The Last Dance Through Six

Published by PolisPandit on May 4, 2020May 4, 2020

Over the past three Sundays we have glanced through a window into greatness. The first six episodes of The Last Dance have been nothing short of amazing. Like a great cocktail, it only gets better as it’s imbibed. As I’ve consumed it in this quarantine age I cannot help but feel inspired and astonished by Jordan’s greatness. Witnessing God-given athleticism combined with unrivaled competitiveness and tenacity is like observing an enchanted unicorn in an otherwise ordinary forest. What follows here are some of my key takeaways and thoughts through the first six episodes of The Last Dance. It is a dance you will never want to end.

His Greatness Will Inspire You.

Michael Jordan did not just make himself great, he lifted everyone around him. When Scottie Pippen first arrived on the scene, following a horrendous trade from my beloved Sonics, he was athletically gifted but kind of soft and clueless. Jordan turned him into an assassin.

He also just willed his team to win. Sometimes it didn’t work, like in his 63 point playoff performance against Larry Bird and the Celtics. Other times it worked masterfully – just ask Craig Ehlo or the Detroit Pistons after MJ gained 15 pounds of solid muscle in the offseason just to beat their “Bad Boys” defense.

At the end of an episode you are left asking yourself – how can I make myself better? How can I improve my craft? Jordan’s mentality and work ethic can be applied to any profession.

He Could Have Never Done It Without Pippen.

With him each step of way – through all six NBA titles – was Scottie Pippen. Even the immortal greats like Jordan could not do it alone. A former point guard who grew into a forward’s body, Pippen was a unique talent ahead of his time. I still question whether Coach Phil Jackson made a mistake by not playing Scottie more as a point forward handling the ball. But who am I to question the Zen Master?

In addition to his offensive talents, Pippen was a lockdown defender. He was a ten time member of the All-Defensive team and consistently averaged 2-3 steals per game. Pippen was also probably the person best equipped in the entire NBA at the time to guard MJ. So you could say that helped Jordan as well. All-in-all, every Batman needs a Robin, every Han Solo needs a Chewy, and every Captain Kirk needs a Spock. Pippen served the role well.

LeBron Must Be Thinking – “I Will Never Be That Great.”

Hopefully The Last Dance documentary helps put the “LeBron is better than Jordan” narrative to bed, once and for all. Yes, LeBron is probably the more gifted all-around athlete, but he is not as tenacious nor as clutch as Jordan. I challenge you to find five times when Jordan “disappeared” in the playoffs like LeBron. MJ may have struggled to win in the playoffs prior to the 1991 season, but take a look at the teams he had versus LeBron. And he rattled off two separate three-peats in a row, something LeBron is unlikely to ever do.

Kobe said it best in the documentary when interviewed. “What you get from me is from him”, Bryant said. “I don’t get five championships here without him.”

LeBron still has time though. Longevity may work in his favor. Although as of now he has played more minutes than almost anyone at this point in his career (when combining playoffs and regular season games). Could King James still challenge the throne? Get three more rings and maybe we can talk.

Rodman Is a Clown and Isiah Thomas Is a Poor Sport.

Anyone who needs to go on a 48+ hour bender in Las Vegas during the middle of a basketball season is not interesting. They have problems. Why Rodman gets so much street cred for dying his hair and acting like a self-centered child is beyond me. If you think it’s cool to walk out on your team and pretend to act eccentric, then that probably says more about you than Rodman.

And anyone who likes Isiah Thomas “the man” can take a hike. I have no respect for anyone who walks off the court after their team loses without shaking hands. Who cares if that was the standard you thought was set by Bird’s Celtics? To think that is what kept him from the Dream Team is missing the point too. He was arguably the best point guard in the game after Magic, but he had pissed off almost half the team, including Magic and Larry. Few people outside Detroit respected how the Bad Boy Pistons played too – it was dirty basketball. The fact he is still complaining to this day just illustrates his character. Maybe him and Rodman can hang out and act interesting in Las Vegas together.

Jordan Handled His Hectic Life With Style and Swagger.

The man always had to be on. His life consisted of traveling from home to hotel to practice, back to the hotel, and then to games. He could never leave the room. By the time he reached Barcelona for the 1992 Olympics, he was an international celebrity at a time when almost none existed in terms of athletes. He could have claimed fame for his style alone.

Yet the hassle of being MJ ultimately ended the first three-peat. After winning the 1993 NBA Finals, he understandably had enough. The media had been relentless. Whether it was questioning his gambling habits, alcohol intake, or describing in tell-all books how he was a bad teammate, he was constantly under pressure and under a microscope. And this was before the age of social media! I understand that journalists wanted to peel back the curtain on the life of the most successful athlete of the era, but the man could barely breathe. What did we discover from it all? Even Michael Jordan was human too, complete with vices and demons, none of which however left him broke or broken.

At the End of Act 1 It Was Relief, Not Celebration.

Following his first three-peat in 1993, Jordan felt something that few could have expected at the time – relief. Most people who reach the top of the mountain, or who are able to revisit the summit time and again, feel overcome with ecstasy and joy. Jordan looked like he just wanted to go home. After going toe-to-toe with Charles Barkley’s Phoenix Suns, MJ was exhausted. He needed a break.

There is a reason that dynasties and empires cannot last forever. People enjoy your rise. They cheer as you ascend toward the top. But once you get there, and if you stay there for long, they try to tear you down, any way they can. That is what happened to Jordan. He may have been relieved at the time, but a unique competitive drive and an undying pursuit of greatness could not be contained or defeated. Which is why having the opportunity now to watch it continue to unfold is like a last dance I wish could go until the end of time.