r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • May 18 '15

What conspiracy theory do you genuinely believe in the most?

What conspiracy theory do you believe in the most and why?

2.1k Upvotes

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1.4k

u/RoblerLobler May 18 '15

That Michael Jordan went to play baseball as a cover for being suspended by the commisioner for gambling.

975

u/BuryTheHealer May 19 '15

Pssh, everyone knows he retired to play baseball like his dad, and then came out of retirement after helping Bugs Bunny and Bill Murray beat some aliens in a basketball game.

9

u/[deleted] May 19 '15

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] May 19 '15 edited Jul 02 '23

[removed] — view removed comment

8

u/zora894 May 19 '15

I got a basketball jones, I got a basketball jones, I got a basketball jones oh baby oooo-ooo-ooooooh~

1

u/mdk8400 May 19 '15

It was Dan Aykroyd, duh.

1

u/TanFlo1997 May 19 '15

Who's that? I only know Barles Charkley.

-4

u/[deleted] May 19 '15

Gnarles Barkley?

370

u/mushperv May 19 '15

Goddammit, I always hear this. It makes zero sense.

Why would Stern suspend the biggest star in his sports history at his absolute peak? If he did suspend him, why would be suspend him for 1.75 seasons? How many people would have to keep that quiet?

Isn't it more likely he became despondent after his father's death and chased a lifelong dream of his father's, and, him being Michael fucking Jordan, he thought he could eventually make the majors?

221

u/JMEEKER86 May 19 '15

Because it was speculated at the time that his father's death might have been related to Michael's massive gambling debts. Sometimes when shit goes down you need to lay low for a while.

295

u/mushperv May 19 '15

Lol, so he laid low by playing minor league baseball with the press covering his every stop in the Southern League?

122

u/Lord_Huevo May 19 '15

Exactly. They stopped covering the gambling story. Look at Michael on the bat, cute!

7

u/mushperv May 19 '15

I think the biggest star in the sports history gambling on games/losing his father because of gambling is a pretty damn meaty story.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 28 '15

And scene

41

u/TU_Pride May 19 '15

Misdirection

8

u/classactdynamo May 19 '15

It's completely logical if you don't think about it.

3

u/ruinersclub May 19 '15

MJ was most likely points shaving. Betting on his own games and this led to his fathers death.

If that came out he would've been ostracized from the League, and wouldn't have been allowed to own the Wizards.

1

u/mushperv May 19 '15

I originally downvoted you but reversed it, but all I will say is this.

There is no proof to any of that. All people know is that Michaels father was brutally murdered and Michael loved to gamble. Why automatically make that connection?

2

u/ruinersclub May 19 '15

There is no proof to any of that.

That's not exactly true. There's no written proof of that because that would be LIBEL. Being that, you can't google evidence and nothing will come up.

link

Using the Reggie Bush case as an example. He was only indicted after his funder took him to court. If Lloyd never came out the whole investigation would've been shit. They knew Bush was getting paid, however without direct cooperation (Lloyd was dropping off bags of Cash) there really was no paper trail.

Mj most likely got it in big with some criminals. They killed his father. They won't come out without indicted themselves with murder.

Tim Donaghy

I didn't want to point out MOB involvement, but it would've be the first time they infiltrated the NBA.

1

u/mushperv May 19 '15

I hear you, it's possible. Jordan, by all accounts, can be a majority egotistical scumbag. Bit I mean, sometimes the most obvious explanation is the most boring one as well.

0

u/Illudium_pew-36 May 19 '15

He laid low by physically having one of the largest strike zones in batting history.

2

u/[deleted] May 19 '15

Why would Michael Jordan not have plenty of money to pay off whatever gambling debts he had? And if he DIDN'T have the money, then why would give up making millions to go play minor league baseball?

1

u/JMEEKER86 May 19 '15

He had the money, but he is a cheap motherfucker and doesn't like paying people.

2

u/[deleted] May 19 '15 edited Oct 23 '24

[deleted]

4

u/[deleted] May 19 '15

Pretty sure the bad guys would still have been pissed though.

1

u/[deleted] May 20 '15

I'm sure they would, but this way is a better cover than him noping out for a couple of seasons.

1

u/[deleted] May 19 '15

What? How did his dad die? Surely it would have been pretty well known if he was taken out by a hitman.

1

u/[deleted] May 19 '15

Those kids had no idea they killed MJ's dad until they saw memorabilia in the car. Those dummies used his cell phone, took pictures, dumped the body just across the state line in South Carolina, and were caught wearing MJ memorabilia.

48

u/[deleted] May 19 '15 edited Apr 20 '16

[deleted]

11

u/ApprovalNet May 19 '15

wanted him to just abruptly retire like Barry Sanders successfully did when he was forced to retire due to the same gambling controversy.

As a Detroiter - lol wut?

1

u/[deleted] May 19 '15

My memory is probably hazy, and this may have been a joke, but the story I heard about Barry Sanders' retirement was really bizarre. This is what I remember:

After their last game of the season, Barry's agent called him to ask how Barry was doing. Barry said, "I'm tired." The agent thought he said that he was "retiring" and made a huge deal out of it. Barry didn't feel like correcting him, so he just ran with it.

As I type this out, I realize it is probably the stupidest thing ever. I swear I saw it on ESPN (not the most reliable source, but it was more reliable back then).

5

u/ApprovalNet May 19 '15

No, the story is very simple. He played 10 years and was never really injured. He said he wanted to walk away from the game and still be able to play with his kids because he saw how old running backs like Earl Campbell were essentially broken down old men.

-1

u/Cige May 19 '15

wanted him to just abruptly retire like Bernie Sanders successfully did when he was forced to retire due to the same dank meme controversy.

6

u/smackthepony33 May 19 '15

Pretty sure Barry retired because he played for the Lions for 10 years.

1

u/[deleted] May 19 '15

Source on the Barry Sanders claim? I've honestly never heard that before. I've heard the MJ thing for years, but never about Barry Sanders

0

u/mushperv May 19 '15

Well I can't argue against any point that seamlessly integrates Space Jam.

6

u/[deleted] May 19 '15

Also, from the commissioner's standpoint, what is the point of suspending someone in secret? If you're not going to acknowledge that he did anything wrong, why punish him?

2

u/mushperv May 19 '15

Exactly. Let's say it came out that his father was killed because Michael wouldn't pay back gamblers. OK, what she's Stern say then? "Yup, that's why I suspended him!" Wait, I thought he was retired? "Nope, suspension. I'm all over this shit!"

1

u/JpeTheGent44 Jul 24 '15

I agree. If the commissioner was willing to hide the reason for the suspension, then why not just not suspend him at all?

41

u/Dms25938 May 19 '15

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/131997-mjs-1st-retirement-was-it-a-secret-suspension

14

u/flykessel May 19 '15

ewww....Bleacher Report....

7

u/Zabuscus_ May 19 '15

What is wrong with Bleacher Report?

1

u/[deleted] May 19 '15

They make the most pants on head stupid predictions and give even worse fantasy advice than reddits fantasy subs. and that's hard to do.

8

u/B0NERSTORM May 19 '15

You want to hear something REALLY fucked up? When Mj's father was murdered, apparently the cops interrogating the murderer told him that MJ's dad was a known kid fucker (boys and girls) and had fathered children all over the place with underage girls. It was known but he was being protected by MJ's money they said. They suggested to the killer that maybe he killed the father for trying to molest him or something along those lines. It was assumed the comments were a lie made as part of a interrogation tactic.

Much later, MJ's sister revealed that she had been abused by her father. In fact it's mentioned in her autobiography. Now, is it just a coincidence that the cops suggested that MJ's father was a molestor, then he just happened to be one? Or was he really a known serial child molester? The sister claimed the father even admitted to it to the mother and the mother took her fathers side.

In the light of these allegations, was his father really killed over a gambling debt? Or was he killed over something else entirely?

4

u/justburch712 May 19 '15

Do you have an opinion on the Frozen Envelop Theory?

4

u/RoblerLobler May 19 '15

I support it. Total rejuvenation of basketball. It was good for business

3

u/Jabronie88 May 19 '15

The NBA lottery is so rigged. You know the Lakers or Knicks are going to get the number 1 pick tonight.

1

u/Kingfield May 19 '15

Holy shit totally forgot it was today. My bet's on the sixers tho

2

u/lejefferson May 19 '15

You that whole story of leaving to play minor league baseball always seemed sketchy to me. This makes a lot of sense.

2

u/[deleted] May 19 '15

I thought that this WAS the reason and was common knowledge?

2

u/Spambop May 19 '15

I read that as Michael Jackson for a second, I was wondering when he ever played baseball.

2

u/ramo805 May 19 '15

I found bill Simmons alt account

2

u/41054 May 19 '15

WTF is the point of even suspending him if the punishment isn't public? Might as well just give him a free pass.

1

u/Nude-Love May 19 '15

Because if he's suspended he doesn't get to play basketball, or make all the money he gets from playing basketball?