"I'm back." (The Last Dance Episodes 7 & 8)

This was definitely the most emotional night we have had in this documentary. It goes all over the place. From James Jordan being murdered to MJ using everything and anything he could to continue his legacy as the "greatest athlete in any team sport" (as the documentary calls him).

We start these couple of episodes with the death of James Jordan. In 100% honesty, I can't pretend to know that MJ's father was murdered, and I definitely didn't know all the controversy that transpired after James Jordan was murdered. I have always known that MJ's father wasn't around in his later years of basketball career, but I didn't know that he was murdered. For a youngster like me, this was news. Although it is terribly sad that James Jordan was murdered (and by the sound of it there really is no known reason why) you can easily say that this was crucial in Michael's professional basketball career. It was what finally pushed him over the edge to retire and try baseball. Although Jordan said he had talked to his father about quitting basketball to pursue his baseball aspirations, and his father telling him it was a good idea, it was what ultimately made him retire from basketball... the first time. Now, Jordan's baseball career was also something foreign to me. Obviously I knew he played baseball, but again, the details I knew were very minor. To go 13 consecutive games with a hit is incredible. You might say it was because he was in the minor leagues, but put just about any other athlete from any other sport out over home plate and I'm willing to bet he doesn't make it 10 consecutive games getting a hit--minor leagues or not. Although his baseball career was short-lived, I think it was important to develop his game on the basketball court. To me, the documentary really showed us that MJ needed time away from the game of basketball to get his mind off of the death of his father. That is WICKED. There is no other athlete or person on the face of this planet who went from the greatest player in their sport to picking up a completely different sport at a professional level in order to 'get their mind off of something,' and like we learned last week, that is just the way MJ was. He HAD TO be competing in something. Before he decided to retire from basketball and go out onto the diamond, he delivered the first pitch at a White Sox home game, which gave us arguably one of the hardest outfits of all time. The denim on denim with the brown shoes when MJ wears it looked so damn good. He made it look 10000 times better that Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears.

In "Air Jordan" fashion, Michael returned to the NBA with one of the most iconic phrases in sport's history. His business manager, David Falk, had all of these elaborate press releases that MJ could read in order to announce to the world he was returning to the very thing that made him so famous all across the glob. He basically said, "Nah, fuck that, it's too complicated," and came out with his own statement.... it went a little something like this:

"I'm back." That was all he had to say to his fans.

Now, we look at what some might say is "the worst side of MJ". I cannot disagree that Jordan would be a tough teammate to have. I mean all throughout the first episode, we saw MJ absolutely pick apart his teammates. How many times did MJ call Scott Burrell a ho? I counted three all throughout the documentary. It was probably just friendly banter to get his teammate that same competitive drive that he had, but we heard it three times, and that is just what made the cuts. Who know's how many clips there are of MJ calling Burrell a ho in practice, I'd argue thousands.

This leads me into the second episode scene where Steve Kerr talks about the altercation in practice with MJ. Basically smack talk was allowed on and off the floor as we have seen throughout the documentary, one day it got to be too much... Kerr hit MJ in the chest and MJ immediately reacted with a fist to Kerr's eye which would lead to the ejection of MJ from the practice. You know what Kerr said about that altercation? "It is the best thing that ever happened to me." A dude punches you in the face, and you thank him for it? That is the Steve Kerr I have known being an NBA final since about 2004. I mean this dude is one of the classiest people in basketball. He took one of the worst things that can happen in a relationship and turned it into a learning experience. Basically, he was thankful of the altercation because after MJ apologized the two were able to have each others back's on the floor unconditionally. In all honesty, it is probably good Kerr didn't throw another punch because I'd put everything I own on MJ in that fight.

This picture shows the brotherly love that the two had for one another. They are obviously riding the highness of just winning the finals, but this picture explains that the two were brothers through and through.

Episode eight showed a lot of the motives that MJ had when he returned to basketball. The motives were many but include some key things: BJ Armstong's game winner, LaBradford Smith's big game while MJ was guarding him, Space Jam, and George Karl being an asshole right before the finals started.

BJ Armstrong, a former teammate of MJ low-key went off against the Bulls in the 1998 playoffs. Coming from the triangle offense ran by the Bulls led by Phil Jackson, Armstrong knew what to do defensively, and knew what spots on the floor were the weak spots in the Bulls defense. He gave some work in the playoffs, but of course it wasn't enough for the series. The series finished 4-1 in favor of the bulls and MJ led all scorers in 4 games averaging just under 31ppg. Even though the documentary showed a lot of Armstrong highlights, it was basically domination from the Bulls all because Armstrong got cocky with a clutch shot in game two (their only win in the series). That was the fuel to MJ's fire to take over and finish off the Hornets in the next three games.

Another motive on MJ's path to greatness in episode 8 was LaBradford Smith. Smith was on one of the worst teams in the NBA, the Bullets. In a regular season game in March of 93, Smith had the game of his life. The stars aligned that night: he was averaging just under 7ppg and dropped 37 with MJ guarding him. After the game, Smith mentioned to Jordan, "Nice game, Mike." AND BOY WAS THAT A MISTAKE. He might as well have punched 23 in the mouth and spat on him, because he would've seen the same result the next time he faced Jordan. That was the match that was under the haystack for MJ... no one should ever compliment him. The Bulls had their next game against that same Bullets team, this time in DC. MJ made it his goal to drop 37 in the first half just to show Smith that he was "having a nice game, LaBradford." He only had 36 in the first half which must have KILLED MJ. He finished with 47 torching Smith's 15 that night.

(Smith got SO LUCKY that his trading card from that season is a picture of the night that he was outscored by 32 from none other than Micheal Jordan.)

Another motive that MJ had was a small little movie called Space Jam. After returning to basketball, Warner Brothers Entertainment Inc had one of the greatest film ideas in cinematic history. MJ was going to have the best basketball team ever assembled. It was better than the '92 Dream Team. It was better than having Pippen and Rodman... It was THE Looney Tunes squad. This movie is a staple in the basketball world, and in the development of every child who likes sport's life. I've watched it since growing older, and it just isn't the same, however, as an eight year old, this movie was the greatest thing in history: a crossover from cartoons to my favorite sport was great even though the movie was already well aged.

The actual filming and idea of Space Jam is all besides the point in MJ's path to greatness. The point is MJ was eighteen months removed from basketball and was already ready to make a movie about being the greatest basketball player of all time. He worked 12 hour days: 10 hours of filming with a 2 hour "lunch break" where he was in his own temple. That "2 hour lunch break" was crucial in the development of Jordan's return to basketball. Just like a Monk in a Monastery, Jordan's 2 hour "lunch breaks" were in his own basketball Mecca. They literally created the "Jordan Dome" so that MJ could work on growing some more muscle and work on his craft, right in the middle of his days of shooting film.

Although this just looks like a massive, old, raggedy tent form the outside, there is no doubt that it was full of everything needed for MJ to return to his dominate basketball body-type. This wasn't just an area for lifting. It was a full gym with all the equipment you could want with a full basketball court right beside it. Not to mention it was on the same property where MJ was shooting Space Jam: dude didn't miss a second. He was always shooting (either film or baskets). NOT ONLY DID IT SERVE THE PURPOSE OF BEING HIS "BREAK SPOT," but in the greatest sly move in the history of scouting, it was the same place where he would spot his competition for the next year. He was making chess moves in a game of checkers. He'd invite anyone from the league to come compete in his dome while he was on lunch break. Imagine that. The greatest player of all time not only invites you to a place that Warner Brother's made for him and dubbed it "The Jordan Dome," but he was going to dominate you, learn more about your craft for the upcoming season, then skip out on hour number three of pickup ball to go shoot the shit with Bugs Bunny: WHAT A FLEX.

The final and most hilarious motive for Michael Jordan in episode 8 was George Karl. The jist of the story is MJ saw Karl at dinner a night or two before the finals and didn't get a greeting from Karl after addressing him. MJ had the same mentality he did when LaBradford Smith complemented his 25 points and a game well played. It was an insult in Michael Jordan's mind. He wasn't worried about Gary Payton, the defensive player of the year, nor Payton's "Robin", Shawn Kemp, but he was going into the finals thinking about burying the other teams head coach. MJ literally didn't care about the best two players on the floor and gave the work to George Karl's SuperSonics winning the 1996 Finals in 6 games.

That Finals Game completed the "Doesn't mean a thing without the ring" mentality that the Bulls had after having the best regular season in NBA history losing only 10 games* (*which is now the Warriors, 72-9). There was another story that was completed in that game six, Father's Day, finals night. MJ won his first Championship without his father alongside him. This is one of the most emotional scenes in the 30for30 history that I have seen.

This image (and the scene in episode 8) shows the completely human side of Michael Jordan. He won his first finals game, but it was difficult to do without having his father alongside him on Father's Day.

Unfortunately, the 10 part series will conclude next week, and I can't say that they will change the horrible jumping from year to year. However, I am ecstatic for the last two episodes.

Tweet of the night: