BOBBY KNIGHT, WHO IS INFALLIBLE, SAYS THAT Michael Jordan is the “best player who’s played anything.” If there were any argument with the Indiana coach’s dictum, consider Jordan’s three most impressive statistics: He led the National Basketball Association in scoring 10 times, more than any other player; he won championships in his last six full seasons; in the 1,109 professional games in which he played over the course of 13 seasons with the Chicago Bulls, he was held below 10 points only once (on March 22, 1986, as he was recuperating from a broken foot).

But of course there is no argument. When Jordan retired last week, his dominance, his ability to elevate those around him, and his unearthly consistency were universally acknowledged. For once, the conventional wisdom is right: Jordan was, in fact, the best. But why? Here is where the story gets interesting. The near-beatification of Michael Jordan is a tribute to America’s enduring love affair with Success. Yes, we love a winner. What we can’t stand these days, though, is the peculiar discipline that produces epic achievement. A fierce desire to win is part of it, but more crucial is the ruthless determination to vanquish your foes. The secret of Michael Jordan’s greatness — of all competitive greatness — is not merely, as we now instruct our children, to do your best. It is to make your best superior to everyone else’s. You must cultivate your own talent, yes; but you must also search out and exploit the weaknesses of your opponent. Somebody must lose so you can win.