Orlando Magic Coach Chuck Daly tells the story of his time at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona when he edged Jordan in a round of golf. Jordan was beside himself with defeat, demanding another shot. Daly declined and went off to the hotel, only to be awakened at 4 a.m. by a pounding on his door.
"Chuck, it's Michael," Daly recalled hearing. "Let's go play."
To create a competitive edge after so much success, Jordan is always on search mode for inspiration. Before a game against Seattle, Sonics Coach George Karl was quoted in the papers saying Jordan no longer drives to the basket as much, preferring his fadeaway jumper.
It was hardly a scoop. But Jordan made himself a mountain from Karl's molehill, going for 38 points and later saying sarcastically that his fellow Tar Heel alum was probably right, that he, Jordan, probably was losing a step and getting soft. Karl was left in the familiar position of Jordan victims: sputtering.
"I said it," he said, "but I didn't mean it that way."
Too late. With Jordan, there are no do-overs.