On 6 October 1993, Michael Jordan announced he was stopping. He said: “I’m going to shock the whole world. I’m going to leave basketball to go and play baseball.” A sentence like that isn’t read. It’s announced.
So I’m redoing it. Saturday, half past eight, the caretaker turns off half the lights, which is a start. The two school fête spotlights on the centre circle. [jingle, short version, cut by me]. Mesdames et messieurs, dames en heren, three NBA titles, two Olympic titles, number twenty-three… Michael… JORDAN! He takes the mic, and he announces he’s leaving.
And here’s my problem. I’ve got no jingle for someone leaving. I’ve got the entrance, I’ve got the “and ooone”, I’ve got the final buzzer. An exit, nobody has ever turned the music up for one.
In his 1998 autobiography, he explains he had been preparing this since summer 1992. More than a year of preparation for one announcement. Me, I prepare the starting five’s introduction on Friday night and the sound system still has an opinion.
Four months later, he was in the White Sox organisation, through an affiliated club. He said his goal wasn’t to be an All-Star, an MVP or to hit for 30%, but to play in the major leagues. Another sport, then, and still no jingle for leaving the first one.
Announced 6 October, prepared in summer 1992. Noted. The mic isn’t my column.
Next time I redo it, I’m leaving the two-second blank before the first name. Just saying.
It’s true, we checked: Basket USA.
