Typically, I do not take too much time out to watch documentaries, whatever the subject matter may be. Documentaries are notorious for either being extremely enlightening, enjoyable, and impactful, or boring, slow, and unwarranted. “The Last Dance” episode 3, directed by _____ holds true to the former. This episode covers a variety of time periods with multiple perspectives given throughout.
The story of Dennis Rodman was interesting to behold. In his youth, he had spent a 3-year span living on the streets, bouncing from friend to friend that would take him in or let him stay in their backyards. He managed to avoid resorting to crime or drugs in these trying times, opting to focus on bettering himself, routinely hitting the gym being his main priority. Which payed off with him getting a scholarship and an being an eventual NBA draft pick. When Rodman discovered his game in the NBA is when he came into his tough and aggressive persona.
The next story covered was the time Head Coach Doug Collins was at the helm. Leading a young Chicago Bulls and a blossoming Michael Jordon to a successful season and a playoff push, due to the synchronization of Collins, Jordon, and the Bulls. Briefly, the Pistons are covered. The focus of this snippet being the physicality of their game style, which will play a larger role in the later story. A chunk of the story covers the playoffs. Which excitingly presents the first round of playoffs, pitting the Bulls against the Cavaliers. The coverage and highlights portrayed throughout the series were electric, and the “the Bulls against the world” angle utilized gives us all the underdog feeling we all love while showing us the true talent the 1989 Bulls had to offer. The way Jordon tells people off is timeless quotable material. All capped off with a game 5 buzzer beater by Jordon to advance Chicago to the next round.
Which brings us to the Eastern Conference Finals. Matching the Bulls with the aggressive Detroit Pistons. The Bulls took this physical game play to heart, fueling Jordon and his team to play them with ferocity. This initiated the “Jordon Rules” or game play style enacted while Jordon is in the game which simply entails “don’t let Jordon take flight” or keep him on the ground. Which proved effective. I loved learning just how impactful Jordon was that a notoriously talented and aggressive team like the Pistons had to focus their brutality on one player. They essentially gave Jordon the message, if you want this basket, you’re going to have to risk an injury. Which I loved to hear and brings me down about the restriction of modern athletics. Today players are allowed minimal contact, and with their million-dollar contracts on the line, most do not want to risk injuries with aggressive gameplay.
The culmination of interweaving of these stories is the recap of Rodman’s escapade of getting caught with a gun, traded by the Pistons to the spurs, and eventually being picked up by the Bulls. Rodman elevated the Bulls with his physicality and superb defensive and rebounding ability.
The last thing I want to touch on is the perspective given by Rodman on the media side of being an athlete. How it is not always enjoyable glory and admiration. He shows that sometimes this aspect just becomes a hassle and is not something that wants to be dealt with at all hours of the day. Which is a topic not extensively covered even today.
To put it simply, “The Last Dance” shows the impact Jordon had on the outcome of games he was involved in. As well as the support he needed from his team to truly succeed. Another observation is how Basketball has changed over the years. Basketball and sports as a whole are becoming conservative. With the increase in payroll and less aggressive gameplay, documentaries such as this are a refreshing reminder of the way these games are meant to be played.
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