I’m still a Jazz fan. But I’m like, this is Jordan! This is the greatest player of all time! – Rory McDonald, Jazz fan
SALT LAKE CITY — Halfway down the block, waiting to get through a closely guarded door, the twenty-something guy said: “He’s coming, isn’t he?” The security guard passing out wristbands didn’t answer.
“See? I told you he’s coming,” Mr. Twenty-something said, nodding toward the guard. “He’s not saying anything. That mean’s he’s coming.”
You would think Salt Lake would want nothing to do with Michael Jordan, but that wasn’t the case on Saturday. In the town Jordan crushed, he was a hit — even without showing up.
For those too young to have been there that night, 19 years ago on Saturday, it’s nothing personal. For those who remember, even they seemed to be over it.
“I’m still a Jazz fan,” said Rory McDonald, who was in high school in 1997, when the Jazz played Chicago in Jordan’s famous NBA Finals “Flu Game.” “But I’m like, this is Jordan! This is the greatest player of all time!”
The occasion was the appearance of a Jordan Brand “pop-up store" in Salt Lake, a one-day celebration of all things Michael. Similar stops have happened for years in bigger cities nationwide, but it has never been to Salt Lake. Space in the former Guthrie Bicycle building on 200 South was converted for an afternoon into a regular Jordan-fest that included food, drink and video replays of the (in)famous ’97 game. On display were historic Nike shoes through the decades, including the Air Jordan XII in Retro Black and Varsity Red, same ones he wore on the night in question.
There were things to see on Saturday, items to buy. For instance, fans could purchase a T-shirt and choose one of 15 or so designs, then have it custom colored on the spot.
No waiting for the mail.
Two models of Air Jordans were available for purchase, while other legendary shoes were on display.
Most of the crowd was so young it had only seen replays of the Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals. That was the game where Jordan played under mysterious flu-like conditions. Rumors persisted until tipoff that he wouldn’t suit up. But he did, to the tune of 38 points. The Bulls snapped a 2-2 series tie and went on to win the championship in six games.
All of which gave Saturday’s event a slightly surreal air. Think about it: The man pierced Jazz fans’ hearts, beating Utah in back-to-back Finals appearances, and Nike wants to celebrate in Salt Lake?
That’s like celebrating a famine.
“Salt Lake is a great city,” said Corrie Villatoro, a Nike spokeswoman. “It has given so much to basketball. So we’re here to celebrate Michael Jordan and the Jazz fans.”
That might seem incongruous, but apparently plenty of people agree with her. The line stretched west on 200 South and wrapped around the corner at State. Jake Bigler, from Ogden, was first in line. His girlfriend claimed the first spot at noon on Friday, and he arrived at 10 p.m., then camped overnight.
“I’m pretty tired,” he said.
Of the hundreds gathered, one of the few fans old enough to actually remember the game was Dave Madeau, of Salt Lake. He attended a playoff game in 1997 and watched the others on TV both years. When Jordan stole the ball from Karl Malone in 1998, and scored over Bryon Russell to win the championship, it was a gut punch to Madeau.
“I was pretty dead after that,” he said.
But there were no hard feelings, nearly two decades later. Madeau said he likens the association with Jordan to old friends trash-talking one another.
“It’s no problem,” he said. “I played basketball as a kid and usually after games, you just say it’s a game.”
Besides, Madeau said, those were the Jazz’s glory days — which might not be returning.
“Not unless they change everything,” he said. “Everything. It starts with the front office — they’ve got to change.”
In a sense, things already have changed. Malone, Jeff Hornacek and John Stockton are long gone. Younger Jazz fans don’t have the connection and just want to appreciate the shoes. Older Jazz fans can say they didn’t see a championship, but they saw the game’s greatest player.
Not that the Flu Game was painless.
“I cried like a 12-year-old girl,” McDonald said.
But 19 years later, he had to admit the Jordan brand, both then and now, is something you never want to miss.
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