We did it. We're all the way through The Last Dance and it did exactly what everyone thought it would: provide non-stop entertainment throughout all 10 episodes. With no sports on TV, this was the perfect escape and a wonderful trip down memory lane. For the younger generation this was also a nice introduction to just how good Michael Jordan and those Bulls teams were. And for those who lived through it, it was an epic trip filled with all of the nostalgia of the 90s.
Of course, while this doc provided us with plenty of entertainment, it also has spurred plenty of debate and put a number of old topics back under the spotlight. From MJ's gambling issues to the Jordan vs. LeBron debate, social media has been on fire for the past month about everything Jordan, and for good reason. There's very little else to talk about in sports right now. With all of the debates, comes some Monday Morning Quarterbacking, as well. Who were the big winners and losers from this doc? Well, you're in luck, because we broke it all down.
Winner: Michael Jordan
Duh. Where else to start? Of course MJ was the big winner of the doc about MJ. While some have criticized that throughout the 10 episodes we really only saw the controversial Jordan moments through the lens of Jordan, you have to realize that's what happens when the subject is heavily involved. He was always going to be the big winner in this entire thing. Like we said in the intro, the younger generation just got a full on crash course on why the majority of sports fans call Michael Jordan the GOAT. It's well-deserved and this doc laid out his greatness.
Loser: Jerry Krause
This one is tough because Jerry Krause isn't here to defend himself. And while director Jason Hehir stated that the doc didn't intend to make Krause the villain, he was certainly seen as one throughout. It wasn't until the last episode that they gave him any credit for being a great GM. Did Krause deserve some shit for how he went about things? Sure. Was he also the guy who built the Bulls dynasty? Yes, and he deserves credit for that.
Winner: The LeBron vs. Jordan Debates
Whew, if you thought these were going away anytime soon, you were sorely mistaken. This doc reignited the debates and probably gave them fuel for years to come. Any ground the LeBron crowd thought they made up in the chase for the GOAT was likely conceded a bit throughout The Last Dance. Now we just need Bron to go out and win another ring to really set this thing on fire.
Loser: Scottie Pippen
Not sure any player took a greater hit in this doc than Scottie Pippen. They really, really honed in on all of Pippen's shortcomings throughout his career. Whether it was refusing to go into the playoff game, the injuries, or holding out, there were a lot of Pippen storylines and most of them weren't positive.
Winner: The Sniff Brothers
A very cool aspect of the doc was the behind-the-scenes footage of Jordan interacting with everyday people. Most notably, his security team with the Bulls, who he clearly was very close with. Those clips really humanized MJ and showed a different side of him that most fans probably didn't know about.
Loser: Anyone on Jordan's "List"
This list is long and is not something you wanted to be part of. From Isiah Thomas to George Karl, the main theme of this doc was that if you've ever slighted MJ, he was going to make you pay. It was really quite incredible to watch unfold. Not sure there's ever been an athlete who has held grudges like him before and used it for motivation. The best part? In some cases, like LeBradford Smith, MJ would make up fake slights to crush people! That's insane.
Winner: Scott Burrell
You could probably make a case that Scott Burrell was a loser in the doc based on how he was treated by MJ back in the day, but we're marking him down as a winner because, well, everyone knows who Scott Burrell is now. That wasn't the case a month ago.
Loser: Utah Pizza Restaurants
What an L for the state of Utah. Not only did they have to relive losing the NBA Finals but Jordan said that his "Flu Game" was actually food poisoning from a Utah pizza place. What a twist. To this day we still don't know which pizza place sold Jordan the tampered pie, which has the conspiracy theorists screaming from the rooftops. Whatever happened, it was not good for Utah.
Winner: Dennis Rodman
We all knew that Dennis Rodman was out there and lived by the beat of his own drum, but this doc showed just how wild he was during his career. This man took a vacation to Las Vegas during the middle of the season and then left during the NBA Finals to go appear on WCW as a member of the NWO. Rodman might be the biggest winner of this entire thing.
Loser: Jordan Conspiracy Theories
This isn't to say that the conspiracy theories will go away, but this doc certainly aimed to put most of them to bed. From the secret suspension to being hungover in Utah, MJ and company really wanted to set the record straight on a lot of things. Now, whether or not you believe MJ is a different story, but he put his version of events on record forever.
Winner: Everyone Who Watched
This is probably the most important thing. In a world without sports right now, this documentary gave everyone a much-needed escape every Sunday night to forget about the crazy shit happening in the world. It was very much appreciated and no matter if you loved or hated the documentary, it gave us all something to do and talk about. We'll miss it, that's for sure.
Loser: New York Knicks
What better way to wrap this up than a shoutout to the New York Knicks. Man, the Knicks really had it rough during this 10-part series. So many MJ and Bulls highlight reels set to them destroying the Knicks. This couldn't have been an easy watch for Knicks fans. But hey, maybe LaMelo is on the way to save the day!
