Even in the time of the coronavirus, sports found a way to not only entertain but also inform us of some things we did not know prior to the fact.
The last five Sundays have carried us though the months of April and May, as The Last Dance documentary was nothing short of riveting.
Before the first of 10 episodes aired via ESPN on April 19, Michael Jordan carried a fear of people possibly hating him more for the television series. As consumers of sports, we saw the big shots, highlight dunks, tongue sticking out his mouth, showmanship and NBA titles; however, the intricate things beneath the surface for Jordan and the Chicago Bulls is what we craved.
The six-time NBA champion has never been one to show emotions, but we witnessed him as his highs and lows. A moment even came where fans caught Jordan about to cry during the film, yet he managed to hold things together and cut to the break. It is hard at times to just be good at what your career is, so the desire to be great takes more out of you. He did not have a lot of friends; his teammates didn’t like being around him at times, management got his nerves and he also lost his father to a murder, but through it all Jordan wanted to win and he played to win at all costs.
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Jordan and the Bulls of the 1990s kept us on the edge of our seats for a month, but a documentary on Nick Saban’s dynasty with Alabama football would be just as compelling.
Saban, like Jordan, is one of the greatest competitors of all-time and he pulled people along with him whether they liked it or not.
He arrived as the new head coach of the Crimson Tide in 2007, as the program had fallen from its championship pedigree of Wallace Wade, Frank Thomas, Paul Bryant and Eugene Stallings.
He came in wanting discipline, accountability and excellence from the players and with Mike Shula being the prior coach, there were a few student-athletes that were not open to change.
After parting ways from those personalities and posting seven wins in his first year, Saban started the process of getting players to buy into his philosophy.
Chicago had to get through the Detroit Pistons for its first NBA title.
In terms of Alabama, Saban and company had to crack Urban Meyer and the Florida Gators in the Southeastern Conference title game. He suffered a heart-breaking loss to the Gators in 2008 that left him extremely disappointed, but Saban and Alabama returned with full confidence in the following season. Not only did it get revenge of Florida, but it also stripped the Gators of any chances to have a dynasty. Jordan brought pride to the Bulls after winning the franchise its first championship in 1991, much like Saban restored pride to the Tide with a national title in 2009.
On his road to being the greatest of all-time, Saban has lost great mentors (Don James, George Perless), coaches (different jobs) and players (to the NFL) along the way. Competition grows each year and new opposition awaits with lust to dethrone him, but Saban looks at the Alabama fan base with the same question: Have I not earned the right from you to just trust me?
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Jordan got under the skin of his teammates and pushed them past their limits.
Saban did the same the same thing, especially to five-star athletes such as Minkah Fitzpatrick, Derrick Henry and Calvin Ridley among others.
He expects everything — down to the sweat off one’s face — to be exceptional and if it’s not, that particular player would be replaced quickly.
It was not the most popular move to bring Dennis Rodman to the Bulls and it was not the right move for Jordan to punch Steve Kerr in the face, but both decisions were calculated. Chicago wanted toughness and Jordan wanted to be able to count on everyone bringing their A game.
The decision to start Jalen Hurts as a freshman in 2016 wasn’t a popular move and some were upset when Saban benched Hurts in the second half of the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Game versus Georgia, but he needed offense and he wanted to win.
Jordan brought infrastructure to Chicago, made the Bulls a respectable franchise and propelled the NBA into a global brand. Saban restored the championship mindset at Alabama, made the city of Tuscaloosa and surrounding areas more attractive and has increased enrollment each semester at the University of Alabama.
As great as he was, people relished the idea of seeing Jordan lose in the big moment. The same is with Saban and Alabama football. Despite its greatness, college football analysts and rival fans enjoy taking shots at the Crimson Tide.
After seeing Jordan’s emotions and watching both the physical and mental fortitude it took to win, beholding things from Saban’s viewpoint would be something new to digest.
All five of his championship teams had a different personality and if ESPN cameras could dive within the surface of the Tide; an award-winning documentary would be produced.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
