The mailman retires and the miller time ends . . . . .

For basketball enthusiasts, the game is not just about 4 quarters of action. Its not just about dribbling the ball and scoring in your opponents court. Its just about the excitement of a 360 degree slam dunk. Its all about passion and love for the game.

I have been a basketball fanatic ever since I was a child. I started to dribble the ball when I was 3 years old and I joined basketball tournaments at the age of 8. During those days, the game was all of my life up until the time that I went into college. The icons of those days where magnificent and the way they defied gravity was outstanding.

From the grace and finesse of a no look pass from Magic Johnson, to the sweet shooting hand of Larry Bird, to the creativity and hang time by his royal airness Micheal Jordan, I can truly say those were the standards of which basketball excellence was measured.

The funny thing though was the fact that basketball would have been extremely boring and dull if these icons where left to stand alone. Every protagonists need an adversary in order to spice up the battle and give more flavor to the war. A good character needs someone who will try to stop him from achieving success. Therefore someone must play the role of the bad guy who will spark the conflict in this 4 quarter story.

All men will take on the challenge, but few will accept the role. Of course these people will also become icons themselves. And two of these known characters are none other than Karl Malone and Reggie Miller.

The Mailman’s brute strength and power overshadows the trojan army. While the announcement of Miller time signifies the bombardment of long range bombs that will leave you in shock and awe. Yes, imagine if these people were involved in an invasion. I am definitely sure that they will strengthen the arsenal of a military force.

For us basketball fans, this is how we picture the game. And the game was never perfect without these two people. Whenever Micheal was aiming for a championship run, Reggie will pull the trigger and stop him with a three. If Micheal tries to takeover a game, Karl will counter him with an outstanding barrage of jumpshots and powerplays.

Karl and Reggie played with skills that were scientific and highly technical. They belonged to an era of legends where basketball was a sytematic process of shooting, dribbling and passing. Defense is also an important concept of the game and these two individuals portrayed their excellence in keeping their opponents at bay.

On the court, they displayed strong leadership and manifested their passion to win. Off the court, they were excellent role models and ambassadors of basketball to people all over the world. The reputation they as human beings are respectable because they were never involved in any activities that will affect their integrity. Furthermore, the have contributed alot to the growth of the game and deserve their stature in the hall of fame.

Karl and Reggie gave us a reason to watch the game of basketball. In fact they gave us options of who to admire and comparison in the level of play. We may adhere to the fact that all things, no matter how great they may be must come to an end. As their careers unfold, it is evident that they will leave with respect and gratitude from their co-players, other team organizations, and the fans that have watched them through the years.

The legacy lives on for all of us basketball enthusiasts, let this chapter be as it is, the mailman retires and the miller time ends . . .