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What does it mean to be a Team Player?

Being on a team is a privilege not a right.  Some people inherently understand this, some do not.  Marcus Jordan, freshman guard for University of Central Florida, doesn't want to wear the team shoes.  It is big money for sports teams to make deals with sponsors - this one is $3 million.  Why does Marcus refuse to wear the team shoe?  The team shoe is Adidas, and Marcus is fond of his father's famous Nike Air Jordan.

So if you were the coach, what would you do?

Marcus Jordan

What were the choices for Marcus?  To wear the Adidas shoes and explain to the press that he was wearing the team shoe.  This has been referred to as "taking one for the team".  Or he could play the "I'm special" card.  Which is what he choose to do.

Is having a special player on the team, good for the team?

I have fond memories of Michael Jordan playing for UNC.  He was  great player for many reasons.  One was that he was so very hard to defend when driving to the basket, the defender didn't know if he would pass or take it to the hoop.  He was a team player.  He was perhaps the epitome of a team player.  So I ask myself what Coach Dean Smith would have done?

Coach Smith would have protected the team.  If the player could not play team ball, they would not play for Smith.  UCF has options in this fiasco - bench or eject the player from the team.  If you don't wear the uniform you don't play ball.  It is very simple.

Ref:  ESPN

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