Metta World Peace challenges Michael Jordan to one-on-one

The NBA lockout has hurt people in more ways than one.

The basketball fans miss out on their fix. Team employees, arena workers, and yes, even escort services are feeling the pinch. The league itself could see the $4 billion it collected last year in total revenue go completely down the drain.

As for Lakers forward Metta World Peace, the work stoppage apparently has made him suffer amnesia for reasons beyond missing out on the remainder of his three-year, $21-million deal. It's further propelled him to go on unsolicited Twitter rants, which resulted in him Monday night challenging Michael Jordan to a game of one-on-one.

"Come on Jordan!! Bring it. One on one. I win lockout over. I'll beat u with my eyes closed and a in and out burger in my right hand!!"

Well, hey, even if World Peace met flak from Charles Barkley for proclaiming Jordan wanted to play against him in his prime, it turns out the player formerly known as Ron Artest was right. But as far as beating Jordan in a game of one-on-one? Even if Jordan currently owns the Charlotte Bobcats and is far removed from his storied NBA career, something tells me his killer instinct and offensive abilities would trumpet World Peace's air balls from three-point range.

No matter. World Peace is simply upset, as he indicated two weeks ago, that Jordan has taken a hard-line stance during the lockout negotiations after reaping the salary and marketing benefits an NBA superstar commands.

World Peace's Twitter rampage started off fairly innocent, ticking off a list of things he misses about the NBA season. He wished he could hug Jack Nicholson. World Peace waxed nostalgic about wearing short shorts. He sounded jealous about how Lamar Odom's wife, Khloe Kardashian, receives "VIP treatment" at Staples Center. World Peace admired Lakers guard Shannon Brown dunking over Celtics guard Ray Allen like the rim was "8 ft." He joked he'd love for Clippers forward Blake Griffin to dunk on him and then make "a kid coloring book with a pop-out poster with the dunk." And he longed for those days when one certain Lakers star remained irritated with his shot selection.

Tweeted World Peace: "I miss shooting airballs and dribbling the ball off my leg and Kobe saying. 'Ronny stop!' "

But then he unloaded on the various people connected to the NBA lockout.

"Billy hunter and David stern should do face off on HBO with Max Kellerman," World Peace tweeted. "Fans want to see the debate!! We are confused! Lockout? Why?"

Many fans might be asking World Peace the same thing.

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-- Mark Medina

Email the Lakers blog at mgmedin@gmail.com