"I think he s**t his pants" - PGA pro once described Michael Jordan making his friend soil his pants over a golf bet
In competitive sports, building a reputation of being the most competitive of them all is a tough prospect, but Michael Jordan could lay a claim for that title. Rumors from his exploits on the golf course, too, particularly from his own Grove XXIII, aka "Slaughterhouse XXIII," have only added to the legend surrounding His Airness' competitive spirit.
Jordan has had a horde of celebrities playing at his Grove and has apparently made a few bucks on the links. With the course laid out under his instructions, it already proves to be a tough one, but combine that with the prospect of dealing with trash talk from the GOAT, and it is enough to make a grown man soil his pants – possibly in hyperbole – according to pro golfer Harold Varner III.
Varner, on a podcast with Golf.com, described how Michael Jordan attains a persona akin to his feared Chicago Bulls version while playing golf. His Airness' aura and presence are so felt even in a game of competitive golf that Varner says it got his friend, a former collegiate golfer, almost s**ting his pants.
Varner's friend, who has only been revealed to be known as "Will," clearly had one of the most fearsome games of his life that day with Michael Jordan.
"Will is playing nervous," Varner said. "He's freaking out. This is a grown man. He's 27 years old. We go down to the second tee, and MJ's like, 'There's not going to be any free rolls out here. Same bet, $100 with you." And Will, I think he s**t his pants. He literally couldn't breathe.
"He was like 'Do you understand that I'm playing with the GOAT?' and I'm like, 'I totally do, and you're going to pay him $100 if you don't play well.'"
While Will may not have actually s**t himself, he did get his heart pacing in the late 150s, leading his friend to believe that he may pass out.
"That's like running a sprint" described Varner of the impact of a game of golf with Michael Jordan
Retirement from professional sports clearly didn't blunt the competitive nature that Michael Jordan exhibited throughout his exemplary playing career. While Varner may not have been as intimidated, his friend, who was not an inexperienced hand at golf, had it rough.
"So, he gets up there, hits a good drive at No. 2, and he has 70 yards, and I bet you he hit it 20 yards," Varner said. "Twenty yards. I'm just wondering what's going on. This is a complete choke.
When his friend went on to have his heart rate measured at 159, Varner said, "That's like running a sprint! I knew he was nervous, but I didn't know he might pass out!"
Will may never live down this game of golf, especially with his pal Varner making it public knowledge. The presence of the GOAT really does pack a punch it appears.