The death of loyalty in sports

NBA Finals. Game 6. On the Road. The home crowd stands anxious and waiting for a seemingly inevitable ending to a back and forth battle. Under 10 seconds remain as Michael Jordan examines his defender. Utah Jazz fans know what happens next. Jordan, already with 43 points, can smell blood. After a cross over and well placed push off, now perfect lift and rotation. The ball sinks through the net with 5.2 seconds remaining. Knicks Win!!!! The New York Knicks are the champions!!................ Doesn't have the same ring to it, does it? Imagine if Jordan had become a free agent, rather than resigning with Chicago after his rookie contract and signed with New York, the basketball capital of the world. Would it have tainted his legacy? Would he still be labeled as the GOAT? If Jordan requested a trade, what then? As a sports fan I enjoy watching players that are on the same team for their entire careers. I do understand that some circumstances are out of a players control, but I also realize that most players have no backbone, and don't even know how to spell loyal, let alone stay loyal. Predictably, this is where I talk about Lebron James. His "decision" was and is a very touchy subject. He should have stayed. It's not like he was on a losing team, Cleveland led the east for a good portion of his tenure. In a few years he would have gotten a ring. He became impatient and frustrated at previous failures. Understandable yes, but what too many athletes forget, is someone has to lose. In order for great teams to be successful, they have to beat someone, not everyone can have winning records. How boring would sports be if all the teams won and lost the same amount of games? As fans we enjoy losers just as much as winners. "Oh man! Did you see Charlotte lose by 50 last night?!, dang that was awesome." Its okay to take pleasure in a teams plight, it's human nature. What pro athletes have to realize is they are getting paid major dollars either way. And besides what's the alternative? Put all the garbage players on one team and destroy them night in and night out? Unlikely solution. These guys are millionaires, they have shark tanks in their living rooms(yes Gilbert arenas, it's Bad ass, but come on dude, buy a new leather couch not a damn shark.) They have 30 bedroom mansions and they are single guys. Donate some money or something(that's a whole other blog). The point is, be happy that you get to play sports as a job. That's your "career", and yeah I bet it's tough, the back to back games, flying across the country all the time ect. ect. Some players should take a page from Kevin Durant's book, aptly titled "How a franchise player should act". KD, I'm not a huge fan, but can't argue the fact he is one of the best players on this planet. This fine young gent plays out his rookie contract, and rather than be a douche and put his team through all the negotiations and worries of "will he stay , will he go", he just cowboys up and signs the extension. No questions asked, no BS. He said he loves the team and he is happy. If only all athletes where this content. I feel as if I ranting now more than writing, oh well, either you are still reading and I have done something right, or I lost you at the beginning, either way I'm fine with it. Back on track. Unfortunately sports have become more monetarily driven over the years, and less about the sports themselves. Want to make more money? Win. Want to win? Gotta play on a good team right? How you gonna get there? Request a trade, because you can't possibly wait a whole year until free agency, or better yet, stay with the team that took the risk drafting you in the first place. I challenge all pro athletes to do one thing, go play some backyard ball. Remember what it feels like to play for fun. Soak in the purity of the sport. Competition, overcoming adversity. Playing in the rain( or snow, hail, some sort of precipitation). Playing hurt, broken,sprained. Go play with some kids, because they will remind you of what your missing.