just finished watching ESPN's 30 for 30: Jordan Rides Bus...
- Thread starter DamnitDog
- Start date
....that the MLB strike played a big part in his return to the NBA.
And yeah, he made me an NBA fan. That's saying a lot. I hate the NBA. Today I MIGHT watch game 7 of the finals, but that's it. Back in the day, I was all over the running of the Bulls. I even watched some other games and NBA's Inside Stuff with Ahmad Rashad and Hannah Storm on Saturday mornings. I followed the NBA then like I follow the NFL now.
And yeah, he made me an NBA fan. That's saying a lot. I hate the NBA. Today I MIGHT watch game 7 of the finals, but that's it. Back in the day, I was all over the running of the Bulls. I even watched some other games and NBA's Inside Stuff with Ahmad Rashad and Hannah Storm on Saturday mornings. I followed the NBA then like I follow the NFL now.
he did not want MLB exploiting him during the strike as a replacement player, and he was also worried about how the MLB players would perceive him if he broke across the union lines.
They did not really address that much in the show, but they did mention that his role as a player representative was the reason. I wish that they had addressed the rumors that I had mentioned above, though.
I think his heart was still really in basketball the whole time, though. I don't doubt that he wanted to play in the Big Leagues, but it was obvious to me that he wanted to play in the NBA. In some weird way, I think he needed that challenge, and I think he needed to step away from the spotlight- even though I don't think he could ever really escape it at that time totally, and he needed to deal with the death of his father.
He may very well would have made it to the Big Leagues, but I don't think he would have lasted very long mainly because of his age, and I'm still not sold that he would have been more than role player. But even that would have been remarkable.
They did not really address that much in the show, but they did mention that his role as a player representative was the reason. I wish that they had addressed the rumors that I had mentioned above, though.
I think his heart was still really in basketball the whole time, though. I don't doubt that he wanted to play in the Big Leagues, but it was obvious to me that he wanted to play in the NBA. In some weird way, I think he needed that challenge, and I think he needed to step away from the spotlight- even though I don't think he could ever really escape it at that time totally, and he needed to deal with the death of his father.
He may very well would have made it to the Big Leagues, but I don't think he would have lasted very long mainly because of his age, and I'm still not sold that he would have been more than role player. But even that would have been remarkable.
FlabLoser said:
Obviously as a Laker fan, I was not a huge fan of the Jordan years in the NBA except for maybe early on when the Pistons gave the Bulls a challenge. The Bulls were so much better than everyone else that it just never seemed like there was much competition during those years. I actually watched less NBA during Jordan's prime. I mean there were some pretenders like Ewing's Knicks and Miller's Pacers but you knew that the Bulls were not going to lose to those guys.
If it paints the picture as y'all painted it, it's total BS. Jordan was kicked out of the league for gambling by Stern but he knew he couldn't afford the PR hit so they concocted the baseball story with Reinsdorf to protect Jordan's ego/image and the league's image. Oh, the gambling debt that he wouldn't pay is what got his daddy killed too.
I have a friend here in Memphis (I will not say his name but he is an NFL agent now) but back in the early 90's he worked for Jimmy Sexton as an intern. This is when Sexton represented Scotty Pippen and some other NBA players.
Anyway, my friend told me when Jordan went to baseball it was because he was busted gambling and the NBA suspended him for a year. They kept it under their hat though for obvious reasons. He told me this maybe a year or so after it all went down.
All these years I've never heard anyway else ever say anything about that so how did you know or hear that?
Anyway, my friend told me when Jordan went to baseball it was because he was busted gambling and the NBA suspended him for a year. They kept it under their hat though for obvious reasons. He told me this maybe a year or so after it all went down.
All these years I've never heard anyway else ever say anything about that so how did you know or hear that?
That point is rebutted by a handful of people including Steve Kerr.DawgatAuburn said:
Jordan was unquestionably the NBA's golden goose. Now why would the NBA eliminate the golden goose? We're talking about money here. So morals don't count, especially in sports money.
The last thing i could ever think of calling Jordan is 'a generally good dude'. He was more accessible than LeBron currently is, but thats about it.futaba said:
The guy was a complete man ***** to his wife and kids. He has an ego larger than the moon, has the need and ability to feed what was pretty much an insatiable addiction to gambling, and he was anything but the family dad who played hoops with the neighborhood kids.
That last one is hilarious because i grew up with 2 kids from his neighborhood.
Even now, he is still gambling, only as a front office guy. And he is still making terrible decisions.
I would figure a generally good dude would attempt to take a stance on at least non divisive social issues. I wouldnt ever expect someone who makes a living on their image to take actual public stances on the genocide in Darfur or something like that, even though that shouldnt be a divisive issue. But i dont even remember him speaking out in support of basic **** like breast cancer or the Special Olympics. Who doesnt like breasts?
To have that much influence and not use it in the least is a terrible waste.
I didnt hate the guy or anything, even though all that above makes it seem like i did. I just never saw him as what i would call a generally good dude. He was a calculated dude.