The IronDog Chronicles

Choice Words from Bret Dougherty

10 Thoughts for ‘The Last Dance’

Before the debut of the first of 10 episodes of ESPN’s “The Last Dance”, I wanted to throw out a few thoughts, hopes, and details before I book my next ten Sunday Nights for must-viewings.
1.) ‘Perfect Pair’ – We finally have a bookend to pair with David Halbertam’s ‘Playing for Keeps.’ The best biography, if not the best hoops biography, was delivered without a single interview with Jordan. It’s one of the biggest sportswriting tragedies ever. Pair this documentary with ‘Playing for Keeps’, fill-up the blender, and ‘Liquify.’ (I can understand the media distrust and annoyance meter that Jordan had at the end, but how did any one in his circle not explain to him who Halberstam was…Why?!!)
2.) Interviews – The 100-120 interviews are the story. The ‘lost’ footage from 1998 is tight, but the real and unforgiving reason why the footage was ‘lost’ and not developed as a full documentary in 1998 is because there was no story with the footage. The details, reactions, and expressions are going to be the story.
3.) 30 for 30 Rank – We have to keep in mind that almost every step and detail has been covered from the Jordan era. Michael Jordan is our generation’s Babe Ruth. ‘Come Fly With Me’ and ‘To The Max’ are sugar-coated after-school specials. If this ‘The Last Dance’ holds the hype, then it should stand with ‘Without Bias’, ‘Survive and Advance,’ and ‘The Best That Never Was.’ 
4.) Krause/Reinsdorf – When I encounter Jerry Krause fans or Jordan-contrarians, I often call them ‘Krause-Heads’ because they’re so focused upon how the architecture of the team was developed. Krause may not be the 100% villain that he was for end of the Bulls dynasty, but 85-95% is a good range to put a figure upon for blame.

The facts are real that Krause groveled to get respect and love from the team, let alone the critics in a major media market. It’s more than fair to say that he never knew his place. If they do take the route and emphasize the villainous Krause/Jerry Reinsdorf storyline…It’s deserved.

There are so many Chicago fans that state the success of the Bulls wouldn’t have arrived without Jerry Krause. you only need to point to how often he antagonized Jordan with his personnel choices and his moves as a GM.

The quick knee-jerk is to bring up the spat between Jordan and Krause/Reinsdorf and his return from Jordan’s foot injury. However, if you look at Krause’s first moves as a GM, you’ll not only see ‘who shot first’, but also you’ll see the barren emptiness of his regard for team chemistry.

To start, Reinsdorf/Krause team together to fire Rod Thorn who went on to be one of the more successful front office consultants and minds over the pat three decades. Krause quickly followed that insurrection by firing Kevin Loughery who Jordan not only adored, but also respected because of Loughery’s reputation among coaching circles and his past work. Loughery knew how to win, and he loved to run. He delivered two ABA titles in a tough league, and he should be credited with allowing Julius Erving to bloom into a superstar.

Krause then hired Stan Albeck who had failed with the Spurs. Albeck held a rigid system which was not a strong fit for Jordan’s style of play. Worse, Krause who thinks he is making a steal by trading a disgruntled and highly underachieving David Greenwood, delivers an aging and lost George Gervin who was a hopeless cocaine addict at the time. The thought of bringing George Gervin who is at the height of his cocaine addiction to downtown Chicago is almost cruel. Most importantly, Jordan who was the league’s burgeoning superstar and a star who rivaled Walter Payton in popularity in only his first year, begged Krause to not bring Gervin aboard the franchise because of the cocaine use not just with him but with the rest of the team.

How does one not consider that request during a rebuild? How do you alienate your star-rookie player during a ground-zero rebuild? What value do you place upon team chemistry to foster a winning environment for the most exciting single player the NBA had seen since Lew Alcindor/Kareem Abdul Jabbar or the arrival of Erving to the NBA?

Keep in mind, Jordan not only didn’t respect Gervin for his cocaine use, but also was extremely peeved by Gervin being one of the alleged conspirators of the famed ‘freeze out’ at the ’85 All-Star Game. How aloof to developing team chemistry can you be? How do you bring an aging cocaine addict on to a team with Orlando Woolridge and Quintin Dailey who had massive issues with drugs and off-the court issues? (Keep in mind that Gervin only three years later rushed into an ER because he snorted ‘what he thought was cocaine’ and didn’t know what he put up his nose.)

To follow-up these moves at the beginning of 85 and after somewhat of a playoff success in the loss to the ’86 Boston Celtics which easily could be one of the NBA’s greatest teams. Krause stunningly fires Albeck. A shocked Albeck proclaimed the front office to be the most chaotic and back-stabbing front office that he had encountered, and he blamed Jerry Krause culprit #1.

The long leash and trust that the self-proclaimed ‘neophyte to the game’ Reinsdorf tied to Krause who followed with developing one of the most strangest and paranoid cultures in sports team history is bizarre in itself. (I would love to have seen the psychological exercise of ‘lay down and think blue’ with the 85-86 Bulls.) Keep in mind that all of these chaotic moves occured before the bungling list of draft day whiffs such as Brad Sellers over Johnny Dawkins, Will Perdue over Rod Strickland, Stacey King. I’m not even counting Jeff Sanders, Jason Caffey, or Dickey Simpkins.

(Note: As for all of the Jerry Krause Hall of Fame proponents: Imagine Johnny Dawkins with Michael Jordan in ’86-87…Brad Sellers? Will Perdue or Rod Strickland when you desperately need a ball handling PG who can score and guard Isiah Thomas..I’ll rest my case. Rod Strickland was became one of the top 4 point guards in the league from 1993-2003. And please stop and think if you want to deliver a the ever-played counter punch with the Scottie Pippen pick…the whole damn NBA knew about him after draft invitationals.)

It’s for those reasons that you have to side with Jordan and ‘The Jordannaires.’ They were forced to exist in a bizarre culture. As a Chicago resident and tax payer for the United Center, I can honestly say that there is a curse on the Bulls franchise…Reinsdorf and Krause crossed the Gods. We may be in full payment mode for the rest of the century.

The best question that will coincide with this series. How can one defend Jerry Krause going to the Hall of Fame in 2017?

5.) UNC-Chapel Hill Roots – Critics can point to Jordan’s stubborness as a major factor for the Bulls break-up, but you have to remember a big facet to the Jordan myth…UNC Chapel Hill and Dean Smith. There is a deeper reason why Jordan returned to Chapel Hill after his foot injury in November 1985…Home.

As mentioned above, the Bulls were swirling with a borderline clown show in ’85-86. As great of a shooter that he was, you had Quintin Dailey as an absolute gunner, and wild cast of veterans and young players who were not into team ball. There is a reason why Jordan tied so quickly to Charles Oakley. With Oakley’s work ethic and Virginia Union, they were able to form a deep bond. Also, keep in mind that Jordan was very mild drinker at best, no drugs, no smoke, just hoops. If you understand the intimacy and close ties that Chapel Hill has, then you’ll understand why his circles were so tight.
A lot of pundits forget how close to the vest and controlled Dean Smith was with outside influences to the UNC program. People forget how advanced UNC players were when they reached the professional ranks. There is a reason why there were so many head coaches, assistants, and GMs running in the NBA. People forget that Dean Smith was the one who encouraged Jordan to include percentage of ticket sales in his first contract. He knew the impact of the player upon attendance figures and the success of the franchise, and he pushed for athlete empowerment.
Jordan’s principles were grounded by Dean Smith’s philosophies which are based upon thinking the sum of the parts is greater than the whole, team is always first, holding deep loyalty to your teammates with a seniority ‘players first’ system, and when it does come to the individual, your integrity to the details reside within your work.
After all of this time, I don’t believe the proper due or understanding for that foundation is placed within the Jordan myth. Chicago, and much more the media, never fully understood, nor knew about how deep the background of the ‘Carolina Family’ is/was. Sneakerheads think they get it, but they don’t have a clue, and certainly Bulls management didn’t fully understand that philosophy until two weeks ago when Krause’s key henchman Gar Forman finally exited the building.
With the loyalty that he had for team and coaches, why wouldn’t Jordan be insulted with how Phil Jackson was treated with Jerry Krause? Why wouldn’t he upset that he wasn’t extended with a multi-year contract or at least a promising role within the front office to make decisions for the Bulls heading into the 2000s. It was boiling…not bubbling for a long 12 years.
6.) ‘Horrible Guy’ – There is no question that you can consider Michael Jordan a ‘bully.’ For a guy who cares about his legacy, I’m sure Jordan is cringing about how he is viewed with his filmed berations on Scott Burrell.
However, there are two types of alpha dog bullies. On one hand, you have the alpha dog bully who is ‘all-in’ with the team. (For film buffs out there, see ‘Sergent Elias’ in ‘Platoon or Josey Wales.) On the other hand, you have an alpha dog bully who is all about being a ‘bully’, or even worse, anointed as an alpha dog and uses that power over everyone and any situation.
The bully who is ‘all in’ at least is giving a full 100 percent, and is operating with full integrity and expectations. You may hate him. But when you go out on the hunt with him, you’re slapping on the extra war paint. You end up raging through the forest, and you come back with two extra bulls. Everyone around the fire is laughing. People are listening to your stories, and you’re getting a lot more friendlier looks in village. In Michael Jordan’s case, his crews came back with Championships.
With the bully who is about himself…Clap, clap…clap. When do we get out of here? When does all this end? Big difference. (See Kobe Bryant 2011-16 or Gilbert Arenas).
7.) ‘Let it Breathe’ Hopefully, the storyline stays away from apolitical tangents. The complaints that Jordan didn’t side politically is/was a wild expectation. The question as to why Jordan didn’t tackle social issues.
How about the simple reasons that he didn’t have the depth of knowledge, nor the interest to take a political stance. Couple those points with a deep distrust for media and a cynicism of leaders, affiliations, brands, and other charlatans who wanted to get close to him, it should be understandable for his so-called deaf ears.
As a note to any one who hates on Michael Jordan not using a platform at the time. You have to realize what it takes to be Jim Brown, Bill Russell, and Muhammad Ali. The ground is littered with politicians and causes leeching on to athletes. You have to give a break to someone who bigger than any personality on the planet for over a decade. With that said, have you ever noticed how no one ever mentions the boosts that he gave to the release of Malcolm X and Spike Lee with his donning of ‘X’ hats and other 40 Acres & A Mule gear?
For a guy driven by perfection, don’t think he didn’t follow those notes and know that being political is a one-way street. Kudos for him to take a backseat. Hopefully, ESPN lets the story breathe with ease by following the game and the myth.
8.) Love/Hate – I distinctly remember watching Game 5 of the 1998 NBA Finals in a packed bar during Union Street Art Fair in San Francisco. There were two Bulls fans in the bar with close to 200+ packed inside the bar with no affiliation to a team other than simply cheering against Jordan, and at least 50 people standing in the front window cheering against Jordan. I distinctly remember having the thought of ‘I get that Jordan is the villain, but I can’t get the venomous hate against him.’
Now, it may have been influenced by watching powerhouse game in the most snobbish of US cities when it comes to sports, but the single lesson I learned. ‘Everyone not only hates the favorite, but also everyone wants to see the favorite go down.’
You have to consider how much hate venom that people had toward Jordan and how bad they wanted him torn down. And the hate wasn’t just during the 80s when people were upset at the gold chains and the overwhelming hype surrounding the Jordan Nike, McDonald’s, Hanes, brand, it was full on ‘tear down’ hate that a lot of people had toward him at the end.
Facts for you haters in the 1998 Finals: Game 5 and he put that @ss. down in Game 6. You can’t deny them.
9.) 7 or 8? – Possible, but as I’m sure ‘The Last Dance’ will entail. With the personalities at the head of the franchise, NO. With an amicable and collaborative front office, I think Jordan would have been a part of 1 to 2 more championships.
As for ’99, Jordan has stated that the famed finger injury he endured while cutting cigars in the Bahamas would have cost him time. The guy’s shot and hand was never the same. That would have been a hard injury to overcome in ’99 with a retooled front line. Dennis Rodman certainly was hitting the downward slope of his physicality. The impact of Brian Williams in the 1996-97 run showed how badly the need was for an athletic big man to play up front for the Bulls. They needed a retooling not necessarily a reshaping.
As for 2000, I believe many observers and NBA followers underestimate how big of a break the Bulls received when Jalen Rose was suspended for Game 5 of the Bulls-Pacers series. He was more than a bothersome player in the series, and he was emerging as a focal point for the Pacers. Chris Mullin was at the end of making a significant contribution, but their front line with Derrick McKey, Rik Smits, Dale Davis, and Sam Perkins would have presented major problems on the offensive front. Could the Bulls have passed the Pacers in 2000? They certainly needed a retool up front.
Could Krause rebuild the Bulls with Jordan in tow? Well, he pushed Jordan out, and by 2001 he had countered with the youth movement of Eddy Curry, Tyson Chandler, Brad Miller, and Marcus Fizer…Too young, too dumb.
The worst part is that we had to watch this team not go out on their shields. “It was a divorce.” Sadly, they killed the beast. It was ‘The Last Dance.”
10.) Perfection? Michael Jordan is not perfect, and the image isn’t perfect. And who said he was perfect? But damn, he was a winner, and it’s really tough to argue against him as the best ever in the NBA, let alone topping him as one of the best athletes of all-time. ‘The Last Dance” is a must-see, but the lesson should be – Enjoy things while they’re in front of you. They’re not here forever.
 BD