It's a slow week in Michael Jordan's private office -- Jump, Inc. Nothing is happening. It's quiet, dead. Still, when this occurs no less than 5,000 pieces of mail arrive, slam dunked into mailbags. Michael Jordan is an industry for more than footwear and frankfurters. Michael Jordan is an industry for the United States Postal Service. Requests come from Australia, Great Britain, Poland, Russia, Japan and, of course, across the fruited plain. Most of the requests are referred to a fan club handled by Nike, the makers of Air Jordan shoes. The remaining requests, the non-fan club mail, are usually from nonprofit organizations who stand a chance of receiving an autographed poster or shirt for a benefit auction. A request may also come from parents of a terminally ill child. "Seldom" will there be autographed basketballs or jerseys for the asking. Groups outside Chicago and surrounding suburbs hold a slim chance of receiving anything from Jump, Inc. They will be referred to the fan club.

Ninety-nine percent of the mailed requests are from people who want something -- an autographed photo, ball, jersey or poster. Something, anything. The remaining one percent want to be like Mike and write admiring
letters.

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