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Weary Knees Hobble Comeback King

© Roy Pickering

In this corner, greatness personified. And in this corner, Father Time. Anyone willing to place a bet on who wins? No? Why not? Could it be because in all these many centuries, Father Time has yet to be defeated? Yes, greatness can defy gravity. It can defy desperate opposition, suffocating double teams, hostile environments, extended absences, a playing style needing to be restructured, a weak supporting cast, critical skepticism, assault from a new generation of players hungry to claim the mantle as king of the hill. Greatness can do all of this and more. But only for a finite period of time. Greatness can dazzle and enchant us for many years, but it cannot overcome the slow but sure onslaught from grains of sand passing through the hourglass. All things, good, great, and even the truly spectacular, eventually come to an end. Everybody lucky and unlucky enough to achieve longevity, has no choice but to grow old in the process.

When Michael Jordan announced that he would once again be playing professional basketball, all but his most devout followers expected some slippage in his game. Opinions differed only in degree. Would he be just a little bit slower and grounded, or a whole heck of a lot more? Even amongst those who expected Jordan to perform at the same All Star, MVP level as in the past, most did not figure that this would result in a great deal of wins for the Washington Wizards. The team would certainly benefit from his skills, his leadership, his mythical aura of success, and the extra fans he was sure to put in the seats. But how much improvement could one man, even one named Michael Jordan, bring to such a lowly franchise? Even Superman has his limits.

And yet the impossible began to happen. After a slow start, the Wizards started to win games. Role players began stepping up in crucial moments to keep the momentum going, just like their long line of predecessors who played alongside Jordan with the Chicago Bulls. The Wizards suddenly found themselves in the most unlikely of places – the playoff hunt. Jordan impressed diehards and those most critical of him alike far more than he would have by merely averaging 30 points per game, or by making a few highlight reel dunks. Been there, done that. But never before had he resurrected a franchise from the dead. He was playing the part of Moses, guiding the former Bullets to their target just like a scope on a gun, leading them to the Promise Land of the NBA postseason. And once there, who is to say what might happen. The Eastern conference is weaker than it has been in quite some time. Powerhouses of the 90’s such as the Knicks and Heat have lost considerable steam. The current best team in the neighborhood is the untested Nets. Michael Jordan has more playoff experience than New Jersey’s entire roster, even with Jason Kidd at their helm. So how inconceivable is it that Jordan could navigate the Wizards not only to the playoffs, but through them? If one closed his eyes at the mid-point of this season and dreamed outrageously enough, the sight of Michael Jordan and the Wizards in the NBA Finals up against Phil Jackson and the Los Angeles Lakers could actually be envisioned. Would that make for some “must see TV” or what?