Revisiting Jordan’s Last Game as a Chicago Bull

It was the shot that ended the Bulls’ NBA dynasty: with six seconds left, Chicago down by a point, Jordan shoots over Bryon Russell just above the free-throw line, his shooting hand hanging in the air a second longer on the follow-through as though offering the grandest of farewells.

Image source: nba.com

It goes in, the winning point in that last Chicago championship, Michael’s last game in a Bulls uniform. Let’s go back to the final few minutes of that 1998 Chicago-Utah finals game six, and see what Jordan did to make it an extra-memorable goodbye, one that would generate the highest rating for an NBA game in U.S. TV history.

2:55 left: Jordan stops a fastbreak pass
Michael misses a three-point attempt, but manages to intercept a fastbreak pass from Hornacek that could have increased the Jazz lead to four.

2:07 mark: Jordan hits two free throws
With five seconds left on the shot clock, Jordan drives and gets fouled, nailing both shots to cut the lead down to two.

One minute left: Jordan hits two more free throws to tie the game Fouled by Stockton on another drive, Jordan makes another set of free throws and ties the game.

43 seconds left: John Stockton makes a huge three Karl Malone passes to Stockton for a clutch three-pointer that got the Utah crowd roaring. Jazz up by three, 86-83.

37 seconds remaining: Jordan gets two points on a drive After a Bulls time out, Jordan drives hard to the basket and earns quick a two-pointer.

Image source: youtube.com

  
21 seconds left: Jordan steals the ball from Malone Jordan breaks up a Malone post play and steals the ball. Chicago down by one. Michael milks the clock a little, looking for the proper time to launch the shot that made history. “Jordan… open… Chicago with the lead!”

My name is David Berkowitz, and I am a big basketball fan, particularly of the Duke University Blue Devils. And yes, I love Michael Jordan. More info about me here..

The Three Greatest NCAA Teams Of All-Time

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Throughout the years, NCAA Men’s Division 1 basketball has had countless teams that have dominated tournaments. But among these powerhouses, there were a few that have achieved feats that were unprecedented and unheard of. These were the teams that were so elite, that even today, people still talk about them in reverence and awe. Here are the three greatest NCAA Men’s Division 1 basketball teams of all-time.

The 1996 Kentucky Wildcats

In 1996, the Kentucky Wildcats had what many college basketball experts regard as the deepest roster in NCAA history. There were five NBA first-round draft picks in Antoine Walker, Tony Delk, Ron Mercer, Walter McCarty, and Derek Anderson. There were also four more Wildcats from that team that made it to the NBA. That year, the team set a Wildcats record by winning 27 consecutive games.

The 1992 Duke Blue Devils

Image source: cheatsheet.com

Some basketball experts regard this Blue Devils team to be the greatest NCAA basketball team in history. They had Christian Laettner, Grant Hill, and a host of other all-time NCAA greats. Laettner even hit “The Shot”, which is widely considered to be the greatest moment in college basketball. Duke then went on to massacre Michigan State in the finals to cap off one of the greatest performances by an NCAA team in a single season.

The 1972 UCLA Bruins

There is very little doubt that the 1972 UCLA Bruins were the best basketball team to ever play in an NCAA tournament. They had a perfect 30-0 record, led by NBA legend Bill Walton. They beat everyone by an average margin of 32 points. They of course, won the title that year.

My name is David Berkowitz and I love the Blue Devils. For more on the stuff I love, follow me on Pinterest.

Some Notable Facts About The Chicago Cubs Franchise

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The Chicago Cubs are the subject of a long and interesting space in baseball, which has served as a canvass where a lot of interesting things are painted and fondly remembered by many. Here are a few notable facts about this well-loved baseball franchise.

1. The Cubs are one of two Major League teams from Chicago, thanks to a very strong baseball talents base that the windy city seems to attract. The other team, the Chicago White Sox, are members of the American League (AL) Central division.

2. The Cubs won back-to-back World Series championships in 1907 and 1908, making them the first Major League team to play in three consecutive World Series competitions. They are also the first to win it twice.

3. The Cubs have not won the World Series in 107 years, and they have not won in the National League in 70 years. These are widely regarded as "droughts" in Major League Baseball as even non-Cub fans can’t wait to see the franchise rise to success once again.

4. The Cubs are known as "the North Siders", a reference to the location of Wrigley Field. On the other hand, the White Sox have their home ballpark located on the South Side.

Image source: ballparksofbaseball.com

5. The franchise’s official Mascot is a young bear cub named Clark. Before that, the unofficial mascot associated with the Cubs was a fan by the name of Ronnie “Woo-woo” Wickers, whose cheers were always punctuated with an exclamatory “Woo!”.

6. A popular term celebrated among die-hard fans, "White flag time at Wrigley!", was coined by former play-by-play broadcaster Chip Caray, which means the Cubs have decidedly won the ballgame.

Hi. I am David Berkowitz and I am the biggest fan of the Chicago Cubs. If you want to discover more about my team, follow my profile on Flickr.

The 71-Year-Old 'Curse Of The Billy Goat'

It was Oct. 6, 1945. The Chicago Cubs were about to face the Detroit Tigers in the World Series that they were leading two games to one. The Cubs last won the World Series in 1908 as the second of back-to-back championships. The team and its fans were feeling pretty optimistic that they could win just two more games to claim the title.

Fans were coming in droves to the Wrigley Field, the Cubs’ home ballpark. One of those who were striding in was Billy Sianis, a Greek immigrant who owned a local watering hole named Billy Goat Tavern.

Image source: cbc.ca

People called him “Billy Goat,” and it was a nickname he was quite fond of. Not just because he grew a goatee, but because he adopted a pet goat named Murphy. He even had a ticket to bring in Murphy to the game.

What happened that day to Sianis and his goat will forever live in the Cubs’ lore – that is until the Cubs win a World Series.

There are various versions of what exactly transpired; either Sianis and Murphy denied entry to the ballpark or they were kicked out due to goat’s unpleasant odor. Feeling insulted, Sianis placed a curse on the franchise, “The Cubs ain’t gonna win no more!”

Image source: youtube.com

The Cubs ultimately lost the 1945 World Series and had failed to play in one since then. Whether the curse is true or not, once the Cubs go back to the World Series, Wrigley Field will not have enough seats for the fans.

My name is David Berkowitz and I am a diehard Chicago Cubs fan. If you want to read more about the ball club, connect with me on Google+.