Michael Jordan in this media era?

[Court_vision]

Really interesting to see the whole Tiger Woods disaster unfold.

Not just from a sports perspective...but from a societal perspective and a media perspective.

It's also got me thinking "How would Michael Jordan be percieved if he was in his prime right now."

Jordan was the only guy who's status was comparable to Tiger Woods. I have met so many people over the years who don't know a thing about Baskeball...but they love MJ.

I think it's pretty well known by now and accepted by now that MJ also cheated a lot on his wife / partied in a similar manner to Tiger. If you look at the details of his seperation from his wife, there's no doubt he did a lot of the things Tiger is being absolutely hammered about right now.

MJ's peak was before the internet went crazy...an era where the media could still be 'controlled'. It's well known that MJ and the people behind him were some of the best media manipulators ever. They set the whole standard for how sports stars can become a business and create an 'image' that is not necessarily true.

Personally, I don't care if Tiger or MJ cheated 100 times. They are sports players, not a politician who has based his image on being a family guy etc. However, it does bring into question the way they sell products based on being "the perfect guy".

I guess my question is, how would MJ have been percieved in this era of internet driven media frenzy?

Edit : typo in the heading. Michaej, lol. Can a mod fix it?

[dickey1331]

Re: Michael Jordan in this media era?

Thats a good question. I think it would really depend on how well MJ handled it. If Tiger handled this situation correctly then it wouldnt be as bad as its been.

[Taur3asi3]

Re: Michael Jordan in this media era?

MJ would and has been a helluva lot more careful than Tiger, Kobe, and whoever else.

[Court_vision]

Re: Michael Jordan in this media era?

Thats a good question. I think it would really depend on how well MJ handled it. If Tiger handled this situation correctly then it wouldnt be as bad as its been.

It's difficult to handle in this era though...the media is rapid fire nowadays.

If the world knew MJ liked "pay for play" with the ladies and strip clubs etc, would people have thought less of him? People seem to have really lost respect for Tiger over the same sorts of things.

Personally, I don't want to criticise them. Honestly, if I was a multi-millionaire sports star and was on the road non stop..........who knows. Pretty hard to knock back some strange when you've been away for a week or two. Maybe most guys would fall into that lifestyle. Who knows.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Michael Jordan in this media era?

If you can't help being a dirty, sleazy bitch, then don't get married.

[Court_vision]

Re: Michael Jordan in this media era?

If you can't help being a dirty, sleazy bitch, then don't get married.

Good point.

I've got a few married mates who are really decent people..and who have "slipped up" occasionally. It happens.

Tiger seems to have gone haywire though. Jordan also used to "enjoy" things.

Back to the topic...would we have all thought less of MJ if we'd have known what he got up to? For anyone here who is older than 30, MJ was godlike for a while there. The greatest athlete ever. If we'd known what he was doing in his private life, would we have still held him up so high or would he have been like Tiger right now?

[Schism 6]

Re: Michael Jordan in this media era?

Jordan was a cheater too, it's just not common knowledge or some don't realize how many he actually had.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Michael Jordan in this media era?

All you have to do is be like Derek Jeter.

[Hassan Darkside]

Re: Michael Jordan in this media era?

I can't help but wonder if in today's media era if Jordan's image would have even made it equal to what Tiger's was prior to his recent incidents. It would also depend on if Jordan was winning too, I guess, but I suppose we'll take that as a given. But I have a hard time imagining that several of Jordan's teammates or ex-teammates wouldn't have opened their mouth about how much they dislike the guy as a person and the media blowing it up.

[jfsolo]

Re: Michael Jordan in this media era?

Even with today's unrelenting media crush, Tiger being a golfer allowed him a certain amount of insularity from the tabloid-esque press . No football, basketball, or baseball player in the 21st century would be afforded any slack in attention being paid to his personal life or idiosyncratic behavior.

Mike's star definitely wouldn't shine as bright as it did during the 80's and 90's. I would say that many women, and guys of a certain ideological and theological bent, would not embrace him the way they did back then.

IMO, people who were always able to separate the unparalleled basketball acumen from the human being, would still have the same level of contextual "idolization"

I think the Tiger fiasco has created a permanent level of skepticism, where people will adopt the mindset that every superstar is hiding cemeteries in their closet, and its only a matter of when, not if, their secrets come out.

[Taur3asi3]

Re: Michael Jordan in this media era?

I really dont think that Jordan would get busted if he was in his prime right now. Anyone remember before he came back with the Wiz and he had that incident with Artest? Yeah we all probably know what happened there but it wasnt really reported other than MJ broke a rib or 2 in a pick up game.

Jordan had a very strange way of almost controlling people or intimidating them into doing what he wants. He would've made a great cult leader.

[HMcCoy]

Re: Michael Jordan in this media era?

The "accident heard 'round the world" is responsible for the sensationalism attached to the story. Even today, no one would really care if MJ was getting some on the side as long as there wasn't this big attention-grabbing occurance.

MJ's afairs were pretty common knowledge, but both his wife, and concubines stayed out of the limelight...and all parties were probably encouraged financially to do so. Rumor also has it that MJ's marriage was set up, and Jaunita knew going in that MJ would be out there. If that's true, Tiger should have followed that blueprint, lol.

Another big problem for Tiger that wouldn't impact MJ as much is his marketing position. MJ's most lucrative sponserships weren't aimed at the same upper middle class "family guy" demographic Woods is pitched to. Nike and Gatorade marketed MJ to the streets. MJ banging strippers didn't hurt his street cred whatsoever.

[Court_vision]

Re: Michael Jordan in this media era?

Another big problem for Tiger that wouldn't impact MJ as much is his marketing position. MJ's most lucrative sponserships weren't aimed at the same upper middle class "family guy" demographic Woods is pitched to. Nike and Gatorade marketed MJ to the streets. MJ banging strippers didn't hurt his street cred whatsoever.

That's a good point Macca.

Hey, any news re the twins bro?

[Muzyk23]

Re: Michael Jordan in this media era?

Golf is a niche sport. Not many people are interested in it, especially in Europe. Woods is a star in the States. Not many ppl know who Woods is in Europe. Jordan was the world's basketball icon. I wouldn't say Tiger is the world's golf icon when it comes to an average fan.

[KG]

Re: Michael Jordan in this media era?

I really dont think that Jordan would get busted if he was in his prime right now. Anyone remember before he came back with the Wiz and he had that incident with Artest? Yeah we all probably know what happened there but it wasnt really reported other than MJ broke a rib or 2 in a pick up game.

Jordan had a very strange way of almost controlling people or intimidating them into doing what he wants. He would've made a great cult leader.

Getting into a fight at a pickup game with a guy like Artest is a little bit differently than cheating on your wife.

Golf is a niche sport. Not many people are interested in it, especially in Europe. Woods is a star in the States. Not many ppl know who Woods is in Europe. Jordan was the world's basketball icon. I wouldn't say Tiger is the world's golf icon when it comes to an average fan.

Probably one of the most incorrect posts in a while. Golf isn't just big in the States. Do you realize sponsors and tournaments from around the world have paid him millions to show up in places like Dubai, India, and other countries? Tiger Woods is probably the most popular athlete in the world right now.