The danger in being hyper-competitive is not knowing when to walk away from competition. While Michael Jordan's two-year run with the Washington Wizards at the end of his playing career was by no means terrible, it didn't hold up to the standard he set in 12-and-a-half previous seasons with the Chicago Bulls.
Jordan has always maintained that his competitive drive brought him out of his second retirement to play with the Wizards from 2001-03, but apparently he privately conceded to another dominant athlete that it may have been a mistake in terms of his legacy.
"MJ, I never forget, said this to me: 'The only thing I regret, is putting on another uniform,'" Ray Lewis said on FOX's "Speak for Yourself" on Friday.
Jordan averaged 21.2 points in 142 games in a Washington uniform, but was far from the transcendent superstar that won 10 scoring titles, five MVP trophies, and six NBA championships with the Bulls.
Lewis spent his entire 17-year pro career with the Baltimore Ravens, winning two Super Bowls and two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards.