Sometimes we underestimate the power of sports. The documentary Kings Ransom just finished airing on ESPN. Its focus was Wayne Gretzky’s trade from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings. The thing that stood out to me was how nonchalant Gretzky and others involved in the NHL were about the whole trade while fans were in a frenzy. To the athletes and others involved, sports are a job. It is the daily grind. Sure, some are passionate about what they do, but that it is true about any industry. The difference with sports is the passion felt by the outside observers.
What is it about sports that makes them so intriguing? Athletes are more than the role models parenting books make them out to be. Sports teams represent more than the players wearing the uniforms. People are naturally competitive. If we are unable to compete, we will designate others to stand in for us. We will cheer for them because we connect their success with ourselves. We make them out to be everything we want to be.
As stated before, athletes are not merely role models. They are heroes. Just as people are attracted to legendary figures such as Hercules, they are attracted to sports superstars. I could cite other notable heroes such as Achilles, Julius Caesar, George Washington, or Dwight D. Eisenhower from the American perspective. These are all historical people who we have bestowed mythical tales and heroic status. Athletes such as Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Babe Ruth, and Joe Montana are exactly the same. While we may acknowledge at times they are ordinary people, when they step onto their playing field of choice, they become something else altogether.
Anytime a group of people put on a uniform, they instantly are representing more than those immediately surrounding them. A national army instantly represents its civilian population. A company’s employees speak on behalf of their company. A sports team is no different. The moment the athletes put on their uniforms, they represent not only their community, but all all of their fans around the world. When Michael Phelps dominated the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the United States was watching. We take pride in our teams. Whether the team represents our community, our alma mater, our family, or simply was our childhood favorite because of awesome uniforms, we have bonded with them. We win and lose with them. Ultimately, the team becomes a part of us.
We think it is only kids who get caught up in the heroics of sports, but that is merely a misconception. The next time you go out on the town, take a look around. Pay attention to how many people are wearing sports memorabilia. Perhaps more importantly, pay attention to the demographics of those wearing sports memorabilia. Kids love sports, but the next time you watch a game on television, look at the crowd. I believe you will find there are a lot more adults than children. Sports affect entire populations, not just children.
Sports are exhilarating because we connect with the athletes and teams participating. We imbue them with near mythical characteristics in hopes to make ourselves better. They are an escape from our daily lives. They are a part of our economies. They are a part of our childhood. They are a part of our schools. They are a part of our politics. In the end, there is one phrase that sums up everything I have said: sports are not just a game.
For those that do not know, Michael Jordan is being inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame as I type this. He is being inducted along with John Stockton, David Robinson, Jerry Sloan, and Vivian Stringer. Beyond any doubt, this is the greatest Hall of Fame class as far as I am concerned. The reason no past class rivals it and I doubt any other will touch it is because these figures represent my childhood. I grew up to the greatness that is Michael Jordan. I recall watching the 1993 NBA Finals when I was only six years old.
Jordan retired to play baseball shortly thereafter when his father passed away. I followed him as best as I could with his limited career. He was on a Chicago White Sox farm team, Birmingham Barons. Perhaps the most resounding image of this time comes from the movie Space Jam along with a news clip on the television.
Then one day the world stopped to watch as Michael Jordan returned to the game of basketball. I had a cheap knockoff of his jersey. I wore it as much as I could as long as it would fit. I somehow convinced my parents to let me stay up way past my bedtime to watch the end of some of the epic games against John Stockton’s Utah Jazz in the 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals. The sixth championship ended with Jordan’s final shot as a Chicago Bull.
Jordan retired for the second time after the 1998 season. I lost interest in basketball as no one could rival the greatness of the Chicago Bulls in the 1990′s. There was a brief stint when he came out of retirement with the Washington Wizards. He was older than everybody else around him on the court, and yet, he still challenged his opposition night in and night out. After retiring for the final time as a player, Jordan was involved in the Charlotte Bobcats organization as a partial owner.
In looking back now that Jordan is being inducted into the Hall of Fame, I realize he is one of a few individuals who inspired me to give everything in an effort to be great. While I may not think about it consciously, I get up in the morning because of Michael Jordan. I have poured sweat playing sports because of him. I have passed out face first into textbooks late at night because of him. I sit here writing this blog post now because of him. We all have our role models growing up. Jordan stood on a pedestal with a select few others in my childhood.
This NBA Hall of Fame class is the greatest because it symbolizes Michael Jordan’s career. John Stockton and Jerry Sloan were the arch-nemeses as the Utah Jazz after Jordan’s return to the game of basketball. David Robinson was one of the greats in the league, but never met with the success he was capable of until Jordan retired. When I was watching perhaps my greatest role model growing up, these were the guys I saw facing him on the court. They were the sort of opponents one had to respect. This is the greatest NBA Hall of Fame class of all-time.