No Mr. Coffee Ads for Michael Jordan

This is a first, folks. Never before has a pro athlete made the nightly news with his decision to retire from advertising. Then again, this isn't your run-of-the-mill sports superstar. This is Michael Jordan, sports' answer to Elvis. In fact, it seems His Airness didn't want to end up like Elvis — a cartoon of his former self, kidding himself that he's still in his prime. Just as Jordan retired from basketball as a reigning MVP and league champion, he steps out of advertising as the industry champ.

Still, the move has left many asking why. As in, why would a man turn down $40 million per year in endorsements? The word from Jordan's people is that Mike wants to concentrate on his career as an entrepreneur; that like the player who wants to coach or the actor who wants to direct, he wants to go from pitchman to businessman. Others see it as an act of smart management — Jordan's a part owner of the Washington Wizards, and it certainly doesn't help player morale that their nonplaying boss is still the most heavily endorsed guy on the team. But it seems, above all, that the move allows Jordan to bow out gracefully. Sure, other athletes would milk the gravy train until it stopped rolling, but Jordan, whose personal fortune runs in the hundreds of millions, gets to walk off the court once again as a reigning champion.