Posts Tagged ‘Jordan’
I have been an NBA basketball fan since young. In the midst of the NBA legends, Michael Jordan is probably the only timeless superstar who inspire awe, admiration and respect for people around the world.
Over the last twenty years, no single basketball player has achieved the kind of cult status like Michael Jordan. His ability to turn around critical situation in a game is simply mesmerizing. His superman image has created profound inspiration for millions of fans.
Michael Jordan epitomizes the character strength of tenacity and determination, which has had tremendous influence on the personality development of countless teenager fans since his time. Despite his quiet demeanor, Michael Jordan has an immense internal drive that never allow himself to be defeated. Deep inside, he was not one to challenge. His ability to rise up and strike down an opponent was simply awe-inspiring, to which he said: “Unless I’m challenged you don’t see the mean streak in me.”
The indomitable competitive spirit in Michael Jordan has made him the most feared and respected opponent for other NBA players. In the lyrics of “Don’t Mess Around With Jim”, Jim Crose described Michael Jordan most aptly: “You don’t tug on superman’s cape, you don’t spit into the wind, and you never pick against Michael Jordan.” After losing to The Bulls in 1998, New Jersey Nets coach John Calipari said: “Playing against Michael is like playing blackjack against the dealer. He ain’t losing.” When Madonna was asked about her favorite player when she was at the Bulls game, she said:”M.J. is an amazing human. A god. If I could coma back as another person, it’d be as him.”
It is interesting to know what had attributed to Michael Jordan’s enormous drive to win. One argument has it that Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and the devastating trauma of the event had given birth to an extremely competitive spirit that refuses to be beaten. This mentality has made him one of the world’s greatest athletes ever.
In psychology terms, “drive” is synonymous to “arousal”. It is an emotionally charged state that results from a competitive nature. The degree of arousal or drive, up to a certain level, is the key determinant of the quality of performance whether in sports or business. Beyond that optimal level of arousal, any extra drive will only cause performance to decline. This state of optimal performance only last for a short time, during which the mind, body and emotional system are closely aligned. It is a transcendental state where one is optimally situated between euphoria and depression, boredom and excitement, and relaxation and anxiety. In sports, athletes who are in such optimal state are known to be “in the zone”.
It is the state of “flow” that Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi talked about in his book: “Flow”. He said: “Flow is a highly focused state of relaxation concentration that obliterates all else out of consciousness. It is the state of self-actualization or transcendental behavior that is euphoric.”
Michael Jordan’s success lies not just in his extreme competitiveness, but also in his ability to swiftly and frequently enter the flow state, or to be “in the zone”. When he is “in the zone”, he can jump with amazing ease, float through the air in gravity-defying grace, and never miss a shot. It is the state of euphoria that is addictive. He knows it when he is there. When in the flow state, he simply becomes unstoppable. This is the same experience you probably may have had in the past when you find yourself doing everything with amazing ease, as if aided by some divine forces. It is indeed the divine force that is within you when you are in that optimal state of mind, body and emotional alignment.
How can we enter into such flow state?
Being competitive is important but it alone does not help, because competitive drive can only induce anxiety. Anxiety up to a certain level is key to achieving flow state, but any excess of it will not lead to optimal performance. There is a very fine line that exists between under-stressed and over-stressed. The secret of optimal performance is found somewhere in the middle. According to psychologist, a maximum potential for achievement is reached when a subject performs under moderately stressful situation.
In sports, optimal performance is seen when two opponents are closely matched. Any significant gap in the proficiency of opponent will not bring out the best in the other. To the elite sportsman, their closest rival has a special place in their personal pursuit of excellence. Their closest rival is that unique person who has the ability to push them to perform their best.
The key success factors of Michael Jordan provide valuable insights on what we all can do to create success in our life:
- Find something that you are truly passionate about;
- Committed to massive amount of hard work to perfect the core skill sets, and enjoying it in the process;
- Strengthen your mind power with determination and resilience;
- Learn to harness the state of relaxed but intense concentration by regular practice of meditation and creative visualization, which improves the alignment of your mind, body and emotion, and enhance your ability to enter the flow state.
If you can experience flow state regularly in the activities that you pursue, winning in itself is no longer important, although you will inevitably be performing at your best. It is the euphoria state of being in the flow that brings immense joy and fulfillment to life, in its moment-to-moment experience. This is the essence of successful living.
The most recognizable name in the history of basketball is Michael Jordan. There is not a corner of the world where the mention of “Michael” raises eyebrows. As much as Air Jordan has given to the game, is it possible that he is also responsible for killing the game?
Michael Jordan was cut from his team as a young player. From that day on he committed himself to be the best he could possibly be. The incomparable drive in Jordan is legendary. His ability to score, dunk, play defense, and win are unmatched. Of all of the traits he possesses, his competitive spirit may be his best attribute. Nothing gets in the way between Jordan and success.
When Michael Jordan hit his peak in the late 1980′s, it was obvious to the world that he would lead his Chicago Bulls to Celtic-like success. The result was an incredible 6 NBA titles under Coach Phil Jackson. Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Bill Cartwright, John Paxson, and Dennis Rodman represented an unbeatable combination of skill, tenacity, and competitiveness. Jordan, the prince of late game heroics, was the magnet that made everything flow in the same direction.
Air Jordan Nike-brand shoes have been sold by the millions. The shoe reflects his game. Smooth, sleek, powerful, and explosive. Some will remember that Michael became a good shooter only after years of developing his stroke due to his drive for perfection. In the end it was his ability to put the ball on the floor that made him unstoppable. His drives were strong, quick, and acrobatic. His ability to get to the basket forced the Detroit Pistons to establish an elaborate set of “Jordan Rules” in an attempt to slow him down. Nothing slowed Michael Jordan down.
The Michael Jordan phenomenon created basketball phrases new to the game. Players everywhere worked on their ability to “put it on the floor” or “get to the rim”. How many times have you heard “And 1″ as a shot is taken off the dribble drive? Scoring off the dribble slowly became the preferred mode of scoring points in the NBA. As with many popular trends, “the bounce” became the skill that dominated individual practice activity. Players from the NBA down to grade school worked to perfect their ball skills and driving ability.
With the advent of Michael’s slashing to the rim, players all over the world perfected this skill through practice. Was all of this activity good for the game? Not only did it focus on dribbling and driving, it was a blow to the jump shot. Since the glory days of Michael Jordan the art of shooting has steadily declined. Shooting percentages have been on the decline for years now. Pitiful free throw percentages are seen in the NBA, College, and high school levels. Kids are growing up without the ability to consistently shoot the ball. Certainly it is not fair to blame Jordan for this, but with fame comes responsibility. His fame was so enormous that if he had started to make half court hook shots, kids in every gym in America would have worked tirelessly to do the same.
The problem with the dribble drive is that every second spent on it takes seconds away from shooting jump shots. If repetition produces mastery, lack of repetition equals mediocrity. Shooters are not born they are made. They are made from hours of sweat, hard work, and thousands of shots. Gyms no longer are filled with jump shooting gym rats. Where did all the gym rats go?
Walk into most gyms these days and you will see kids lined up at the three point line. They hang around this line not to shoot, but to drive to the rim to attempt the dunk. Most kids have no chance to dunk, let alone touch the rim. Yet visions of SportsCenter dunks are still fresh in their mind. They spend hours trying to dunk it just one time. What a waste of time most coaches would tell you. Why? Games are not won on the drive and dunk. They are won with toughness, fundamentals, and shooting. Yes, I said shooting.
Our kids must fall in love once again with the jump shot. No matter how great the slam dunk is, it will never put three points on the scoreboard like the popular three point shot. Both the drive and the jump shot have their place in the great game of basketball. They can survive together in balance. Lets open the door and invite the passion for shooting back in the gym.
When it comes to words of inspiration, Michael Jordan quotes have it in the bag. After all, the life of the “greatest player of all time” is a success story unlike any other. When it comes to words of wisdom, he’s definitely got it down pat. Here are 14 inspirational quotes to kick off his birthday celebration.
1. “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”
2. “I’ve always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come. I don’t do things half-heartedly. Because I know if I do, then I can expect half-hearted results.”
3. “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”
4. “If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.”
5. “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.”
6. “If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”
7. “If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you.”
8. “My attitude is that if you push me towards something that you think is a weakness, then I will turn that perceived weakness into a strength.”
9. “Failure always made me try harder next time.”
10. “I realized that if I was going to achieve anything in life I had to be aggressive. I had to get out there and go for it.”
11. “To be successful you have to be selfish, or else you never achieve. And once you get to your highest level, then you have to be unselfish. Stay reachable. Stay in touch. Don’t isolate.”
12. “I just feel that my competitive drive is far greater than anyone else that I’ve met and I think that I thrive on that. I think that is my biggest motivation in life — to compete, find different competitions in certain things in life and try to overcome that, be it positive or negative.”
13. “If you put forth the effort, good things will be bestowed upon you. That’s truly about the game, and in some ways that’s about life too.”
14. “Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.”
And there you have it – fourteen wonderful, inspirational quotes. With the right attitude and outlook on life, anything is possible and the above Michael Jordan quotes just go to prove it.
For many years there has been vast media frenzy on who will be the next Michael Jordan, the next basketball superstar who can stand up to this title. Michael Jordan stormed onto the NBA scene as a rookie during the 1984-1985 seasons. He was a super defensive player, an explosive offensive player, and an all-star for his famous dunk shots. Among some of his career highlights include ten NBA scoring titles, six NBA championship titles with the Chicago Bulls, six NBA Finals MVP awards, and an impressive overall career scoring average over 30 points a game (the highest in NBA history). These accomplishments are only part of his many masterful trophies, for which he holds many more. So the question still remains if and when will there ever be such a “natural superstar” for the NBA such as Michael Jordan.
The media has compared two players who may possibly fit the incredulous talent of Michael Jordan. One of which has been the super talented Kobe Bryant and the other is LeBron James. Both of these players have shown talent that over exceeds any current basketball player in the NBA today. Kobe Bryant has shined with the LA Lakers, bringing home the title many of times. His accomplishment include; three NBA titles, 10 All-Star game appearances, seven times as an All-Defensive Team selection, two scoring titles, and the second highest score ever reported in a single game (81 points). Then there is LeBron James: Because to his young age, James has already set some new records in the NBA, including the youngest player to win the NBA All-Star Game MVP, youngest to win the Rookie of the Year award, and the fastest to score 1,000 point, not to mention putting the Cleveland Cavaliers back on the map. Both players merit praise and admiration for their contributions to the NBA. But the question still remains; will there ever be another Michael Jordan?
The term rookie generally means someone who is new to an activity. This also means they are an unknown factor. In the world of sports Michael Jordan is known to his many fans as being a master at the world of basketball.
There is another side to Michael Jordan that is not that well recognized. This is due to the fact that Michael Jordan is also a baseball player as well. The Michael Jordan cards are ones that people like to collect these as well.
There are two versions of the Michael Jordan cards that can be collected. These are the Michael Jordan rookie cards and the normal baseball cards. When you are deciding on which of these cards that you should have in your collection there are a few factors that you may want to think about.
The first item that you may need to see about is that of the price. The really good mint condition cards will be expensive. The ones in an average to alright condition will be possible to buy without putting a dent in your monthly budget. You may also want to see if these Michael Jordan cards have any type of signature on them.
The authentic baseball cards will definitely be very expensive and collector’s items. The ones with a facsimile signature you can expect to pay about $50 or so depending on where you buy your cards from. There are many places where you can buy your rookie card from. You will need to make sure that you are paying for an actual baseball card.
This is important as there are some places where you may be sold baseball cards that are fakes. These cards while they tend to look like the real thin will significantly bring down the value of your card collection. For this reason you may want to avoid buying from unknown merchants Michael Jordan Rookie cards.
To help protect your new card investment genuine card dealers will encase these cads that you have ordered in a soft sleeve protective casing. This ensures that you have a card which is found in mint condition. While you are looking over the card you can see if any holograms, authentication tags and other items which enable appraisers to see if you have found a good card or if you have been duped.
The best thing to do in collecting your Michael Jordan rookie cards is to see what you can find on the internet price wise. Once you have seen what can be charged for this card you will be able to look for the card in your baseball card shop or with dealers. Even though Michael Jordan is relatively new to the game of baseball collecting Michael Jordan rookie cards is still a good investment.
The name Michael Jordan rings bells in the minds of many people. For many of these people Michael Jordan and basketball are synonymous. There is another side to Michael Jordan though that is not that well recognized. This is due to the fact that Michael Jordan is also a baseball player as well. The Michael Jordan cards are ones that people like to collect these as well.
There are two versions of the Michael Jordan cards that can be collected. These are the Michael Jordan rookie cards and the normal baseball cards. When you are deciding on which of these cards that you should have in your collection there are a few factors that you may want to think about.
The first item that you may need to see about is that of the price. The really good mint condition cards will be expensive. The ones in an average to alright condition will be possible to buy without putting a dent in your monthly budget. You may also want to see if these Michael Jordan cards have any type of signature on them. The authentic baseball cards will defiantly be very expensive and collector’s items. The ones with a facsimile signature you can expect to pay about $50 or so depending on where you buy your cards from.
There are some Michael Jordan cards which were issued as part of a set amount. These cards have been signed by Michael Jordan himself. The signature is however that of a facsimile. You will find many different varieties of the baseball cards of Michael Jordan. Among these you will find one that has been produced by Sports Illustrated. Since these baseball cards are sold by stores you will find that the cards are in mint condition.
When you are buying any of the Michael Jordan cards you should check to see if these cards are authentic. There are various identification marks which are placed on baseball cards today. These identify marks like holographic logos are ways that will serve to identify authentic cards as opposed to fakes.
This is important as there are some places where you may be sold baseball cards that are fakes. These cards while they tend to look like the real thin will significantly bring down the value of your card collection.
To help protect your Michael Jordan cards genuine card dealers will make sure that the cards are encased in a soft sleeve protective casing. This allows your card to be kept in mint condition. While you are looking over the card you can see what information is given on the card.
This information will let you see just how good a player Michael Jordan really is at baseball. The many baseball cards that you have will only be enhanced in value with the addition of a great baseball card like that of Michael Jordan cards.