David Stern is full of shit - ESPN Interview about MJ.

[AngelEyes]

So you're saying that you were in the Chicago Stadium and United Center on a night in and night out basis like I was from 93-96?

Okay. And you don't know me well enough to call me obnoxious, because I am FAAARRRRR from it.

Sam fucking Smith, the same guy who wrote the Jordan Rules, which basically succeeded in bringing most of Jordan's indiscretions to the public and significantly damaging his previous squeaky clean image, even found the accusations to be ludicrous.

[Knoe Itawl]

So you're saying that you were in the Chicago Stadium and United Center on a night in and night out basis like I was from 93-96?

Okay. And you don't know me well enough to call me obnoxious, because I am FAAARRRRR from it.

Come on man, being there doesn't give you any more insight on this then anyone else. You heard whispers from other people indulging in gossip, what EVIDENCE do you have?

It's like the guy in this picture saying he knows the nuclear codes cause he works in the White House

[ihoopallday]

Of course he won't admit how he really felt. It's like when your gf dumps you. Most guys go around acting like you don't give a ****, but deep inside they're hurting.

[AngelEyes]

Come on man, being there doesn't give you any more insight on this then anyone else. You heard whispers from other people indulging in gossip, what EVIDENCE do you have?

It's like the guy in this picture saying he knows the nuclear codes cause he works in the White House

Exactly. Guys like Sam Smith were there everyday covering that team, hounding Jordan, Jackson, etc. for information, he never saw a reason to support the suspension claim, but a fan who attended the games during that era does. Why? Oh, because he was at the games of course...yeah, that makes sense.

[Jasper]

Also, he claims it wasn't about MJ until the Bulls started winning Championships... but I can tell you the MJ hype started way before he started winning rings.

YES I know I lived in Chicago

Fabrications of what MJ did during his baseball career is just bull shit.
He was exhausted playing bball trying to will his team to a championship.
His baseball career was for his father.

And yes I saw the video Stern , had and saw no issues with it.
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Only issue I had with the whole thing is that , I wished Jordan didn't leave bball , because Ibelieve he would of won 9 straight rings , and the Kobe discussion would of been absolutely MUTE.

[guy]

There's more evidence to support Jordan retiring on his own because of burnout, his immense fame, his father's murder, than someone bullshit conspiracy theory. His father was gauging his interest in retirement a year or two prior to it actually happening. The two teenagers who killed James Jordan had absolutely no mob ties, there was nothing uncovered to support that... yet people continually spew that drivel. James Jordan was extremely careless driving to a remote location and sleeping in his car over night, it ended up costing him when a couple of punk kids came around and robbed and murdered him.

Yes, I think there's a misconception that Jordan retiring was a complete surprise. You can even look on youtube when Bob Costas is interviewing everyone during the 93 championship celebration and he was asking him about there being some speculation about him retiring.

Still though, the only thing that doesn't make me totally write off the conspiracy theory is the fact that James Jordan apparently pulled off on the freeway to take a nap. Who the **** does that? Forget the fact that he was the father of one of the famous people in the world. What normal person does that?

[2LeTTeRS]

Yes, I think there's a misconception that Jordan retiring was a complete surprise. You can even look on youtube when Bob Costas is interviewing everyone during the 93 championship celebration and he was asking him about there being some speculation about him retiring.

Still though, the only thing that doesn't make me totally write off the conspiracy theory is the fact that James Jordan apparently pulled off on the freeway to take a nap. Who the **** does that? Forget the fact that he was the father of one of the famous people in the world. What normal person does that?

Its not that rare for the rural areas of NC especially in the early 90s before a lot of these new rest stops were built. Its not like we have 5-star hotels every few towns over --- in certain parts of the state there really isn't any safe place to go to sleep.

[TheMarkMadsen]

Think about if Kobe or Lebron left the league after a 3peat all their stans would claim "they left the game because they were too good and tired of winning"

[9512]

Why would Jordan be suspended for gambling?

I thought it was legal. At least the way he does it.

And why would he be involved with the mob? It's not like he needs to borrow money from anyone much less from the mob?

[guy]

Its not that rare for the rural areas of NC especially in the early 90s before a lot of these new rest stops were built. Its not like we have 5-star hotels every few towns over --- in certain parts of the state there really isn't any safe place to go to sleep.

Pulled over on the freeway though? Its one thing if he got off at an exit and then pulled over. But he pulled over on the freeway?

[bdreason]

Why would Jordan be suspended for gambling?

If he were betting on NBA games, or perhaps even betting on his own team to win, then he would definitely be suspended from the NBA.

[ILLsmak]

Meh, the league was way bigger than any single player. In fact, attendance went up the following year. Stern knew it would be just fine with or without MJ. Kinda like if Lebron retire after the season.

I don't think anyone thought MJ was going to stay away from bball. I was like 11 and I knew he wasn't gone for good. The whole thing was a huge joke, covering his bball games. I lived in IL.

But the truth is if MJ really retired, it would have been some dark days for the NBA. It was basically ALL MJ at that time. There were other players, but nobody they could put into that face of the NBA role.

-Smak

[ILLsmak]

If he were betting on NBA games, or perhaps even betting on his own team to win, then he would definitely be suspended from the NBA.

Double post. I disagree with this. I think the only reason gambling is prohibited is because of point shaving. If someone was betting on wins and covering the spread, that would not affect anyone. I think it has much more to do with underplaying that "overplaying."

That's the fear among the suits... getting guys who understand the betting thing and playing for spread. Even NOT betting on the game and playing with the spread is a big deal.

-Smak

[daily]

In 1992, after winning his second championship, Jordan was called to testify in the criminal trial of James Bouler to explain why why Bouler, a convicted drug dealer, was in possession of a Jordan-signed personal check for $57,000.

First, Jordan claimed it was a business loan, but under oath he admitted that it was a payment for on gambling losses for a single weekend.

Then, in early 1993, San Diego businessman Richard Equinas revealed in his book Michael and Me: Our Gambling Addiction...My Cry for Help that he had won over $900,000 from Jordan in golf betting.

Around the same time, MJ was spotted in an Atlantic City casino in the early hours on the morning of Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals.

After the Bulls won their third championship, the NBA launched an investigation into Jordan's gambling problems to check whether he had violated any league rules. Then, four months later Jordan stunned the world by suddenly retiring from professional basketball.

At the press conference when he was asked if he would ever return he said, " Five years down the road, if the urge comes back, if the Bulls will have me, if David Stern lets me back in the league, I may come back."

Now why in the world would Jordan ever say if David Stern lets him back, then maybe he would come back when the reporter didn't mention Stern's name at all in his question?

Only days after Jordan announced his retirement, the league dropped its investigation, saying he did nothing wrong (I guess betting numerous amounts on sports isn't wrong then).

Was there a secret agreement between Jordan and Stern where Stern told him to simply retire and create a distraction so that he wouldn't face a suspension and have his huge marketable name stay clean?

The distraction occurred when Jordan then decided to play minor league baseball in the White Sox organization, even though he would've had trouble hitting a beach ball, yet alone a baseball. In 102 games with the Barons, Jordan had a .202 average along with 3 homers, 51 RBI, 30 stolen bases, 114 strikeouts, and a .555 OPS.

Also, in the much respected book Money Players Days and Nights Inside the New NBA by Armen Keteyian, it states that in 1993, the league had an interview with Richard Equinas during their investigation on Jordan's gambling. He said that in March of 1992, he overheard a telephone conversation Jordan was having with an unknown person.

During the conversation, he heard Jordan talking about a betting line, "So you say the line is seven points." The game MJ was talking about isn't known, but the accusations are extremely serious as that means if Jordan was indeed betting on sports, he was breaking a sacred, unwritten rule for all professional athletes, as that is against the integrity of the game.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...ret-suspension

[daily]

[QUOTE]Here is the untold story of the real reasons why Michael Jordan retired from the NBA in 1993, according to sports writing legend Jack McCollum of Sports Illustrated:

October 6, 1993. Not what you