Lebron started the campaign a couple months ago to retire the jersey #23 in honor of Micheal Jordan. Growing up in the same generation as Lebron I can see why he would feel this way. Jordan was it. He's the greatest basketball player any of us have ever seen play the game. (Speaking in terms of "our" generation). Not only was he the best basketball player, he was the best athlete of our time. And he was a guru at marketing himself. No one to that point, or even til now has done what he was able to do. Even Lebron and Kobe have not imitated what Mike could do with the marketing campaigns. From the Be Like Mike ads, to the McDonalds ads, to the Jordan Shoe line (that has now spread to clothes and bags). There is no one that has or ever will come close to Jordan. Tiger was walking awfully close to that point. And thanks to the Media and Journalist and Paparazzi of today he crumbled. I dont think anyone will ever again be what Jordan was because of this. I believe that if Mike were playing in this time he would have already been busted for actions that he did, that weren't found out or reported on.
Now, back to the present. Lebron, who like most, believes that Jordan is the greatest of all time. And feels like no one should be able to wear the #23. And like I said before, Lebron and i grew up from the same generation. A generation where the argument on all little league basketball teams was "who gets #23". Because everyone wanted to "Be Like Mike". I do believe its an honorable thing and actually am in favor of retiring the number. But I think its ironic, and some what funny, that Lebron chose the #6 to switch to. The funny part about that is that the #6 belonged to Bill Russell. Who, in most peoples opinions, might be the greatest center to ever play the game. And in some of those opinions might be the greatest player of all time. But, thats another argument for another day.
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