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Posted on 04/14/2003 7:53:25 PM PDT by jern
Rumsfeld Honors Jordan Before Home Finale 2 hours, 35 minutes ago
By JOSEPH WHITE, AP Sports Writer
WASHINGTON - Michael Jordan received a U.S. flag from Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, beginning a night of honors for Jordan during his final home appearance as an NBA player.
A bigger tribute was scheduled to take place after Monday's game between the Washington Wizards (news) and the New York Knicks (news), with the details kept secret.
Rumsfeld, who received a loud ovation, presented Jordan with a flag that flew over the Pentagon (news - web sites) on the one-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Jordan cradled the flag in his right hand, his head bowed, before the national anthem was played.
Jordan's introduction during the starting lineups was a letdown, with the cheers not much louder than the ones for Rumsfeld. The MCI Center crowd gave Jordan a standing ovation that lasted a mere 25 seconds, some 3 1/2 minutes shorter than the one he received in his final game at Chicago earlier this season.
Then again, Jordan himself tried not to make a big deal out of the game, with the greater focus on what he says will be his final NBA game ever — Wednesday's season finale at Philadelphia.
"It's just another night, really," Jordan said after the morning shootaround. "I know that this is my last home game in Washington, D.C., and that is something I definitely will treasure, but I woke up this morning and I thought that there was this certain feeling that I should be feeling — and I had breakfast, coffee, did my normal stuff — and nothing seems out of the ordinary."
For his teammates, there was a sense of melancholy that they were sending Jordan out on a losing team.
"We're disappointed it's MJ's last game, that we didn't make the playoffs," guard Tyronn Lue (news) said. "Hopefully, Michael will go out at his last game at home with a win."
Although he couldn't produce a winning record, Jordan brought national exposure and big profits to the Wizards, who shattered attendance records over the last two seasons. All 82 home games in the 20,000-seat arena were sellouts, averaging 5,000 more fans per game than in the season before Jordan returned to the court.
But that was nothing new for Jordan, who regularly sold out Chicago Stadium and the United Center during his 13 seasons with the Bulls. The last time Jordan played a home game that wasn't a sellout was Nov. 20, 1987.
The 40-year-old Jordan has been feted everywhere he's gone this season, with huge cheers and video tributes at away arenas. The Denver Nuggets (news) gave him a motorcycle last month, and the Miami Heat (news) retired his No. 23 last week.
What can I say?? They are both great Guys!!
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"Jordan once won Defensive Player of the Year, but Rumsfeld knows a thing or two about defense himself. WASHINGTON (AP)
American idol
Jordan honored by Defense Secretary before Wizards' game
Posted: Monday April 14, 2003 7:53 PM
Updated: Monday April 14, 2003 8:04 PM
Before his final home game as an NBA player, Michael Jordan received a flag from Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld at center court.
It was the only bit of ceremony preceding Jordan's final home appearance Monday with the Washington Wizards, for whom he has played two seasons in his second comeback. A bigger tribute was planned to follow the game, with the details kept secret.
Rumsfeld, who received a loud ovation, presented Jordan with a flag that flew over the Pentagon on the one-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Jordan cradled the flag in his right hand with head bowed during the national anthem before tipoff of the game against the New York Knicks.
Jordan's introduction during the starting lineups was a letdown, with the cheers not much greater than the ones for Rumsfeld. The MCI Center crowd gave Jordan a standing ovation that lasted a mere 25 seconds, some 3 1/2 minutes shorter than the one he received in his final game at Chicago earlier this season.
Then again, Jordan himself tried not to make a big deal out of the game, with his greater focus on what he says will be his final NBA game ever -- Wednesday's season finale at Philadelphia.
"It's just another night really," Jordan said after the morning shootaround. "I know that this is my last home game in Washington, D.C., and that is something I definitely will treasure, but I woke up this morning and I thought that there was this certain feeling that I should be feeling -- and I had breakfast, coffee, did my normal stuff -- and nothing seems out of the ordinary."
For his teammates, there was a sense of melancholy that they were sending Jordan out on a losing team.
"We're disappointed it's MJ's last game, that we didn't make the playoffs," guard Tyronn Lue said.
Although he couldn't produce a winning record, Jordan brought national exposure and big profits to the Wizards, who shattered attendance records over the last two seasons. All 82 home games in the 20,000-seat arena were sellouts, averaging 5,000 more fans per game than in the season before Jordan returned to the court.
But that was nothing new for Jordan, who regularly sold out Chicago Stadium and the United Center during his 13 seasons with the Bulls. The last time Jordan played a home game that wasn't a sellout was Nov. 20, 1987.
The 40-year-old Jordan has been feted everywhere he's gone this season, with huge cheers and video tributes at away arenas. The Denver Nuggets gave him a motorcycle last month, and the Miami Heat retired his No. 23 last week.
The Wizards presented a video tribute at halftime, showing a full range of highlights and emotions on and off the court from Jordan's 15-year career and six NBA titles.
Less effective was a trick involving the lower deck. The fans held up cards that spelled out "Thank you MJ" and "DC loves 23," but the letters were hard to read.
Neither team led by more than nine points until a spate of 3-pointers by Shandon Anderson, Latrell Sprewell and Houston put New York ahead 84-74 by 5:40 remaining.
Notes: While it was Jordan's last home game for the Wizards, it wasn't his last game in a Wizards uniform. The Wizards wore their 1978 throwback Bullets uniforms for their last three home games; they lost all three. ... Rumsfeld stayed for the first half, watching the game from the front row sitting next to agent David Falk. ... Jerry Stackhouse returned to the Wizards' starting lineup after missing two games with tendinitis in his left knee, but he played only the first half before the knee flared up again. ... The Wizards have to win their last game to pass last season's victory total of 37.
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1.I thought the flag from The Pentagon was the one draped over the face of Statue Saddam before he came down?
2. Why would Jordan get this flag as opposed to any number of folx? Like Lisa because her husband did a Let's Roll over Pennslyvania and not a lets roll it to the hoop?! I'm pi$$ed and I used to be a rabid Bulls fan!
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