Truemors
is reporting from
Member
NP Rank:
NP Rank:
Michael Jordan Hall of Fame Acceptance Speech Transcript & Video
Share:
by NowPublic Staff | September 14, 2009 at 12:29 pm
69415 views | 12 Recommendations | 18 comments
Videos
Much has been made about Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame acceptance speech last week. Many have commented that Michael Jordan's acceptance speech was rather mean-spirited and petty. Others say it showed Jordan's fiery competitive spirit.
Judge for yourself by checking out this partial transcript of the Michael Jordan Hall of Fame acceptance speech:
“Jerry’s not here. I don’t know who’d invite him. I didn’t. I hope he understands it goes a long way. He’s a very competitive person. I was a very competitive person. He said organizations win championships. I said, ‘I didn’t see organizations playing with the flu in Utah. I didn’t see it playing with a bad ankle.’"
“Granted, I think organizations put together teams, but at the end of the day, the team’s got to go out and play. I think the players win the championship, and the organization has something to do with it, don’t get me wrong. But don’t try to put the organization above the players.”
“I was in Chicago in 1994 … and at this time I had no thoughts of coming back and playing the game of basketball. Bryon Russell came over to me and said, ‘Why’d you quit? You know I could guard you. If I ever see you in a pair of shorts …’
“When I did come back in 1995 and we played Utah in ‘96, I’m at the center circle and Bryon Russell is standing next to me. I said, ‘You remember the [comments] you made in 1994 about, ‘I think I can guard you, I can shut you down, I would love to play against you? Well, you’re about to get your chance.’ “
Jordan then commented on former NBA greats Isiah Thomas, George Gervin and Magic Johnson freezing him out at his first All-Star Game.
“You guys gave me the motivation to say, ‘You know what? Evidently I haven’t proved enough to these guys. I’ve got to prove to these guys that I deserve what I got at this level.’
He also thanked Bulls fans.
“They took me in and I had to earn my keep. They believed in me. I believed in them. That marriage lasted up until now. I will always, always have the deepest warmth for the city of Chicago and the support I’ve received from them."
“Other than what I’ve done, I can’t give back any more. And I wouldn’t ask for any more. I just want them to be able to remember the things I contributed to the city. And hopefully at some point down the road, they can have another championship just so they can compare the two. I wouldn’t be standing here without their support without a doubt.”
Advertisement
NowPublic on Facebook
What is NowPublic?
NowPublic lets people work together to cover news events around the world.
Most Recommended Comment
Crowd Power
-1.jpg)
Jon Azpiri
Vancouver, Canada
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (18)
at 15:16 on September 14th, 2009
When taken out of context these quotes do seem petty and mean spirited. However, after just seeing the speech for the first time, I am amazed that anyone would have a problem with what Jordan said and how he said it. I feel that Mr. Jordan was very articulate and clever and what so many have interpreted as "petty" I feel was both profound and genuine. The profundity because in a joking, clever way, Mr. Jordan explained the incidents which made him who he was, and genuine because they show his human side in how these issues affected him. I think Air Jordan was being bit self-effacing. Overall I was impressed at the tone, humor, and themes of the speech. It was definitely fun to hear the 'insider' aspects.I'm surprised anyone would have a problem with what Michael said. I felt it was all in good spirit and much different than how sports media pundits portrayed it.
at 08:48 on September 17th, 2009
I love when below average intelligence uses a thesaurus. Mr. Jordan? haha. You're trying to hard, really.
at 09:47 on September 17th, 2009
Here here! I Caucus With Patriots!
at 12:01 on September 18th, 2009
try to hard?i didnt realize hard was a verb
at 14:44 on October 22nd, 2009
The word "hard" isn't a verb, it's being used as an adverb in his statement, idiot....Before you criticize someone's grammar or spelling, you might want to check your own!
at 17:54 on October 28th, 2009
thanks english police
at 18:15 on September 27th, 2009
Yea...i tried to soft last night and it just didn't work.........
at 12:58 on September 15th, 2009
Just a old man who can't get over he isn't at the top of his sport anymore. Was he the greatest, yeah, I would have to say so. But let it go. get some class like Barry Sanders, Joe Montanta, Hank Aaron. My respect for him is long gone.
at 12:50 on September 16th, 2009
isn't the original speech 20+ minutes long?
at 05:21 on September 21st, 2009
Another black man on the hands of a white women...Nothing more...His speech just as his life, proud to be great, but breaking his arm patting himeself on the back...he just don't know any better. I truly want to know, what is wrong with black women. I am all for love who you want, and that love has no color, but I still wonder...what is wo wrong with black woment that when you get a dollar, they just not good enough. Due tell ... all you great black men...help me to understand.
at 06:38 on September 21st, 2009
Lighten up everyone. He was just having a little fun. When you're elected to the hall, you can do it the way you want. And Kasey....pray through brother. You need Jesus and an English class. In that order.
at 11:58 on September 21st, 2009
Get off MJ'z Jock...HEs the best to ever PLay Appreciate him, plzzzzzzz
at 13:28 on October 9th, 2009
gotta love his shout-out to his family...what a jackass. He "had to" buy seats for his family, rough life, MJ. And the fact that he feels sorry for them for having to follow in his footsteps...no wonder why his son quit the Illini team.
at 06:00 on October 31st, 2009
As I first saw a documentary about Michael Jordan, I know I will be a fan of basketball. It was amazing seeing him fly, defying gravity at its very essence. I watched his winning shot over the Utah Jazz way back in the 90’s when I was still a kid and when Karl Malone was crowned MVP. I literally saw him fly then, I saw him above every basketball player in history, of course including Malone: the MVP that time. Jordan had revolutionized basketball game play. He has set a new standard today where everyone else followed. Subsequently, the results were really amazing. From today’s Kobe Bryant and his famous step-back jumper to the knee-breaking crossover of Allen Iverson, I know that they were direct results of Jordan’s new standards making NBA soar high in terms of fame. As they put it, “heroes here are not born, they are made.” And I will stand my ground being a lifetime solid fan of basketball. kayacamilla.com
at 06:05 on October 31st, 2009
As I first saw a documentary about Michael Jordan, I know I will be a fan of basketball. It was amazing seeing him fly, defying gravity at its very essence. I watched his winning shot over the Utah Jazz way back in the 90’s when I was still a kid and when Karl Malone was crowned MVP. I literally saw him fly then, I saw him above every basketball player in history, of course including Malone: the MVP that time. Jordan had revolutionized basketball game play. He has set a new standard today where everyone else followed. Subsequently, the results were really amazing. From today’s Kobe Bryant and his famous step-back jumper to the knee-breaking crossover of Allen Iverson, I know that they were direct results of Jordan’s new standards making NBA soar high in terms of fame. As they put it, “heroes here are not born, they are made.” And I will stand my ground being a lifetime solid fan of basketball. kayacamilla.com
at 11:06 on November 4th, 2009
Come on, people. "Mr. Jordan's" speech was definetely petty. He was not self-effacing (as someone above said)--he's never made fun of himself or taken himself lightly because he has always believed he was the greatest basketball player that ever was, even when he was a rookie and still wasn't there yet. Can you see Jordan racing an NBA ref like Barkley did? Now there's a guy who gets that he's only famous because he's tall and can play basketball. I just don't get how anyone can argue that this speech wasn't petty? The best was when he said he "felt sorry for his children for having to follow in his footsteps." Are you kidding me? Now that is a true d***. Greatest or not, an acceptance speech to the HOF should not be about getting even with the people who froze you out of an All-Star game 20 years ago or the owner you didn't get along with. Heis speech was one long statement saying, In case anyone forgot, I'm still the greatest. No one forgot, Michael, we've just moved on.
at 13:10 on November 12th, 2009
G-merc, you said it all when you wrote that he's still trying to prove to everyone that he's the greatest. It's like he's the only one who doesn't get that he already won, a long, long time ago. Through his whole speech the only person he genuinely thanked was Scottie Pippen in the beginning. The rest of his thank you's were sarcastic shots at Pat Riley, Jeff Van Gundy, Byron Russel--people who got him mad at some point, and so now he gets to say, "Thank you, because I got to prove you all wrong." Jordan even flew out the poor guy he got cut for in high school, just so he could say to his high school coach, "See, you made a mistake, dude." Now that's a dude with a chip on his shoulder. In his acceptance speech, he defintely failed to live up to the title of Greatest Ever.
at 20:49 on November 7th, 2009
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~reglan+side+effect reglan side effect | reglan side effect
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~oxycontin oxycontin | oxycontin
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~neurontin+and+vulvodynia neurontin and vulvodynia | neurontin and vulvodynia
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~buy+oxycontin buy oxycontin | buy oxycontin
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~amoxicillin+500+mg amoxicillin 500 mg | amoxicillin 500 mg
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~naltrexone+efectivenus naltrexone efectivenus | naltrexone efectivenus
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~tramadol+hcl tramadol hcl | tramadol hcl
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~omeprazole+side+effect omeprazole side effect | omeprazole side effect
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~reglan+dosage+for+felines reglan dosage for felines | reglan dosage for felines
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~snort+ambien snort ambien | snort ambien
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~alprazolam+forum alprazolam forum | alprazolam forum
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~where+to+buy+meridia+diet+drug+in+cozumel%252C+mexico where to buy meridia diet drug in cozumel, mexico | where to buy meridia diet drug in cozumel, mexico
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~reglan+and+lawsuit reglan and lawsuit | reglan and lawsuit
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~lorazepam+intensol lorazepam intensol | lorazepam intensol
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~medrol+and+astragulus+reaction medrol and astragulus reaction | medrol and astragulus reaction
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~albuterol+inhalers albuterol inhalers | albuterol inhalers
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~is+adipex+safe is adipex safe | is adipex safe
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~reglan+class+action+lawsuit reglan class action lawsuit | reglan class action lawsuit
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~propecia+generica propecia generica | propecia generica
v1.safehaus.org:8080/display/~cod+accepted+orders+for+tramadol cod accepted orders for tramadol | cod accepted orders for tramadol