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Wednesday, April 16
Snapshots of a legend's last game
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Wayne Drehs
ESPN.com
PHILADELPHIA -- Six months ago, Washington Wizards head coach Doug Collins didn't believe this day would come.
He didn't think Michael Jordan would get the send off he deserved. Not because his team would be in the playoffs, never knowing of Jordan's last game until it was over, but because Jordan looked awful in practice and Collins didn't see any way Jordan would be fit to play the season.
"He had absolutely no lift and was all gimpy," Collins said. "I told our assistant coaches, 'There's no way he's going to be able to play.' "
Somehow, he did. In all 82 games. And on a near-perfect 80-degree day on Wednesday, Jordan got the farewell that others can only dream of. These are the snapshots from that day -- the glimpses at the very last time arguably the greatest basketball player of all time laced up his Air Jordans, slipped a black armband up his left arm and pulled an NBA jersey over his head.
4:15 p.m. Four Seasons Hotel, downtown Philadelphia
Roughly 100 fans have gathered near a side entrance to the hotel, hoping for at worst a glimpse and at best, an autograph from Jordan. As the wait continues to 15 minutes, then 30 minutes, the crowd swells. Nearby offices are closing for the day and everyone wants a glimpse of Jordan.
Tony and Lisa DuPiccio are there with their 12-week old daughter Sonia. "She doesn't know the difference right now, but I want to be able to tell her one day that she saw Michael Jordan on the day he played his last game," Tony said. "I left work early for this."
Despite having a baby, the DuPiccio family is still sandwiched amid 42 other sweating bodies on their side of the barrier. Others stand on light poles. Yet others gather on a median in the middle of the six-lane road where the bus rests. If this group even gets a view, it will only be for a split second.
Finally, just before 5 p.m., Jordan, the last Wizard to get on the bus, emerges from the hotel. The crowd is instantly in a buzz.
He's wearing a light green suit, a white shirt and a sharp yellow tie. They are colors that don't make any sense, yet on Jordan, on this day, looks perfect. Though he's wearing sunglasses, he's without his traditional headphones. In the seven strides from the door to the bus, he acknowledges the adoring throng by revealing an electrically endearing smile to both sides.
On his way through the bus, Jordan gets a knuckle knock from several fellow Wizards, including head coach Doug Collins and assistant coach Patrick Ewing. He finally takes his traditional seat in the last row on the left side and pulls out his cell phone for the 15-minute drive to the First Union Center.
6:05 p.m., First Union Center, Wizards locker room
Jordan is nowhere to be found in the Wizards' locker room and is most likely in a training room avoiding the some 200 members of the media in attendance. Outside the locker room, Collins tells reporters it isn't going to be an easy night.
"When he walks off the floor for the last time, it's going to be an emotional thing," Collins said. "There's part of Mike that I think would rather just play 10 minutes and call it a night. But he knows these people are here to see him.
"I told him, 'If he wants to play 48 and shoot 50 times, go ahead.' It's his night."
6:55 p.m. First Union Center, center court
Jordan reveals himself for the first time, during pregame warm-ups. The last one out of the locker room, he is finally out of the tunnel and visible to the crowd. He is greeted with a rousing welcome.
Almost immediately, Sixers guard Eric Snow grabs the in-house microphone.
"Hey Mike -- what's up, Mike," Snow says.
"We want to let you know how special you are to the Philly fans. We want to send you off with a nice gift. And thank you for the incredible gift you've given to the game of basketball."
In comes a shiny new green golf cart, driven by none other than Dr. J and Moses Malone. The cart has the "jumpman" logo on the hood and the No. 23 with both the Wizards and Bulls logos on the license plates. It's draped in a giant red bow.
Dr. J and Malone drive the cart in and give Jordan a long hug. He takes the mic, thanks the Sixers and heads back to his teammates, who give him all sorts of grief for the geezer-like gift.
7:02 p.m.
As pregame warm-ups continue, Sixers head coach Larry Brown brings his son to the other side of the floor, where Jordan is taking outside jumpers. Brown introduces Jordan to his son, who walks away beaming.
7:14 p.m.
A resounding performance of the national anthem by Teddy Pendergrass is followed by team introductions. The First Union Center's public address announcer reads the names of Kwame Brown, Christian Laettner, Larry Hughes, Tyronn Lue and then stops. Suddenly, a spotlight shines in the other corner of the floor, where former Chicago Bulls public address announcer Ray Clay bellows his famous, "From North Carolina ... a 6-6 guard ... No. 23 ... MI-CHAEL JOR-DAN!
The showering of applause goes on for three minutes before a spotlight on Jordan is shut off and the Sixers begin their introduction. Clay, who was let go from the Bulls for reportedly introducing Jordan too enthusiastically during Jordan's first game in Chicago with the Wizards, walks by the Washington bench and gives Jordan a hug.
7:47 p.m.
The first quarter comes to an end with Jordan playing all 12 minutes, making two of his eight attempts from the field. During the intermission, the Philadelphia R&B group Boyz II Men harmonizes its hit, "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday," to a series of Jordan highlights on the arena's video screens.
There's the free-throw line dunk in the 1988 All-Star Game. A dunk over giant Manute Bol. A triple reverse against the Pistons. The famous, "A Shot in Ehlo, it's good!" from the 1989 playoffs. The five straight 3-pointers against Portland in the 1992 Finals. And that endearing smile.
8:27 p.m.
The first half comes to an end, and Jordan is 4-of-11 from the field with nine points. Halftime is a regular celebrity schmooze, with Bill Cosby teasing a friend of Spike Lee's that he must have eaten all the food at dinner because Lee looks so thin. Movie Director M. Night Shyamalan chats with Nate Morris from Boyz II Men.
Yet it's Cosby, who wishes Jordan wasn't retiring, whose words speak loudest.
"I've seen the guys that had to leave," Cosby said. "I've seen the guys who stayed around too long. And he's nowhere near that."
Wayne Drehs is a staff writer for ESPN.com
Snapshots of a legend's last game
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Wayne Drehs
ESPN.com
PHILADELPHIA -- Six months ago, Washington Wizards head coach Doug Collins didn't believe this day would come.
He didn't think Michael Jordan would get the send off he deserved. Not because his team would be in the playoffs, never knowing of Jordan's last game until it was over, but because Jordan looked awful in practice and Collins didn't see any way Jordan would be fit to play the season.
"He had absolutely no lift and was all gimpy," Collins said. "I told our assistant coaches, 'There's no way he's going to be able to play.' "
Somehow, he did. In all 82 games. And on a near-perfect 80-degree day on Wednesday, Jordan got the farewell that others can only dream of. These are the snapshots from that day -- the glimpses at the very last time arguably the greatest basketball player of all time laced up his Air Jordans, slipped a black armband up his left arm and pulled an NBA jersey over his head.
4:15 p.m. Four Seasons Hotel, downtown Philadelphia
Roughly 100 fans have gathered near a side entrance to the hotel, hoping for at worst a glimpse and at best, an autograph from Jordan. As the wait continues to 15 minutes, then 30 minutes, the crowd swells. Nearby offices are closing for the day and everyone wants a glimpse of Jordan.
Tony and Lisa DuPiccio are there with their 12-week old daughter Sonia. "She doesn't know the difference right now, but I want to be able to tell her one day that she saw Michael Jordan on the day he played his last game," Tony said. "I left work early for this."
Despite having a baby, the DuPiccio family is still sandwiched amid 42 other sweating bodies on their side of the barrier. Others stand on light poles. Yet others gather on a median in the middle of the six-lane road where the bus rests. If this group even gets a view, it will only be for a split second.
Finally, just before 5 p.m., Jordan, the last Wizard to get on the bus, emerges from the hotel. The crowd is instantly in a buzz.
He's wearing a light green suit, a white shirt and a sharp yellow tie. They are colors that don't make any sense, yet on Jordan, on this day, looks perfect. Though he's wearing sunglasses, he's without his traditional headphones. In the seven strides from the door to the bus, he acknowledges the adoring throng by revealing an electrically endearing smile to both sides.
On his way through the bus, Jordan gets a knuckle knock from several fellow Wizards, including head coach Doug Collins and assistant coach Patrick Ewing. He finally takes his traditional seat in the last row on the left side and pulls out his cell phone for the 15-minute drive to the First Union Center.
6:05 p.m., First Union Center, Wizards locker room
Jordan is nowhere to be found in the Wizards' locker room and is most likely in a training room avoiding the some 200 members of the media in attendance. Outside the locker room, Collins tells reporters it isn't going to be an easy night.
"When he walks off the floor for the last time, it's going to be an emotional thing," Collins said. "There's part of Mike that I think would rather just play 10 minutes and call it a night. But he knows these people are here to see him.
"I told him, 'If he wants to play 48 and shoot 50 times, go ahead.' It's his night."
6:55 p.m. First Union Center, center court
Jordan reveals himself for the first time, during pregame warm-ups. The last one out of the locker room, he is finally out of the tunnel and visible to the crowd. He is greeted with a rousing welcome.
Almost immediately, Sixers guard Eric Snow grabs the in-house microphone.
"Hey Mike -- what's up, Mike," Snow says.
"We want to let you know how special you are to the Philly fans. We want to send you off with a nice gift. And thank you for the incredible gift you've given to the game of basketball."
In comes a shiny new green golf cart, driven by none other than Dr. J and Moses Malone. The cart has the "jumpman" logo on the hood and the No. 23 with both the Wizards and Bulls logos on the license plates. It's draped in a giant red bow.
Dr. J and Malone drive the cart in and give Jordan a long hug. He takes the mic, thanks the Sixers and heads back to his teammates, who give him all sorts of grief for the geezer-like gift.
7:02 p.m.
As pregame warm-ups continue, Sixers head coach Larry Brown brings his son to the other side of the floor, where Jordan is taking outside jumpers. Brown introduces Jordan to his son, who walks away beaming.
7:14 p.m.
A resounding performance of the national anthem by Teddy Pendergrass is followed by team introductions. The First Union Center's public address announcer reads the names of Kwame Brown, Christian Laettner, Larry Hughes, Tyronn Lue and then stops. Suddenly, a spotlight shines in the other corner of the floor, where former Chicago Bulls public address announcer Ray Clay bellows his famous, "From North Carolina ... a 6-6 guard ... No. 23 ... MI-CHAEL JOR-DAN!
The showering of applause goes on for three minutes before a spotlight on Jordan is shut off and the Sixers begin their introduction. Clay, who was let go from the Bulls for reportedly introducing Jordan too enthusiastically during Jordan's first game in Chicago with the Wizards, walks by the Washington bench and gives Jordan a hug.
7:47 p.m.
The first quarter comes to an end with Jordan playing all 12 minutes, making two of his eight attempts from the field. During the intermission, the Philadelphia R&B group Boyz II Men harmonizes its hit, "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday," to a series of Jordan highlights on the arena's video screens.
There's the free-throw line dunk in the 1988 All-Star Game. A dunk over giant Manute Bol. A triple reverse against the Pistons. The famous, "A Shot in Ehlo, it's good!" from the 1989 playoffs. The five straight 3-pointers against Portland in the 1992 Finals. And that endearing smile.
8:27 p.m.
The first half comes to an end, and Jordan is 4-of-11 from the field with nine points. Halftime is a regular celebrity schmooze, with Bill Cosby teasing a friend of Spike Lee's that he must have eaten all the food at dinner because Lee looks so thin. Movie Director M. Night Shyamalan chats with Nate Morris from Boyz II Men.
Yet it's Cosby, who wishes Jordan wasn't retiring, whose words speak loudest.
"I've seen the guys that had to leave," Cosby said. "I've seen the guys who stayed around too long. And he's nowhere near that."
Wayne Drehs is a staff writer for ESPN.com
to Michael Jordan: You retired once, on a high note. You came back, ruined your legacy, wasted my time watching your jumpshots on Sportscenter (while they failed to show the other 60 percent of the shots he MISSED). And tonight, the final insult... I HAD TO MISS THE NHL PLAYOFF GAME PHILLY VS TORONTO TO WATCH YOUR OLD DUMB ASS AS YOUR TEAM LOST ONCE AGAIN.
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