for the love of the game

This is an excerpt from Knickerblogger.net

"Two things happen this week that seem momentous but really aren't. Except that they kind of are. Yesterday, a remastered edition ofThe Beatles' entire catalogue was released, much to the delight of millions of people who already own copies of all of their records. On Friday,Michael Jordanwill be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame ... So it is that the worlds of music and professional sports turn their respective eyesto the greatest icons in their respective histories, despite the fact that neither icon has created anything new, accomplished anything unexpected, or done anything else to warrant the attention being newly heaped upon them (especially not that awful Okafor for Chandler trade). And yet, somehow, I have spent the better part of the week with the Beatles playing on my iPod and am in the midst of DVRing 9 hours of NBA TV's Jordan marathon. The lesson, I suppose, is that truly transcendent greatness, the kind that gets inside its observers and re-emerges as either influence or obsession, doesn't ever stop. Icons capable of so thoroughly dominating the cultural consciousness at the height of their greatness end up defining those cultures long after that greatness subsides."

Well put. Sometimes I wonder if I write too much about Jordan, I mean the guy last played a game in 2002, and he's just a ball player. But then I'll watch That Thing You Do and see how Air Jordans played a significant part in the divide between class (rich vs poor) and race. I'll see Lebron and Kobe's mug in Wanchai and remember that Jordan was the first black person to be marketed like a brand. To take it global. To take it mainstream--paving the way for the Brons, the Kob's, the HOVAs, the Tigers, and soon the Kevin Durants.

Anyway, this will be the third straight entry on the GOAT, but I don't care. I wanna talk about the controversy behind Jordan's hall of fame speech, one in which he told stories of how so many cats doubted him and how in the end he treated each and everyone of them to a big tall glass of SHUT UP JUICE.

No non-fiction character have ever proved as many doubters wrong or pulled off a "I told ya so" moment as Jordan. None.

The list of people who have called him out or made a negative comment only to eat their worlds later is long (Jordan only listed maybe 1/3 of it during his own speech). And they've all since pulled a 180 and admit they were outta their damn minds when they said it. It's amazing for one man to destroy his opponents to a point that they admit defeat publicly.

As mentioned, not everyone was impressed by the "where you at now haters?" attitude.

Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski has a decidedly different take on Jordan's HOF speech. He found it petty, insecure, and ultimately bitter.

So did fellow blogger Dan Tran, who left this comment on my last entry

"Don't you think it's pretty petty that he called out all those people? Yes, his high school coach probably realized it was a mistake by now. We all have. Does MJ really need to remind us? He couldn't have used that time to thank people that helped him? Like his teammates or family? But in the end, he'll just get a pass by his fans because he's MJ, but he just sounds little and bitter, for really no reason."

Although I spent the last two entries praising Jordan's speech, I can't say I disagree with Adrian and Dan either.

Yes, just about everyone in the history of the hall of fame has used the acceptance speech to thank people while Jordan spent more time on his haters. Generally, when people get inducted into the hall of fame, they speak with a peace-of-mind tone, they focus on the right hand--love. Jordan, although he has absolutely nothing left to accomplish in the sport, still has a chip on his shoulder and still wants to find motivation and challenge. He focuses on the the left hand--hate.

But that's what make MJ MJ. His ultra, obsessive competitiveness is what drove him to be the best. He wouldn't be the GOAT if he didn't have this unhealthy desire to prove everyone wrong and hold every grudge.

Jordan's already destroyed and forever posterized Byron Russell, yet he was still calling him out in his hall of fame speech. That's venom. That's vengeance. That's Jordan.

It is petty that he's still talking about the time his high school coach made a mistake, some 30 years ago. But I think the best thing about sports is--you can bend "life rules". Stuff you cannot do in real life, you can in sports.

In real life, if you get into a physical confrontation with a friend or if you insult them. Chances are the friendship is going to take a hit (unless they're in sales, then they smile it off and put on a front like they're still your bro. LOL). But in sports, well, at least in areas of the world where sports is a way of life (meaning places where men aren't petty), a little scuffle or trash talking on the court/field is fine. You play hard, you get emotional, words are said, shoves are exchanged, it's fine because we understand it's a heat of the moment thing.

Jordan's speech, in any other facet of life, would definitely be bitter, petty and immature. But in sports, I think it's okay.

Sometimes, anger and vengeance is needed as motivation.

"Haters really gonna be mad off my next deal Uh, I don't know why they really worry bout my pockets Meanwhile I had Oprah chillin' in the projects Had her out in bed stuy chilling on the steps Drinking quarter waters gotta be the best MJ at summerjam, Obama on the text Y'all should be afraid of what I'm gonna do next Hold up"

Not only did they down shots of "Stupid", they followed with a "I won't dare do it again" chaser.