:23:03
The worst thing that can happen...
:23:05
... is it doesn't...it doesn't pan out
the way that you envision it.
:23:09
But at least you know
that by giving it a shot.
:23:13
People were basically saying...
:23:15
that I didn't have no reason
being in the sport,
:23:18
and I was degrading the sport.
:23:21
When those negative things
started to happen,
:23:23
the only thing,
I wish my father was there...
:23:25
to give me the positive
reinforcements that I needed.
:23:28
I asked him what it was like
for him in the morning.
:23:31
And Jordan said,"I get up
before the sun comes up,
:23:34
and I make myself
some breakfast by myself"...
:23:36
he was down there alone...
:23:38
"and I get in the car.
:23:40
"And I'm driving
to spring training,
:23:42
"and there's no one, really,
out on the roads yet.
:23:45
"And I look at the seat
next to me and I see my Dad,
:23:51
"and I talk to him.
:23:52
"I think to myself,
Pops, we're doing this.
:23:56
We're doing this together."
:23:59
And the day would end,
:24:00
and he would say
to the batting instructor,
:24:02
"Can we do a little more?
:24:04
"I think I'm getting this.
:24:05
I think I'm learning this,
I think I'm getting this."
:24:07
And that's when Spors Illustrated
put him on the cover...
:24:10
saying that Michael Jordan
has embarrassed baseball.
:24:14
And as I would watch him
there ever night...
:24:16
as the sun was going down and
the other ball players had left,
:24:19
and I would see this guy
working to get better...
:24:21
Michael Jordan working
to get better...
:24:23
I couldn't help thinking that
if you ever have children,
:24:26
you ought to pray
that they grow up someday...
:24:28
to embarrass
you like this.
:24:30
Michael Jordan...
:24:32
hits a fly ball.
:24:51
I think that experience itself
kind of gave him a blessing...
:24:55
of coming back to basketball...
:24:57
and understanding the gift that
he'd been given for this game...