M.J.'s "legacy" was to demonstrate that an African-American sports hero can sellproduct to a mostly white audience. Which, on its own merits was incredibly significant — just ask the companies that make sneakers, underwear, etc.
Otherwise, all of this "legacy" business is just a meaningless topic that the media can beat to death. How is a current player supposed to change the game? Has Yao Ming changed it? Or Kobe?
Jordan won six rings. Period.
Any discussion of any other lasting on-court influence is totally irrelevant.
Travels with Charley
After road games, I'd often hang out with some of my favorite players in their hotel rooms, eating pizza and drinking beer. Bo Dukes, Tico Brown, Fred Cofield, and Pace Manion were always good company. Sometimes, if there was some kind of connection between one of my guys and a hometown player, we'd gladly share our repast.
In truth, I forget the city, the season, the team I was coaching, and the players involved, but after one particular game (in Santa Barbara? Rapid City?), Leon Wood paid us a post-game visit. Leon still had the NBA glow about him, but he was a down-to-earth guy.
Usually we talked about where this or that player was, or the latest crazy antics of so-and-so, but the conversations always came around to referees.
Which refs were worse?
The ones who split games between the CBA and the NBA? After working in Boston or New York or Chicago two days ago, and now having to work in La Crosse, or Topeka — no wonder these guys reffed with a chip on their shoulders. Any muttered reproach or brow furrowed in complaint was enough for these guys to start handing out technical fouls.
Or were the full-time CBA refs worse? The guys who had to prove how tough they were and who worked with a palpable belligerence.
In any event, all of us were unanimous in disparaging game officials of every type. They were bullies. Cops with whistles instead of guns. Every one showed some kind of bias — to the home team, or to any player or coach who had NBA experience.
"Yeah," said Wood. "Refs are not my favorite people."
Fast forward to the present ... but you all know the punch line by now.
That's right, once his playing career was kaput, Leon Wood had a change of heart.These days, he's a full-fledged NBA tooter.
I'm not sure about this either, but I believe there's something in the CBA by-laws stating that any player who becomes a ref is automatically guilty of treason.
