167 replies to this topic

[mweb08]

He wasnt in proper shape at that point.

No, the team wasn’t as good around him but it was good enough that I think they win if he’s back a few months before.

I don’t think you overlook it but it’s also not anything I would remotely hold against him...ala LeBron losing to Dallas for example.

I'm not bashing him for it. It's simply part of the resume. We seem to agree on that.

[SportsGuy]

I'm not bashing him for it. It's simply part of the resume. We seem to agree on that.

The “you” I said was more general..not you you. (Just to be clear)

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Of course '95 is on the resume. It happened. It counts. As I said, I dont hold any of that against him. If he was that worried about legacy in the moment he easily could have waited until '96 and not joined a .500 team. They played at a .764 clip once he joined with little practice and not being in peak shape. Not hard to believe they are the best team in the East and likely all of basketball if he plays the full season.

[mweb08]

Of course '95 is on the resume. It happened. It counts. As I said, I dont hold any of that against him. If he was that worried about legacy in the moment he easily could have waited until '96 and not joined a .500 team. They played at a .764 clip once he joined with little practice and not being in peak shape. Not hard to believe they are the best team in the East and likely all of basketball if he plays the full season.

Or if he, the ultimate competitor was that worried about winning titles, he would have not retired at all or come back earlier.

[SBTarheel]

Had MLB not been on strike, and he hadn't been asked about the replacement player thing, i do wonder if he'd have stuck with Baseball, at least through the '95 season. 

[mweb08]

Had MLB not been on strike, and he hadn't been asked about the replacement player thing, i do wonder if he'd have stuck with Baseball, at least through the '95 season.

Maybe. I found the talk of him reaching the majors quite hyperbolic, though. Unless they were talking about as a publicity stunt.

[SBTarheel]

Maybe. I found the talk of him reaching the majors quite hyperbolic, though. Unless they were talking about as a publicity stunt.

Agreed. An interesting "what if" for sure. 

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Had MLB not been on strike, and he hadn't been asked about the replacement player thing, i do wonder if he'd have stuck with Baseball, at least through the '95 season.

He may have stuck with baseball awhile longer. Maybe long enough to be called up and play in Sept. I do agree it only would've been as a publicity stunt. He wasn't going to make it otherwise. He was always going to return to basketball at some point.

[SBTarheel]

He may have stuck with baseball awhile longer. Maybe long enough to be called up and play in Sept. I do agree it only would've been as a publicity stunt. He wasn't going to make it otherwise. He was always going to return to basketball at some point.

Oh for sure, it's just a fun thing to think about. , The White Sox were 68-76 in 1995, they'd have packed the place in September with MJ! 

[mweb08]

The baseball talk in the doc relates to what Horace was talking about in that it was spun very much in MJ's favor to the point where it was beyond believability.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

The baseball talk in the doc relates to what Horace was talking about in that it was spun very much in MJ's favor to the point where it was beyond believability.

In what way? Of course Francona is going to say publically he thinks MJ would've made it. Anybody old enough to remember or understand baseball reference knows he wasn't a big leaguer on merit.

[mweb08]

In what way? Of course Francona is going to say publically he thinks MJ would've made it. Anybody old enough to remember or understand baseball reference knows he wasn't a big leaguer on merit.

In the way that it was biased in favor of MJ.

Yes, anyone that really knows the history or can analyze basic stats knows better, but then why include that nonsense?

[BSLChrisStoner]

I think what he did in baseball was remarkable. To go from not playing since HS to AA at 31 and be competitive at all should not be deemed a failure.

[SportsGuy]

I think people who were saying he could make the majors were saying that he was putting in a ton of work and getting better and that they felt he would keep putting in a ton of work to make it to the majors.

It’s a reasonable take...no one said he was going to become an AS or even an everyday player. Just that they thought he would reach the majors.

I get what Weber is saying though. It’s definitely them trying to make MJ look as good as possible but then again, so what?

[mweb08]

I think people who were saying he could make the majors were saying that he was putting in a ton of work and getting better and that they felt he would keep putting in a ton of work to make it to the majors.

It’s a reasonable take...no one said he was going to become an AS or even an everyday player. Just that they thought he would reach the majors.

I get what Weber is saying though. It’s definitely them trying to make MJ look as good as possible but then again, so what?

I don't think it's a reasonable take. I agree with Stoner that it was impressive that he was able to not be a complete embarrassment, but in terms of making the majors legitimately, he didn't demonstrate any reason to have any sort of faith in that.

As for the so what, ideally documentaries are as objective as possible. I suppose this was as objective as possible for needing Jordan's cooperation and permission, but that's not the ideal.

[SportsGuy]

I don't think it's a reasonable take. I agree with Stoner that it was impressive that he was able to not be a complete embarrassment, but in terms of making the majors legitimately, he didn't demonstrate any reason to have any sort of faith in that.
As for the so what, ideally documentaries are as objective as possible. I suppose this was as objective as possible for needing Jordan's cooperation and permission, but that's not the ideal.

Sure it’s ideal.

You can draw your own conclusions on anything you choose.

You hear that he could have made the majors yet you aren’t falling for it.

This is just you trying to be a contrarian and looking for something to complain about. It’s what you do.

That’s fine but stop painting it as if it’s some big deal or that it matters.

[mweb08]

Sure it’s ideal.

You can draw your own conclusions on anything you choose.

You hear that he could have made the majors yet you aren’t falling for it.

This is just you trying to be a contrarian and looking for something to complain about. It’s what you do.

That’s fine but stop painting it as if it’s some big deal or that it matters.

Mentioning obvious bias in a doc is being a contrarian?

I think it matters, but I don't think it's a big deal.

[Mike B]

I think it was Reinsdorf that made the statement that Jordan would have made the major leagues.  He may have believed that, and he may have made it happen when ther rosters expanded in September, but I don't know that his opinion is one of a true baseball man.  

I think the idea, that Jordan, would have made an impact in the majors is far fetched. 

[SportsGuy]

I think it was Reinsdorf that made the statement that Jordan would have made the major leagues.  He may have believed that, and he may have made it happen when ther rosters expanded in September, but I don't know that his opinion is one of a true baseball man.  
I think the idea, that Jordan, would have made an impact in the majors is far fetched. 

Francona said it too.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Don Markus: Former Maryland star Keith Booth talks about his rookie season and "The Last Dance."

 

Markus was The Sun's UM beat writer, and has been blogging since taking a buyout in February.

 

It's a nice read, though nothing big in terms of insider info we didn't already know (other than a funny Rodman story). Apparently Jerry Krause was a pretty big fan of Booth though; he even watched several of Booth's games in person as far back as his high school days at Dunbar.