Thoughts? I liked it quite a bit; MJ was honest and funny.
I thought he’d died a few months ago. We had several threads about how he was the greatest entertainer ever, and I’m sure it was in the media as well.
I’ve only seen excerpts but it was interesting to watch. I’d seen him look old on the court with the Wizards but since I’d seen almost nothing of him for the last few years, I hadn’t seen him look like an old(er) man before. That was kind of strange for me. As for the speech itself, I had no problem with it. I’ve heard a few people complain that he’s still talking about slights the rest of the world forgot 20 years ago. It comes across as being an ingracious winner but it’s who he is and he seemed to be positive about it. The speech is also an education in his shortcomings, because it shows why he hasn’t been successful in transitioning to a life after basketball. He’s not coming back anymore, but he really can’t let go of it.
Jordan is a first class jackass. He’s been a winner though, so he gets away with it, but he’s still a first class jackass.
Pretty forgettable, like most acceptance speeches for sports halls of fame.
This article is pretty scathing. Here’s the evidence:
part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2jMzudeX1E
part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c57Lp9ol6tQ
part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WNE5u1Mf-w
Part 2 is where most of the pot shots go down. My opinion is that you are the greatest, Mike. No need to rub it in. Even Dean Smith got called out for not putting freshman MJ on the SI cover with the rest of the starting 5. Of course Jerry Krause and Isiah Thomas got lambasted. You got your payback(Isiah being left off the Dream Team) for the freeze out already but you bring it up during your HOF speech. This is the speech where you thank all the people who helped get where you are. What say you Dopers? Sore winner much?
I’m not sure many people realized what a prick Jordan was until after he finally retired. I don’t think his arrogance is surprising, given how hyper-competitive he was and how often he succeeded, but the nature of the NBA in the 90s helped gloss over his worst aspects. Everyone knew he was a merciless trash-talker and not a friendly teammate, and he was an unapologetic corporate shill, but that’s what NBA stars were supposed to be during that period (and what every two-bit shooting guard aspired to). Now he’s old and washed up, his only competitive outlet is gambling and running an NBA franchise into the ground, and the only thing he has left is to remind people that he was the best ever, and don’t you forget it.
I read that article in the OP with interest and was surprised a thread about it didn’t emerge earlier. There is no major team sport I have a more profound indifference to than basketball (heck, I like soccer more), but everyone knows who Jordan is so it was quite revealing to see a window into the persona of a man I only really know by reputation and a few commercials. A shame someone so legendary can also be so small and petty.
Merged two threads about this speech. I kept enomaj’s title because it was clearer.
Another brickbat: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2009/09/12/jordan-goes-from-classy-to-clown/
Yeah, but you made me look like an asshole.
(Free shot. I’ll even save you the trouble: “That isn’t as difficult as keeping you from looking like one.”)
Jason Whitlock has a different take on things, and I have to say that even though I think Jordan was being petty, Whitlock has a point. Jordan’s competitive fire will be his enduring legacy aside from everything he’s won. It’s nice when pro athletes are polite, intelligent, and humble, but ultimately the most important thing they can do for us is kick some ass and entertain. The worst thing about today’s NBA (even though the style of basketball is much better now than it was in the 90s) is that everyone is best buddies with the people they’re competing with. When LeBron stormed off the court after the Cavs got eliminated, I couldn’t understand why everyone was so pissed. Was he supposed to be happy? I don’t think anyone ever expected Jordan to be gracious in defeat.
I watched the YouTube version of the speech and didn’t find it offensive or antagonistic… I think he was trying to be funny in a self-promoting competitive way…
This is Whitlock’s 2ndhatchet job against Serena. So his opinion on that is suspect. There was no need to compare and contrast Serena’s bad behavior with a HoF speech. Michael has gone after Steve Kerr in practice. This was just using Serena to say that Mike’s speech wasn’t so bad.
I contend that none of the pot shots were necessary. I guarantee that MJ’s high school coach is still getting ribbed by friends for not putting Jordan on varsity just like Halle Berry’s first boyfriend is for dumpng her (if he dumped her). Thank God, Mom & Dad, your coaches, your favorite teacher or professor and welcome the applause. We get that Jordan is the most competitive man in sport. But damn.
I felt the same way about LeBron’s actions (I am a long-time Cavs’ fan going back to the days of Bobby “Bingo” Smith though). The point about Jordan’s classlessness is that in this instance he was classless not after the a tough defeat when the juices were flowing in the heat of battle, but in victory, during the HoF ceremony, when he’d had all the time in the world to collect this thoughts and prepare appropriate comments. I understand that anger fueled Jordan’s competitive fire, but the Hall of Fame induction ceremony isn’t a competition.
Serena’s outburst was out of line too, but that was a heat of battle comment and she’s apologized. Nobody’s perfect.
I’m not sure they “do” anything for us. Personally, I prefer rooting people that are relatable, even if not admirable.
It’s likely that Ty Cobb’s greatness was aided by his various hatreds. It doesn’t make him any less of a failed human being. Not that Jordan is quite at that level, but it’s the same type.
Being a petty, vindictive, self-centered asshole made him the greatest ever. He’s still a petty, vindictive, self-centered asshole.
I don’t think he was really dickish but he certainly wasn’t very humble.
What they do for us is provide entertainment by engaging in competition, which is worth something because we, as fans, spend the time and money to experience it. Intense competition between elite athletes can be highly entertaining. It’s okay if you prefer pro athletes to act a certain way or be relatable (I certainly root against athletes I think are bad people), but ultimately their value as professionals is going to depend on how much entertainment they provide.
Yeah, I get your point, economically at least. But I was responding to the “do for us” part. As I said when the eagles dropped T.O., I’d rather lose without him than win with him. Seeing a bad person crowned champion of anything is not something I enjoy.
So for me at least, I usually want them to be great athletes and non-assholes.
That’s the beauty of them.