When I was a lad growing up in suburban Massachusetts I idolized Michael Jordan. I'd do the whole "3 seconds on the clock, Jordan takes the ball up the court..." shabang while shooting hoops in the driveway (the difference being that most of my buzzer-beaters were clangs). If MJ had told me to wear my skivvies on my head to school one day I probably would have done so.
By the time I turned 15 or so, though, I realized that Jordan wasn't much without a basketball in his hands. I realized that he did next to nothing off the court unless it was to market or promote some product aimed toward his own financial gain. Jordan the public figure, I determined, equalled butkis. I've pretty much held this opinion ever since his (final?) retirement following the 2003 season.
Naturally, I was surprised and pleased by the candor and honesty of Jordan's exceptional Hall of Fame acceptance speech the other night in Springfield. Speaking from the heart (no note cards here), Jordan went on a twenty-minute stroll down memory lane, touching on everything from his sister’s physical stature to his affinity for old foils John Starks and Bryon Russell. Jordan was forthright, personable and genuine, a far cry from his commercially crafted image honed through the years. It was refreshing to see that there was indeed a man behind the label.
My favorite moments came when he offered previously unheard pearls from his playing career. His Tex Winters ‘I’ in ‘Win’ story was brilliant. As were his closing thoughts. After implying that he might come back to play when he turns 50, Jordan warned the crowd not to doubt him. “Don’t laugh. Never say never. Because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.” That's a solid message and one that I personally often wish I could believe more so than I do. Jordan gave us a rare glimpse of his non-commercialized self and it was a intriguing thing to behold.
Keywords: Bryon Russell, John Starks, Michael Jordan
