The next…..
In an article for ESPN the magazine, Michael Jordan identified the main problem with the NBA as a lack of ability to create stars. This is due to the NBA relying to heavily on a comparison to the past. Everybody is “the next Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson” .
” The only advice I can give to someone in the league now is to be original. The consumer isn’t dumb. He or she can sense things being knocked off. Originality is what lasts.”
It gets harder and harder to be original. Everybody is nostalgic when it comes to sport because looking to the past is incredibly comforting in times of crisis. Therefor it’s hard to define whether sport stars of the past devoured all the originality, or if there is any originality left.
In soccer, the idea of star building is probably less important than in basketball. There is no all star game and no free kick contest at the Charity shield game. However, soccer often falls into the same trap. These comparisons range from tenuous to ludicrous. This is partly due to the differing quality in leagues, players who do well in Scotland for example are immediately tarred with the brush of being “the next (random player from a better league who is far superior). Scotland then sets up all its young prospects for failure as it is impossible to live up to the high and somewhat desperate standard set for them.
The most popular Scottish Newspaper, the Daily Record often dines out on these ludicrous claims. Headlines have called Motherwell’s Ross Wallace, “The New Kaka” while Aiden Mcgeady is described in such lofty terms that if you compared his dribbling to that of Garrincha, you would be slapped for underestimating the young Irishman’s ability.
One of the most popular object of the affections of comparison makers was troubled genius Paul Gascoigne. Gazza was probably the most talented footballer of his generation but threw most of his potential away thanks to his love of alcohol, curries, wife beating and Danny Baker. But still, despite all his problems, people are still desperate to find the next Gazza. Wayne Rooney has been christened “Wazza” due to his comparisons to Gascoigne, while Charlie Miller at Rangers was often dubbed the heir to Gascoigne throne. Such comparisons have left both players to try and out-do Gazza. Wazza has done this by blossoming into one of the world’s most talented footballers. Charlie Miller did this by sticking to a strict diet of vindaloo and booze. Each to their own.
The fact of the matter is though that like most of the subject’s of these comparisons. Gazza was unique. To prove this Gascoigne today went that extra mile. Gazza was sectioned after being found “walking round the hotel with 3 plastic parrots, ordering plates of raw liver, opening the door in the nude.” Not content with his downfall being a by the numbers tale of drink and drugs, Gazza went that step further and painted his downfall with a huge dollop of astounding originality.
Players today must find their own plastic parrots, if they are a genius, they must let it our organically. Mcgeady will not become famous doing the Zidane turn he must coin the Mcgeady shuffle. This is a warning to you Charlie Miller, if we find you in a Dundee hotel with plastic parrots eating raw liver, it won’t be big and it won’t be clever. There is a reason why young players of today are not forming a cue to be the “next Charlie Miller”.
