By Trey Hunter
Sports Editor
How would the drama that plagued the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls be handled in today’s world full of social media and public opinion?
The first two episodes of ESPN’s 10-part documentary “The Last Dance” premiered Sunday night. The series takes a look back at Michael Jordan’s final season in Chicago and the team’s sixth and final championship with never-before-seen footage and interviews from players, coaches and more.
Jerry Krause, the team’s general manager, helped engineer one of the greatest dynasties in sports history. He also helped tear it down. The dysfunction between him, Jordan, Scottie Pippen and head coach Phil Jackson was the main culprit in what destroyed any chance of a seventh title or even more. Jordan said publicly the team should have been allowed to defend its crown until it was taken away. But when Krause told Jackson 1997-98 would be his last season in Chicago, it was obvious the franchise’s reign was coming to an end.
How would all of this go down today? In a world where everything is magnified by the world wide web, ESPN and other major sports networks?
Facebook, Twitter, First Take and Undisputed would have ended Krause before he could end the Bulls.
No way he would win out in the court of public opinion. Not today. Owner Jerry Reinsdorf would be under too much fire. He would be forced to fire virtually anyone, especially the general manager, if it meant keeping the great Michael Jordan in Chicago. In fact, Jackson would probably be the GM himself. And the president.
Players are valued more today. They make more money and in some cases an individual’s star power has become bigger than the brand or franchise. Owners understand that for the most part fans are buying Kobe Bryant’s jersey because it’s Kobe not the Lakers. The same goes with this era’s greats like LeBron James and Steph Curry. It is ridiculous the Bulls didn’t understand back then with Jordan, the biggest superstar ever in sports, but it would have been a given in today’s environment.
Note that it’s also fair to point out that any other owner or general manager from Jordan’s era likely would have done anything in the realm of possibility to appease Jordan, Pippen and Jackson. Reinsdorf and Krause were a unique combination.
All great runs come to an end. The Bulls would have been no different even if their reign had lasted longer. But as Jordan alluded to in the documentary, the great dynasties in sports are dethroned by others, not from within.
It’s a shame what happened in Chicago. The Bulls could have won more titles had Reinsdorf favored players and coaches over management or if Krause had valued Jackson over ego.
Today they wouldn’t have had a choice.
Trey is the sports editor for the Piedmont-Surrey Gazette and Okarche Warrior newspapers in Canadian County in Oklahoma. For questions, comments or column ideas he can be reached at TreyHunter1987@gmail.com or sports@piedmontnewsonline.com.
