I can't immediately think of one, anyway. I was born in '88, so anybody from '80s or '90s (or, of course, before) that people could mention are just words in a book or academic paper for me. The 2000s had issues but they were issues that athletes were (I guess?) uniquely not suited to speak on.


But what that man had to represent for his sport, provide for his People, sacrifice for his art, endure to be where he is at his age and his mileage, express to his country from his platform...


I honestly feel pretty grateful to have got to witness it. That Jimmy Butler provided for a single summer an awesome compliment to LeBron's symbol of mental strength, physical fitness, emotional perseverance and situational levity was true icing on the cake.


I hope people recognize this NBA bubble for what it was, because for me personally it did a lot to lift me out of an increasingly dark place. I'm going to miss these guys while they're out of the public eye in ways I haven't had to consider before.


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"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
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