Jordan Rides the Bus is the Latest ESPN 30 for 30 Film, Giving Insight into MJ's Baseball Career

Jordan Rides the Bus was the latest ESPN 30 for 30 film to air, which did Tuesday night on the sports network. It's a Ron Shelton creation, whose film credits as writer/director include Bull Durham and White Men Can't Jump. The close to hour long film Jordan Rides the Bus discusses Michael Jordan's sudden retirement from basketball to pursue a baseball career. This ESPN 30 for 30 movie gives insight into how MJ's respite from the NBA helped him. The film shows how even superstars are just as vulnerable as everyone else.

Synopsis of Jordan Rides the Bus on ESPN 30 for 30

The film uses interviews (with MJ and those who know Michael Jordan like Phil Jackson and Jerry Reinsdorf) and archival footage that begins with the Chicago Bulls three-peat accomplishment in 1993, and continues to the soon after tragic events involving the gunshot death of MJ's father James. By October of 1993, the superstar announced he didn't want to play basketball anymore, and instead wanted to embark on a big league baseball career to fulfill the wish his father had for him.

The Chicago White Sox expressed interest in seeing Michael Jordan at spring training and he was signed to a minor league contract. Yet MJ's desire to play baseball was met with much derision by other players and the media since he didn't have the experience that other Major League Baseball wannabes had, even being accused of making a mockery of the game. Nonetheless, while Jordan struggled, he created a media circus, as documented on ESPN 30 for 30.

While his baseball career moved forward, reports came out about the basketball star's issues with gambling, which fueled more media hoopla. Jordan Rides the Bus chronicled his short run at being a big league star, as his 1994 minor league playing stint in Birmingham saw him hit .202 (88 hits in 436 at bats) over 127 games, according to Baseball-Reference.com Yet his brief minor league career sold out parks and saw MJ improve over time, with a .255 Fall League average, but the 1994 MLB strike affected his decision to continue.

A Number of Insights Came Out Via the ESPN 30 for 30 Film Jordan Rides the Bus

The insights gained from the movie are that being a superstar didn't come easy for Michael Jordan and that there were a number of pressures on him even as he helped the Bulls win three consecutive championships. Yet the people who spent time with MJ during his baseball stint often commented on how he was just like them, working his tail off to prove himself. This part of Jordan's life gave him some respite from the demands expected of him as one of the NBA's greatest players. The NBA had trouble adjusting to his absence, but the superstar would come back and lead another Bulls three-peat (1996-98).

For those of you who want to catch repeats of the ESPN 30 for 30 film Jordan Rides the Bus, find out more at the ESPN 30 for 30 website.

Sources:

"Jordan Rides the Bus", ESPN 30 for 30, August 24, 2010, ESPN

Michael Jordan: http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=jordan001mic, Baseball-Reference.com