How Bo Jackson Became a Household Name

Here’s a controversial discussion topic. Bo Jackson is still loved and revered not for what he did on the field as a pro but BECAUSE he’s Bo Jackson. No doubt he was a superb athlete with incredible talent for everything he did. But Jackson’s Major League and NFL careers were so short that we never got to see him reach his potential. In fact, Jackson never even rushed for 1,000 yards in any of his 4 NFL seasons, which possibly could come as a shock to fans looking back now. Nor was he among the elite in baseball. He had but a single All-Star appearance in an 8-year baseball career, coming in 1989, the year he hit a career high 32 HRs but also led the American League with 172 strikeouts. He was a superstar in college at Auburn but still doesn’t even rank in the top 50 all-time collegiate rushers. So what is it about Bo that still makes him a household name for sports fans nearly 40 years after he made his pro sports debut? Bo Knows. He had incredible image makers working for him. Agents. Marketers. Promoters. If you were around in the 1980s and early 90s, you also know what we’re talking about. Bo was everywhere. On TV. On merchandise. Clothing. Commercials. Video games. He was good looking, ripped and every kid wanted to be him. He was on-par with Michael Jordan in terms of popularity. Which is certainly not a bad thing. As far as sports heroes go, you didn’t get much more wholesome than Bo Jackson. So are you still a Bo fan and/or do you think the tales of his athletic accomplishments are exaggerated? 

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