Nancy~

There was a game late in Jordan's career as a Bull, which is to say late in his career since the Wizard's thing doesn't count, when he was guarding a young Iverson. Typical Bulls defense,  MJ had rotated around and found himself face-to-face in the corner with AI.

Stood there cradling the ball for a second, Jordan in his usual wide stance, one arm reached out almost touching Iverson's chest. Mike was ready to D him UP!!! Problem was, MJ was losing his fast-twich stuff. Iverson gave MJeff a little shimmy-shake thing, shoulders wiggling, leaned forward like he was going to dribble-drive to the rack, threw his left foot forward and his right foot backward,  dribbled the ball once between his scissoring legs....and Jordan almost fell on his ass.

Iverson never actually moved. It was all done while essentially standing still, arms waving, legs scissoring, shoulders shaking, one quick dribble between the legs...but he didn't move. It was a defining moment in Michael Jordan's career. The air got sucked right out of the stadium due to the collective gasp of 18,000 people.

Jordan recovered his footing, and got back up in AI's face, but by then it was too late. Like watching someone fall down and jump up real quick hoping nobody saw. Everybody saw. Including Iverson, who leaned back a little so he could look Jrdan in the face. Eye contact was made. Jordan blushed and Iverson raised his eyebrows as if to say...'See old man? See? That's what I can do..."

After the game, a reporter asked him about it....he was surprisingly humble.

"Naw Michael's still the best. I didn't clown him." (Always liked the way Iverson turned nouns into verbs)

He certainly did clown him. It was hilarious, and I'm chuckling about it just remembering the damned play.

To this day, rabid Bull fans still need be asked little more in conversation than "Remember the night Iverson broke MJ's ankles?"...As someone who saw practically every game Jordan ever played as a Bull, it's my opinion that that was the real beginning of the end for Mike. That play.

I guarantee you Iverson remembers it, and now that he's put a few years on that body he'd probably smirk a little less. Age does that to you I guess.

Don't know if you saw my post ont the subject.

Say what you will about Philly fans, but if you bust your ass, there is not fan base that's better to play for.

And it snowed most of the day --  on Easter Sunday!

I'm not near where the flooding is, so we're OK.

Just wanted to let you know that I enjoyed this. I've always liked Iverson, you just get the impression: what you see it what you get. I posted in BOTF once (before your time there, I'm sure) about Iverson's rant upon being disciplined for missing or dogging it or something re practice (so, in front of the cameras: "It was practice, man. Practice. Fucking practice. Practice. I'm there for the games, have you ever seen me not give it all? But this was practice. Practice. Know what I'm saying? Practice." or something like that). So that year he had a song come out (was he singing, i can't remember, or his lyrics or something) and it was really offensive, but you just had the feeling with AI it wasn't all that bad, didn't mean nothing by it sort of thing.

But sure, we witness those moments. The athletes know it too, remember Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard? I've seen Steve Nash embarrassed in the playoffs by Devin Harris and Tony Parker, and that was before him MVP years (as I recall, perhaps Harris was the year of). But sometimes you don't know, they could be just hung over or something. I also remember posting on MJ, he was in the hunt for the scoring championship one of the years in Washington (still shooting an abysmal %, but it was an abysmal team).

And the Sixers beat the Celtics last night.

Even my dad, whom I would risk "throwing under the bus" by detailing his distaste for the NBA, seems excited about the team now.

After the Sixers traded Barkley, they plummetted.  I'm glad they seem to be recovering quicker from trading AI than that. 

I wonder if we've reached a point in the NBA where the system and chemistry matter more than talent.

Oh, sure, if you collect three established stars like the Celtics did, or if you have a superduperstar like Kobe or LeBron, that's enough to make you a winner.  But how much is a mid-level talent like Josh Howard worth?

The Sixers blew out the Chicago Bulls last night.  But look at their starting line-ups.  I'd give the Bulls the edge at every position in talent, save perhaps point guard.  (Though I may be writing from some ignorance -- the Bulls' players were all stars in college for successful teams, save Hughes, who went to SLU here.  I know Andre Miller went to Utah, but I couldn't tell you where/if the other SIxers played college ball). 

My point is, after the top few stars, I don't know if there's a great differential in talent among NBA players, and that the differential that exists can be overcome by a team that plays together with enthusiasm.

It's good to see.

Oh and...

Deng-Duke

Gordon- UConn

Hinrich, Gooden- Kansas

Duhon- Duke

Nocioni- Llama University of Argentina

The college game often doesn't lend itself to the pro game....Adam Morrison, JJ Reddick, etc etc etc etc etc etc.