapp grabbed Jerry by the face-mask and pulled him to the ground, causing a 15-yard penalty. This ended Rice's streak of 189 consecutive games played. As a result, he was forced to miss the Pro-Bowl for the first time in 11 seasons. However, Rice would recover and return in 1998 with 82 catches, 1,157 yards and 9 touchdowns to make his 12th Pro Bowl appearance. By 1999, the Niners organization was moving in a new direction with the emergence of Terrell Owens. TO was considered the present and future, while Rice was officially considered the past. This was the first season where Rice failed to reach 1,000 yards in 16 games. He had the same results in 2000. San Fran was officially in rebuilding mode, and Jerry saw the writing on the wall as he left the 49ers to sign with Bay Area rival the Oakland Raiders in 2001. During his time with the Raiders, Rice showed flashes of brilliance as he and fellow Hall of Famer Tim Brown became the oldest receiver duo in NFL History. In his first season, Jerry caught 83 passes for 1,139 yards and 9 touchdowns. 2002 was his best season in Oakland, as Jerry made history by making the Pro-Bowl and All-Pro Teams as a 40-year old. That season, he caught 92 passes for 1,211 yards and 7 touchdowns to reach his 13th Pro-Bowl. In the process, he helped make Rich Gannon and MVP. This was a great way to show that he could still shine even without two Hall of Fame Quarterbacks. However, the fun would soon end as the Raiders were pummeled by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-21 in Super Bowl XXXVII. In 2003, the Raiders never recovered as they went from 11-5 in 2002 to 4-12 in 2003. Jerry requested to be traded to the Seattle Seahawks, where he would spend the rest of his career. At the end of the 2004 season (his 20th), Jerry originally opted for a one-year deal with the Denver Broncos. However, during training camp, he decided it was best to retire than to finish his career at the bottom of the depth chart. On August 24, Rice signed a one-day deal to officially retire as a San Francisco 49er, just as Emmitt Smith did with the Dallas Cowboys. In 2010, Rice and Emmitt would appropriately be inducted together into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This has to be the first time that the All-Time Leaders in Receiving and Rushing were inducted in the same class. Jerry Rice holds virtually every significant receiving record that you can imagine. Rice was a true Ambassador of the game, both on and off the field. Unfortunately, Rice has had his fair share of critics (both fans and players) who say that he was only a star because of his two Hall of Fame QB's (Joe Montana and Steve Young). Most notably, Rice's former teammate and mentee, Terrell Owens made this ridiculous statement because of bitterness and jealousy. I have been waiting to address this for the longest. Jerry was great on his own. It takes two to tango. Rice was a playmaker when he caught those passes. Don't sell him short, because of his team. He made both of them look better. If it was just about his Quarterbacks, players like Dwight Clark, John Taylor, Brent Jones, etc would have had the careers that Jerry Rice had. Rice was a prototype receiver that came at a time where the NFL was introducing bigger, stronger more athletic wideouts. Jerry was a transcendant player who was naturally great anyway. It helped to have a nice supporting cast, but Jerry recorded those astronomical numbers because he was the best option on the team. He emphasized conditioning and endurance, which made him maintain a high level of play within the final 2:00 minutes of a game. He was a master of Yards After the Catch in a similar way that Michael Jordan was a Master of playing off the Dribble. Montana and Young loved to have Rice on their team to throw the ball to. He was a great teammate in the locker room and not a constant nightmare for his coaches. Players like TO and Randy Moss imploded the teams that they played on. Jerry's 22 Touchdowns in 1987 were more impressive than Randy's 23 in 2007, because Rice played in a strike shortened season. Meanwhile, Moss broke the record by only 1 TD in a full 16 GAME SEASON!! Owens burned three of the best bridges that he had (Niners, Eagles and the Cowboys). Along the way, both players had their strings of impressive QB's. Overall, Jerry Rice raised the standards for players who strive to one day make it to the Hall of Fame, especially on a 1st Ballot basis. Rice's name is all over the history books, as he is the all-time leader in receiving for both the regular season and post season. In 1999, Sporting News named Jerry Rice the 2nd Greatest Player of all-time behind Jim Brown on their 100 Greatest Players list. In 2010, NFL Network ranked Jerry Rice number 1 on their 100 Greatest Players list. Jerry was also named to the NFL All-Decade Team for the 1980's and 1990's. Rice's legacy is lightyears ahead of any other wideout in history, as he finished his spectacular career with 1,549 yards, 22, 895 receiving yards, (14-1,000 yard seasons) and 208 Touchdowns.

 

 

I Respect Greatness & History

As many of you may know, I am a major fan of sports history. I study it consistently in my down time. I respect and admire the history of sports that I enjoy. There have been certain players that I have watched, and have studied that caught my attention, and have transcended their sport in so many ways. In Boxing, there were fighters like Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Joe Frazier to name a few. In Football, Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, Jim Brown and others. In Basketball, there were players like Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt and company. These athletes will always be timeless, and that is why they are held in the highest regard. These are players whose legacies I will continue to defend until the end of time. What I write may come across as nostalgic, but it is to spotlight what made the game so great, and to show how greatness was properly built. Athletes like Wilt, Ali, and Jim Brown had enough influence, dominance and impact to where they transcended their eras, and cannot be limited to their time period. In other words, they could clearly dominate any time period, when you give them the same balance as anyone else. However, one thing that I am blatantly against is how these athletes are diminished, and not rightfully acknowledged by modern day fans and media members. At times the way I give criticisms of today's athletes may come across as a hater. If so, I apologize. I just like things to be put in their proper perspective. I am a very passionate fan, who uses facts to balance my observation. I do not like unfair comparisons where players are matched up with others whose legacies pale in comparison.

For example, Kobe Bryant is a bonafide NBA Legend and First Ballot Hall of Famer. He was greatly influenced by Michael Jordan, which is something to truly admire. However, that is where it starts, and for me that is where it should end. When you look at facts, there production is very different. Michael's career averages in scoring, rebounds, assists, etc are all higher than Kobe's. (MJ-30.1, Kobe-25.4) His field goal percentage is also higher. MJ won 10 scoring titles, while Kobe won 2. Michael was the Finals MVP every year that Chicago won the championship. Kobe was the Finals MVP on two out of three times the Lakers won the championship. Not to spark a debate, but those are simply facts. Therefore, with everything taken into consideration Kobe's achievements and body of work at least put him along the lines of Jerry West, Oscar Robertson and Julius Erving. That is a very high honor in and of itself. Kobe is his very own player. If it were not for the constant comparisons being shoved down my throat, I can sit back and truly enjoy Kobe's career the way that I really want to. Does that sound like a hater? No! That is how you put things in perspective. My frustration from the comparisons, and fans bringing up 81 points boils over in different ways. I openly admit that. With that aside, he has truly carved out a terrific career. That is the ultimate point that I want to get across.

However, when people want to diminish legends from the past and the era that they dominated, I have a problem. Of course, each athlete regardless of era is great in their own way. They have dedicated their lives to what they do. With that said, I also understand how greed and politics have corrupted the arena of sports as we know it today. Rule changes, and attitudes of entitlement have watered down sports in all areas and landscapes. There are certainly stars from today who have incredible work ethic, but it can be harder to see that with many of the prima donna attitudes that are even more prevalent. It is merely a sign of the times, and culture that we live in. Meanwhile, stars from before who paved the way built their own name, and did not need extra help from the media, and fans. They did not have the kinds of luxuries that stars today have. Even Michael Jordan himself faced his fair share of struggles with his team. He had to thoroughly earn his keep, and his game attracted others to him. Players brought more desire and passion that is greatly missed. I have no time for the drama, and the circus that comes from today. There was a great balance of athleticism and IQ which made things more exciting. If it was not broke, why touch it?

I am definitely not a fan of the way the media picks single games or a stretch of games to compare to legends to put them on that level in some kind of way. Last season during the playoffs, I remember when the media clearly focused on a game where LeBron scored 45 points, grabbed 15 rebounds with 5 assists. They put a spin as if he was the only player to do that since Wilt Chamberlain in 1964. It was a great performance, but there were countless other players who have done in between that time since Wilt. Players like Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, David Robinson, Hakeem, and others were overlooked. Jerry West had a triple double in Game 7 of the 1969 NBA Finals (42/13/12) as I have pointed out before. To put that in perspective, it was just another day at the office for LeBron, and one of the many great playoff games the NBA has produced. LeBron is the face of today's NBA, which is great and leave it at that. No need to over promote his greatness, and put him on a much higher pedestal.

I am not the type of fan that does not acknowledge one's greatness, because I never grew up watching them. With today's advantages of the Internet such as YouTube, I could find many ways to watch whatever highlights I could get my hands on to use as evidence. That way, I could combine what I have seen with my knowledge and facts to fully understand how great Player A was. For example, I did not grow up watching Walter Payton. However, I could use an outlet such as YouTube to see for myself how dominant he really was. I already have the stats anyway, so that makes it easier for me. I grew up in a time where I was able to watch enough of Jerry Rice to get a strong understanding of how great he was. I just use YouTube to get an even greater idea of how amazing he was. In other words, no one has an excuse. I don't want to hear anymore "I have never seen him play" excuses. Nobody got time for that.

Overall, I am a fan of someone who can leave a lasting imprint on the game. Athletes like Magic Johnson left a lasting impression on me to the point where I felt like I was in that time period whenever I watch their highlights. When I have read about them in Sports Illustrated, I was hooked. That is the mark of true greatness. They told a story by how they performed. At least I know that I am not the only person who feels this way. When people can talk about your career in 20 years or more, you have achieved greatness. In the end, that is truly the goal of anyone who plays, other than championships. Whatever you do is part of history, good or bad. That is the story of life in general.