Just lol if you think Jordan would go 6 for 6 against Lebrons finals opponents

[therealdope]

the story goes he was semiforced out to go to rehab for gambling (see his first retirement announcement, not exactly sad, Phil looks pissed, stern is right there, etc..) not b/c of the literal gambling, but whom exactly he was gambling with. He literally had to testify at a federal drug and money laundering trial b/c he lost money gambling to a known felon and the IRS seized it...after he told the media AND authorities it was a loan to the guy (even worse haha)
http://articles.latimes.com/1992-10-28/sports/sp-858_1_jordan-claims

He then had 3 other checks, found in teh briefcase of a slain bail bondsmen FFS. totaling 108k. Then obviously came the businessmen that said he was owed 1.3M but only paid 600k (showed checks to prove it) and wrote a book about it
http://articles.latimes.com/1993-06-03/sports/sp-42795_1_san-diego

Then he was caught in Atlantic City in 93 at 0230 before a game, which the bulls lost the next day
http://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/27/sports/sports-of-the-times-jordan-s-atlantic-city-caper.html

the finally, during his retirement conference he said 'If David Stern lets me back in the league, maybe i'll come back'...

now faust brings up an excellent point regarding ownership, and i'm not saying i agree w/ the CT. But if say he never gambled on hoops, and then baseball counted as 'rehab' or a 'suspension'...then it would make sense to let him back in and later become owner. While he still gambled, i don't think he ever got into remote further legal issues over it

It was never about him not being able to pay, it was the association with gambling and the shady people he was gambling with.

 

[faustian]

LOL? More like LOL @ the idea that the cops would know more than Stern. The cops are basically useless unless someone talks to them --- even then they usually fuck it up. This isn't Law & Order.

After MJ went back to the NBA it was common to hear NBA reporters talking to other reporters about the idea that rarther than Stern having to suspend Jordan over gambling and ties to shady characters, that it would be easier to concoct the story about baseball.

This was all almost certainly done to preserve the entertainment and youth brand of the NBA. You were probably what -- 6 when this went down? The NBA made a special brand by marketing to younger fans by bringing in goofy expansion team names, a Saturday morning kids show about the NBA (remember Ahmad and Summer?), and a whole bunch of other stuff aimed at the young and kids.

It's not some wild ass conspiracy that doing the 2-yr break rather than a potential suspension was better for marketing of the NBA.

Not sure what you're suggesting here

So you're saying the league had the incriminating evidence? So then like I said, they could've simply destroyed it. No one would've known, their marketing plan wouldn't have been impacted in any way. In no universe would it make sense to suspend Jordan. Only somewhat plausible theory is what Gunt brought up, that perhaps they genuinely believed MJ legit had a gambling "addiction" and "rehab" would solve the problem. I think there's almost zero chance that's what happened but it does make infinitely more sense than the idea that the league held the evidence yet still decided to suspend MJ cuz marketing

 

[DrVanNostrand]

At the time I remember the story being jordan freaked out when his father got murdered. That combined with the fact that he had already 3 peated (at the time this was a HUUGE deal) and in essence already surpassed bird/magic accomplishments. he lost motivation. So he wanted to try something new. If it was some conspiracy why would he bother travelling around with some shitty baseball team? Doesnt make sense.

 

[Bargey]

Not sure what you're suggesting here

So you're saying the league had the incriminating evidence? So then like I said, they could've simply destroyed it. No one would've known, their marketing plan wouldn't have been impacted in any way. In no universe would it make sense to suspend Jordan. Only somewhat plausible theory is what Gunt brought up, that perhaps they genuinely believed MJ legit had a gambling "addiction" and "rehab" would solve the problem. I think there's almost zero chance that's what happened but it does make infinitely more sense than the idea that the league held the evidence yet still decided to suspend MJ cuz marketing

How does playing baseball rehab you? Anyone that knows a gambling addict knows that a change of job or town isn't gonna help. I know you're not suggesting this Faust but the whole thing is ridiculous. I mean it could be true it could also be true that Jordan was trying to dry out his addiction to road hos or any number of things. We just haven't been shown any evidence besides Jordan gambling a whole bunch with possibly some shady people.

That's not evidence.

 

[HunterSdVa29]

It was never about him not being able to pay, it was the association with gambling and the shady people he was gambling with.

i know, that's why i typed "whom he was gambling with"

 

[HunterSdVa29]

another thing to note, is that I don't believe Jordan was suspended or fined for any of those previously linked gambling acts at the time....

including lying and then having to testify at a federal money laundering and drug trial....

tell me any other NBA player wouldn't have been punished for that

IMO, stern warned him to calm that shit down, his dad was murdered and he won 3 titles in a row so he chose himself to step away briefly
i see no other reason for him to state 'if stern lets me back in' at his retirement press conf when asked if he'd come back. There's LITERALLY no other explanation for that statement, i.e. the pressure that was being put on him (not saying he was literally suspended or forced out).

Many of us were young but after the Ahmad Rashad/NBC News investigation and interview about gambling, jordan refused to talk to the media for awhile. The greatest/most famous player in the league, shit he was THE league, not talking to the media (even then a large financial backer of the league) can't be tolerated by the Commish IMO

 

[faustian]

He knew he sent Stern into epic rustlemania by abruptly retiring just as the league was about to expand and go global

Remember when GSP retired after losing to Hendricks? Dana was pretty pissed and a "if Dana let's me back" from GSP wouldn't have given pause to anyone

 

[HunterSdVa29]

He knew he sent Stern into epic rustlemania by abruptly retiring just as the league was about to expand and go global

Remember when GSP retired after losing to Hendricks? Dana was pretty pissed and a "if Dana let's me back" from GSP wouldn't have given pause to anyone

plus touters of the CT say 'stern let jordan back in as the league was losing revenues' but i've never seen anyone link any stats confirming that

I specifically remember major marketing campaigns w/ Shaq and Hakeem for taco bell and the double decker taco, and other things to keep the league in the eye. Larry johnson grandmama for example, or Lil Penny....

So i'm not even sure that part of the theory holds up either, although i haven't checked attendance or TV nielsan ratings or anything
edit: even if they weren't truly successful, Shaq was in a major motion picture (two of them), a video game, had major Reebok shoe releases when that still mattered, and had a rap album....so i doubt the league really lost on on much w/ Jordan gone for 1.5 years

not sure if it was the the same time or right when he came back, but Grant HIll got a massive push too w/ his Fila Shoes and 'grant hill drinks sprite' commercials

good call on the intl expansion too, totally forgot about that

 

[Joe_Armstrong]

Lebron is great.

Jordan is GOAT.