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As a player, Michael Jordan was the consummate winner. Regarded as the greatest NBA player ever, Jordan could just about do it all on the court. As an executive, well ... let's just say things haven't gone quite as well. Jordan's ownership of the Bobcats hit another bump in the road Tuesday as the team fired head coach Mike Dunlap after just one season. It's the second time Jordan has hired a coach from the college ranks only to dump him after 82 games (he did it with Leonard Hamilton in Washington). So will the coaching change help turn around the dreadful Bobcats? Or is the real problem in Charlotte at the top?

Did the Bobcats make the right move in firing head coach Mike Dunlap?

•  
  59%
  Yes
•  
  41%
  No

(Total votes: 79,758)

Who do you blame most for the Bobcats' struggles (62-168 since making lone playoff appearance in 2010)?

•  
  10%
  Coaches
•  
  32%
  Players
•  
  58%
  Ownership

(Total votes: 14,276)

On Tuesday, "First Take" debated what the Bobcats should do with the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft. Stephen A. Smith thinks the team should shore up its front line, while Skip Bayless has Michael Kidd-Gilchrist as a better target. That all might be moot, however, as the Bobcats are considering trading the pick. Given the potential options enumerated by our First Take crew, what's your take?

Bryce Harper impressed in his MLB debut, rapping a double off the wall and nearly throwing out a runner at home plate. Is he ready for the big leagues?

• Colin3451: "The most impressive moment for Harper wasn't his RBI to put Washington ahead in the 9th, it was the bullet he threw from left that would have keep the Dodgers if the catcher would have held on to the ball. That ball was a laser that the Ramos dropped when he went to make the tag, but Harper not only has a cannon, he's accurate with it. "
• YaB0ble: "Even to my untrained eye, his bat speed is jaw-dropping. And his going the other way for the sac fly was just as impressive. "
• doubleshot2011 "Let the young man play a couple years, then lets evaluate him. It's not like he is the only player of his type to ever put on a uniform. "
• ormigaone: "What a treat it was to watch Vin call "young Bryce Harper's" first big league hit--a scorching double to center field that shot over the head of my favorite player, #27."
• Screaming_Eagles101: "I watched Harper and he made good contact, drove the ball deep for double and what a rocket for an arm on a perfect strike to home. So far so good, I think hes going to be ok as long as he stays humble. "
• ronlucia: "Harper needs to be humbled. I hope he tries blowing a kiss to someone like Josh Becket. If he does he'll find one in the ear real fast."



Join the conversation or respond by signing in or creating a profile and blogging.

The Charlotte Bobcats lost their 23rd straight game to end the season Thursday, clinching the lowest winning percentage of all time. Who's to blame for this debacle?

• NotreDame_Rudy: "Just because you could play basketball doesn't mean you could run a team"
• TheTakeover06: "I know college and high school teams that can beat this team."
• Lenny0 "Franchises like Charlotte are a great example of why the shortened season was actually better than the longer regular seasons. So many meaningless games against horrible teams. if you are not going to contract, which they should, please keep the shortened season."
• _misterfurious: "If Michael Jordan the player, played for Michael Jordan the owner, he would have for his career, two playoff appearances and zero rings."
• gaspara112: "The bobcats finally did it right by getting rid of all their talent over age 25. They have set themselves up to have a few years of high lottery picks to build a young strong core like the thunder if they can choose the right players. The real question is can Jordan give up the final draft choice to someone else as his drafting ability has been proven poor at best."
• Frederico6646: "The best player of the team with the best record ever becoming president of the team with the worst record ever. Life's strange, isn't it?"



Join the conversation or respond by signing in or creating a profile and blogging.

We can understand if you don't want to take the time to grade your tech-support help on the other end of the telephone, but when we're talking about the dollars and emotion you've invested in sports, we think it's worth the effort. It's time for ESPN The Magazine's Ultimate Standings, in which SportsNation grades organizations on everything from ticket prices and stadium experience to the talent on the field, court or rink. Which team will end up on top this year? It depends on what you say.

Take part in the 2011 MLB survey
2010 MLB Ultimate Standings
1. Los Angeles Angels (Overall: No. 3)
2. Tampa Bay Rays (Overall: No. 6)
3. Colorado Rockies (Overall: No. 13)
4. Minnesota Twins (Overall: No. 14)
5. Atlanta Braves (Overall: No. 15)

Take part in the 2011 NFL survey
2010 NFL Ultimate Standings
1. New Orleans Saints (Overall: No. 1)
2. Indianapolis Colts (Overall: No. 4)
3. Green Bay Packers (Overall: No. 9)
4. Arizona Cardinals (Overall: No. 19)
5. Baltimore Ravens (Overall: No. 20)

Take part in the 2011 NBA survey
2010 NBA Ultimate Standings
1. Orlando Magic (Overall: No. 2)
2. San Antonio Spurs (Overall: No. 7)
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (Overall: No. 10)
4. Dallas Mavericks (Overall: No. 24)
5. Oklahoma City Thunder (Overall: No. 25)

Take part in the 2011 NHL survey
2010 NHL Ultimate Standings
1. Pittsburgh Penguins (Overall: No. 5)
2. Detroit Red Wings (Overall: No. 8)
3. Washington Capitals (Overall: No. 11)
4. San Jose Sharks (Overall: No. 12)
5. Chicago Blackhawks (Overall: No. 16)

• Rank 'Em: Which go-to player do you want to have the ball in crunch time?
• Rank 'Em: Playoff Power Rankings | Vote: Which teams win each series?
• More from ESPN.com: Land O' Lakers blog from ESPN Los Angeles
• Watch Sat. on ESPN3 (ET): Hawks-Bucks, 5:30 | Heat-Celtics, 8 | Jazz-Nuggets, 10:30

Sometimes you're the dog, and sometimes you're the hydrant. Or in the language of the NBA playoffs, sometimes you're Michael Jordan against anyone. And sometimes you're Charles Smith against the Bulls.

The postseason has arrived, and for the first time in his career, Kevin Durant gets a shot (or more likely, 20-plus shots per game) to forge his own primetime reputation on the big stage. You know it's the big stage because Phil Jackson is already taking subtle swipes at Durant and either getting in his head or poking the bear, depending on your perspective.

In all honesty, the No. 1 seed's first-round series is usually only slightly more interesting than Duke playing Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the first round of the NCAA tournament, but thanks to Durant's expected duel with Kobe Bryant, it appears all eyes this year will be on the Lakers and Thunder.

Not that every SportsNation blogger expects the series to be all that close.

• "Okay, lets be realistic here. Everybody thank the Thunder for showing up, but Kobe will not allow the Lakers to get booted out of the first round. The only way Oklahoma City will sneak by and pull 1 game off is if Kevin Durant puts up 50. Even though the Lakers have been slumping as of late, they are a whole different beast when it comes to the playoffs." -- Read wwechamp69's full post.

Mikeyho (Taiwan)

Hey Chris. Just heard several analyst label the Cavs as "much better" than the Magic. This year's additions put them over the top. I feel like I'm watching last years comments. I'm not saying the Magic should even win. Just want to know if you think it'll be really competitive (around 50/50), or slightly competitve (Cavs's clear favorites)?

Chris Sheridan

Right now I would pick the Cavs in 7 in that series, but I would not label them heavy favorites. Both teams are so much different than they were a year ago (Jamison, Shaq, Vince, Barnes) that it makes comparisons between last year's series and this year's somewhat irrelevant. What's relevant is whether Shaq will be able to contain Dwight and whether the Magic will still find the individual matchup they can exploit. And Stan Van Gundy is good at that. Full transcript

It's just like the census, only this one is fun and doesn't come in the mail. And nobody from FOX News or MSNBC will yell at you about it. It's time for ESPN The Magazine's Ultimate Standings, in which SportsNation grades organizations on everything from ticket prices and stadium experience to the talent on the field, court or rink. Which team will end up on top this year? It depends on what you say.

Take part in the 2010 MLB survey
2009 MLB Ultimate Standings
1. Los Angeles Angels (Overall: No. 1)
2. Milwaukee Brewers (Overall: No. 7)
3. Tampa Bay Rays (Overall: No. 16)
4. Minnesota Twins (Overall: No. 23)
5. Philadelphia Phillies (Overall: No. 24)

Take part in the 2010 NFL survey
2009 NFL Ultimate Standings
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (Overall: No. 3)
2. Green Bay Packers (Overall: No. 13)
3. Indianapolis Colts (Overall: No. 14)
4. Tennessee Titans (Overall: No. 15)
5. New England Patriots (Overall: No. 19)

Take part in the 2010 NBA survey
2009 NBA Ultimate Standings
1. Cleveland Cavaliers (Overall: No. 5)
2. San Antonio Spurs (Overall: No. 9)
3. New Orleans Hornets (Overall: No. 12)
4. Houston Rockets (Overall: No. 17)
5. Orlando Magic (Overall: No. 18)

Take part in the 2010 NHL survey
2009 NHL Ultimate Standings
1. Carolina Hurricanes (Overall: No. 2)
2. Detroit Red Wings (Overall: No. 4)
3. Washington Capitals (Overall: No. 6)
4. Pittsburgh Penguins (Overall: No. 8)
5. St. Louis Blues (Overall: No. 10)

Lakers fans are understandably excited about the new season, and the defending champs are a popular choice to repeat among bloggers in the ESPN.com community.

"I've never been more excited for the opening of any season, any sport," blogs kurtnaphansen. "The combination of being on the heels of the Lakers winning the NBA championship, of all the trash talk from Cavs, Celtics, Magic, Spurs and even Blazers fans, and of a very new interesting development with the addition of Sheed to Boston, Shaq to Cleveland and Artest to LA."

Below are fan blogs and predictions about the season, which tipped off this week. Click through to respond. If you don't already have an ESPN profile, create one now and start blogging.

More fan blogs

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It seems safe to say Allen Iverson will someday find his way to Springfield and the Basketball Hall of Fame. He's already No. 16 all time in points in the NBA, and he's about one good season away from passing Patrick Ewing, Jerry West, Reggie Miller and Amazing Grace Smith. Heck, it was just a year ago that SportsNation ranked him on the cusp of its own Redeem Team (Joe Dumars begs to differ).

Now if only we could figure out what city will come before the not-so-gem of Massachusetts on his career itinerary.

Iverson is hardly alone in NBA circles in his current quest for employment, but with each Andre Miller and Lamar Odom signing, he's starting to stand out more and more. It's one thing for Jamaal Tinsley to need work; it's another for a Hall of Famer who is younger than Steve Nash.

A month ago, SportsNation thought the Heat would be the best fit of the teams rumored to be in the mix. Now the Knicks are in play and rumors have extended all the way to Greece (hey, at least SportsNation thinks he'd be as good an ambassador for basketball as David Beckham has been for soccer in the United States). Surely some team will give Iverson the mid-level exception and 18 shots a game, right?

• 62 percent of SportsNation believes Iverson can still contribute for a contender.
• Beyond the Nation: Bill Simmons makes a case (No. 50) for an Iverson comeback.
• Beyond the Nation: Iverson talks about his image and the nature of celebrity.

“

AI/Mayo/Gay/Rando lph/Gasol. Not a bad starting 5 that can definitely run and put up some points. They would be a better team with this move. Warrick could still be good off the bench for them though. They need D with that lineup from somewhere.

” -- XmanY

“

Iverson fans need to give it up. We're not saying he's not great. He's great. But you have to have a pretty bad team if he can do it more good than harm. And while this is something he could fix if he wanted to, it's getting very late for that dog to learn any new tricks. I'd love to see him do it. But even then, he wouldn't be proving the "haters" wrong - he'd be proving that he should have been listening to them all along.

” -- The Pragmaticist

• Which big man would you rather have in the post? Vote on the trade between the Hornets and Bobcats.

Emeka Okafor played three college seasons; Tyson Chandler didn't play any. Both were selected second overall in their respective NBA drafts; neither has had an abundance of luck staying healthy as a professional. Both looked good for stretches when they were on the court. The lesson here? Heck if we know.

Apparently the Bobcats and Hornets are also at a bit of a loss when it comes to two talented big men with physical baggage. The two teams swapped players Tuesday, with Okafor heading to play with Chris Paul in New Orleans and Chandler ... well, we hear Charlotte has some wonderful golf courses that should keep him busy during May.

When the Bulls picked Chandler No. 2 in 2001, both Pau Gasol and Tony Parker were still on the board (although in Parker's case, that was true for most teams in the first round). At least the Bobcats got some service out of Okafor after picking him No. 2 (and in a draft that saw Shaun Livingston and Rafael Araujo go in the top eight picks, it could have been worse), but imagine how things might look if the lottery had given them the No. 1 pick that went to the Magic.

• Chandler didn't fare well when SportsNation picked its own Team USA | Pick your own
• Does the trade change your NBA Power Rankings?
• Groups: Charlotte Bobcats | Carolina SportsNation | The Hornet Hive

“

This is a decent trade for Charlotte(only if Chandler stays healthy). Charlotte was the lowest scoring team in the league and Okafor has the offensive skills of a high school player. The team needs to score and win now. If they dont make the playoffs then at least fans will have more highlights. Charlotte is now a young and athletic team.

” -- gilesjk84

“

I love Michael Jordan, but he's a complete failure as a front office guy. Just sit back and stay out of business deals Mike, you suck at it.

” -- brianm23

“

I live in Charlotte and all you see for the Bobcats is Emeka Okafor, what are the Bobcats going to do without him? Really? This is one of the most stupid trades I've ever seen the Bobcats make in their small history. I hope this trade doesn't work or Tyson Chandler doesn't pass the physical or something please. Jeez!!!!!!!

” -- swimmerchildren