You can blame guys like Skip Bayless for “The Decision”.

For those who don’t keep track of pundits, Skip is a regular panelist on ESPN’s First Take, where he debates important sports issues of the day with a myriad of other hosts.  His job on the show is quite obviously that of the antagonist.

I understand the role of the antagonist very well; I played one on internet radio for over 4 years.  However, when it comes to the NBA, Skip provides an all too common variety of mind vomit among NBA historians, fans, and pundits.  It goes something like this:

Herp de derp derp not as good as Jordan.  Herp he derp derp killer instinct.  Jordan derp de herpaderp greatest of all time!

The “Jordan” in this line of thinking is, of course, Michael Jordan or “His Airness” or “Air Jordan” or whatever you’d like to call him.  He is one of the greatest basketball players of all time, without question.  That said, many fans, historians, and media will state without reservation that Jordan was the man—the Greatest of all Time.  The reality is somewhat hazier than that.

I love a good conspiracy theory, and the nice thing about being an NBA pundit is that, as much as commissioner David Stern wants you to think otherwise, the NBA is fixed, and has been since at least the mid to late 1980s.  Realistically, especially during the Jordan era, it made great business sense.  NBC paid 600 million dollars for the NBA TV contract in 1990, which was the first of Jordan’s 3-peats with the Chicago Bulls.  This was also 6 years after Jordan signed with Nike shoes, setting up a fantastic golden triangle for Nike, NBC, and the NBA. So long as the Bulls were around to maximize the number of Bulls games shown on TV every year, ratings for the NBA programs on NBC would be high, and kids would flock to Foot Locker to get that year’s Air Jordan shoes.

We all know the results: Six NBA Titles for the Chicago Jordans, fueled as much by the golden triangle of NBC, Nike, and the NBA as they were the triangle offense.  One moment shines above all the others as strong circumstantial evidence that the fix was in.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyL0FxS-F6E

Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals is a game that will live in infamy.  There’s Jordan shoving Bryon Russell to get open to make the game winning shot.   Further, most casual, and some not casual fans list Jordan as the absolute GoaT, as LL Cool J would say.  Come with any player and the means to back your argument up, and you’ll find your discussion partner with their arms folded, or with their fingers in their ears humming as loud as they can.  Michael Jordan is to the NBA what Nintendo is to gaming, except Jordan actually brought something to the table past 1995.

Now let’s fast forward to 2010.  You’re at the end of your contract and on a bad team with a worse coach and the worst owner this side of the LA Clippers.  You could stay put and attempt to become a hero, but you know that you can never stand alone as the GoaT in basketball; conversely, you could accept an offer a friend of yours came to you with in 2008 to play in a warmer climate with a better supporting cast and Pat Rieley calling the shots in the front office.  Which do you do?  It’s a no-brainer, and televising that no-brainer made millions of dollars for Boys and Girls Club of America.

So, while some are super quick to crucify LeBron James for the decision he made and the way he made it, I think we should look at the inflexibility of fans who’s basketball knowledge begins and ends with Michael Jordan and the media members who support that closed minded view.

Now I think I’ll take my talents to South Beach.

P.S. I love ya, Dirk Nowitzki, but I cannot in good conscience cheer for a team from Dallas to win it all. Blame their fans, who are generally terrible human beings who cheer when opposing players get hurt.  It's nothing personal.