Doobie Doo
Veteran
WAY Too LONG to post the entire article
e
Crying Jordan: Oral history of the meme that wouldn’t die
Henry Bushnell
Yahoo SportsSep 10, 2019, 9:56 AM
Sign up for the Yahoo Sports newsletter. Get all the sports news you need, direct to your inbox.
By subscribing, you are agreeing to Yahoo's Terms and Privacy Policy
View photos
(Michael Wagstaff/Yahoo Sports illustration)
On Sept. 11, 2009, Michael Jordan stepped on stage at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts, for his epilogue. It was Hall of Fame weekend. Friday night. For 23 minutes, Jordan reflected on an unparalleled basketball career with thank yous and verbal jabs and everything in between. “It was,” his son, Marcus, says, “an authentic showing of who my dad really is.”
Ten years later, however, that night is remembered not for what it celebrated, but rather for what it birthed. Not for Jordan’s words, but for the tears that snuck down his cheeks before he could utter any. Not for the GOAT, but for the GMOAT: The Greatest Meme of All Time." data-reactid="32" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">Ten years later, however, that night is remembered not for what it celebrated, but rather for what it birthed. Not for Jordan’s words, but for the tears that snuck down his cheeks before he could utter any. Not for the GOAT, but for the GMOAT: The Greatest Meme of All Time.
This is the story of that meme, the Crying Jordan. Of its rise, its power, its ubiquity, and so much more – but first, of the photograph that enabled it." data-reactid="33" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">This is the story of that meme, the Crying Jordan. Of its rise, its power, its ubiquity, and so much more – but first, of the photograph that enabled it.
Chapter 1: The photo
(Note: All identifiers reflect subjects’ titles in 2016.)" data-reactid="35" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">(Note: All identifiers reflect subjects’ titles in 2016.)
MARCUS JORDAN (Michael Jordan’s son): I remember all of it. It as a fun weekend, spent with family. I think it was one of my dad’s most special weekends, and greatest achievements. … Growing up, I definitely saw him emotional. But I don’t think it was the same emotions he had that day." data-reactid="36" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">MARCUS JORDAN (Michael Jordan’s son): I remember all of it. It as a fun weekend, spent with family. I think it was one of my dad’s most special weekends, and greatest achievements. … Growing up, I definitely saw him emotional. But I don’t think it was the same emotions he had that day.
STEPHAN SAVOIA (Associated Press photographer): So he comes up, he’s introduced. He walks up to the podium, and drops his head, and starts crying. Before he said a word. … As soon as he walked up and his head was down, we knew there was an emotion there that was probably honest in its origin. And it became apparent, once he started talking, that he was truly humbled." data-reactid="37" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">STEPHAN SAVOIA (Associated Press photographer): So he comes up, he’s introduced. He walks up to the podium, and drops his head, and starts crying. Before he said a word. … As soon as he walked up and his head was down, we knew there was an emotion there that was probably honest in its origin. And it became apparent, once he started talking, that he was truly humbled.
MARCUS JORDAN: The realization that his playing days were over, and just the culmination of his career, led to him being overfilled with joy." data-reactid="38" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">MARCUS JORDAN: The realization that his playing days were over, and just the culmination of his career, led to him being overfilled with joy.
STEPHAN SAVOIA (AP): The Hall of Fame, I’ve probably covered it at least half the years I’ve been working here. I did Charles Barkley, I did a number of the big guys. And there’s never any emotion like that. … He was overcome by tears. He couldn’t speak." data-reactid="39" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">STEPHAN SAVOIA (AP): The Hall of Fame, I’ve probably covered it at least half the years I’ve been working here. I did Charles Barkley, I did a number of the big guys. And there’s never any emotion like that. … He was overcome by tears. He couldn’t speak.
It’s not a heavily attended event for press photographers. There’s basically only five or six of us. They all, in that first minute or so, decided, he’s crying – [after snapping pictures] the Reuters guy pulls his disc, he’s about to file. Once one guy pulls his disc, when you’re in a group like that, everybody starts pulling their disc.
But Jordan wasn’t done crying. So I just hung in there. And about 10 seconds after they all get their discs in their computers, and they’re in the middle of scanning, Jordan raises his head.
GHRMMMM, rapid-fire." data-reactid="42" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">And I hit my shutter – GHRMMMM, rapid-fire.
And his head was up for maybe 10 seconds. And everybody turns around and looks, and sees what’s going on, and they’re scrambling for their discs to put back in their cameras. By the time they do, he had wiped his eyes, he was done crying. … Nobody else had the picture.
[Years later, somebody] said, ‘The photographer must’ve been pretty good to capture that.’ And I’m thinking, ‘Actually, it was pretty f---ing easy. If the other guys had hung in for a few more seconds, they would’ve had it too.’
It was the best one I had. And it went out that night two minutes after 9 o’clock with ‘AP Photo/Stephan Savoia’ in the byline. That’s how it became exclusive.
Now, how it got to the internet, I have no idea.
View photos
The photo of Michael Jordan that started it all, by Stephan Savoia. (AP)
Chapter 2: The untold origin story
Yahoo is now part of Oath
e
Crying Jordan: Oral history of the meme that wouldn’t die
Henry Bushnell
Yahoo SportsSep 10, 2019, 9:56 AM
Sign up for the Yahoo Sports newsletter. Get all the sports news you need, direct to your inbox.
By subscribing, you are agreeing to Yahoo's Terms and Privacy Policy
View photos
(Michael Wagstaff/Yahoo Sports illustration)
On Sept. 11, 2009, Michael Jordan stepped on stage at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts, for his epilogue. It was Hall of Fame weekend. Friday night. For 23 minutes, Jordan reflected on an unparalleled basketball career with thank yous and verbal jabs and everything in between. “It was,” his son, Marcus, says, “an authentic showing of who my dad really is.”
Ten years later, however, that night is remembered not for what it celebrated, but rather for what it birthed. Not for Jordan’s words, but for the tears that snuck down his cheeks before he could utter any. Not for the GOAT, but for the GMOAT: The Greatest Meme of All Time." data-reactid="32" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">Ten years later, however, that night is remembered not for what it celebrated, but rather for what it birthed. Not for Jordan’s words, but for the tears that snuck down his cheeks before he could utter any. Not for the GOAT, but for the GMOAT: The Greatest Meme of All Time.
This is the story of that meme, the Crying Jordan. Of its rise, its power, its ubiquity, and so much more – but first, of the photograph that enabled it." data-reactid="33" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">This is the story of that meme, the Crying Jordan. Of its rise, its power, its ubiquity, and so much more – but first, of the photograph that enabled it.
Chapter 1: The photo
(Note: All identifiers reflect subjects’ titles in 2016.)" data-reactid="35" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">(Note: All identifiers reflect subjects’ titles in 2016.)
MARCUS JORDAN (Michael Jordan’s son): I remember all of it. It as a fun weekend, spent with family. I think it was one of my dad’s most special weekends, and greatest achievements. … Growing up, I definitely saw him emotional. But I don’t think it was the same emotions he had that day." data-reactid="36" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">MARCUS JORDAN (Michael Jordan’s son): I remember all of it. It as a fun weekend, spent with family. I think it was one of my dad’s most special weekends, and greatest achievements. … Growing up, I definitely saw him emotional. But I don’t think it was the same emotions he had that day.
STEPHAN SAVOIA (Associated Press photographer): So he comes up, he’s introduced. He walks up to the podium, and drops his head, and starts crying. Before he said a word. … As soon as he walked up and his head was down, we knew there was an emotion there that was probably honest in its origin. And it became apparent, once he started talking, that he was truly humbled." data-reactid="37" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">STEPHAN SAVOIA (Associated Press photographer): So he comes up, he’s introduced. He walks up to the podium, and drops his head, and starts crying. Before he said a word. … As soon as he walked up and his head was down, we knew there was an emotion there that was probably honest in its origin. And it became apparent, once he started talking, that he was truly humbled.
MARCUS JORDAN: The realization that his playing days were over, and just the culmination of his career, led to him being overfilled with joy." data-reactid="38" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">MARCUS JORDAN: The realization that his playing days were over, and just the culmination of his career, led to him being overfilled with joy.
STEPHAN SAVOIA (AP): The Hall of Fame, I’ve probably covered it at least half the years I’ve been working here. I did Charles Barkley, I did a number of the big guys. And there’s never any emotion like that. … He was overcome by tears. He couldn’t speak." data-reactid="39" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">STEPHAN SAVOIA (AP): The Hall of Fame, I’ve probably covered it at least half the years I’ve been working here. I did Charles Barkley, I did a number of the big guys. And there’s never any emotion like that. … He was overcome by tears. He couldn’t speak.
It’s not a heavily attended event for press photographers. There’s basically only five or six of us. They all, in that first minute or so, decided, he’s crying – [after snapping pictures] the Reuters guy pulls his disc, he’s about to file. Once one guy pulls his disc, when you’re in a group like that, everybody starts pulling their disc.
But Jordan wasn’t done crying. So I just hung in there. And about 10 seconds after they all get their discs in their computers, and they’re in the middle of scanning, Jordan raises his head.
GHRMMMM, rapid-fire." data-reactid="42" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">And I hit my shutter – GHRMMMM, rapid-fire.
And his head was up for maybe 10 seconds. And everybody turns around and looks, and sees what’s going on, and they’re scrambling for their discs to put back in their cameras. By the time they do, he had wiped his eyes, he was done crying. … Nobody else had the picture.
[Years later, somebody] said, ‘The photographer must’ve been pretty good to capture that.’ And I’m thinking, ‘Actually, it was pretty f---ing easy. If the other guys had hung in for a few more seconds, they would’ve had it too.’
It was the best one I had. And it went out that night two minutes after 9 o’clock with ‘AP Photo/Stephan Savoia’ in the byline. That’s how it became exclusive.
Now, how it got to the internet, I have no idea.
View photos
The photo of Michael Jordan that started it all, by Stephan Savoia. (AP)
Chapter 2: The untold origin story
Yahoo is now part of Oath
@ Yahoo & Oath Holdings.
