Two ways to win
By Alaa Abdel-Ghani
There are currently two ways being tried to win a championship. One involves paying a lot of money to get the right players. The other also involves getting the right players but, oddly enough, paying relatively little for them. The two methods will be scrutinised during the next several months as observers wait to see which route meets with more success.
The money road is being taken by that rarest of species, a Russian with cash. Billionaire businessman Roman Abramovich is so rich -- he's in Forbes because of an estimated wealth of $6.5 billion -- he can buy up anything that moves. That would include the British Chelsea football club which he bought last month for close to $100 million. The deal fulfilled Abramovich's long-term ambition to own a major European team. Now the 36-year-old, who made his fortune in oil and aluminum, wants to go one step farther and win. To do that, he has already bought four players for a total of $60 million and his shopping list also includes Manchester United's ace midfielder Juan Veron.
Meanwhile, across the ocean, in Los Angeles, they're already talking about where they'll set up the traffic cones for the eventual victory parade next May when the Lakers supposedly recapture their title. Such confidence emanates from the recent signings of Gary Payton and Karl Malone who will be joining Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant on a team that will be heavily favoured to win its fourth NBA title in the last five years.
To play with the Lakers, Malone and Payton took daunting pay cuts. Malone, who earned $19 million last season with the Utah Jazz, saw his wages drop to $1.5 million next season. Payton, who was paid $12 million with Milwaukee, will make $4.9 million with the Lakers.
Though they are still making millions and it looks highly unlikely they will ever be on the dole, Malone and Payton took decisions that should be taken in context. As an example, their new teammates, O'Neal and Bryant, will make $26.5 million and $13.5 million respectively this season.
Malone and Payton went to the Lakers and agreed on a huge drop in salary to win a title before they retire. Money is not their object -- at least not any longer; a championship ring, though, is. Neither Malone nor Payton have played on a championship team. Payton and the Seattle Sonics played in the NBA finals once and the Jazz reached the finals twice during Malone's time there -- all during the 1990s. Standing in the way all three times was the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls.
But all that is supposed to change. Malone is the second- leading scorer in NBA history and is considered perhaps the greatest power forward ever. And Payton established himself as one of the NBA's finest point guards in Seattle. Put these two established superstars together along with two more like them, O'Neal and Bryant, and the question might not be whether the Lakers win the title. It might be whether they break the Bulls' all- time record of 72 wins in a season.
Of course, this all sounds good on paper. But you never really know how to figure out these things. The Lakers tried the star- studded approach in 1968 when they traded for Wilt Chamberlain who joined Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. The three superstars failed to win a championship together. Then, in 1972, Baylor retired early in the season and the Lakers went on to win the championship.
The modern-day Lakers have to be considered heavy favourites, more so than Chelsea which, despite Abramovich's billions, will not be able to compete with squads like United and Arsenal. Having a huge wad of cash is fine but it helps if you know how to spend it and nobody is sure how soccer- savvy Abramovich is. The rule of thumb is that no matter how many top blue-chip stars you buy, the name of the game remains teamwork and a bevy of big names with little chemistry might look nice on the field and on paper but will not win much.
On the surface, the rise of Abramovich looks like classic nouveau riche behaviour -- like those hillbillies who win the lottery, walk into a department store and walk out with stacks of brand name labels Armani, Versace and Louis Vuitton.
How will the Lakers do? I don't pretend to have the answer but I'm pretty sure which players the fans will be rooting for. Most players chase the dollar; at least a couple will be chasing a championship which they find just as valuable, if not more.
We talk about athletes and their pursuit of money and the criticism is often true. There is nothing better in competitive sport than winning. That's why players should play and forget -- at least sometimes -- about the pay.
