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What memories do u guys have of him... and what kinda impact did he have on the nation in terms of sports, advertisment, race, etc.
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Michael Jordan was really more of an 80's star then he was a 90's star.  Jordan won his championships in the 90's, but he was a really BAD *** in the 80's.  He won his first MVP in the 80's, he won two slam dunk contests in the 80's, he dropped down 63 points on Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics back in 1986.  This guy was more of an 80's star in my book.   Jordan's dunks were so raw and powerful in the 80's, he took defenders on one-on-one more frequently in the 80's.  Plus early in his career he had those bad mutha gold chains around his neck.

No one had ever seen anything like Jordan before, no one.  Even today, there is nothing quite like Michael Jordan.  He had no weakness, not in scoring, defending, rebounding, passing, assists,....no weakness.

These kids today say they grew up with Jordan, but they probably only remember his late 90's years or as the old guy that played a year with the Washington Wizards.  You didn't really grow up with Michael Jordan unless you remember the guy from the 80's.

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Michael Jordan was really more of an 80's star then he was a 90's star.  Jordan won his championships in the 90's, but he was a really BAD *** in the 80's.  He won his first MVP in the 80's, he won two slam dunk contests in the 80's, he dropped down 63 points on Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics back in 1986.  This guy was more of an 80's star in my book.   Jordan's dunks were so raw and powerful in the 80's, he took defenders on one-on-one more frequently in the 80's.  Plus early in his career he had those bad mutha gold chains around his neck.

No one had ever seen anything like Jordan before, no one.  Even today, there is nothing quite like Michael Jordan.  He had no weakness, not in scoring, defending, rebounding, passing, assists,....no weakness.

These kids today say they grew up with Jordan, but they probably only remember his late 90's years or as the old guy that played a year with the Washington Wizards.  You didn't really grow up with Michael Jordan unless you remember the guy from the 80's.
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I agree that MJ was a bad-*** in the 1980's, but where did that get the Chicago Bulls?  In the 1990's, Michael stepped into a real leadership role, and the TEAM'S level of play rose to meet his challenge.  When he stopped becoming a "one man band" the team became the champs that we now remember.

And THAT is why the Bulls won so many championships when Jordan was in town.  ;D

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I agree that MJ was a bad-*** in the 1980's, but where did that get the Chicago Bulls?  In the 1990's, Michael stepped into a real leadership role, and the TEAM'S level of play rose to meet his challenge.  When he stopped becoming a "one man band" the team became the champs that we now remember.

And THAT is why the Bulls won so many championships when Jordan was in town.  ;D
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The Bulls got to the playoffs several times during the 80's.  Without Jordan, hey no playoffs.  Not to mention that Jordan did not have the hall of fame type players around him that Magic and Bird were blessed with while with the Lakers and Celtics.  The Eastern Conference was much better back in the 80's then it was during the 90's and present day.  The Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons stood in the way of the Bulls for several years.  It also took some years for Scottie Pippen to develop into the semi-superstar Scottie Pippen, and guys like Horace Grant and John Paxson to develop into good starters.  And anyway, Jordan was not a ball hog in the 80's, he simply had a better chance of scoring taking on 2 or 3 guys then he did passing to an open guy like Cliff Levingston or somebody like that.

Even during the early 90's, he quited down a bit, he did not soar through the air and dunk with such power and grace as he did in the 80's.  And by the mid and late 90's, that was all but gone, instead replaced by that fade away shot he always did.

My point is that if you can't remember Michael Jordan during the years of 1984 to 1993, then you did not know the bad mutha Michael Jordan.  Especially that 1984 to 1990 time.  He was originally an 80's star, I hate how the 90's always claim Jordan for their own.  The 90's can have broken down guys like Grant Hill and Penny Hardaway.  Or Jordan wannabes like Kobe Bryant and Vince Carter.  Or...shudder, Shaq.  

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Michael Jordan was really more of an 80's star then he was a 90's star.  End Quote

I would partially agree.  In the 80s, he was well known amongst the basketball players and fans.  However, in the 90s, the non basketball fans even knew who he was - not just the NBA fans.

He is a classy guy, who I feel took the NBA to the next level.  Although not perfect, he held himself accountable for what he did wrong and continued to be successful in spite of any mistakes he made.  He was an outstanding role model who I feel can still contribute something (not as a player) to the game.  A lot of the young guys like Alan Iverson could learn alot about how to conduct themselves by sitting down with MJ and seeking his advice.

Quoting:Defense in the 80s was weak compared today...tall lanky white plays were being dunked on by jordan...Today with all the zone crap and bulky ass centers it's near impossible to get at least more than one dunk in a game.
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And one more:

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You act like Jordan played in the 50's and 60's with George Mikan and Bob Cousy, not the 80's and 90's with players like Joe Dumars, Isiah Thomas, Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkeley, Karl Malone, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, David Robinson, Shaquille O'Neal,....

(and the good white guys like Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, were pretty intense defenders back in the 80's)

Just because you missed the 20 year Golden Era of the NBA, 1979 (when Magic and Bird entered the league together) to 1999 (when Jordan retired from the Bulls the 2nd time), doesn't mean you have to be so grumpy about it.

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I would partially agree.  In the 80s, he was well known amongst the basketball players and fans.  However, in the 90s, the non basketball fans even knew who he was - not just the NBA fans.End Quote

Yeah it was a lot cooler to know about Michael Jordan back in the 80s then it was the 90s.  For the mere fact that not everyone back in 1985 and 1986 knew who he was.  Even in 1988 and 1989, he still was not known so widely outside of the basketball communtiy.  Basketball fans and sports fans definately knew he was.  The NBA marketing machine wasn't as in your face back in the 80s as it is today, where nearly everyone knows who LeBron James is whether you want to or not even before he set foot on an NBA court.  So it was kinda hip and cool to talk about Michael Jordan back in the 80s, but because most people that didn't follow basketball didn't know about him.  You could show off how "in the know" you were about this cool guy from Chicago that was flying through the air and dunking on everyone while scoring like 50 or 60 points a game.

But by like 1992 everyone and their grandmother knew who Michael Jordan was, so that chique quality of Jodran was sorta lost when you had 4 year little kids to 90 year old ladies walking around trying to "Be like Mike".

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What memories do u guys have of him
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My memories? Disdain. As a diehard Detroit Pistons fan, Michael Jordan was someone whom I truly loved to hate in the late 1980s and early '90s during the Pistons-Bulls rivalry. I still can't stand the man.

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Kobe Bryant is the closest in terms of personality, mentality, poise, leadership, fundamentalism, etc.

He has great footwork like Jordan
Can jump like Jordan (injury's __ed him up)
Clutch like jordan
Handles pressure
Talks like MJ
Arrogant like MJ

Defense in the 80s was weak compared today...tall lanky white plays were being dunked on by jordan...Today with all the zone crap and bulky ass centers it's near impossible to get at least more than one dunk in a game.

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Kobe isn't qualified to lace Michael's shoes.  Kobe complains about his teammates and is completely irresponsible.  Jordan was ENORMOUSLY repsonsible for the economic vitality of the league.  Kobe is a liability.