I Don't Wanna Be Like Mike

Michael Jordan is undoubtedly the best player of my generation and one of the most influential cultural influences of the 20th century. There aren't many people 35 and under that haven't bought a Jordan-endorsed product, whether it be a bottle of Gatorade, a pair of Air Jordan's, some rechargeable batteries or even underwear.

But, there's one version of MJ that I ain't buying: MJ the executive.

His reign in Washington has to be considered a failure; he traded the franchise's best player, Richard Hamilton. Not to mention he came back to play himself and basically got in Hamilton's way. Since getting to Detroit, Hamilton has made three All-Star game appearances and won an NBA Championship.

Perhaps his biggest blunder was drafting then 18-year-old, fresh-from-his-high-school-prom Kwame Brown as the No. 1 pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. Brown never developed and was traded during his fourth year in Washington.

Now, his airness has begun to blow down the house of straw former Bobcats GM Bernie Bickerstaff built with the hiring of Sam Vincent.

But we'll get back to Vincent in a minute �” Jordan's first huge blunder was drafting Adam Morrison with the No. 3 pick in the 2006 draft. Now don't get me wrong, Morrison, who is out this year with a torn ACL, could become a great player but it's really simple �” you don't take that guy with that pick. All-Star guard Brandon Roy was available as well as Memphis' Rudy Gay, who just might be the most improved player in the NBA this season.

Then, as Bickerstaff left the bench and moved back into the front-office, Jordan made another mistake. He hired his former teammate Vincent, an assistant with the Dallas Mavericks who had no head coaching experience.

After re-signing forward Gerald Wallace to a long-term extension and trading for sharp-shooter Jason Richardson, the Bobcats seemed to have a solid corps that was ready to make a playoff run.

At 19-38 and fresh off an embarrassing 24-point loss to the woeful New York Knicks, it's obvious the fourth edition of the Bobcats isn't going anywhere.

And that's directly attributable to Jordan's hiring of Vincent.

The rookie coach has called out Wallace and Richardson for not playing hard, a notion that is laughable particularly with Wallace, whose hallmark is playing with reckless abandon and no regard for his personal safety.

Former Bobcats forward Primo Brizec, one of the original Bobcats,who was traded to Detroit and subsequently Toronto, has recently sounded off on Vincent. Brizec told the Toronto Globe that he really never meshed with Vincent and that the only reason he held his tongue was to not burn bridges and playing time.

That's three veterans, two of which are original Bobcats, that have publicly or privately questioned the coaching style and skill of Vincent.

That's more of a reflection on the coach than it is the players. And the person responsible for hiring the coach?

Michael Jordan.

I want to be like Mike - just not when it comes to running successful franchises.

I'd rather be Mark Cuban.