Michael Jordan interview

[76woodenspooners]

Full Interview by the Australian Story crew of Michael Jordan.

The purpose of the interview was to be about Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls teammate Luc Longley, but the interview also provides a good insight into MJ’s view of leadership. Us footy punters argue about the ins and outs needed to win games of football, and we cast our Didaka votes after a game, but to see it from the point of view of a leader as successful as MJ, the intensity required to be successful, it’s quite revealing …

 

[JB1975]

Once upon a time, I enjoyed NBA basketball. We had/have relatives in Chicago, and I enjoyed hearing about the rise of the Bulls and I watched the emergence of Jordan. Trinkets brought from overseas reinforced my appreciation, and I still value these things.

Despite falling out of love with the game, I watched and loved 'The Last Dance'.

One question in my mind: how much leadership can Jordan really take credit for? Answer: Not so sure.

Phil Jackson was the man who negotiated those wildly divergent personalities and brought them together. It was Jackson who moderated the intensity of some (e.g. Jordan), and it was Jackson who was able to 'adapt' more non-conformist types (e.g. Rodman), and it was Jackson to set them to action in a coherent and successful way.

Jordan is one of the most phenomenal athletes I've ever had the joy of seeing, but if the discussion is about leadership, then I'm not so sure about where he ranks within that.

 

[76woodenspooners]

One question in my mind: how much leadership can Jordan really take credit for? Answer: Not so sure.

MJ touches on that at the start of the interview, and he does describe how he and Phil Jackson both had leadership roles …

… I guess it’s analogous to Pendlebury and Harvey both being leaders, but at different levels.

 

[JB1975]

MJ touches on that at the start of the interview, and he does describe how he and Phil Jackson both had leadership roles …

… I guess it’s analogous to Pendlebury and Harvey both being leaders, but at different levels.

I've got a view that the on-field leadership within AFL is more important than basketball, which enjoys the benefit of time-outs and the closer proximity of a coach to the action.

As an AFL coach, you rely so much more on the leadership group to be your eyes and your voice during the action. I remember Al Clarkson saying how blessed he was to have Hodge, Mitchell, Roughead and Burgoyne out there as his leaders.

Others would say that anyone could have coached a Jordan-led team to multiple championships, but my impression is that the man was pivotal and indispensable in bringing the elements together and making magic from them.

But Jordan was a force of nature, a sixth element, and that certainly counted for something. If taking responsibility for the game is a form of leadership, I don't think I've ever seen anyone master it in the way he did.

 

[Black_White]

Once upon a time, I enjoyed NBA basketball. We had/have relatives in Chicago, and I enjoyed hearing about the rise of the Bulls and I watched the emergence of Jordan. Trinkets brought from overseas reinforced my appreciation, and I still value these things.

Despite falling out of love with the game, I watched and loved 'The Last Dance'.

One question in my mind: how much leadership can Jordan really take credit for? Answer: Not so sure.

Phil Jackson was the man who negotiated those wildly divergent personalities and brought them together. It was Jackson who moderated the intensity of some (e.g. Jordan), and it was Jackson who was able to 'adapt' more non-conformist types (e.g. Rodman), and it was Jackson to set them to action in a coherent and successful way.

Jordan is one of the most phenomenal athletes I've ever had the joy of seeing, but if the discussion is about leadership, then I'm not so sure about where he ranks within that.

I would lean towards Jordan being the biggest motivator of the players.
The coach can motivate, and create tactics, but everyday the players are interacting in a way no coach can.
That is on the playing field, on the training track, even off field.
I think the limited insight we got on Australian story showed the players and their families enjoying holidays in each other’s homes. I didn’t see the coach in any of those videos.
Even Longley admits that Michael made him a better player. And it’s also interesting that Luc never enjoyed the heights he did while in the orbit of the great one.

 

[jathanas]

Phil managed personalities, inspired his team and helped extract the best out of each individual. He facilitated the team dynamic, moderated expectations, strategy etc. Undoubtably that's leadership, especially when your team includes personalities like MJ, Rodman, & Pippen.

Jordan set an uncompromising standard at training and led by example during games. His performances were sublime on a fairly consistent basis.

Both were integral parts of that dynasty. I'll side with the view that MJ's drive was the bigger part of the equation as he (and the boys on the floor) did the actual winning.

Generational team.

 

[TradeDraft]

Best Player Ever but Off-Court record is not the Best as Teams he has owned has not really been that Good

 

[stui magpie]

Great interview by Jordan, and he did it for far call. It was the perfect epilogue to The Last Dance.