MovieChat Forums > The Last Dance (2020) Discussion > Looking Forward to this tonight

Looking Forward to this tonight

posted 4 years ago by NorrinRad (5128)
11 replies | jump to latest

I am intrigued with this series even though it was well documented, covered and picked apart years ago.

For the past three weeks leading up to the premiere this Sunday evening ESPN talking heads and sports athletes have been uploading their own remembrances and stories of MJ and that team, and it has been entertaining but also self-serving for them. They are all off the air and so need some content to talk about now that there are no sports being played.

It is amazing how this team and ESPN have created an "Event" that may very well be "must watch"TV.

[–] Moonglum9 (10852) 4 years ago

Growing up in the Chicago area during those times, it was a privilege to have born witness to the greatest team in NBA history.

[–] NorrinRad (5128) 4 years ago

While Episode's 1 & 2 were well crafted with a high production value, if you were a fan of a certain age there was a lot of context that was needed as it seemed like something was missing.

For example: MJ responding and reacting to the "Cocaine Circus" and finding out that certain members of the teams indulged. 😂 In the 80's a substantial number of NBA players were recreational users of Drugs and MJ's teammate Quentin Dailey was basically fired from the team for being a habitual repeat offender of cocaine. The "Travelling Cocaine Circus" as a name that surprised MJ might have been not known but the drug use couldn't have been that much of a surprise. Or maybe MJ wasm't going to name "Names".

Jerry Krause and the Bulls lost Horace Grant over a contract dispute/agreement that allowed the star forward to leave as a free agent (in 1994 he signed with the Magic) and the team got nothing in return. Salary caps and burgeoning rookie contracts allowed for unproven, non-performing rookies to be paid more than veterans. MJ was making substantially more on endorsements than on salary which is why MJ was okay with dealing with the salary disparity but MJ was being woefully undercompensated by the entire league. The league had no provision to pay the entertainment salary of a persona like MJ. Reinsdorf paid MJ's salary while he was on baseball hiatus to keep MJ's loyalty. Pip was being squeezed by Krause and managed him and his contract as an investment that would net the Bulls future talent to build around Mike. That's an around the block way of saying how undervalued and unrewarded Scottie happened to be at that time.

The entire NBA was making loads of money off of that 90's Bulls team.

Reinsdorf purchased the Bulls for 15-16 Million in 1985 and the franchise is valued at 3.0 Billion today.

[–] jasonbourne (1027) 4 years ago

The 1990s Bulls are not the greatest team in NBA history. They were the best team for that era. The MSM has created the GOAT team in the Bulls when it's more media hype than based on today's NBA statistics and ratios.

What we are watching are the 1996 Bulls documentary and certainly they are not the greatest.

Instead, the NBA probably has a new GOAT in LeBron James and new dynasty in the Golden State Warriors. They are the best team of the current NBA era and format.

No more Jordan Rules. No more hand checking. No more Jordan gets to the line like no other player during his time. He's like James Harden of today. Jordan could be pieces of today's players like James Harden, Bradley Beal, and other top wing players, but not Stephen Curry; he can't shoot the 3-ball. Can we just retire the BS hype of the Chicago Bulls and their star Michael Jordan?

[–] Moonglum9 (10852) 4 years ago

Lebron James best of all time...um no. And it's not close. He's not even top 5. Bulls had the best offensive rating and best defensive rating in the league for several of those years.

[–] jasonbourne (1027) 4 years ago

If you want to believe Michael Jordan is GOAT, then who am I to stop you? LeBron has been the best player in the modern era of open court, 3-pt shooting, mobile big men instead of going inside and low post play. The era when Jordan played and mid-range J is over. People do not want to watch this type of NBA basketball anymore. Thus, he may have been the best of his time, I don't think he's the GOAT. This is the narrative of the older MSM sports writers. Jordan is sacred to them and they want to show that they saw the best while the young people of today did not. That's ridiculous. Each era has their best player and top players.

[–] Moonglum9 (10852) 4 years ago

Clearly you’re one of those people biased by recentness who just hears things about Jordan on the internet but didnt actually witness him during his career. How do I know this? You claiming Jordan went to the line abnormally often when in fact his free throw per game attempt average is 8.2. Lebron’s is 8.0 for his career. Nice try. No need to discuss further with you on this topic. When you want to debate whether Lebron is better than Shaq, that will be one I (and every basketball fan over 35 outside of maybe Cleveland and Miami residents for obvious reasons) would consider a realistic placement of Lebron’s standing among the all time greats.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

[deleted]

[–] sonans (1306) 4 years ago

ESPN is really bad at making documentary, O.J. Made in America put me to sleep, they some how make a murder mystery boring, that's a impossible achievement.

[–] NorrinRad (5128) 4 years ago

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/espns-the-last-dance-drew-a-massive-audience-for-the-premiere/ar-BB12Wso8?ocid=spartanntp

With no sports it seems at least for the premier plenty of eye-balls landed on the 1st and 2nd episodes. Also telling is the number of Youtubers who streamed or posted review/reactions to the opening. With consumers seemingly desperate for "New" content even this has found an audience as click bait.

[–] wisheestar (99) 4 years ago

Have you watched it already? Thoughts so far?

I'm about to start with the first episode. Trying to finish it all before the final episode this sunday.

[–] skoolgurl (29) 10 months ago

Yes, I finished it this week after abandoning a marathon attempt back in April. I enjoyed how the philosophy of Phil Jackson influenced the team, the love Michael had for his father and how each character reacted to Michael's leadership style but especially the footage with the Pistons and that sweet win over the Cavaliers.