Various news outlets report this morning that Michael
Jordan will announce his retirement from the NBA at a press
conference Wednesday at the United Center (Mult., 1/12).
AIR TAKES A BREATHER: Jordan's agent David Falk
declined to confirm the report, but said, "At some time or
another Michael will retire. He has the right to retire
whenever he likes." Falk said Jordan was comfortable with
his decision: "His mind-set was terrific. He'd just
finished a good trip and he was happy to be back" (CHICAGO
SUN-TIMES, 1/12). In Chicago, Terrence Armour writes that
"fueling Jordan's intentions" to retire is a severed tendon
on the index finger of his shooting hand, "the result of a
cut he suffered while in the Bahamas." Jordan doesn't think
the injury would be healed in time for the start of the
season (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/12). In N.Y., Mike Wise:
"Jordan's future has been the biggest issue in basketball in
the wake of the bitter labor dispute that ended last week
after an impasse that lasted six months and wiped out the
early part of the season. Aside from his athletic and
entertainment value to the league, he was viewed as a
cultural icon and ambassador for the sport who would help
bridge the gap to disenchanted fans" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/12).
One NBA official: "It's for real this time. Everybody here
knows and nobody is happy about it" (CBS SportsLine, 1/12).
ESPN's David Aldridge said that there could be "nothing left
for Michael. I think he's vanquished every demon. ... You
look for other giants to fight. I think Michael looks out
there and doesn't see many giants right now" (ESPN, 1/12).
IMPACT: In Chicago, Jay Mariotti: "David Stern's domain
is in massive trouble as it tries to rise from the ashes of
the lockout. Jordan also could have done the NBA a favor,
but Stern and the owners chose to battle him, too, when he
went to war about the issue of capping high-end salaries"
(CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 1/12). In Boston, Michael Holley: "The
modern NBA is not Jordan's environment. The game is ailing
now. ... Jordan's nature is to revive all things askew. But
this task is too big for even he. Perhaps he knows that"
(BOSTON GLOBE, 1/12). In San Antonio, Glenn Rogers writes
that Jordan's departure will be felt the most in Chicago and
in TV ratings: "But the game should have at least two years
of non-Jordan before the next go-round with TV negotiators.
By then, new stars and different power teams will be set to
capture the sporting world's fancy" (EXPRESS-NEWS, 1/12).
On ESPN.com, David Aldridge writes that the "main thing" the
NBA needs right now is "rivalries" (ESPN.com, 1/12).
EARLY TV: Jordan's retirement was the lead story on
NBC's "Today," as Ann Curry said, "In the headlines this
morning, more bad news for the NBA." The N.Y. Times' Mike
Wise was interviewed by Matt Lauer and spoke of the impact
of Jordan's retirement: "You could probably take polls
around the country that 50% of America loves the NBA and
another 50% watch it just because Jordan is playing. And so
I think his presence is enormous, and I think it really will
hurt the game" ("Today," NBC, 1/12). The story led ABC's
"GMA," with Antonio Mora saying, "It's not a good morning
for basketball fans" ("GMA," ABC, 1/12).
