I had originally planned to write a paper on Michael Jordan's economical effect on today's sports in America. I had even researched and written two pages before I stopped and realized that I would like to instead discuss Michael Jordan's life and mystical career. Over the last twenty years Michael Jordan has captivated and awed me with his brilliant success both on and off the basketball court. I have wanted for some time to write about him and try to rationalize his seemingly unbelievable life and this paper has given me a chance.
             The legend began in 1981 with seventeen seconds left on the clock and seventeen feet between Michael and the basket. It was a shot any coach drawing up a play for a talented player for the final shot would die for. He knocked it in and North Carolina had its first National championship.
             Even though North Carolina had the best college player in the country in James Worthy and other great stars in Sam Perkins and Matt Doherty, it was the scrawny freshman who had come on the scene that year to become the first Carolina freshman to ever start that took the biggest shot in the program's history. It was Michael Jordan who was the man that night and he was determined either consciously or unconsciously to never let anyone question who the man is again.
             Michael went on to become two-time national college player of the year and in 1999, was voted the greatest college basketball player ever. (CNN/Sports Illustrated) After his junior year, having accomplished everything possible for a college player, Michael decided to turn professional. (He later completed his degree taking summer school courses) But first he would go on to dominated the 1984 Olympics and lead the United States to the gold medal. It could be left up to Spanish Olympian Fernando Martin to sum up the Michael Jordan phenomenon, circa 1984.
             "Michael Jordan?" he asked. "Jump, jump, jump. Very quick. Very fast. Very, very good. J...