I Reminisce: Front Row Seats To See MJ
Cruising down memory lane, it’s hard to pick just one favorite MJ moment. You got the six threes on Portland, the 55 on the Knicks, the ’shot on Ehlo’…I could go on forever. But for me, my favorite Jordan moment was seeing him play in the flesh when he came to Salt Lake City to play the Jazz in ‘95. We’re not talking about upper bowl or 15 rows up. We’re talking front row beside the Bulls bench!
It was one of the first games of the 1995-’96 season and I was a freshman in high school. This was MJ’s first full season back from his retirement and was also the year the Bulls won 72 games. I went to the game with my boy Andy Shepard, whose parents hooked us all up with the VIP treatment at the Delta Center. I remember just being awestruck by Jordan warming up. He practiced his fade-away turn around at least a dozen times. And even though he was maybe 33 years old at the time was throwing down some nasty dunks in the lay up line. I also recall Randy Brown bringing the heat as well.
When warmups were over, I remember the team taking off their red warmups to reveal those clean black unis. Jordan was also wearing those legendary white and black Jordan 11s. As expected, MJ torched us for probably 35. My favorite memory was him stealing the ball in the fourth quarter and cruising in for a fast break, double-pump stuff on the basket on the opposite end from me.
Since I was right beside the tunnel where the team entered and exited the court, I couldn’t wait for Jordan to walk past me so I could say ‘great game Mike’ and give him five. He ignored my previous attempts to get a high five before the game and during half-time. After the game, he ignored me once again, but made a b-line towards a lady who was holding a poster of her son posing with MJ. Apparently her sick son met him through the Make A Wish Foundation a while back and had since passed. He went over to the tearful mom, hugged her and chatted with her for a few minutes. Even though he didn’t acknowledge my stalker antics all game, he was all forgiven after that touching moment. Although I did get high fives from Jud Buechler and Dickey Simpkins so it was all good.
September 11th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
That's whats up says:
I saw him at the Hemisfair Arena in S.A. in the 80’s – he was just smooth as silk
September 11th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
calvin brodus says:
“I Reminisce: Front Row Seats To See MJ”
“my favorite Jordan moment was seeing him play in the flesh. We’re not talking about upper bowl or 15 rows up. We’re talking front row beside the Bulls bench!”
“Since I was right beside the tunnel where the team entered and exited the court”
spoiled mafucka. ill take austins story about being too-broke-to-afford-jordans over your front-row-to-mj(or nba game for that matter)-in-high school.
calvin brodus…bringing the hate on friday afternoon. what a jerk.
September 11th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
BRUCE says:
My favorite memory was him stealing the ball in the fourth quarter and cruising in for a fast break, double-pump stuff on the basket on the opposite end from me.
What is this? Mike did it again in the finals with a love tap to Russell!
September 11th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Kevin says:
Kind of unrelated, but to everybody who was giving Dime grief the other day for supposedly not knowing the real “Jordan got cut in HS” story and saying it was told in “Come Fly With Me” … NBA TV is showing CFWM right now, and in the high school part they tell the story exactly how the myth goes: Mike’s HS coach says “I’m the coach that cut Michael Jordan.” They act like he really got cut and don’t even mention JV, just that he was too short.
September 11th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Taj says:
Who were they playin?
September 11th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
doc says:
I seen him in the black jersey with the red stripes.He gave us 48 in Philly.
September 11th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
S-SiN says:
United Center. I was like 15. Got a Pip autograph that night, but one thing that stands above that from that night and also my favorite Mike moment is that when the players came down the tunnel i caught Mike eye to eye for a quick sec..
September 11th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
S-SiN says:
he also gave the Bullets 55..
just Mike being Mike..
September 11th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
Yoooo says:
I sat courtside at a Bulls/Nets game and Scottie Pippen gave me the finger… gay nigga
September 11th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Steve A says:
“I also recall Randy Brown bringing the heat as well.”
That’s the line of the day right there..
September 11th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
Lee says:
Yo he was like 31 at that time he left the bulls when he was 34 years old
September 12th, 2009 at 4:58 am
Dcam323 says:
I remember like it was yesterday. 91 finals. game 5. courtside at the Fabolous Forum. i got the tickets from my fam member that was on the lakers. it was a great game for the Bulls but the Lakers sucked A$$. only bright spot in that game was my fam member. so if u remember that game, u will know who my fam is.
i seen MJ play in person a couple of more times. but that first one u could see the fire in his eyes every game and the game Kobe second year in da L. Jordan and him went at it everytime they was matched up.
Congrats to all the HOF inductees this year.
Next Year the Mailman and the Worlds Greatest Sidekick aka Scottie Pippen
September 12th, 2009 at 8:22 am
Mac22 says:
I remember seeing Mike against the Spurs when I was like 15. My godfather worked at the Alamodome and got me and my dad front row seats. He gave us like 36…most memorable moment…Scottie going after a loose ball and crashing into me and this guy to my left…dude says “He knocked my damn beer out of my hand. I want a refund.” Classic