May we have this “Last Dance”?
Like, all day, every day?
Chicagoans are hooked on ESPN’s documentary about Michael Jordan and the 1997-98 Bulls. Can’t-get-enough hooked. Change-the-subject-at-your-own-risk hooked.
We know this because, well, it’s all anybody talks about … when they’re not talking real-life stuff, that is.
“Polling Place” — your weekly home for Sun-Times sports polls on Twitter — makes clear just how well received the doc has been.
“I was only 12 when they won their sixth title,” @illiniracers commented. “I didn’t understand the business side of sports at that age. Learning things now that I didn’t realize happened behind the scenes has been fascinating.”
The Twitter audience surely is younger than our newspaper’s audience. We suspect our ink-stained readers found Episodes 1 and 2 to be a bit less abundant in the revelations department. That doesn’t mean they didn’t enjoy the heck out of a trip down memory lane, though.
“We know it’s nothing new, duh!!!” @JruJamison commented. “It’s just [fun] to remember what was one of the GREATEST TIMES in Chicago sports history!!!”
OK, pal. Take it easy. There’s no need to shout.
To the polls we go:
Poll No. 1: Which better describes your early take on the “Last Dance” Bulls documentary?
Time again for the @suntimes_sports “Polling Place.” Do your civic duty and vote, people. Selected comments will appear in Saturday’s paper.
— Steve Greenberg (@SLGreenberg) April 23, 2020
No. 1: Which better describes your early take on the “Last Dance” Bulls documentary?
Upshot: Did we mention “hooked”? It’s almost like we’re all stuck at home with no live sports on TV. Bulls fans will gain a fuller appreciation of Jordan’s post game and hear, then hear again, and finally hear some more about his unwavering competitiveness. Such spirit in the man! Who knew? And then there were the great, and endlessly fascinating, Jud Buechler and Dickey Simpkins. No, not really.
Poll No. 2: Who was the better Bulls three-peating power forward?
Poll No. 2: Better Bulls three-peating power forward:
— Steve Greenberg (@SLGreenberg) April 23, 2020
Upshot: “Who said Horace? Good god, Rodman is a Hall of Famer,” @jchas22 commented. A dissenting take, from @imacopyouidiot9: “It’s Horace. Rodman was mostly ‘rep’ by ’98.” Believers in advanced metrics will reach into their pocket protectors, pull out their slide rules and offer evidence (they call it “proof”) that Grant was, by the numbers, actually the better Bull. But there’s some real nuance missing from those equations. Rodman rebounded, pestered, poked, grabbed, tripped and picked up crowd-pleasing techs like nobody else — and that was just during warmups.
Poll No. 3: What would Zach LaVine’s role have been on the 1997-98 Bulls?
Poll No. 3: What would Zach LaVine’s role have been on the title-bound Bulls in 1998?
— Steve Greenberg (@SLGreenberg) April 23, 2020
Upshot: “He wouldn’t be playing hero ball, that’s for sure,” @NikeGolfTwo3 commented. “He would have been the seventh man. Doesn’t play defense. Would be there just to add some scoring.” That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement of the Bulls’ current best player, is it? Clearly, though, a lot of voters would agree. And a bunch more believe LaVine wouldn’t get any run at all if he were mixed in with Jordan’s crew.
