Michael Jordan Hall of Fame Speech

Growing up, it seemed as if there was a law that mandated every kid to love Ken Griffey, Jr. How could you not? A dazzling defensive centerfielder that hit 40 bombs a year, always had a smile on his face, and wore his hat backwards.

What kid wouldn't idolize him?

But as a diehard Yankees fan, I couldn't allow myself to become enamored with one Junior Griffey (although, I will admit that I cheered just a little bit when I saw him hit a homerun at the Stadium).

Instead, I idolized Michael Jordan (and I doubt I was the only one). The walls of my room were completely covered with pictures and posters, to the point that you couldn't see the wall. I had about 10 different jerseys. My mom still has my collection of Michael Jordan cards, which probably numbers in the low thousands. I wore the white Bulls warm-up, complete with the tearaway pants, to every youth basketball game. Hell, I even made my dad play the Bulls intro music with the lights out while waving flashlights and calling my name to the "crowd" before going to the back yard and pretending to do battle with the Isiah's Pistons or Ewing's Knicks.

I cried the first time he retired. I even remember one project in health class when I was ten, we were supposed to interview our parents. When asked what the saddest day of my life was, my dad said "the day Jordan retired".

The happiest? "The day Jordan came back".

All this in an area where you rooted for the Knicks or the Celtics, not the Bulls.

As I grew older I learned a great deal about Jordan's flaws as a human being. No one is perfect, and I know that, but as a kid your idol can do no wrong. Back then, I couldn't have cared less about his gambling or adultery, or whatever other vices he had. It was his play that made me want to be a basketball player, that inspired me, an unathletic, 6'3" white kid, to work hard enough on my game that I eventually made myself good enough to play in college.

It was the moments that he left etched in my memory that made me love the game of basketball. The shrug after his sixth first half three against Portland in '92. The 55 points he put on the Knicks in his third game back in '95. The countless game-winners he hit (the one from the left wing in Game 1 of the '97 Finals and his crossover and Finals winning jumper in Game 6 in '98 stand out).

Today, I still could care less about his past transgressions, about all the things that make people dislike Michael Jordan; not just as a player, but as a person. I don't even care that his Hall of Fame acceptance speech, his farewell as a player, was less than perfect.

Because as I watched his speech, I was overrun with all the great memories I have from watching his as a kid.

Whether it is a sports team you root for, a desire to take over the family business, a religion, there is always going to be something in your childhood that will mold you into the person that you grow into as an adult.

Michael Jordan, and the things he did on the court, taught me to love the game of basketball.

And for that, I will forever be thankful.

Here is some video of Jordan's HoF speech.