Just watched episides 3 and 4 on Netflix. Really enjoying it as someone who knows very little about basketball.
Television The Last Dance (ESPN) | 97-98 Bulls and MJ
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There's a legitimate argument that alongside Beckham and Ali, he's the most recognizable athlete in the history of sport.
I remember a story a couple of years back about Jordan having bloodshot eyes, with the implication he was hammered on a night out or something
Turns out they are always bloodshot. Does he have a condition or something?
Turns out they are always bloodshot. Does he have a condition or something?
They’ve been that way for a while now. Some speculate he may have jaundice or be an alcoholic. Jordan’s never confirmed one way or the other.
It’s a very short list of world famous athletes: Messi, Ronaldo, Becks, LeBron, Kobe, Tiger... I’d prolly have Jordan at the top of that list. I'll preface that by saying at any given moment in history, I don't think anyone was more famous/popular than Jordan was at his peak in the 90s. And that was before the internet really took off.
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Time to revive the ‘most famous athlete in the world‘ debate in the General...?
Sorry, but Beckham is nowhere near the conversation.
Well of course he is, no doubt.
Completely agree. When I worked at Nike we were specifically told not to ask athletes we met for their autograph - because them and us were both there in a professional capacity. There were often opportunities to get autographs, but it was different to members of the public asking them to sign something.
I agree with why - but still gutted that I wasn't allowed to ask him to sign something when I met him!!
When is the Space Jam episode out?
By far the most recognizable footballer and its not even close. Ronaldo is probably the next in line.
Recognized in their sports, but there are people who don't know who these athletes are. Messi is ridiculous when you consider how great he is, but his marketability profile is very different somebody such as Beckham.
Always thought Phil Jackson was wearing shoulderpads in his suits. Turns out he has a pair of some weird looking shoulders. And I'm worried about Jordan's eyes.
Anyway fantastic viewing, feels weirdly good to wait a week for more episodes, maybe a replacement of sort of the feeling of having to wait for the weekend for football.
Anyway fantastic viewing, feels weirdly good to wait a week for more episodes, maybe a replacement of sort of the feeling of having to wait for the weekend for football.
The rodman episode was great, and loved the backstory on Phil Jackson too. MJ’s shot against Cleveland reminded me of the class of 92 talking about the injury time goals in the nou camp, just pure delirium.
MJ has earned the right to wear sunglasses indoor at all times without anyone questioning why and he should absolutely do that.
MJ has earned the right to wear sunglasses indoor at all times without anyone questioning why and he should absolutely do that.
Ugh? Messi is absolutely up there - 8th most followed on instrgram and he doesn't put the same effort in as some do. He's a bloody deity. Social media has made it easy but Ronaldo-Messi are essentially the levels of Jordan-Tiger who elevated from the levels of Ali. Oh and maybe Federer.
Not sure why we're mentioning Ruth, he's not there..... it's like mentioning Sachin in America. My mam don't know Sachin or Babe Ruth but know the 4 above, though she knows Kobe but not LeBron.... mostly due a court case hmm.
Instagram has completely distorted people's idea of popularity because it only accounts mostly, for a youth centric market. David Beckham, Woods, Jordan, Schumacher, Fed etc became global icons before Instagram and Facebook.
One thing you're also forgetting that Messi's popularity is focused mainly in football. Same as Lebron with NBA. That doesn't take away from their position in their respective sports, but they aren't true global Icons like some of the names mentioned in this thread. Its like Bradman. In cricket, he is god and by every metric, the greatest sportsperson in any sport, ever. 90% of the worlds population outside of cricket fans have absolutely no idea who he is.
Quite remarkable is that when you look at the biggest sports stars of all time, the common theme around them is the colour Red. Schumacher in the Red Ferrari, Beckham in the Red Manchester United Top, Tiger Woods in his Red sunday shirt, Jordan in Red Chicago Bulls Jersey. Even Ronaldo is more famed for his Red United jersey than the white of Real Madrid.
Instagram numbers are mostly bots.
Nobody gives a feck about Messi if they don't watch football.
Meh, his popularity is mainly in Asia. His son and wife is probably more famous than him in America.
He's a hard one to rate because he's mainly famous for being famous now and nothing to do with football.
Great two episodes. Phil Jackson man, what a coach.
Watched that last night, absolutely brilliant.
Ask any non-football fan one name and they'll answer you Ronaldo or Messi. Same goes for Jordan, Kobe and LeBron in basketball for any non-basketball fans under 40 years old.
I watched these four episodes with pleasure and excitement as I know little about basket and learned a bit, but it’s quite striking how individual this game feels for a team sport. I mean, I know it’s 5 players compared to 11 in football, but the way Jordan seems to have carried and lifted his team is quite unreal - guess it’s not really a case for sports like volleyball or hockey (similar number or players) to be so dependent on one player, like Bulls with Jordan, Cavs with LeBron and so?
I'm a basketball noob as well, but it's definitely a more individualistic sport than football. It don't know much enough about hockey or volleyball to make a comparison, though.
I'm also not well versed on the NBA (and loving this show) but I can't say I got that impression? It's literally rammed home to us in the fourth episode that MJ wasn't able to get them a title on his own and Phil Thompson built a really strong team instead of being reliant on him like the previous coach. And the Pistons didn't have any superstars, but a really strong overall unit, and dominated the Bulls for years as a result.
Obviously superstars like MJ and Le Bron will elevate teams to the next level but you could say the exact same about Ronaldo and Messi in football.
This show is absolute quality thus far. Rodman is my favourite of the players they are featuring. He seems to have the perfect philosophy on marrying sport and the off-court annoyances that come with that superstardom: “I play for free but I’m getting paid to deal with all this off-court shit,” or words to that effect.
He’s absolutely spot on.
He’s absolutely spot on.
Yeah, it was only after he got his sidekick Scottie and other complimentary pieces that they started winning titles. You can see this currently with everyone trying to put together a ’big 3’ or 2. The AI Sixers, first iteration of the Lebron Cavs, the Ewing Knicks, etc. never won a title. Kobe needed Gasol after he lost Shaq.
But the Pistons definitely had superstars on that team, they’ve just been overshadowed by the behemoth that was the Bulls that came afterwards.
Ah ok, that's interesting. Like I said, not well versed. They certainly portrayed the Pistons as more a team of grafters (and dirty feckers) than a team with superstars.
I can't get over what they got away with back then, too. Both in and out of games. The Rodman to Vegas story had me in disbelief
Isaiah Thomas and Joe Dumars is one of the all-time great backcourts and both are in the HoF. Laimbeer is a fringe hall of famer and still one of the most notorious players in NBA history.Ah ok, that's interesting. Like I said, not well versed. They certainly portrayed the Pistons as more a team of grafters (and dirty feckers) than a team with superstars.
I can't get over what they got away with back then, too. Both in and out of games. The Rodman to Vegas story had me in disbelief
Rodman was just barely becoming a star in his time with the Pistons, I think.
More people will recognise Beckham than Jordan.
More people would recognise the jumpman logo as ‘Air Jordan’ than would recognise either face.
Who people associate the number 23 with would be interesting.
Messi hasn’t transcended his sport. Ronaldo hasn’t all that much. More people would know Beckham than the pair of those put together
Jordan and it wouldn't even be close. Beckham didn't even play with 23 at Milan and United.
Also doubt that more people would recognize Beckham than Jordan.
Yeah you’re probably right on the 23. Daft question. Should have thought for more than a second.
No chance on the face recognition though. Beckham was global in the modern age for longer. Dated a Spice Girl for crossover. More global coverage.
Globally, Rodman may be more recognisable than Jordan. Dated Madonna, Carmen Electra, his North Korea and Trump nonsenses.
True, yeah, although it depends on the situation I guess. If you just go around on the streets with a picture of Jordan and Beckham, Beckham would win. If you have it on a billboard at Times Square, Beckham for a clothing brand and Jordan with his logo underneath, it might be a tie. If you'd ask any person somewhat acquainted with sports, they'd also recognize Jordan I think. Almost none of my friends are following the NBA yet everyone follows this show, "because it's Jordan".
He doesn't have a "recognizable face" per se though yeah, that's definitely true. Neither do the likes of Woods, Messi or Federer if you think about it.
He’s famous for what he was good at, and what he created. The Jordan jumpman logo is more famous than any sportsman ever. Probably more than all of them altogether.
But Becks was a global celebrity.
Ask anyone who the best footballer ever was, most will say Pele.
Ask about basketball, most will say Jordan.
Half of those couldn’t point out a picture of either man.
But Celebrity is not tethered to talent
As Beckham gets older with age he’ll become more difficult to point out too I reckon.
Jordan’s face is still recognizable because of the memes. Beckham can’t match Jordan’s memes.
Not a chance. Beckham was clearly the first football super sport celeb that went super crazy - but Footballs gone tenfold bigger since him. I don't know, it's an odd comparison... as football has gone to astonishing levels in the Messi-Ronaldo, not necassarily because of them(whereas NBA was because of Jordan in the 90's).... but they are the face of that growth due to their own brilliance.
They'll be absolutely shedloads of 10 year olds in Asia who won't have a clue who Beckham is.... yet they are a massive market for Ronaldo and Messi.
You’re Dreaming.
10 year olds in Asia are outnumbered by 30+’s globally. Becks was EVERYWHERE.
You're forgetting the female market.