Until we meet again

By: Jamey Codding (jameycodding@bullz-eye.com)

02/10/2003

Codding Home / Sports Channel / Bullz-Eye Home

Snoop was there. So were Beyonce and Adam Sandler. Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis both took in the game. Jamie Foxx even tried to get into the game at one point.

And they were all probably rooting for the same guy.

It was the 2003 NBA All Star game, the Michael Jordan lovefest that gave fans, players, coaches and even a particularly busty Mariah Carey a chance to say a final goodbye to the greatest player to ever lace up a pair of high tops. It also, of course, gave MJ a chance to say a final goodbye to the national stage he'd thrived on throughout his magical career.

But the farewell party didn't start out so well, with Michael missing his first seven shots from the field and going just 2-of-10 in the first quarter. He missed open looks, blew a layup and a put-back, and he even botched a dunk. Everybody in the building wanted to see vintage Jordan in his final All-Star game, the retro version that hoisted trophies, buried jumpers and defied gravity; what they got instead was 40-year-old Jordan, the retiring version that ices knees, misses gimmes and turns the ball over. When he finally took a seat on the bench with just over a minute to go in the first quarter, it had never been more painfully clear that it was time for MJ and his wagging tongue to finally call it quits.

But the heart of a champion still beats long after the body begins to wear down, and while Jordan's physical skills have faded his competitive nature is as ferocious as ever. Sure, he only hit on three of his 12 first-half attempts after sitting for the majority of the second quarter, but he wanted to put on a show, wanted to add another clip to his library of career highlights. 

And when the fourth quarter rolled around, we caught a glimpse of the man who made defenders wet themselves long before Allen Iverson perfected his crossover, the man who three-peated while Kobe Bryant still had his learner's permit, the man who three-peated again before LeBron James ever knew what a "throwback" jersey was. Granted, it admittedly still was the 40-year-old Jordan on the court in Atlanta, but during that fourth quarter he looked younger than he had all game, scoring six-straight points for the East to open up a 108-104 lead and then nailing another jumper with 1:59 left to sustain the four-point advantage.

And when the game was tied at 120-120 with just a couple ticks left on the clock, who had the ball in his hands?

If you don't know the answer, you haven't been paying attention.

But Jordan clanked the potential winner off the front of the rim, sending the game into overtime. And with the clock again winding down in overtime, who had the ball in his hands again?

But this time, despite being forced by Shawn Marion to fade away from the right baseline, MJ drained the improbable rainbow, breaking the 136-136 tie with a little more than three seconds remaining.

The Hollywood script had been written and Jordan followed through with yet another memorable performance.

With one second left, though, Jermaine O'Neal fouled Kobe on his desperation three-point attempt, sending the heir apparent to the line with a chance to outshine the man whose crown he's seemed destined to inherit for years. But Kobe, an 83% free throw shooter, hit just two of his three freebies and the game proceeded to a second overtime.

Jordan, however, would not come off the bench for that final period. After already logging 36 minutes, MJ's body ultimately overruled his heart, which was perhaps the most telling moment of the entire game.

By now, everybody's seen the Gatorade commercial with today's Jordan going one-on-one against his younger self. It's really an amazing thing, watching this computer-enhanced Jordan attack the rim against the Jordan of today.

Incidentally, can we all just agree that vintage Jordan would beat the snot out of 2003 MJ? Okay, good.

Anyway, the younger, faster and more explosive Jordan from this commercial never would've been on the bench during that second overtime. He never would've missed the dunk in the first quarter and he would've drilled the jumper in Marion's face at the end of the fourth period.

Actually, the younger Jordan probably would've gotten past Marion on his way to the rim.

That younger Jordan unfortunately is long gone, though, and never was that more obvious than Sunday night. Soon enough, today's Jordan will also fade, once and for all, into the shadow of retirement.

So the logical question, of course, is who takes his spot at the top of the NBA? Is it Kobe, or Tracy McGrady? Maybe it's Iverson or All-Star MVP Kevin Garnett or even, as some are predicting, it's that high school kid from Akron, Ohio.

Ironically, Kobe not only had the chance to upstage his idol at the end of the first overtime period, he also could've sealed the victory for the West by hitting two free throws with 10 seconds to go in the fourth after a foul was called on, you guessed it, Mr. Jordan.

But Kobe split the pair.

Kinda makes you wonder if the young MJ would've connected in the same situations. I personally think he would've, but what does it matter now?

The funny thing about all of this is that I've never been a Jordan fan.

Actually, as a Clevelander I can say that he's single-handedly broken my heart on several occasions, most notably "The Shot."

But as I sat there Sunday night watching this all unfold, I couldn't help thinking that something big was happening. Players retire all the time. Only a small percentage of those players actually achieve greatness during their careers, and a still smaller amount even approach the heights that Jordan reached during his NBA tenure.

I never saw Babe Ruth or Willie Mays play. Never saw Jim Brown either. But I did get to watch Michael Jordan in his prime, and for that I consider myself lucky.

And maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to say that same thing about Kobe Bryant one day. But first, he'll have to put in a little practice time at the charity stripe.

In the Bullz-Eye

Arizona's Jake Plummer, Cleveland's Tim Couch and Denver's Brian Griese. All three quarterbacks, once considered the future of their respective franchises, are now rumored to be either unsigned, traded or even released at some point this season following yet another disappointing showing in 2002. Ironically, the Broncos will reportedly consider signing Plummer should Arizona let him become a free agent, and the Cards are rumored to have an interest in trading for Couch. Nothing like dumping your problem and replacing it with someone else's.

Questions/comments? Send all e-mails to jcodding@bullz-eye.com.