John

Don't get me wrong, I've seen the reasons to NOT compare them over the years...

Same skin color,

Different players,

Different positions,

Bird better scorer (average), rebounder, defender, passer, triple doubles,

Dirk better shooter (3pts, FTs), more games & career points,

etc..

Accomplishments..

Bird - 3 rings, 3 MVPs, 2 Finals MVPs, 1 All-Star MVP, 12 All-Stars

Nowitzki - 1 ring, 1 MVP, 1 Finals MVP, 10 All-Stars (can gain more)

Both are great, blue collar leaders, and CLUTCH artists (Game Winners). And looking from a racial perspective, it's been 25 long years (1986) since a white player LEAD an NBA team to a title, and win Finals MVP. Prior to his 2011 triumph, Dirk has already been a great player, with countless individual triumphs in both regular & playoff seasons in the past 13 years. Finally, with an NBA ring and Finals MVP, Dirk's comparison to Bird (I think) is now more reasonable (more like honorable). After all, Bird himself said he's a fan of Dirk, "he sees a lot of himself in Dirk", and is honored to have Dirk compared to him.

BEST ever from Germany,

Possibly the BEST European player ever,

Clearly one of the BEST ever to play in the NBA.

NO longer is he the "Great White Hope"...

NO longer is he the "Next Larry Bird"...

He is now a "Great White Champ"...

He is simply Dirk Nowitzki.

Put it simply, if another potentially outstanding white player (American or foreign) comes along, here comes the "Next Dirk Nowitzki" tag (LOL).

My opinion, Dirk has finally stepped out of Bird's shadow. :)

What say you?

I created 4 Shepard characters (2 Male, 2 Female):

Male Shepard_1 (Colonist, Sole Survivor, Soldier) - Level 59

Male Shepard_2 (Spacer, War Hero, Soldier) - Level 59

Female Shepard_1 (Spacer, War Hero, Soldier) - Level 59

Female Shepard_2 (Earth-born, Ruthless, Soldier) - Level 57

http://hotfile.com/dl/21453373/522a040/Female_Shep...

http://hotfile.com/dl/21453470/37ea8f5/Male_Shepar...

Feel FREE to play them anyway as your please (Paragon, Renegade).

This files come with PICTURES and a FREE TRAINER.

Feel free to trash the pictures anytime.

ENJOY!!!

PS - I will bring these files to Mass Effect 2 !

IMO, Dirk Nowitzki is closest thing to another Larry Bird!

Unique in his own way, he's the best of the so-called "next Birds", the best European player ever, the best white player of his generation, and probably one of the Greatest ever to play in the NBA!

Dirk = MVP & Hall of Famer

PS - He's just my "present favorite." My actual All-Time favorites are: Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson. I don't believe in racism, nor in any of those Political Correctness and Affirmative Action crap.

The most successful white players in the recent times have been tall and athletic, from 6'8 (David Lee) to 7'3 (Big Z), with Dirk Nowitzki (7'0) and Pau Gasol (7'0) among the league's best. The only high-level white guards worth mentioning are Manu Ginobili (6'6) and Steve Nash (6'3), the rest are either bench-warmers or space cadets.

Seems to me that virtually all whites standing 6'0 to 6'7 tall, have little or no chance in becoming All-Star or Superstar level players. Doesn't matter if the white guards are athletic, just look at the faring of both Rudy Fernandez and Chase Budinger. It's obvious that neither of these two will ever make it to an All-Star game.

There are no Asian (Chinese specifically) guards in the NBA at the moment, and there won't be for several more years. Like whites, Asians have to be tall and athletic too, like Yao Ming (7'6) and Yi Jianlian (7'0). Bottom line, don't expect see an All-Star level white guard for several more years, and it will be quite a sighing to see an Asian guard in the NBA.

Just ages 19-22, and already considered a BUST, which in my opinion is very UNFAIR. I don't consider a particular player a bust until he's about 29 years old, the age most players should be at their peak. Are NBA people getting TOO IMPATIENT these days????

Guys like Spencer Hawes, Greg Oden, Yi Jianlian, and Andrea Bargnani are WAY too young to be considered busts. There are exceptions like Darko Milicic, which in his case, is most unfortunate because of an idiot named Larry Brown (hate him). Even an over-hyped young player like Ricky Rubio deserves all the chances in the world. Please keep this in mind, "NOT EVERYONE can be like Lebron, Melo or Pau Gasol from day one", most young players take time to grow, 3-5 years at best.

So, for the sake of these young players with UNPREDICTABLE potentials, cut them some slack. Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash are solid proof that, some superstars don't emerge right away, they take time to blossom.

BTW, why are players ages 30-35 considered OLD????

No one doubted the ages of Jabbar, Karl Malone, John Stockton or even John Havlicek. I don't consider a player REALLY OLD until he's about 37-38. In my opinion, the decline of most players is more due to their HEALTH status as oppose to their age. It's really silly to consider Steve Nash old, when Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, or especially Shaq hardly get mentioned as old.

Born in Europe, Grew up in Europe, Learned to play ball in Europe.

Americans born in Europe NOT included.

How about...

15,000?

20,000?

Additionally...

Active European players with a REASONABLE chance of joining this "Elite Batch"?

Agree? Disagree?

For? Against?

Unsure?

PS - Curious & Concerned Citizen.

It always has to be Politically Correct, and have Affirmative Action.

Take Fort Hood, blame other factors but the religion itself (Islam).

It seems to me the only religion that can be tied to violent militant acts is...Christianity.

PS - freethinking Atheist

Condemn, not denounce, and NO ACTION, that is all they ever do. I have nothing against Muslims, but doesn't one ever find it odd how moderate Muslims always spread the messages:

"We are peace loving people, Islam is a peaceful religion, we want peace in the world"

When 100% of all terror acts are committed by Muslims?

Why then don't they back-up these messages?

Vast majority of all terror victims (90% est.) are actually Muslims themselves, yet I've never seen any moderate Muslim take any real action against these extremists. In fact, every blame for the atrocities is always directed towards other factors but them. Everything is always put to a spin, blame everyone but Muslims themselves. Why?

Is Islam that perfect of a religion, no serious allegations or questions on it's teachings?

The teachings of Christianity has always been put under scrutiny ever since it's foundation, why can't the same be done for Islam?

If global terrorism is to end, it's NOT the job of the USA, NATO, or the West...it's the job of the world's Moderate/Secular Muslims.

To all Moderate Muslims: I / We don't hate you, just help and Take the RESPONSIBILITY, Please!

For ALLAH'S sake!

PS - I'm a freethinking ATHEIST.

Sure, it's not great, and it never will be. It's above-average at best, and horrible at worst. But, Dirk's defense has been really reliable in most occasions. He does a lot of steals & blocks every once in a while:

2 steals, 5 blocks vs. Utah

So, to those who keep criticizing Dirk's defense, you don't help (or lead) a team in winning 500+ games (in over a decade) without being able to play some type of defense!

Only 35 turning 36, yeah right!

Age is nothing to the All-Time greats, and Steve Nash is one. Last season was just a "crazy experiment" gone wrong. But since that's all behind now, Steve Nash to his ignorant and dumb critics:

"I'll wait for you guys to decide when I'm over the hill."

I rest my case!

Haters and critics alike need to pipe down, and realize he's the near-perfect complement to rising rookie Tyreke Evans. Beno Udrih is a solid, and fundamentally sound player ON BOTH ENDS, and with Kevin Martin out 6-8 weeks (broken wrist), he has a great opportunity to form a solid back-court duo with Tyreke Evans. Besides, he's a proven young veteran.

Evans is your typical scoring guard, and Udrih is your classic pass-first point guard (a bit of Stockton & Nash in his game). Sacramento appears on the verge of getting it's glory days back, and it will begin with the Udrih-Evans back-court duo.

Yeah, the "greatest," alright! LOL

While I can't question his feats in crossing the Roanne River, crossing the Alps, and destroying the Roman force of 90,000 at Cannae were all superb achievements of a "truly great individual," he never came close to destroying Rome itself, even though he spent 12 YEARS in Italy unchallenged!!!!!! LOL

First of all, Rome was NEVER known for having great fortifications. It's SERVIAN WALL was a big joke, paling in comparison even to the great walls of Carthage. Rome (100,000) was smaller than Carthage (500,000), and Hannibal had about 80,000 men in the 12 years he spent in Italy. The overall population of the entire Italian peninsula was about 1 million during the 2nd Punic War.

I'm amazed Hannibal's failure to destroy a LIGHTLY defended city like Rome is hardly mentioned, or well documented. A direct attack, or a lengthy siege in my opinion could've brought Rome to it's knees, and altered world history. Hannibal was indeed a great military figure and genius, one of the best, but NOT "thee best," a stupid claim by those who praise him too much!!!!

The "GREATEST military heroes" ever are these two:

Alexander the Great - he destroyed the GIGANTIC Persian Empire with only 50,000 men.

Julius Caesar - he conquered Gaul (modern France) which had an estimated population of about 15 million with only 120,000 men.

Special mention:

Scipio Africanus - he whooped Hannibal at Zama, which ended the 2nd Punic War. Massive OWNAGE by Scipio on both Hannibal and Carthage!!!!

My respect and regards to Hannibal, but he failed to destroy Rome!!!!!

LOL

Age: 31

At Present: 19,084 points

2008-09 Average: 25.9 points

All three were based on the novel "I am Legend."

The Last Man on Earth (1964) - Vincent Price

The Omega Man (1971) - Charlton Heston

I am Legend (2007) - Will Smith

One thing all 3 have in common is their sad endings.

Using the reasons they are BORING and the HW division sucks are VERY POOR EXCUSES!!!

It's NOT their fault the HW division sucks, I'll bet none of these haters can beat these MAMMOTHS if any of them had the balls to fight them.

They are CLASS ACTS, among of the BEST in boxing history. Not their fault, because every fighter around them sucks big-time, NOBODY can beat the brothers until they both retire.

At least the Klitschkos are NOT street thugs like a Mike Tyson, a Mayweather, or a Muhammad Ali.

I'm amazed so many idiots like FOUL MOUTHED characters like the THREE I've mentioned.

The Klitschkos are WELL EDUCATED and HUMBLE individuals, great role models!!!

The way they fight is boring (poor excuse from haters), the HW division sucks (another poor excuse from haters), NOT THEIR FAULT!!!

Black Magic Woman Condoleeza Rice was practically involved in every international issue while under Bushido the 2nd's term.

Clinton has so far been involved in only MINOR issues, while "special envoys" appointed by Obama de Great, handle the MAJOR ones.

If no one finds that funny, I don't know what is funny anymore.

There are many possibilities:

ex.

stylish dresser, simple dresser upbeat, energetic, quiet, reserve

happy go lucky, serious, intelligent, street smart, a little bit of whatever....your choices.

Best Answer gets the 10

There are many possibilities:

ex.

stylish dresser, simple dresser upbeat, energetic, quiet, reserve

happy go lucky, serious, intelligent, street smart, a little bit of whatever....your choices.

Best Answer gets the 10