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

Very entertaining story that didn't impact my impression of Jordan at all. Most NBA beat writers at the time, as well as every teammate MJ ever had, saw for themselves what kind of person he was (is). Just because you are (arguably) the best player in the history of a sport doesn't make you the best person in the sport. As a player, he had no flaws. As a person, he was human, as petty and vindictive and argumentative and headstrong as anyone I ever met. Those characteristics made him an upstoppable player and a mediocre teammate, husband and man.

 

It wasn't on the cover because Alabama had just won the football national championship. The marketing suits at SI knows that championship "commemorative" covers sell like crazy.

Finally got around to reading the story. It was far from perfect, but was a fascinating read. I too had heard the stories of Jordan being "cut," and had always believed them to be true. Interesting to note that Herring is just 59 now, meaning he was only about 26 or 27 when he was coaching Jordan.

Thomas Lake is quickly becoming SI's version of Wright Thompson, without all the asides about "Daddy" and whiskey. He can't quite turn a phrase as well as Thompson can, but in terms of finding and reporting intriguing stories in the small town deep South, Lake is unparalleled.

Crazy coincidence that this news would break the week the story ran in SI. Lake mentions in the story that it's 97 degrees outside when he drops Herring off at home, so obviously the reporting was done several months ago. And yeah, I'm sure Herring's arrest — which sounds like "crazy guy at the scene being a pain in the ass to the cops" more than Herring being involved in a homicide — will be noted in the "Scorecard" section of the next issue.

And I'll add another huzzah for "The Toughest Coach There Ever Was." One of the few SI issues I've kept through the years.

 

Some really good points made above by Versatile.
Nonetheless, I thought this was one of the best stories I've read in a long time, the kind of story that defines Sports Illustrated's mission in 2012. It should have been on the cover, except they never put "writing" on the cover now, because it's all about newsstand sales.
Somebody noted that it wasn't on the cover because Alabama just won the national championship. Yeah, but I still haven't read the SI story on that. Who the hell cares? By the time the issue got to my mailbox, I had pretty much forgotten the game.

BTW, I covered Leroy Smith during his college career at UNC-Charlotte, my alma mater. The Jordan thing was kind of an interesting footnote then, because Jordan wasn't JORDAN. The photo that ran with the story was appropriate, because Leroy was a great shotblocker and defensive player with no offensive game.

Jordan's hypercompetitiveness, his need to constantly prove he "beat" people he feels placed obstacles in his path, is a fascinating part of his personality. If he weren't a dick, would he still have been Michael Jordan?

 

Why is Jordan classified as a "dick" on these threads?

 

?

 

A turn in the Pop Herring story in this week's SI.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1193894/index.htm

And I'd like to echo the complimentary sentiments about Lake's initial piece. I couldn't put it down.

 

Totally agree. Jordan was good enough that, according to the story, fans would arrive early to watch him play. Can't blame him for being pissed that he didn't make the varsity, and having played sports my entire youth, I would feel the same way. Getting put on JV is no different than being cut. He was cut from the team that mattered. Though I certainly understand Herring's reasoning for it.

Jordan is certainly a dick, and I don't think he'd be Jordan if he weren't, but I don't see him as taking shots at Herring. He just used it as motivation. The coach being booed at the United Center says more about the fans than it says about Jordan. And I don't think Jordan invited him there anticipating that would happen or to make him look bad.

 

Agreed - they need some motivation that pushes them to the next level. Pop Herring gave Jordan his motivation.

 

Absolutely. Tiger is another prime example. He wouldn't be where is without being the person he is. All my friends/co-workers bitch about what an a-hole he is, but I've always looked at him as needing to be that way to reach that level of success.

 

With that in mind, I wonder how many people would make a deal with the devil to be a great athlete like that, but also turn your personality into that of a dick. You get to have your circle of yesmen, but deep down you essentially have no self-awareness of how miserable you are, even though you sleep well at night and have riches beyond the wildest dreams of most people.

 

Would not want any of that. Fame is not even on my radar. I like being able to go to the grocery story or out for dinner and not have anyone bothering me. I can't imagine a life like the famous folks live.

 

Yeah, I read this one at the doctor's office the other day (we're pregnant!) and it was well done. It didn't really "drag-on" for its 8 pages because each was separated by a full-page, orange Gatorade ad.

Good story and MJ needs to shut the hell up once and for all on this topic if he indeed still claims this man "cut" him.