http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=reilly_rick&id=4477759
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on September 22, 2009, 02:24:28 AM
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=reilly_rick&id=4477759
Best basketball player I have ever seen...but it is pretty well known that he is an enormous db.
Yeah MJ has always been arrogant and when you're the best there ever was I suppose you can be. While his Hall of Fane speech probably wasn't the best time to rip on everyone, it's not really a surprise that he would do so.
Sorry guys...Rick Reilly's the douchebag. I'll bet dollars to doughnuts that Jordan won't give the time of day at the Lake Tahoe golf event so Reilly tries to get even with this garbage. Jordan was simply stating what motivated him. He even went so far as to invite some former high school players to the event.
I have to agree with PRN here. Most speeches today are filled with the cliche thank you's that why even bother watching. Jordan went out and told his story about how he busted his tail. Big deal. I actually liked the honesty.
And yes, Rick Riley is a dbag.
Quote from: PuertoRicanNightmare on September 22, 2009, 11:46:51 AM
Sorry guys...Rick Reilly's the douchebag. I'll bet dollars to doughnuts that Jordan won't give the time of day at the Lake Tahoe golf event so Reilly tries to get even with this garbage. Jordan was simply stating what motivated him. He even went so far as to invite some former high school players to the event.
Reilly is most assuredly an idiot, but that doesn't make Jordan less of one. Great basketball player, but he's a miserable bastard.
I'm not a big Reilly fan, but MJ during the speech said something like "I see Jerry Krause is here. I don't know who invited him. I sure didn't."
Classless.
Quote from: Chili on September 22, 2009, 11:57:20 AM
I have to agree with PRN here. Most speeches today are filled with the cliche thank you's that why even bother watching. Jordan went out and told his story about how he busted his tail. Big deal. I actually liked the honesty.
And yes, Rick Riley is a dbag.
+1...When you are known around the world as the greatest ever, you have the right to be arrogant. I loved his speech.
Quote from: mosarsour on September 22, 2009, 12:33:53 PM
+1...When you are known around the world as the greatest ever, you have the right to be arrogant. I loved his speech.
What kind of a silly statement is that? Everyone has "the right to be arrogant." That doesn't make you less of a d-bag.
Quote from: mosarsour on September 22, 2009, 12:33:53 PM
When you are known around the world as the greatest ever, you have the right to be arrogant.
That's really a sad view of things...He may have that right, but to exercise it is pretty pathetic. As I said, miserable bastard. If being known around the world as the greatest ever is not a reason to demonstrate humility, I don't know what is. You really feel that reaching the pinnacle of whatever profession means you should be arrogant, and look down on people? Pretty sad.
Quote from: NavinRJohnson on September 22, 2009, 11:59:04 AM
Reilly is most assuredly an idiot, but that doesn't make Jordan less of one. Great basketball player, but he's a miserable bastard.
+1
I love Michael Jordan and I liked his speech but it doesn't change the fact he is an a-hole.
Quote from: PuertoRicanNightmare on September 22, 2009, 11:46:51 AM
Sorry guys...Rick Reilly's the douchebag. I'll bet dollars to doughnuts that Jordan won't give the time of day at the Lake Tahoe golf event so Reilly tries to get even with this garbage. Jordan was simply stating what motivated him. He even went so far as to invite some former high school players to the event.
Reilly isn't the only one that wrote this, I've seen probably 4 or 5 articles from around the country all taking Jordan to task on this.
I'll try to find the others...here's one
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-jordanhall091209&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
People still read Reilly?
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on September 22, 2009, 02:05:54 PM
Reilly isn't the only one that wrote this, I've seen probably 4 or 5 articles from around the country all taking Jordan to task on this.
I'll try to find the others...here's one
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-jordanhall091209&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
I have also read articles praising Jordan for not going with the cliche HOF speech method of starting by thanking your HS coach and some random teacher, then college, then pro..etc....
Quote from: Chili on September 22, 2009, 02:51:29 PM
I have also read articles praising Jordan for not going with the cliche HOF speech method of starting by thanking your HS coach and some random teacher, then college, then pro..etc....
Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I thought that the purpose of the speech was to thank those that helped you get there, not to entertain sports writers who have sat through so many of them that they get bored.
Quote from: The Sultan of South Wayne on September 22, 2009, 02:56:24 PM
Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I thought that the purpose of the speech was to thank those that helped you get there, not to entertain sports writers who have sat through so many of them that they get bored.
I am not a sports writer and I get bored. And I have yet to see a set of guidelines for these speeches.
Quote from: Chili on September 22, 2009, 03:15:19 PM
I am not a sports writer and I get bored. And I have yet to see a set of guidelines for these speeches.
My point is that sportswriters who are praising it because it is "different," don't mean much to me. What he said was still not gracious and assholey.
Jordan has a right to do whatever he wants with his speech. It's his platform.
However, I think his speech made him look like an arrogant a-hole.
There are ways to be non-cliche and entertaining without looking like a douche.
If he was "just being honest", then that's great... but he's an "honest" a-hole.
Quote from: Chili on September 22, 2009, 02:51:29 PM
I have also read articles praising Jordan for not going with the cliche HOF speech method of starting by thanking your HS coach and some random teacher, then college, then pro..etc....
Yes, Michael Wilbon and others wrote those types of articles. But some of those reporters kiss the ground that MJ walks on and refuse to ever call him out.
Jordan's speech made him look exactly like what he is.
Quote from: TallTitan34 on September 23, 2009, 02:46:49 PM
Jordan's speech made him look exactly like what he is.
Succinctly put.
He knows who he needs to thank so why use this "stage" to do that?
It seems like he felt - since he was already inducted into the HOF (as if that was a no-brainer) - that he would use this time to pinpoint times in his life that people tried to keep him down or prove him wrong.
The intent was a well-held ball, but the delivery was unorthodox.
The reason he is the greatest player ever wasn't just because of his athletic ability, it was also because he wanted to rip the heart out of people who stood in his way. His attitude during the speech was arrogant and dickish. Without that he would have been 5% less successful. And that would have made him a top 20 player instead of the GOAT.
Quote from: RawdogDX on September 24, 2009, 01:41:32 PM
The reason he is the greatest player ever wasn't just because of his athletic ability, it was also because he wanted to rip the heart out of people who stood in his way. His attitude during the speech was arrogant and dickish. Without that he would have been 5% less successful. And that would have made him a top 20 player instead of the GOAT.
Interesting take. The only issue I have with that is whether the other GOAT players were equally dickish. Wayne Gretzky? Don't think so.
Jack Nicklaus? Nope Tiger Woods....some would say yes.
Pele? Nope
Hard to say who the best baseball or football player is of all time. Walter Payton a dick? Nope. Babe Ruth? Some say yes.
It just seems to me that people of yesteryear were nicer, more civil and still at the top of their game vs their peers. Unfortunately much of that has changed. There have certainly been great players, arguably the greatest in their respective sports that have not been complete d-bags.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on September 24, 2009, 05:33:56 PM
Interesting take. The only issue I have with that is whether the other GOAT players were equally dickish. Wayne Gretzky? Don't think so.
Jack Nicklaus? Nope Tiger Woods....some would say yes.
Pele? Nope
Hard to say who the best baseball or football player is of all time. Walter Payton a dick? Nope. Babe Ruth? Some say yes.
Walter Payton? Best ever?
Hardly. Jim Brown...and he was a dick.
Quote from: The Sultan of South Wayne on September 24, 2009, 07:51:57 PM
Walter Payton? Best ever?
Hardly. Jim Brown...and he was a dick.
Barry Sanders wasn't a dick though and many people make the case he's the best ever (I think they're 1a and 1b in some order).
Chicos, I've never really heard anybody say Tiger was anything close to a dick. Some people get on him about the club throwing and swearing but the guys he plays with week in and week out say he's one of the funniest guys on tour and is a blast to play with (especially in exhibitions).
Quote from: jmayer1 on September 24, 2009, 09:06:30 PM
Barry Sanders wasn't a dick though and many people make the case he's the best ever (I think they're 1a and 1b in some order).
Chicos, I've never really heard anybody say Tiger was anything close to a dick. Some people get on him about the club throwing and swearing but the guys he plays with week in and week out say he's one of the funniest guys on tour and is a blast to play with (especially in exhibitions).
I've heard a few people in the industry say on course that he comes close, maybe they are just envious.
Sultan, fair point on Payton. I was just throwing a name out there. Hard to name a greatest football player...is it a defensive player, offensive, qb, rb, wr, lineman, etc.