Professionalism, character, and dignity

This past Friday, a few of the NBA stars from my basketball fandom infancy were inducted into the Hall of Fame: Charles Barkley, Dominique Wilkins, and Joe Dumars.

While Barkley and Wilkins put up the big stats and filled up the highlight reels, I was always drawn to Dumars, who was the one "good guy" on the "Bad Boys" Pistons teams. As the defensive stopper and the offensive glue, he was able to play a pivotal role in the team's two championships bridging the Lakers-Celtics era and the Bulls dynasty. More than his play though, I always admired his other qualities - how he willingly stayed out of the limelight, did the dirty work, and stepped up (in often spectacular fashion) when his team needed him. Plus, he rarely complained to refs and never whined about shots, minutes, or his teammates. For his character, the annual Sportsmanship trophy awarded by the NBA was named after him.

In this series of interviews with him, he described what he'd like his legacy to be, and says a few things about giving everything and being remembered for professionalism, character, and dignity that I aspire to:

I was never one consumed with being a professional athlete. I knew I was deeper. I had more depth to me than just, I can run and jump and shoot. I never viewed myself in that context, as that's who I am and that's what I am.

As I got closer to retirement, my mind-set was ready. By the time I played my last game, there were no tears, there were no long, sad good-byes. You know, basically to Grant Hill and Lindsey Hunter and those guys, I said, "You guys have it now. It's all in your lap now."

I've never looked back. I can honestly tell you, I've never missed it. I don't miss playing. I never did when I retired, even the next year. I enjoyed the fact that I'd done it, and I'm done with it.

I've never played basketball again. I never intend to. I'll rebound for Jordan, my son. And I'll shoot a little.

But some guys play, play three-on-three. Oh, no. I'm done.

I don't have anything left in me. I don't have any desire to go out on the basketball court and play.

I gave everything. I don't have anything else to give. I completely exhausted myself with it.

And I don't have anything left to do. There's nothing I didn't get to accomplish that I wanted to. I don't have any regrets about my career, like I wish I could have done this or I wish I could have done that. I was fortunate. It all happened. I'm not going back trying to relive anything. There's nothing to relive.

How do I want to be remembered?

Well, I'm not dead.

But a few words: professionalism, character, dignity and winner, because I've been fortunate enough to win a lot in this league, to win everything you can possibly win.

All those things would be how I view what I've been able to accomplish.

But start with character and dignity because that's who I've been, and that's who I'll continue to be.

How Star Wars should have ended
In an effort to extract more money from fans, Lucasfilm just re-released the original Star Wars trilogy on DVD with the original theatrical version (along with the "special" edition). Seeing as how I never got around to buying the various DVD sets that have been released, I might just go and pick it up. But in tribute to the release date, someone created this amusing animated alternate ending to the first movie: