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There's Something in the Air, Just Enjoy it by Justin Waganer Senior Sports Columnist September 26, 2001
The questions just continue to flow, why did he come back? To teach the kids? To be the best again? To make the Washington Wizards franchise worth something? Because he had been struggling in the front office? To make sure the next generation knew his legacy? How about because Michael Jordan really just wants to play again? Is that at all possible?
"I am returning as a player to the game I love," was the quote from the soon-to-be 39 year-old Jordan. Michael also said that he believes that could make it to the playoffs and wants to teach the Wizard youngsters, but lets forget all about that, he's back, lets enjoy it.
When he first started talk of returning again I too was a skeptic. As a huge Jordan fan I wanted to remember him as the guy who went out as the best as part of the best. Many, including myself, have a plaque, book, poster, or postcard of his right arm raised after hitting the World Championship clinching shot in Utah with the phrase, "the last shot," below it. Now, as we all know, it won't be the last shot, but who cares? It's not our choice the way he goes out, it's his, and he's not done.
So what if he's not still the most dominant player in the world when he steps on the court this fall, we all know that he once was, so what difference does it make if he is playing and we know he's not the best or he's not playing and we know he's not the best? Everybody has their prime, what matters is if Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, or Allen Iverson are better in their prime then Jordan was in his.
We don't get upset when a tremendously successful lawyer wins a huge case and decides to keep going, why should we be upset now? Lets just enjoy this and take it for what it's worth, a great player doing what he loves. We'll all remember Joe Montana as the quarterback who won four Super Bowls with San Francisco, hooking up with Jerry Rice every other play. Sure, his legacy was #16 in a 49er uniform, but he did provide a few exciting moments in a Chief uniform just as Jordan will with the Wizards.
George Foreman had many great moments as a young championship boxer, but when he returned in his mid-40's and won the title again we all watched in awe, knowing he was not the tremendously skilled athlete he once was, but that didn't matter. He provided a moment that we will all remember, taking a beating from Michael Moorer he landed one awesome punch and Moorer was on his back.
This is what we must enjoy. Number 23 will not come back and average 30 points per game as he did for the better part of his career and he will not be winning almost 75 percent of his games as he did the last time his boys touched the floor, but he will have is moments. So why can't we enjoy a great athlete who scores 20 points per game and pulls down six or seven rebounds while dishing out five or six assists per outing?
Mike will have his 10 point nights where he goes 5-20 from the floor and loses by 20, but he will also have a 30 point night with a shot in the final minute to wrap it up and that's what we will remember him for, that's what we must enjoy.
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