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Inside scoop A tantalizing glimpse at Jordan's 'Comeback Camp'
Updated: Sunday September 09, 2001 6:26 PM
Psst... Wanna hear the "inside" scoop on what's going on at Michael Jordan's "Comeback Camp" in Chicago? You've come to the right place. I know the "inside" dope because I've been "inside" the gym where the games are taking place. Yep. I've witnessed Mike shooting jumpers with his NBA pals. I've seen him yukking it up on the court with Michael Finley and Antoine Walker. I've even laced up the hightops and played a game or two myself. OK, so maybe I played on the next court over against a bunch of lawyers and stockbrokers. But at least I was "inside" the two-story brick building on Chicago's West Side, not far from the United Center, which these days is somewhat akin to breaking into Ft. Knox. It even has a double set of glass doors that won't open unless somebody at the front desk buzzes you in. Thanks to a kind gentleman named Gary Cowen, however, I recently was able to get in a lunchtime run with some of the regulars at the now-famous Hoops the Gym. It was moments before Jordan's pickup games were about to take place, and it was a golden opportunity to get some exercise and see what was behind the shroud of secrecy. Besides, it sure beat waiting outside for His Airness in the hot summer sun for three hours. Cowen, the owner of Hoops the Gym, graciously allowed me and SI reporter Chris Ballard "inside" his roundball sanctuary under a few simple conditions: we leave our pens and notebooks in our lockers; we depart promptly at 1:30 p.m., when the real games were to begin; and, most important, we don't bend any rims with our errant shots. In our brief time "inside," we did manage to catch a tantalizing glimpse of MJ and the other NBA stars warming up on one of Hoops the Gym's three gleaming side courts. Looking as fit and muscular as ever, Jordan appeared to be enjoying himself as he went about his business. The games, which we did not stay to watch, are played to seven by ones on a full-length court. They feature time keepers and scorekeepers and, sometimes, actual NBA officials. We also got a tour of the second-floor weight room where His Airness works out every afternoon long after most of the other players have departed. It is about the size of a large living room and features rows and rows of Cybex machines. It also has a large glass window so MJ can look out at the autograph-seekers waiting for him outside. Unfortunately, our trip "inside" didn't yield any tell-tale clues to help us figure out if Jordan is indeed coming back. But we do know now that if MJ's shot isn't falling, it is not necessarily because he has lost his shooting touch. It might just be the now slightly bent rims.
Marty Burns covers pro basketball for CNNSI.com. Click here to send Marty a question or comment.
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