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- Sep 2, 2009
I just came across this for the first time today and i really thought it was a great read. It was released in the Washington Post on April 20th, 2003. I know its old but im just posting this for some people who might have just got into the game of basketball, the shoe game or for people who have read this before just to refresh their memories. Enjoy
"Dear Basketball,
It's been almost 28 years since the first day we met. 28 years since I
saw you in the back of our garage. 28 years since my parents
introduced us.
If someone would have told me then, what would become of us, I'm not
sure I would have believed them. I barely remembered your name.
Then I started seeing you around the neighborhood and watching you on
television. I used to see you with guys down at the playground. But
when my older brother started paying more attention to you, I started
to wonder. Maybe you were different.
We hung out a few times. The more I got to know you, the more I liked
you. And as life would have it, when I finally got really interested
in you, when I was finally ready to get serious, you left me off the
varsity. You told me I wasn't good enough.
I was crushed. I was hurt. I think I even cried.
Then I wanted you more than ever. So I practiced. I hustled. I worked
on my game. Passing. Dribbling. Shooting. Thinking. I ran. I did
sit-ups. I did push-ups. I did pull-ups. I lifted weights. I studied
you. I began to fall in love and you noticed. At least that's what
Coach Smith said.
At the time, I wasn't sure exactly what was going on. But now I know.
Coach Smith was teaching me how to love you, how to listen to you, how
to understand you, how to respect you and how to appreciate you. Then
it happened. That night, at the Louisiana Superdome in the final
seconds of the championship game against Georgetown, you found me in
the corner and we danced.
Since then, you've become much more than just a ball to me. You've
become more than just a court. More than just a hoop. More than just a
pair of sneakers. More than just a game.
In some respects, you've become my life. My passion. My motivation. My
inspiration.
You've my biggest fan and my harshest critic. You're my dearest friend
and my strongest ally. You're my most challenging teacher and my most
endearing student. You're my ultimate teammate and my toughest
competitor. You're my passport around the world and my visa into the
hearts of millions.
So much has changed since the first day we met, and to a large degree,
I have you to thank. So if you haven't heard me say it before, let me
say it now for the world to hear. Thank you. Thank you, Basketball.
Thank you for everything.
Thank you for all the players who came before me. Thank you for all
the players who went into battle with me. Thank you for the
championships and the rings. Thank you for the All-Star Games and the
Playoffs. Thank you for the last shots, the buzzer-beaters, the hard
fouls, the victories and the defeats. Thank you for making me earn my
keep. Thank you for #23. Thank you for North Carolina and Chicago.
Thank you for the air and the nickname. Thank you for the moves and
the hang time. Thank you for the Slam-Dunk Contest. Thank you for the
will and the determination, the heart and the soul, the pride and the
courage. Thank you for the competitive spirits and the competition to
challenge it. Thank you for the failures and the setbacks, the
blessings and the applause. Thank you for the triangle. Thank you for
baseball and the Barons. Thank you for forgiving me. Thank you for the
assistant coaches, the trainers, and the physical therapists. Thank
you for the announcers, the refs, the writers, the reporters, the
broadcasters and the radio stations. Thank you for the Pistons and the
Lakers, the Cavs and the Knicks, the Sixers and the Celtics. Thank you
for Phoenix, Portland, Seattle and Utah. Thank you for the Wizards.
Thank you for the believers and the doubters. Thank you for Coach
Smith, Coach Loughery, Coach Albeck, Coach Collins and Coach Jackson.
Thank you for the education and the experience. Thank you for teaching
me the game behind, beneath, within, above and around the game…the
game game. Thank you for every fan who has ever called my name, put
their hands together for me and my teammates, slapped me five or
patted me on the back. Thank you for everything you've given my
family. Thank you for the moon and the stars, and last but not least,
thank you for Bugs and Mars.
I know I'm not the only one who loves you. I know you have loved many
before me and will love many after me. But, I also know what we had
was unique. It was special. So as our relationship changes yet again,
as all relationships do, one thing is for sure.
I love you, Basketball. I love everything about you and I always will.
My playing days in the NBA are definitely over, but our relationship
will never end.
Much Love and Respect,
Michael Jordan"
"Dear Basketball,
It's been almost 28 years since the first day we met. 28 years since I
saw you in the back of our garage. 28 years since my parents
introduced us.
If someone would have told me then, what would become of us, I'm not
sure I would have believed them. I barely remembered your name.
Then I started seeing you around the neighborhood and watching you on
television. I used to see you with guys down at the playground. But
when my older brother started paying more attention to you, I started
to wonder. Maybe you were different.
We hung out a few times. The more I got to know you, the more I liked
you. And as life would have it, when I finally got really interested
in you, when I was finally ready to get serious, you left me off the
varsity. You told me I wasn't good enough.
I was crushed. I was hurt. I think I even cried.
Then I wanted you more than ever. So I practiced. I hustled. I worked
on my game. Passing. Dribbling. Shooting. Thinking. I ran. I did
sit-ups. I did push-ups. I did pull-ups. I lifted weights. I studied
you. I began to fall in love and you noticed. At least that's what
Coach Smith said.
At the time, I wasn't sure exactly what was going on. But now I know.
Coach Smith was teaching me how to love you, how to listen to you, how
to understand you, how to respect you and how to appreciate you. Then
it happened. That night, at the Louisiana Superdome in the final
seconds of the championship game against Georgetown, you found me in
the corner and we danced.
Since then, you've become much more than just a ball to me. You've
become more than just a court. More than just a hoop. More than just a
pair of sneakers. More than just a game.
In some respects, you've become my life. My passion. My motivation. My
inspiration.
You've my biggest fan and my harshest critic. You're my dearest friend
and my strongest ally. You're my most challenging teacher and my most
endearing student. You're my ultimate teammate and my toughest
competitor. You're my passport around the world and my visa into the
hearts of millions.
So much has changed since the first day we met, and to a large degree,
I have you to thank. So if you haven't heard me say it before, let me
say it now for the world to hear. Thank you. Thank you, Basketball.
Thank you for everything.
Thank you for all the players who came before me. Thank you for all
the players who went into battle with me. Thank you for the
championships and the rings. Thank you for the All-Star Games and the
Playoffs. Thank you for the last shots, the buzzer-beaters, the hard
fouls, the victories and the defeats. Thank you for making me earn my
keep. Thank you for #23. Thank you for North Carolina and Chicago.
Thank you for the air and the nickname. Thank you for the moves and
the hang time. Thank you for the Slam-Dunk Contest. Thank you for the
will and the determination, the heart and the soul, the pride and the
courage. Thank you for the competitive spirits and the competition to
challenge it. Thank you for the failures and the setbacks, the
blessings and the applause. Thank you for the triangle. Thank you for
baseball and the Barons. Thank you for forgiving me. Thank you for the
assistant coaches, the trainers, and the physical therapists. Thank
you for the announcers, the refs, the writers, the reporters, the
broadcasters and the radio stations. Thank you for the Pistons and the
Lakers, the Cavs and the Knicks, the Sixers and the Celtics. Thank you
for Phoenix, Portland, Seattle and Utah. Thank you for the Wizards.
Thank you for the believers and the doubters. Thank you for Coach
Smith, Coach Loughery, Coach Albeck, Coach Collins and Coach Jackson.
Thank you for the education and the experience. Thank you for teaching
me the game behind, beneath, within, above and around the game…the
game game. Thank you for every fan who has ever called my name, put
their hands together for me and my teammates, slapped me five or
patted me on the back. Thank you for everything you've given my
family. Thank you for the moon and the stars, and last but not least,
thank you for Bugs and Mars.
I know I'm not the only one who loves you. I know you have loved many
before me and will love many after me. But, I also know what we had
was unique. It was special. So as our relationship changes yet again,
as all relationships do, one thing is for sure.
I love you, Basketball. I love everything about you and I always will.
My playing days in the NBA are definitely over, but our relationship
will never end.
Much Love and Respect,
Michael Jordan"
