Joined by also-rans David Robinson, John Stockton, Jerry Sloan, and C. Vivian Stringer, Michael Jordan will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts today. It just might be the greatest HOF class ever.
ESPN has had extensive coverage over the last week, which we have linked to here, but I thought I'd say a few things.
Michael Jordan shaped my childhood. Growing up in the Chicagoland area, many of my fondest memories are of watching Jordan, Pippen, and company battle all the other great teams of the era (Pistons, Lakers, Jazz, and so many others). I remember running through the streets celebrating after titles, watching Grant Park championship parties... I collected basketball cards like a fiend. Cubs? Sox? Hell, even the Bears took a backseat to MJ's Bulls during the nineties. It's hard to remember now, but back then when you said "Chicago" the first thing that came to most people's minds was "Bulls."
When I was in Italy a few summers ago, playing basketball with some random kids outside a high school, they asked me where I was from. After I told them Chicago, their first response was "OH! Michael Jordan!" That's how deep his impact has been. Guess why I root for UNC today? That's right.
(By the way, in attendance today at the ceremony are Dean Smith, Tim Duncan, Scottie "Please give me a JOB!" Pippen, and others. No Jerry Krause.)
I've never watched the Basketball HOF Induction Ceremony before, but I'm watching every minute of this one. And, health care be damned, I bet Barack is in the Oval Office doing the same thing right now.Side note: Below is my favorite Air Jordan commercial ever. This one even gets me a little misty.
Notes on induction (i hate commenting on my own posts - thanks a**holes!):
ReplyDeleteC. Vivian Stringer gave the most boring speech EVER.
Jerry Sloan, for his reputation, seems like a humble and soft spoken hillbilly, not the domineering type guy I was expecting.
Stockton - Entertaining speech, gotta love backhanded compliments to the wife.
Robinson - LOOOOVES Jesus. Nice guy, though.
BRING ON MJ!!!!!
Really nice tribute to Johnny "Red" Kerr.
MJ = GOD! (Sorry j/k God!) I still have recurrent dreams that I get that team back together and coach them to the Championship again! I watched that Wilbon interview hoping he'd say he was planning on coming back (I know he's old, but I can dream!) How sweet would it be if he signed a league minimum contract with the Bulls and this year you heard at 6'6" from NORTH CAROLINA MICHAELLLLL JORDANN!!!!!!!!!!! Man... if only!
ReplyDeleteHe did say in his HOF speech "never say never, i might be out there on the court at 50"... we can always hope!!
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