If you didn’t hear about it yet, Michael Jordan’s acceptance speech at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony was very cold to say the least. He went after people who he felt slighted him in any way, and he went after many of them. I know the guy was called an assassin and the most competitive athlete ever, but lord it’s so hard to be humble, isn’t it?
Here’s a guy that is routinely accepted as the greatest basketball player ever, a player who won six titles and multiple MVP’s. He has nothing to prove to anyone, so a little humility would be nice now that he’s retired. The players and coaches who also got into the hall, John Stockton, David Robinson, and Coach Vivian Stringer, did a nice job of being humble and gracious. Jordan could have learned a lot by just listening.
Instead, he talked about the following things:
1) He didn’t make varsity his sophomore year, and the player that took that last varsity spot was there in attendance. (I heard on ESPN radio that Jordan invited him). He told his ex-coach, "I wanted to make sure you understood: You made a mistake, dude."
2) He went after his college coach, Dean Smith, for not letting Sports Illustrated put him on the cover
3) He got many NBA players, including Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, and George Gervin for saying they “froze him out” in his first All Star game, and he went after Bryon Russell for having the gall to say he could guard Jordan after he came back from his first retirement.
4) He went after Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy for their gamesmanship when they were with the Knicks.
5) He went after the Bulls owner, Jerry Krause, for some of his remarks.
6) After he scored the final 20 pts in a win early in his career, Tex Winter, an assistant coach on the Bulls, pulled him aside and told him there’s no “I” in team. Jordan fired back that there’s was an “I” in win.
7) He ripped the media for saying he would never win like Magic and Bird did. (Does anyone even remember that?)
Michael Jordan has accomplished more than any athlete not named Tiger Woods, yet he still walks around like he has a chip on his shoulder. That competitive drive, which made him a superior athlete, is now making him an inferior man. I mean, he still holds a grudge against his high school coach? Get over it, MJ!
Listening to David Robinson talk about his family that day and comparing it to what Jordan said shows the difference between the two men. The Admiral spent most of his speech thanking, not ripping, people. When it came to his family, he praised his sons, calling them his best friends, and encouraged them to reach for their own goals. Jordan, on the other hand, spent his time getting even with people, and when he addressed his kids, he said he felt sorry for them because of the long shadow that they live in.
All of the Jordan lovers will excuse all of this simply because he was the best athlete ever, but that is not right or fair. If a mediocre player would be ripped for such a speech, so should the best player ever. Even as a Laker’s fan, I still respected and liked Michael Jordan. I never saw him play in person, but that would have been something I would have loved to have seen. But Jordan, the man, is someone I hope I never meet.