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Post by pearl on Sept 13, 2009 7:17:45 GMT -5
My wife and I watched Friday evening's Basketball Hall of fame ceremonies. David Robinson exhibited tremendous class in thanking God, his wife, sons and extended family for adding to his success. Like-wise, John Stockton, Jerry Sloan and Rutgers basketball coach gave heart rendering speeches.
Michael Jordan gave one of the most classless, arrogant, and inappropriate speeches I have ever heard during a ceremony- celebrating his accomplishments.
He critiqued Jerry Krause for emphasizing that an organization shares equally in their ultimate successes. Jordan said the players are the main reason why and actually, " Reinsdorf put many obstacles in the Bulls way. (what a sad story!!).
Secondly, Jordan critiqued Byron Russell for daring to challenge him, when Jordan switched careers to baseball. Apparently Russell said, if Jordan ever comes back, he will stop Jordan in his shorts and not let him score too much. Well, we all know that Jordan made that great winning shot versus Russell, however, the Hall of Fame ceremony is not the time to continue being competitive and settling scores with former management and players.
Even as Michael Jordan addressed his children, the dialogue had no emotion and nor warm feelings that David Robinson's and John Stockton's had. He simply said, his children will have it very tough trying to live up to his name.
Jordan definitely carried an ugly chip on his shoulder throughout, and made the most ingracious acceptance speech which I have ever heard. He kocked Van Gundy and John Starks. I lost a lot of respect for Jordan as a man, which is a heck of a lot more important to me, than as a player.
Pearl
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Post by jbnewyork162 on Sept 13, 2009 10:05:57 GMT -5
Its strange with Michael Jordan because I agree with you in regards to the audacity of his tone with his speech. But in contrast, during his speech with Michael Wilbon he stated he STILL doesnt think he's the greatest players of all time because he thought it would have been a slap in the face of players he never faced before, like Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Oscar Robertson and the like.
I'm not sure why he even had to bring up the freeze out subject as Isiah and George Gervin looked confused or stymied as far as why he was bringing it up. With that said, this is why I never liked Jordan BUT RESPECTED HIS BUSINESS ACUMEN AND HIS GREATNESS IN MY FAVORITE SPORT. Because frankly, I've always felt he was an asshole and had a chip on his shoulder. It wasnt the showboating and the spectacular moves that didnt sit right with me, but the way in which he carried himself, which is almost how Brett Favre and Roger Clemens have carried themselves lately over the last few, in bold arrogance just because they are the best what they do, in interviews, in quotations and when no one is watching.
I agree completely Pearl.
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Post by greatgates on Sept 13, 2009 15:48:58 GMT -5
While I totally agree with you both; it seems that having an enormous chip on your shoulder makes one a better competitor. maybe giving one a little bet more drive. Awful way to live life but maybe makes one a success. Often children make a parent a little more normal but that doen't seem to have happened in MJs case.
On the other side; many that meet MJ in public claim he's very civil and respectful.
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Post by kgooglog on Sept 14, 2009 7:05:40 GMT -5
When one is called upon to make a speech, one ought to use discretion, even towards one's former employer. MJ was probably the most underpaid athlete when compared to his talent, and that pissed him off, I am sure.
But you have to learn appropriateness, class, and dignity. Even one who lives for competition, needs to employ that attribute. Just look at Bill Russell, as an example.
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Post by irish2u2 on Sept 14, 2009 11:51:30 GMT -5
Icons usually get to make their own rules. Of course we mere mortals don't have to like them. ; )
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Post by greatgates on Sept 14, 2009 16:28:49 GMT -5
Oddly enough. peter king thought it was a very good speech. Different strokes.
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Post by ReneNYG1 on Sept 15, 2009 10:54:05 GMT -5
Whatever Jordan says or does doesn't change his status as the greatest player of all time.As a Knick fan he was an awesome competitior ,he's still competiting in a way by getting the podium to vent his gripes,a better choice of avenues for his gripes then the Hall of Fame would of been appropiate but how can you not forgive the greatest on his day,chalk up an error on his part in a brilliant career as a player which was the purpose of the induction.
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Post by pearl on Sept 15, 2009 17:31:18 GMT -5
Interestingly, I read on Yahoo.com today that 64% of people surveyed said MJ's speech was classless. Try and watch David Robinson's acceptance speech by contrast, and you will be even more appalled.
Pearl
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Post by irish2u2 on Sept 15, 2009 21:38:47 GMT -5
Michael Jordan on his best day would never be confused with David Robinson as a man and human being. ; ) MJ is the best basketball player of all time. That and his 6 titles will have to be enough because as a person he is selfish, self-centered, narcissistic and generally a pain in the ass. BTW, that is not necessarily a bad thing. Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams were pains in the ass too.
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Post by ReneNYG1 on Sept 16, 2009 14:31:34 GMT -5
Ty Cobb was the worst
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Post by axios on Sept 17, 2009 12:46:32 GMT -5
I thought the fact that he went on and mentioned everyone to Riley to Russel was pretty funny. The guy is a competitor, plain and simple. He will not be winning any humanitarian awards soon. As oppposed to the usual , Id like to thank God and my parents speech, it was entertaining to hear this guy talk plainly about how he used anything he could find for motivation. The key to Jordan's marketing success, was winning, looking good and saying as little as possible and smartly reading a promptor.
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Post by ReneNYG1 on Sept 18, 2009 10:08:04 GMT -5
This article makes Jordan sound quite well,I don't know what he said that was so bad his high school coach did not pick him,he proved him wrong and set off his cpmpetive drive and he mention it because it riled him to be better and made him great which is quite relevant speech at the ceromony.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/sports/wizards/index.html?nid%3Droll_nba&sub=AR
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Post by ReneNYG1 on Sept 18, 2009 10:09:54 GMT -5
SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Sept. 11 -- Michael Jordan buried his head into his hand, wiped the sweat from his brow, then rubbed away tears before they poured from his eyes. It was an emotional display, during a 73-second ovation that preceded Jordan's speech as he entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday. Jordan told friends that he would simply thank the people who helped him become known as the greatest basketball player in history and then move aside gracefully.
But Jordan, who has established himself as a global icon, gravity-defying marketing machine and ultimate showman, couldn't leave the lectern swiftly. He asked one question -- "What is it that you don't know about Michael Jordan?" -- then spent the next 21 minutes explaining the competitive drive that pushed him to one NCAA championship at North Carolina and six NBA championships, five most valuable player awards and 10 scoring titles with the Chicago Bulls. It started with his family, growing up in Wilmington, N.C., where his parents taught him the value of hard work; his older brothers, Larry and James, fought him; and his younger sister, Roslyn, took extra classes to graduate from high school with him.
"You want to know where my competitive nature came from? It came from them," Jordan told a capacity crowd at the Springfield Symphony Hall. "As I grew, people added wood to that fire."
Jordan then went about singling out seemingly everyone who pushed him to greater heights: The coach at Laney High who picked Leroy Smith over him for the varsity team ("You made a mistake, dude," Jordan said). Buzz Peterson, his former roommate at North Carolina who was named high school state player of the year instead of him. His college coach, Dean Smith, who refused to name Jordan as a starter as a freshman before Sports Illustrated magazine put the other four Tar Heels starters on the cover in 1981 ("That burned me up," he said).
Jordan's list included former rivals such as Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, George Gervin, Pat Riley and Bryon Russell; reporters who claimed that a scoring champion could never lead his team to a title; and even members of the Bulls. Jordan took exception to a quote from former Bulls general manager Jerry Krause, with whom he had a contentious yet successful relationship. Krause once said that "organizations win championships," which apparently still has Jordan irked.
"The players win championships. Don't try to put the organization before the players because at the end of the day, the players have to go out and perform. You guys got to pay us," said Jordan, who currently runs the basketball operations for the Charlotte Bobcats after serving a similar role with the Washington Wizards.
In one of the more awkward moments of the night, Jordan spoke to his kids, Marcus, Jeffrey and Jasmine. "You guys have had a heavy burden. I wouldn't want to be you guys," Jordan said with a laugh.
Earlier in the day, Jordan tried to remind several hundred reporters, fans and invited guests in attendance that five people, not one person, were entering the Hall of Fame on Friday. The other inductees were two of his teammates from the original Dream Team -- David Robinson, a former league most valuable player and a two-time NBA champion, and John Stockton, the all-time leader in steals and assists -- as well as Jerry Sloan, a coach who has won more games with the same team than any other in NBA history, and C. Vivian Stringer, a legend in women's college basketball.
Robinson, a devout Christian who spent his entire 14-year career with San Antonio, expressed love for his family and closed with a passage from the Bible. Stringer, the Rutgers coach, spoke about the pain of losing her husband, Bill. Sloan, who is about to enter his 22nd year with the Jazz, explained every step of his basketball career, including his decision to leave a head coaching job at Evansville -- months before the entire team and its coaching staff died in a plane crash. Stockton, who played all 19 seasons of his career with the Jazz, revealed a rarely seen sense of humor. He said that some of his friends and family probably came to Springfield, not for him, but to see Jordan.
"One big shot and everybody thinks he's so great," Stockton said.
But the night belonged to Jordan, who was the reason why the city was buzzing like never before; why the induction ceremony had to be moved from the sphere-shaped Hall of Fame building to the larger-capacity Symphony Hall; and why tickets sold for $1,000 a piece.
Jordan said earlier that he hated entering the Hall of Fame because it meant that his career in basketball was officially over. On Friday night, he left another opening.
"One day you might look up and see me playing the game at 50," Jordan said. "Oh don't laugh, don't laugh. Never say never. Because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion. Thank you very much."
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Post by ReneNYG1 on Sept 18, 2009 10:29:03 GMT -5
I thought he was trying to say why he was so competitive and he stated a few reasons that might rub some the wrong way but,I thought the part about his family was warm and sincere,what I got out of this speech was that it was sincere and telling like it was and was his way of explaining his competitive drive that made him the best.I rather get the real scope then get a generic speech.It's quite obvious to anyone who saw him play that he had a special competitive desire something that 1/100would make Curry a player.
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Post by kgooglog on Sept 18, 2009 11:54:57 GMT -5
Guys...
The greatest player of all-time will soon be a Knick, wearing Q-Tip's old number and Toney Douglas will just have to accept another numeral...BTW, if Eddy Curry had an ounce of MJ's competitive nature in him, he would never have stole the money he did by allowing his 4 fat rear ends nealy end his career.
MJ the person is one thing. MJ the basketball player is quite another. Whatever comes out of this man's mouth is a product of being the World's Greatest Basketball Player. Until that guy from Cleveland comes here to take that crown away from him.
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