Michael Jordan's Crowning Glory and The Speech He Made.

There are a maybe a lot of guys who measure up to 6'6" and maybe 220. There are a lot of guys that can dunk from the three point line but none of them look as good as Michael Jordan doing this, either in real time or slow motion. This man is unique in his personality and game. He is a trend setter, a trail blazer. If Frank was alive he would say it was Jordan who truly did it his way.  

That is why it comes as no surprise to me that his hall of fame speech was different. Where his fellow hall of fame inductees were humble and thankful MJ chose this as a platform to give thanks to the people who motivated him throughout his career. Probably gave a little too much details.  Some people might have interpreted this as him holding a grudge or overly arrogant. Not everyone can be the designated underdog. Champions are arrogant for a reason, did anyone have any doubt he would walk through those doors at the soonest availability!

There are 82 games per season, plus practice and preseason games not to mention playoffs. Sometimes a game can be a bit mundane to an athlete. Look at Vince Carter a player whom you never can tell who will show up, Vinsanity or the other guy that shoots bricks and his cousin Tracy McGrady who admitted he took games off upon leaving Orlando. Michael Jordan had a fire in him that burned long after his competitors spark went out. I can't remember seeing a Bulls game where Jordan simply did not compete to his best even if he had the Flu. When Jordan missed a game through injury it had to be something pretty serious and they would still needed a doctor to keep him away. When was the last time your employer asked your doctor to make you stay home.

So upon the night of his enshrinement to the greatest accolade a basketball player can achieve he used this platform to share with us what motivated him through all those games. What help brought him to where he is today. He merely took all the negative aspects of his life and moulded them into a positive light. He could have simply taken his nonselection to his high school team to heart and walked away but he did not and I personally thank his high school coach and Leroy Smith he did not. Playing for Gerry Krause he could have quit on the bulls but as you can see he did not. How many athletes these days regardless of sport would continue to produce effectively for their team even though they could not see eye to eye with management?

Michael Jordan did not become the Legend he is today by being humble - So don't expect him to be as the sun sets on his career. His naming everyone who helped him get where he is today could just be his way of letting go of the game that he gave his all to. As for him coming back, I expect him to after all he would not be Michael Jordan if he did not try.

Thank you Leroy Smith - if it was not for you I would be writing about soccer or cricket.