Michael Jordan's Emotional Speech Makes Me Proud to Live in Charlotte

The G.O.A.T. and Charlotte Hornets team owner Michael Jordan delivered an emotional speech last evening when he accepted the Charlotte Business Journal Business Person of the Year award. In his nine-minute-long remarks, he spoke from the heart--wiping tears from his face--and made you feel proud to live in Charlotte and North Carolina, saying specifically that when he bought the team five years ago it gave him the chance to come home.

Photo credit: @DavidHeadCLT

We all know that M.J. was raised in North Carolina and went on to be a college star at UNC, but he admitted that many people will always associate him with Chicago, understandably, because it was his years and accomplishments with the Bulls that made him a household name. But he elaborated on his many ties to Charlotte, one of which was that his parents moved to the Charlotte area when he got drafted by the Bulls in 1984, and was something I didn't know.

Luckily, someone recorded Jordan's speech and has posted it to YouTube, which you can watch below.

READ FULL STORY

Nelly Reps for the Charlotte Hornets on ESPN

Rapper/hip-hop mogul Nelly has been a part-owner of Charlotte's NBA team for several years now, since previous majority owner Bob Johnson brought him into the fold as part of the Bobcats ownership. And when Michael Jordan bought the majority stake from Bob a few years ago, he kept the St. Louis native in the elite group. Of course, now the team is the Charlotte Hornets again, and there's a whole lot of excitement around them as they prepare for the upcoming season, enhanced even more by last week's free agency signing of Lance Stephenson.

Nelly appeared on SportsCenter on ESPN this morning, and he was asked, among other things, what it's like to be a part of Jordan's inner circle, as well as his thoughts on Stephenson. I've often said the Bobcats/Hornets should use Nelly's popularity more. He's in Charlotte often, sitting court side at games, hosting events, and such.

Nelly also made his rounds on other ESPN shows, including appearing on Numbers Never Lie to discuss similar topics.

Blessed to sign my new deal w/ the #Hornets rockin my Black @Nixon_Now Watch... thanks to my guy @ali8abdullah pic.twitter.com/uct0sl39d5
— Lance Stephenson (@StephensonLance) July 24, 2014

READ FULL STORY

Welcome Back, Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Bobcats officially became the Charlotte Hornets yesterday, returning the name of the city's original NBA team after being gone for 12 years. Many of you have been keeping up with this transition that's been in the works for the past year; some of you haven't; I have relatives living in other parts of the country who never realized the Hornets even left Charlotte. Well the name is back, and while I had my doubts in the past, I bee-lieve the excitement from the fans will bode well for the franchise this upcoming season and beyond.

New Hornets signage at Time Warner Cable Arena in Uptown. Credit: @CBJnewsroom

Here are a few things you should know, according to the Charlotte Hornets' official announcement yesterday:

• The team has secured all of the important online Hornets domains: hornets.com, facebook.com/hornets, twitter.com/hornets, instagram.com/hornets, google.com/+hornets.
• The new-look Hugo the Hornet mascot debuts June 5.
• On June 9, the franchise will officially launch its renamed charitable foundation (formerly known as Cats Care) and will spend that day volunteering on beautification projects at Hornets Nest Elementary School.
• The new purple and teal team uniforms will be unveiled on June 19.
• On June 26, the new playing floor will be revealed at Time Warner Cable Arena, just hours before the Hornets participate in the NBA Draft (the team has the ninth overall pick).
• The Charlotte Hornets will return to action July 11-21 at the 2014 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Also, as I'd previously blogged, the newly named Charlotte Honey Bees dance team (twitter.com/thehoneybees, instagram.com/thehoneybees) is holding auditions June 7.

Credit: Hornets

The Hornets also received a lot of love on social media from several of the city's other sports' professional athletes, including Dale Earnhardt Jr. (a nostalgic tweet) and Cam Newton (a swagged out Instagram video).

The Charlotte Hornets are back...again...for a third time. #BuzzCity pic.twitter.com/Nzn2vL2xTp
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) May 20, 2014

READ FULL STORY

Air Jordan 10 Retro 'Bobcats' Release January 11

Attention sneaker heads--and this time, also Bobcats fans--the Air Jordan 10 Retro sneakers are being released nationwide this Saturday, January 11. The kicks have been nicknamed "Bobcats" because of the Charlotte Bobcats-inspired colorway: wolf grey/dark powder blue-new slate-atomic orange. The shoes will retail for $170.

As many of the sneaker blogs (Sneaker News) point out, this is the first pair of retro J's to pay homage to the team Michael Jordan owns. Jordan Brand rakes in hundreds of millions of dollars a year by introducing new colors of vintage sneakers from MJ's legendary NBA career. Actually, the 10s were originally released in several colors throughout 1994 and '95, during Jordan's first retirement from basketball, when he was trying his hand at minor league baseball. A photo of the Jordan 10 Retro Bobcats is drawing plenty of comments on the Jordan Facebook page.

Credit: Nike

As usual, these retros are being sold in limited quantity and will likely sell out on Saturday (only to be resold at a much higher markup later on sites like eBay). Or will the Bobcats' lack of popularity as an NBA team hinder sales of this edition of J's? Regardless, the sneakers should at least go over well in the Carolinas.

If you're looking for them in the Charlotte area, the Foot Locker stores at SouthPark Mall and Carolina Place Mall are selling them (click here for the launch locator). And as has become protocol, a "sweepstakes" is being held just for the opportunity for you to buy the sneakers at Foot Locker. Tickets are being issued this Wednesday and Thursday, January 8 and 9, to people who come by the store. You'll need to designate the exact size you want, and on Friday the "winners" will be notified by phone, which will then allow them to come purchase the sneakers on Saturday. This prevents unruly crowds and chaos from forming at the stores on release day.

I guess you could say these sneakers are a going away present of sorts, since there are only a few more months until the Bobcats switch to the Charlotte Hornets. By the way, the new Hornets merchandise, including this basketball below, goes on sale January 18.

Credit: facebook.com/bobcats

READ FULL STORY

'Don't Try to Compare Us to Another Bad, Little Fad.'

Kriss Kross, circa 1992. Credit: The Internets

#Bobcats x #CharlotteHornets = #BuzzCity.

bobcats.com.

backbuzzcity.com.

Charlotte Hornets, 2014-15. Credit: Bobcats.com

Explanation of headline: Rap Genius.

READ FULL STORY

ESPN.com Analyzes Charlotte Bobcats' 2013-14 Season

Earlier this month, ESPN.com began its 2013-14 NBA Preview, including providing a "5-On-5" outlook on teams from a group of sports analysts. The website has published previews on a pair of teams each day, beginning with the two teams that met in last season's NBA Championship, the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. Today, it's time for the Charlotte Bobcats to be placed under the microscope.

The 5-On-5 coverage on the Bobcats--5 sports experts answering 5 questions--is provided by ESPN Insiders Larry Coon and Tom Haberstroh, D.J. Foster of ClipperBlog, Danny Nowell of TrueHoop Network, and Spencer Percy of Queen City Hoops blog. They grade the Bobcats' offseason moves (average grade given is a C), give their suggestions for the biggest question facing the team this season, pick the most intriguing player, make a bold prediction, and predict how far they think the team will go during the 2013-14 season.

The preview provides some pretty good critiquing of the Bobcats. There's plenty of scrutiny--pros and cons--of MJ and company's decision to sign free agent Al Jefferson to a three-year $40.5 million contract over the summer. Jefferson, a 28-year-old, 6'10" power forward/center, averaged 17.8 points and 9.2 rebounds last season for the Utah Jazz. If you're a Bobcats fan, you won't be happy that none of the analysts expect Charlotte's team to come close to making the playoffs this season (do you?). But they offer a little optimism for what could lie ahead in the 2014 NBA Draft, which is expected to be one of the best draft classes in years and is when the Bobcats could potentially have three first-round picks. Click here to read the Bobcats preview.

READ FULL STORY

The Air Jordan 5 'Bel-Air' Releases Saturday

For sneaker heads, Saturday is often an important day. That's when a lot of the highly anticipated sneakers are released for sale in stores. This Saturday, October 5 is a big day for fans of the J's. The Air Jordan 5 "Bel-Air" is being sold at limited stores nationwide and is expected to sell out.

The 5's continue the lucrative trend by Jordan Brand of releasing retro sneakers in new colors. You have people my age and older who remember when these sneakers were originally released in 1990 and they want them today partly because of the nostalgia or because they can afford them now. And then there are the teenagers like my nephews who are intrigued by the sneakers that originally came out before they were born.

This release of the Air Jordan 5, or V, which retails for $185, has been given the nickname Bel-Air because the colors are reminiscent of the flashy and funky styles Will Smith wore on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The colorway for the sneakers are cool grey, court purple, game royal, club pink. Guess you could say it's a classic's ode to a classic, and one of the best sitcoms of all time also debuted in 1990, the same year as the Jordan 5's. Will's character often wore Air Jordans on the show.

If you're looking to buy these sneaks tomorrow, good luck. They're only being sold at select stores. If you're looking for them in the Charlotte area, the Foot Locker stores at SouthPark Mall and Carolina Place Mall are selling them, but you won't be able to just show up to buy them. Having learn from the craze, headaches, and even potential dangers of crowds forming outside of stores on the morning of popular sneaker releases, stores like Foot Locker now do sweepstakes or lotteries--just for the opportunity to buy the shoes. Specifically for the Bel-Airs, the Foot Locker at SouthPark and Carolina Place (as well as other select FL stores nationwide) issued tickets on Wednesday and Thursday to people who came by the store. You had to designate the exact size you wanted. Then today, Foot Locker called the winners, who'll now be able to come to the store tomorrow to buy the sneakers.

If you want to buy them from a store locally, you'll have the chance to cop the kicks from Social Status, the high-end sneaker boutique and men's clothing store in Plaza Midwood (1519 Central Ave., 704-632-9902). I called the store and the representative said they're selling the Bel-Airs on a first-come, first-served basis when they open at 11 a.m. tomorrow, and that you must also spend an additional $100 on merchandise to be able to buy the sneakers.

Social Status. Credit: socialstatuspgh.com

Foot Locker also says the sneakers will go on sale online tomorrow at 8 a.m. at Footlocker.com.

And artists are still making new songs about wearing J's.

READ FULL STORY

Breaking News: Michael Jordan Does Not Twerk

In the roll-out for today's release of NBA 2K14, the newest installment of the no. 1 selling basketball video game, 2K Sports is posting interviews with the G.O.A.T., a.k.a. Michael Jordan. While MJ is now 50 years old and hasn't played in an NBA game in a decade, he's still one of the most important figures in the sport (not so much because of his ownership of the Charlotte Bobcats). And since he doesn't grant many interviews, we hang onto his every word.

The story that's burning up the 'net today is the recently released interview Jordan did for 2K14, that aired on ESPN, in which he was asked, among other things, which players would he want to play one-on-one if he was in his prime. He lists a bunch of greats who came before him (like Jerry West and Elgin Baylor) and after him, saying he could beat them all, including LeBron James, but "other than Kobe Bryant because he steals all my moves." LeBron is on the cover of 2K14 by the way.

But another piece of news came out of MJ's mouth during these interview segments, and it's floating a little beneath the radar. In one of the snippets posted on the 2K Sports YouTube channel, the greatest basketball player of all time reveals that he is not a twerker.

What is up with mainstream America's current and ongoing fascination with twerking? As if it wasn't around back in 2000 when rappers were making hit songs about it (remember the Ying Yang Twins?). I'm pretty sure Jordan wouldn't have brought it up on his own--clearly he was asked a question about twerking.

READ FULL STORY

Did You Know: Michael Jordan Played His First-Ever College Basketball Game In Charlotte

An interesting piece of video footage has been making the rounds on the 'net this week. It's of Michael Jordan's first-ever college basketball game. The game took place between the North Carolina Tar Heels and Kansas Jayhawks on November 28, 1981 at Charlotte Coliseum. A nine-minute highlight video was posted on YouTube in July 2007, but it's resurfaced on people's radars after some major sports websites "dug it up" this week (I saw it on CBS' Eye On Basketball).

There are several interesting things to note about the first-ever college game played by the greatest basketball player of all-time:

• Many sports fans know this, but it's worth pointing out that Michael Jordan used to go by Mike Jordan.

• The game was held at Charlotte Coliseum, which today is Bojangles' Coliseum. Many of you might think of the arena where the Charlotte Hornets used to play, that used to be located on Tyvola Road, when you hear of Charlotte Coliseum. But Charlotte has had multiple venues named Charlotte Coliseum throughout its sports history. When a new sports and entertainment facility opened on East Independence Boulevard in 1955, it was named Charlotte Coliseum. But when a new, larger, 24,000-seat arena was being built on Tyvola Road in the mid- to late-1980s with the primary intent of hosting college basketball tournaments, and Charlotte was awarded an NBA franchise that began playing in 1988, the Independence Boulevard arena closed, and the Tyvola Road arena took the name Charlotte Coliseum (what's now known as Bojangles' Coliseum reopened in 1993). Charlotte sports fans soon gave it the nickname "The Hive" and proceeded to sell out 364 consecutive Hornets home games and lead the NBA in attendance for several years. And then, of course, as the story goes, Charlotte Hornets owner George Shinn moved the team to New Orleans in 2002 because the city wouldn't build him a new publicly funded arena with the amenities and plethora of luxury suites that had become customary in NBA arenas, the league awarded Charlotte another franchise that would be called the Bobcats that started playing in 2004, with a new Uptown arena, eventually named Time Warner Cable Arena, opening in 2005. Charlotte Coliseum on Tyvola Road, not quite 19 years old, was demolished in June 2007.

• And as the above long-story-short continues with its twists and irony, Jordan would eventually become majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats in 2010, after spending a few years as a minority owner and front office executive with the team. Then this past May, after the New Orleans Hornets' new owner changed his team's name to the Pelicans, and after plenty of Charlotteans lobbying, Jordan made the decision to rename the Bobcats the Charlotte Hornets, which will take effect for the 2014-15 NBA season.

• Got all that? Good. (Whenever I run through elements of Charlotte's history like this, it's primarily for the many newcomers who move to this city each year. Many of whom don't know much about Charlotte's history, even its recent history and how much things have changed in this growing city in the last decade alone.)

• Now, back to the video of Jordan's first game. During the player introductions, we're reminded that another Tar Heel great and NBA legend, James Worthy, is from nearby Gastonia. This was a true "home" game for him, much closer for his family, friends, and former high school classmates than the Tar Heels' usual home court in Chapel Hill.

• The first shot Jordan took in this game, which he missed, looks a lot like the famous game-winning shot he made four months later during the 1982 NCAA Championship Game against Georgetown.

• Early in the game, one of the television analysts makes these remarks about Jordan: "So many things have been said about him. Comparisons to Walter Davis and David Thompson, in this part of the country. That's pretty heavy metal for a youngster of 18 years old. He is talented, and he really is kind of going against the system. Dean Smith normally doesn't start even the most talented of freshmen." Two things about that. I guess we all tend to compare new talent to more established talent, whether it's in sports, music, or whatever. But it's funny to hear that the players Jordan was being compared to at the time were viewed as sort of big shoes to fill, when he would eventually become the greatest basketball player of all-time (and sell the most popular basketball shoes). Secondly, Dean Smith knew early on the special talent he had with Jordan, hence the reason he started him as a freshman. 

• Jordan made his second shot attempt in this game, on his way to scoring 12 points, on 5 for 10 shooting, as the Tar Heels defeated the Jayhawks 74-67 in front of a sold-out crowd of 11,666 fans at Charlotte Coliseum.

READ FULL STORY

Bobcats Fans' Reaction to Draft Pick Cody Zeller

The Charlotte Bobcats hosted an NBA Draft Party last evening at Time Warner Cable Arena. By most accounts it was a fun, well-organized event. That is, until it was time for the Bobcats to make their selection with the fourth overall pick. Watch the YouTube video below of fans inside the arena, who are gathered in front of TVs, as they react to NBA Commissioner David Stern's announcement of the Bobcats' pick.

The fans in the video clearly aren't happy, but let's hope the Bobcats front office made the right choice by picking Cody Zeller, the seven-foot, 240-pound center from Indiana University. The decision is being scrutinized all over media and social media, particularly because Kentucky star power forward/center Nerlens Noel was still available. Maybe the Bobcats saw something in Cody that made them think he'd be the best fit for their fledgling team (he put up good numbers in college). But it doesn't help that the Bobcats--and owner Michael Jordan--don't have a good track record with first-round draft picks (check out my 2011 Charlotte magazine article with ESPN analyst Jay Bilas, where we analyzed "A History of the Bobcats' First-round Draft Picks").

David Stern congratulates Cody Zeller at the 2013 NBA Draft. Credit: Bobcats.com

In this CBS Sports video below, a trio of sports analysts tells us more about Cody Zeller. I'd never heard of him until last night.

You can follow the new Bobcat on Twitter @CodyZeller and Facebook.com/codyzeller40.

READ FULL STORY

MJ's Bringing Back the Hornets; Your Move, Charlotte

So the "buzz" is real again in Charlotte. After several months, heck, even years, of fans wanting the Hornets name and mascot to return to Charlotte's NBA team, Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan announced last evening that the team has officially submitted their application to the NBA to change their name to the Charlotte Hornets, beginning with the 2014-15 season. They've created a new marketing campaign called "Back The Buzz" and have launched a website, BackBuzzCity.com. The Hornets returning is major news, obviously, for the city, but also for the state, region, across the entire league, and for millions of people who grew up Charlotte Hornets fans.

Photos credit: Bobcats.com

Aside from all the fanfare and away from all the sports reports you're reading, let me tell you what this all really means to you.

In Jordan's official statement, he said, in part: "The response we received during the process of researching this decision was overwhelming and made it clear to us that you wanted the Hornets name back in Charlotte." I believe that. I've lived in Charlotte since 2005, moving here a couple of months before the Bobcats embarked on their second season and first in their new Uptown arena (which eventually would be named Time Warner Cable Arena). Back then, many fans couldn't let go of having lost the Hornets to New Orleans, despite having been granted a new NBA franchise so quickly, thanks to NBA Commissioner David Stern and original Bobcats owner Bob Johnson.

Initially, I was against the idea of Charlotte getting the Hornets name back. I felt like the city and fans needed to embrace this new era, and stop holding onto the past. This was my view, and I'm one of those people who grew up a Charlotte Hornets fan, from my small town in South Carolina. I even chastised Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton in December 2011 for wearing a Charlotte Hornets hat to a Bobcats home game (sitting next to Jordan at that). And, of course, up until a few months ago when the New Orleans Hornets announced they would be changing their mascot to the Pelicans, Charlotte getting the Hornets back wasn't even possible.

After grassroots campaigns like "Bring Back The Buzz" and "We Beelieve" launched a year or two ago and gained momentum, and after I met John Morgan of We Beelieve during the taping of an episode of 282 last year, I started to warm up to the idea. Now, it's no longer just an idea. It's on the path to becoming reality.

The Bobcats are going to have to spend a few million dollars as the team becomes the Hornets--new logos, uniforms, team colors, signage at the arena, around the city and the NBA; new merchandise--which means it's going to be extremely difficult to sell Bobcats gear during the 2013-14 season (expect major markdowns). Essentially by listening to the desire of fans and making this investment, Jordan is showing his commitment to this city and franchise, something that's been questioned in the past. I think some of his moves over the past couple of years, including his many philanthropic deeds in the community (the Book Bus, for example) and the purchase of an Uptown condo and, more recently, a mansion on Lake Norman, have quieted that doubt.

So now the move is on you, Charlotte. You asked for the Hornets, and they'll be yours again. You're going to need to pack out home games during the 2014-15 season, when your newly named team amasses another losing record. This isn't me being negative, this is my presumption based on recent history. The Bobcats finished with the worst record in the NBA in 2011-12 and the second-worst in 2012-13. That's the result of poor decisions and failed moves in the NBA Draft and with trades, and I don't expect the team--which is currently without a head coach--to play much better next season. In 2014-15, I expect the former-Bobcats-now-Hornets will continue to be far below .500.  But you're going to need to cheer them on at TWC arena, because those of you who frequently touted the nostalgia of the Charlotte Hornets often talked about how Charlotte Coliseum had sold-out crowds for several years, even when the Hornets weren't that good (364 consecutive home game sellouts from December 23, 1988 through November 21, 1997, to be exact). Because y'all were excited about the team. (In 2010, as part of Charlotte magazine's "Where Are They Now?" feature, I gave an update on all 15 players and the head coach of the inaugural 1988-89 Charlotte Hornets team, including Muggsy Bogues, Rex Chapman, Dell Curry, and Kelly Tripucka.)

Another thing that's often pointed out is how Charlotte Hornets gear, referred to as retro or throwbacks, saw a resurgence in popularity a couple of years ago and the trend continues today. My "Summer of the Snapbacks" blog post from nearly two years ago continues to get ridiculous traffic, largely from people Googling snapback hats, including the Hornets kind. Fashion is largely based on fads, but you're going to need to show your support by buying the "new" Charlotte Hornets stuff, beginning with the Back The Buzz merchandise Jordan Brand has just launched.

Time to show and prove, Charlotte Hornets fans.

READ FULL STORY

Stephen Curry Is Either the New Generation's Ray Allen or Reggie Miller

If you haven't seen the highlight reel from Stephen Curry's video-game-like performance during the third quarter of the Golden State Warriors versus Denver Nuggets playoff game last night, stop what you're doing and watch it right now.

In a span of six minutes, Steph scored 22 points, including hitting off-balanced floaters and five three-pointers. Any basketball fan will tell you that the Charlotte native and former Davidson College star is one of the best shooters in the NBA. He set a record a week and a half ago when he concluded the regular season with the most three pointers in a single season in NBA history--his 272 three pointers surpassed Ray Allen's record of 269.

Congrats #CLT native @stephencurry30 on @nba record. MT @warriors: Corner 3 by Curry brings it up to 272! INFOGRAPHIC twitter.com/warriors/statu…
— Jarvis Holliday (@HollidayInk) April 18, 2013

And speaking of Ray, he's the player Steph seems to be compared to the most these days. They're both among the greatest shooters of all-time and arguably the best shooters of their respective generations--Steph is in his fourth NBA season, while Ray is in his 17th (sort of like how Kobe Bryant was beginning to rise as a young star in the league when Michael Jordan was on the tail end of his career). I got to see Steph and Ray play early on in each of their careers. I grew up in the same area in South Carolina as Ray, so when I was in middle school I attended many of his basketball games during his senior year when he led our Hillcrest Wildcats to the state championship.

It's natural to compare Steph and Ray because fans today have gotten to see them play in the league at the same time for a few years. But I think Steph's game is more like retired Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller, in that he will take over a game and take shots that most players wouldn't have the nerve--or skill--to attempt. The main difference between Steph and Reggie, the latter whom played several seasons against the former's dad, Dell Curry, is that Steph will bury threes all over your head while wearing a smile on his face (he has that nice guy persona), and Reggie used to shoot up your arena and taunt you (he seemed to love for you to hate him on the court).

But whether you're comparing Steph to Ray or Reggie, that's great company for the 25 year-old to be in.

The fans who watched Steph warm up before last night's game got an indication of the type of night he was going to have, when he hit a H.O.R.S.E.-like shot from behind the players bench. So the deep three pointers he hit during the game were a cinch.

Credit: @CorkGaines

READ FULL STORY

Michael Jordan Is 50; We're Getting Old, Yet We Still Want to Be Like Mike

I'm an '80s baby, which means I was born at the greatest time ever. I grew up listening to music by--and trying to emulate the dance moves of--Michael Jackson. I watched great television shows created by Bill Cosby. I ate sweetened cereal that came with prizes in the box, and sat down with a big bowl in front of Saturday morning cartoons. I witnessed some of the greatest movies come to the big screen, and when my parents bought a VCR sometime around 1985, we watched many of those movies at home on our floor-model TV. But of all the entertaining marvels I was fortunate to have witnessed because of the era in which I was born, there are two that top them all: the aforementioned Michael Jackson and the other MJ: Michael Jordan.

Jordan turned 50 today, which you already know, sparking reflection throughout the sports and non-sports world. It's only fitting that his 50th birthday falls on the same day as this year's NBA All-Star Game (he threw a star-studded bash Friday night in Houston), and that sports news giant ESPN has spent the past two weeks counting down to this momentous occasion.

Sports analysts, reporters, bloggers, and anyone with a social media account have opined on what Jordan has meant to the game of basketball, sports as a whole, pop culture, fashion, and to their individual lives. He's widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time, and he's the player every great player after him is and will be forever compared to, i.e. Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

For me, personally, it's kind of hard to believe that Jordan is now 50 years old. But contrary to the media reports as to how he's dealing with growing older, we're the ones who are actually getting old. When you're as great and legendary as Jordan--and for him to have played his entire professional career at a time that allowed it to be captured on video--the stories that will be told about him 50 years from now will be supplemented by highlight films of him hitting game-winning shots, dunking over star players, waving championship trophies in the air, gliding from the free throw line, endorsing major brands and products, and releasing sneakers that bear his name and that people rush to the stores to buy years after he's quit playing.

I was a Chicago Bulls fan growing up, even though I'd never been to Chicago nor had I seen the Bulls play in person. I was a fan because as I was learning about the game of basketball and watching NBA games on TV for the first time, No. 23 was mesmerizing us. When my brother and I and numerous friends would play countless games on our backyard court, we all dreamed of playing like Jordan. When he retired for the first time in 1993, I was devastated. And when Jordan returned to the NBA in the spring of 1995, I remember his first game back being on a Sunday and how I couldn't wait to get home from church and watch the nationally televised game. Then the following season, when the Bulls won a record 72 games and embarked on their second three-peat, I couldn't wait to watch every game I could. His absence during his year-and-a-half-long retirement taught me not to take witnessing greatness for granted.

No other athlete, entertainer, or icon, for that matter, has had as large an impact on culture the way Jordan has. I was happy when he became majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats a few years ago and made Charlotte his part-time home, just so I could have that association with him (and be able point to his Uptown condo when I have guests visiting from out of town). Now, Jordan needs to prove he can build a winning NBA franchise as an executive.

I'm sure Jordan feels he has a lot left to accomplish in life, and why wouldn't he? But regardless, he's already left an indelible mark on the world and hundreds of millions of people. We all want to witness greatness, even if it's from a distance. Or for the once-in-a-lifetime chance to come face to face with it, like some kid named Justin Bieber had a few weeks ago.

Justin Bieber poses with Michael Jordan, backstage at his concert at Time Warner Cable Arena in January. Credit: instagram.com/charlottebobcats

I have three teen-aged nephews who are between two and four years younger than Bieber, and like him they're too young to remember the peak of Jordan's playing days. But they all know who he is, and they all want to wear his sneakers. Decades later, we all still want to be like Mike.

Below are links to a few of the many recent news stories and reflections on Michael Jordan's legacy now that he's turned 50 years old.

50 memories of Michael Jordan - Chicago Tribune

Michael Jordan's 50 SI Covers - Sports Illustrated

In Chicago, Especially, Jordan Still Reigns Supreme - The New York Times

Michael Jordan's Influence Praised By J. Cole, Kobe Bryant - MTV News

MJ at 50: A look at Michael Jordan's final All-Star Game performance - CBS Sports

Celebrating Michael Jordan's 50th Birthday with His Top 50 Career Moments - Bleacher Report

Michael Jordan's 50th birthday stirs memories of his basketball greatness - New York Post

Michael Jordan Top 50 All Time Plays - YouTube/Meir21

READ FULL STORY

Anthony Hamilton's Got Them J's, Up for Two GRAMMYs

Charlotte-native and platinum-selling recording artist Anthony Hamilton was stuntin' on 'em this week. He celebrated his 42nd birthday a few days ago and took to Instagram to show off the gifts he received from Jordan Brand, the lucrative division of Nike, run by Michael Jordan, and maker of the forever-popular Air Jordan sneaker. A-Ham has had a friendship with MJ for several years now, something he attributes to their "North Carolina connection." Jordan's company sent over a dozen pairs of retro Air Jordans, or J's as they're known in the streets, as well as a nice watch for Anthony's birthday. The company has also thrown parties for him in the past (see here and here).

That watch reminds me of one of my favorite lyrics from rapper Sauce Money, years ago: "Since my watch was a gift, there's no better time than the present."

The good times continue for A-Ham. He's nominated for two GRAMMY Awards this year: Best R&B Song for "Pray for Me" and Best R&B Album for Back To Love. He's up against R. Kelly, Robert Glasper, Tamia, and Tyrese in the album category. The 55th GRAMMY Awards air live Sunday, February 10, 8 p.m. on CBS.

Photos credit: instagram.com/anthonyhamiltonofficial

READ FULL STORY

Bobcats’ NBA Lottery Pick: Two Is Not a Winner and Three Nobody Remembers; or Remember that Kevin Durant Was Picked Second

I was at Icehouse in South End last evening attending a tweetup event when the NBA Draft Lottery special came on ESPN. Around 8:15 p.m., I made my way downstairs and planted myself square in front of a TV. Like many of you Charlotte Bobcats fans and Charlotteans, I had my fingers crossed that the home team would win the first pick. A female friend walked by and asked what all the frenzy was about. I said: "Imagine that the Bobcats have the opportunity to do what the Carolina Panthers were able to do last year by drafting Cam Newton number one." Her face lit up.

But sadly, it was not meant to be. As I'm sure you know by now, the New Orleans Hornets (Charlotte's former team) won the first pick in the draft and the Bobcats secured the second pick. So the Hornets will undoubtedly select the player just about everyone from serious sports analysts and critics to casual observers believes will be number one, 19-year-old Anthony Davis, a 6-10 forward from the University of Kentucky. He's the one player most believe a team can build a winning franchise around.

Fortunately I was at the bar ordering a much-needed drink during this moment of anguish, when Bobcats GM Rich Cho congratulated Hornets head coach Monty Williams.

With the second pick, there isn't a whole lot of excitement in the players the Bobcats have to choose from. The NBA drafts just aren't as strong as they used to be. There was a time when teams were almost guaranteed to draft a future all-star if they landed a top-five or sometimes even top-10 pick or beyond (in the 1996 draft, for example, Ray Allen was the fifth pick, Kobe Bryant was the 13th pick by the Charlotte Hornets but traded to the L.A. Lakers, and Steve Nash was the 15th pick). Many believe the Bobcats will select Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, an 18-year-old, 6-7 forward who was a teammate of Davis's on the national championship-winning Wildcats.

So with the unlucky bounce of a lottery ball, the Bobcats, who finished 7-59 this past season, accumulating the worst winning percentage in NBA history, have missed out on the chance to draft a future superstar for the first time in their eight-year history. "Two is not a winner and three nobody remembers," as Nelly famously rapped on "Number One" (Nelly, coincidentally, was a part of the original ownership group of the Bobcats, but that reportedly ended when Michael Jordan bought majority control in 2010).

Or, you can look at it more optimistically for the Bobcats. One doesn't have to go back too far to recall the 2007 NBA Draft, when the Portland Trail Blazers selected Greg Oden with the first pick. With the second pick, the Seattle SuperSonics, which later left Seattle and became the Oklahoma City Thunder, drafted Kevin Durant. Oden is a great young man, whom many rooted for, but he's been plagued with injuries in his five NBA seasons, only playing 82 games during that whole time, which is the amount of games in a single NBA season. Meanwhile, Durant has become one of the best players in the league, the NBA scoring champion the last three seasons, and currently leading his team in the Western Conference Finals.

I certainly don't wish that Davis becomes the next Oden. Not at all. But it would be great if Kidd-Gilchrist, or whoever the Bobcats pick, becomes the next Durant. They need it desperately. And the Bobcats do, after all, have as their general manager for the past year, Rich Cho, who was the assistant general manager for the Sonics/Thunder for many years, helping orchestrate the deals, trades, and picks that are credited with putting together a Thunder team full of young, talented players who are poised to be dominant for most of this decade.

The second pick is the highest the Bobcats have ever received in the draft. In 2006, they won the third pick, shortly after Jordan had become the top executive under then-team-owner Bob Johnson. Jordan and his braintrust picked Adam Morrison, considered one of the worst draft moves in recent memory, and a decision that still haunts them until this day. Last year, I wrote an article for Charlotte magazine, where I interviewed ESPN analyst Jay Bilas and we broke down the history of the Bobcats' first-round draft picks.

This became the cover photo on the Bobcats' Facebook page last night.

The team wants to put the dark days behind them. And Rod Higgins, Bobcats president of basketball operations, wasted no time by emailing this letter to fans last night, about 30 minutes after the NBA Draft Lottery had concluded. See below.

May 30, 2012

Dear Jarvis,

As you may have heard by now, NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver announced tonight at the NBA Draft Lottery that the Bobcats will have the No. 2 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. We are extremely excited about having the opportunity to add a quality player to our growing young nucleus.

I'd also like to say thank you to our General Manager Rich Cho and Vice Chairman Curtis Polk, who were our team's representatives in New York tonight.

Our basketball operations staff has already begun preparing for what we consider to be one of the most important offseasons in our team's history, and tonight's announcement makes this summer all the more significant. Our scouting staff has been hard at work to identify the best possible players for us to add to our team, not only through the draft but also through other avenues such as free agency and trades, as we proceed with molding this franchise into one that our fans can be proud of and that can compete at the top levels of the NBA.

We know that many people will be watching as we work toward the NBA Draft on June 28. We hope you will enjoy this exciting time with us.

On behalf of the entire Bobcats organization, thank you for your continued loyalty and support.

Sincerely,

Rod Higgins
President of Basketball Operations
Charlotte Bobcats

And finally, the Bobcats have announced an unbelievable ticket offer where if you buy 2012-13 season tickets at regular price, you'll receive the 2013-14 season for free. Has this ever been offered by an NBA franchise?

READ FULL STORY

Man Named Michael Jordan in ESPN Commercial; THE Michael Jordan in Presbyterian Hospital Commercial

Throughout the NBA playoffs over the past month, I've seen this ESPN commercial several times, about an ordinary man who happens to be named Michael Jordan. The 30-second commercial shows him in several situations where people have his name in reservations or orders--restaurant host, pizza delivery guy, car service, etc.--and expect the basketball legend to show up, only to display their disappointment when it's a middle-aged white guy.

Then this week, I saw the Michael Jordan in a surprising TV commercial. The NBA Hall of Famer and Charlotte Bobcats owner appears in a new commercial for Presbyterian Orthopaedic Hospital, where he seems to want to be a surgeon (it's actually quite humorous). It was surprising because I'd never seen Jordan in any ad campaigns for local companies before. But upon some Googling, I learned, according to Charlotte Business Journal, it's part of a recent 10-year sponsorship agreement between the Bobcats and both Presbyterian and its Winston-Salem-based parent company, Novant Health Inc., that also includes an endorsement deal with Jordan. Reportedly, the Bobcats have a new sponsorship program called Level 23 that charges companies a premium to tie their Bobcats sponsorships to Jordan specifically. Charlotte advertising and public relations agency Luquire George Andrews created the Jordan-Presbyterian campaign.

Jordan is said to own 80 percent of the NBA franchise after buying controlling interest from Bob Johnson in 2010, so with the Bobcats' financial losses continuing to mount, it makes sense (and cents) for MJ to add his star power to the team's brand, something he'd been reluctant to do while he was a minority owner under Johnson.

READ FULL STORY

2012 Jordan Brand Classic this Weekend

The Jordan Brand Classic, one of the biggest, annual high school basketball events in the country, takes place this Saturday at Time Warner Cable Arena. It's a tripleheader, beginning with the International Game at 2:30 p.m., followed by the Regional Game at 4:30 p.m., and then the big show, the All-American Game at 7 p.m., which will be nationally televised on ESPN.

Jordan Brand, a division of NIKE, Inc. and named after the legendary Michael Jordan, whose sneaker line is as popular today as it was during his playing days, puts on this event for the 11th year, showcasing the best amateur basketball players in the world. Many of them have gone on to become superstars in the NBA, such as Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Blake Griffin, among others. And two of the top five picks in last year’s NBA Draft were International Game alums Enes Kanter from Turkey (drafted by the Utah Jazz) and Jonas Valančiūnas from Lithuania (drafted by the Toronto Raptors).

Credit: facebook.com/jordanbrandclassic.

This year's squads in the All-American Game--there's an East team and a West team, each with 11 high school seniors from around the country--feature several members of ESPNUs top 100 players: No.1 Shabazz Muhammad (Las Vegas, NV/Undecided), No. 2 Isaiah Austin (Arlington, TX/Baylor), No. 3 Kyle Anderson (Jersey City, NJ/UCLA), and No. 4 Kaleb Tarczewski (Southborough, MA/Arizona). There are two Carolinas players on the East team: Brice Johnson, a power forward from Edisto H.S. in Cordova, SC, who's committed to UNC; and Rodeny Purvis, a point guard from Upper Room Christian Academy in Raleigh, who's committed to N.C. State.

If you want to see more talent from within the state, the Regional Game will showcase the top high school seniors from North Carolina. The players for the international and national teams are scheduled to arrive in Charlotte tomorrow, and will begin practicing Thursday. As was the case last year, I'm sure they'll make appearances around the city over the next few days. The best way to keep up with their movements is to follow Jordan Brand Classic on Twitter @JordanClassic. Plus, rapper Fabolous is scheduled to perform after the national game, and you can expect to see plenty of other celebrities in attendance.

And then, there are the shoes. The national team will wear the Air Jordan 2012 Deluxe on the court in special East and West team editions. The West team will wear a team orange/cool grey colorway while the East team will wear a university blue/white-obsidian colorway. Both sneakers feature the Jordan Brand Classic logo on the tongue. These special editions go on sale tomorrow, for a suggested retail price of $223.

Tickets to the Jordan Brand Classic can be purchased, from $10 to $125, on Ticketmaster. For more details, visit www.jordanbrandclassic.com.

READ FULL STORY

Thanks for the Bobcats Support, Cam! But Umm...

It was a great turnout of celebrity support tonight for the Charlotte Bobcats' season-opening win at home against the Milwaukee Bucks. Among the big names in attendance at Time Warner Cable Arena in Uptown were New York Yankees star Derek Jeter and Carolina Panthers star rookie quarterback Cam Newton.

Stars align: Cam Newton sits next to Bobcats owner Michael Jordan at Monday's game. 
[photo via @McBeastie_]

I'm sure the Bobcats front office hopes that Cam will come out to home games all season. But I'm sure they--as well as plenty of Charlotteans--hope he doesn't make the same fashion faux pas again. Mr. Yes We Cam wore a Charlotte Hornets snapback hat to the game. I'm sure he did it more as a fashion statement and probably wanted to pay homage to Charlotte's sports history, but someone in his circle should bring him up to speed quickly about how the Hornets' legacy is still a touchy subject in Charlotte.

Even nine years after the Hornets relocated to New Orleans following then-owner George Shinn's ugly split with the city of Charlotte, and seven years after the Bobcats team was born thanks to the NBA granting the city a new franchise quickly, many locals still decry the lost of Charlotte's original NBA team. This includes some who were okay with the Hornets leaving, but wanted the name to stay so that the future franchise would've been called Charlotte Hornets again, similar to what happened with the Cleveland Browns in the NFL in the 1990s. Personally, I've always felt that the Bobcats--name and presence--have represented a fresh start that should be embraced, and it's good to see newcomers like Cam showing their support. Just don't wear anymore Hornets gear, buddy.

READ FULL STORY

Michael Jordan, Charlie Sheen: Who's Really Winning?

Unless you don't have a TV or Internet access or have been avoiding public interaction, you know about Charlie Sheen's antics/meltdown of the last couple of months. And as people have been fascinated with watching Sheen's train wreck, one of the few things that was actually funny was his seemingly made-up-on-the-spot catchphrases, of which the most popular has been "winning." So when Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan said the word this week in response to an off-putting question about Sheen, "winning" took on even more connotations.

A scene from one of the Hanes TV commercials Michael Jordan and Charlie Sheen starred in together a couple of years ago.

The Charlotte Observer published a series of articles this week about the Bobcats and how their season went, which ended Wednesday night. Earlier that day, Jordan engaged in an hour-long Q&A with reporters and editors from the Observer. He doesn't grant a lot of interviews, but when he does he seems to make himself available in a way that says "ask me all your questions now because it'll be another few months before I talk to you again." While I give him credit for talking to local media more during this past year of him being the team's majority owner than he did the previous four years when he owned a small percentage of the team and ran basketball operations, I think he should grant even more interviews because he's usually candid in a way that fans appreciate and addresses the concerns they might have. Plus, when he talks, he lessens the need for the speculation that surrounds any team.

Here are links to a couple of the Observer stories that came out of their interview with Jordan:

• "Boss says Bobcats can be a destination," by Tom Sorensen
• "Committed to team? You bet. Cheap? NO," by Rick Bonnell

It's in the Sorensen piece that the writer reveals he asked Jordan about his relationship with Charlie Sheen. Here's how he described it:

Jordan is the equalizer. The Jordan brand fills the boardroom. Jordan is charismatic and glib and sounds committed. If he’s acting, he’s too good for a Hanes commercial with Charlie Sheen.

Speaking of which – the bond between Michael and Charlie in the Hanes commercial was more than acting. Human beings are not capable of such work. No, there was something real between them. It was exciting to watch, two performers at the top of their craft.

Michael, I ask, were you surprised by Charlie’s implosions and have you reached out to him?

“I, I, I mean I don’t even know how to respond to that one,” says Jordan. “I’ve had a lot of other things on my mind – winning. So my relationship with Charlie is not one where we communicate that way. I did a commercial with him two, three years ago.”

Jordan clearly doesn't want to be associated with Sheen at this point--I don't blame him. He seems to take it in jest though as Sorensen said Jordan laughed when furthering his response by saying: "I haven’t spent any time with Charlie. Don’t put me there."

But does Jordan realize that he said "winning"? Is he sure he didn't get that from Sheen? I wonder if he said it the way Sheen does. More importantly, Jordan needs to bring some "tiger blood" to the team this offseason in the form of an exciting free agent. After a season in which the Bobcats fired their head coach, traded away their best player, and finished with a terrible record, just one year after making the playoffs for the first time in team history and leading many to believe that things were turning around, Jordan has to get it right next season. Or he risks losing fans' interest forever.

So back to the Jordan-Sheen connection. I've posted two YouTube videos below. The first is of the Hanes commercial that ran for a couple of years, showing Sheen trying to become buds with Jordan, even tossing his phone into Jordan's car. The second video is that same commercial but parodied, as someone's replaced the audio with what they humorously assert as what Sheen would say if the commercial was filmed in 2011.

READ FULL STORY

Knicks Are NBA's Most Valuable Team, LeBron Catapults Heat to 7th, Bobcats Rank 25th

Forbes recently released its annual list of the NBA's Most Valuable Teams. The headlines jumping out from the list are that the New York Knicks have overtaken the Los Angeles Lakers for the number one spot, valued at $655 million and $643 million, respectively, and that LeBron James taking his talents to South Beach has given his new team the Miami Heat the largest increase and his former team the Cleveland Cavaliers the largest decrease. The Heat are now in seventh place, valued at $425 million, up by 17 percent from last year. The Cavaliers are valued at $355 million, a whopping 26 percent drop in one year, essentially having lost one-fourth of their value. Guess we know why Dan Gilbert was so angry last summer--he knew his pockets would soon get a lot lighter.

The Charlotte Bobcats rank about where they usually are on the list, at 25th with a value of $281 million. That's a 1 percent increase from last year and that's even more of a positive when you consider that 11 of the NBA's 30 franchises saw their values decline. Coming in slightly short of being a statistical tie with the Bobcats is Charlotte's former team, the New Orleans Hornets. The Hornets are ranked 26th, valued at $280 million, and saw a 5 percent increase.

Team owner Michael Jordan speaking at the Bobcats Town Hall Meeting last fall. Photo from Bobcats.com.

The Bobcats' value of $281 million is only a little more than the $275 million Michael Jordan reportedly purchased the team for last year. But it should be noted that in describing how it determines team values, Forbes states that "our valuations sometimes differ from the amount teams have recently sold for. Our estimations are based on the team’s current economics (unless ground has been broken for a new building) and do not include the value of real estate." If you consider real estate regarding the Bobcats, the city of Charlotte owns Time Warner Cable Arena, which opened in Uptown in 2005, but the team operates and maintains the building and receives most of the revenue. This is why professional sports franchises usually covet publicly financed arenas and stadiums, though it can often be a tough sell to the public and politicians, which is why the Hornets left Charlotte, when the city wouldn't build them a new arena in the early 2000s.

I predict the Bobcats' value will increase by more when next year's list comes out. The franchise seems to be on the upswing in securing corporate sponsorships, such as its announcement earlier this month that the team had added Duke Energy as a new sponsor. Many analysts attribute Jordan's star power--number 23 still lights up a room and you'd be surprised how many CEOs want to be next to him.

For the complete list of NBA team values, according to Forbes, click here.

READ FULL STORY