Mine said:
The Media really gives MVPs to players based on how they break out, how much they deserve it, the competition in the league each year, etc.
You're almost never going to have past 2 or 3 consecutive MVP trophies. I think Bird's as close as you get to that.
But if the rest of the league is bad, then there's no other candidate that deserves it like LBJ.
Kareem even won an MVP because there were no other good players to give it to (and he didn't even make the playoffs)... if there was such an award for best player, Kareem probably should've won it at least 8 times in the 70s, while MJ gets 6 in the 90s alone.
By the way, in this section of my post, I realize the players were the ones who voted for Kareem, but I was simply making the point to players winning the award just because no one stood out. In 1992, Mike also managed to do this after winning it the previous year. Partially, he did lead them to 6 more wins than the previous, but I doubt he'd have gotten the award if someone managed to break out and lead a team to 60+ victories that year. Clyde sure didn't do much, neither did the beloved Cavs of the time. The fact that players voted for Kareem's MVP in the late 70s should have no impact, because everybody was terrible. Even if the Media did vote, I doubt that Kareem wouldn't get plenty of 1st place votes to make it close.
Kareem got 6 for a 20 year career (last being in 1980) while MJ got 5 ('88, '91-'92, '96, '98).
LeBron has a media that's pretty picky about who to choose, so unless they change the ballot rules, then he's probably good for 6 at most.
well, it doesn't make a lot of sense to look at how the MVP was picked prior to then since it has changed quite a bit since then.
I must say, the way the players voted compared to the media is quite different, as I've been well aware. Thank you for at least making it much clearer than I have. Considering the players gave more votes to the same guys over the years in comparison to the media, who almost like to elect an MVP like a president, it's a completely different system.
I was just using an analogy that Kareem probably still deserved it as much as he did throughout the 70s, but still could only get 6 for the first 10 years of his career. And yes, the players did vote for him, but it says a lot if the players couldn't give it to him even more, because of how they voted (Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Oscar dominated the votes in the 60s).
But in my opinion, that's why LeBron can't get more than another 5, with how the current system is set up. He's even more incredible at this point and could show the same dominance that Kareem got in the 70s and Mike got in the 90s, if not more. If no other player can make the case for MVP each year like LeBron, media will feel hard pressed not to just give it to him. But that requires LeBron to have incredible team records each year, like Mike did. And since LeBron could surpass those expectations, he's putting plenty of pressure on the Media to give him more.
We'll see in the years to come.
I don't think our team wins have to keep increasing for LeBron to win again, we need to stay at an elite level, and it has to seem that the primary reason is because of James (KG didn't win it last year because Pierce and Allen got nearly equal credit).
But if another team takes the jump to the elite level, the main player on that team would be a likely candidate because the media does favor what's shiny and new. For instance Wade, Melo, Roy, Paul and Durant could all be candidates if any of them have big seasons and their team takes a big jump in record.
The main concern for James is either topping what he's done this year and/or playing at such a level that there's no other viable candidate. The press isn't as gung-ho on things like PER as we are, so, there's plenty of room for other candidates to shine *if* their team is at the elite level.
But pure dominance won't be ignored if LeBron raises his play level to the unstoppable level night in and night out.
There is a path to the 5+ MVP level, but the press is fickle, and the circumstances have to be right. Larry Bird very well could have won 5 or 6 as his play was pretty darn consistent through his prime, but not so easy when there are other players and teams considered at his level (Magic, Jordan).
You've made yet another valuable point, and made it simple. It's everything I wanted to say, but couldn't find the words.
We'll just have to see if LeBron can get consistent competition at the top or if LeBron's team can stay at the top. Right now, Dwyane Wade will have to get the Heat to 55+ wins before anything else. Durant, Anthony, CP3, or Roy also need to get their teams there.
I think most of these guys are a little young, as they are still learning the ropes like LeBron has. LeBron might have the chance to repeat if none of them break out, maybe even go for 3.
I don't care as much as just getting one, since I've been only concerned with LeBron being Hall of Fame worthy up to this point. And since I'm a Cav fan, I'll gladly relish the 1 he has over getting more, but if he can make a bigger name for himself... by all means, go LeBron!
If there were any points I missed on (or wasn't accurate on), let me know... I'm a stickler for getting the facts right.
