How Rivalries have changed Over The Years

Back in 19993 I was watching some NBA experts talking about Shaquille O'neal's emergence as an NBA superstar. Former great Bill Walton was reffering to how Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlin were oddly together, laughing and kidding with one another during a get together for one of Shaq's first official commercial shoots. He talked about NBA rivalries and how when Russel and Chamberlan were competing they were not friends, but strictly rivals on a competitive level. He mentioned his rivalry with Kareem, "Jabar and myself, we weren't friends at all. Magic Johnson changed all that." Magic did change all that. He and Larry Bird reminised about recent battles for the title to the press over the course of their career in a heart felt manner to a degree. . Magic and the Pistons' Isaha Thomas once even kissed at a game..atleast Isaha Thomas kissed him and Magic apparently had no problem with it. But where are competitive rivalries headed now and in recent years. There have been more brawls between players than before. When Lebron james talked to his father about getting swept in the finals by Tim Duncan and the Spurs, his dad replied that he shouldn't have bothered to shake hands with him after it was all over. Does one really have to hate his competetor to win? Are we headed back to a mentality and influence associated with the Chamberlan Russell rivalry, the befriending Magic era, or are things in this perspective perhaps getting more balanced? For instance, many players who you'd think wouldn't be close are friends. Lebron james and Dwayne Wayde for instance, both shooting gaurds who have faced each other in the playoffs, are quite close. In the 2006 playoffs Lebron was even giving Wade tips on how to play against the Pistons, James having just lost to them in the prior round. What do you think?