MJ's speech

[InRareForm]

lol... taking shots at a lot of people.

great speech!

[lil_penny]

Next time I see you in shorts I'm comming at you lol

[monosylab1k]

was Phil Jackson there?

[JamStone]

Yeah what's with putting that high school teammate on blast 30 years later? Jeez he was such an obnoxious ass. Even the GOAT should show more humility. Ass. And yes, I'm a Jordan hater. I fully ackknowledge it.

[JamStone]

"Michael, there's no 'I' in team."

"But there's an 'I' in win."

[monosylab1k]

"Michael, there's no 'I' in team."

"But there's an 'I' in win."

was he wrong?

[duncan228]

Some quotes.

Air Jordan reaches new heights with place in Hall (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-halloffame&prov=ap&type=lgns)
By Brian Mahoney

Michael Jordan, maybe the greatest of them all, has taken his place alongside basketball’s other greats.

And he never forgot anyone who motivated him to get there.

Jordan was enshrined in the Hall of Fame on Friday night, a final honor that followed all the championship rings and MVP trophies he collected during his career.

From the high school coach who cut him to the last player to defend him in the NBA finals, Jordan remembered everyone who did something to bring out the competitiveness that carried him to the top of basketball.

“I’d do anything to win,” he said.

He joined David Robinson and John Stockton, a pair of his 1992 Dream Team teammates, and coaches Jerry Sloan and C. Vivian Stringer in a distinguished class. Jordan insisted during a morning press conference that the weekend wasn’t just about him, but he was clearly the star Friday night before a crowd that included former teammates Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman.

“He makes one big shot and everybody thinks he’s kind of cool,” Stockton joked. “I don’t get it.”

Jordan cried before beginning his acceptance speech, then entertained the crowd with memories of any slights that inspired him to get to Springfield:

— The coach who cut him from the varsity as a North Carolina schoolboy.

“I wanted to make sure you understood: You made a mistake, dude.”

— Isiah Thomas, who allegedly orchestrated a “freezeout” of Jordan in his first All-Star game.

“I wanted to prove to you, Magic (Johnson), Larry (Bird), George (Gervin), everybody that I deserved (to be there) just as much as anybody else, and I hope over the period of my career I’ve done that without a doubt.”

— Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy, who accused Jordan of “conning” players by acting friendly toward them, then attacking them in games.

“I just so happen to be a friendly guy. I get along with everybody, but at the same time, when the light comes on, I’m as competitive as anybody you know.”

— The media who said Jordan, though a great player, would never win like Bird or Johnson.

“I had to listen to all that, and that put so much wood on that fire that it kept me each and every day trying to get better as a basketball player.”

— Lastly, Utah’s Bryon Russell. Jordan recalled meeting Russell while he was retired and playing minor league baseball in 1994—and with Sloan looking on in horror—told of how Russell insisted he could have covered him if Jordan was still playing. Russell later got two cracks at Jordan in the NBA finals, and he was the defender when Jordan hit the clinching shot to win the 1998 title.

“From this day forward, if I ever see him in shorts, I’m coming at him.”

Robinson was enshrined first on Friday before a large San Antonio contingent that included teammates Tim Duncan and Avery Johnson, and coaches Larry Brown and Gregg Popovich. Stockton told the Spurs that his running mate, Karl Malone, was the best power forward, not Duncan.

The enshrinement ceremony took place at Springfield’s Symphony Hall, because Jordan was too big for the Hall of Fame. The move to the other building allowed for a crowd of about 2,600, more than double what the Hall can accommodate.

Most of the attention was on Jordan, the five-time NBA MVP, but the others in the class are some of the most accomplished in the sport. Stockton is the career leader in assists and steals, Robinson won an MVP trophy and two titles in San Antonio, Sloan is the only coach to win 1,000 games with one team, and Stringer was the first woman’s coach to lead three different schools to the Final Four.

“Unique, unique competitors,” Stockton said during the morning press conference.

Fiery ones, too. Sloan, Stockton’s longtime coach, told two different tales of fights he was in as a hard-nosed player for Chicago.

Jordan remembered scoring around 20 points in a row late in a game to pull out a win, which was followed by a conversation with Bulls assistant Tex Winter.

“Tex reminded me that there’s no ‘I’ in team,” Jordan said. “And I looked back at Tex, I said, ‘There’s ‘I’ in win.’ So whichever way you want it.”

Jordan and Robinson were All-American college players who entered the NBA with high expectations. Sloan acknowledged he wasn’t so sure about Stockton at first—and turns out, neither was Stockton.

“I thought they’d figure me out pretty quickly. I thought the Jazz would figure out that they’d made a mistake, so first paycheck I saved every cent,” Stockton said. “I was pretty sure I was a one-year-and-out guy.”

He ended up playing 19 seasons in Utah, while Robinson spent 14 with the Spurs. He is still an enormous presence in San Antonio through his charitable work.

“That’s one of the things I think I loved most about San Antonio. When you get out in the community, you really feel like you’re making a difference. You feel like you’re impacting people there and families there,” Robinson said. “So anybody who has followed my career, it’s been as important as what we did on the court, being involved in the community, making a difference.”

Stringer also talked of making a difference in the lives of others, such as the pride she feels watching women’s basketball grow into a sport in which her former players can now earn a living playing professionally in the United States. Those contributions to the game, along with her 825 wins, had her sharing a stage Friday with Jordan, whose family she developed a friendship with when they did Nike tours together.

“I once paid to come into the Naismith Hall of Fame,” she said, “and now here I am.”

[duncan228]

If anyone missed it: NBA TV is re-airing the Red Carpet Show and the Induction Ceremony several times tomorrow.

NBA.com has video up.

http://www.nba.com/video/index.html

[EricB]

Jordan is a self loving ass. What else is new?

[monosylab1k]

He's Jordan, he can say whatever the fuck he wants. He's MICHAEL MOTHERFUCKING JORDAN.

[IronMexican]

When you were that good, you can say what you want to say.

[Def Rowe]

Heard a bit of it live on the radio. It sounded pretty funny.

[JamStone]

was he wrong?

Nope. That's not why I posted what he said in his speech.

Being an obnoxious ass doesn't make you wrong.

He's not wrong about him being better than that guy Leroy Smith who got picked over him for the high school varsity team. And, yet, he still put that guy on blast. It's 30 years later. What's the purpose of that? And why would he have to say that "organizations don't win championships. Was it the organization who played with the flu in Utah." I mean really? Really, Michael? Why would he have to make snide remarks about Jerry Krause? Why can't he be gracious? That's what I wonder.

He wasn't wrong in what he said. Here's my thing. If you're going to be such an obnoxious, self-loving ass, then at least entertain us, drop your pants, and suck on your own dick in front of everybody. Why just do the figuratively? Do it literally.

[Kori Ellis]

I am a huge Jordan fan, but I thought it was a horribly inappropriate speech. It sounded like a speech at a roast.

No matter how talented you are (and I think hands down, he's the best ever), I think at some point you have to find some humility.

I thought Stockton's speech was very good (and funny).

[JamStone]

And again, yes, I hate Michael Jordan and am 150% biased against him.

And, yes, he's the greatest player in the history of the NBA.

[monosylab1k]

In his own Jordan way, he was thanking those people for making him the GOAT. He wasn't putting them on blast. He was paying tribute to the people who pushed him to be as great as he is (except the Jerry Krause part). In competition, he hated them, but now reflecting back, he appreciates what they did to improve him.

And the first thing he did in his entire damn speech was thank Scottie Pippen, his running mate for six titles. You think Shaq is gonna go up and, right off the bat, thank Kobe? or vice versa? Fuck no.

[spursfaninla]

You know, I didn't like Jordan AT ALL during the early 90's.

But by the end of his accomplishments, no one, including myself could deny him; he was the best I ever saw on many levels. You could just marvel and recognize.

Sure, the refs fell in love with him, but they do that with all the stars. Jordan could have won 10 if he stayed in 94 and 95, and would have pushed the Spurs in 99 and the Lakers in 2000.

[monosylab1k]

also, ROFL at Avery and his ass-kissing little Napoleonic bitch ass was right to Popovich. I'm convinced he'd literally get on his knees and suck Pop's dick to get that job when Pop decides to retire.

[JamStone]

Did not mention any of his other Bulls teammates. The Scottie mention was almost a preemptive qualifier so people can use it as an excuse to paint him as humble and gracious.

And, as for that Leroy Smith high school cat, when the camera panned to him, you could see it in his face. You could actually hear him think, "Wow, you're still an asshole."

Same thing with John Stockton when they panned to him and Jordan said, "you remember that, John" when recalling his Byron Russell story. Stockton put on the pretentious, "oh you're so funny, Mike" smile for the cameras and you could read his expression too: "why the fuck are you such a cock, especially at an event like this?"

Greatest asshole of all time.

[monosylab1k]

Did not mention any of his other Bulls teammates. The Scottie mention was almost a preemptive qualifier so people can use it as an excuse to paint him as humble and gracious.

And, as for that Leroy Smith high school cat, when the camera panned to him, you could see it in his face. You could actually hear him think, "Wow, you're still an asshole."

Same thing with John Stockton when they panned to him and Jordan said, "you remember that, John" when recalling his Byron Russell story. Stockton put on the pretentious, "oh you're so funny, Mike" smile for the cameras and you could read his expression too: "why the fuck are you such a cock, especially at an event like this?"

Greatest asshole of all time.

:lmao

qBwnOzeoh8M

[monosylab1k]

Randy Moss once headed to the locker room with like 2 seconds left in a game and got fucking crucified for it. The Pistons had a good 14 seconds on the clock before peacing out. What a bunch of faggots.

[monosylab1k]

:lmao

SSamEqtPVao

[Culburn369]

:lmao

SSamEqtPVao

And then he left the Magic, dead in the ground.

[JamStone]

Randy Moss once headed to the locker room with like 2 seconds left in a game and got fucking crucified for it. The Pistons had a good 14 seconds on the clock before peacing out. What a bunch of faggots.

100% agree.

Isiah Thomas was about as big of an asshole as Michael Jordan.

[monosylab1k]

No banners no Hall of Famers.:lmao

no rape trials either :lmao or players who got AIDS from gay sex :lmao

[Culburn369]

[Originally Posted by lakaluva http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/images/Style_Templates/nba/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3683260#post3683260)

No banners no Hall of Famers.]

Nope.

[monosylab1k]

No banners

AC Green broke the Iron Man record with the Mavericks, and that banner still hangs proudly in the AAC, bitch..........well i think it still does....

[Culburn369]

Nope, mono, yer O & forever, son.

[Culburn369]

:lmao

SSamEqtPVao

Damn, his wife never looked more beautiful.

Best thing he did Pt 1. get his crew to wipe that room.
Best thing he did Pt 2. hire that junk yard dog to the left of his old lady.
Best thing he did Pt 3. turn that bitch loose in a Colorado courtroom.

[Culburn369]

LOL... Kobe, "I love my wife with all my heart, but I'm innocent. I have a lot at stake here." lol

I wonder what shampoo his wife used back then? Her hair was like silk.

Just drop dead gorgeous.

[iggypop123]

thats cause moss had "mooned" the crowd. stupid joe buck was so insulted. idiot

[iggypop123]

looks like the GOAT has a flaw, cocky till the end throwing anyone he could think off under the bus

[Kriz-Maxima]

yeah what's with putting that high school teammate on blast 30 years later? Jeez he was such an obnoxious ass. Even the goat should show more humility. Ass. And yes, i'm a jordan hater. I fully ackknowledge it.

+1

And yes, Dallas fan, Isiah is a dick too.

[monosylab1k]

+1

And yes, Dallas fan, Isiah is a dick too.

Good for you, Detroit fan.

[whottt]

Eh...MJ was always the way he was tonight. It doesn't matter if you like him or not or respect him or not, he doesn't care and he's going to come at you the same way. He's definitley not classy, and never was, but he is unquestionably one of the greatest competitors in any sports.


I don't think he's anywhere close to the player Magic Johnson was though.


But one thing has become apparent to me...Jordan is a lot smarter than he comes off...there are two quotes I have heard by him that prove this...


#1. When told he didn't make his teamates better his response was, "then get me better teamates". :lol

#2. Tonights quote, when told there was no "I" in team, "yeah but there's an "I" in win". :lmao


You gotta admit those are clever responses to the ultimate coach cards concerning selfish play, the only two good responses to them I've ever heard. Pretty smart if he came up with those on the fly.


And I don't doubt for a second he remembers every single person who ever motivated him in his entire life. That is pretty much what he is all about.





He had a thing like that going with David...the first time he and David played he told David I'm going to dunk on you big fella, and there's not anything you can do about it. Drob said he told him you aren't going t6o dunk on me, I'm not going to let that happen...I think it was a few years for Michael finally got him.

[Metheny]

He can't be close to magic johnson on a player level cause hes just on a whole other level then magic.

[Hornets1]

Yeah, it was a tasteless speech, but he's fucking MJ and can do whatever he damn well pleases! Fuck the Haters! Go MJ!

[duncan228]

Jordan's speech just another MJ dagger (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/halloffame09/columns/story?columnist=adande_ja&page=JordanSpeech-090914)
By J.A. Adande
ESPN.com

Of all the wacky words of the past week -- including Kanye West's stomping on Taylor Swift's Video Music Award, Serena Williams' threat to ball-stuff a line judge and Rep. Joe Wilson's disrespecting President Obama in the middle of a congressional address -- the only ones I can defend came during Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame induction speech. Jordan spoke from the heart. The thing is, his heart's as cold as liquid nitrogen.

If you enjoyed all of Jordan's acrobatic feats, his scoring outbursts and (most of all) his clutch performances, then you can't say you were disappointed in his attitude upon finally reaching basketball's Olympus. They're inseparable. You don't get Jordan the G.O.A.T. without the E-G-O. You don't get his triumphing again and again without his using every sleight -- real or perceived -- to motivate himself.

Deep inside Jordan is "an assassin," as former Chicago Bulls assistant coach John Bach once described him. And so when it was his turn to take the stage in Springfield, Mass., the final act after we heard from a gracious David Robinson, a surprisingly funny John Stockton, a thoughtful C. Vivian Stringer, and an uncomfortable-at-the-thought-of-speaking-about-himself Jerry Sloan, Jordan aimed his sight and gave thanks and payback to every foe and ally who provided him with incentive.

He got the high school coach who cut him and the guy who beat him out for the final spot on the team. He got his beloved North Carolina coach, Dean Smith, for keeping him off the Sports Illustrated cover that went to the upperclassmen instead. He got Pat Riley and Riley's "little" protege, Jeff Van Gundy, for all of their gamesmanship during the Bulls-Knicks rivalry in the '90s. He got his old Chicago general manager/foil Jerry Krause, delivering the final refutation on Krause's ill-advised "organizations win championships" remark. He got every media member who doubted Jordan's ability to win an NBA championship. And he went on an extended riff on Bryon Russell, the man forever frozen in the highlight of Jordan's final shot in a Bulls uniform.

Jordan said that came from Russell's expressing a desire for Jordan to come back from his first retirement so he could guard him. He asked Stockton if he remembered that conversation, prompting the second-greatest reaction shot of the weekend. (The first was Beyonce's how-did-I-get-dragged-into-this? expression following Kanye's mike-grab from Taylor Swift.) Stockton looked as if he had no recollection of that discussion at all, and I wouldn't be surprised if it never actually happened.

Jordan has made stuff up before, most notably when he claimed Bullets rookie LaBradford Smith said, "Nice game, Mike," after lighting up His Airness for 37 points. Jordan returned fire with 36 points in the first half against Smith the next time they played. Years later, he confessed Smith never said anything to him.

When the Bulls played the Cavaliers in the 1993 playoffs and Cleveland guard Gerald Wilkins was asked about his ability to guard Jordan, Wilkins always pointed out that nobody could shut Jordan down, but he had been somewhat effective against him. Jordan scored 43 points in the first game of the series, and afterward said with a smirk, "I guess the 'Jordan-stopper' had a pretty tough night." No one else heard Wilkins call himself a Jordan-stopper. But Jordan did, in his own mind, which shows you just how differently things worked in there.

That's the mindset that created Air Jordan, the basketball player we then proceeded to deify. How could his ego not become inflated to 28 psi when he was continuously asked questions such as "Can you fly?" and "Are you a god?"

Unlike Muhammad Ali, Jordan never ran around proclaiming himself the greatest of all time. Jordan always found a way to tactfully discuss his greatness, acknowledging that he did it better than most, but never putting himself ahead of the legends or the game himself. He usually tailored every word to fit into people's expectations of what someone in his position would say. He even did it earlier in the day of his induction, spending most of his news conference discussing his appreciation for his deceased father, his coaches and the Chicago fans. He was asked and he responded.

For his speech, there were no questions, no prompts. As a result you got Jordan, genuine and unfiltered. It's the way he tends to be when the cameras are turned off and the notepads put away. He cried at the outset of his speech. He had people cringing by the end. But through it all he stayed true to himself and his era.

Shaquille O'Neal made an interesting point during the video tribute: Jordan was a hip-hop version of Dr. J. Maybe Jordan's internal sound system wasn't booming hip-hop tracks -- after he hit The Shot over Craig Ehlo, he referenced an Anita Baker song during his on-court interview -- but Jordan's rise coincided precisely with the ascendance of hip-hop to the top of pop culture. He was drafted the same year Run-DMC (the rappers who did the most to bring hip-hop to the mainstream) released their first album. Jordan won his first Most Valuable Player award in 1988; the first rap song to win a Grammy Award was DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's "Parents Just Don't Understand" in 1989. By the time he retired, his name worked his way into the lexicon as the standard of excellence (Jay-Z: "I'm the Mike Jordan of recordin'").

At its core, rapping is about verbal battling, using words to put people in their place. That's the cultural shift that mirrored Jordan's career, and you're likely to hear more of it reflected in Hall of Fame speeches from here on as the hip-hop generation makes its way to Springfield. Jordan can't impose his will on the court anymore. He's still as competitive as ever, and his words are all he has left for the fight.

[duncan228]

The Man behind the Legend (http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/columns/story?columnist=greenberg_jon&id=4468210)
Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame induction speech reveals arrogance
By Jon Greenberg
ESPNChicago.com

The greatest athlete of our time travels on private planes and in very fast, very expensive foreign cars.

When he goes somewhere, it's on his schedule and it's always in style.

However he travels, Michael Jeffrey Jordan does not take the high road, as he proved in an oddly compelling speech Friday night.

Jordan's Basketball Hall of Fame induction speech in Springfield, Mass., was Jordan at his most honest, his most real. He cried, thanked his friends and family, rebuked his so-called enemies and proved that he is -- forever and ever -- the most competitive person alive.

In this sometimes funny and sharp-edged speech, the world's most ubiquitous and successful corporate pitchman proved he was still human. He wasn't selling Nike or Gatorade or batteries or hot dogs. He wasn't pretending he was a basketball executive.

After an earlier news conference where he did his best to sound humble, Jordan's big speech was littered with his own tears and his own jokes, and most were good-natured, but he made it a point to recognize those who have inspired him over the years. It was certainly befitting his reputation, and it wasn't all that funny.

The greatest athlete of our time made sure to point out the high school coach who didn't put him on the varsity his sophomore year. (He was never cut, per se. That's an urban myth akin to Catfish Hunter's nickname origin.) He pointed out the guy who made the team "over" him, who was in the audience; his college roommate, Buzz Peterson; the NBA vets who froze him out in his first All-Star Game, two of whom were there, George Gervin (who presented David Robinson) and Isiah Thomas (who presented John Stockton); Jazz guard Bryon Russell, who was guarding him on his final shot in a Bulls uniform; and, of course, former Bulls general manager Jerry Krause, with whom he had real conflict during his career. Krause, forever the outsider looking in, made the mistake of claiming he was skipping Jordan's induction because former coach Tex Winter, the originator of the triangle offense, wasn't inducted.

Onstage, Jordan adroitly, and unnecessarily, noted Krause wasn't invited before going on a diatribe about how organizations don't win championships, great players like him do -- a reversal of a much-traveled portion of a longer, more balanced quote credited to Krause. Jordan was right, of course, but why bring that up on the stage in front of basketball's upper echelon? Because Jordan is the ultimate alpha male and this was his alpha male moment. He doesn't get those anymore, not in public. This was it for him.

Jordan, not known for being cheap, even commented on the high prices the Hall of Fame charged for this evening because of his induction, noting that he had to pay for his tickets. It was a small sniping comment for a man who could be the first athlete to be worth $1 billion, but he hates people making money off him, unless he's getting a cut.

Michael Jordan isn't just the son of Deloris and the late James. He hasn't been for 20 years. He is the modern sports hero we've created, the fans and the media, through our unyielding appreciation of his athletic superiority, and from the masses (like myself) who bought Nikes because he endorsed them and drank Gatorade because he pitched it. He is the perfect blend of American win-at-all-costs attitude and our thirst for name-brand recognition.

People call Jordan "arguably" the greatest athlete of our time, and really, his only peer is Muhammad Ali. It's amazing how both Ali and Jordan perfectly encapsulated their separate eras. Ali came to power in the turbulent 1960s, when true democracy flourished. He gave up his championship to stand up for his black nationalist beliefs. He was loud and opinionated, and quite a character, for better or worse.

Jordan, cool and refined, once refused to endorse a Democrat against Republican Sen. Jesse Helms in North Carolina, cooly noting that "Republicans buy sneakers too." He was the true child of the Me Decade.

Sure, Jordan has given more money to charitable causes and met with more sick kids than we'll ever know. He shouldn't be thought of as Gordon Gekko in gym shoes. He took advantage of what was out there for a good-looking, charming athlete. In fact, he is probably the only athlete to gain control over his image from his team and his sponsors.

The buzz preceding the speeches was how unfair it was to Robinson and Stockton, not to mention coaches Jerry Sloan and C. Vivian Stringer, that they had to share their day with Jordan. It was said that Jordan should get his own day at the Hall of Fame, as if he played a different sport. It was media deification at its finest, the kind of attitude that burnished Jordan's public lifestyle and the mythmaking apparatus that pads his wallet. Not that he doesn't deserve it. The Man could play basketball better than anyone, anywhere.

If you listened to Robinson's and Stockton's speeches, you could see the difference between the two and Jordan. Robinson made a home for himself and his family in San Antonio, where he runs charter schools and works in the community. He was a star player and a better person.

Stockton, wearing what looked like a $150 rented tuxedo with a crooked bowtie, lives in Spokane, Wash., where his father still owns a popular local bar. He was every bit the competitor Jordan was, just less gifted, less talented. Jordan has the highest scoring average of all time, Stockton the most assists and most steals. Stockton now spends his time with his family and scrimmaging with Gonzaga players.

Stockton and Robinson have made comfortable transitions into adulthood through retirement, and both gave wonderful, emotional, heartfelt speeches.

I was at the gym during Robinson's speech, watching and listening on the elliptical. I'm not afraid to say I teared up. Robinson was often criticized for being too soft on the court, too cerebral. He was, in a lot of ways, the anti-Jordan, as a superstar. The Admiral spent the entirety of his speech thanking people. When he spoke of his family, he gushed over his three boys, calling them his best friends, encouraging them to reach their own goals.

When Jordan, who is divorced from his longtime wife Juanita, brought up his three children, he told them he felt sorry for them, because of the tall shadow they have to live with. His oldest son, Jeffrey, seated next to a very pretty girlfriend of his father's, recently quit the basketball team at Illinois to focus on his studies. Marcus Jordan is in his freshman year at Central Florida, where he too will play. Needless to say, they know they'll forever be second-class to their pop. How could anyone live up to his standards?

It was a telling Jordan moment: honest, seemingly loving and full of hubris. It was not the words of a father, but of a competitor.

Jordan's lackluster post-Bulls basketball career has done nothing to obscure his spotless legacy as a basketball player. There will never be an athlete of his magnitude again, because he is the archetype of the hero athlete and the living embodiment of success. He is the Michael Jordan of being Michael Jordan.

So this Hall of Fame induction was unnecessary -- he's been first-ballot since 1991 -- but his speech proved again that heroes best exist in myths and stories, not on a dais with a shiny suit.

Michael Jordan the Chicago Bulls guard was invincible. Michael Jordan the Man is vulnerable, complicated and ultimately human.

I miss Jordan the Hero. I don't really want to know Jordan the Man.