Thomas Lake on Pop Herring, the man who "cut" Michael Jordan in high school

Jordan doesn't owe his coach anything. Yes his coach introduced him to the game but Jordan put in the work to make himself better, not the coach.
One could argue that Jordan should be, at least outwardly, more appreciative, but he has to live his own life and so did Herring.
It's a tragic story about a former basketball coach with a serious mental issue. I think that's more important than whether Jordan flew him to Chicago for a ceremony or gave him a clock.

 

Until I read the story, I always thought he was cut. Now I find out he wasn't - Bob Cook is exactly right, what happened happens to 99% of sophomores in boys basketball.

If you don't think MJ comes across as a dick, sorry, but you don't know dicks. Leroy Smith is a class act for not beating his ass any number of times.

 

I think Leroy Smith long ago came to the realization the being The Guy Who Got Jordan's Varsity Spot worked for him professionally, and he could grin and bear it whenever His Airness decided to start whining again.

 

I think one reason why the whole story didn't come out sooner may have been because of Herring's problems. In a community like the one Jordan is from, everyone knows everyone. There were many who felt that it was best to keep the story quiet and let Jordan continue to say what he wanted about the situation.
As for Jordan going to the JV as a sophomore, that story actually has been out before along with the reasoning for it. The new twist, if there is one, is Herring speaking.

 

We're supposed to think this story makes Jordan out to be an even bigger dick, when the guy's own daughter won't even have anything to do with him anymore?

 

Since when?

 

Since whenever it says in the article.

 

Oh sorry. I thought you meant Jordan's daughter didn't speak to him. My mistake.

 

Yea, it was kind of confusing the way I wrote it.

 

Apples and oranges. Jordan's a dick for falsely accusing Doc of cutting him, and for trotting him out there in Chicago to shame him for it. The daughter's estranged from him because he refuses to acknowledge his mental illness.

 

Now the coach has been arrested because a dead body was found at his home:

http://www.wect.com/story/16519110/michael-jordans-former-coach-arrested-at-home-where-dead-body-was-discovered-friday

 

Well, that's a bad follow-up to have to write.