Sunday, September 27, 2009

Sept. 19-27 垃圾精選

[2009/09/19 - 2009/09/27]


Saturday, September 19, 2009

失格的籃球之神(下)

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我並不崇拜喬丹。更仔細一點的說,我從來就沒有很喜歡過喬丹,至少絕不像我喜歡魔術強森那樣。我倒是很尊敬他,雖然也比不上我對大鳥柏德的尊敬。

雖然曾聽過許多(很多!)人說過:「哎啊,自從喬丹退休之後我就不看NBA了,因為NBA沒那麼好看了」,心裡也總是納悶著這種人為何這多,但要直到這一次的名人堂演說事件,才讓我開始思考,到底為什麼不那麼喜歡眾人眼中的籃球之神。

簡單的說,應該就是那股氣吧。舉例來說,魔術強森和Larry Bird的「氣」─或者說霸氣─對我來說都未彰顯於外。當然,你還是感覺得到,但是看不太出來。至於Allen Iverson,既有戰神之名,他的霸氣自是眾所皆知,他的霸氣和喬丹又有什麼不同?感覺上,他的霸氣是獨自面對世界那種樣子,帶了點悲壯,這或許和他的身材有關。

那麼喬丹呢?我一直感覺他的霸氣是超級外放的,非得讓你知道誰是贏家、誰是老大不可那種。球星和領袖的霸氣,除了彰顯自信,很重要的一點是對隊友造成激勵或壓力,所以你也必須表現得好,才不會讓團隊失望。比較起來,Magic和Bird的領導力是風行草偃型,喬丹卻有點類似威權式領導,這種領導方式,對隊友不見得是正面的好事。也就是說,表面上服他,但心裡不見得服氣。

喬大神自出道以來,從來不放過任何一個機會去羞辱曾經羞辱過他的人,從來不放過任何機會去修理那些膽敢挑戰他的死菜鳥或球員。而且,他作得很明顯,他就是要讓全世界知道:我就是針對你,我就是要修理你。

這種個性不是只有他才有,有這種特性的人多得很,例如Gary Payton就是一個。如果我的感覺沒錯,Kobe Bryant亦屬此類。只不過,當喬丹的籃壇地位已經高到不可攀,我總覺得他又何必這麼bitchy,老是抓住機會要報老鼠冤呢。

這樣子的個性,就是他在名人堂演講把全部人都嚇了一跳的背景。這是為什麼他要把高中將他除名的校隊教練、明星賽醞釀冷凍他的Isiah Thomas和Magic Johnson和George Gervin、當年結怨甚深的Pat Riley和Jeff Van Gundy,再加上在他口中十分白目的Bryon Russell等人,老實不客氣的修理一番。

他不可能笨到不知道這種話並不得體,但他忍不住不說。很有可能,他根本不care其他人的感受,他就是要講。

因為這就是他在公牛隊、縱其NBA生涯所使用的方式,沒有人可以挑戰他,沒有人可以改變他──包括那個曾經說「Organization wins championship」的肥仔Jerry Krause在內。

或許,身為CNBC報導中第一名達到品牌產值10億美元的運動員,身為Fortune雜誌報導中,一個對美國經濟貢獻100億美元的運動員(而且那是 1999年的數字...),喬丹可以does everything his way。因為他的作事和領導方式,帶來了6枚冠軍戒指,成就了籃球史上少有人能及的功業。

但是,很抱歉,在我眼中並非如此。算我機車又吹毛求疪、先入為主好了,在我心裡,喬丹永遠少了「那麼一點點」。

Related links:
Michael Jordan First Athlete To $1 Billion
Jordan's impact estimated at 10 billion dollars

(Photo: Chicago Tribune)

Sept. 19 垃圾精選

[2009/09/19 - 2009/09/19]


Sept. 9-18 垃圾精選

[2009/09/05 - 2009/09/19]


Wednesday, September 16, 2009

失格的籃球之神(上)

101527P MICHAEL JORDAN BULLS 原來不是只有我自己一個人這麼想。

喬丹在進入籃球名人堂之夜的演講,簡直令人下巴差點掉下來,無法置信。這絕對不是一般人會在這種場合會說出的話,這是個失格的籃球之神。

讓我們先來聽聽「神」說了什麼驚人之語。很難想像,「神」既然在發表演說之前就已經流下英雄淚,為什麼會在數分鐘之後說出這些話。

這只是開頭:

You guys, I must say thank you very much for giving me that motivation that I definitely needed.

來了,首先是高中把他從校隊裡幹掉的教練:

“I wanted to make sure you understood: You made a mistake, dude.”

再來是據說在1985年明星賽策動各老將,在賽中孤立他這個菜鳥的Isiah Thomas、大鳥、魔術和「冰人」George Gervin:

“I wanted to prove to you, Magic (Johnson), Larry (Bird), George (Gervin), everybody that I deserved (to be there) just as much as anybody else, and I hope over the period of my career I’ve done that without a doubt.”

當然不能錯過MJ最喜歡的敵人Jeff Van Gundy和Pat Riley:

“I just so happen to be a friendly guy. I get along with everybody, but at the same time, when the light comes on, I’m as competitive as anybody you know.”

也不能忘了那些曾經說喬丹不會成為偉大球員的腦殘記者:

“I had to listen to all that, and that put so much wood on that fire that it kept me each and every day trying to get better as a basketball player.”

壓軸好戲自然是防守喬老大最後一擊的Bryon Russell了(MJ說他在打棒球時,Russell曾說如果MJ繼續打籃球,他會很樂意防守他):

“From this day forward, if I ever see him in shorts, I’m coming at him.”

看完這篇外電,心裡冒出來的第一個想法是:有必要嗎?有必要這麼酸嗎?都已經退休幾年了,那多是多少年前的事了,你都拿了多少枚冠軍戒、享盡多少尊榮了,有必要把這些陳年往事和對手再拖出來鞭屍嗎?

直到今天讀到各媒體的反應,才知道有同樣想法的不只我一個。Yahoo Sports的Adrian Wojnarowski就開幹了,ESPN專欄作家J.A. Adande也轟,另外一個ESPN知名部落客Henry Abbot同樣跟進。

Jordan這種水準的球員,實在沒必要把以前的仇恨一直背在身上。人家Larry Bird的驚人記憶力是用在記憶球賽細節和對手的習慣動作,不是用來報這種老鼠冤的。

對喬丹的個人感受,下次再談吧。

不過,暫且擺開肚量狹小的喬丹不提,今年進入Hall of Fame的其他四人都大有來頭,有著不可磨滅的功績,請看:

awards_2009_robinson David Robinson

Player, spent his entire NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs, guiding them to two NBA Championships while being named to 10 NBA All-Star Teams, four All-NBA First Team Selections, one NBA League MVP and was selected to the NBA's 50th Anniversary Team. Robinson also won two Olympic Gold Medals, including his participation on the legendary 1992 "Dream Team" and with the 1996 Gold Medal Olympic team. During Robinson's college career at the U.S. Naval Academy, he earned Player of the Year, Naismith and Wooden Honors while leading the nation in rebounding and blocked shots.

 

83010576MM001_Grizz_Jazz Jerry Sloan

Coach, began his coaching career as an Assistant Coach with the Chicago Bulls before beginning his tremendous career with the Utah Jazz. He is the only coach in NBA history to win over 1,000 games with a single team while compiling a winning percentage of over .600. Sloan led the Jazz to two NBA Finals, 18 playoff appearances and is fourth on the NBA list of coaching victories. Sloan was also named as the Sporting News NBA Coach of the Year in 2004.

 

1301583P JAZZ V NUGGET John Stockton

Player, spent his entire NBA career with the Utah Jazz, accumulating 15,806 assists and 3,265 steals - both NBA records at his retirement. He was named to 10 NBA All-Star teams and was selected as  member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary Team while leading the Jazz to two NBA Finals. He was also named to the All-NBA First Teams in 1994 and 1995. Like Robinson, Stockton won two Olympic Gold Medals (1992, 1996) and was a member of the original "Dream Team".

 

awards_2009_stringer C. Vivian Stringer

Coach, has won more than 800 games in her career and currently ranks third on the women's all-time career wins list. She is the first coach to lead three different schools to the NCAA Final Four including Cheyney State, the University of Iowa and Rutgers University where she is currently. Coach Stringer is also enshrined at the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame

至少在這個晚上,這四個人物都比籃球之神有格調多了…

(文字資料、照片來源:Naismith Hall of Fame)

Saturday, September 05, 2009

Aug. 28-Sept. 5垃圾精選

[2009/08/28 - 2009/09/05]