Love it or hate it, no one will forget Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame induction speech any time soon, especially his story about how Bryon Russell once talked trash in 1994, when Jordan was retired and Russell was a rookie, and how Jordan proceeded to go out of his way torch Russell every chance he had after returning. "From this day forward," Jordan concluded, "if I ever see him in shorts, I'm coming at him."Russell took the challenge in stride, confirming Jordan's story while at the same time refusing to back down. "I'll play his a-- right now," he told Yahoo! Sports. "This is a call-out for him to come play me."
Jordan hasn't publicly responded yet, but Brandt Andersen, owner of the D-League's Utah Flash, is hoping to goad him into action, putting $100,000 of his own money on the line for a one-on-one contest.
From Andersen's blog:
Andersen claims he's already convinced Russell to participate but is still trying to reach Jordan via a mutual friend.So here is my offer: Michael Jordan vs. Bryon Russell-1 on 1 challenge to 21. I will personally donate $100,00 to charity in the name of the winner. We can do it during the half time of the Utah Flash home opener on December 7th. $100,000 in cash for a 15 minute pickup game. MJ even you can't say no to that.
Our venue is the perfect place for this challenge because it brings BRuss back to Utah and Michael Jordan has a home just outside of Park City (I have seen his Carolina Blue Jump Man plane on the runway at Million Air in SLC) so it is convenient for both guys. Not to mention that it would be sacrilegious to have this take place anywhere outside of Utah.
Good luck with that.
Jordan may be the most competitive person alive, but he's also not one to be publicly bullied. And considering he reportedly earned $45 million last year, $100,000 is less than a day's pay for him, so it'll take a lot more than that for him to risk damaging his pride.
If Jordan were to actually get involved with a charity exhibition, it'd likely be on pay-per-view with a dozen sponsors and a commemorative shoe, not halftime entertainment at a D-League game.
Even so, I admire Andersen's entrepreneur-minded challenge -- he just bought more publicity than his franchise has ever received without spending a dime. Whether Jordan responds or not, Andersen is already ahead.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Hey "MJ" ..... I'll suit up and meet you anytime, anywhere on the hardwood for just 50K just for showing up. You once were the greatest of them all but I'll literally kick your butt all over the court for an additional 50K. You will be my personal hand puppet.
Now I ain't saying I'll outscore you in a game of 21. I'm saying I'll just kick your butt literally for 50K.
Don't know who you are and could care less....I just won't sit back and let you dis on the greatest athelete ever!!! That is how much integrity MJ has.....others will rise to the occasion and fight for him. Now you....putz or mr. putz...what do you prefer? You are seriously dreaming about facing off on MJ in any way.....your dumb lame ass needs to wake up, apologize, and bury your head in the sand like the dumb ugly ass bird face looking "MF" that you are!
Bryon Russell wasn`t Bill Russell when he was IN the nba. And idiot can shoot their mouth off. Let Barkeley play Russell, like he raced that old ref, which was also a foregone conclusion. Jordan needs to sign maybe Al Harrington for the money Ray Felton has so far turned down, but is now rumored willing to accept, a give a second pick to the Lakers for has been Derek Fisher to come off the bench behind Augustine. Let the Lakers sign and start Felton, since Fisher was too slow to guard the unknown Rocket guards. If Jordan wants to waste his time with some idiot who can`t play, let him learn to play a double drum set with treble percussion and roto toms, and find someone to teach ME a few instruments, maybe (lefthanded?) long necked 5 string resonator bass guitar,(lefthanded?) small accordion, maybe suitable for cajun,tejano, cubano, western, etc., music, maybe, what, (left handed?, doubt if there is such a thing) baritone sax?, so we can form a dumb band of has beens and never wases. At least maybe Jordan would enjoy the new challenge. Russell has already been beaten to death. I don`t taken in $45 mil a year, I could stand the money, and Jordan has probably always wanted to parlay his fame into a just shot on the Grande Ole Opry, right? Then again, Doug Collins would still be hanging all over him, kissing on him like he used to on tv, so no thanks, even if I got Jordan`s millions a year, wouldn`t be worth it to have to be near that.
LEARN PROPER GRAMMAR AND SPELLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let me ask ya something you dumb ass "MF"!, where and what gives ya anything of anything to think ou are evern worth 50k? Your dumb ass can't even produce a fart of thought that is worth even 50 pesos! Byron Russell is way the F$%!ck out of his league, but at least he made it to the pro's, nevertheless...F#%$CK you too Byron Russell. Let's see you face the kind of competetion that MJ faced even before Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson. MJ was a one man army! kobe, shaq, and everyone now is only about the $$$$ and every one knows it. No more love for the game or loyalty to the team. Big Money has destroyed the integrity and very soul of athletic competetion. Maybe the world really is gonna end in 2012....good. Michal Jordan #23...the greatest athlete ever!!! Greatest Moment....vs, Boston Celetics, single handidly scored 65 points against one of the toughtest NBA teams every....lets see any of you Muthf$%#!ers do that! no you you Byrun yo mouth russell, not you kobe, not you shaq none of you high priced nobodies! And you mr 50k, take me on? bring your lunch.
Plain and simple, from Bryan Russell to the semi-pro league he plays in, everyone wants a piece of MJ because it equates to DOLLARS. That's the bottom line. That's like me saying I can out dance the late-great, other, MJ, and if he were to take me up on that offer, I would have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain .. same situation here ..
First off snoopy Jordan scored 63 against the Celts not 65. Get your facts straight if your gonna go off on some dude. As for the pickup game, how about this - add an event to All-Star weekend were retired greats play either 1 on 1 or 2 on 2 or even 3 on 3. Make it a single elimination tournament. Could u imagine the fun of Jordan and Barkley playing 2 on 2 against 2 other greats.
Russell waits until Jordan is 45 years old to challenge him. Still, Russell has no chance.
Byron would need to challenge and beat other retired players before he would be given a chance at a player like Jordan.
Since nobody cares about Byron, he would first need to work on making people care... and Jordan isn't going to help him with that.
Jordan challenged Russell -- Russell accepted the challenge. Come on MJ -- don't chicken out.
I have a friend that lives down in Charlotte and she is close friends with a certain somebody. She told me the night of the Hall of Fame induction, Jordan was over heard asking Pippin if he could still play an 82 game season. Pippin laughed and before he could answer, Rodman said with the Bobcats him and Pippin could play a whole season and make the playoffs. People laughed and Jordan got real serious and said that means I will have to come out of retirement too and play 82 games and make the play-offs and win a 7th championship. I heard this will go down sometime in October. Just wait....I will keep everyone updated.
no why do it he can donate the money heself he got money this man is micheal jordan he will beat him amyway so why try and plus he is getting old so........ GO MJ GO MJ GO MJ GO MJ GO MJ