Remember when Michael Jordan needed a second chance to make his famous free throw dunk from the 1988 NBA Slam Dunk Contest?
No, that's not a joke. I'm actually asking if you remember it because that really did happen, though you and everyone else has probably forgotten.
Jordan clanked his first attempt off the back of the rim during his showdown in the finals with Dominique Wilkins. He even missed a dunk in the semifinal round.
In his second attempt, he elegantly sailed from the free throw line, slammed the ball through the net while striking his iconic "Jumpman" pose with his tongue waging and thus secured the contest.
But you didn't remember the initial miss did you? You were so in awe of Jordan and the amazing skill he showed on the court that the first attempt was erased from your mind.
If that wasn't enough, the countless posters gracing bedroom walls immortalizing the winning dunk coaxed the memory of the miss out existence.
While we forget Jordan's miss, we mock the failed attempts by modern contestants. "If only these guys were like Jordan, Wilkins and Vince Carter ..." lamented virtually every social media update during the dunk contest.
The slam dunks of yesterday seem so much more impressive in our memories than those of today. The modern dunks come across as lackluster compared to the majesty of the dunks from yesteryear.
Based on all but one conceivable standard, however, the dunks from the 2013 NBA Slam Dunk Contest are better than the ones from the 1988 classic.
Wilkins' final dunk in the championship round, the dunk he wanted to win with, was a two-handed windmill. Do you know what that gets you in the 2013 dunk contest? Eliminated.
The 50-point dunks in the final round, a perfect score, were: an alley-oop off the backboard, a double clutch between the legs reverse, a one-handed windmill from the baseline, and the free throw line jump.
In today's dunk contests, even college ones, those are opening round dunks. Players do those because they know they can make them.
Were there more misses in the most recent dunk contest versus the 1988? Absolutely. But that has to do with the difficulty of the dunks being attempted. Dunkers are trying to push the envelope even further with the dunks they are attempting.
Kenneth Faried earned a 50 for an alley-oop off the backboard, like Dominique, but unlike the Atlanta Hawks legend, Faried then brought it between his legs and back up for the dunk.
Eric Bledsoe also grabbed a 50 for a two-handed windmill dunk, but his was off a self pass and with a 360 thrown in for good measure.
In the final round of the 2013 contest, Jeremy Evans and Terrence Ross pulled out some amazing dunks.
In terms of pure showmanship, Jeremy Evan did a windmill dunk over what was unveiled to be a large painting of himself performing that dunk, which he signed after completing it. Next, he caught an alley from a sitting teammate while he jumped over him and dunked it.
Ross caught a pass off the side of the backboard as he was jumping from behind the goal before doing a windmill and a 360. In his final dunk, he jumped over a ball boy while going between his legs before slamming it.
The same people who criticize modern players for lacking creativity fawn over Jordan's free throw line dunk even though it had been done 12 years earlier by Julius Erving in an ABA dunk contest.
In terms of creativity and difficulty there is no comparison between modern dunk contests and earlier ones. Even though I grew up with Jordan and believe he would be doing similar amazing dunks were he in his prime now, his dunk contest dunks pale in comparison to those performed today.
The only aspect of the dunk contest that was demonstrably better in the 1980's and 90's was the participation from top stars, or at least up and coming stars.
Once again, people forget that dunk contest Michael Jordan was before his prime and his domination of the league. He was still making a name for himself.
Having said that, there is still no comparison between the name recognition of today's competitors and those in the early competitions.
You can rightly criticize the superstars of today for not being a part of the contest, but much of that has to do with the unfair burden that is placed on participants.
They know that despite performing dunks that are clearly better than any Jordan did, they will never be able to win over fans who selectively remember the greatness of the early contests.
There is not much debate over the greatest player of all time. Obviously, Michael Jordan has cemented his legacy in that regard.
You are wrong, however, if you think that earlier dunk contests with Jordan and others were better because of the dunks performed. The dunks of today are demonstrably better, more difficult and more creative.
The difference is the players choosing to participate. Terrence Ross had better NBA Slam Dunk Contest dunks than Michael Jordan, but 20 years from now no one will be talking about wearing Air Ross shoes or calling the Toronto Raptor the greatest to ever play the game.
You are totally right in downplaying the 2013 NBA Dunk Contest if you are comparing Ross and Jordan in terms of stature on and off the court as a complete player. You are completely wrong in dismissing this year's dunk contest in terms of the actual dunks.
No matter what you thought during the contest, 2013 had much better dunks than 1988. Strictly in terms of the dunks, this year trumps then almost as easily as Jordan trumps Ross as a player.
Go ahead and admit it. You were wrong about the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
In his second attempt, he elegantly sailed from the free throw line, slammed the ball through the net while striking his iconic "Jumpman" pose with his tongue waging and thus secured the contest.
But you didn't remember the initial miss did you? You were so in awe of Jordan and the amazing skill he showed on the court that the first attempt was erased from your mind.
If that wasn't enough, the countless posters gracing bedroom walls immortalizing the winning dunk coaxed the memory of the miss out existence.
While we forget Jordan's miss, we mock the failed attempts by modern contestants. "If only these guys were like Jordan, Wilkins and Vince Carter ..." lamented virtually every social media update during the dunk contest.
The slam dunks of yesterday seem so much more impressive in our memories than those of today. The modern dunks come across as lackluster compared to the majesty of the dunks from yesteryear.
Based on all but one conceivable standard, however, the dunks from the 2013 NBA Slam Dunk Contest are better than the ones from the 1988 classic.
Wilkins' final dunk in the championship round, the dunk he wanted to win with, was a two-handed windmill. Do you know what that gets you in the 2013 dunk contest? Eliminated.
The 50-point dunks in the final round, a perfect score, were: an alley-oop off the backboard, a double clutch between the legs reverse, a one-handed windmill from the baseline, and the free throw line jump.
In today's dunk contests, even college ones, those are opening round dunks. Players do those because they know they can make them.
Were there more misses in the most recent dunk contest versus the 1988? Absolutely. But that has to do with the difficulty of the dunks being attempted. Dunkers are trying to push the envelope even further with the dunks they are attempting.
Kenneth Faried earned a 50 for an alley-oop off the backboard, like Dominique, but unlike the Atlanta Hawks legend, Faried then brought it between his legs and back up for the dunk.
Eric Bledsoe also grabbed a 50 for a two-handed windmill dunk, but his was off a self pass and with a 360 thrown in for good measure.
In the final round of the 2013 contest, Jeremy Evans and Terrence Ross pulled out some amazing dunks.
In terms of pure showmanship, Jeremy Evan did a windmill dunk over what was unveiled to be a large painting of himself performing that dunk, which he signed after completing it. Next, he caught an alley from a sitting teammate while he jumped over him and dunked it.
Ross caught a pass off the side of the backboard as he was jumping from behind the goal before doing a windmill and a 360. In his final dunk, he jumped over a ball boy while going between his legs before slamming it.
The same people who criticize modern players for lacking creativity fawn over Jordan's free throw line dunk even though it had been done 12 years earlier by Julius Erving in an ABA dunk contest.
In terms of creativity and difficulty there is no comparison between modern dunk contests and earlier ones. Even though I grew up with Jordan and believe he would be doing similar amazing dunks were he in his prime now, his dunk contest dunks pale in comparison to those performed today.
The only aspect of the dunk contest that was demonstrably better in the 1980's and 90's was the participation from top stars, or at least up and coming stars.
Once again, people forget that dunk contest Michael Jordan was before his prime and his domination of the league. He was still making a name for himself.
Having said that, there is still no comparison between the name recognition of today's competitors and those in the early competitions.
You can rightly criticize the superstars of today for not being a part of the contest, but much of that has to do with the unfair burden that is placed on participants.
They know that despite performing dunks that are clearly better than any Jordan did, they will never be able to win over fans who selectively remember the greatness of the early contests.
There is not much debate over the greatest player of all time. Obviously, Michael Jordan has cemented his legacy in that regard.
You are wrong, however, if you think that earlier dunk contests with Jordan and others were better because of the dunks performed. The dunks of today are demonstrably better, more difficult and more creative.
The difference is the players choosing to participate. Terrence Ross had better NBA Slam Dunk Contest dunks than Michael Jordan, but 20 years from now no one will be talking about wearing Air Ross shoes or calling the Toronto Raptor the greatest to ever play the game.
You are totally right in downplaying the 2013 NBA Dunk Contest if you are comparing Ross and Jordan in terms of stature on and off the court as a complete player. You are completely wrong in dismissing this year's dunk contest in terms of the actual dunks.
No matter what you thought during the contest, 2013 had much better dunks than 1988. Strictly in terms of the dunks, this year trumps then almost as easily as Jordan trumps Ross as a player.
Go ahead and admit it. You were wrong about the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
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