The Show.

When you think about a legendary athlete, past or present, it's hard to think about him adorning colors other than those which accompanied him while he made his mark on the game. Jordan will always be thought of as a Bull, not a Wizard. Smith will always be a Cowboy. Abdul-Jabbar will always be a Laker, Ruth will always be a Yankee, and Jeter will always be a Yankee. However, despite the certain stability of his future legacy as a Yankee, Jeter's current status as a member of the team in which he solidified his legacy is a bit shaky. Jeter is currently in the midst of a contract negotiation with the Yankees, however, the initial deal offered by the Yankees - 3 years, $45 million - may not be enough for The Captain. It's hard to think about Jeter in anything but pinstripes, but if this deal is going to get done both sides have some key factors to consider.

The Yankees are well aware that the 36 year old Jeter isn't going to be around forever. He's headed towards the end of his illustrious career and it's clear that his prime is past him. However, he's still a valuable player that can produce and lead. With that in mind, it's evident why the Yankees are offering what they're offering. Jeter's last contract paid him $189 million over 10 years, and they'd be crazy to offer him anything close to that. You can't pay a player based on his legacy, you have to pay him for what he is. Mike Modano, a future Hall of Famer who will go down as one of the greatest US hockey players ever, is currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings after signing a one year, $1.25 million contract this offseason. It's clear what this deal was about - the Red Wings wanted a seasoned veteran who knows what it takes to win a Stanley Cup, who can be a strong mentor, and who can undoubtedly play a huge leadership role on the team. Mike Modano simply wants to win. He knows he's reaching the end of his career, and because he has accepted this fact, he's able to take less money in exchange for a legitimate chance at winning a Stanley Cup. The Red Wings are able to acquire players at a low price because these players know they have a shot to win. The Yankees are in a similar position. They have the money and talent to compete for a championship year in and year out, and when you consider what they've paid Jeter in the past, as well as the opportunities they'll be able to offer him as his career nears its end, a slight pay cut for the Hall of Fame shortstop should not be too much to ask. I don't know what Jeter wants, but I do know that many players, regardless of what sport they play, want one thing as they reach the end of their careers, and that's to win. If the Yankees are smart, which they appear to be at this point in negotiations, they'll recognize two things: that they can perhaps offer more to Jeter than he can offer to them, and that Jeter should be paid for what he currently is, rather than being paid for the legacy he'll inevitably leave behind when he's done playing.

It's being reported that Derek Jeter's agent is asking the Yankees for $23-$24 million a year for 4-5 years, which makes it seem as though the two sides are seeing a different Derek Jeter. The Yankees see Jeter as a star on the decline, having hit .270 this past year after hitting .334 in 2009. Jeter and his agent see a player who is still worthy of a top-dollar contract that will be able to maintain his game after hitting the back side of 40 years old. If Jeter gets the contract he wants, he'll be playing at 40+ by the time the contract is through, and he'll be gaining more money per year than he did with his last contract. Apparently, the Yankees don't view this as appealing, which is completely understandable. He made about $19 million a year with his last contract, and now he's asking for more per year despite the apparent decline in his game that has the Yankees considering other options. They've already invited Jeter to explore the market which makes you question their desire to bring him back. With that being the case it seems as though a legitimate standoff could take place between these two parties, which means Jeter will have a decision to make. If he's going to stay with the Yankees and sign with the initial offer they proposed he'll most likely end up taking less money than he would if he decided to sign with another team. So he can either fulfill his legacy as a Yankee, perhaps win another championship, and take a bit less money, or explore the market in search of the best deal. To me, Jeter can't lose whichever way he decides to go, but I think the latter is not as respectable a decision, and picking that option could ultimately have a negative effect on his legacy. It seems that his career is on the decline which is why the Yankees aren't willing to pay him what he wants. However, it's perfectly reasonable to believe that another team may step in and offer him the money he's looking for.

The Yankees have the power to get nearly any player they want, which is why this particular situation is so intriguing - maybe they just don't want Derek Jeter that much. It's hard to believe, but this day was bound to come. If Jeter had hit .300 last year it'd be a different discussion, but it seems as if the Yankees believe Jeter is on his way out as a player, and they're either going to pay him less than he wants or go get someone else. That's Yankee baseball. They'll give you the money but you have to prove your worth year in and year out. They don't need to pay you if they can pay someone who they believe is better. It's hard to believe that this would happen to Jeter, who will go down as one of the greatest Yankees ever. Everything he has ever accomplished as a ball player has been in pinstripes: 5 World Series Championships, 11 All-Star games, 5 Gold Gloves and 4 Silver Slugger Awards, just to name a few of his accomplishments. Now, we're seeing the possibility of Jeter adorning something other than the pinstripes. It's hard to imagine him in another uniform, but its worth mentioning that if he does go to another team, no matter how well he does there, he will always be a Yankee.

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: