Who wins? 1992 Dream Team vs. 2012 USA Men's Basketball

The Dream Team played 20 years ago this summer.  They have often been called the best basketball team to ever play together.  You had MJ, Bird, Magic, Barkley, Stockton, etc.  This was a great team; defeating it's opponents by an average of 44 points.

The 2012 team is about to begin it's run through the Olympics.  They have stars such as Lebron, KD, Kobe, CP3, etc.

People are now starting to debate if these two teams played each other, who would win.  Kobe was asked that recently and mentioned that he thinks his team would pull it out.

Jordan, being told what Kobe mentioned, said that that was the stupidest thing he could have said.

Barkley, also, laughed at Kobe's quote.

These three people are extremely competitive (as are most current and former NBA players) and that is what you'd expect them to say. 

Luckily for you all, I am here to give you my thoughts.

It starts with me talking about nostalgia.  As we get older, we all become more and more nostalgic.  Music isn't what it used to be, people were more respectful all those years ago, basketball was much better when I was younger. 
I have been known to get nostalgic.  I was growing up in the early to mid-90's when NBA on NBC was really getting big.  I loved the intro, the players, the teams.  I remember watching Barkley and the Suns play Hakeem and my Rockets.  It was amazing.  I'll never forget watching Reggi Miller (singlehandedly it seems) defeat the Knicks time and time again. 

Ask anybody who their favorite player of all time might be and, more often than not, they'll mention a player from when they were a kid.  My favorite player of all time is Hakeem Olajuwon and I doubt that will ever change.  No matter how well the Thunder does or how well Durant might play, he will never top Hakeem (in my eyes).  Every person in the world is nostalgic and loves the players from their childhood.

With that being said, I feel that we are being a little too nostalgic with the Dream Team. 
When people think about the guys on that team, they think about everybody in their prime.  Bird, possibly the greatest shooter we've ever known, couldn't even play because of back problems.  Magic was still a good player but was still past his prime.  In fact, he came out of retirement to play in the Olympics.  He ended up playing infrequently because of knee problems.  Sure, it was a cute idea to have those two pose with Jordan for a poster.  It was kind of a nice way for Bird and Magic to pass the torch to Jordan, letting him carry the league for a while.

I will go position by position:

Point Guard: Magic Johnson and John Stockton vs. Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and Deron Williams.

Magic, in his prime, was the best point guard to ever play the game.  However, 1992 Magie was not who he used to be.  Stockton was great and is the all-time assists and steals leader in the NBA.  However, I feel that Paul, Russell, and Deron are way too athletic.  How Stockton and Magic going to even attempt to guard them.  I think that when his career is over, Chris Paul will be considered one of the all time greats. 

Edge: 2012 team
Shooting Guard: Michael Jordan and Clyde Drexler vs. Kobe Bryant, James Harden, and Andre Iguodala

MJ is, arguably, the best player in NBA history.  Drexler was a great player and Hall-of-Famer.  Kobe is the only one out of the 3 2012 players that can play with the other guys.  Harden and Iguodala are good players but don't even belong in the conversation with the other three.

Edge: 1992 Dream Team

Small Forward: Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen, and Chris Mullin vs. Lebron James, Kevin Durant, and Carmelo Anthony,

Bird was a nonfactor in 1992.  I will always believe that Pippen was vastly overrated.  Mullin was a great shooter but not the best defensively.  Lebron, KD, and Anthony would dominate their Dream Team counterparts.

Edge: 2012 team

Power Forward: Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, and Christian Laettner vs. Kevin Love and Anthony Davis

Malone and Barkley are two of the three best power forwards of all time (along with Tim Duncan).  Laettner shouldn't have even been on this team (with LSU's Shaquille O'neal available).  Kevin Love is an up and coming player.  When it's all said and done, he might be considered up there.  Anthony Davis will most likely be on the team with Griffin's injury.  He was the top player in this year's draft.  I think he will have a great career but I really can't be sure about that.

Edge: 1992 Dream Team

Center: David Robinson and Patrick Ewing vs. Tyson Chandler

This position matchup shows you where the NBA game has gone since the 90's.  It used to be a center-dominated league.  The game has gone away from that and is played more on the wings.  The majority of centers in the league are becoming PF/C.  They're learning to play away from the basket.  Robinson and Ewing are two of the greats.  I do feel that they might have a harder time scoring than you would think against Chandler.  He is a great defensive presence.  Just don't expect Chandler to score much.

Edge: 1992 Dream Team

So by position, I have the 1992 team winning 3 while the 2012 team winning 2.

If these two teams could play, it would be a great game.  I'd give the slight edge to the Dream Team.  However, I think the 2012 team could beat that Dream Team.  Kobe's remarks were not that off-base.  We need to forget about nostalgia and look at it with an open mind.
The one thing that I know for sure is that it would be an AWESOME game!!!!

What is freedom of speech?

People say dumb and/or controversial things.  That never changes.  However, when there is some kind of repercussion or consequence for them saying these things, people always go to the "freedom of speech" rhetoric. 

Let's take Reggie Jackson for example.  "Mr October" is a Yankees legend.  You mention his name and people think of his great career as a Yankee.  (Of course, out of his 20 year career, he only played 5 years in New York.)  His nickname, Mr. October, came from his clutch hitting in the postseason.  Now, he serves as a special advisor to the Yankee organization.
In an SI interview, he discussed how Alex Rodriguez's numbers should be tainted and he should not get into the Hall of Fame.  Those remarks were not the smartest because Rodriguez plays for the Yankees (who Jackson advises).  Jackson might have actually been correct in his words.  However, he was completely mistaken when he said that Kirby Puckett, Gary Carter, Don Sutton, Phil Niekro, and Jim Rice shouldn't be in the Hall.
Anyways, the Yankees asked him to step away for a little bit in light of these controversial comments.  Because of this, people start screaming "WHERE IS HIS FREEDOM OF SPEECH."

He's not the only one who people scream that about: 

Don Imus' comments about Rutgers women's basketball that got his show cancelled, anything that Rush Limbaugh says, etc...

People wonder why they don't have their freedom of speech.


Read this closely: Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequence.

Did Reggie Jackson get arrested for his comments?  Did Don Imus get prosecuted?  The answer to this is no.

That is what "freedom of speech" means.  No legal action can be taken because of their comments. 

Go into your boss' office and call him/her "stupid".  Tell your boss that he/she doesn't know anything.  If he/she fires you, please don't say that your "freedom of speech" was taken away.

Freedom of speech DOES NOT mean that there is freedom from consequence!!!