| 22 September 2009
"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." - Michael Jordan.
On Sept 11th Michael Jordan was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Yet in this one moment that should have encapsulated all that he was as a player, he reminded us of who he is as a person. Jordan's speech was mean, vindictive, and went to lengths to remind all assembled every slight he'd ever had to endure - imagined or otherwise. It's never been more evident that Jordan never forgot, Jordan never forgave.
And perhaps it's these very qualities that made him the player he was.
The great pity of it is that a new generation had spawned a belief in the deism of Jordan. Most teen fans accept the acclamation that Jordan was undeniably "the greatest of all time" - except for the odd deluded Kobe/LeBron fan... but most are unaware of what failings Jordan had as a person. At least, they were until Jordan's induction speech. It will be interesting to see what future discussions use as a definition of "greatness". It's always deflating when gods act with pettiness.
More than a week's gone by now, but it still leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
There were so many cringe-moments. Calling our Jerry Krause... Even shooting barbs at Isiah Thomas, George Gervin and Magic Johnson for supposedly freezing him out at the All-Star Game in his rookie season. It was painful to watch.
Perhaps the worst for me was when he recalled a conversation he had with Tex Winter:
"Tex reminded me that there's no 'I' in team," Jordan said. "And I looked back at Tex, I said, 'There's 'I' in win.' So whichever way you want it."
Whilst a somewhat-humorous anecdote, in the context of the speech, it was poignant in revealing the inner driven demons within Michael Jordan. Why he found it beyond his ability to accept the moment with grace and dignity - when so many other's have done just that - is immensely disappointing. It was a vicious theft from the moment in a way that I don't think Jordan could fathom, such is his ego.
Detractors of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are always pointing out that "Kobe/LeBron isn't Jordan". This only hightlighted that simple fact. Despite their evident human frailties, neither could have sunk to such depths in such an important occasion.
People always gave Jordan leeway that no other player got (just look at the memorable game-winning push-off shot over Utah). That will probably happen again with this. It will be played down, diminished, and many years from now, most likely forgotten.
Sports heroes tarnishing legacies is nothing new. NFL's Brett Favre has gone from being one of the most admired players in the history of the game, to a virtual punch-line - despised by most fans for his duplicity and selfishness.
Same sport: Michael Vick, turned from being a posterboy for Atlanta to a posterboy for what's wrong with professional athletes. Falcon to felon pretty much overnight.
Kobe's 'incident' in Colorado. No matter which way you fall opinion-wise, at the very least it was a very public infedility, and one that forever changed the public's perception of *who* he is.
There is a veritable pantheon of lesser lights who have displayed their mortal failings under the glare of public scrutiny.
But Jordan? He's deified by almost an entire planet. To see him so petty. So mean-spirited. So vindictive. It was saddening. I knew he could be an ass, it's sad to see he still can be.
