Steamboat Pilot & Today

Book, CD and movie reviews are reserved for 4 Points, but I have been told -- and I admit -- I have poor taste in literature and music, so I won't be writing anything for Autumn Phillips anytime soon.

I do, however, think I'm qualified to review sports-related material from the past 20 years, and the idea to introduce the "Ultimate Jordan" DVDs came about because Michael Jordan is my favorite athlete and because the DVDs' contents provide an escape for those who remember when basketball was played at a higher level.

By higher, I don't mean farther above the rim, but with more precision and quality.

NBA Entertainment put together "Ultimate Jordan" last year to honor the 20th anniversary of Jordan being drafted by the Chicago Bulls.

"Ultimate Jordan" is a three-DVD set that, for Jordan fans, plays out like one of those collector DVDs released after any pro or college team wins a title. All the memories flood back, from Jordan torching the famed 1986 Celtics for 63 points to Jordan denying Karl Malone a championship ring not once, but twice, with the Jazz.

Needless to say, it gives you chills.

But for those who were never fans of Jordan, you still have the games. The three-disc set includes one DVD devoted to Jordan highlights. The other two discs contain Jordan's five best games in their entirety without commercials, including his career-high 69 points against Cleveland, his 55 points against the Suns in the 1993 NBA Finals and his final game as a Bull when he posterized the Utah fans behind Chicago's hoop.

It's worth the $22 it costs.

I haven't found the NBA relevant since Jordan retired (the second time). I don't care much for the attitude, inconsistencies and flawed fundamentals in many of today's players. I don't find the games entertaining. I do see promise in players such as LeBron James, Kirk Hinrich and Kevin Garnett, players who understand the importance of offense, defense and teamwork.

But there isn't an NBA team in the past six years that could beat any of the Celtics, Lakers or Bulls teams of the 1980s or 1990s in a seven-game series. Those teams had depth, leadership and role players who made clutch shots or pulled down timely rebounds. When the sixth or seventh man came in, he wasn't as good as the starter, but he wasn't a liability, either. The guards could handle the ball and shoot. The forwards could defend and score. The posts could block out and serve as additional fouls. The entire team could adapt on the court because they knew enough about basketball to do so.

Sure, Jordan had an ego. It's hard to be the best without one, but his addiction to winning meant a steal or a rebound was just as important as a dunk. The same went for players such as Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley and John Stockton. There are several players in today's league who fall in a similar category, but the ones who get the most attention prefer to fight fans (Jermaine O'Neal), skip practice (Allen Iverson) or frequent courtrooms (Kobe Bryant).

If you prefer their style to substance, all three likely will be in Denver on Feb. 20 for the annual All-Star Game. Go check it out. Meanwhile, I'll keep missing Jordan.