For the Love of the Game

Tomorrow, on Valentine’s Day, couples will be going out and celebrating their love for each other and while this is all good, Valentine’s Day is also a time to remember a love for many things. Love for your dog, for example, love for a close one and finally, the love for a game. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, love for a game. Sunday night was Michael Jordan’s last NBA all-star game ever, for he is set to retire (again, for a third time) at the end of this season.

Michael Jordan has had much love for the game of basketball since he first took the court in 1984 as a Chicago Bull. After his rookie season, he went on to start 13 consecutive all-star games (not including the 52nd one Sunday). In fact, Michael Jordan wasn’t scheduled to start – Vince Carter, the Toronto Raptors swingman, stepped aside at the last minute and asked for MJ to take his spot. The two North Carolina alumns chatted after the starting lineup was announced and MJ reluctantly agreed. Why did he want to start? Well, for one, MJ had stated earlier that he did not want to be the focal point last weekend in Atlanta. In actuality though, he was the focal point, because MJ is a living legend. His final stats at the all-star game: 20 points, five rebounds. His 20 points moved him past Kareem Abdul- Jabber as the all-time scoring leader at the all-star game. Quite a feat to send a living legend riding off into the sunset, don’t you think?