A Decade To Remember

The world was a troubled place in the '80's, home to a number of disasters From the plight of Iran's hostages to the meltdown of Chernobyl's reactor But in the world of basketball, the 1980's served to revive the game From a decade, the 1970's, where drugs and crime had gone untamed There dawned a rivalry, perhaps never again matched, the Celtic's Larry Bird 'The Great White Hope,' whose hard-scrabble heroics, the fans hearts stirred In fierce, epic battles with the Lakers' nonpareil, Magic Johnson Whose wizardy with the ball and no-look passes quickly became legend All through the '80's these hardcourt warriors duked it out Bird MVP three years in a row, '84 - '86, 'the Greatest Player Ever,' no doubt With Johnson hot on his trail, the ultimate Team Great, fueling the debate Leading the Lakers to the Championship five times, from '80 to '88 While meantime, the lowly Chicago Bulls were cultivating a new player still Greater than Bird and Magic, who in the 1990's would rule The incomparable Michael Jordan, "MJ," as he would come to be known Whose soaring dunks and breathtaking heroics eventually put him alone Atop the throne of basketball majesty and glory That's how I remember the '80's, and that ends my story Entry in 'Remembering the 1980's' Poetry Contest Sponsor: Michelle Faulkner