Jordan Must Really Have A Plan

CLEVELAND - When word came down yesterday that Michael Jordan successfully outbid everyone to purchase controlling interest in the awful Charlotte Bobcats, I couldn't figure out why he'd want that headache.

So, he MUST have a trick up his sleeve.

Jordan, author of the most iconic and critically acclaimed pro basketball career in history is obsessed with competition, excelling and flat out getting his way. This has been fact for almost 30 years, so him wanting to own an NBA team fits right into his personality. But the Bobcats have been perennial losers since they joined the league six years ago and in spite of a few talented players, are still boring and unprofitable.

So Jordan MUST have a plan.

Bob Johnson, the founder of BET and the man who has owned the Bobcats so far, wanted to unload the team largely because it has proven to be unpopular and unsuccessful and is costing him tens of millions of dollars. They are seemingly light years from being truly competitive and no one really cares about them. It makes me wonder what MJ sees in this team that made him so desperately want to own it. Is it just a toy to him? Is it his ego that's driving him? Given his history of front office decision making, it seems like he will hurt the team with poor choices. On the other hand, winning is always his top mantra so this may be just what the team needs to ascend to respectability.

Of course, MJ will need to be more hands on than he has been in Charlotte and several years ago when he was VP of basketball operations in Washington. But if anyone can defy the odds or conventional wisdom, it is certainly Michael Jordan.

Never count him out.

'Captain EO' Showed Michael Jackson in Transition

CLEVELAND - With the return of Captain EO to Disney theme parks nationwide this week, I felt that it was a perfect time to dissect the life of its star during that time. That star of course, was Michael Jackson.

My biggest inspiration.

Jackson's life was in great transition during the time that the 17-minute, space fantasy film was created and ultimately released. It was shot in great secrecy during the second half of 1985 and edited during the first half of 1986. It premiered at Disney parks nationwide in September and became an instant hit, wildly popular particularly because it was filmed in 3-D. Michael had dominated music and pop culture during 1983 and 1984 with the historic success of his Thriller album and accompanying music videos and trademark costumes. But after he and his brothers finished the critically panned Victory tour in December 1984, the national love affair with MJ began to fade.

Michael surfaced in early 1985 to co-write and feature in the charity single "We Are the World," but then he disappeared for more than a year and a half. When he resurfaced in the Captain EO flick, his facial appearance had changed subtly and his music and dance style became more combative, though only for reasons of "doing good." When EO premiered, Michael had just turned 28-years old and his face had become a shade lighter than it had been. His lips even somehow looked different, and his chin had more definition. Everyone else criticized MJ for the changes, but I was still excited about his creativity and his look.

At the time of EO's release, Michael had been absorbing negative press for over a year for the first time in his iconic career. Tales of him sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber and buying the Elephant Man's bones had surfaced in the print and news media and caused people to brand him weird. The music industry was changing as well and Jackson was experiencing strong competition from many directions, including from his 20-year old sister Janet, who released her first brilliant album, Control in '86.

Michael's next solo album, Bad was released a year after Captain EO. His lyrics, style of dress and thematic elements of the short films from the album continued what began in the Disney film. He was tough, aggressive and eager to send in-your-face messages. Thus, Captain EO should be considered the bridge between the calm and tame Michael that could do no wrong and the brash and "street" MJ that was more controversial and possessed a "me against the world" sensibility.

Whatever edition of Michael that the world got, I was very pleased with. He was always an evolving genius and will forever be.

Bravo, Michael.

Woods Was Forced Into Fake Apology

CLEVELAND - With yesterday's nationally televised apology from golf icon Tiger Woods, he became more like an actual human being and less like a symbol of great capitalist success and corporate polish.

He's a real man now.

Woods, 34 took to the podium wearing a sullen and contrite expression and offered a very belated mea culpa to the world for his litany of extramarital affairs. This all started in late November after a minor, yet very mysterious car wreck which led to the first whispers of Woods' infidelity. Within days, more than a dozen women came forward with salacious accusations against the legendary golfer which greatly tarnished his previously squeaky clean reputation. Since then, Woods has been absent from the public eye, even taking a leave from golf to try and redeem himself to his family.

Watching him apologize brought several thoughts to my mind. First, it's very obvious that getting caught was about the only thing he was sorry for. Had he not been outed, he would have continued on and wouldn't have felt enough guilt to stop or apologize. He knew that he had a wife and two children while he was doing it, yet he persisted. Furthermore, he is a product of his father who was a shameless womanizer himself and obviously rubbed off on his son. I believe that Woods' most honest moment came when he admitted that he felt "entitled" to this behavior, due to his extreme wealth and celebrity.

The apology felt fake like so many other public figures mostly because it came so late after the initial reports. Why did he wait nearly three months? For his apology to have seemed sincere, he would have had to come out with it long before the media found out about his "transgressions." That way, the apology would have been the product of a guilty conscience rather than a PR ploy or damage control.

Still, he had no choice but to give it.

With the billions of dollars riding on Woods' career and marketability, not to mention the historical significance of the man himself, he was obligated to face the planet and hold himself accountable. If he didn't, the backlash would have been immeasurable.

I still say that he deserves our understanding. He is, after all, just a person.

Jordan Turns 47 Still Full Of Drive and Confidence

CLEVELAND - Basketball icon Michael Jordan celebrates his 47th birthday today in the midst of relentlessly trying to purchase an NBA team. This is par for the course when it comes to being a man with an incomparable drive and insatiable will to win.

Happy Birthday, MJ.

Looking back at Jordan's searing, yet brutally honest Hall of Fame speech five months ago, it becomes very obvious that he remains the ultimate competitor. All of the elements that made him a basketball genius were on full display that night and with his current goal of trying to buy the Charlotte Bobcats from owner Bob Johnson, he continues to use his remarkable self-confidence to bend the world in his favor.

I love it.

Last Saturday, Michael's venerable Air Jordan basketball sneakers celebrated their 25th anniversary. Though he was just an NBA rookie with the Chicago Bulls when they debuted in 1985, the footwear helped catapult him to the forefront of American pop culture. Even now, a quarter century later, they remain a major identifier and symbol of MJ's superlative excellence in hoops. Given the fact that he's 7 years removed from playing and 11 years removed from his last NBA championship, that is an awesome accomplishment.

Happy Birthday, Michael.

'We Are The World' Remix: Well-Intended Garbage

CLEVELAND - Thanks to the presence of Michael Jackson and a catchy track, I was a huge fan of the hit single "We Are The World" when it debuted in early 1985. With the brand new "re-imagining" of the altruistic tune being released last Friday, I took on a natural curiosity.

It's nice, but pales next to the original.

Inspired by the devastating earthquake in Haiti last month, approximately 85 of the planet's most popular musicians assembled in a Los Angeles recording studio a couple weeks ago to recreate the legendary original. Of course, the new version is highly updated and features a hip-hop flavor, something that the original lacked due to the nascent status of the genre at the time.

While the effort and the idea are well intended, the project calls attention to itself in a negative way. The original anthem felt historic from the get-go and now, 25 years later, has grown in scope. It was a cultural touchstone of legendary talent and boasted a litany of A-list icons. Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan and Ray Charles were seminal forces in the music industry with each having had or was having a groundbreaking career. Lionel Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Smokey Robinson and Harry Belafonte were nearly as accomplished and revered and producer/composer Quincy Jones was the genius behind it all.

Of course, Jackson and Richie wrote the song and were almost without question the biggest stars in the music industry at the time. The 40-plus musicians were dubbed "USA for Africa" and the charity single was meant to raise money and bring awareness to the widespread famine in Ethiopia. It become a wildly profitable and popular song and gained a reputation of being a magical moment in time with the convergence of such talent unified for a great cause.

The "new" song, "We are the World-25 for Haiti" boasts the same arrangement as the original and is once again overseen by Quincy Jones. Richie and Haitian native and musician Wyclef Jean also serve as producers. A new music video debuted in tandem with the song, and features a similar aesthetic to the original. Dozens of recording artists are grouped together while singing the anthem and images of Haiti play on screens behind them.

Looking at the new group of stars, it is hard not to laugh at the obscure nature of some of them. Sure, there are still a few legends such as Tony Bennett,Gladys Knight and Barbara Streisand, but nobodies like Justin Bieber and Josh Groban is a taint to the song's legacy. Even the super popular Jonas Brothers seem like a ridiculous choice. I can live with certain choices like Pink and Akon, but Miley Cyrus and Bizzy Bone? The huge number of rap artists are gratuitous and misplaced. In spite of it all, the song plays surprisingly well because it's so close to the original, but the rap parts stick out like a sore thumb, except Kanye West's part which I felt was excellent and fit well.

T-Pain's participation made the entire thing feel like a bad practical joke.

I applaud choices like Jennifer Hudson and Adam Levine, and I appreciate the splicing together of footage of Michael Jackson's singing parts from '85 and assembling them with sister Janet's new vocals. Believe me, if MJ were alive, he'd be the first person to lend his artistry and money to this cause.

I can't help but scratch my head at a few glaring absences from the song. While I'm okay with flavor-of-the-moment Taylor Swift not being there, I would like to have seen some of the true stars of today involved. Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Jay-Z and even legends like Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.

They would have been far better choices than unproven newcomers like Drake and Kid Cudi.

At the end of the day, I hope the new song raises a lot of money for the Haitian victims. But in the meantime, the folks in charge of our entertainment should actually do better research.

Plenty of real superstars would have been included if they had.

The Air Jordan Legacy: Epic and Unprecedented

CLEVELAND - With the 25th anniversary edition of the Air Jordan basketball shoe hitting store shelves yesterday, I figured this is the perfect time to reflect on its legacy. The peerless footwear have emphatically and dramatically carved out a gigantic place in pop culture history, thanks in no small part to its namesake.

Michael Jordan.

I continue to marvel at the mega sensational popularity that the sneakers have enjoyed for decades. In their prime, the Air Jordan was a major force of fashion that its potential owners just had to have. They debuted in the Spring of 1985, just months into Jordan's rookie season in the NBA and days prior to his 22nd birthday. From the start, the red and black kicks created a commotion. Due to their color scheme, the NBA banned them for not having enough white in them. Jordan, who was garnering constant headlines of praise for his brilliant and stylish play on the basketball court defiantly continued wearing the shoes in games. The NBA fined him, and Nike Inc. gladly paid the $5000 per game fine since the controversy gave the epochal footwear oodles of priceless publicity that resulted in a huge spark in public interest and sales.

The Air Jordan was the first sneaker to successfully become a major fashion accessory. Until the release of the first shoe, sneakers were regarded as an afterthought; something worn leisurely or to perform chores in. The look of the shoe didn't matter as much as its comfort. Even as NBA superstars Larry Bird, Dr. J and Magic Johnson starred in ads for Converse in the early 1980's, athletic shoes continued having a low profile. By 1990, the Air Jordan was a certified icon which matched Michael himself, who by then had been the most dominant and dazzling hoopster in the game for six seasons.

This is when I became fascinated by the shoes.

In 1988, 25-year old Michael Jordan won his 2nd straight NBA Slam Dunk title. His quickness, creativity and phenomenal skills gave him an even higher profile and popularity than he already had. This resulted in higher sales of the high-priced sneakers and augmented their reputation. The Air Jordan III introduced visible air, colloquially known to urban America as "air pockets." The shoes also featured a new Jordan logo to replace the initial basketball-sprouting-wings insignia. The new design was simple yet dramatic; a silhouette of MJ jumping into the air, legs spread and his left arm extended with a basketball in his hand.

The golden age of Air Jordan was 1988 to 1998. During that time, Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to 6 NBA championships and he personally won NBA Finals MVP all six times. He also won 9 of his record 10 NBA scoring championships and became an international icon. The Air Jordan IV was famously given a scene in the 1989 Spike Lee film, Do the Right Thing and the design of the Air Jordan V was inspired by the "bat boot" in Batman.

It remains an indelible memory of mine watching dozens of guys (and girls) discuss the "new Jordans" back in junior high-school and high-school. Guys used to deal drugs just to be able to afford the controversial and outlandish price tag of the shoes. They'd cut school or come late just to be at the mall to drop $125 for the "new J's" as they were popularly called. I wanted a pair so bad, but my mother couldn't afford them. Even still, I found ways to get a few pair...legally, and I always felt awesome wearing them which remains true to this day. That was an interesting quality of the shoes: they had the power to boost a person's morale or self confidence...and they were always gawked at and fawned over. People wanted to know what the bottom of the shoes looked like! That's mostly because of the 1990 edition, which featured a clear rubber outsole with the ubiquitous Air Jordan logo encased inside, which acted as sort of a window. Will Smith famously wore that edition in the opening credits of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and throughout the series' first season. He also wore ensuing editions of Jordans as the show progressed.

Nike revolutionized the athletic footwear industry in a way that its rivals could not. Because of their ingenious advertising strategies coupled with Michael's stunning accomplishments in pro basketball, the Air Jordan possessed an awesome aura. The shoes had style and personality. They were brash and intimidating. They were mythical and elite. Since Michael wore them all the time, they became co-stars in all of his historic sports moments. "The Shot" in 1989 over the Cavs' Craig Ehlo featured Jordan knocking in a double-pump jumper at the buzzer, but on his feet are the black and gray Air Jordan IV. He's wearing the Air Jordan V 10 months later in the same building against the same team when he flew for a career best 69 points and 18 rebounds.

It's the Air Jordan VI that MJ rocked while leading the Bulls to their 1st NBA title in 1991. In the 1992 U.S. Summer Olympics, Jordan sported a special edition, white, red, blue and gold version of the Air Jordan VII. It was during his comeback from a brief retirement in 1995 that Michael first unveiled the instantly fawned over Air Jordan XI six months before their official release. That model was a simple, white sneaker trimmed in black patent leather. Nearly 15 years later, that edition is considered to be the best ever installment. When the Bulls capped off their historic 72-10 season with their 4th NBA title of the decade in 1996, Jordan collapsed to the floor of the United Center in unbridled jubilation, mobbed by teammate Randy Brown and clutching the historic basketball. Very prominent in the scene is the snazzy black with polished black patent leather Air Jordan XI's with a clean white and red midsole on his feet.

They look...beautiful!

The Air Jordan XII was on Michael's feet a year later during the famous "flu game" on June 11, 1997. A year after that, Michael sported a pair of J's from the future when he knocked down the title winning jumper over Utah's Byron Russell. From the future in this case means he was wearing the Air Jordan XIV a year early, possibly because he knew he'd never get to wear them in an actual game due to his expected retirement. Indeed, Michael hit the winning shot in those 1999 edition shoes, then retired before the start of the lockout-shortened '98-'99 season.

Jordan's immense popularity and the financial windfall it created for both he and Nike was enough to convince the athletic footwear company to give MJ his own division. In 1997, the Jordan Brand debuted and made its presence even more prominent in the NBA and other sports. Its signature sneaker remained the Air Jordan and admittedly, the designed and popularity of them waned as the 2000's commenced. I attribute much of that to Jordan's absence from the court and mostly to a major drop off in "sexy design." Early on, the Jordan's had a very edgy and stylish aesthetic. In the past decade, they have flopped consistently in the design department even as their inner technology has become more sophisticated.

Even when Michael returned to the league in the autumn of 2001, the shoes appeared uninspired and washed up. The Air Jordan XVII debuted in February 2002 in all white and trimmed in blue and black. They were based on the team colors of the lowly Washington Wizards, whom MJ returned to play for. They also came in an aluminum brief case and retailed for an astounding $200. The 20th edition, released in 2005 seemed to "try too hard" and it ended up being a laugher. I actually liked the XXI's and XXII's and I even own a pair of each. They both amaze me at the ambitious and intricate craftsmanship that they possess. I wanted a pair of the XX3's, but I never got them. They wound up being the final, numbered pair of Air Jordan's since "23" was his uniform number. Beginning with the 24th edition in 2009, the iconic sneakers would be identified by year. The '09's were by far the worst edition in history and looked nothing like an Air Jordan shoe.

Now the 2010 model.

From the beginning, I loved the look of the 2010 Air Jordan. I even had to drive 100 miles round trip to get mine yesterday because nowhere local had any in stock. Michael and his team have decided to use a current NBA star to wear the shoe in games just as Michael himself would do if he were still playing. Currently, Miami Heat star guard Dwyane Wade is the designated "wearer." Jordan, who turns 47 this week remains closely involved with the shoe's design and development and continues to embody greatness, even a dozen years removed from his last championship.

Over 25 amazing years, the Air Jordan has personified elegance and ambition in the subtlest of ways. They long ago became a cultural phenomenon, which is just one more touchstone of Michael Jordan's legend that will never go away as long as people continue to have feet.

And I'll always treasure them.

The Destruction of the Indestructible Mike Tyson

CLEVELAND - I never cared about the sport of boxing, nor did I watch it growing up. But Mike Tyson was awesome enough, dominant enough and wildly popular enough in the late 1980's that I paid close attention to his career and personal life.

On February 11, 1990, Tyson dropped my jaw.

Yes, it has been exactly 20 years since the monumental upset that took place thousands of miles away in Tokyo, Japan. The indestructible Tyson, then 23 was pummeled by a non-descript nobody named James "Buster" Douglas. For me to not give a hoot about professional boxing, the colossal impact of this historic event was apparent to me from the moment I got word. Every man that I was around reacted as though the moon had fallen out of the sky when Douglas leveled Tyson in the 10th round.

Because Tyson was that unstoppable.

Ever since Tyson became the youngest man to earn the heavyweight title in 1986, he was one of the most celebrated and acclaimed figures in sports. He was by far boxing's most intimidating force and his superlative excellence and pervasive popularity made him a pop culture icon early on. There was even a Nintendo video game created for him called "Mike Tyson's Punch Out." He was more than just the man of steel as his "Iron" nicknamed indicated. He was an absolute force of nature. I'll never forget how he famously vanquished Michael Spinks in the summer of 1988 in just 91 seconds, which actually ended Spinks' pro career. This was Tyson at the absolute apex of his fame and skill and his aura just seemed mythical.

Add all that up, plus the fact that he'd unified all three title belts to become "the undisputed champion of the world," and the magnitude of the Douglas upset comes into plain focus. And let's not forget the fact that Tyson was a searing 37-0 (33 knockouts) going into the 1990 contest with Douglas and a 42-1 favorite.

Sheesh.

I was just 12 years old at the time of that legendary fight, but it remains indelible. After the epic upset, Tyson was never the same personally or professionally. A year and a half later, he was charged with rape and sent to prison in 1992. Once he was released in 1995, he fought a series of journeymen and predictably dominated. Just when it seemed as if he was ascending back to his glory days, he ran into Evander Holyfield who was older but for years had been considered the one superstar fighter who could realistically challenge Tyson. In their November 1996 match, Holyfield clobbered him and came close to repeating the feat in June 1997 before Tyson infamously and savagely bit his ears while in the ring. After that, Tyson became vilified and was largely ostracized from the sport for a short time. Then his career became one sideshow after another until he unceremoniously bowed out in 2005 in defeat.

The odyssey of Mike Tyson is a fascinating one, but its most pivotal turning point will forever be the stunning night 20 years ago that forever changed the face of boxing.

And turned Tyson into a mortal.

25 Years Ago Today: All-Star Vets Put Rookie Jordan On Ice

CLEVELAND - It seems unbelievable now, but in his first ever NBA All-Star game, Michael Jordan was nervous, unable to get into a rhythm offensively and finished with just 7 points.

Ah, once upon a time.

Today marks the 25th anniversary of what has become popularly known as "the freeze-out game" in NBA lore. It was the 35th annual mid-season classic that also happened to serve as Jordan's inaugural NBA All-Star game and took place at the venerable Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, IN. The West squad defeated the East, 140-129 but in spite of the presence of such future legends as Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the true story of the afternoon was the soon to be 22-year old Michael Jordan.

Many veteran stars were angry about the unrivaled popularity and press that the newcomer was receiving. His flashy, high-flying style was tailor made for engendering jealousy as was his dominant offensive abilities. Compounding matters was the fact that, during the Slam Dunk contest the previous day, Jordan eschewed his Bulls practice gear in favor of a Nike warm-up suit and wore gold chains in addition to the controversial, inaugural edition of his Air Jordan sneakers.

At the time, the first year Chicago Bulls megastar was giddy just being there and was very gracious in evaluating the experience. It wasn't until after the fact that whispers of an agenda against him by his fellow stars surfaced. Legend has it that Jordan's East teammate Isiah Thomas orchestrated a freeze-out of Jordan by instructing the other players to avoid giving him the ball. He also told West stars Earvin "Magic" Johnson and George Gervin to play much tougher defense against Michael than a usual exhibition game like this would require.

As it were, Jordan played the fewest minutes of any starter and shot only nine times. In the quarter century since then, the allegations of a freeze out have taken on an enormous mythology. Last summer, during his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame, Jordan kindly sneered at the notion and participants of the freeze out and essentially declared that in spite of it, he became a cultural icon en route to winning everything anyway.

At the end of the day, I'm glad that Michael Jordan was treated that way as a rookie. It not only made him better and stronger, but it gave him even more incentive to inflict his will on the entire game of basketball for the next decade and a half.

Boy, was that awesome to watch.

Fall Guy Or Not, Conrad Murray Should Be Executed

CLEVELAND - Michael Jackson was murdered by his physician, Dr. Conrad Murray. Whether it was premeditated or accidental, Jackson died at the hands of Murray. No amount of spin or explanation changes that, and that's why the doctor from hell needs to be executed.

I'm beyond angry.

Murray was formally charged yesterday in the June 25, 2009 death of Michael, an event so enormous that the entire planet went into a literal freeze frame of shock, disbelief and epic sadness. I, of course was more grief-stricken than I'd ever been. MJ was who I lived vicariously through, as did millions of his dedicated fans the world over. Murray, bastard that he is, killed an Earth Angel. Yes, Michael was very flawed, but he was still an angel.

After Murray surrendered to law enforcement in Los Angeles yesterday, he plead not guilty after being charged with involuntary manslaughter. The coward should have done the honorable thing and admitted what we already know as fact; he killed Michael Jackson through irresponsible negligence in the administering of major tranquilizers.

Joe Jackson, Michael's father publicly declared Murray to be a "fall guy." Both Joe and his daughter LaToya opined that Murray was essentially a small cog in a huge conspiracy to murder Michael. Even though I usually despise Joe, I agree with him on this. Murray posted his $75,000 bail and left for his hometown of Houston after the charges were issued. Many believe him to be a flight risk and the Jackson family have stated that the involuntary manslaughter charge is not enough. I agree with that assessment as well.

Murray faces a maximum four years in prison if convicted. Ask any one of Michael's hundreds of millions of fans and they will all say the same thing.

Conrad Murray should be executed.

Jordan Expanded Popular Legend With 1988 All-Star Weekend

CLEVELAND - It was 22 years ago today that Michael Jordan capped off a whirlwind weekend of basketball brilliance with his first All-Star MVP. After that weekend, he became the number one most glamorized, popularized figure in basketball.

And it was just the beginning.

MJ, less than two weeks prior to his 25th birthday stood head and shoulders above the litany of superstars and legends-in-the-making during the 38th annual event. Not surprisingly, the weekend of exhibitions were held in Chicago Stadium which was of course the home arena of the 4th year megastar shooting guard. The evening prior to the game saw Jordan successfully defend his slam dunk title with a stunning series of acrobatic flourishes and throwdowns at the basket.

This was the contest that ended in controversy as Michael faced off with star forward Dominique Wilkins, who defeated Jordan during MJ's rookie season three years before. Many felt that Wilkins should have won the '88 contest based on his equally amazing dunks, but as it were, Michael Jordan dribbled full court just as he'd done the year before in Seattle and jumped from the foul line. As he sailed towards the basket with the basketball in his right hand, he assumed an aerodynamic pose that would become one of the most iconic images in sports. When he completed the dunk, the arena went crazy and the judges gave him a perfect score of 50, which narrowly edged out Wilkins for the title.

Maybe it was home court bias, maybe it wasn't. But Jordan was awesome either way.

As amazing as the battle was, the true treat was the following day when the actual game took place. The East marched to a 138-133 victory behind a mega-sensational performance from both Jordan and Wilkins. MJ missed only six shots and scored 40 points in just 29 minutes, including 16 in an offensive flurry during the final six minutes anchored by teammate Isiah Thomas, who finished with 15 assists. Wilkins poured in 29 points to support Michael.

While being presented with the foregone conclusion of All-Star MVP, Jordan stood at center court with Commissioner David Stern. "In a league of stars, in a game of stars, you were the star of stars," said Stern as he handed the trophy to Jordan. It was a fitting moment not just because of his performance in that game or during that weekend. It signaled something far greater -- it was the beginning of Michael's uber popularity with young kids, teens and adults everywhere. Nike and Gatorade (who sponsored the dunk contest) were aligned with MJ and his expensive, namesake sneakers became enormous must-haves for urban youths all across America.

It was also a sign that the great Larry Bird and Magic Johnson would soon take a back seat to the young and blazingly talented Michael, who wound up leading the NBA in scoring, steals and minutes played while also winning the Defensive Player of the Year award and his first ever league MVP.

After his historic showing during the Slam Dunk contest, MJ was known more prominently as Air Jordan and with his high-wire, super acrobatic style of play, it was a very fitting moniker. Jordan had already been a super popular and endlessly gifted basketball player. But this weekend heightened America's awareness even more and launched his tenure as "the NBA's signature player."

If only the world knew what Michael would do over the next decade. Oh my.

Grammy Awards: Awesome, Sad and Interesting

CLEVELAND - I decided to watch the Grammy Awards start to finish for the first time in many years last night due to my interest in the show's planned Michael Jackson tribute. When it was all said and done, I felt highly entertained and hopelessly sad.

But it was certainly time well spent.

As always, I was delighted at the outrageous and high eccentricities of Lady Gaga. Her costumes are intricate creations which epitomize her singularity. Of course, the get-ups make many people label her a whack job, but I love the fact that she marches to the beat of her own drum.

Just like Pink, only far more out of the box.

Pink has been impressing me a lot for the past couple years. Last night, she performed a trademark hanging-from-the-ceiling routine while singing her songs...but since she was clad in what appeared to be strategically placed white belts all over her otherwise "nude" body, the visual was far more enticing to me. Especially as she hung dripping wet upside down.

The Black Eyed Peas performed two great songs that really caught my ear, which was enough to give me a new appreciation of another out of the box star, will.i.am. Fergie was awesome as well.

Taylor Swift, the delightful young megastar was a big winner also, something that has become something of a habit for the singing sensation. What I always enjoy most about Swift is her genuine enthusiasm and appreciation for winning awards. She's humble and very grounded...in spite of the huge success she's been having.

Beyonce was another enormous winner and her costumes were very enticing as always. She's another humble superstar and exudes a very likeable charm.

The anticipated Michael Jackson tribute went off flawlessly as several elite musicians took to the stage and performed his environmentally conscious "Earth Song" while recorded MJ vocals assisted them. Smokey Robinson, Usher, Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson and Carrie Underwood did an awesome job worthy of his iconic legacy. It was also grand seeing Lionel Richie announce the group and talk briefly of he and Michael's friendship. After the tribute, which featured an MJ short film broadcast in 3-D, his two oldest children took to the stage and accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award for him. Their words, so moving, mature and ultimately depressing earned a standing ovation and more than a few tears.

Especially from me.

I loved Bon Jovi performing as well as Green Day. Guitarist Slash tore it up as did Jamie Foxx and T-Pain in their "Blame it on the Alcohol" rendition. I also enjoyed a performance by the underappreciated Mary J. Blige.

In spite of major sound censoring, the evening's final performance was excellent. Eminem and Lil Wayne were joined onstage by Travis Barker for "Drop the World", then Drake for the hit "Forever." It was a rousing and tenacious effort that punctuated an evening filled with mixed emotions.

Maybe I'll watch next year too.