The first was with his first stint with the Chicago Bulls and led them to a three-peat. The second was that successful comeback when he led them to a second wave of titles in the late 90s. But in his Third Coming, it was so-so with the Washington Wizards. The bad luck that has surrounded the franchise since it last won an NBA championship in 1979 as the Bullets carried over to Jordan.
Now the Black Cat is in his fourth life as a Bobcat and the principal owner at that. If he thinks that he can back down his man on the blocks to solve a problem then he has another thing coming.
If there are athletes who still refuse to hang it up when they are past their prime then this is as close as it gets to someone who is a suit.
In basketball, Jordan had plenty of time to hone his game and come back as the most devastating force on the basketball court known to man. Unfortunately, there is no such luxury afforded to a General Manager for Basketball Operations where he wasted the money of Washington owner Abe Pollin and Charlotte’s Robert Johnson. We don’t need to even go into the draft choices or hires. Suffice to say that they were and are locked in mediocrity with not even a snowball’s chance in hell of going deep in the play-offs.
Maybe I shouldn’t forget that the Bulls’ battle cry during Jordan’s early years in the league was first to get to the play-offs then challenge for the title. And his Bulls did every year.
For a struggling team like Charlotte, making the play-offs is huge. But in the watered-down competition of the East, it’s easy to make it even with a losing record.
One would think that he would get it right after that embarrassing stint with the Wizards. After his second retirement with the Bulls, MJ’s handlers came out with a flyer for his basketball camp with a shot of him making the shot against Georgetown in 1982 and Utah in 1988. “Some things never change” it said.
That was the truth. Only it had the wrong images. It should have shown him being cut from the varsity in Laney High and Pollin giving him the boot.
At his age, I wonder why he still carries this chip on his shoulder. His Hall of Fame induction speech was of poor taste. One can say that there was a touch of dark humor to it as he took shots at former teammates and foes. For you reading this -- stop being an apologist for Jordan. I was and am a huge fan. But the great player-bad teammate image first offered by writer Sam Smith in The Jordan Rules then corroborated by Michael Leahy in When Nothing Else Matters (the chronicle of his Washington years) is all true.
His teammates – Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen, Toni Kukoc, and Steve Kerr were on hand but he only acknowledged Pip. The smiles on people’s faces were strained as Jordan went on. It could have been his shining moment that even after his inglorious exit from Washington and his divorce from his wife Juanita, he would have done that great speech and leave no dry eye in the house. It would have ranked as one of the best speeches ever yet with his legacy on the line, he true to form, hit a dagger.
As it is, he still needed the Last Word. By taking shots at slights real or perceived.
And now with the Bobcats, he still wants the Last Word.
Former Chicago Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause had an obsession to build another dynasty after the old one of Michael Jordan-Scottie Pippen-Phil Jackson was scattered across the two conferences. The attempt to sign the big free agent names of the day backfired. No one of All-Star caliber did sign with the Bulls and 12 years after the rebuilding continues.
Jordan, who idolizes former Los Angeles Lakers great Jerry West, took on the role of General Manager for Basketball Operations where he hasn’t exactly excelled.
Charlotte Hornets owner George Shinn loved meeting the fans and sitting down to talk hoops with the players. Jordan has to do more than beat his rookies in a game of H-O-R-S-E. He is the owner now.
In Game 5 of the 1991 NBA Finals, the Bulls were on the verge of putting the Los Angeles Lakers away. But Jordan tried to do too much by taking every shot and missing with the game drawing to a close. Phil Jackson called time and asked Michael who was open. Jax had to ask twice before His Airness mumbled, “Paxson.”
“Then give him the fucking ball.” scored the coach.
Pax nailed five jumpers from that point to put the Lakers out for the count.
With the future of this woeful Charlotte franchise on the line, creditors clearly didn’t want to work with Johnson anymore so he had to make that pass. Who was open? Jordan.
He wanted the ball. Now he needs to make these shots because this is one game that is definitely for keeps.
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This commentary appears in the Thursday March 4 edition of the Business Mirror.
Michael Jordan loses twice to Gerald Henderson in a game of H-O-R-S-E.
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NBA's All-Time 50 Greatest who struggle as a coach or in a front-office capacity:
Earvin Johnson, Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas, Kevin McHale, Elgin Baylor, and Wes Unseld. Am I missing anyone? Bird did have a measure of success in his three years as head coach of the Indiana Pacers. McHale had his T-Wolves reach the play-offs only to make first round exits habitual. He should also get a championship ring for trading Kevin Garnett to Boston. It seems that Jerry West is the real exception here with his success as LA Lakers GM. Bill Russell had success as a coach with Boston but not with Seattle.
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