Rating:  Summary: 2nd rate Halberstam Review: If you are a basketball fan and simply want some some more information into to the life and times of Jordan, enjoy this breezy read. But if you expecting Halberstam's usually articulate and excellent insights into American life as seen through Jordan's life, you will probably be disappointed. As much as I admire Halberstam, his efforts here belong in the ABA.
Rating:  Summary: Great Book! A must buy for any basketball player. Review: A great book. This book leads you into MJ's past. I recommend that every basketball fan should have this at home. I use to think that Larry Bird and Magic were the best when they came into the league put they were just puppies compared to Jordan (big dog). I was a die hard Celtic fan and watched Bird in his prime. Jordan was 100 times better. It hurts to say but it's the truth. Magic, Bird were fun to watch though. Wilt should also buy this book.
Rating:  Summary: Excellent Review: This book is not just about basketball, it's about history being made and society as a whole. Even if you are not a full-time basket ball fan, you'll love it.
Rating:  Summary: Bird v. Jordan Review: Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were just as good (better, I would say) than Jordan. Although neither was as athletic as Jordan, their mental toughness cannot be questioned.Jordan could not win a title until Bird and Magic were in the twilights of their careers. Look at the progression. The Celtics beat up on the Pistons for years, and the Pistons beat up on the Bulls for years. Had Jordan's career spanned the same years as Bird and Magic's, he would have fewer (possibly zero) titles. Bird had to compete with Magic, and vice versa. Jordan has had no rival. Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley, Gary Payton, Karl Malone, John Stockton -- great players, but not on Bird and Magic's level. Bird was a better shooter, passer, rebounder, and all-around player than Jordan. I too often saw Jordan take 35 shots to score 30 points to acknowledge that he is the greatest. A legitimate argument can be made that Jordan was the greatest ever. However, the argument isn't as simple as people make it out to be. Bird is the greatest ever. Jordan and Magic are right up there. As Larry said when asked if Jordan was the best ever, "He's in the top two."
Rating:  Summary: This is about as close as one can get to describing THE MAN Review: A message to the reader who claims that Jordan is all hype. Michel Jordan, an overated player who has won 6 championships, won two gold medals, was once calimed the best defensive player, three all-star MVP's the list goes on and on. Overated I don't think so, overachiever may be. What about Dr J, Majic Johnson and Bird? First of all, all respect to those guys who were great players in their time. In particular Dr J who broke new ground with his creativity and athletism, however neither him or the others are classified as complete players. Neither Bird or Magic deserve to be the same sentence as Michael Jordan when it comes to competitive drive, determination, creativity, athletism, concentration, the ability to take control of a game anytime, or the ability to take the last second shot and hit them so consistanly. Dr J and Michael are in a league of their own, Bird, Majic and Isiah deserve to be in the same group. As for the push offs and fouls well I not sure which game you were watching but if you take the time and watch the game closely you will find that it is a strategy used by almost every player (Reggie Miller is an excellent example, game 4 of the Indiana and Bulls series 1998) It seems to me that you are now cluthing at straws when you start to talk about the fouls he got away with. You are talking about the greatest player of our time. A player who had specific rules set to bring him down (Jordan Rules, Pistons). Before you start making wild accusations about Jordan not being able to win a championship without Horace or Rodman giving examples or stating fact would provide your argument to have some sort of scope and legitamacy. Horace and Rodman are known as role players in the team. Everyone in the Bulls are given roles, even the great Michael Jordan. It would be easy to say look at Majic( who had Kareem, Scoot, Worthy, Cooper)but there is no need to go there is point is made, basketball is a team sport. Fact: Michael had to sacrifice his scoring abilities inorder to fit into Phil Jackson's coaching philisophy, which placed it's emphasis on playing as a Team. Michael would be the first to tell you this. Fact: Michael the greatest player to play the game and the reason why the Media love him is simply because he has success on and off the court, personality is not something one can buy or teach which is unfortunate for Bird. While Majie may have the personality he lacks the competitive drive that and determination to win (Game 5 of the final series against Utah in 1997, the best game by an individual player in the history of the NBA. All hype, I don't thinks so, the greatest player to ever lace on a pair of basketball shoes has left us with something that could only be described as Magical. Advice to you, look beyond the what happens on court, look beyond the way he plays the game of basketball, look at how he plays the game of life. Micahel Jordan the complete player.
Rating:  Summary: Astute insights into what made Michael Jordan a champion Review: Ostensibly this book is about Michael Jordon, the Chicago Bulls, and the modern NBA. But really what it's about is winning--what goes into making a winner, what it takes to excel, at both an individual and at a team level. That, combined with Halberstam's brilliant writing, make this is a very, very good book.
Rating:  Summary: A great book for Jordan fans and detractors Review: Mr. Halberstam's book on Michael Jordan is absolutely fascinating. While I have always admired Jordan's game, I never knew what sort of person he was until reading Playing for Keeps. Halberstam's book is quite flattering, and he often describes Jordan as a great person. At the same time, Halberstam includes many unflattering details about Jordan's personality. This technique allows the reader to decide for himself or herself what sort of person Jordan is. After reading the Playing for Keeps, I appreciate Jordan's game more than before (he beat Utah, my favorite team, almost singlehandedly), but have a more reserved opinion of Jordan as a person. At any rate, the book is incredibly interesting and a wonderful read.
Rating:  Summary: Michael Jordan has to be the most HYPED athlete of all time Review: He is the most overrated athlete of all time. If the officials would have called all the push offs to get open for shots and the fouls he committed while "playing super defense" as the MEDIA Hyped it- he is good but Dr. J , Magic and Bird along with a few others are the best ever. The MEDIA made Jordan. Did anyone notice he couldn't win a championship without someone (Horace Grant/Dennis Rodman) to do all the dirty work ie: Rebound/denfense/etc.
Rating:  Summary: Jordan Inspires Us to Push Our Limits Review: Michael Jordan truly is larger than life. He excels as a basketball player. He appears to have all the values we hope our children will have. Last year, I got into a hotel elevator and stood next to Mr. Jordan. I looked up at him twice to make sure it was him, and yes, he smiled and started talking to me. He made my day! There are two things that I admire most about Mr. Jordan. One is his ability to push beyond physical limits to achieve even more. This is a lesson for all of us in whatever we do. The other is his ability to attract and work well with his teammates so that together they achieve more than any one of them can as individuals. This is also a lesson for all of us, and it does not only apply to basketball. Mr. Jordan and the Chicago Bulls have shown us how to excel on the court. To excel off the court, or in your organization, read THE 2,000 PERCENT SOLUTION, by Mitchell, Coles and Metz. They also push the perceived limits of progress to score twenty times as much benefit or get there twenty times as fast.
Rating:  Summary: Superb! Review: David Halberstam slam dunks all prior books about Jordan and basketball - both college and the NBA. He provides an insightful "you are there" look at one of the icons of the game and his life from college to the NBA to super-stardom. Highly recommended even if you don't like basketball.
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