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Written by griffeys 9 months ago

Jordan: 1992 Dream Team better than 2012 USA squad

Michael Jordan said there's no way Kobe Bryant and this year's USA Olympic basketball team could've beaten the 1992 Dream Team.

Jordan told The Associated Press Thursday that he laughed - "I absolutely laughed" - when hearing Bryant's comments that the squad training in Las Vegas could take Jordan and company.

Jordan said there's "no comparison" which team is better.nike heels

"For him to compare those two teams is not one of the smarter things he ever could have done," Jordan said prior playing in a celebrity golf tournament in Charlotte.

Jordan said the 1992 team, which included 11 future Hall of Famers and won its six Olympic games by an average of more than 43 points en route to capturing the gold medal, was a better overall team largely because of the experience it put on the floor.nike heels for women

"I heard Kobe say we were not athletic," said a smiling Jordan as he sat in a golf cart puffing on his cigar while waiting to tee off. "But we were smart. He said we were too old, but I was 29 and in the prime of my career. Pip (Scottie Pippen) was 26 or 27, (Charles) Barkley was 29, Patrick (Ewing) was 29 and Chris Mullin was 29. Almost everybody was still in their twenties."nike high heels

Jordan's response came after Bryant told reporters in Las Vegas that this year's team could pull out a win against the Dream Team if they faced each other in their primes. Bryant said this year's team has a bunch of racehorses, players who are incredibly athletic while the Dream Team consisted mainly of players at the tail end of their careers.cheap nike heels

He wasn't backing away from how he felt after the U.S. beat the Dominican Republic 113-59 on Thursday night in its exhibition opener, and wasn't bothered by Jordan's response.cheap jordan heels

"I'm not really tripping," Bryant said. "The fact is they've got (Patrick) Ewing and (David) Robinson, those big guys. I mean it's tough. But if you're asking me if we can beat them one game, hell yeah we can beat them one game. You didn't ask me if we could beat them in a seven-game series. One game, we could get them, no question about it."

Bryant's earlier comments received immediate and sharp rebuttal from some members of the Dream Team, including Barkley.nike heels 2012

Jordan joined in on Thursday.

"Most of us were in the prime of our careers, at a point where athleticism doesn't really matter," said Jordan, the owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. "You have to know how to play the game."

Jordan shook his head when asked why he thinks Bryant made the comments.cheap nike high heels

"I imagine he's trying to say it to legitimize his own Dream Team," Jordan said. "But to me it's not even a question what team is better."

Jordan said Bryant is certainly entitled to his opinion - even though he said it's just plain wrong.cheap nike heels

"For him to make that comparison, it's one of those things where it creates conversation," Jordan said. "I guess we'll never know. I'd like to think that we had 11 Hall of Famers on that team and whenever they get 11 Hall of Famers you call and ask me who had the better Dream Team. Remember now, they learned from us. We didn't learn from them."

North Korean athletes in seclusion after flag flap

The flag flap that overshadowed the start of women's soccer at the London Olympics might be consigned to a list of human errors by organizers, but it could hardly have been more insulting to North Koreans.nike sb heels

The team from the reclusive communist country was back in seclusion at a hotel in Glasgow on Thursday after accepting profuse apologies from Olympic organizers, who mistakenly displayed the South Korean flag when introducing North Korean players before a game Wednesday night.

The North Koreans refused to take the field and considered withdrawing from the tournament in protest, before finally agreeing to play Colombia. The game started more than an hour late, and the North Koreans won 2-0.nike dunk sb heels

"Winning the game can't compensate for the mistake," North Korea coach Sin Ui Gun said through an interpreter after the game, still angry about such a major gaffe on the first day of Olympic competition. "I just want to stress once again that our players' images and names can't be shown alongside the South Korea flag."

North Korea's IOC member, Chang Ung, wants Olympic organizers to make sure such a mistake never happens again, especially at medal ceremonies.

"This should not have happened," Chang told The Associated Press. "I am really surprised how ... the London Olympic team, the protocol people, didn't invite someone from the team to check if it is your flag."

Chang proposed that Olympic officials meet with team leaders before each medal ceremony to confirm that the correct flags and anthems are being used.

"With 302 medal awarding ceremonies, if something bad happened, that's damaging for the IOC," he said.Jordan Heels 6 Rings

Asked whether he was satisfied with the apology from London organizers, Chang said, "They apologized to the national team, that's enough."

Earlier, speaking during the final session of the International Olympic Committee's general assembly, Chang said the flag mistake wasn't "a big political issue," but that further mix-ups could have "negative political consequences" for the Olympic movement.

IOC President Jacques Rogge said it was a "most unfortunate incident." Prime Minister David Cameron called the mix-up an "honest mistake" and said "every effort will be taken to make sure this won't happen again."nike sb high heels

North Korea and South Korea are still technically at war. The fighting from 1950 to 1953 ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. The peninsula is divided by a heavily fortified border and vast differences in ideologies.

There was a thaw in relations in 2000, when North and South Korean athletes marched together at the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympics under the unified Peninsula flag, sparking a standing ovation. But with relations deteriorating in the years since, each country insists on separate flags.dunk heels

The flag mix-up comes amid high tension on the Korean Peninsula, following a North Korean long-range rocket launch in April and repeated threats by Pyongyang to attack the South. Seoul and the United States called the launch a cover for a test of banned long-range missile technology. North Korea says the rocket, which broke apart shortly after liftoff, was meant to put a satellite into orbit.

At the men's soccer competition Thursday, the South Korean team showed little interest in the flag mix-up.air jordan heels

Coach Hong Myung Bo deflected questions following a 0-0 draw against Mexico, and South Korean midfielder Ki Sung-yueng added, "We don't care about that. People can make mistakes."

Olympic organizers spent time with the North Korean women's team, trying to explain the flag mistake and writing a letter of apology to the team. When asked if he thought the flag error might have been premeditated, Sin replied: "That was the question I was going to ask to LOCOG."

Paul Deighton, London organizing committee chief executive, said it was a "simple human error."jordan heels

"We have apologized and taken steps to make sure that it absolutely cannot happen again," Deighton told BBC's Today program.

Colin Moynihan, chairman of the British Olympic Association, told a news conference in London on Thursday that it was time to move on.

"Clearly it was an embarrassment," Moynihan said, adding that if a similar mistake had happened to a British team, "We would recognize that organizers had done their best on the night and that an error had been made."jordan high heels

The flap began before the game when a North Korean player was introduced along with a shot of the South Korean flag on stadium jumbo screens. Large images of the North Korean flag were subsequently put up on both stadium jumbo screens during the delay and the players finally came out.

Flag controversies aren't new at the Olympics. At the 1992 Barcelona Games, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley from the Dream Team used U.S. flags to hide a rival sponsor's logo on their jackets when they received their gold medals.nike dunk heels

At the 2010 Vancouver Games, the Australians displayed a flag with a boxing kangaroo - the mascot for the country's team - in the athletes village despite an IOC rule that usually permits only official national flags displayed. The IOC eventually relented.

In 2000, sprinter Cathy Freeman caused a stir when she took a victory lap after winning the 400-meter final at the Sydney Games draped in the Aboriginal flag, which was not recognized as a national flag by the IOC.air jordan high heels

Last month, there was another mix-up in Britain. British field hockey officials had to apologize to the South African women's team for playing the apartheid-era national anthem before one of its matches at the London Cup, a warmup event for the Olympics.

The event's organizer, Great Britain Hockey, said it was an administrative mistake and offered a "full and unreserved apology."

Nevada regulators investigate partying by Michael Jordan's son, Marcus | College basketball

Nevada regulators investigate 19-year-old Marcus Jordan's partying in Las Vegas: MGM Resorts International was under investigation after the underage son of basketball icon Michael Jordan bragged on Twitter about partying at a Las Vegas Strip nightclub, Nevada gambling regulators said Monday.

Officials were examining whether the casino operator violated laws prohibiting drinking or gambling by minors, said Jerry Markling, Nevada Gaming Control Board enforcement chief.

People under 21 often try to gamble or drink in Las Vegas, but the punishment for casino operators depends on the circumstances, Markling said.

Jordan's 19-year-old son, Marcus, tweeted Aug. 20 about spending $35,000 at Haze nightclub at Aria Resort & Casino.

"Last night was stupid ... 35K at Haze," the University of Central Florida sophomore guard said. "Totals 50K something the whole day."

The tweet since has been removed from the site. Marcus Jordan told a Fox Sports website last week the tweet was a mistake.

"I didn't mean it the way it came across," he said. "My family and friends know the type of person I am."

Jordan and his brother, Jeffrey, were in Las Vegas for their father's fantasy basketball camp.

College football

Suspended Washington is charged with sexually assaulting a former tutor: Suspended Missouri running back Derrick Washington was charged with sexually assaulting a former tutor in her apartment over the summer.

Assistant Boone County prosecutor Andrea Hayes said a single count of felony deviate sexual assault was filed against Washington, a senior from Raymore, Mo., and the Tigers' rushing leader the past two seasons.

Missouri coach Gary Pinkel, a former Washington Huskies offensive coordinator, suspended Washington last week without disclosing details.womens jordan heels

Boone County court documents show Washington had been served with a protection order in late June and accused of sexual assault by a former Missouri tutor.

Washington surrendered to police Monday and was released after posting a $4,500 bond.

Before the charge was announced, Pinkel said he is "kind of embarrassed" by a series of off-field problems involving the Tigers.nike heels 2012

Later, while speaking to more than 200 boosters, Pinkel said he takes responsibility for the program's recent missteps.

"The buck stops here with me," Pinkel said. "I am embarrassed, and disappointed. Hopefully we can get this cleaned up."

School policy says athletes charged with a felony cannot return to the field until the case is resolved. With a Sept. 23 arraignment hearing, Washington will miss the Tigers' first three games, if not more.

Threet is Arizona State's starting quarterback: Junior Steven Threet will open the season as Arizona State's starting quarterback in Saturday's game against Portland State.jordan heels 2012

The transfer from Michigan beat out sophomore Brock Osweiler and junior Samson Szakacsy in a close battle that started in spring.

UCLA's Prince might be ready: UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince, whose preparation has been disrupted by a tear in a back muscle, looks as if he would be capable of playing Saturday against Kansas State, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Defense mechanism: Embattled Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez, asked how he handles criticism: "I've got thicker skin now. I've got alligator skin. ... But anybody who says they don't care what people think about 'em is probably not telling the truth."

United Football Leaguenike heels

Omaha Nighthawks sign Clarett: Running back Maurice Clarett, 26, practiced with the Omaha Nighthawks after signing a one-year contract.

It was Clarett's first formal football activity since he was a bust with the NFL Denver Broncos. The former Ohio State standout spent 3 ? years in prison for having a hidden gun and holding up two people outside a Columbus, Ohio, bar, in 2006.

Soccer nike heels for women

Ex-Argentina player dies at 100: Former Argentine standout Francisco Varallo, reportedly the last surviving player from the first World Cup in 1930, died Monday in La Plata, Argentina. He was 100.

Varallo played in the final between host Uruguay and Argentina, a match Uruguay won 4-2.nike high heels

Varallo began his career with the club Gimnasia y Esgrima, but made his mark with Boca Juniors. He is Boca's second-leading scorer with 194 goals, behind current striker Martin Palermo. Varallo was nicknamed "Canoncito" (little cannon) for his powerful shot.

Uruguay outscored Argentina 3-0 in the second half of the first Cup final.jordan heels

"We ran out of steam, to tell you the truth," Varallo said in an interview earlier this year. "With all due respect to my teammates, we weren't gutsy enough. How I cried that day."

Cyclingjordan high heels

Gilbert takes Spanish Vuelta lead: Belgian Philippe Gilbert of the Omega Pharma-Lotto team pulled ahead in the overall standings in the Spanish Vuelta, surging to the finish line on a sweltering afternoon to win the hilly third stage.

American Tejay Van Garderen of Team HTC-Columbia is in fourth place.jordan heels for women

Garmin-Transitions rider Tyler Farrar of Wenatchee, seventh after two stages, was 152nd in the third stage and is 142nd overall.

Gilbert finished the 98-mile ride from Marbella to Malaga in 4 hours, 6 minutes, 12 seconds.

Tips to figuring out the Mariners: pay less attention to what they say, more to what they do

Work in this business for any length of time, you quickly learn about the gap that exists between what is said for public consumption and what actually is being done behind the scenes.

We had a couple of examples of that yesterday that everybody is still buzzing about this morning.griffey shoes

The first involves M's president Chuck Armstrong saying the team had approached Ichiro multiple times this season about a contract extension. Many fans are now wondering why Armstrong would be so foolish as to say that out loud and whether Ichiro is actually a hero for saving the team from itself.

And the second involves team CEO Howard Lincoln responding yesterday to a rather bold question from Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle about whether the team is about to be put up for sale. Lincoln replied that the team is absolutely not for sale, which is 100 percent honest because the team is not technically up for sale yet.

What does it all mean? More on that in a minute.ken griffey shoes

First, though, let's look at Armstrong. Is he nuts? I don't think so. But words at this point are rather meaningless. The fact is, the Mariners just traded Ichiro. So, it doesn't matter what Armstrong says at this point. Actions speak louder than words. Armstrong could come out and say he was about to have a 200-foot poster of Ichiro draped across the biggest apartment complex in Seattle and it wouldn't matter now.

Could Armstrong have picked up the phone and asked Ichiro's agent: "Hey, I guess we have to talk about next year at some point and whether your client wants a longer deal?'' ken griffey jr shoes

Sure, he could have. Did the Mariners ever put an offer sheet on the table? If they did, shame on them. And kudos to Ichiro for recognizing what a mistake that would have been -- not from a money standpoint, but a legacy one.

Bottom line: it doesn't matter what gets said now. What you hear coming out of people's mouths right now is designed for everybody to save a little face. Ichiro still has legions of fans in Seattle and the Mariners do not want to leave the impression they were going to tell him to take a hike this winter. They want to go along with the storyline that this was all about Ichiro making the right call to do a selfless act for the team. And I have no problem with that. The Ken Griffey Jr. debacle was a disaster for this franchise and this particular course with Ichiro is a far preferable one.

Who knows whether majority owner Hiroshi Yamauchi would have brought Ichiro back for multiple years? Who knows whether the M's approached Ichiro's agent and told him the only way he could return is in a diminished role with fewer at-bats through which to take a run at 3,000 hits? Maybe this really does all boil down to Ichiro seeing the writing on the wall and doing what other onetime superstars have done before -- the right thing.

All I know is, whatever Armstrong says now for public consumption doesn't matter. The Mariners don't want people to think they ran Ichiro out of town because that can come back to bite them later. That much I do know.cheap grifffeys

Still not convinced? Still think that what is being said carries any real weight?

OK, just nine days ago, GM Jack Zduriencik caused a fuss when he told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that he expects Ichiro to return next year.

Yesterday, we learned that when Zduriencik made that comment, he was busy negotiating Ichiro's trade out of town.king griffey shoes

Pay less attention to words, more to action.

Now, as for Lincoln's rebuttal to Drayer about a sale, first, I'll head off some criticisms I've heard that Drayer's questioning was "planted" by the Mariners so they could do the verbal equivalent of hitting a golf ball off a tee.griffeys

I do not believe that is the case, namely because I heard Drayer go on her station and express her belief beforehand that she felt the Ichiro trade is a significant indication that "perhaps, the next shoe to fall is that this team, at some point in the near future, will be put up for sale.'' That she went out and actually asked the question at the news conference is a sign she was doing her job. Not that she was being used. Her question wasn't something out of the blue. It was an extension of what she had just been talking about over the air. So, good for her.

Lincoln's response? Again, it's accurate. The team is not for sale.griffeys 2012

Baseball teams aren't like boats. You don't just open the classified section of your local newspaper and see the heading: "Baseball team for sale in Seattle. At $850 million it's the steal of a lifetime! Get a new TV deal thrown in, fresh paint and scoreboards on the stadium, low overhead and a 20-year spring training lease extension and remodeled facilities to-boot. Compare to $800 million Padres sale price and this can't be beat. But act fast, before federal regulators put a halt to the Regional Sports Network cash cow!''

No, folks, that's not how the process works and to insist otherwise is naive to say the least. The process is far more formal than that. Much more private and limited to an exclusive buyer-list. Oh yeah, and it doesn't hapen overnight, even when nasty divorces are involved as we saw with the Dodgers. To do it right can take years of planning.cheap griffeys 2012

But there is at least one comparison that can be made to the sale of a boat, or, better yet, a house. You wouldn't put your house up for sale before getting it freshly painted and re-designed in a way to attract maximum value. You also wouldn't sell it when you know the smaller house up the street is about to sell for more money than you possibly dreamed you could get.

The $800 million sale of the Padres has been agreed to and is in the process of being formalized. Once that is done, the market for baseball teams and comparables to the Mariners will have been set even further. The Mariners will be worth more than the Padres -- according to industry analysts -- when all is said and done. So, that has to happen first.cheap ken griffey shoes

Then, the Mariners need to get their business ducks in order. They are still in the process of doing that. The Ichiro contract is the latest big one to come off the team's books. Chone Figgins will be next after 2013. Franklin Gutierrez will join him as well unless he can show the team something special in the next 1 1/3 seasons of baseball. All that would leave is Felix Hernandez through 2014 and that's nothing any owner is going to quibble about.

The team has been making some notable improvements to Safeco Field. The spring training lease extension with major facilities upgrades is already in-place.

All that's really left is the TV deal. Technically, negotiations don't have to begin until 2015 at the earliest, but if you're the Mariners and ROOT Sports, you probably want something figured out soon. If you're the Mariners and can make a ton of money more than you currently are, you certainly want that deal re-done.

And once that is done, then, if you want to sell the team, you will have a nice, tidy package to offer somebody and which can be appraised appropriately based on market conditions. Not based on guesswork.

That is how these things work. griffeys for women

So, while Lincoln's words are accurate, they mean little in the context of what is likely to happen to this team within the next two years when it comes the the majority ownership of Hiroshi Yamauchi and Nintendo of America.

I had one industry analyst tell me yesterday that the team would be nuts not sell based on what is happening right now in baseball. But that's up to the Mariners to decide. Maybe 85-year-old Yamauchi (or the Nintendo of America holders of his stake), Chris Larson and company really do feel they have what it takes to see this thing through another 10 years. Their call, not mine. I can only give you what I feel is likely to happen.

What can we stay focused on in the interim besides words?griffeys for kids

Let's see what the Mariners do with the Ichiro money that is off the books for 2013. Does that money get re-invested into player payroll? As of right now, the team has $2.25 million coming off its budget for this season alone based on what the Yankees picked up in Ichiro's salary. That gives the Mariners at least some room to pick up pieces that could marginally help the current club stay afloat with its tide of struggling youngsters.

As for next season, will the payroll increase, or will it keep dropping? All things worth keeping an eye on.www.griffeyshoesny.com

What isn't worth keeping an eye on are words trotted out for public consumption.

We all paid a ton of attention to Lincoln's "Hot Seat" comments at the end of the 2006 season. He then put himself on his own "Hot Seat" at the end of 2008. Well, we're approaching the end of 2012.

It's time to pay attention to actions rather than words.

A beautiful city in Africa, Cape Town

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