Latest / Kidcast Daily / Ep346: Inside Michael Jordan’s Legendary Flu Game

Transcript

Ep346: Inside Michael Jordan’s Legendary Flu Game · Kidcast Daily

• 0:03
  Kick off Countdown, turn it up loud.
• 0:10
  We're on now. Sneakers on the floor, Hear the
• 0:16
  team run. Heartbeats racing.
• 0:19
  Here comes the fun. From the field to your
• 0:22
  headphones. Play by play kid.
• 0:25
  Cats daily talking game day. Greetings curious explorers.
• 0:52
  This is Kick Ass Daily, your daily adventure through science,
• 0:56
  sports, world history, cool inventions, and everything in
• 1:00
  between. Today we are diving into a
• 1:03
  famous sports moment known as the Flu Game.
• 1:06
  It happened during the 1997 NBA Finals in a matchup between the
• 1:11
  Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz. The Bulls had Michael Jordan, a
• 1:16
  superstar known for scoring, defense and leadership.
• 1:20
  The Jazz had Karl Malone, a powerful forward, and John
• 1:23
  Stockton, an all time great passer.
• 1:26
  The Finals are a best of seven series, which means the first
• 1:30
  team to win four games becomes champion.
• 1:33
  Going into Game 5, the series was tied at two wins each, so
• 1:37
  this game mattered a lot. The winner of Game 5 would be
• 1:41
  just one step away from taking the championship.
• 1:54
  Before the game, news spread that Michael Jordan was very
• 1:57
  sick. He had flu like symptoms
• 2:00
  including fever, stomach trouble and weakness.
• 2:03
  Some later stories suggested it might have been food poisoning
• 2:07
  from a late night meal. Either way, he felt awful.
• 2:11
  If you have ever had a fever, you know it makes your body feel
• 2:14
  tired and hot. Professional athletes prepare
• 2:17
  for games with regular sleep, good meals and hydration, but
• 2:22
  sometimes illness still strikes. Team doctors and trainers kept
• 2:26
  checking on him the whole day. They focused on fluids,
• 2:30
  electrolytes and rest because those steps help a person
• 2:34
  function better, even when sick. The game took place in Utah, and
• 2:38
  the crowd was very loud in the first quarter.
• 2:41
  Jordan started slowly, which made sense because he had low
• 2:45
  energy, but he kept playing. He paced himself, choosing
• 2:49
  moments carefully instead of sprinting on every play.
• 2:53
  Teammates helped with ball handling and defense to reduce
• 2:56
  his workload. Scottie Pippen guarded tough
• 2:59
  matchups and set screens to free Jordan for shots that required
• 3:02
  fewer dribbles. The Bulls used timeouts wisely
• 3:06
  so Jordan could sit, drink fluids and catch his breath.
• 3:10
  As the game went on, something remarkable happened.
• 3:13
  Jordan found a rhythm. His jump shot began to fall.
• 3:17
  He drew fouls and made free throws.
• 3:20
  He read the defense and picked smart spots to attack.
• 3:24
  He still looked tired and at times he leaned on teammates
• 3:27
  when walking to the bench. But on the court he made key
• 3:30
  plays. He scored for mid range, hit
• 3:33
  open teammates like Steve Kerr and Tony Q Cock, and battled for
• 3:37
  rebounds. On defense, he focused on
• 3:40
  positioning, keeping his body between his man and the basket
• 3:44
  to conserve energy while still being effective.
• 3:47
  This is a real example of strategy and teamwork making a
• 3:51
  difference when a player does not feel his best.
• 3:54
  Did you know that many big moments in basketball come down
• 3:57
  to small details like boxing out after a missed shot or setting a
• 4:00
  solid screen so a shooter gets a clean look?
• 4:03
  In this game, the Bulls and the Jazz executed many of these
• 4:07
  basics at a high level. The Jazz ran precise pick and
• 4:11
  roll plays with Stockton passing to Malone.
• 4:14
  The Bulls switched defenders and tried to disrupt passing lanes.
• 4:18
  Every possession mattered, especially in the second-half
• 4:22
  when the score stayed close. Here's a question to stretch
• 4:26
  your sports brain. Can you name the arena where
• 4:28
  this famous game was played? The answer is the Delta Center
• 4:35
  in Salt Lake City, UT Late in the game, Jordan delivered one
• 4:39
  of the most talked about shots in Finals history, a clutch 3
• 4:43
  pointer in the final minute that put the Bulls ahead.
• 4:46
  He had been on the bench not long before, cooling down and
• 4:49
  taking fluids. When he returned, he moved with
• 4:52
  purpose, came off a screen, got the ball and released a deep
• 4:56
  shot that swish through the net. The crowd reacted with a loud
• 5:00
  roar and both teams locked in for the closing seconds.
• 5:04
  Scottie Pippen also made important plays, including
• 5:07
  strong defense and smart passes. Dennis Rodman battled for
• 5:11
  rebounds. The Jazz kept pushing, with
• 5:14
  Malone scoring inside and Stockton organizing the offense.
• 5:18
  Let's add a quick science connection.
• 5:21
  When you have a fever, your body increases its temperature to
• 5:24
  help fight germs that can make your heartbeat faster.
• 5:28
  Playing an intense sport in that condition uses more energy than
• 5:32
  normal. That is why medical staff pay
• 5:34
  attention to hydration and electrolytes.
• 5:38
  Electrolytes like sodium and potassium help your muscles
• 5:41
  contract and your nerves send signals.
• 5:44
  Trainers also use cold towels and controlled rest to manage
• 5:48
  symptoms during a game. Jordan's ability to focus on
• 5:51
  technique like balanced footwork and high percentage shots helped
• 5:55
  him play efficiently without wasting movement.
• 5:58
  Here is a yes or no challenge. Was the final margin of this
• 6:02
  game greater than 10 points? No, the final score was 90 to
• 6:10
  88, a 2 point win for the Bulls. Another detail that stands out
• 6:15
  is how Jordan and Pippin supported each other.
• 6:18
  There is a well known moment when Pippin helps steady Jordan
• 6:21
  as they walk to the bench. That was not for show.
• 6:24
  When you are dehydrated or overheated, standing up quickly
• 6:28
  can make you feel lightheaded. Having a teammate nearby for
• 6:32
  balance is practical and safe. Coaches also adjusted lineups to
• 6:36
  give short rests to key players without losing rhythm.
• 6:40
  Did you know that NBA Finals games use a 24 second shot
• 6:44
  clock? Just like regular season games,
• 6:46
  that countdown forces teams to make decisions quickly.
• 6:50
  In the flu game, both teams needed to create good shots fast
• 6:54
  while also guarding carefully to avoid fouls.
• 6:57
  Jordan finished with 38 points, which is a large total in a
• 7:01
  finals game, especially given his condition.
• 7:05
  He also contributed with rebounds, assists, and steals.
• 7:09
  The box score showed his all around impact, not only scoring
• 7:13
  Time for a trivia twist. Who was the head coach of the
• 7:16
  Chicago Bulls during this game? Phil Jackson was the coach known
• 7:23
  for encouraging teamwork, calm focus and smart spacing on
• 7:27
  offense. Let's talk preparation before
• 7:31
  big games. Athletes eat meals that are easy
• 7:33
  to digest, drink water and review game plans.
• 7:37
  They watch video clips to study opponents habits, like which
• 7:40
  side a player favors when dribbling or which screens
• 7:43
  A-Team likes to set. Even when Jordan felt sick, that
• 7:47
  preparation did not disappear. He still knew where to be and
• 7:51
  when to move. That knowledge helped him
• 7:53
  maximize every burst of energy he could find.
• 7:57
  Here is another yes or no question for you.
• 8:00
  Did Michael Jordan play more than 40 minutes in this game?
• 8:06
  Yes, he played 44 minutes, which is most of the game.
• 8:11
  Now for a gear related question. What color shoes did Jordan wear
• 8:15
  that night? The pair later nicknamed the
• 8:17
  flue game shoes Black and Red. That colorway became famous
• 8:25
  among sneaker fans. One more trivia moment to test
• 8:29
  your sense of place. Was this game played at sea
• 8:31
  level? No Salt Lake City sits at a
• 8:38
  higher elevation around 4200 feet above sea level, which can
• 8:43
  make breathing feel a little tougher for some visitors during
• 8:46
  intense activity. After Game 5, the Bulls led the
• 8:50
  series three games to two. That put pressure on the Jazz
• 8:54
  and confidence into the Bulls locker room. 2 days later, the
• 8:58
  teams played Game 6IN Chicago and the Bulls won the
• 9:01
  championship. Many fans remember the flu game
• 9:04
  as a top example of perseverance, planning and
• 9:08
  teamwork. It shows that great performances
• 9:10
  are not only about feeling perfect, they are also about
• 9:14
  making smart choices, trusting teammates, and staying focused.
• 9:18
  Before we wrap up, here is a final yes or no check based on
• 9:22
  something new. Did the game go into overtime?
• 9:28
  No. It ended in regulation, which
• 9:31
  means the usual four quarters decided it.
• 9:39
  Let's recap what we learned. The flu game took place in the
• 9:42
  1997 NBA Finals between the Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz
• 9:48
  with the series tied 2:00 to 2:00.
• 9:50
  Michael Jordan played while very sick with flu like symptoms and
• 9:54
  some later reports suggested food poisoning.
• 9:57
  Despite low energy, he used efficient movement, smart shot
• 10:02
  selection and teamwork. The Bulls coaching staff and
• 10:05
  medical team managed timeouts, hydration and rest.
• 10:09
  Jordan scored 38 points and hit a clutch 3 pointer in the final
• 10:13
  minute. The Bulls won by two points,
• 10:16
  taking a three to two series lead and going on to win the
• 10:19
  championship in Game 6. We also discovered extra facts.
• 10:24
  The game was at the Delta Center.
• 10:26
  Phil Jackson was the Bulls coach.
• 10:28
  Jordan played 44 minutes. His shoes were black and red and
• 10:33
  the city's elevation is over 4000 feet.
• 10:36
  The big take away is that preparation, teamwork, and
• 10:39
  careful decision making can help people do impressive things even
• 10:43
  on a hard day. Thanks for listening and keep
• 10:46
  your curiosity active for our next adventure daily.
• 10:51
  Sports stories going crazy. Let's go from the whistle to the
• 11:00
  last big play when cheering you on every day.
• 11:03
  It's game time. Shouting proudly.
• 11:04
  Kick ass daily.