Posted on 05/01/2019 2:26:52 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
"Do you think Michael Jordan really still eats McDonald's even though he is a millionaire?" is a question thousands of kids posed to each other in the 1990s.
According to Jordan, the answer is "yes," and one story about a product he refused to endorse reveals just how important it was for MJ to maintain a genuine image as he rose to fame.
In May 1992, Jordan did a lengthy interview with Playboy that was later reproduced at Longform. Mark Vancil asked Jordan about products he turned down, and His Airness revealed that he rejected one substantial offer because he did not use the product and did not like the name.
"Two or three years ago Quaker Oats came to me to endorse Van Kamp's pork and beans — Beanee Weenees, I think it was called," Jordan said. "You ever heard of Beanee Weenees pork and beans? It was close to a million bucks a year. I'm saying, Beanee Weenees? How can I stand in front of a camera and say I'll eat Beanee Weenees?"
Beanee Weenee is actually a version of pork and beans that uses chunks of hot dogs instead of bacon. It is still available today.
Two or three years before the interview, Jordan had not hit the peak of his playing career. He had one MVP award and had yet to win a championship.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
James Harden is the reigning MVP... and this year his numbers shot way up again. Dominated in PPG... 8 ppg more than anyone else ... with a ton of assists.
No tats. Silly beard. Christian, although probably not orthodox.
As a human being, OK. As a pro hoops player, he is in the top 2-4.
Jim Brown was a piece of crap human being when he played for the Cleveland Browns, but he was the best all time running back, ever, in the NFL.
For the record, I am not a pro hoops fan nor was I ever a Brown's fan {being from Steel Town, they would throw me into the rolling mill}.
I went to East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. Michael always had a charity golf tournament there every year. I knew a few people who worked at the Hilton Hotel he stayed at. Let’s just say he was not exactly faithful to his wife............
My sister in law went to school with him. Her husband, my brother in law was at a court playing basketball and Jordan showed up to play and my brother in law decided not to go up against Jordan. Jordan’s father worked for my father in law and he fired him.
I went to the same baseball camp as Jordan. Mickey Owens in Miller, MO. Charlie Sheen went there too.
I was thinking the same thing.
If I could get a million dollars for it, I would eat Beanee Weenees all day.
DANG!
So Jordan had some integrity. That’s a good thing. He also had probably the most opportunities to endorse stuff of any athlete, so he could afford to be picky.
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