There've been a lot of exciting "feel good" sports stories in the news lately. And it's about time.
LeBron James, the best basketball player on the planet, left his hometown team the Cleveland Cavaliers four years ago to play on a dream team in Miami to win a couple of championships. Now he's back home to play with the Cavs. Some (especially those from Cleveland) feel that he abandoned a city that desperately needed a champion. He's back and has changed the entire league while saying all the right things to the media. It's a nice story and great for basketball. Probably not so great for the Miami Heat.
In baseball, it's the year of Derek Jeter. After coming back from an injury, Jeter is playing good baseball at age 40, in his final season. Jeter went 2 for 2 (2 hits in 2 at bats) in the All Star Game and has made history by having the second highest batting average of all time in All Star Games – .481 average, (13-27) in 14 All Star appearances.
Even if you don't follow either of these sports yourself, it's hard to not see the impact stories like these have on the sports world, sports fans, and of course, the media.
What do stories about LeBron and Jeter mean to me? Outside of the "feel good" thing, LeBron and Jeter remind me of how we take to role models and look up to people that do great things. Yes, they're both great players, but these guys also almost always say the right things. They have become almost bigger than their environments (LeBron may be bigger than his sport!). They help others and in doing so look to leave a great legacy.
As a financial advisor, broker, wholesaler, agent, or rep, is there a LeBron James or Derek Jeter in your industry (or with your firm) that you should be paying attention to? Following on Twitter? Getting to know? Emulating?
