All video and text by hoopsencyclopedia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWvxijHNWB4
www.megaupload.com/?d=B7G20831
“The easiest compilation video to make is one of Michael Jordan. All you need to do is take 5 games from his career and you’ll have enough material for an entire news segment.
The most difficult compilation video to make is one of Michael Jordan. If you take any 5 games from his career, you’ll have so much material you won’t know what to cut out.
Therein lied the challenge of this edit for me. With the tons of MJ mixes out there, I wanted to do something more complete. I also wanted to focus on the aesthetics of his abilities. That led me to a path of picking not only classic clips, but rare ones and personal favorites. For those who didn’t grow up in the 80s before MJ became a champion, they can never know the full experience of what watching Jordan was like. Before all the awards, the statistics, the monster games, the titles and the global appeal, MJ was about his incredible moves. In the playground, people stuck their tongues out and tried to imitate his drives to the basket. Later on, people imitated his fadeaway. But his athletic moves were singular and his alone – awesome in aesthetics, control, spontaneity, improvisation, instinct and athleticism.
MJ revolutionized the game with his individual exploits and we see bits and pieces of this in everyone today. From Kobe studying his shooting mechanics to create shots to Wade attacking the basket to Lebron transferring his power to his teammates to Iverson in his isolations to Carter in his dunking, MJ continues to be, as Drexler said, “The Pro’s Pro”.
But obviously, there will always be only one MJ. This video captures the essence of MJ stripped of everything but his pure, remarkable talents as completely as possible in 10 minutes. A truly complete edit would take a video several days long – even weeks – but that would be impossible anyway.
By blurring the line between sport and art, MJ became the greatest athletic artist we will ever know. “Black Cat” was his nickname to his friends for his cat-like reflexes and grace and panther-like power and killer instinct. This is my ultimate tribute, with excellence, in return for his excellence to the game of basketball.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM1LmJpbOHA
Music is “8000” by Extrawelt.
“So after lazying it up for a few years, I may actually finish “Artistry 2”. A lot of people have pushed me to get out and do it after “Artistry 1” so thanks. As always, I’m going to go to my favorites as well as using rare clips. This one will have more skill-focus since MJ was the most skilled player as well as being the most athletic player. Every shot was a strength and a go-to shot at any time in the game.
Some thoughts on these clips:
-Opening Ad: I found this commercial hilarious with the opening line narration. The highlights were aplenty from Day One.
-0:51: Raw athleticism, talent and control. Cannot be taught nor bought.
-1:00: Big, swooping reverse from his 59pts against Detroit. MJ runs up court as soon as he launches knowing the shot is in from the start. He barely peeks afterwards just to confirm it’s a swish. The hang-reverse was just another one of his go-to shots in the clutch.
-1:15: Perfect, efficient footwork at age 35. No need to blow by them when you can outwit. MJ improvises as only he can under help defender Keith Van Horn afterwards.
-1:31: Within the Master of Fades mini-montage, MJ pulls here the turn/leaner – yet another one of his mastered shots.
-1:34: The hanging, forward fade. An early, favorite during the 80s.
-1:34: The super-juke fade. Houston is not alone on the victims list.
-1:39: Beautiful baiting of the double only to turn away on a dime.
-1:50: After defying the laws of physics with his palming advantage, MJ drains the shot there.
-1:55: The big scoop. Another early crowd-pleaser.
-2:06: The one-handed, hanging jumper is probably my favorite shot since it’s impossible to even attempt without, as Charles Barkley said, “having his Frying Pan Hands.”
-2:12: I believe this one of his greatest dunks.
-2:34: At the flash, one lucky cameraman gets it right at the moment with MJ’s head a few inches above the rim.
-2:37: Pass went to Pippen after the one-handed, super-hanger for the assist.
-2:40: Picture perfect fade in the lefty-direction. Is there anything more aesthetically pleasing? This is art. No need to show that the shot went in of course, since you knew anyway.”