‘The Last Dance’ with Michael Jordan was the best documentary series I have seen this year. The timing was perfect. For 5 weeks you almost forgot that there were no live sporting events. It gave me back the feeling of watercooler talk on a Monday morning.
It got me to wondering if there were any other iconic superstar athletes that I would enjoy seeing their career replayed over a 3 to 5-week period. I was able to come up with 3 names.
My first icon is Derek Jeter. Jeter played 20 years with the New York Yankees. He played for 5 World Series Championship teams and was an All-Star 14 times. He was one of the most marketable baseball players of his generation. He also gained notoriety for off the field relationships with some of the most glamorous women in the 90’s and early 2000’s. They include Mariah Carey, Jessica Biel, and Joy Enriquez. He was voted into the MLB Hall of Fame in 2020, receiving 396 of 397 votes. He is now an owner of the Florida Marlins. He is the CEO of the organization and has approximately 4% interest in the club.
My second icon is Peyton Manning. Manning played in the NFL for 18 seasons. He played 14 years with the Colts and 4 years with the Broncos. He won 2 Super Bowls and 5 MVP awards. He holds the record for most TDs (55) and most yards passing (5,477) in a season. He was the master of the hurry up offense. The only criticism of his storied career was his pedestrian success in the post season. His post season record of games he started was 14-13. He was a highly visible pitchman for several marketing campaigns. Highly regarded as a Christian and family man, he was looked at as a possible analyst for NFL MNF. He declined the position. He is eligible for the NFL HOF in 2021.
My third choice is Magic Johnson. Johnson played for the NBA Lakers for 13 seasons. He won 5 NBA Championships and made twelve All Star appearances. His career was cut short when he abruptly retired in 1991 because he had contacted HIV. He made the world aware that HIV did not have to be a death sentence.
He came back in 1992 and played in the NBA All Star game where he was named MVP. Johnson also played on the 1992 Olympic Dream Team winning the Gold Medal. Johnson came back to play on two other occasions but not with the team success he experienced early in his career. He is known for his life as a successful businessman with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the LA Sparks. He has held key positions with the Lakers as well. He was voted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2002.
As I concluded this post, I saw this from Variety about Magic Johnson. I would like to know what athletes you would select. Tell me who in the comments and on my social media platforms!