"Jordan Dome" Pick-Up Games.....Rare Video Footage, Any More Out There?

Ja's 2¢

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For those that remember, WB built the "The Jordan Dome" for MJ while filming Space Jam.

View media item 350338
Background on Jordan Dome:
"Now people are saying Hakeem is the best player. They're right. He was the best last year, and he still is. That's motivation. It's a pride thing. Can I change that, within the confines of what's best for this team, and help us win another championship? I can't make those judgments myself. But I can play the kind of basketball I played two years ago, then let people make a choice."

Inspired by that challenge, Jordan trained this off season like never before, starting his summer routine with his personal trainer six weeks earlier than usual. He spent eight weeks filming a Warner Brothers movie, "Space Jam," which is scheduled to be released around Christmas of next year.

But filming in Burbank, Calif., was hardly a vacation. Jordan agreed to spend that much time on the set only after Warner Brothers built a temporary workout facility dubbed "The Jordan Dome," a huge, air-conditioned tent on the set that included a full-length basketball court, weights, a locker room, a lounge and a television with a satellite dish.

On a typical day, Jordan would work on the movie from 8 A.M. until lunch. After that, it was 90 minutes of weight training, followed by more filming, which ended no later than 7 P.M. Then, it was time to play ball. When word of the Jordan Dome spread, N.B.A. players flocked to play pickup games. Reggie Miller, Patrick Ewing, Grant Hill, Rod Strickland, Glen Rice, Juwan Howard, Lamond Murray, Shawn Bradley, Chris Mills and many others joined Jordan for games that helped him recapture the timing and instincts he lost during the 21 months he spent away from the game.

The results are noticeable. Jordan weighs about 216 pounds, up 8 pounds from the end of last season. He is stronger and wider through the shoulders, but slimmer and leaner in his upper legs. The spring in his legs has returned. The residue of his abbreviated baseball career has been eradicated.

"In baseball, you only get to run when you get a hit," Jordan said, smiling. "I didn't get to do as much running as I wanted."

By the end of the summer, word had spread that Jordan looked razor sharp.

"I had never played with him before," said Tyus Edney, a rookie guard with the Sacramento Kings who played several games with Jordan in Burbank. "One time he went to the basket, and it looked like he just wanted to see how long he could hang in the air. I shook my head."

Those around Jordan every day say his old swagger has returned. It was not only Jordan's talent that made him dominant, but also his confidence.

Dean Cain (TV Superman) on Beating MJ in the Dome:
Hoop
January 1997

Celebrity Row
By Dean Cain
Invading Rare Air

"I am not Superman. I just play him on TV. Michael Jordan is not Superman
either. But when he sets foot onto a basketball court, in my opinion, he is
the closest thing to Superman this world has ever seen.

"So it's only fitting that my most memorable basketball achievement came
against 'His Airness.' Michael was in Los Angeles making the movie Space
Jam. There was a huge bubble set up on the Warner Brothers lot with a full-
sized basketball court inside. It quickly became known as the 'Jordan Dome.'

"Every night, there were great games. Michael was there. So were Magic, and
Juwan Howard, Patric Ewing, Reggie Miller and a lot of others. I had been
invited to what had to be some of the greatest pick-up games in history.

"Now, I played football in the NFL, with the Buffalo Bills before retiring
because of a knee injury, and I still consider myself a good athlete. But
inside the jordan Dome, I spent a lot of time getting out of the way before
I got dunked on.

"Except one night. I was on a team with a couple of UCLA players and pros
and we were playing against Michael. We were winning, til Michael got a
little peeved and just took the game over, quickly tying the score. The team
that made the next shot would win. The stage was set.

"What kid hasn't dreamed of beating Michael Jordan in basketball? What adult
hasn't? What senior citizen hasn't? With the game on the line, the
intensity picked up, and Michael began talking a lot of junk. Michael
doesn't like to lose. Even with an assortment of NBA All-Stars on the court
and sidelines, one thing was clear: Michael is 'The Man.'

"I came off a high pick, just behind the college three-point line. 'This is
my shot,' I thought quietly, not expecting anything. But before I knew it,
someone passed me the ball, and I bombed away.

"Time stood still. The ball arced into the lights. My mind began racing:
'If this goes in, Michael has to sit out a game. Oh my God . . .'

"The shot sailed high and true, and though it wasn't a swish, it ratttled
cleanly through the hoop. There was silence. I just stood there. We won.
WE WON! Suddenly, there were a lot of catcalls and jeering from the
sidelines about Superman, etc. And it created a once-in-a-lifetime scene:
Michael Jordan had to vacate the Jordan Dome court because of me.

"As the next game began, Michael called from the sideline with a little smile.
'Every dog has his day,' he said. This was mine.

"I try to attend as many NBA games as possible, mostly with my father, Chris,
a devoted Laker fan. I have become friends with guys like Michael, Magic,
Juwan, Chris Webber, Reggie, Charles Barkley and Shaq. Shaq now wears a
Laker uniform and, coincidentally, has the Superman 'S' tattooed on his arm.
Guess who I'm rooting for?

"But when Chicago comes to town, it will be tough. I think Shaq himself said
it best a couple years back, 'Michael Jordan is Superman. I'm still
Superboy.'

"And like I said, I'm not Superman, but I am in my fourth season of playing
him on Lois and Clark and we have been renewed for a fifth season. If there
is a Superman, it is Michael Jordan every time he steps onto a basketball
court. I'm thinking of giving him the suit."

Rare Footage 4 Min (Players: Reggie and Rodman, Pooh Richardson, Bo Outlaw, Lamond Murray, Eddie Jones, Cedric Ceballos, and Juwan Howard. 3 Clippers and 2 Lakers):


20 Sec Footage:

 
That's great to see. That and the Dream Team practice footage were always something I wanted to see more of - somewhere there has to be some decent quality footage. I'd buy that.

The most rare thing in the video is Jack Haley with the ball in his hands though...
 
So this was built just for filming, correct?

What kinda gym does MJ have at the house?
 
That's great to see. That and the Dream Team practice footage were always something I wanted to see more of - somewhere there has to be some decent quality footage. I'd buy that.

The most rare thing in the video is Jack Haley with the ball in his hands though...

I have no idea why the Monte Carlo scrimmage video isn't released. It exists and the demand is there.
 
That video is awesome.

Two things that stood out to me are:

-The pace that they are playing at is incredible. Never seen a pickup game with that fast of a pace throughout the entire game.

-Nobody expects anyone to miss any shots. Seems like when a shot goes up everyone just starts heading down to the other end. There were hardly any misses though and with that kind of pace you had better run back fast.
 
just stumbled unto some new/old info+pics via twitter



View media item 411465@cedceballos: So many HOF players there RT @PointForwardPro: @cedceballos I'll never forget the Jordan Dome match ups in summer of 95' u was going @ him


View media item 411464Cedric Ceballos @cedceballos: Nothing comes close RT @GeeHizall: Jordan Dome '95 was the greatest basketball I ever witnessed, no cameras @cedceballos @PointForwardPro





View media item 411461View media item 411463@cedceballos: #throwbackthursdays JORDAN DOME michael air jordan magic johnson, dennis rodman, reggie miller, mj, space jam photo pic basketball #tbt #nbalife http://instagr.am/p/LTPMi0nBkG/





View media item 411462Nigel P. Miguel ‏@Filmbelize: #picstitch, hanging out with the greatest of all time! @ (Jordan Dome) Warner Brothers Lot space jam
 
I miss this type of basketball and I don't ever think we'll see that Monte Carlo footage. That's the scrimmage they lost right? As a matter of fact, I wouldn't want to see the loss, I would want to see the next game where they threw the hammer down on the college kids and they didn't score a single point.
 
I was reading the Dream Team book the past week, it said Jordan had a special "For the love of the game" clause where he could play pick up games and wouldn't be fined. :lol:
 
Damn that's crazy.... Good read.

Imagine being able to witness a "pickup game" like that. Seeing them ball with intensity just because it's what they love to do. :smokin
 
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