In all due respect, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame doesn't come close to the sanctity of Cooperstown or Canton when it comes to sports shrines. However, a breath of His Airness has elevated this hoops mecca above the heavenly hosts. Springfield, MA has never seen the star power the likes of Michael Jordan, which is saying something considering Russell, Chamberlain, West, Magic, Bird, and Jabbar have already passed this way. As we know in Chicago, Jordan has a way of stealing the show. Ironically, in the midst of all of the festivities surrounding his induction of the Greatest among the greats, he's trying to do the one thing that finally made him a champion. Pass the ball. Jordan is going out of his way to deflect the spotlight away from him and on to his fellow '09 Hall classmates...David Robinson, John Stockton, Jerry Sloan, and C.Vivian Stringer. MJ isn't talking to ANYBODY. Well, almost anybody. I managed to cross him over and steal a minute of his time as he was leaving the Hall of Fame dinner Thursday night. It was a quick exchange but quite revealing. I asked him if going into the Hall of Fame...the biggest "duh" moment in the history of sports...tops his million mile long list of accomplishments. Jordan's reply was, "It has to. Right after the birth of my kids and the Olympics". Okay, I get Jeffrey, Marcus, and Jasmine coming first. But the Hall over his six rings with the Bulls? It showed be how much he respects the game and his peers who have played it and paved the way for him to become the icon he continues to be today. I'll get a chance to ask him a few more questions in a few minutes when the Hall of Fame press conference begins. Check back with you in a bit...
