Is Michael Jordan Planning To Start A 50 and Over League?

Before he and his class were inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame, Michael Jordan served basketball fans and his admirers with a speech highlighting the individuals and events that provided fuel for the internal drive leading him to become one of the greatest athletes in sports history.  His speech, which was often funny and at other times raw and biting, but always grateful if not gracious, offered us a fascinatingly candid glimpse of that competitive edge which put fear in opponents and put out teammates who did not possess the will nor desire to match his intense need to win.

Michael spoke to us in a way that promises to confound many who don’t understand what it takes to be, or what it is to be great at something that you love and appreciate with all your heart.  He probably disappointed those who thought he should have been soft and graciously corporate immediately before riding into the sunset so that his memory could be neatly packaged and shelved in their minds, only to be dusted off for sports anniversaries and cross-generational comparisons to the next anointed G.O.A.Ts.

If we listened closely, however, we heard Michael tell us that his passion was borne from a burning childhood desire to prove that he belonged, whether it was amongst his competitive siblings, or on the cover of Sports Illustrated with teammates as a college freshman or mentioned in the same breath as the stars who preceded him, like Isiah Thomas, George Gervin, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson who he respectfully named.  We also heard amongst the laughter and remembrances, that his childlike passion for the game still lives within him and that he is not prepared to be separated from the game and buried beneath accolades and idol worship.  He is still alive and maintains a desire to compete and to prove he belongs.  Michael said,

We are left to ask ourselves whether he was kidding or teasing us.  Is he preparing to pull a George Foreman and pop back into his sport at 50 to challenge an older Kobe or join LeBron in his prime, perhaps in New York, to win a 7th championship?  Or maybe, Michael and his body will remember how hard it was as a Wizard with waning magic to compete with the younguns, most of them with the work ethics of spoon-fed children.  Maybe he will settle into his dream to be an owner and instead of joining the NBA, he will come back only to promote his new 50-years old and over league of former NBA and college stars who still have enough game to entertain an audience.   Perhaps he has figured out that if people are willing to watch a declining (darn near reclining) Shaq play sports he has no business playing, people will surely accept watching former stars play on a shorter court for a shorter period of time; perhaps we will even accept gimmicks like trampolines to help our stars regain the hops they once credited to the shoes they wore.  Or even better, the teams would be comprised of former female stars too, perhaps giving a boost to the women’s game in the O Double G (Old Guys and Gals)Summer League.  I’d watch Cheryl Miller outshine her brother Reggie,  Magic and Dr. J any day.

Hey Michael, I’m not laughing.  Old Mature people need old mature role models too.  I can barely dream of being LeBron these days, but if you come back, I could still dream of being like Mike.  It should be a little easier for me in three years, shouldn’t it?

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PART 2 of 3

 

 

Part 3 of 3

 

 

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CONGRATULATIONS MJ, Jerry Sloan, David “Admiral” Robinson, John Stockton and Ms. Vivian Stringer

NEW YORK KNICKS 2009-2010 SCHEDULE RELEASED

Here we go again.

Champion Miami Heat Dancers Get Our Season Started Right (Sorry Knickettes, We Love You Too)

The season starts for the Knicks in Miami on October 28th when our beloved team faces Dwayne Wade, Michael Beasley, Jermaine O’Neal and Mario Chalmers of the Heat, the 5th seed (43-39)  in last year’s Eastern Conference Playoffs.  This will be an exciting time as any mention of the Heat gives us an appropriate reason to boost our own ratings by pumping the  Heat’s Championship dance team.  Lawdy, lawdy Miss Mawdy: when the opposition cheerleaders look that good, it makes you want to cheer with them, after them, near them. . . .o.k. I digress with my poorly placed heterosexual humor.  LOL.

Our first home game is the second of a back-to-back also against a playoff squad, the speedy 76ers (41-41) with a revamped roster (Andre Miller is gone) including rookie Jrue Holiday, AI (Iggy) and Sam Dalembert.  Elton Brand doesn’t fit on this team but it looks like he’ll still be there.  LGK.

Including our home opener, the Knicks play 18 back-to-back games with the second end against teams such as the Bucks (Brandon Jennings), Boston (twice), Orlando, Portland, Cleveland, Chicago, Dallas, New Jersey (twice) and Washington.

The Knicks’ first ten games include battles against six playoff teams: Miami, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Cleveland, Utah and Atlanta.

Interestingly, ESPN is scheduled to show 5 Knicks contests.

Knicks fans get to see plenty of stars and potential free agents at MSG including Chris Paul (November 2), LeBron James (November 6), Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce (November 22), Dwight Howard (November 29), Blake Griffin (December 18), Derrick Rose (December 22 and February 17), Dwayne Wade (December 27th and April 11th) and Kobe (January 22).

SUNDAY	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY

Upcoming Games October Opponent Time Local TV Nat TV Radio Wed 28 @ Miami 7:30pm Fri 30 @ Charlotte 7:00pm Sat 31 vs Philadelphia 7:30pm November Opponent Time Local TV Nat TV Radio Mon 02 vs New Orleans 7:30pm Wed 04 vs Indiana 7:30pm Fri 06 vs Cleveland 8:00pm Sat 07 @ Milwaukee 8:30pm Mon 09 vs Utah 7:30pm Wed 11 vs Atlanta 7:30pm Fri 13 vs Golden State 7:30pm Wed 18 @ Indiana 7:00pm Sat 21 @ New Jersey 1:00pm Sun 22 vs Boston 1:00pm Tue 24 @ LA Lakers 10:30pm Wed 25 @ Sacramento 10:00pm Fri 27 @ Denver 9:00pm Sun 29 vs Orlando 6:00pm December Opponent Time Local TV Nat TV Radio Tue 01 vs Phoenix 7:30pm Wed 02 @ Orlando 7:00pm Fri 04 @ Atlanta 7:30pm Sun 06 vs New Jersey 12:00pm Mon 07 vs Portland 7:30pm Fri 11 @ New Orleans 8:00pm Tue 15 @ Charlotte 7:00pm Thu 17 @ Chicago 8:00pm Fri 18 vs LA Clippers 8:00pm Sun 20 vs Charlotte 7:30pm Tue 22 vs Chicago 7:30pm Fri 25 vs Miami 12:00pm Sun 27 vs San Antonio 6:00pm Tue 29 @ Detroit 7:30pm Wed 30 @ New Jersey 7:30pm January Opponent Time Local TV Nat TV Radio Fri 01 @ Atlanta 7:30pm Sun 03 vs Indiana 6:00pm Thu 07 vs Charlotte 7:30pm Sat 09 @ Houston 8:30pm Mon 11 @ Oklahoma City 8:00pm Wed 13 @ Philadelphia 7:00pm Fri 15 vs Toronto 8:00pm Sat 16 @ Detroit 7:30pm Mon 18 vs Detroit 1:00pm Fri 22 vs LA Lakers 8:00pm Sun 24 vs Dallas 1:00pm Tue 26 vs Minnesota 7:30pm Thu 28 vs Toronto 7:30pm Sat 30 @ Washington 8:00pm Sun 31 @ Minnesota 7:00pm February Opponent Time Local TV Nat TV Radio Wed 03 vs Washington 7:30pm Fri 05 vs Milwaukee 7:30pm Sat 06 @ Cleveland 7:30pm Tue 09 vs Sacramento 7:30pm Tue 16 @ Chicago 8:00pm Wed 17 vs Chicago 7:30pm Sat 20 vs Oklahoma City 7:30pm Mon 22 vs Milwaukee 7:30pm Tue 23 @ Boston 7:30pm Fri 26 @ Washington 7:00pm Sat 27 vs Memphis 7:30pm March Opponent Time Local TV Nat TV Radio Mon 01 @ Cleveland 7:00pm Wed 03 vs Detroit 7:30pm Fri 05 @ Toronto 7:00pm Sat 06 vs New Jersey 7:30pm Mon 08 vs Atlanta 7:30pm Wed 10 @ San Antonio 8:30pm Fri 12 @ Memphis 8:00pm Sat 13 @ Dallas 8:30pm Mon 15 @ Philadelphia 7:00pm Wed 17 @ Boston 7:30pm Fri 19 vs Philadelphia 7:30pm Sun 21 vs Houston 1:00pm Tue 23 vs Denver 7:30pm Fri 26 @ Phoenix 10:00pm Mon 29 @ Utah 9:00pm Wed 31 @ Portland 10:00pm April Opponent Time Local TV Nat TV Radio Fri 02 @ Golden State 10:30pm Sun 04 @ LA Clippers 9:30pm Tue 06 vs Boston 7:30pm Wed 07 @ Indiana 7:00pm Fri 09 @ Orlando 7:00pm Sun 11 vs Miami 6:00pm Mon 12 vs Washington 7:30pm