Posts Tagged ‘Michael’
Michael Jeffery Jordan is probably one of the most well known names in the world of basketball. He was born on February 17, 1963 in New York City. Jordan was responsible for making National Basketball Association or the NBA famous, during the 1980s and 1990s. He is the fourth child of his parents, James R. Jordan, Sr. and Deloris Jordan.
As he developed his interest for basketball the high school he went to wouldn;t let him play because of his height, a few months later he went from being 5’11″ to 6’3″. He then got a basketball scholarship in 1981 from the University of North Carolina because of his impressive records in school. In the 1982 NCAA Championship game he made the game winning jump shot, as which he says is the turning point in his career and what made him what he is today.
He then started his pro career in 1984 when he signed with the Chicago Bulls. When he turned pro he was soon a public icon and he was also on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the headline, “A Star Is Born”. He won the NBA championship from 1991 to 1993 and was then known as the best basketball player around. Although many people disliked him, many loved to see him dunk from the free throw line. As that is what he was most famous for doing in those times and what gave him the nickname of Air Jordan. This is also the name of the signature shoes that just about every kid wants.
In October 1993, he took a temporary leave to go play baseball but wasn’t really good at it at all and the only reason he even left basketball was because of the loss of his father, he joined back in 1995 again. He then won it again by winning the NBA championships from 1996 to 1998. He then took another break again in 1999 to return back again in 2001, but this time he would join the Washington Wizards. He played with the team till 2003.
Michael Jordan was part of two award winning gold medalist Olympic teams. His first team won the first gold medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics and the second one was in the 1992 Summer Olympic Games. He set a record in NBA by making the highest career regular season scoring average of 30.1 points per game. He was the best that ever lived I think and he was my favorite player for a number of years until Carmelo Anthony and Labron James started to play in the NBA. He will always be remembered as making history and he will always be the one who first dunked from the free throw line. Even though he was a small guy once he grew fast into the NBA.
Michael Jordan sneakers or as they are popularly known, Jordans are the label name for the sports shoe line launched by Nike in the year 1985, in the honor of the basketball super star of that time. Nike had always been a promoter of sports and the launching of that new line was meant to emphasize that point. People at that time were looking at wholesale Jordans as a way to promote their superstar, rather than wear designer label shoes. Whether bought at retail shops or as wholesale Jordans are still one of the most popular sneaker brands in the world.
In the mid-eighties, when the sneakers were launched, young boys would work hard to save money so they could buy a pair of wholesale Jordans; wholesale â because they were more affordable and within the reach. Today too, you will find wholesale Jordans in special places like www.urbanhotlist.com who offer you the best available prices for your designer label basketball professional shoes.
While we are on the topic, did you know that each sneaker of Nike, is made with a purpose â such as there are special models for football, for hockey, for basket ball and so on. The sneakers for basketball always have cotton shoelaces so that it does not open during the game. Hence, you should always buy those sneakers, which suit your purpose â not just buy wholesale Jordans as most people do, just because they look so great. If you are not in any sport, please be informed that there are special sneakers for walking and/or jogging.
Each year brings some innovation to the to the designer sports shoe. First it was lights (and the shoe had batteries as well) that were flashing everytime you put your foot down â attractive but totally useless otherwise. Then, came comfort improvements such as shoes with built in spring that reduce foot stress while walking. When people look for wholesale Jordans (www.urbanhotlist.com) they are looking for comfort, for fashion and for durability. Fortunately, this sneaker model offers it all. Though it comes pricey, the shoes are great value for money and are always in great demand even now, more than 20 years after it was launched.
Today there are more than 20 models of Michael Jordan sneakers, the last model being introduced to the market in February 2005. Each and every one of these sneakers were a runaway success. These sneakers whether from retail shops or as wholesale Jordans, sold like hot cakes, and still are.
The beauty of it is that these sneakers are now sold over the net as well. There are many websites such as www.urbanhotlist.com that have an excellent collection of wholesale Jordans available which make the purchase easy and extremely affordable as to what the market offers. People nowadays choose this way of purchasing a lot of goods, not only sneakers, because of the great convenient the Net offers, i.e. just browse on your computer at home, choose your brand, particulars, charge your card and presto! You have got it delivered at your doorstep. It is easy convenient and extremely satisfying to shop over the Net.
Although he has been retired for several years now, Michael Jordan is still widely regarded as the greatest basketball player to ever play the game. His influence was felt not only in the way the game was played, but also in how it was perceived around the world. Ultimately, his excellence at his sport was instrumental in catapulting the popularity of basketball and the National Basketball Association all over the world during the eighties and nineties. Beyond all this, Jordan was also a marketing force and was hands-down the most successfully marketed athlete of his generation and, possibly, all time. In 1999, Jordan was named by ESPN as “the greatest athlete of the 20th century.”
Jordan retired from the NBA after 15 seasons, during which he established a number of prestigious records. His 30.12 points per game average is the highest ever in NBA history. He also won six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls and was the MVP of the NBA Finals every time they claimed the championship. In addition, Jordan has been the NBA’s leading scorer for 10 straight seasons and was the league’s Most Valuable Player five times. He was also selected to the All-NBA First Team 10 times, the All-Defensive First Team nine times aside from leading the NBA in steals in three years. The Associated Press also ranked him as second only to Babe Ruth as top athlete of the century.
Jordan’s wizardry on the basketball court was evident from the very first time he stepped onto an NBA court as a rookie in 1985. He unveiled the full package – a dazzling array of dunks, ferocious defense and the amazing ability to score any time he wanted to. His leaping ability was off the charts and quickly earned him such colorful nicknames as “Air Jordan” and “His Airness.” In one playoffs game against the Boston Celtics in 1986, Jordan scored a record 63 points, which prompted the league’s then-reigning MVP Larry Bird to proclaim that he was “God disguised as Michael Jordan.”
The media has portrayed a number of players as “the next Michael Jordan” upon entering the NBA, including such renowned hoopsters as Grant Hill, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter, who have all fallen short of their lofty billing. The latest to earn the sobriquet are LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, but they have a long way to go before they can earn the right to be called the next Jordan.
After each of Michael Jordans retirements the world pined for some sort of replacement and tried in vain to anoint his successor. There have been many pretenders to the throne – Carter, Wade, a young Grant Hill and even Harold Miner, the so-called Baby Jordan. Lebron James will enter the argument but is needing a few rings under his belt before his claim can be taken seriously. So that leaves the only real contender – Kobe Bryant. If anyone comes close then it is him and there are some who claim he has reached the same level as Jordan. Unfortunately time and a new generation of fans can dim the memory as to how great a player was. However, Jordan’s accomplishments can be separated from Bryant’s and there are 3 big reasons why.
Firstly, Jordan led the Bulls to 6 championships which were actually a couple of 3 peats. Whilst Kobe achieved a 3 peat of his own early in his career he has to be considered the Piippen to O’Neal’s Jordan. Without question Jordan couldn’t win without Pippen but Bryant was standing on the shoulders of the impossibly dominant O’Neal. Once Jordan had enough talent and a system that forced him to give up the ball there was no other possible winner in the league when he was playing. It took Bryant another 7 years to get back to the top, albeit as the undisputed leader of his team. Undoubtedly this confirms his greatness but if you look simply at his haul of wins against Jordans the fact that 3 of them came alongside one of the all time great centres whereas Jordan had no dominant big man in any of teams underlines his superiority. Both are competitor supremes but its quite possible that Jordan has an even bigger desire to win than Bryant.
Secondly, Jordan is statistically superior to Bryant. He remains atop the all time scoring average chart and dominated the seasonal scoring category for over a decade. Yes, Bryant has proved he is the best scorer since Jordan with his own titles and phenomenal individual performances to back that up. Even Jordan would have to stand back and applaud the freakish 81 that Bryant has posted as his career high. In most other categories, including the intangible defensive abilities, there is little to choose between them. The one area which seems to be overlooked by many is that Jordan’s field goal percentage is superior. The simple fact is that Jordan was a more efficient scorer than Bryant and in fact made him more deadly. Given that they could be even in terms of shot-making ability and game winning buzzer beaters this fact adds to Jordan’s greatness. Jordan finished his career a 49.7% shooter against Bryant’s current rate of 45.5%. Add to that Jordan put together no fewer than 6 seasons above 50%, a mark regarded as a the watershed for a great NBA shooter, whereas Bryant has not achieved this in his 13 seasons to date. So if you look behind the sensational numbers both men have posted Jordan is a better marksmen by a decent margin.
Thirdly, Jordan quite simply changed basketball forever. There were many great players before him and some also transcended the game. Magic Johnson brought showtime. Dr J took to the air. Bill Russell brought supreme defensive dominance. Jordan rebranded the game again with a spectacular array of offensive armoury never seen before. Get out those old basketball dvds and see for yourself what he was doing in 1984. He took the world by storm and every player wanted to be like him. A generation later you have a league teeming with spectacular athletes trying to outdo each other each week. In every one of them is a kid who grew up wanting to be like Mike and Kobe Bryant is one of them. In almost every way he is almost the second coming – the height, the athletic ability, the competitive fire, the knack for the spectacular, even the way he talks. Its as if he studied those basketball dvds himself as a kid and turned himself into a mini-Jordan. Make no mistake Bryant is an all time great, probably top 5, but he hasn’t changed the game like Jordan did.
For those reasons Kobe Bryant will never be better than Michael Jordan. No doubt he still has plenty left in the tank and there will much more history written by him. But none as illustrious as that written by His Airness.
Michael Jordan was born three days after Valentine’s Day in 1963. He brought a new level of excitement to the game of basketball, and is now retired, much to the relief of his opponents, and despite coming back several times previously. He is a marketing genius and a businessman. Michael Jordan is often called the greatest basketball player to ever live – a distinction he himself is quick to denounce. He was, however, marketed to the fullest by his team, and his shoe line from Nike, the Air Jordan, remains the top selling shoe endorsed by a sports personality. He ruled basketball through the 80′s and 90′s.
He began his career as a stand-out playing the Tarheels out of the University of North Carolina. Be began his professional career in the near mid 1980′s when he inked a deal with the Chicago Bulls franchise. It did not take Michael Jordan long to shine on the professional level, becoming one of the greatest stars in his rookie season. He was a high scorer with a tremendous leaping ability and many of his slam dunks have become highlight reel moments – especially the backboard shattering ones of which there were plenty. All of his accolades as a leaper and a scorer gave him the moniker of “Air Jordan” and he was also sometimes referred to as “His Airness” by sassy commentators. Besides being a great offensive player, he was also a tremendous defender.
He helped take the Chicago Bulls to World Champion Chicago Bulls in 1991 and their streak continued through 1992 and 1993 securing them a much talked about “three-peat”. Michael Jordan, feeling bored with basketball, took a leave during the 1993 through 1994 season in order to follow a dream of becoming a major league baseball player. That did not go as well as he would have liked and he went back to playing basketball with the Chicago Bulls in 1995. With Michael Jordan back on the wood, the Chicago Bulls pulled off another three-peat by winning back to back to back championships in 1996, 1997 and 1998 and they also set a record with winning 72 games in a regular season in 95-96. Michael Jordan again retired in 1999 but soon returned to play in the 2001 and 2002 seasons with the Washington Wizards, a team he was part owner in.
Michael Jordan is probably the most highly decorated basketball player in the game today, winning five MVP awards, ten All-NBA First Team Designations, fourteen all star game appearances as well as holding the record for the highest career regular-season scoring by managing a little over 30 points a game.
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.