Pop Culture Retrospective Podcast Episode #49 - Michael Jordan

Before we get into today’s show I wanted to say first - rest in peace Kirk Bailey. If you remember a recent episode of the PCRP you may recall that we discussed some memorable tween shows from Nickelodeon, including Salute Your Shorts.  Kirk Bailey starred as Ug on that show, the camp’s counselor.  He was recently diagnosed with Lung cancer and sadly passed away this past week.  Thanks for the laughs, Kirk.  And also, today’s show topic was suggested by a friend and listener, Julie.  Now, on with the show.

I’m quite certain that I am biased, but I firmly believe that me and my sister grew up during the greatest era of professional basketball.  What I am referring to is the 1980s and 1990s when the Chicagoland area was blessed with not only Oprah Winfrey who filmed her show and lived in the city, but also the GOAT (greatest of all time) Michael Jordan.  The arena, where the Chicago Bulls play is located not very far from where we grew up.  Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls were an integral part of many kids' lives growing up, as he was impossible to ignore - he was truly a superstar, unlike anything the professional basketball world had ever seen.  And in looking back recently over many, many clips of him playing reminded me of what an experience it was to see him play.  It made me a bit emotional to say the least.  Nostalgia just does that to you sometimes.  

I have a distinct memory of me and my sister going over to our friend’s house and hoping we could watch one of their movies.  They had a VHS or Laser Disc copy of “Come Fly With Me” which was released in 1989.  The movie walked audiences through Michael Jordan’s childhood and his development into becoming the greatest basketball player in the world.  In the movie they showed a lot of footage of Jordan playing - defensive, offense and of course his apparent weightlessness when it came to running and jumping into the air to dunk a ball.  The segment where he temporarily flies through the air to dunk the ball several times had some memorable elevator music which I often get stuck in my head.  SOUND CLIP HERE.

With that being said, on today’s show we will be taking a look back at the life and career of Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest basketball player of all time.  Younger generations have been blessed with watching players like LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kobe Bryant grace a basketball court, but in order to get a well-rounded perspective, it is imperative to discuss Michael Jordan, who has been out of the basketball spotlight for almost 2 decades now.  Time flies and so does MJ.  So, grab your sweat band, hang your tongue out of your mouth and lace up your Air Jordan’s, here we go!

Hello and thank you so very much for tuning in to the Pop Culture Retrospective Podcast, a show inspired by, and in memory of, my big sister Rebecca and her love for all things pop-culture, especially the people, places and things of the 80s, 90s and early 00s.  My name is Amy Lewis and I am your captain aboard this pop culture time machine. You are tuning in to episode # 49 - Michael Jordan - the basketball sensation with the incredible ability, as some people felt, to fly.  Before we get into what he is best known for, let’s start at the very beginning of his story.

Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born on February 17, 1963 in Brooklyn, NY.  At that time his mom, Delores, worked at a bank and his dad, James, was an equipment supervisor.  Jordan has 4 other siblings- 2 brothers, one named Larry and the other James JR and two sisters - Deloris and Roselyn.  When he was 5 years old, the family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina. Growing up, Jordan enjoyed playing different sports like basketball of course, and football and he also liked playing baseball with his Dad.  In addition to learning about sports, Jordan’s parents taught their children a lot about self-reliance.  The kids learned to do things like their laundry and sewing at an early age.  Jordan’s older brother Larry was really into basketball so Jordan started taking a strong liking to it as well.  He was very competitive so he was determined to beat his brother because Larry was also talented with a basketball.  James Jordan ended up building a basketball court in their backyard so the two brothers could compete against each other.  

Jordan attended Laney HS in Wilmington, NC.  As a sophomore, he was cut from his varsity basketball team, he would have to play J/V.  At 5 foot 11, the coach felt he was too short and not quite ready to play at the varsity level.  When the next basketball season rolled around, Jordan had grown several inches and had spent a significant amount of time practicing and thankfully, he made the team. While he was in high school, a few faculty members had suggestions for him about what to pursue after high school.  One teacher suggested he study math because that’s where all the money was and another suggested he enlist in the Air Force.  Little did they know that a different future laid ahead for him.  As a junior and senior in high school he excelled in basketball and caught the attention of several college basketball recruiters, and ultimately decided to attend The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, earning a basketball scholarship.  It took him some time to warm up to playing at the college level and to play consistently, however he did score the winning basket to clinch the NCAA championship title against Georgetown University.   During his sophomore year of college he was awarded Player of the Year.   He was the recipient of even more awards during his Junior year, however his 3rd year in college would be his last.  He decided to join the NBA, he was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1984.  (Jordan would end up finishing his degree in Geography a few years later).  He was a first round draft pick, the 3rd player to be selected for a team.  Before the season even started though, he played on the Men’s basketball team in the 1984 Olympics, which were held in Los Angeles, CA.   

When Michael Jordan debuted for the Bulls in 1985 as a guard, wearing #23 like he did in college, he really took the basketball world by storm.  He was voted Rookie of the Year and his popularity would just continue to grow as he continued to play in the NBA.  Fans were amazed by his incredible talent and skill, as well as his signature tongue hanging out gesture which was likely picked up from his dad who often stuck out his tongue while doing mechanical work.  It felt like Michael Jordan wasn’t even a human, he was a superhero.  He could maneuver his body through multiple defenders, somehow reaching the basket to make an impressive jump shot or a dazzling lay up. Whenever he handled a basketball, it was almost like it was an extension of his body.  Pele, who is one of the greatest soccer players of all time, had such incredible soccer ball handling skills - he could juggle (meaning kicking the ball up in the air with each foot back and forth without it falling on the ground) with a head of lettuce or an orange.  I think the same goes for Michael Jordan and his unbelievable basketball handling skills and coordination.  His vertical leap was 48 inches.  The arena where the Bulls played was often only filled to about 30% capacity prior to 1985.  However, once Chicagoans got a taste of Michael Jordan, they started to pack the stadium.  Even when the Bulls were on the road, attendance rose as well.  Large companies started to notice Jordan’s star power as well and endorsement deals started being offered left and right from companies like McDonalds, Hanes and Nike.  Nike and Jordan agreed on a deal where he would endorse their products, including special Jordan inspired basketball sneakers to the tune of 500,000 per year for 5 years.  The first Air Jordans were released in 1985.  The company was anticipating moderate success the first year.  However, that prediction was blown out of the water when the company ended the year with 100 million dollars in revenue.  As of 2020, Jordan has earned about 1 billion dollars from his endorsements with Nike.  

The Chicago Bulls were certainly not a winning team when Jordan first joined, however in the late 1980s and early 1990s, they added several players which created a force to be reckoned with.  Those players included:  John Paxon, Horace Grant and everyone’s favorite bass-voiced basketball player, Scottie Pippen.  

Outside of the court, Michael Jordan met a woman named Juanita Vaney in 1985.  They were introduced to each other by a friend.  And guess where they met?  Some swanky party for rich people?  The top of the John Hancock building in downtown Chicago?  A country club at an exclusive country club?  Nope.  At Bennigans.  That’s right, you heard me, Benigans.  I’m sure when he saw her walk across the room with her shamrock-rita in hand, it was love at first sight. We talked about Benigans on a previous episode of the PCRP.  He married Juanita in 1989.  They had three sons together named Jeffrey, Marcus and Jasmine.  

Both of their sons played basketball in college but didn’t make it to the NBA like their dad.  The couple divorced in 2006.  She received $168 million dollars in their divorce settlement. 

In 1991, the Chicago Bulls began their unbelievable run with NBA championships.  For their first victory, they beat the LA Lakers, one of the all-time best teams in the NBA.  This was Michael Jordan’s first appearance in the NBA Finals and Magic Johnson’s last.  James Worthy, one of the all-time greatest players was also on the Laker’s roster at this time.  The Bulls clenched the title in Game 5, at the Laker’s stadium.  In a now famous moment, Michael Jordan was in tears clutching the championship trophy.  His parents were both there to celebrate with him.  In 1992, the Bulls again won the NBA Championship, this time against the Portland Trail Blazers, led by talented players like Clyde Drexler and Cliff Robinson.  Finally, in 1993, the Bulls achieved what they called a Three-peat by battling it out against the Phoenix Suns and ultimately finishing victorious.  Charles Barkley was devastated.  Here’s an excerpt from the Chicago Tribune that ran in June of 1993 about the Bull’s victory, quote:

The Phoenix Suns talked of destiny throughout this season, and then throughout these playoffs as they held off final defeat in five different games. But destiny is something to be achieved, and so it finally, inevitably, belonged to the Bulls here Sunday in the NBA Finals.  And the victory for the so-called three-peat was symbolically earned with John Paxson’s three, a three-point field goal that left a city and a team stunned and gasping.

“For it to be over so quickly, that’s the thing,” said Charles Barkley, sitting still stunned in his locker stall some 30 minutes after the game, a towel draped over his shoulder and beads of sweat rolling down his thick neck. “You do something for six, seven, eight months and then it’s over. In one quick jumper. Just like that. It’s hard to take.” Hard to accept because the Suns came so close, felt they had played so well in doing the unthinkable in winning two of three in Chicago, and then holding a four-point lead on the Bulls with under a minute left.

"I can't remember ever feeling as disappointed as I do now," said Danny Ainge, the victim of finals defeats with three different teams.  “We talked all year about not getting beat off the dribble, about allowing dribble penetration,” said Ainge, “but that’s what happens in the last two possessions. Michael Jordan dribbles the length of the floor for a layup and then Scottie Pippen gets the ball and gives to Horace Grant, who hits Paxson. Giving up baskets like we did then is very frustrating.”

"I'm not taking anything away from Chicago, they're worthy champions," said Ainge, his eyes red and his voice shaking just slightly. "Last year when we lost to Chicago (with Portland), there was no question in my mind who was the best team. I don't have that same feeling today. This loss is going to be a lot harder to live with. I don't believe the best team won."

But the Bulls are the best team, both on the record and in truth, even if it's tough for the vanquished to accept.” End quote.

We watched a vast majority of the games when the Bulls dominated the NBA.  I can distinctly remember dancing with my sister in our living room, when they won.  Don’t ask me why I remember this, but I am pretty sure I was wearing a flannel shirt with sweatpants while I was dancing one year. I’m sure my sister was more fashionably dressed and I’m sure her hair was actually brushed.  Nonetheless I’m sure we created an excessive amount of static electricity as we did the running man on our royal blue wall to wall carpet as we cheered with enthusiasm.  During this time, the 3rd victory in a row for the Bulls became associated with the earworm song, “Whomp There It is”, which I’m pretty sure I had on a cassingle.  

When they did a remix for the team, it was changed to “Bulls There It Is.”  To this day I can still recite more of the lyrics to “Whomp There It Is” then I care to mention. 

Outside of basketball, in 1993 Jordan opened a restaurant in Chicago called, if you can believe it, Michael Jordan’s restaurant.  There was a huge mural of him playing basketball in front of the vintage brick building.  Jordan apparently visited there frequently, sometimes as much as 3x per week with his family; they had a private dining area on the 2nd floor.  The restaurant was in operation until 1999 and thankfully we got the chance to dine there before the establishment closed its doors.  Also in 1993, a book entitled “Rare Air” was published, where we got a chance to see intimate photos of Michael and his family.  I remember one picture of him and his son in a game room where they are playing pinball together a top green astro turf flooring where Jordan had a putting area for golf.  My sister received this as a gift that year or maybe the next.  My sister wasn’t very athletic growing up, but in a true testament to just how much people loved Jordan, my beloved sister adored him also and read his book and looked through its pictures frequently.  I want to say it may have even had its own book stand in her room so that it could be on display. If you type in Rare Air into google nowadays, you will learn that Rare Air is also the name of a trampoline park in Redding, CA, not just a book about the world’s greatest athlete.

Although 1993 was an incredible year for Michael Jordan and the Bulls, that happiness and enthusiasm would come to a screeching halt.  In July of that same year, Michael Jordan’s Father- James Jordan Sr. was murdered during an attempted robbery.  He was shot in his car and his body went missing for several days and his body was later found in a swamp.  Two teeangers were found guilty of his murder, both received life sentences in prison.  

Perhaps due to this traumatic situation or the pressures of playing basketball at the highest level, Jordan decided to retire from basketball.  During what would end up being a brief retirement, Jordan played baseball for the Birmingham Barrons, which was a minor league team affiliated with the Chicago White Sox.  I feel like I remember a lot of people giving Michael Jordan a lot of flack for suddenly wanting to become a baseball player, afterall he was so successful at basketball and hadn’t really played baseball seriously since he was probably in high school.  However, let’s not forget that Jordan was dealing with overwhelming and traumatic grief.  Baseball was a huge connection between him and his dad.  I think he wanted to try to do something in his honor, even if it seemed crazy.  Michael’s dad always felt like Michael was capable of playing professionally in two sports like Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders, so he wanted to try and fulfill his dad’s wishes. Trying to become a professional baseball player and starting a podcast are similar ways to deal with grief aren’t they?  Well, perhaps not but the goal seems similar.  

After a season of baseball and some soul searching, Jordan decided to return to playing basketball, with the Chicago Bulls in 1994.  Also around this time, Jordan started filming the animated and live-action film, Space Jam.  TRAILER AUDIO CLIP HERE.  Contrary to what I thought was a connection, the song Jam by Michael Jackson was not inspired by the film, Space Jam.  That song was actually on Michael Jackson’s ‘Dangerous’ album which was released in 1992.  However, it is easy to put these two together since the music video features the two most famous MJs of all time- Jackson and Jordan, engaged in a basketball and dancing tutorial.  It’s hard to tell which set up is more ridiculous - watching Michael Jackson play basketball in black loafers with white socks or Michael Jordan learning how to Moonwalk.  That being said, I think anyone who heard this song when they were a kid had visions of themselves playing basketball and dunking the ball to the tune of this song, or maybe that was just me.  

Anyhoo, back to Space Jam which was released in 1996.  The movie was inspired by some Nike commercials which starred Michael Jordan and the Looney Tune characters like Bugs Bunny, Marvin the Martin, etc.  

CLIP HERE.  The movie website IMDb briefly summarized the plot of the movie saying quote:  “In a desperate attempt to win a basketball match and earn their freedom, the Looney Tunes seek the aid of retired basketball champion, Michael Jordan.”  The film stars Jordan of course, as well as Wayne Knight who you may remember as the character of Newman on Seinfeld, Bill Murray, and basketball legends Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Larry Johnson, Larry Bird and Vlade Divac, all of whom I remember watching play growing up.  Bill Murray agreed to star in the movie as he was disappointed that he didn’t get a chance to star in Who Framed Roger Rabbit which was a similar formatted movie - the combination of live action and actors, as well as animation. One funny thing I read was that Bill Murray, who stands at 6 foot 2, felt like a shrimp compared to Michael Jordan who is 6’6’ and Larry Bird who is 6’9’.  I have spent my entire life not knowing how freaking tall Larry Bird is!  I feel really sheltered that I didn’t know that and I fully blame my parents for not filling me in on him being so darn tall!

To help Michael Jordan with his transition back into basketball, Warner Bros built him a special basketball court that included weights and exercise equipment to help him get back into shape for basketball.  He was able to practice and exercise in between scenes.  

The film would go on to gross over 250 million dollars and it is the highest grossing basketball movie of all time.

It didn’t take long for Jordan and the Bulls to return to their winning streak.  In 1996, the team beat the Seattle Supersonics to win the championship.  Coincidentally they won the championship on Father’s Day, 3 years after he tragically lost his father.  Jordan clutched the game ball after winning, overcome with emotion and in tears.  When he went back out to the court to participate in the trophy ceremony, he said:  “I know he’s watching, this is for Daddy.” In 1997 and 1998 the Bulls again won the NBA championship, both times against the Utah Jazz, defeating talented players like Karl “The Mailman” Malone and John Stockton.   

And just like they did after many championship victories, the Bulls celebrated in front of 10s of thousands of fans in Grant Park, with many of the players giving victory speeches in front of their passionate fans. Clad in a championship shirt and baseball cap and wearing what appeared to be steam-punk inspired sunglasses that look like they were pulled from a Jules Verne novel or a Tim Burton film, Jordan had this to say:  AUDIO CLIP HERE. 

As if winning yet another NBA championship wasn’t enough, Jordan opened Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse in 1998.  The business is still in operation and has several locations in IL, CT and Washington.  On the chain’s website it says:  “Six time NBA Champion.  Five Time MVP.  Two time gold medalist and he’s still hungry.”  

Jordan retired again from basketball in 1999, he then joined the Washington Wizards in a leadership position.  He ended up playing for them for two years from 2001-2003 until he retired for good.  

Aside from basketball, Jordan has been involved in charity organizations like the James R. Jordan foundation that benefits children and their families from underserved communities in the Chicagoland area and he also hosted a golf charity from 2001-2014 that benefited organizations like the Make a Wish Foundation.   Jordan is also a passionate supporter of organizations that work to ensure racial equity and has also donated money for disaster relief.  He also owns an automotive group and is the part owner of the Miami Marlins baseball team. 

In 2013, Jordan found love again, he married a woman named Yvette Prieto.  They have two twin daughters together - Victoria and Ysabel who were born in 2014.  Usher “Dot Com” Raymond performed at his wedding! 

Michael Jordan has of course learned a lot over the course of his life and incredible career. He has several inspiring quotes like:

“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”

“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.”

—--

I hope you have enjoyed this look back over the life and career of Michael Jordan, a gifted athlete who me and my sister had the blessing of being able to watch in action when we were kids.  He inspired a generation to push themselves to be the best that they could be.  Or to jump and hit the doorways around their house until the walls got dirty, or maybe that was just me.  

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I hope you will join me for my next show where we will be discussing the story behind the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, until then, BKBSAHOTYM.