Unsurprisingly, Michael Jordan’s speech was the highlight of the evening.
More Reactions to Jordan
Among others, here were a few more poignant reactions in the wake of Michael Jordan’s polarizing acceptance speech Friday night.
Matt Moore of Hardwood Paroxysm weighed in:
Read Article >Jordan’s Speech was Petty, Ugly
I spent last night doubled over from food poisoning--today’s blogging will be my flu game in Utah, thank you very much--so I wasn’t sure if Michael Jordan’s speech had really happened. But that’s why God created Tivo and Adrian Wojnarowski. This morning I watched it again, and then saw Adrian Wojnarowski’s eloquent takedown of the whole affair.
His words, from Yahoo! Sports:
Read Article >Vivian Stringer Gives Speech Nearly as Touching as it Is Long
NCAA women’s basketball coach Vivian Stringer is being inducted into the Hall tonight, and the show organizers allowed plenty of time for her to speak. She certainly took advantage of the opportunity, speaking for over fifteen minutes.
Stringer’s story is inspirational, and the time allotted to her was well deserved. The only somewhat odd moment came toward the very end, at which point she said that her 2007 Rutgers team, which reached the national championship game, was her worst team. The crowd’s murmuring was audible, but ultimately, they gave her an impressive ovation when she was finished.
Read Article >Tribute Paid to Daly, Kerr
Tonight’s ceremony allowed for some time to pay tribute to two basketball legends that passed away this year. Red Kerr, the voice of the Chicago Bulls for over thirty years, and Hall of Fame coach Chuck Daly were honored with video presentations.
Read Article >Emotional Stockton Gives Funny, Touching Speech
Former Jazz point guard John Stockton gave us a rare glimpse into his light-hearted side. One of the NBA’s greatest passers, Stockton had no problem dishing out the jokes (what, you thought we could resist going there?) He began by thanking those that accompanied him at the ceremony, stating that he thought they probably came to see Michael Jordan. Regarding His Airness, Stockton said, “he makes one big shot, and everyone thinks he’s so cool.” He also made light of his big feet and short shorts - essentials for any ceremony honoring Stockton.
Stockton showed some very rare emotion, breaking into tears when thanking his father and his late mother. He also gave his regards to his wife and six children, all of whom attended the ceremony.
Read Article >Robinson Joined on Stage by George Gervin, Larry Brown
David “The Admiral” Robinson was the first player to speak at tonight’s Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Robinson gave an impromptu speech, and spoke very highly of those that paved the way for his basketball career - including Tim Duncan, whom Robinson said he prayed for when the Spurs had the opportunity to draft. He was joined on stage by former Spur and Hall of Famer George Gervin and Larry Brown, the Hall of Fame coach.
The Admiral was always known as an incredibly religious man, and vocalized his faith to conclude the speech. Robinson finished by referencing a Bible passage, and giving his blessing to the crowd.
Read Article >SLC Dunk Remembers John Stockton
SB Nation blog SLC Dunk looks back on how a skinny guard from Gonzaga came to define a franchise. Definitely worth a read. From SLC Dunk:
Read the whole thing.
Read Article >But What About Wizards Fans?
SB Nation’s Bullets Forever explains why Wizards fans might not feel all warm and fuzzy about Michael Jordan being inducted into the basketball Hall of Fame:
Read Article >My Complicated History with Mike
With Michael Jordan set to be inducted into the Hall of Fame tomorrow, the tributes are pouring in from all sides. As a Wizards fan, my feelings on Jordan are more complicated than the romanticizing allows for, but as a basketball fan, I could read about Jordan the basketball player all day long. There, he was perfect.
With that in mind, if anyone’s interested in whiling away the waning hours of the day with some fantastic Jordan tributes, look no further.
Read Article >Barkley, Thompson Also to Present
More surprising news about the presenters for this year’s HOF inductees. The Deseret News reports:
Sloan asked Charles Barkley — who always had a fun rivalry with the Jazz during his career with the Sixers, Suns and Rockets — to introduce him at Friday night’s event.
[...]
Another surprise selection: Michael Jordan picked North Carolina State product David Thompson — over his North Carolina coach, Dean Smith.
Read Article >Stockton and...Thomas?
Hoops Hype tweets:
WTF news of the day: John Stockton picks isiah Thomas to present him at Friday’s Hall of Fame ceremony.HOF inductees must pick current members to present them during the ceremony, so Stockton could not pick his longtime running mate Karl Malone (who will be eligible for induction himself next year). Still, the choice of Isiah Thomas is...puzzling. Sure, Thomas was a contemporary HOF point guard, but isn’t inviting the guy with the reverse Midas touch just inviting disaster?
Read Article >Best HOF Class Ever?
Dust off your favorite John Tesh jingle - it’s time for some ‘90s NBA nostalgia! While a certain number 23 has stolen the headlines, the undercards in this year’s Basketball Hall of Fame class are not so shabby themselves. With David Robinson and John Stockton (along with Jerry Sloan and women’s coach Vivian Stringer) joining his Airness in Springfield for the induction on Friday, September 11th, it’s fair to ask: is this the best basketball Hall of Fame class ever?
Consider - John Stockton is the all-time NBA career leader in assists and steals; David Robinson is a former MVP and two-time champion; Jerry Sloan was a former All-Star in the Association himself before going on to coaching the pick and roll to perfection in Utah for the last twenty years; Vivian Stringer is the third-winningest coach in women’s NCAA history, and is the first coach to take three different women’s programs to the Final Four. And we haven’t even gotten to this guy yet.
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