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Posted 09/18/2009 at 10:17 AM
Like millions of others, last week I watched the induction of Michael Jordan into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Everybody who spoke was eloquent, relaxed, upbeat, even funny. Everyone except the ego maniacal, meglo maniacal up-tight unhappy guest of honor. The man with one name. Now before we go any further, I want to be clear. I was, am and will always be a huge Michael Jordan basketball fan.
It's easy for me to understand the discomfort that comes along with constantly having to be under a microscope and perform at an inhuman level. It's no picnic. You give up your friends, you give up your family, you give up your leisure time..you basically give up your life. And good, is never good enough. You willingly put yourself on the stage, and therefore you become an open target for the critics, and they are not shy about taking you apart. In his 9-minute acceptance speech, he had some humble moments, paying homage to Scotty Pippin and Coach Smith.
But he couldn't help himself when it came time to addressing the detractors along the way. Those who said he was no Larry Bird or Kareem. It was like he was looking for the three grains of black sand on a perfectly white pristine beach. It just comes back to Michael being Michael. Good doesn't cut it for him...it has to be great, unblemished and perfect by his definition.
What he calls his competitive nature is more like a disorder. It is most likely involuntary.
I can compare it to a week of football picks when I go 12-2. Do you really think I'm focusing on the twelve wins? Not a chance. I am obsessing about the two losses and how they got away from me.
It's not an easy cross to bare when your public is expecting nothing less than perfection, and you are only human. Someday, there might be a sports handicapping Hall of Fame. I will undoubtedly be inducted. I will make sure I watch the Jordan acceptance speech before I write mine.
Adam, Make that Adam Meyer.
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