Opinion
Five titles in seven years. The quest for a second three-peat. Centre of the media’s attention. A look at how the glitzy Chicago Bulls reached unprecedented stardom.
If you are wondering how to spend some quality time during this eccentric quarantine time-period, well look no further.
The anticipated documentary chronicling the journey of the 1997-98 Bulls had its premiere a couple of nights back – and it will cast a spell over you.
Never-before-seen footage of probably the greatest to lace them up, Michael Jordan, The Last Dance showcases the trials and tribulations he and his team had to go through in order to succeed on the highest level, as well as MH’s insatiable desire to defend his crown.
The first episode talks in general of how MJ was brought up as a young child and was inquisitively told by his parents to always fight for what was his. We get a chance to relive his monstrous 1982 NCAA Championship game-winner for North Carolina.
Jordan brought about a change in the way the Chicago franchise was being run, as a team that indulged more in debauchery than actually caring to win. It was one of the prime reasons why in the ‘80s the Chicago Bears (NFL), Chicago Blackhawks (NHL) and the Chicago White Sox (MLB) had far better attendance numbers.
As the saying goes, ‘If you build it, they will come’ – and boy, over the course of the next decade, Jordan turned the United Center into a behemoth where only gladiators like MJ could play.
The episode also chronicles on the juxtaposition of MJ’s early-year woes with early-season shortcomings in ’97-98.
The series also sheds light on how general manager Jerry Krause did not gel with coach Phil Jackson and the rest of the team, meaning MJ was keeping the ship together.
The second episode dives into the history of Scottie Pippen – a perennial All-Star and side-kick for the showman MJ. Despite taking over games single-handedly, MJ needed support and he got no better than from Pippen, a ferocious poacher with a knack for chipping away at rebounds and dishing out some poetic assists.
More often than not, Pippen did the dirty work, always putting the team over his personal goals and ambitions.
Scottie Pippen was a key recruit for the Blazers after departing Chicago. (Photo by Matt A. Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) />
The team also had rocket-fueled Denis Rodman. A two-time Defensive Player of the Year in his time with the ‘Bad Boys Pistons’, Rodman was the anchor in a second three-peat.
All these pieces revolved around Jackson, the guru who knew how to bring out his players’ best. Whether it be the vaunted ‘triangle offense’ or trying to stifle teams on defence, the ‘Zen Master’ always had the answer and knew how to manage egos.
This series is not something you want to miss.
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