Jordan’s defining moment? You might be surprised…

[??? ??????]

Who knew that for Michael Jordan, it wasn’t the shot against Cleveland in 1989 or the shot against Utah in 1998 or the 63 points against Boston in the playoffs or the 69 points against Cleveland or the 55 points in Madison Square Garden or the first or second or third or fourth or fifth or sixth championship that he remembers most about his career with the Bulls that led to Jordan’s Hall of Fame selection, which was made official Monday in Detroit.

It was Game 3 of Jordan’s rookie pro career, a mundane home game against the Milwaukee Bucks with fewer than 10,000 in the stands at the old Chicago Stadium.

Yet, that may be the essence of Jordan and why he would become the man who most acknowledge as the greatest player the game has known.

Though Jordan achieved all the milestones and special moments and accolades, it was always the journey. And when the journey is done right, without shortcuts and without ulterior motives, it is most successful.

So for Jordan, as he looked back Monday during a conference call with reporters following the official announcement of his election to the Basketball Hall of Fame, it was that 116-110 win Oct. 29 in a season when the Bulls would win 38 games and be knocked out of the playoffs in the first round in four games.

The Bulls trailed the then powerful Bucks by 16 points, and that, from Jordan’s quick history of his new basketball home, always meant it was time to be making late dinner plans.

But not for Michael Jordan.

In scoring 37 points to lead the Bulls in scoring for the first time in his young pro career, Jordan led the Bulls back to a 116-110 win.

“It was coming to a program rebounding from rock bottom, trying to work your way to the top from the bottom,” recalled Jordan. “Looking at that game, 16 points down to Milwaukee and having the attitude you believe you can win. And I could impact that the way I played.

“We came back and won and that was the motivation from that point forward that we believed we could turn things positively in the city and we did,” said Jordan. “That game signified a change in Chicago. Those 16-point games were not always going to be a loss. As long as there was time on the clock, we could still win the game. That was the type of attitude I wanted to bring to Chicago.”

http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/smith3_090406.html

 

[dougthonus]

I wonder if he almost picked something just to be different or if he really feels that way. Somehow I think he has more defining moments in his own mind, but wanted to make a point.

That's just me though.

 

[cool007]

Hopefully it rubs off on Rose.

IMO, great players look for motivation out of anything. The player that is guarding you, team being down, playoff fight, coaching, teammates, fans, stats, etc but the one thing I cherish from the great players is that "hate losing" attitude.

 

[cool007]

dougthonus wrote:

I wonder if he almost picked something just to be different or if he really feels that way. Somehow I think he has more defining moments in his own mind, but wanted to make a point.

That's just me though.

It could be. I thought he would pick the moment when he won the NCAA tournament by knocking down that big jumper at the end.

But maybe this game was the start of his NBA career, that he can carry this team to playoffs and win games for them or something like that??

 

[dougthonus]

Or maybe he knows everyone already knows he's great, so he picks some small facet of his game that would show him off in some other light. It's not really his defining moment, but by saying it, it gets people to focus on how humble and hard working he is.

 

[cool007]

dougthonus wrote:

Or maybe he knows everyone already knows he's great, so he picks some small facet of his game that would show him off in some other light. It's not really his defining moment, but by saying it, it gets people to focus on how humble and hard working he is.

True and there is nothing wrong with that.

His Greatness!!! :Bowing down:

 

[Gene]

He probably really felt that way. It was the first time in the NBA that he put his team on his back and carried it to the finish line. It probably gave him the confidence to do it every night out. There was just something special about Michael. No one will ever have the killer instinct that he had.

 

[dougthonus]

Gene wrote:

He probably really felt that way.

I think it was his first NBA title. For years people had said you couldn't win with Jordan and most people believed it. That title validated his career in the eyes of many, and clearly did so in the eyes of himself as well.

He wouldn't let go of the trophy, he slept with it the first night, he was in tears after it, he was overwhelmed with emotion.

I guess it doesn't matter, he's the greatest basketball player ever, and he can say whatever he wants, but in his heart I really doubt he believes it.

 

[TheStig]

dougthonus wrote:

Gene wrote:

He probably really felt that way.

I think it was his first NBA title. For years people had said you couldn't win with Jordan and most people believed it. That title validated his career in the eyes of many, and clearly did so in the eyes of himself as well.

He wouldn't let go of the trophy, he slept with it the first night, he was in tears after it, he was overwhelmed with emotion.

I guess it doesn't matter, he's the greatest basketball player ever, and he can say whatever he wants, but in his heart I really doubt he believes it.

I'd throw the comeback right up there too, to come back after a couple of years bigger and stronger and still dominate the league. I don't know of any person in sports who came back from retirement and dominated as much as he did mentally and completely changed his style of play. He wasn't the MJ of old who was quicker and could jump longer than anyone else.

 

[JOVE23]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTugz1TYbM0[/media]

 

[phranchk]

Werner Herzog