Hurricanes' Michal Jordan gets another unfavorable comparison to... Michael Jordan (PHOTO)

The curse of having the same name as a celebrity or legendary athlete is a cross some people have to bear.

It might get you a convenient restaurant reservation over the phone but, in the case of Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Michal Jordan, that novelty has become tiresome.

During Wednesday's game against Carolina, the Nashville Predators trolled the Hurricanes player with an unbeatable comparison with NBA legend Michael Jordan. 

The 24-year-old Czech Republic native saw the comparison and showed a sense of humor about it.

Here we go again...story of my life!🙈 thanks a lot @PredsNHL thanks a lot pic.twitter.com/KwLYHRBsg9
— Michal Jordan (@TheBigCzech23) December 3, 2014

This guy knows the feeling:

Miley Cyrus tweets photo of herself in Michael Jordan hot pants outfit

After Miley Cyrus stripped down to nude latex lingerie and rubbed up against Robin Thicke in one of the most controversial MTV VMA performances ever on Sunday night (here's the video in case you've been on Mars or the same planet Cyrus is from) the former Disney star was suddenly shy when she stepped out the following day on Monday. The 20-year-old vixen was covered up and kept her head down as she headed to a work appointment in New York.

That was until she was at it again with her risque antics, tweeting pictures of herself in more very racy ensembles that drags former NBA great Michael Jordan into her twisted life.

In the first photo Cyrus is seen crouching down, twerking it out and running her fingers through her hair as she models a red, white and black Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls basketball theme crop top and hot pants set. She tweeted along with the picture: "#23 #youcanthangwithus #boyslockerroom."

She then follows it up with a photo of herself in a boy's locker room, posing up against the lockers wearing a black G-string over white bike pants teamed with a red bra.

#23 @mikewillmadeit pic.twitter.com/WByUJu7M0q
— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) August 27, 2013

The attention-starved singer always seems to be photographed with her tongue hanging out of her mouth — but that's the only thing she has in common with the great No. 23.

Ex-MTV VJ says Michael Jordan tried to take her virginity through game of dice

If you can remember when MTV only sucked half of the time— in the days when they actually played music videos— you might remember the one-named video jockey known as Kennedy.

The former MTV VJ is claiming in her new book that Michael Jordan once tried to win her virginity —  when she wasn't introducing videos by TLC, Coolio and Boyz II Men— by playing a sexually-charged game of dice back in the early hip-hop days when "This Is How We Do It" topped the charts.

The 40-year-old media personality recalls in “The Kennedy Chronicles” (via TMZ) that in 1995 she was having dinner with the NBA legend and Russell Simmons at the Bowery Bar in New York City when Jordan allegedly suggested a game of dice.

Kennedy (real name Lisa Kennedy Montgomery) claims that Jordan then decided it was “time to play for something,” adding, “If I win, you come back to my hotel room with me tonight.”

According to TMZ, that's when Kennedy says she freaked out because she was a virgin — and imagined MJ wasn't rolling a Little Joe and would "eviscerate me from the inside out" ... so she asked if they could play for Knicks tickets instead. 

And that's when Jordan allegedly reminded Kennedy he had a wife — and offered her Nets tickets as a consolation. 

"Sure, he'll fillet my vag like a sea bass if he won at dice on a men's room floor," Kennedy writes ... "but as soon as I want basketball tickets he's a Promise Keeper? Whatevs."

Kennedy says she won the dice game anyway -- so her body parts were never in any real danger. 

TMZ reached out to MJ about the MTV VJ's claim and ... so far, no word back from the NBA MVP. 

Patrick Ewing 'disappointed' he's still not a head coach yet

Patrick Ewing could only watch as Jason Kidd gained a head coaching position only nine days removed from retiring from the NBA while Ewing, another former NBA great— and after a decade of bouncing around the league in various coaching and broadcast positions after calling it a career— was the bridesmaid once again.

Ewing was named this week as an associate coach with the Charlotte Bobcats to assist new head coach, Steve Clifford — despite his close relationship with team owner Michael Jordan.  Ewing said he still "disappointed" he has never become a head coach but claims he holds no grudges.

“I’m disappointed,’’ Ewing said on WFAN’s “Boomer & Carton” show of not getting a head-coaching opportunity yet. “Naturally everybody who does this thing, the goal is to be a head coach. I felt I’ve paid my dues, worked hard, studied hard with the goal of trying to become a head coach.

“I’m disappointed it hasn’t happened yet. All I can do is keep on working and keep on hoping someone one day will have faith in me like the way they have faith in Jason that they can get the job done. In terms of Jason, I’m very happy for him. They believe he can get it done and [I]wish him luck.’’

Ewing has even patched up any differences that may have existed with the Knicks organization which may have been leftover from him demanding a trade after the 1999-2000 season.  He has worked a few Knicks postseason games for the Madison Square Garden network, sat next to owner James Dolan at a couple of games and indicated that  he will be back with his former team in some capacity.

“My relationship with the Knicks is fine,’’ Ewing said. “Mr. Dolan has been very good to me. He gave me a great opportunity to do some TV. I cherish the opportunity maybe one day in near future, I’ll be back in the organization. I have no problem with the Knicks. I have no problem with the Dolans and it’s fair to say they have no problems with myself.’’

Ewing wasn't so keen on being tossed a bone and coaching in the D-League.

“I wasn’t offended,’’ Ewing said. “I didn’t want to be a coach in the developmental league. I wanted to be a coach in the NBA. The opportunity wasn’t in my best interest."

For real though I'm mad J Kidd got a head coaching job a year after retiring n my pops been coaching 10 years n barely gets a look
— Patrick Ewing Jr (@pewingjr6) June 13, 2013

As far as his son [Patrick Jr.] tweeting he was “real mad’’ at Kidd’s hire while his father has received just two head-coaching interviews, Ewing said, “I told him he needs to get rid of his Twitter account. All he’s going to do is end up in trouble. I appreciate it. I love him to death, but I don’t need him to fight my battles.’’

Michael Jordan pitches 40,000 sq. ft. wedding tent on Jack Nicklaus golf course for big day

Michael Jordan pitched a wedding tent the size of three football fields on a golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus for the former NBA star's Saturday nuptials to model Yvette Prieto.  The 40,000 sq. ft. tent will have a band stage, ballroom and dining hall to serve more than 2,000 guests.

Jordan's sprawling 35,000 sq. ft. mansion was deemed to for the couple's reception so they had the massive tent pitched on the fairway.

"I've never seen anything like it. I've been working on weddings for a while," an unidentified source told GossipExtra. "It looks like he's having about 2,000 people over." Guests had to sign confidentiality agreements.

He is. And Jordan might be able to get in 18 holes before the fete without missing an I do.

The tent and reception area are only yards away from Jordan's new mansion in Jupiter, Fla.

The 50-year-old Jordan and his 35-year-old fiancee have not been seen in public since Friday but they are probably busy getting ready inside the church for the big day.

Just wondering ... don't the parents of the bride usually pay for these things? Yeah ... right.

Keegan Bradley sends late night text to Michael Jordan

Keegan Bradley sent a few late night text messages Friday to his buddy Michael Jordan — after the golfer found himself stuck in a mental rut during the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill — hoping to pick up some motivation from the former NBA star.  The ultimate competitor's simple philosophy hit home after Bradley's bogey call. It was simply "play much more cocky."

The simple but direct message seemed to have resonated after Bradley made a charge up the leader board in Saturday's third round with a 6-under-par 66 to get to 7-under for the tournament.

“I was talking to ‘MJ’ a bunch this off”‘season, and he was telling me to play much more cocky,’’ Bradley said. “He wants me to play with a lot more aggression and be cocky and just pretend like I’m playing him, which is normally a pretty good beating.

"I texted him [Friday] night and told him I [am going to do] what he was saying for the entire round [Saturday]. I just was going out there and pretended I was him."

The little pep talk resulted in eight birdies as Bradley jumped into contention for Sunday's final round.

Michael Jordan's alleged ex-flame demands paternity DNA test

An alleged ex-flame of Michael Jordan is joining forces with her son to prove that the former NBA great is the father of the boy born in 1996.

Pamela Smith filed new legal documents this week in her ongoing paternity suit with Jordan asking a judge to force the former Chicago Bulls player and current owner of the Charlotte Bobcats to supply some fluids, hairs or skin to prove he is indeed the father of her son, Grant Taj Reynolds, reports TMZ.com.

Earlier this month the 16-year-old Reynolds posted a video on YouTube proclaiming that Jordan was his father and he just wanted him "more in my life."

Earlier this month, TMZ reported that Jordan denied fathering the boy — and claimed paternity for the teenager was established years ago in a previous case. Jordan called it a "shameless, bad faith attempt to abuse the legal system."

In her documents, Smith says she knows Jordan is the father because they had sex approximately nine months before Reynolds' birth — something she claims Jordan never denied — and genetic testing will prove it resulted in the pregnancy.

A judge has yet to rule on the case.

Ahmad Rashad's friendship with Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan leading to divorce

Woody Johnson's wealthy ex-wife Sale Johnson and her new husband, former NFL star and sportscaster Ahmad Rashad, have apparently hit a rough spot in their marriage and a lot of the problem stems from him hanging around with his golf buddies Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan.

The couple, who live in a swanky enclave of Jupiter, Fla., have been fighting over her immense $100 million fortune and his friendship with golf bad boy Woods, as well as his longtime pal NBA great Jordan, a source told The New York Post.

The Post's Page Six reports, "Sale has asked him to move out.  Things appear to be very bitter. He is trying to get her banned from his country club in Florida.  And she worries about the influence of known adulterers Woods and Jordan.

"He plays golf with Tiger Woods. He's also close friends with Michael Jordan, who was living with them for over a year."

This story is sad and strange in so many ways.  But finding out Jordan was couch crashing for over a year?  That's funny.

Sale, a socialite and former model, received a $100 million divorce settlement from the New York Jets owner in 2001 and has a "watertight prenup with Ahmad," said a source. "So if they divorce, he won't be walking away with tens of millions."

Rashad, a television studio host for NBA TV Atlanta, "spends a lot of time with Jordan and buddies, golfing," the source added.

Johnson and Rashad (both 63) married in 2007.  Rashad has been married four times — most famously to "Cosby Show"star Phylicia Ayers-Allen for 16 years.

Now, with this cast of characters — the owner of a ridiculed NFL team, his socialite ex-wife and her golf-obsessed husband who hangs with his two best buds  — horn dog Tiger and cigar-chomping MJ, I smell sitcom. 

Maybe call it "Fore's Company?" Or "Caddyshacked." How about "With Friends Like These..."

Michael Jordan ready to move into cigar-friendly mansion

Everyone knows how much Michael Jordan loves his cigars.  The former Chicago Bulls great likes them almost as much as playing golf but probably not nearly as much as he enjoys smoking his past critics in public.

Jordan — rarely seen without a stogie in between his teeth these days — has been building what TMZ is calling the "world's largest humidor" — a 28,000 square foot of an estate in Jupiter, FL over the past three years.

Now Air Jordan is just about ready to move into the $12.4 million behemoth of a home which includes a giant state-of-the-art home theater — outfitted with special equipment to handle mass amounts of cigar smoke.

The 3-acre, 11 bedroom mansion has been constructed in the middle of an ultra-exclusive golf course community called the Jack Nicklaus' Bear Club — a place where Tiger Woods also resides.

TMZ reports that the compound has a main house, pool house, guest house and a two-story guard house.  Oh yeah, there's an athletic facility — complete with a basketball court.

Now word on where the high stakes poker games are played.

Rare 1992 McJordan BBQ sauce sells for $10K

A man who used to own McDonald's restaurants in North Dakota is $10,000 richer after selling a 20-year-old container of McJordan barbecue sauce to a buyer in Chicago, reports The Bismarck Tribune.

The legendary sauce was used on McJordan Burgers — named for the Chicago Bulls basketball star Michael Jordan.  The promotional sandwich was sold in limited markets back in the 1990's when Jordan was leading the team to six NBA titles.  He had the distinguished honor of being the first person to have a McDonald's sandwich named after him.

In New York, we never had a chance to savor Jordan's specialty sandwich but Mickey D's could have made a fortune with the McEwing Filet o' Fish back in the day.

Mort Bank, of Bismarck, saved the gallon jug of BBQ sauce after selling his two restaurants in 1996. He is almost as surprised at the national attention the story is getting as the five-figure profit he made.

"I had this barbecue sauce on the shelf for 20 years.  It was in my basement and I would look at it occasionally," he said.  "I thought it would be worth something someday."



Bank put the sauce on eBay and it read:

"A once in a lifetime chance to own the rarest of rare Michael Jordan and McDonald's collectible!"

The vintage bottle of sauce sold for $9,995 to a buyer from Chicago who was not identified.  But Bank said it was not Jordan himself, who opened a steakhouse in Chicago last year.

"I'm sure he's a Bulls or Michael Jordan fan," said Bank. "And hopefully he's not going to put it on his ribs or his burger."

Bank claims he has at least three full storage units full of McDonald's collectibles — including numerous Happy Meal toys — and has been selling them for three years.  He said he has sold items to collectors as far away as Japan, China and Brazil — but never for as much as the sauce.

"I'm pretty ecstatic," said Bank.  "You never know what is going to be a hot item."

Bobcats hire St. John's assistant Mike Dunlap as head coach

The Charlotte Bobcats have hired St. John's assistant coach Mike Dunlap to be their new head coach according to the The Charlotte Observer.

Dunlap, 54, is the former Denver Nuggets assistant who was acting head coach at St. John's last season while Steve Lavin recovered from prostate surgery.

Sources told the newspaper that Dunlap was offered the job, after interviewing in Charlotte with owner Michael Jordan, vice-chairman Curtis Polk, president of basketball operations Rod Higgins and general manager Rich Cho.  Dunlap accepted the offer.

The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity Monday because Dunlap's hire isn't official — yet.  The choice comes as a bit of a surprise because  Dunlap was not one of the team's three finalists and rejoined  the picture late.  The team had trimmed the list down to former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, Indiana Pacers assistant Brian Shaw and Los Angeles Lakers assistant Quin Snyder.

Dunlap was one of 10 candidates interviewed since the Bobcats began their search May 8.  He will replace Paul Silas, who was not given a new contract following last season's dismal 7-59 record.

Dunlap— who has spent most of his career at the college level— worked for Lute Olsen in Arizona and essentially ran the St. John's program last season while Steve Lavin observed from off the court.  Early in his career he was an assistant at USC and Iowa.

His only NBA experience was two seasons in the NBA with the Nuggets working under head coach George Karl in 2007-08.  The Nuggets compiled a 95-69 record during his tenure and made two playoff appearances.

Karl had nothing but praise for his former assistant earlier this year on the St. John's athletic department website.

"Mike Dunlap absolutely elevates every player and team he comes in contact with," said Karl.  "He takes you from a good to great.  Name every top-level, elite coach in the game— the only difference between Mike and them is their addresses. . . There is absolutely no one better."

Word is that Dunlap impressed the Bobcats front office with his high energy and collaborative approach.  Also, he wants to run an up-tempo offense and attacking defense that figures to fit in with the young team's personality.

Dunlap will be the Bobcats fifth coach in its nine-year history.

Jordan tells Ewing he won't get Bobcats job

Another head-coaching job has gone by Patrick Ewing's wayside and it looks like the big guy didn't even make it to the second round.

Yahoo.com reports that Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan has informed his good pal Ewing that he will not get the vacant head-coaching position he interviewed for two weeks ago.  After an interview with Charlotte management, Jordan personally reached out to Ewing to tell him that he was eliminated as a candidate to coach the Bobcats.

The former New York Knicks center faced competition for the job from former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, former Blazers coach Nate McMillan and Golden State Warriors assistant Mike Malone.

The real story seems to be whether or not Charlotte wins the NBA lottery tonight and gets a chance to draft Kentucky's Anthony Davis before it opens up a second round of interviews.  Davis is arguably the only franchise player in the draft and other coaching candidates could throw their hats into the ring if Davis becomes a Bobcat.

Ewing— an assistant coach for the past five seasons with the Orlando Magic— is a close friend of Jordan's.  They share the same agent, David Falk, and were teammates on the original Olympic "Dream Team." Jordan even gave Ewing a prominent role in his animated movie "Space Jam" in 1996.

Ewing's close ties with Jordan may have actually worked against him.  Jordan has been criticized for hiring too many of his buddies and yes-men throughout the years and Ewing fit that bill to a tee.

With the firing of Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy, Ewing found himself available for work.  He worked with Jeff Van Gundy  in Houston before joining the Magic and his name has been tossed around as a head coach before.  Last spring, Ewing had an interview with the Detroit Pistons and impressed general manager Joe Dumars.

Despite being rivals on the court, Ewing and Jordan were close friends off it.  It might be a blessing in disguise for Ewing to be eliminated from the Bobcats job.  The team was one of the worst in NBA history (7-59) and there are questions about Jordan's financial commitment to putting together a winning team.  A first time head coach in Charlotte might be a tough place to break your cherry.

Hey, maybe there is a chance that "Space Jam 2" can get the green light now.

New Air Jordans Spark Riots; N.J. Man Stabbed While Waiting in Line

The release of the much anticipated Nike Air Jordan XI Concord has led to stampedes and violence at many shopping malls including the stabbing of a 20 year-old man lined up outside a New Jersey store.

Micheal Jordan fans and hordes of desperate sneaker buyers lined up outside the malls nationwide where the big demand for the Nike sneakers led to riots after the company released only 100 pairs of the shoes to selected stores nationwide according to Yahoo sports.

The "re-release" of the $180 shoes incited violence in Indianapolis, Seattle, Detroit and Jersey City.  Police had to use force outside Southland Mall in Detroit where a 21-year old man was arrested for inciting a riot.

 
Witnesses say mall security called police about 5:30 Friday morning after a crowd of about 300 started to force their way through the doors before the mall opened.  About 100 people gained access and slightly damaged the interior of the mall before order was resumed.

In Seattle, police needed pepper spray to disperse rowdy mobs of shoppers.

In New Jersey, a man was stabbed multiple times after he got into an argument with another man while waiting in line to buy the sneakers inside Newport Centre Mall.  When police arrived, they found the man dazed and in a puddle of blood.  His condition is said to be non-life threatening.

The unidentified man told police he argued with a man before being set upon by a group of four to six others.  He thought he was only being punched until he realized they had knives in their clenched hands.

The black and white patent-leather sneakers—last released five years ago—went on sale at midnight and are copies of the shoes Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan wore during his 1994-96 comeback years.

While thousands of customers are crazy enough to literally fall all over each other to get the shoes, it is Nike which should take more care to prevent this sort of violence.  But bad publicity is still publicity and that's the bottom line.

People even lose a sense of right and wrong when it comes to grabbing the prized sneakers.

ABC News reported that Indianapolis police had to break the window of a woman's car to get two children out after the woman left them to wait in line.  She was later arrested according to the AP.

Nike has been releasing Air Jordans for over twenty-five years and the company still doesn't take into account what kind of trouble the long lines and mad chaos a limited availability of a product incites—or do they?

So if you are in the market for expensive sneakers with a pepper spray bouquet or accented with blood stains, head to your local shopping mall, step over a few helpless people and pick up a pair.

Carmelo Anthony Wraps Up China Tour With Furry Friend

New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony just wrapped up his promotional excursion through China, as part of the Jordan Brand Flight Tour, and made a new friend he tried to bring back to New York City with him.  Sadly for Knicks fans, it wasn't New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul.

The Knicks forward posted a picture of himself holding a cuddly panda bear on his Twitter account--and, although David Stern comes to mind, no it wasn't him.

'Melo, Paul and Miami Heat star Dwayne Wade just finished a week-long, four-city itinerary of China for the Jordan brand; which celebrates basketball in local communities.  The three NBA stars made stops at basketball camps and skills clinics to sign autographs and promote the game-- and the Michael Jordan sneakers over 300 million basketball fans will see and now be screaming for.

The big-three were treated like rock-stars and mobbed by thousands of screaming fans.  Yao Ming, you did a good job of bringing the NBA to the people's Republic.

The Knicks star and his fellow good will ambassadors each had their own shoes to promote for the tour.  Anthony's was called "Explosive" and based on a Chinese opera.

No word yet if Anthony signed with a Chinese team or if he and the free-agent-to-be Paul discussed the possibility of playing together for the Knicks.

Derek Jeter Is Most Popular Male Athlete Despite Recent Bad Publicity

Derek Jeter was voted the "Most Popular Male Athlete" according to a just-released Harris Poll.  The New York Yankees shortstop is perched at the top spot for the first time, replacing Kobe Bryant who held the title last year.

Jeter's rise from the No. 3 spot in 2010 to the No. 1 position wasn't influenced too much by his highly-publicized quest for his milestone 3,000th hit because the poll of 2,163 participants were contacted during the week of June 13-20, when Jeter was on the disabled list.

Peyton Manning moved up from No. 5 to the second spot.  The face of the NFL also endorses half a dozen prominent products and his mug is seen on plenty of TV commercials.  The Indianapolis Colts quarterback had a popular faux '70's movie trailer, co-starring his brother Eli, flooding the Internet about the same time of the poll.

Even the NFL lockout couldn't dim the ubiquitous football star's popularity.  He was the most popular athlete polled by Gen-X (ages 35-46).

Michael Jordan, whose final NBA game was eight years ago, still tied for third place with Los Angeles Laker Bryant.  Jordan was the most popular athlete from 1993-2005, when the title was handed over to golfer Tiger Woods.

Surprisingly,  Woods was the most popular this year with the "matures" (ages 66+) according to the Harris Group.  He was number one from 2006-2009.  Still, the shamed and slumping golfer had the biggest drop in the top-ten.

"As his playing woes continue, it is likely that his (Woods) fall will continue next year", said a Harris representative.

Even so, Woods marketing team has to be happy.

Bryant was the most popular among Hispanic and African-Americans in the Harris Poll.

Jeter was big among the Baby Boomers (ages 47-65) even though the The Captain has been in the news a lot lately-- and not for all the most popular reasons.

Jeter's quest for the 3,000 Hit Club was accomplished in grand style last week after he went 5-for-5 and bashed the historic hit into the centerfield stands.  The home run ball was caught by a fan, Christian Lopez, who was immediately whisked out of his seat by Yankees personnel, who--many believe-- overwhelmed the young man into turning the ball over to Jeter for a mere pittance.  Now Lopez is stuck with a whopping income tax bill to cover the season tickets he got as a reward.  Now,  even Yankees fans say that Jeter should foot the IRS bill in exchange for the ball.

After that controversy,  Jeter skipped out on the All-Star Game he was elected to; citing his recovery from a strained calf and preparing for the wear-and-tear of the second half of the season as his reasons.  Many fans didn't think he deserved to be in the Mid-summer Classic in the first place.  He spent the break in Miami with his girlfriend actress Minka Kelly.

Noticeably absent from the Top Ten is Lebron James.  King James "Decision" last summer seems to have turned off more than only Cleveland fans.  James was No. 6 last year.

Besides Woods, another bad boy made the list.  Hines Ward tied with Albert Pujols at the seventh position.  The Pittsburgh Steeler was arrested a couple of weeks ago--after the poll was taken-- for suspicion of DUI.  Ward's "Dancing With the Stars" victory probably pulled in a lot of the ladies' votes, but apparently not as many as Manning.  The QB was the most popular athlete among the women polled.

First timers to the Top Ten included Ward, Pujols, Derrick Rose and Aaron Rodgers.

The top three female athletes were at No. 1, tennis-star Serena Williams followed by her sister Venus and race car driver Danica Patrick.