MJ out, Cook in for U.S. Presidents Cup team

There will be no 6'6" former greatest basketball player of all time smoking cigars in Australia this year. Michael Jordan, assistant captain for the U.S. Presidents Cup team, has cancelled his trip due to his NBA obligations.

"After careful consideration, it is with regret that I have decided to cancel my trip to Australia later this month for The Presidents Cup," Jordan said. "With the NBA labor situation unsettled, as the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, I feel it is necessary that I remain in the country. It was an honor to have been chosen to serve as a captain's assistant. I wish Fred and the United States team the best of luck."

Champions Tour member John Cook will replace Jordan as an assistant captain for the cup, which begins November 17th in Sydney.

Michael Jordan weighs in on Tiger's return

Assistant President's Cup captain and basketball legend Michael Jordan has offered his insight into Tiger Wood's upcoming return.

“The biggest thing is that I’ve always – and I’m pretty sure Tiger has, too – used sport as a therapeutic tool,” he said. “Once you’re inside the lines, you can focus on what your jobs are and what you’re doing on the court, or for him the course.

 “The problem for him was that he wasn’t physically capable of getting inside those lines and doing those things. I think he’s been somewhat fragile mentally and physically.

 “When I went through those issues, once I got on to the basketball court that became a therapeutic thing for me where I was able to forget all those other things. Once I finished playing basketball, I came out with a better understanding of the decisions I had to make.”

The hardest part for Tiger is that golf is much more mentally difficult than basketball. With basketball, you can use your emotions and anger to take over the game in a physical way. With golf, it is all mental, which is why it's the hardest sport to be great at consistently.

Most golfers know that if you allow any negative outside thoughts into your head when trying to play, you are screwed. For Tiger, he has to blank out the car crash, affairs, divorce, rehab, losing sponsors, media criticism, and overall haters in combination with trying to get healthy and groove a new swing. It's going to be a challenge, but if there is any golfer with enough mental capability, it would be Woods.

The Tiger Woods of Basketball

Before Tiger, Michael Jordan was far and away the most spectacular and clutch athlete on the planet. In honor of him being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame tonight, here is a video of a few of his top dunks.