MJ and NC Sports Hall of Fame snub

[Kimist]

There has been a lot of discussion locally regarding the recent induction of Michael Jordan into the NC Sports Hall of Fame.

For every other member, the awards have always been presented in Raleigh which is the home of the HOF. (Exceptions are available for posthumous awards, special circumstances due to declining health, etc.)

But Jordan's award was made in Charlotte earlier this week at a Charlotte Bobcats game. They even dragged out Dean Smith, who is obviously enduring some level of dementia issues, for the well-staged event.

Jordan was long ago eligible for the award, but apparently has refused to accept the award in Raleigh as every other recipient has done.

There is some debate as to whether Jordan needed the award more than the HOF needed the prestige of the award to Jordan.

Is this another case of the "Jordan Rules" (not too far from oft-encountered Carolina arrogance) or is there far more to this story?

Generally speaking I have great respect for MJ, but whatever has been going on here has given me some serious second thoughts as to how the man thinks and/or perceives his own perhaps inflated "importance."

Inquiring minds would like to know!

k

[JasonEvans]

Here is a pretty good article on the subject.

But, in order to be enshrined, you must be willing to attend the annual spring banquet in Raleigh. That’s the rule, and the NCSHOF wouldn’t break that rule for anyone. Unless you were elected posthumously – or on your deathbed – it was pretty clear; to be in the Hall you had to come to the dinner. That’s the way it was for Arnold Palmer, Dale Earnhardt, Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, Ronnie Shavlik, Billy Packer, James Worthy, and so on and so on and so on. You get the point.

Until now, that is.

--Jason "disgusting by Jordan... what a jerk!" Evans

[Lord Ash]

Generally speaking I have great respect for MJ, but whatever has been going on here has given me some serious second thoughts as to how the man thinks and/or perceives his own perhaps inflated "importance."

k

There is your first problem. Jordan has one of the most out-of-control egos in the history of pro sports. Some of the stories about him are just jaw-dropping. Now, some of that insane competitiveness is what made him the athlete he was, but man, he is one of the biggest jerks in sports history, willing to force 60 year old coaches out of bed to embarrass them on the golf course, willing to give one of the most disappointing and egotistical HOF speeches ever heard, and willing to do anything to teammates and employees to prove HE is better than they are.

[CEF1959]

You'll all remember that Marcus Jordan, Michael Jordan's son, was recruited to play at the University of Central Florida, which had an Adidas contract. Marcus (untested freshman) refused to play in anything other than his father's Nike shoes, something he hadn't mentioned when they were recruiting him. So Adidas canceled the contract with UCF.

Tada!! UCF switched to Nike. http://content.usatoday.com/communit...al-with-nike/1

Makes me wanna puke.

[Kimist]

There is your first problem. Jordan has one of the most out-of-control egos in the history of pro sports. Some of the stories about him are just jaw-dropping. Now, some of that insane competitiveness is what made him the athlete he was, but man, he is one of the biggest jerks in sports history, willing to force 60 year old coaches out of bed to embarrass them on the golf course, willing to give one of the most disappointing and egotistical HOF speeches ever heard, and willing to do anything to teammates and employees to prove HE is better than they are.

I guess perhaps I should have narrowed my "respect" to his athletic skills. Quite frankly I do not track too many professional sports figures. Mea culpa for personal ignorance of the more recent exploits of MJ.

From reading the cited WRAL thread, and other comments here, it does indeed appear that Mr. Jordan likely exhibits entirely too much of "the Carolina way" raised to a professional level.

Thanks for the comments.

k

[Duvall]

Is this another case of the "Jordan Rules" (not too far from oft-encountered Carolina arrogance) or is there far more to this story?

Generally speaking I have great respect for MJ, but whatever has been going on here has given me some serious second thoughts as to how the man thinks and/or perceives his own perhaps inflated "importance."

Inquiring minds would like to know!

k

No, that's pretty much it. Michael Jordan was a fearless competitor and an otherworldly athlete. He was also a raging egomaniac, a serial philanderer and a degenerate gambler. He also drafted Kwame Brown with the #1 overall pick.

That's just who he is.

[SupaDave]

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. This is pretty much an excuse to rail on Jordan. Are you complaining b/c HE didn't care about getting enshrined? WOW! What about all the old geezers salivating to put his name on a plaque? Somehow this is HIS fault? I'm sure there are plenty of other candidates worthy of being enshrined in NC's Bball Hall of Fame (like Rodney Rogers for instance who more than fits the bill) so why not go after these guys?

Here's a bid for my former classmate - Dewayne Washington.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewayne_Washington

Supa "nobody wanted to hear me when I said UCF would be Nike soon" Dave

[slower]

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. This is pretty much an excuse to rail on Jordan. Are you complaining b/c HE didn't care about getting enshrined? WOW! What about all the old geezers salivating to put his name on a plaque? Somehow this is HIS fault? I'm sure there are plenty of other candidates worthy of being enshrined in NC's Bball Hall of Fame (like Rodney Rogers for instance who more than fits the bill) so why not go after these guys?

Here's a bid for my former classmate - Dewayne Washington.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewayne_Washington

Supa "nobody wanted to hear me when I said UCF would be Nike soon" Dave

It doesn't change the validity of what Duvall said.

[SupaDave]

It doesn't change the validity of what Duvall said.

Sure it's valid - but that's only if you prefer to look at the negative aspects of a man's life. He's still by all accounts a good father, a one man economic boom, philanthropist, basketball mentor, and provider of some of the best shoes and sports moments of my life...

Supa "they could at least get creative and get Michael Thompson to invite him" Dave

[CEF1959]

Sure it's valid - but that's only if you prefer to look at the negative aspects of a man's life. He's still by all accounts a good father, a one man economic boom, philanthropist, basketball mentor, and provider of some of the best shoes and sports moments of my life...

Supa "they could at least get creative and get Michael Thompson to invite him" Dave

Boils down to this: "Deserving Hall of Famer is Sometimes a Self-Important Overbearing Jerk."

The concepts of greatness and being an arghole are not mutually exclusive.

[slower]

Sure it's valid - but that's only if you prefer to look at the negative aspects of a man's life. He's still by all accounts a good father, a one man economic boom, philanthropist, basketball mentor, and provider of some of the best shoes and sports moments of my life...

Supa "they could at least get creative and get Michael Thompson to invite him" Dave

See, the whole "serial philanderer" part kind of eliminates him from the "by all accounts a good father" category. But maybe you have a different take on things.

"one man economic boom" - sure

"philanthropist" - sure, I'll give you that one, although I don't hear his name come up when people discuss great philanthropists

"basketball mentor" - sure

"provider of..." - obviously

Everybody has their own take. I'm not a member of Jock-Sniffers International (and I'm not saying that YOU are), so I don't worship the guy. He's an epic success as an athlete and, by many accounts, an epic failure as a human being.

[NSDukeFan]

See, the whole "serial philanderer" part kind of eliminates him from the "by all accounts a good father" category. But maybe you have a different take on things.

"one man economic boom" - sure

"philanthropist" - sure, I'll give you that one, although I don't hear his name come up when people discuss great philanthropists

"basketball mentor" - sure

"provider of..." - obviously

Everybody has their own take. I'm not a member of Jock-Sniffers International (and I'm not saying that YOU are), so I don't worship the guy. He's an epic success as an athlete and, by many accounts, an epic failure as a human being.

Reminds me of the John Wooden quote that the best thing you can do for your children is love their mother. Don't know if that qualifies.

[77devil]

Supa "they could at least get creative and get Michael Thompson to invite him" Dave

?? You mean David.

[dcdevil2009]

No, that's pretty much it. Michael Jordan was a fearless competitor and an otherworldly athlete. He was also a raging egomaniac, a serial philanderer and a degenerate gambler. He also drafted Kwame Brown with the #1 overall pick.

Here's a pretty interesting SI article from shortly after Jordan drafted Kwame #1. It touches on Brown's workout with Jordan and how much of Jordan Brown has in him. It's kind of humorous given what we know now.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau...2963/index.htm

I also just realized that Brown signed with the Bobcats this year. Does Jordan's competitive nature and refusal to admit he was wrong guarantee Brown a roster spot as long as Jordan runs a team?

[sagegrouse]

There is your first problem. Jordan has one of the most out-of-control egos in the history of pro sports. Some of the stories about him are just jaw-dropping. Now, some of that insane competitiveness is what made him the athlete he was, but man, he is one of the biggest jerks in sports history, willing to force 60 year old coaches out of bed to embarrass them on the golf course, willing to give one of the most disappointing and egotistical HOF speeches ever heard, and willing to do anything to teammates and employees to prove HE is better than they are.

You forgot to mention that he personally chose Kwame Brown with the first overall pick in the NBA draft. Do you think Pau Gasol might have been a better choice?

sagegrouse

[Huh?]

You forgot to mention that he personally chose Kwame Brown with the first overall pick in the NBA draft. Do you think Pau Gasol might have been a better choice?

sagegrouse

He also drafted Adam Morrison and Sean May, traded Jason Richardson, Shannon Brown and Jared Dudley, wouldn't pay Raymond Felton...it goes on and on.
He was very successful as a basketball player and because of that Nike made him a successful business man.IMO

[BD80]

... Michael Jordan was a fearless competitor and an otherworldly athlete. He was also a raging egomaniac, a serial philanderer and a degenerate gambler. He also drafted Kwame Brown with the #1 overall pick.

That's just who he is.

I still maintain that his first "retirement" to play baseball was a plea-bargain with David Stern (brokered by Nike?), so Stern didn't have to take action regarding MJ's gambling.

[hurleyfor3]

I still maintain that his first "retirement" to play baseball was a plea-bargain with David Stern (brokered by Nike?), so Stern didn't have to take action regarding MJ's gambling.

You, me, Bill Simmons and most of Chicago.

[weezie]

Yah, they weren't fooling anybody in Detroit.

Grumble.

[moonpie23]

You forgot to mention that he personally chose Kwame Brown with the first overall pick in the NBA draft. Do you think Pau Gasol might have been a better choice?

sagegrouse

there was another guy in that draft that was pretty good too....shane ...