Michael Jordan's Legacy

Several athletes, in a diversity of sports are usually called excellent. Of these athletes, only a small number really satisfy that tag, and when discussing true greats, most fall firmly into one of 2 unique camps.

First of all, and simplest to understand are the stat devils, athletes whose utter statistics, whatever the sport, yield instant recognition. Instances of this are Wilt Chamberlain and his exceptional points per game stats, Bill Russell's title rings tally, Walter Payton's rushing yards, Gretzky's points tally, and so on.

The second group is that of indefinable leadership, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, John Elway. I am positive you guys understand where I'm coming from here and may all name countless lists of the man who you believe is "the straw that stirs the drink".

Michael Jordan is one of the only athletes, in every sport who's both, and yet he's a whole lot more. He has several records, stats that make all dialogue and assessment pale into triviality. He moreover, by his governance, his will to win, his strength of mind to overcome the odds, sickness, injury and the opponent, lifted smaller teams to heights beyond their limit.

He took a rock bottom team and made it one of the best brands in basketball. He took a diminutive middle-of-the-road basketball sneaker company and made it the world's most popular. He took a sport-with the help of Magic and Bird-that wasn't even live on television for the Championship and made it the most viewed of all US sports. He converted the game, he was the game.

You just KNOW you'll see kids in his sneakers, kids with the baggy shorts he brought to popular culture, tongues hanging, sweatbands worn just below the elbow, supports on the left calf. Each court you try to look at, even presently, you see kids who never saw him play, nonetheless, trying to be like Mike.

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