The Show.

If you haven't seen Ron Shelton's 30 for 30 documentary about Michael Jordan entitled Jordan Rides The Bus, run, don't walk. It was aired a few weeks ago and I caught most of it as it re-ran a couple nights ago on TSN, and from the time I turned it on my eyes were glued to the TV, amazed by what I was seeing. We've all heard about MJ's stint as a baseball player in the minor leagues, but what people don't think about is what that really meant. This is a guy who left the world of basketball when he was on top, looking down at all those who worshipped him. He took his fame and put it in jeopardy, knowing very well that his decision to play baseball was an unpopular one. He took a step down from his pedestal and joined the class of normal athletes fighting for a job. Minor league baseball is a grind, and Jordan worked for the same goal all minor leaguers work for, without special treatment (hence him riding the bus.) It's so easy to look at the most elite, successful athletes in the world and crave for what they have, but Jordan took everything that anyone would ever want and started over. There aren't many reasons why an athlete would consider a change like this, but then again not many athletes have the amount of drive or love of competition Jordan had. The craving to be the best consumed him. He took that idea so many of us have of accomplishing whatever it is we want to accomplish - no matter how out-of-reach it may seem or how much sacrifice it may require - and he made it his reality, fearlessly.

The question that kept going through my head during this entire documentary had nothing to do with why he decided to make this dramatic change. Why he did it was clear - other than his obvious love of the game, he wanted to live a dream he shared with his father as well as answer a lingering question about whether he could rise through the ranks and make it to the big leagues. The question I did ask myself, however, was where (and whether) we could see this today. Watching this film reminded me of Jordan's legendary passion. His passion was clear when he played basketball and apparently clear when he played baseball, according to those who were around him. Jordan's hitting coach talked about the countless hours Jordan would spend trying to perfect his swing, and he also said he couldn't remember a player who worked harder than Jordan did at getting better every single day. Remember, we're talking about a guy who had already won 3 world championships and had ruled the sport he was known for playing. This kind of passion is rare, and I'm not going to say that there aren't any athletes with passion today, but I will say that finding an athlete who can do what Jordan did strictly for the love of the game and competition is extremely hard to find.

The intrigue of Michael Jordan doesn't just lie in the numbers he put up, the records he broke, the championships he won or the accolades he acquired along the way. What's intriguing about Jordan is that he did it all for the sport. It's cliche but he looked beyond the perks - the money, fame, cars, etc. - and played for the love of sport, and if this love was ever in question, it was answered when he decided to play baseball.

He clearly and simply illustrated his attitude toward his athletic career when he said, "I play the game because I love the game." It's not a very complex attitude but Jordan wasn't a very complex player. His style of play was straight forward. He played his heart out every night and played to win, and when he did win he wanted more, and regardless of the sport he played to be the best. His play and attitude were inspiring, and this 30 for 30 film illustrates that without leaving a stone unturned. So if you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor to remind yourself what an athlete should look, play, and act like: