Listening to Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan’s speech at the Basketball Hall of Fame last September 11, 2009 was met with admiration and appreciation combined with head-scratching, nervous laughter and an overall sense of unease. Saying that it was not the speech expected from the man who is hailed to be basketball’s greatest is an understatement. Hall of Fame speeches were supposed to be light, uplifting, inspiring, and, well, grateful. However, the basketball icon’s speech became a bitter recounting of the times he was pushed aside for someone else. The speech has brought about a myriad of reactions from Michael’s colleagues and fans. It was not the image they want to associate with someone like Michael Jordan, who is practically deified in the world of sports. Still, some believe that it was the perfect speech for someone as competitive as him. It was just Jordan being true to himself, they say. Jordan has retired from basketball a successful and world-famous athlete who has reached celebrity heights.  He has managed to subtly show that he believes himself to be great without going the Mohammad Ali route. During the Hall of Fame night, however, he revealed himself all too plainly. There are two ways to take the speech though. You can think of it as insecurity despite all the greatness. You can also see it as one man who has decided to say things as it is. For how would people react if Jordan had come with a prepared, formulaic speech of sportsmanship, learning experiences and advice to the younger basketball generation? The speech may be great, coming from him. However, it would not be as talked about as the speech that he has actually made. What Jordan said that ticked people off The greatest unease from the speech comes from Michael Jordan naming names of people he had some grudges on. It is heightened by the fact that some of those people are actually just a few feet away from him. Jordan even made sure that Leroy Smith, the high school team mate who got into varsity instead of him, was there to hear his rantings. There is a time for competitiveness but there is also a time for simply being thankful for such recognition as what the Basketball Hall of Fame can offer. He may not have made on that particular Sports Illustrated cover or may not have made it to the high school basketball, but he has won so many other things during his illustrious basketball career. What he may be trying to get across may already be points well taken by people who made decisions against him during his early basketball years. Basketball hero as he may be, Michael Jordan has feelings too. He is not some kind of god as fans have made him out to be. The speech he made was honest. However, that honesty may also be the speech’s downfall. It just revealed that despite all the success, Jordan is still a wounded child. Won’t to know more about NBA? Visit our NBA Guide