Lebron James has decided to honor Michael Jordan by giving up the number 23.
This is a great idea . . .for Lebron James.
However, he has taken this noble gesture a step too far by suggesting that every NBA franchise retire the number 23. Taking nothing away from Michael, whom I consider the greatest player in NBA history and perhaps the single greatest marketing tool the game has ever had, having his number retired across the league makes no sense.
Putting aside the problem of franchises like Utah, New York, Indiana, Portland, Phoenix and especially Cleveland being forced to pay homage to a man who prevented them from winning a championship, MJ simply doesn't deserve such an honor.
Having one's number retired by every team should be reserved for players whose careers changed the game in such a way that every team, if not every player, is impacted. In a larger context, it should be reserved for people who had great cultural impact as well.
Jackie Robinson changed the game of baseball. Every major league team was affected by Robinson's life and career. Moreover, the country as a whole felt his impact as ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Brian D.
LBJ Honoring MJ: Great Idea; Poor Execution
November 13th, 2009 by Brian D. Leave a reply »
Advertisement