Clinton praises Bulls

The United States President, Bill Clinton, had high-flown words of praise for the Chicago Bulls when they visited the White House on Thursday. He called the Bulls as "perhaps the greatest basketball dynasty ever," saying that they had taught Americans a lot about winning with grace in taking four of the last six NBA championships.

The team's star players, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, and coach Phil Jackson appeared proud to stand beside President Clinton in a long-delayed visit to celebrate their 1996 NBA championship.

"I'm very nervous," Jordan said. "I've never had the opportunity to stand next to such a prestigious man."

Reports from Chicago had said some of the players were not enthusiastic about the visit.

Rodman kept a low profile - as low a profile as he could keep in tight black leather pants, dark sunglasses and a black-and-gold plaid lame shirt that matched his gold hair. He staked out a spot on the back row as the team posed for an official photograph with Clinton.

The Bulls last visited the White House in 1992, when President Bush was in office. Jordan skipped that visit but seemed to enjoy himself.