If you Like Mike your gonna love this classic video of Renee Ferguson interviewing Michael Jordan for the Channel 5 news back in 1988.
The interview is filled with all kinds of vintage footage of Mike on and off the court.
From classic commercials to personal photos of Mike and Juanita before they were married.
We even get to see Mike rocking the Nike "Revolution" in the video, the sneaker that was part of the inspiration for the Air Jordan III's.
In the interview Mike talks about being a role model and maintaing a positive image for the public, grocery shopping, how he met Juanita, and to top it all off, Mike has the flu so he sounds like a frog for the whole interview.
On February 13, 1998, Jordan and the Bulls met the Atlanta Hawks... Bulls started the game strongly and managed to lead by 20 points at one time. But the Hawks were able to fight back in the final quarter until the game was tied. Mike hit a clutch shot with 13 seconds left to give the Bulls a 2-point lead. Steve Smith tied the game again by clutching two free throws. Finally, with four second left, Mike finally shot the ball at the buzzer to grab a 112-110 victory as he scored a total 37 points.
Michael Jordan memorabilia is some of the most sought after sports memorabilia because many believe he is the greatest basketball player of all time. Jordan's many illustrious awards and titles include 14 All-Star, 5 MVPs and even an Olympic gold medal. There's no doubt that a Michael Jordan autograph is valuable, especially now that Jordan is retired. Another reason a Jordan autograph is so valuable is because he wasn't a big autograph signer. The frenzied fans clamoring for his signature were deemed a hazard, therefore he did not sign for fans at sporting events very often.
On average, an authentic Jordan autograph is going to be worth more than $1,000. Exactly how much a particular autograph is worth will depend on the condition of the item, its rarity, the time period when it was signed, and what the item is.
For example, there are autographed jerseys, balls, plaques and other memorabilia items that are going to be worth more than a simple signed piece of paper.
When buying a Jordan autograph, proper authentication is very important. Upper Deck (UDA) is one of the finest authentication agencies for sports memorabilia and is trusted by collectors everywhere. If an item you're considering comes with UDA authentication, you can trust that it's the real thing. Buying an item without this authentication is more tricky. You may get a certificate with your item but unless it is from a verifiable authentication agency it may not be legitimate.
You'll find many celebrity autographs for sale on Ebay, including those from Michael Jordan. When purchasing an autographed item online, go with sellers that have a history of positive customer feedback. Ideally, the item you purchase should come with a lifetime guarantee of authenticity. That way, you can get the item authenticated and return it if it's a fake. If a seller cannot provide a certificate of authenticity from a legitimate agency or a lifetime guarantee, you should probably think twice about buying.
If you are the owner of an authentic Michael Jordan autograph, you may be thinking about selling. You may want to reconsider, because many autographs will increase in value over time. If you're a big Jordan fan, selling a piece of autographed memorabilia may never cross your mind. Make sure you keep your Jordan autograph protected in a Mylar sleeve and stored in a safe place away from heat, light and moisture. A safe deposit box is a storage good choice for an autograph that is valuable.
I just finished reading this awesome column on Magic Johnson's business ventures from a 1990 edition of Sports Illustrated.
According to the article, Magic and Michael Jordan were scheduled to play a one on one game on pay-per-view.
Here's the word:
...Magic is not always selfless, not entirely without vanity. A proposed one-on-one with Michael Jordan on cable TV, eventually nixed by the NBA last January, was only partly inspired by Magic's desire to throw $2 million or $3 million from the pay-per-view to charity; the two players would have made some Sugar Ray Leonard money as well. And Magic may have wanted to prove he could beat Jordan at his own game. "When we had it all but signed," remembers Rosen, "I finally said, 'Look, do you really think you can beat this guy? I mean, it's not too late [to back out].' " By then, Magic had developed some strategies. He was certain of victory.
Not sure of how Magic would have handled MJ--Magic was more of a five on five guy, although his height would have been an advantage--but you know that would have been a hell of a match up. They would probably be making money off of DVDs of the match up to this day. I always wonder why more NBA superstars don't challenge each other in one on one competition. I mean, people would pay a lot of money to see Kobe Bryant play LeBron James head-to-head.
The only other type of marquee one on one match up I remember being talked about was between Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaq after the 1995 Finals.
The match was called the Taco Bell One on One Championship and was scheduled to take place that September, but Hakeem hurt himself training and pulled out of the event.
Thank NATE JONES at Jonesonthenba.com for the story.
– UNDRCRWN, the premier luxury basketball lifestyle brand, announces their collaboration with recording artist, actor and author Marshall B. Mathers III, a.k.a Eminem. To support the release of his new book, The Way I Am, UNDRCRWN has designed a limited edition Eminem caricature tee shirt. The 100% cotton tee features “Detroit Slim” in Detroit Pistons colors, holding a “Greatest of All Time” Trophy in one hand and touting his book in the other.
( Peep the Blk Cement III's )
The tee goes on sale on October 15, 2008 and will be sold exclusively on UNDRCRWN.com and at Nort 235 (235 Eldride Street) in New York City during the book’s launch party that evening. The tee will then be available in a limited run beginning October 31 at UC retailers nationwide. The tee shirt has an MSRP of $36.00.
“Undrcrwn sees Eminem as a representation of our core values. Eminem is someone that has fought through adversity and naysayers to become one of the greatest artists of all time. With every product we create we make sure that it represents who we are and what we stand for.” says Dustin Canalin, Creative Director.
In The Way I Am, for the first time, the world's most controversial and enigmatic rapper writes, candidly, about how he sees the world. The book includes more than 250 full-color and black-and-white photographs —including private family snapshots and personal Polaroids—which illustrate The Way I Am. This visual self-portrait spans the rapper's entire life and career, from his early childhood in Missouri to the basement home studio he records in today, from Detroit's famous Hip Hop Shop to sold-out arenas around the globe.
What sports star does not have his match-day superstition? Some will not shave. One wears a lucky charm, another dons the same undershirt for an entire season. A famous Yankees player used only to eat chicken before a game, and one English football manager is said to have made his players walk two miles to the stadium on match day, after it happened once when the team bus broke down and they played like a dream. Thus it is with Barack Obama. On election days, he has to play basketball.
He did in Iowa and South Carolina, when he played in pick-up games and won both votes. In New Hampshire and Nevada he did not – and lost both primaries to Hillary Clinton. Contrary to urban myth, he is not especially brilliant at the sport, despite some popular clips on YouTube. A keen Obama-watcher likens his prowess to that of "a moderate club tennis player" (though he did make a clutch three-pointer before the world's TV cameras during a visit to Kuwait this summer, when a goof might have destroyed the Obama legend).
But the superstition itself makes perfect sense. Indeed, it might be seen not as a superstition, but as the acknowledgement of a debt – a debt not so much to basketball as to American sport in general. For is it too fanciful to argue that without sport, or rather black sport, no one today would even be thinking of a President Obama?
Oddly, there has been no public parade of African American superstars coming out for Obama. A few have, most notably LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, hailed by some as the new Michael Jordan.
Among baseball players to nail their flag to the Obama mast is Jimmy Rollins, shortstop of the Philadelphia Phillies, who are poised to make their first World Series appearance in 15 years.
But there hasn't exactly been a tidal wave of endorsements – which in fact may not be so surprising after all. The main reason for this reticence, almost inevitably, is money. Modern sports fortunes are amassed not only by fat multiyear contracts but also by multimillion dollar product sponsorship deals: and who wants to upset the punters?
Consider how back in 1990 the most famous North Carolinian – some would say the most famous black man – on earth declined to endorse the African-American candidate running for the Democrats in a bitterly fought Senate race in his home state, even though the Republican was the irredeemably racist Jesse Helms.
In Michael Jordan's immortal words of 18 years ago...
"Republicans buy sneakers too."
Translated, the world's most potent human advertising hoarding was not going to allow mere politics to foul his golden nest. Major league sports players are very different from other African-Americans; they are exceedingly rich. As part of his campaign platform, Obama promises to raise taxes for anyone making more than $250,000. But compared with the stratospheric rewards available to even journeymen big leaguers, that sum is chicken feed. The average salary in the NBA is $4.9m, in Major League Baseball $2.9m and in the National Football League $1.25m. The top stars, thanks to those huge sponsorship deals, earn far more. At Cleveland, James ("King James" to his millions of fans, white and black alike) for instance makes a a reputed $40m a year, while Derek Jeter, the face of New York Yankees baseball, rakes in an estimated $30m. Small wonder the professional black athlete's take on the world is often less "hood" than hedge fund. As Fred Smoot, the Washington Redskins cornerback, said: "We're coming from Democratic backgrounds, but right now we've got Republican money."
And then, of course, there's Tiger Woods, the highest-earning sports star of them all (an estimated $128m in 2008), and the black athlete who most resembles Obama in his ability to transcend race. Anxious not to upset his overwhelmingly Republican colleagues on the PGA tour, the Tiger has been pussy-cat discreet when it comes to politics.
"He's extremely articulate, very thoughtful," Woods confided apropos of Obama, to reporters who cornered him last February at the Dubai Desert Classic. But then again, "I'm just impressed at how well, basically all politicians really do, how well they think on their feet." As for Obama's chances, "We'll see what happens down the road." No professional politician could have been less revealing of his feelings. Even when a McCain adviser publicly mocked Obama to one of his Democratic opposite numbers as "your Tiger Woods" the great man was not goaded into breaking his silence. Some do say, though, that Woods has indeed slipped a quiet contribution to campaign Obama.
Not that it would necessarily make much difference if Woods went public with the fact. After all, movie stars as rich and famous as he have been coming out for political candidates for years – and much difference it has made. Tinseltown adores Democrats. But it's the Republicans who've won seven of the last 10 presidential elections.
Nonetheless, while public endorsements are relatively few, it would be astonishing if the elite of African-American sport were not quietly lining up behind Obama. They may be rich, but they are also black. They cannot be immune to the emotions of pride and solidarity that have led 95 per cent of ordinary black voters to favour Obama. In dressing rooms across the country, Campaign 2008 is, by all accounts, a constant talking point. Sporting idols may be insulated from the real world, but not, surely, so anaesthetised by the George W Bush tax cuts that they are unaware of the crisis facing their country, and the national yearning for change.
"It's just time," Rollins told the Philadelphia Inquirer in early June, when Obama had effectively seen off Clinton in their long primary struggle. "America is so much different than it was. People want something new. This has been going on for so many years and it's getting worse. So why not try something new? Maybe Barack can be that answer."
Or as Vonnie Holliday of the NFL's Miami Dolphins has put it, "As a black man, am I excited about Obama being a candidate, where I can tell my son who is three years old, 'Believe it, you can be President one day?' Yes.
But whether or not the black sporting elite supports Obama is only a small part of the story. Far more important, without the black sports stars of this and earlier eras he might well not be where he is today, destined – if the polls are correct – to be the first African-American to win the highest office in the land.
In most countries, a cricketer, footballer or tennis player, however gifted, would hardly qualify as a major historical figure. Not so in the US. If race is America's original and lingering sin, America's sports stadiums were where that sin at last started to be expunged.
In April 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first player to break the colour barrier in a major American team sport, when he took the field for baseball's Brooklyn Dodgers.
Since then sport, along with popular music, has established itself as the most colour-blind part of American life. As early as the late 1960s, the starting line-up for the NBA's Boston Celtics was entirely black, and today three-quarters of American basketball major leaguers are black. In the NFL, a majority are African-American. Ironically, only in baseball, where it all started, is the proportion smaller, at about 10 per cent.
African-American athletes were accepted, then admired, and then feted across racial barriers. It was in sport first of all that a black man could turn from threat into hero, in the minds of many whites. Yes, menacing figures were to be found: Sonny Liston of course, as well as Muhammad Ali in his Cassius Clay incarnation, before metamorphosis into the globally beloved quasi-deity of today, and more recently Mike Tyson, self-described "baddest man on the planet".
Then there was O J Simpson, who went in the opposite direction to Ali – from family-friendly NFL superstar and Hertz rental car pitchman with the white trophy wife, to villain of the most racially charged murder trial in modern US history.
But these were the exceptions. The trend has been towards normality and equality; towards spanning, not deepening, racial barriers. In every respect but one, Washington DC is a city divided. The sole institution in the capital around which blacks and whites, rich and poor, Democrats and Republicans, unite is the Redskins, whose players are mostly African-American.
And from sport, it is not fanciful to argue, the acceptance of blacks has spread to the movies, in the shape of smash box-office stars like Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx and Will Smith, and more recently to politics (read Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice). "I think African-American athletes have played a key part in the process," says Frank Deford, doyen of American sports writers. "You get to be a great player, then you become an idol, to whites and blacks alike. Unconsciously or not, Obama in that sense is the end product."
The line is a long one; from Jackie Robinson to the tennis champions Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe, to baseball players like Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente, to basketball idols like Wilt Chamberlain and Earvin "Magic" Johnson, to Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, with countless others along the way.
The process has involved not just players, but managers, too. In 1992 the wise and gracious Cito Gaston became the first black manager to win a World Series, with the Toronto Blue Jays, while just last year Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith were head coaches of the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears respectively, when the teams met in Super Bowl XLI in Miami – the first NFL championship game in which both teams were managed by an African-American. Gradually, it was taken for granted that blacks could not only excel as performers in sports. They could strategise, organise and man-manage as well.
And so to Obama, a potential winner in presidential politics, the roughest contact sport of all. "Maybe," Deford says, "Barack Obama would have been the nominee if there had never been a Jackie Robinson, a Michael Jordan, a Tony Dungy and a Derek Jeter. But I don't think so."
Maybe he won't win. Maybe America's sleeping demon of race will reawaken on 4 November, when Americans who are now telling pollsters they will vote for a black man refuse to do so behind the curtain of the voting booth.
One thing. however, is sure. After casting his vote on election day, Barack Obama will not tempt the gods. He will repair to a basketball court to indulge his superstition. And perhaps he will spare a thought for the basketball players, the baseball and football idols, the boxers, golfers and tennis players who may have made his entire, amazing journey possible in the first place.
On November 4th, "Do The Right Thing", get out and vote.
With the Air Jordan III/XX Countdown Pack only days away, St. Alfred’s has teamed up with Kane for the first installment of his 23 Reasons project.
This incredible mural project commemorates the achievements of Jordan’s career, along with the shoes we all have come to know and love. Also featured on the mural is “Follow The Leader”, a tribute to the Eric B and Rakim album that also dropped in the year of 1988.
If you are in Chicago, and want to pick up the Countdown Pack at St Alfred’s, you’ll have something nice to look at as you wait for the doors to open, at noon, for this highly anticipated Air Jordan release.
After the huge hype that still surrounds the “Encore” Air Jordan Retro 4 from a few years back, Jordan Brand and Eminem are teaming up once again. This time they chose to do a special makeup of Mr. Mather’s favorite model, the Air Jordan II.
Inspired by his upcoming book, The Way I Am, this model brings a new colorway to the Air Jordan Retro 2. They feature hand-written lyrics from various Eminem songs found on the ankle collar as well as around the toe trim. So far rumor has it that they will be packaged with a limited-edition “The Way I Am” Air Jordan t-shirt.
Another Flight Club exclusive, 313 pairs are scheduled to be released. This number is meant to signify the area code for Detroit, MI. Proceeds from the sales of this package will go towards Eminem’s The Marshall Mather’s Foundation, which is an organization dedicated to helping disadvantaged youth in the state of Michigan.
As of right now there is no release date or price set for “The Way I Am” Eminem Air Jordan Retro II's.
Peep the new verse from Eminem "I'm Having A Relapse"
What most people remember from the 1993 NBA Playoffs was the heated match-up between the Bulls and Knicks...
That game seven battle was a classic. I think every Knicks fan still hates Charles Smith for blowing the easy layups over and over as the Bulls blocked, smacked and swiped away all the Knicks hopes and dreams of reaching the NBA finals.
You might be asking yourself, What does this have to do with "The Air Jordan Headache?"
Finally some nice shots of this very classy and luxurious Air Jordan 1 in varsity red and dark army. In earlier photos, the premium leathers were off set by the either bad lighting or low resolution pixelated photos.
These new photos finally show off the variety of premium leathers on the upper including a very soft smooth leather, high grade tumble leather and even a soft suede on the toebox. For details, on the top, the laces are a stripped varsity red and dark army and on the bottom, a white midsole and dark army outsole.
The dark army color also extends to the velvet swoosh and inner lining. This colorway does not release until November 8th, 2008 but looks like Asia based retailers already have them in stock. In the US, this colorway is rumored to be an Air Jordan Flight Club exclusive.
United States Presidents Cup captain Fred Couples has handed an official role on his team to basketball legend Michael Jordan for next year's match against the International team.
Jordan has been a regular spectator at both Ryder and Presidents Cups over the past decade and was inside the ropes at Valhalla last month when Paul Azinger's American team regained the Samuel Ryder Trophy with a 16 1/2-11 1/2 victory over Europe.
After recently naming Jay Haas as his assistant, Couples told a captains' press conference at the hosting Harding Park in San Francisco on Wednesday that he was formalising Jordan's role within the US set-up.
"Michael Jordan is an assistant assistant," Couples said. "He's been at every Presidents Cup, Ryder Cup that I've played in, he's extremely passionate about the game of golf. There are a lot of people passionate about the game of golf but I believe in my mind that he can bring something to our team.
"He's won six NBA championships and been an MVP in his league forever. He's dealt with team-mates that were phenomenal players and maybe team-mates that could not play for another team. When you get 12 guys playing, I think he may be able to instil quite a bit to our team."
On being unveiled as the USA captain for the 2009 Presidents Cup, Couples had suggested bringing in comedian Robin Williams to his support staff and he reiterated his desire to see the star also contributing to the American cause.
"I've been on nine teams, and a lot of times, it's not the most exciting time at night and I think Robin would come and loosen us up," Couples added.
"It's not mentioned loosely. It's not mentioned to be smart alecky. The players want to relax and he's just one of my all-time favourites. We just haven't got him to commit yet."
While Couples turns to superstars Jordan and Williams, his opposite number Greg Norman explained why he would be leaning on his recently announced assistant captain Frank Nobilo, the New Zealand former pro turned GOLF Channel television analyst.
"Frank's connection with his knowledge of where the game of golf is right now is going to be paramount to a lot of our success," Norman said. "He has the ability on a week-to-week basis, day-to-day basis to actually go down to the driving range and walk around there and have a chat with the guys and have a chat with the caddies, which is just as important as far as I'm concerned as talking to the players, and get insight of what really is going on.
"My schedule will be increased just a little bit coming into the 2009 season, specifically, because I'm playing in a couple of events and importantly, I need to get out there, too, and talk to a couple of these players and get engage with them."
Norman added that the hard part of his captaincy was only just beginning.
"Our moment starts today," he said. "Our biggest decision to date was finding who would be our assistant captains. I'm sure Freddie felt the same way, because there are a lot of just good individuals out there, not just good golfers out there, but good people we could have chosen for that task.
"Now that that's been put aside, we can focus on our next big step is making sure the 12 members of the team are in a very good, cohesive mind-set going into this time next year."
Even though Michael Jordan pronounced in many commercials that he had failed many many times, as though none of us really realised this point.
To him, his tenure with the Wizards might not have been a failure, if not for the sacking at the end. His failings in life began when he wasn't drafted into his high school team. We, as spectators and fans, never felt those failures. We saw only success—game winning shots, million dollar endorsements and championship rings, not to mention a slew of other awards and accolades.
To his fans, MJ was immortalised when he hit that final game-winning shot. For many, including myself, it was the greatest moment in sporting history. Yet, MJ still had the itch. He came back with the Wizards —and yes, we forgave him for looking a little odd in that uniform.
His body, though still in great shape, had the touch of the middle-aged about it. He was still great, in bouts, but he never captured our imagination like before. In fact, some of us were a little embarrassed to see him out there.
It looked a little strange somehow, as if a golden statue already in its case was suddenly called upon to work again.
Michael Jordan's competitiveness, such a pivotal aspect of his personality, was still on full display. Only now, it seemed to lack a bit of perspective. The fact that he came back shortly after the September 11 attacks didn't help matters.
It seemed as if that sort of fiery competitiveness was okay, even great, during one's younger years—but as one got older, it seemed as if he should be moving on to other ventures. Basketball had already given him everything, but he still wanted more.
Nevertheless, MJ remains a basketball God. As a person, he is perhaps wiser for having made the move to the Wizards.
As fans, we wanted to live in fantasy. But Michael Jordan, throughout the fantasies others have conjured about him, has always remained a practical person. He will move on from the failures.
We're still trying to move on from him.
Thank Vinny Do from the Bleacher Report for the story.
Jay-Z has announced that he is going to be performing three free shows in support of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Jigga will perform a free show Saturday in Detroit, "Operaton Registration", as well as two shows in my hometown of Miami. One show, "Last Chance for Change" on Sunday night at Bayfront Park in downtown Miami and another show on Monday.
This is all part of a major voter-registration drive to get people to get out and vote tor Barack Obama.
You gotta love a Presidential candidate that plays ball and campaigns with Jay-z!
Peep my man Barack in the "Barack Obama Basketball Mixtape". Keep your eye out for a young Obama rockin' the #23 back in highschool.
In Business Week's October 13th issue they announce the "Power 100," a list of the 100 most powerful people in sports. The magazine asked 25 panelists of athletes, executives, marketers, writers, and academics to rank their top 20 out of 300 names . They were asked to consider how each individual rates vs. his or her peers; how much money each controls, generates, or influences; and the breadth and staying power of their impact.
In the #1 spot was none other than Tiger Woods. What more can be said? NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, NBA commissioner David Stern, ESPN president George Bodenheimer, and NBC Sports Chairman Dick Ebersol round out the top five respectively.
Nike Chairman Phil Knight came in at #6, Mike didn't make the list until the #9 spot and LeBron James barely made the top 20 at #17. Kobe Bryant (#28), Alex Rodriguez (#45), Derek Jeter (#51), Magic Johnson (#58), and Serena Williams (#100) all made the list.
Check out the full list:
1 Tiger Woods Golfer
2 Roger Goodell Commissioner, NFL
3 David Stern Commissioner, NBA
4 George Bodenheimer President, ESPN
5 Dick Ebersol Chairman, NBC Sports
6 Phil Knight Chairman, Nike
7 Allan "Bud " Selig Commissioner, MLB
8 Brian France Chairman and CEO, Nascar
9 Michael Jordan NBA great; minority owner, Charlotte Bobcats
10 Sean McManus President, CBS News and Sports
11 David Hill Chairman and CEO, Fox Sports
12 Rupert Murdoch Chairman and CEO, News Corp.
13 Myles Brand President, NCAA
14 Tony Ponturo VP, global media and sports marketing, Anheuser-
Busch
15 Lance Armstrong Tour de France cyclist
16 Theodore Forstmann Chairman and CEO, IMG
17 LeBron James Forward, Cleveland Cavaliers
18 Donald Fehr Executive Director, Major League Baseball Players Assn.
19 Steinbrenner Family Principal owner, New York Yankees
20 John Henry Owner, Boston Red Sox; co-owner, Roush Fenway Racing
21 Gary Bettman Commissioner, NHL
22 Philip Anschutz Founder, Anschutz Entertainment Group; Co-owner,
Los Angeles Kings
23 Tim Leiweke CEO, Anschutz Entertainment Group
24 Robert Kraft Owner, New England Patriots
25 Brian Roberts Chairman and CEO, Comcast
26 Jerry Jones Owner and General Manager, Dallas Cowboys
27 Tim Finchem Commissioner, PGA Tour
28 Kobe Bryant Guard, Los Angeles Lakers
29 Peyton Manning Quarterback, Indianapolis Colts
30 John Skipper EVP, content, ESPN
31 Mark Parker President and CEO, Nike
32 Ed Goren President, Fox Sports
33 Malcolm Glazer Owner, Manchester United, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
34 Tom Brady Quarterback, New England Patriots
35 Jeff Urban Senior Vice-President, sports marketing, Gatorade
36 Paul Allen Owner, Seattle Seahawks, Portland Trail Blazers
37 Scott Boras President, Scott Boras Group
38 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Nascar driver
39 Peter Ueberroth Chairman, U.S. Olympic Committee
40 Chase Carey CEO and President, DirecTV
41 Rick Dudley President and CEO, Octagon
42 Michael Phelps Swimmer
43 George Pyne President, IMG Sports & Entertainment
44 Mark Cuban Owner, Dallas Mavericks, HDNet
45 Alex Rodriguez Third baseman, New York Yankees
46 Casey Wasserman CEO, Wasserman Media Group; Owner and
CEO, Los Angeles Avengers
47 Jack Nicklaus PGA great; partner, Nicklaus Design; owner, Nicklaus
Golf Equipment
48 Mark Ford President, Sports Illustrated Group
49 Bob DuPuy President and Chief Operating Officer, Major League
Baseball
50 Danica Patrick Indy Racing League driver
51 Derek Jeter Shortstop, New York Yankees
52 Sidney Crosby Center and captain, Pittsburgh Penguins
53 Adam Silver Deputy Commissioner and COO, NBA
54 John Madden NFL commentator; video game icon
55 David Levy President, Turner Broadcasting Sales and Turner Sports
56 Andre Agassi Tennis great
57 Tony Hawk Skateboarder; video game icon
58 Earvin "Magic" Johnson NBA Hall of Famer; Chairman and CEO, Magic
Johnson Enterprises
59 John Riccitiello CEO, Electronic Arts
60 Jerry Colangelo Chairman and CEO, Phoenix Suns; National
Director, USA Basketball
61 Dana White President, Ultimate Fighting Championship
62 Gene Orza COO, Major League Baseball Players Assn.
63 Don Garber Commissioner, MLS; CEO, Soccer United Marketing
64 Jim Nash Managing Director, sports advisory practice, Bank of
America
65 Wayne Gretzky Hockey great; part-owner and head coach, Phoenix
Coyotes
66 Ross Greenberg President, HBO Sports
67 Mike Ilitch Owner, Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers
68 Jack Roush CEO and co-owner, Roush Fenway Racing
69 Jeff Pash Executive Vice-President and General Counsel, NFL
70 Tom Condon NFL agent, CAA
71 Mike Helton President, Nascar
72 John Walsh Senior Vice-President and Executive Editor, ESPN
73 David Berson Executive Vice-President, program planning and
development, ESPN
74 Katie Bayne Chief Marketing Officer, Coca-Cola North America
75 Lesa France Kennedy President, International Speedway
76 Arlen Kantarian CEO, United States Tennis Assn.
77 Pat Bowlen Owner and CEO, Denver Broncos
78 Christine Driessen CFO and Executive Vice-President, ESPN
79 Tony Vinciquerra Chairman and President, Fox Networks
Group
80 Richard Petty Nascar legend, team owner
81 Rooney family Owner, Pittsburgh Steelers
82 Tim Brosnan Executive Vice-President, business operations,
MLB
83 Bob Bowman CEO, MLB advanced media
84 Greg Carey and Joe Ravitch Managing Directors, Goldman Sachs
85 Dave Morgan Executive Editor, Yahoo! Sports
86 Jim Delany Commissioner, Big Ten
87 Randy Freer COO, Fox Sports Net
88 Steve Bornstein CEO, NFL Network; EVP of media, NFL
89 Wycliffe Grousbeck Owner and CEO, Boston Celtics
90 Roger Penske Rounder and Chairman, Penske Corp.
91 Colin Baden President, Oakley
92 Robert Johnson Majority owner, Charlotte Bobcats
93 Mike Slive Commissioner, Southeastern Conference
94 Stan Kroenke Owner, Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets;
part-owner, St. Louis Rams
95 Kevin Plank Founder and CEO, Under Armour
96 Ray Bednar Senior Vice-President and Sports Sponsorship
Executive, Bank of America
97 Eric Grubman Executive Vice-President, finance and strategic
transactions, NFL
98 Arn Tellem President, WMG Management
99 Jon Litner President, Comcast Sports Group
100 Serena Williams Tennis champ
It may be news to some Johnny-come-latelys on the Oregon sports scene, but Tinker Hatfield was a pretty big name even before he started designing a certain shoe.
That’s right. Nike’s esteemed vice president/innovation and special projects, the man most instrumental in the design of the Air Jordan sneaker line over the years, was an acclaimed athlete in his own right.
At Central Linn High in Halsey, Hatfield was one of the state’s top prep athletes of his era, a three-sport standout and a national-caliber track-and-field performer in the late 1960s and early ‘70s. At the University of Oregon, he was the school pole vault record-holder who finished sixth in the 1976 U.S. Olympic trials.
Hatfield’s athletic career was augmented by his nearly three decades of designing genius at Nike, which has led him to close relationships with such luminaries as Michael Jordan and Lance Armstrong. The combination has earned the Portland resident, 56, induction into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame Thursday at Multnomah Athletic Club.
Hatfield grew up in a rural community, the son of the late Tinker Hatfield Sr., one of the state’s great names in high school track and field coaching. At Central Linn, the good athletes played all the sports. Hatfield went from football to basketball to track.
“If you didn’t play three sports, the school wouldn’t have enough players to field a team,” Hatfield says.
Nobody twisted his arm, though.
“I just remember sports as being so much fun,” he says. “Each season was like a breath of fresh air. You’d start with football, and then it would be on to basketball. And at a certain point — boom! — basketball was over, and it was on to track. After track, it was back to football.
“It was exciting. The variety of activities helped you become a better all-around athlete, and you didn’t have the off-season drudgery of training for just one sport.”
Hatfield — who grew to 5-10 1/2 and 155 pounds as a senior — earned 12 varsity letters at Central Linn. He was a three-year starter at tailback and a four-year letterman in football, a four-year starting point guard in basketball and a dominant force in track and field all four years.
In football, Hatfield was Class A-2 all-state his last three seasons as a tailback and was named to the Sunkist All-America team as a senior. He made recruiting visits to Arizona State, Oregon State, Southern Cal and Stanford.
In basketball, he led the Cobras in scoring, rebounds and assists for three years and was named second-team all-district as a senior.
“I felt I could have played college basketball,” says Hatfield, who was recruited by the likes of Maryland, Kansas, Ohio State and Oregon State for the sport.
Track was his specialty, though. As a freshman, Hatfield won Emerald League championships in the pole vault and low and high hurdles. The next three years, he led the Lions to state team titles, amassing 10 individual and relay crowns. As a senior, he won the pole vault and low and high hurdles and anchored the winning short relay team, becoming the first athlete in the state’s history to score 40 points at a state meet.
Hatfield’s biggest influence in sports was his father.
“My dad was quite an innovator and a motivator,” he says. “He was a fantastic cross-country coach, and he was a tireless worker. In those days, there weren’t so many restrictions about what you could do on weekends. He’d put seven or eight of us in his old Lincoln Continental, with javelins and pole-vault poles on the side, and take us to invitationals.”
Hatfield was a big Oregon State fan as a youth, but the school didn’t offer architecture, his major interest. That became a major sticking point at other schools through the recruiting process.
“Everybody was surprised how small I was during my visits,” Hatfield recalls, “but they were really taken aback when I said I wanted to study architecture. One of the reasons I didn’t go to USC is because they said no one can play sports and major in architecture at the same time. Kansas said the same thing.”
Bill Bowerman, the legendary track and field coach at Oregon, took the opposite approach.
“He was very interested in academics, and I think he was impressed I even wanted to try it,” Hatfield says. “He said, ‘We’re going to offer you a scholarship, and give you a shot’ " at majoring in architecture.
Hatfield set the freshman high hurdles record at Oregon in 1972, but he blew out his left ankle as a sophomore. After that, he focused on the pole vault, becoming the Ducks’ first 17-footer and setting the school record of 17-2 1/2.
In 1980, Nike’s Geoff Hollister hired Hatfield to illustrate a marketing book and manual for the company’s employees. The next year, Hatfield started full-time with Nike, making his biggest impact as designer of the most successful shoe in industry history.
Now he’s a Hall of Famer.
“It’s a great honor,” Hatfield says. “I’m thrilled.”
Thank Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune for the story.
Two new interesting Air Jordan models have just surfaced the internet, the Air Jordan 1 Phat Low and PHYL Legend Premier.
The Air Jordan 1 Phat Low consists of a black and white polka dot combination, a concept similar to the Hiroshi Fujiwara Dunks that were released a few years ago, but this sneaker is modified for skateboarding, padding has been added to the tongue and inner lining.
Lastly, the Air Jordan PHLY is a step above the previously released PHYL models. It has been rumored that these have been designed to honor Yankees or Jordan Brand athlete, Derek Jeter, hence the pinstripe and navy combination.
Brown’s forgettable 23-59 season in 2005-06 with the New York Knicks can’t overshadow a Hall of Fame career that includes 1,239 professional victories and an NBA title.
Likewise, Brown isn’t real concerned with the Bobcats’ lack of success in their four-year history.
“I just want us to understand what our goals and priorities are and build on that,” Brown said Tuesday as the Bobcats opened training camp in Trask Coliseum. “I think if we get better
every day and play hard and we’re in great shape, if we rebound and defend we’ll be productive.”
Charlotte improved its win total from 18 to 26 to 33 in its first three seasons, but took a step backward in 2007-08, struggling to a 32-50 mark. Rookie coach Sam Vincent was fired after the season, and Jordan called the 68-year-old Brown, who has rarely remained in the same place very long during a 34-year career but says this is his final stop.
The returning Bobcats say he’s brought energy and excitement to Charlotte, and Brown detects it in his team. Since Labor Day, most of the players have shown at the team’s practice facility on a regular basis to play pickup games and work out on their own.
This is point guard Raymond Felton’s fifth head coach in seven seasons of college and pro basketball, and Brown has a reputation for holding his floor generals to a high standard. Still, Felton sounds confident that Brown is exactly who the Bobcats needed in charge.
“I’m a student of the game so I try to learn from everybody, every coach that I have … and with Coach Brown I think he’s going to be the one to take me over the peak, take my play to the next level, take this team to the next level,” Felton said.
Center Emeka Okafor agrees. He, Felton, Jason Richardson and Gerald Wallace give the Bobcats a strong nucleus of young, talented players. If Sean May shakes off two seasons lost to injury and becomes a productive power forward, could an additional 12 or 15 wins, and the playoffs, be within reach?
Okafor said so Monday at the team’s media day.
Brown isn’t going there just yet. He knows the Eastern Conference grew stronger this off-season. He’s concerned with the team’s inexperience and lack of frontcourt depth and thinks rebounding could be a problem.
But he’s rejuvenated, tanned and fit, impressed with the character of Felton, Richardson and Wallace and prepared to let them lead on the court and in the locker room.
“These are good guys. When Michael gave me the job, he told me we had good guys and I have not been disappointed at all,” Brown said “The three guys are gym rats, which I love, and I asked them please just to allow me to coach.”
Thank Brian Mull of www.starnewsonline.com for the story.
