MJ's Hall of Fame Induction Speech

[indyfrisco]

Anyone else hear this? Damn...dude sounded like a complete self-centered pretentious asshole. He gave some props to others, but most of the props were to himself. It just kinda made me sad. I grew up LOVING the NBA. I loved watching MJ. While he was no "hero" of mine, you could not watch a game with him in it and not get WOWed at least once. To listen to him toot his own horn early and often during his speech was horrible.

[indyfrisco]

Oh, and MJ dropped an s-bomb that was not edited out on the live feed.

[KC Scott]

You gotta say though if anyone ever had the right to self high 5 it was MJ. We will probably never see one individual so dominate a team sport like he did agin -

[poptart]

Anyone else hear this? Damn...dude sounded like a complete self-centered pretentious asshole. He gave some props to others, but most of the props were to himself. It just kinda made me sad. I grew up LOVING the NBA. I loved watching MJ. While he was no "hero" of mine, you could not watch a game with him in it and not get WOWed at least once. To listen to him toot his own horn early and often during his speech was horrible.

I didn't hear it that way.

I heard him acknowledge and give props throughout -- to family, teammates, friends, coaches, owners, etc.

Of course he's got a very large ego, but I honestly didn't hear him obnoxiously pointing toward himself the way you describe it.


Oh well.

[Moving Sale]

You gotta say though if anyone ever had the right to self high 5 it was MJ. We will probably never see one individual so dominate a team sport like he did agin -

Based on what?
The numbers? He holds one maybe two of the "most important" records? PPG. I'll give you that, but it's 30.12. Wilt is still right there with 30.05 and THEN you get the drop to 27.5 and Wilt has a Boatload of impressive records. If he isn't even a clear number one in basketball how are we to believe that the preface of your argument is even valid, let alone that the conclusion being true?

[poptart]

MS, it's what Jordan did in the playoffs and NBA Finals that really makes you go ... WOW!



Jordan holds NBA Finals records for:

- Finals MVP honors (6)
named MVP in each Finals appearance

- scoring average, single-series (41.0 ppg)
set in the 1993 NBA Finals vs. the Phoenix Suns

- consecutive games, 20 or more points (35, June 2, 1991-June 14, 1998)
only player to score 20 or more points in all games, career (min. 15 games)
Jordan scored at least 20 in all 35 of his Finals performances

- consecutive games, 40 or more points (4, June 11-18, 1993)

- points, one half (35)
set in 1st half vs. the Portland Trail Blazers, June 3, 1992

- field goals made, one half (14)
did so twice; vs. Portland, June 3, 1992 and vs. Phoenix, June 16, 1993
shared with Isiah Thomas

- consecutive field goals made (13)
set vs. the Los Angeles Lakers on June 5, 1991

- free throws made, quarter (9)
shared with Frank Ramsey

- three point field goals made, one half (6)
set vs. the Portland Trail Blazers, June 3, 1992
shared with Kenny Smith

- scoring 30 or more points in all games of series
set in the 1993 NBA Finals vs. the Phoenix Suns
shared with Elgin Baylor, Rick Barry, Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O'Neal

- points, 6-game series (246)
set in the 1993 NBA Finals vs. the Phoenix Suns

- field goals made, 6-game series (101)
set in the 1993 NBA Finals vs. the Phoenix Suns

- steals, 5-game series (14)
set in the 1991 NBA Finals vs. the Los Angeles Lakers

- highest assists average not by a point guard, single-series (11.4 apg)
set in the 1991 NBA Finals vs. the Los Angeles Lakers



Jordan holds NBA Playoff Records for:

- points per game average, career (33.45)

- points, career (5,987)

- points, single postseason (759, 1992)
also ranks 5th (680, 1998) and 6th (666, 1993)

- 50 point games (8)

- 40 point games (38)

- 30 point games (109)

- 20 point games (174)

- consecutive games, 15 or more points (179)

- scored 15 points or more in every career playoff game

- consecutive games, 20 or more points (60)
June 2, 1989 - May 11, 1993

- points in a game (63)
set vs. the Boston Celtics, April 20, 1986
averaged 43.7 ppg, 5.7 apg, and 6.3 rpg for the three games series against the Boston Celtics

- points in a 3-game series (135)
set in the 1992 First Round vs. the Miami Heat

- points in a 5-game series (226)
set in the 1988 First Round vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers

- field goals attempted, career (4,497)

- field goals made per game, career (12.2)

- field goals made in a game (24)
set vs. Cleveland Cavaliers on May 1, 1988
shared with Wilt Chamberlain and John Havlicek

- field goals attempted, half (25)
set vs. Cleveland Cavaliers on May 1, 1988
shared with Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor

- field goals made in a 3-game series (53)
set in the 1992 First Round vs. the Miami Heat

- field goals made in a 5-game series (86)
set in the 1988 First Round vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers

- field goals made in a 6-game series (101)
set in 1993 NBA Finals vs. the Phoenix Suns

- consecutive field goals made (13)
set vs. the Los Angeles Lakers on June 5, 1991

- free throws made, career (1,463)

- free throws made, quarter (13)

- blocks by a guard, career (158)

- free throws made per game, rookie (12.0)

- free throws attempted per game, rookie (14.5)

[Moving Sale]

MS, it's what Jordan did in the playoffs and NBA Finals that really makes you go ... WOW!

I guess. The wiki page (for example) has almost 300 playoff records. He holds what 10-15%? Sounds like a record that can be broken to me.

[jiminphilly]

You gotta say though if anyone ever had the right to self high 5 it was MJ.

Really?

Jordan’s night to remember turns petty
Adrian Wojnarowski

By Adrian Wojnarowski
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The tears tumbled, flooding his face and Michael Jordan had yet to march to the microphone at Symphony Hall. He had listened to the genuine stories and speeches of a remarkable class. He had watched a “This is Your Life” video compilation of his basketball genius. Everything flashed before him, a legacy that he’s fought with body and soul to never, ever let go into yesterday.

Yes, Michael Jordan was still fighting it on Friday night, and maybe he always will. Mostly, he was crying over the passing of that old Jordan, and it wouldn’t be long until he climbed out of his suit and back into his uniform and shorts, back into an adolescent act that’s turned so tedious.

This wasn’t a Hall of Fame induction speech, but a bully tripping nerds with lunch trays in the school cafeteria. He had a responsibility to his standing in history, to players past and present, and he let everyone down. This was a night to leave behind the petty grievances and past slights – real and imagined. This was a night to be gracious, to be generous with praise and credit.


“M.J. was introduced as the greatest player ever and he’s still standing there trying to settle scores,” one Hall of Famer said privately later.

Jordan didn’t hurt his image with the NBA community, as much as he reminded them of it. “That’s who Michael is,” one high-ranking team executive said. “It wasn’t like he was out of character. There’s no one else who could’ve gotten away with what he did tonight. But it was Michael, and everyone just goes along.”

Jordan wandered through an unfocused and uninspired speech at Symphony Hall, disparaging people who had little to do with his career, like Jeff Van Gundy and Bryon Russell. He ignored people who had so much to do with it, like his personal trainer, Tim Grover. This had been a moving and inspirational night for the NBA – one of its best ceremonies ever – and five minutes into Jordan’s speech it began to spiral into something else. Something unworthy of Jordan’s stature, something beneath him.

Jordan spent more time pointlessly admonishing Van Gundy and Russell for crossing him with taunts a dozen years ago than he did singling out his three children. When he finally acknowledged his family, Jordan blurted, in part, to them, “I wouldn’t want to be you guys.”

Well, um, thanks Dad. He meant it, too. If not the NBA, he should’ve thought of his children before he started spraying fire at everyone.

No one ever feels sorry for Isiah Thomas, but Jordan tsk-tsked him and George Gervin and Magic Johnson for the 1985 All-Star game “freeze-out.” Jordan was a rookie, and the older stars decided to isolate him. It was a long time ago, and he obliterated them all for six NBA championships and five MVP trophies. Isiah and the Ice Man looked stunned, as intimidated 50 feet from the stage, as they might have been on the basketball court.

The cheering and laughter egged Jordan on, but this was no public service for him. Just because he was smiling didn’t mean this speech hadn’t dissolved into a downright vicious volley.

Worst of all, he flew his old high school teammate, Leroy Smith, to Springfield for the induction. Remember, Smith was the upperclassman his coach, Pop Herring, kept on varsity over him as a high school sophomore. He waggled to the old coach, “I wanted to make sure you understood: You made a mistake, dude.”

Whatever, Michael. Everyone gets it. Truth be told, everyone got it years ago, but somehow he thinks this is a cleansing exercise. When basketball wanted to celebrate Jordan as the greatest player ever, wanted to honor him for changing basketball everywhere, he was petty and punitive. Yes, there was some wink-wink teasing with his beloved Dean Smith, but make no mistake: Jordan revealed himself to be strangely bitter. You won, Michael. You won it all. Yet, he keeps chasing something that he’ll never catch, and sometimes, well, it all seems so hollow for him.

This is why he’s a terrible basketball executive because he still hasn’t learned to channel his aggressions into hard work on that job. For the Charlotte Bobcats, Jordan remains an absentee boss who keeps searching for basketball players on fairways and greens.

From the speeches of David Robinson to John Stockton, Jerry Sloan to Vivian Stringer, there was an unmistakable thread of peace of mind and purpose. At times, they were self-deprecating and deflective of praise. Jordan hasn’t mastered that art, and it reveals him to be oddly insecure. When Jordan should’ve thanked the Bulls ex-GM, Jerry Krause, for surrounding him with championship coaches and talent, he ridiculed him. It was me, Jordan was saying. Not him. “The organization didn’t play with the flu in Utah,” Jordan grumbled.

For Jordan to let someone else share in the Bulls’ dynasty will never diminish his greatness. Just enhance it. Only, he’s 46 years old and he still doesn’t get it. Yes, Jordan did gush over Scottie Pippen, but he failed to confess that he had wanted Krause to draft North Carolina’s Joe Wolf. Sometimes, no one is better with a half a story, half a truth, than Jordan. All his life, no one’s ever called him on it.

Whatever Jordan wants to believe, understand this: The reason that Van Gundy’s declaration of him as a “con man” so angered him is because it was true on so many levels.

It was part of his competitiveness edge, part of his marketability, and yes, part of his human frailty.

Jordan wasn’t crying over sentimentality on Friday night, as much as he was the loss of a life that he returned from two retirements to have again. The finality of his basketball genius hit him at the induction ceremony, hit him hard. Jordan showed little poise and less grace.

Once again, he turned the evening into something bordering between vicious and vapid, an empty exercise for a night that should’ve had staying power, that should’ve been transformative for basketball and its greatest player. What fueled his fury as a thirtysomething now fuels his bitterness as a lost, wandering fortysomething who threatened a comeback at 50.

“Don’t laugh,” Michael Jordan warned.

No one’s laughing anymore.

Once and for all, Michael: It’s over.

You won.

[KC Scott]

MS, it's what Jordan did in the playoffs and NBA Finals that really makes you go ... WOW!

I guess. The wiki page (for example) has almost 300 playoff records. He holds what 10-15%? Sounds like a record that can be broken to me.

6 Playoff MVPs - that pretty well sums it up.

I'll say it again, in our lifetimes we will never see a single player so dominate a team sport. The only close example that even comes to mind is Gretzky - and he had a lot of talent surrounding him in Edmonton when they won those Cups.

Jim misses the point - and although that article may be somewhat accurate (in that writers opinion) - it doesn't matter or diminish that if anyone has the right to say "Fuck you - I'm the best there ever was" it's MJ.

[Mikey]

I'll say it again, in our lifetimes we will never see a single player so dominate a team sport.

MJ had a great career and his playoff record is certainly awesome, but as far sheer individual dominance on the court nobody even comes close to Wilt in his prime. You're right though, we will never again see a single player who is so dominant.

Just a few items (yeah straight from Wiki)...

In his first NBA game against the New York Knicks, the rookie center scored 43 points and 28 rebounds.

In his first season, Chamberlain averaged 37.6 points and 27 rebounds, convincingly breaking the previous regular-season records. He only needed 56 games to score point number 2,102, which broke the all-time regular season scoring record of Bob Pettit, who needed 72 games to score 2,101 points.

In the following season, Chamberlain surpassed his rookie season statistics as he averaged 38.4 points per game and 27.2 rebounds per game.

In the 1961-62 NBA season, he averaged 50.4 points and grabbed 25.7 rebounds per game. And perhaps most astounding, on March 2, 1962, in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Wilt scored 100 points, shooting 36 of 63 from the field, and making 28 out of 32 free throws against the New York Knicks. Chamberlain's 4,029 regular-season points made him the first and only player to break the 4,000-point barrier. To place this in perspective the only player other than Chamberlain to break the 3,000-point barrier is Michael Jordan, who scored 3,041 points in the 1986-87 NBA season.

[Dinsdale]

So IF, you started a thread to remind us that MJ is a complete fucking self-centered asshole who never gave a shit about anybody (including his own children), and obsessed over his own greatness?


Marcus Allen holding a glass dick should be along very shorty to rack you.


What next? Water is wet? The sky is up, the ground is down?


Arguably the best player ever -- and a deplorable human being. Always was a Grade A jerk... always.

[Diego in Seattle]

Nike should have come out with MJ Traveling Shoes, since he did so much of it.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

You gotta say though if anyone ever had the right to self high 5 it was MJ.

Agreed. Arguably (by very few) to be the greatest basketball player of all-time...and without question one of the greatest if not THE greatest professional athletes of all-time. Yeah, he's kinda earned the right to a little bit of bravado. Plus I didn't think it was over the top. I actually liked the story about how he told Tex Winter "yeah, there's no I in team but there's an I in win." And the shots of John Stockton feigning amusement.

Did Dins just call somebody a self-centered asshole?

[Dinsdale]

You gotta say though if anyone ever had the right to self high 5 it was MJ.

And by doing so, he pretty much proved he isn't/wasn't "the greatest."

With greatness comes humility -- it's the natural progression, has been all through history.

But MJ is still trying to campaign for his status. And if MJ himself doesn't believe he's the greatest, then I have no reason to believe it, either.


And some of y'all's seem to forget that there was this guy named Bill Russell, and he didn't have 3 extra teammates in gray jersies.


Hey, remember that time MJ "played" on the '84 Olympic Team? Well, he kinda "played" -- well, actually, he couldn't get in the game, since those officials actually called that ridiculous rock-step thing he did what it was -- travelling. They damn near laughed him out of the tourney... but the NBAsaw $$$$ in letting him do whatever he wanted.


He wasn't the greatest player, by any means -- by he was certainly the NBA's greatest marketing ploy... and you dumbassesare STILL soaking it up... ponderous.

Bryon Russell probably still has a bruise on his hip from being violently thrown to the floor for a "game winning" (aka "marketing ploy")shot, that Satan Stern still has the nerve to show in the playoff advertising.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

And by doing so, he pretty much proved he isn't/wasn't "the greatest."

Nah, propping himself doesn't suddenly diminish what he did on the court.

I think you're still bitter from all those 3s he nailed against Portland.

[Dinsdale]

I think you're still bitter from all those 3s he nailed against Portland.

Nah.

What I remember most from that series (besides the heartbreak), was Game 2 -- Zers were down quite a few, then Drexler fouled out (thanks again, Jake O'Donnell). In his insecurity, MJ went all arrogant as Adelman switched Terry Porter over to defend Jordan. Loud enough that the mics picked it up, MJ proclaimed "You can't guard me!" and laughed in Porter's face...


Then went out, had a meltdown... and got fucking clowned by a point guard. Shut him right the fuck up.

Unfortunately, he let his (and his 3 helpers in gray) do the talking after that.

[Smackie Chan]

I'll say it again, in our lifetimes we will never see a single player so dominate a team sport. The only close example that even comes to mind is Gretzky

And despite the gap between Gretzky and whoever else might be considered second greatest, can you picture him being as graceless and as much of a douche when being honored as Jordan was? I can't. Did he at anytime during his speech make mention of the two players whose shoes he essentially stepped into as the face of the NBA - Magic and Bird? I don't recall him mentioning either. Not that he had an obligation to do so, but it would've been a nice touch. On second thought, he probably woulda dissed them if he mentioned them at all, so it might be better that he didn't acknowledge them.

Great player, world-class dipshit.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

In his insecurity

You really think it's insecurity? I mean, the best of the best have often held that cocky, I'm-better-than-you attitude. It's part of what made them so great. Muhammad Ali ring any bells? I think it would be damn near impossible to be in MJ's shoes and not show at least a little bit of arrogance. Hell, look at you, you haven't accommplished dick in life and you're the most arrogant bastard on this board.

[KC Scott]

With greatness comes humility --

---------------------

I didn't see Russell or Chamberlain play - slightly before my time.
Not to diminish either legacy But.......
I'm pretty sure being 7' athletic black dude playing a lot of 6'5" white guys might have helped quite a bit.

I did see Bird and Johnson and both were phenomenal players in their own respect.
But it's hard to evaluate them as dominant due to the cast around them -
Boston and the Lakers were both teams stacked with a lot of talent.

MJ had Scottie Pippin. The End.

Again - we're talking what he did on the court - not that he's an egotistical douche whiich would be the concensus in this discussion

[Cuda]

This thread should be in the African Handball forum

Mods...

[Dinsdale]

you haven't accommplished dick in life.

Well...

I did pass 5th grade English class...

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Great stuff.

[jiminphilly]

Jim misses the point - and although that article may be somewhat accurate (in that writers opinion) - it doesn't matter or diminish that if anyone has the right to say "Fuck you - I'm the best there ever was" it's MJ.

Given the audience and setting, he had no such right. That attitude only works and is only acceptable ON THE COURT, not off it.

[Cuda]

At what point has he ever shown any class?

That time he drove away laughing with Charlie Sheen's cellphone in the back seat of his car.

He could have been a real dick to Charlie, but wasn't

[smackaholic]

MJ certainly was one of the greatest. Possibly the greatest.

More dominant that the stilt circa '61?

Neeeegah, please.

Was wilt's competition up to the level of jordan?

Doesn't matter.

We are talking about domination of peers, not who's better. And in that category it's not even close.

As for him having "the right" to be a no class pompous ass? Yeah, he has the right, but, so does anyone else.

Class is class. Some folks have it, some don't.

[rozy]

Water is wet? The sky is up, the ground is down?

RACK!

-ShoalzieinCrapchester

And Scott, if Pujols could pitch...

[KC Scott]

And Scott, if Pujols could pitch...

And 4 more of these..........

[Rack Fu]

Hell, look at you, you haven't accommplished dick in life and you're the most arrogant bastard on this board.

Well played.

[rozy]

And Scott, if Pujols could pitch...

And 4 more of these..........

Um, if you had more carefully read what I wrote you would have deduced that I predicted your response in advance.

[Jerkovich]

You can take the Kneegrow out of the getto, but you can't can't take the getto out of the kneegrow. :x

[Terry in Crapchester]

I'll say it again, in our lifetimes we will never see a single player so dominate a team sport. The only close example that even comes to mind is Gretzky

And despite the gap between Gretzky and whoever else might be considered second greatest, can you picture him being as graceless and as much of a douche when being honored as Jordan was? I can't. Did he at anytime during his speech make mention of the two players whose shoes he essentially stepped into as the face of the NBA - Magic and Bird? I don't recall him mentioning either. Not that he had an obligation to do so, but it would've been a nice touch. On second thought, he probably woulda dissed them if he mentioned them at all, so it might be better that he didn't acknowledge them.

Great player, world-class dipshit.

He did mention Magic, at least. In the context of the All-Star game freezeout with Isiah and Gervin. What was that, 25 years ago?

Sad to say, Jordan used this moment to get back at some of the "injustices" that had come his way, including this, and as mvscal mentioned, the fact that he didn't make his high school varsity team as a sophomore.

As Mgo pointed out, a little bit of arrogance is necessary to get to the pinnacle of any sports profession. But there comes a time when you shut up and let your play talk for you. Ali certainly was arrogant in his day, but it's hard to imagine him, at this point in his life, dissing Frazier, Foreman, Norton, hell, even Chuck Wepner.

[JMak]

Worst of all, he flew his old high school teammate, Leroy Smith, to Springfield for the induction. Remember, Smith was the upperclassman his coach, Pop Herring, kept on varsity over him as a high school sophomore. He waggled to the old coach, “I wanted to make sure you understood: You made a mistake, dude.”

Sums up MJ's "speech". Petty, small, ungracious. Period.