ESPN’s The Last Dance: Predictions for episodes 7 & 8

1. Windy City blues

You don’t lose a player with the generational influence and transcendent all-around impact the likes of a Michael Jordan possessed and succumb to relegating yourself towards wallows in self-pity.

Well, perhaps you do. But once confirmation comes that he’s gone, you put on your big-boy pants and do something about it immediately.

MJ’s untimely exit out of Chicago had a ripple effect, unlike anything that’s ever effected the organization since the man himself was drafted to the team.

I can picture Jerry Krause and front office management uncontrollably scrambling for answers as their accustomedness to winning ways took a giant leap out of the window with the same suddenness of Jordan’s announcement.

People don’t take drastic changes like that lightly, and stark transition only beckons more of the same, especially when it comes to professional sports franchises.

Pippen made momentous strides as an individual player during the time. The undeniable strength and mental fortitude he exhibited in terms of guiding his team through the storm amongst the east’s top competitors was undoubtedly appreciated.

For all that he provided, though, it’s hard to believe that ownership saw his efforts alone as enough to get them over the tremendous hump that the absence of Jordan posed, especially given the leadership style Krause and company had become known for up to that point.

I can envision management going the whole nine yards with other teams in efforts to find a substantial replacement for the man they thought they had completely lost to what he believed were greener pastures.

It’s reminiscent of Chicago’s directorship during the time and could quite possibly be a further testament to Pippen’s already disgruntled relationship with his contract providers.

His fellow teammates weren’t the only ones that were overcome with joy when Jordan announced he was coming back, but something tells me his bosses did not spend the time during their break apart in hopeful stagnancy for his return.