What Might Have Been

I spent the evening watching, "You, Me, and Dupree" (review- movie: C-, Kate Hudson's ass: A+) and afterwards went to Borders to look at some football preview magazines. While there, I noticed the book: Playboy Interviews: They Played the Game, a compendium of old PB interviews with various athletes. With masochistic curiosity, I had to check to see if the most heartbreaking interview I'd ever read was included in this volume. Not surprisingly, it was. In either a 1992 or 1993 interview, Michael Jordan reflected on his days playing high school ball and revealed:

"I always wanted to go to UCLA. That was my dream school....But UCLA never recruited me."

It still stings as much to read that line now as it did 13+ years ago. Only this time, I didn't even have a naked centerfold to help ease the pain.

Looking at what Jordan did for the Tar Heels program in the early 80s, it's hard not to wonder what that decade might have been like for the Bruins had UCLA coaches given Jordan some love. Luckily, Borders doesn't make you buy the book once you've soaked it with your tears.