Biography of Mark Zuccerburg Essay example

In 1999, when this essay was published, something as simple as a cellphone was a revolution to the American people. Conversations anywhere with no wires involved! Wow! Looking back now, American seemed pretty simple in 1999. This is the same for Michael Jordan – once upon a time, Jordan was JUST a basketball player. LaFeber’s essay illustrates for us the rise of the young Jordan from his middle-class family in racist North Carolina through his college years and eventually into the NBA where he became an international sports icon. LaFeber tells the story of how Jordan caught the eye of Nike CEO Phil Knight and goes on to explain how Knight transformed Jordan into the face of a multi-billion dollar international corporation. LaFeber also fills us in on race and sports issues surrounding Jordan and how that played a part in Nike’s growth. LaFeber shows us how race effected middle-class Michael Jordan at a young age and how he was able to overcome this and grow into the star he is today.

Most African American that want to make it to the National Football League (NFL) or the National basketball League (NBA), do not realize there is a slim chance to none of actually going into a professional sport. Gates writes “African American youngster has about as much of becoming a professional athlete as he or she does of winning the lottery” (1). Not many African American youngsters know that there are “12 times more black lawyers than black athletes” or there are only 1200 blacks who play in a professional sport (1). There are 12 times more black professionals that are in the communities accommodating to the needs of those who need the assistance with either legal or health issues. The youth can achieve greatness in today’s society by getting a degree and forming a foundation to make enough to be financially stable.

Michael Jordan had a passion for Basketball. It was not something he did to fill up his spare time; it was a goal that he knew would be his channel to influence the world. When we follow our passion, we would paint the world in very bright colors. It is important to know that our passion is our DNA, which would be the channel through which we make a mark in our world. Michael Jordan’s passion still speaks because he has influenced many generations of young people in the game of Basketball.

Michael Jordan helped bring basketball to the international audiences, the 1992 USA Olympic basketballs team went undefeated and swept the Olympics and became the dream team.

Michael Jordan. MJ, Air Jordan, His Airness, Money, Black Cat, the list goes on. Call him what you want, but one thing is for sure; he is one of the greatest and most influential athletes of all time. Not only did he leave his mark on basketball forever, but he also sparked the the globalization of American sport. Growing up in a small, middle class town, Jordan defied all odds in order to make it as a player. He was cut from his high school team as a sophomore and dealt with racism soon after, yet finished his NBA career with six championship rings (LaFeber 30). But how did Michael Jordan become the icon that is pervasive today?

This past Thursday I had the opportunity to sit down and conduct a phone interview with Jordan Maleh. Jordan graduated from UConn in 2006 with a Bachelor’s in Sport Management and then his Master’s in Sport Management and Sociology in 2008. He currently works at the Big Ten Network in Chicago, Illinois as the Director of Digital and Consumer Marketing. As a graduating senior, this interview was very helpful to me because it gave me the chance to ask a professional in the sport industry, such as Jordan, questions about his experience at UConn and how he got his start in the sport industry and to where he is today.

Many athletes are just that, athletes. The crowd cheers as they hit a home run or they make the shot. They’re known for their performance on the field and only the field. Instead of realizing the importance of their voice or their actions, they decide to suppress their own voices, choosing to bask in the glory they receive due to their performance during a game. It’s easy to fall into the mindset that all athletes fall under this category of ignorance or better yet indifference. Although a majority of them represent this group, there a handful that dedicates their time and voice to bring about change in society. Jackie Robinson was the first African American baseball player on a team’s roster. Not only did he change the sport of baseball forever, but impacted millions of African Americans and his impact continues to affect lives today.

Some may only think of Magic Johnson as a successful athlete and entrepreneur, but he also is a huge HIV/AIDS activist. Doing work all over the nation to bring awareness and help raise money for research. As you can tell by his list of accolades, Magic Johnson has paved the way and help shape the world in many respects. Whether it is as an athlete, businessman, or activist he is a huge inspiration for many people. Magic Johnson started his collegiate career at Michigan State University.

“After God and my father, I respect Larry Bird more than anyone,” said basketball legend, Earvin “Magic” Johnson. With the odds set against him, a country boy from the basketball hotbed of Indiana, Bird was able to make a name for himself and has left an impact on the basketball world like no other. Creating an image was hard for Bird; he dropped out of Indiana University after just twenty-four days because he was unable to adjust to the crowded university culture. Bird worked as a garbage man after he dropped out, forgoing his basketball career to spend time at home. Bird loved his time as a garbage man, where he learned to enjoy the simpler parts of life. Bird’s father committed suicide during this time, forcing him

Michael Jordan, a man who is idolized for his athletic prowess, once said “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed” (“Michael Jordan Quotes”). 2.5 million dollars is an insane amount of money, so imagine how twenty-one-year-old Jordan felt signing this deal with Nike.inc; who used this as an opportunity to launch the Air-Jordan shoe, with the iconic Jump-man logo on the side. The popularity of these shoes led people to stand in lines and even steal them from others. Jordan’s immense talent earned him over thirty million dollars per season, but his businesses earned him a large chunk of money as well. MJ became the star of the hit movie, Space Jam, and endorsed products such as McDonalds, Hanes, and Gatorade. Three years after his retirement from the NBA, Jordan became an owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, currently the Hornets, becoming the first former player to own a franchise (Dodds, Colin). MJ supports over fifteen different charity cases, and some of them being: LIVESTRONG, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Special Olympics. His good-natured attitude and morals off the court added with his immense skill on it, firmly place him as one of the best players ever (“Michael Jordan: Charity

"A life is not important except in the impact it has on others' lives." This quote was said by Jackie Robinson who was important in paving the way for other black athletes in professional sports. He was the first black baseball player to play in Major League Baseball.What would professional sports be without all the greatest black athletes such as Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali or Jackie Robinson? Today the NBA is filled with a large majority of African American players. The NBA would be nothing without those players. Muhammad Ali was a boxer, businessman and social activist for equal rights for all races. He wanted equal opportunities for all men, regardless of color, to be successful. Michael Jordan was considered the best basketball

Although this is a big leap in time from my previous paragraphs, and many civil issues still lay unrest, I think Michael Jordan’s success really shows how the prior movements shaped our country in allowing a better life for black people. Jordan was a cultural icon for black and white people, being a star athlete, kids from all over looked up to Jordan and his success. Generating over 78 million dollars of income in 1997, Jordan was the wealthiest athlete in the world. This kind of success certainly shows how the treatment of black through 1945 was gaining progress (Brands, p.

“Well, taking my meds and working out every day. Having a positive attitude, just as important as the drugs are on your mindset and your attitude,” said Magic Johnson. Conanorburst.com Earvin “Magic” Johnson believed life’s toughest challenges were behind him. He had earned good grades in high school and overcome financial barriers to become the first in his working-family to attend college. www.huffingtonpost.ca He went to Sexton High School but a dramatic change made him to go to Everett High School if he hadn’t moved maybe he wasn’t popular yet from now.

Shelia Johnson has long been a powerful influence in the entertainment industry, starting with her work as founding partner of Black Entertainment Television (BET). She has served as executive producer for documentaries and a feature films. Ms. Johnson is founder and chair of the Middleburg Film Festival, an annual celebration of independent film. As Founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts, Ms. Johnson currently oversees a growing portfolio of luxury properties in Virginia, Florida, South Carolina, and Louisiana. As Vice Chairman of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Ms. Johnson is the only African-American woman to have ownership in three professional sports teams: the NBA’s Washington Wizards, the NHL’s Washington Capitals, and the

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has transformed over the many of years as an organization and a brand, into a multibillion-dollar business that draws thousands and thousands of fans to each and every game. Many contributing factors have made the NBA what it is today, but the main cause of this gain in interest is the ultimate rivalry between two remarkable players, Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Larry “the Legend” Bird. The battling rivalry amongst these individuals is comparable to the feud of Coca Cola and Pepsi, or, Star Wars and Star Trek. During the era of modern television, and the still and ever present racial bigotry, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird helped redefine the game of basketball and popularity of the NBA with their