Jordan for President!!
Have you seen the documentary called “The Last Dance” about the 1990s Bulls and, very specifically, Michael Jordan? If you are of a “certain age” and grew up watching MJ, you need to see it. I personally believe it should be shown in Chicago schools as part of city history. It’s an exceptional look inside that team during the MJ era and gave some great insight into why they were such a juggernaut.
I know, there will be plenty of haters out there that won’t get beyond that paragraph without attacking Michael. Those are the same people that argue on the internet with people they don’t know about sports figures that they also don’t know. Those haters will criticize Michael for the drinking, and gambling, and anything else they choose to pick on. What you absolutely cannot dispute is the drive “His Airness” had to be the absolute best.
Like him or not, there is ample evidence that Jordan gave 100% every single day, no matter what. Hungover, up all night, just finished 18 holes, off season workouts, pick-up games, practice, regular season, playoffs, championships. It didn’t matter. He never let up and he never gave less than 100%.
He also expected that out of his teammates as well. It isn’t a secret that MJ had zero tolerance for mediocre performance effort. You could have an off day. You could be a role player. You could only play four minutes. None of that mattered, but you better be giving 100%. Period. He was notoriously tough on his teammates. Steve Kerr, Scottie Pippen, Will Perdue, and a litany of others have said Michael was an asshole and a jerk, but he was a leader and a hell of a teammate. He never asked anyone to do anything he wasn’t doing. He also didn’t cut anyone any slack, either. Either you strived to be the best you could and to try to get the same mindset as him, or your life was going to be hell.
Why did Mike think all that was necessary? Because they were there to win championships. That’s it. One goal; to be better than everyone else. 100% effort was required to do that. Practice. Learn the game. Go to the gym. Work on your shot. Any effort it took to win. He was giving it, and he expected everyone else to do the same. If that’s not why you were there, go play for someone else. Second place, or worse, was not the goal. “Winning has a cost,” he famously said. Go watch “The Flu Game” if you have any doubts.
Only Michael and Scottie Pippen were there for all six as players. It wasn’t the same roster year after year. I am confident, if Michael had the outright power, there were teammates he would have cut. I am also confident he made his opinions known and that may have shortened the tenure of some players. He also protected teammates and drove all of them to be better.
It wasn’t about friends. Or people’s feelings. It was about winning. Like it or not, the results are there. Six rings.
Why does any of this matter? Why is a guy who writes about politics and world events harping on a basketball player that retired over 20 years ago?
Because this is about winning. Let me clarify what that means, because I’m not talking about lying, cheating, or stealing. I’m not talking about a candidate winning a debate or an election. I’m not talking about a political party taking and keeping power. When I say “winning” in reference to our government, I am talking about being the best country in the world. For the United States, there is no second place. This is the best country in the world, and we need our government to act like they are defending the title EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Tuesday night, there was a topic at the debate about President Trump firing or having a number of people quit during his administration. He countered the statement made by Vice President Harris saying he fired them because they weren’t performing and saying the Biden-Harris administration hadn’t fired a single person in the last four years, even with poor performance.
I’m sure plenty of you will argue about generals being fired. Some will talk about the large number of people that resigned or were fired under Trump in general or that no one has been fired under Biden. Some will talk about work environment. Some will say “everyone gets a trophy”. I’m NOT advocating for a Trump administration or a Harris administration.
I am advocating for a winning mindset. That mindset is the Michael Jordan mindset. Win. Be the best. It’s not about friends, or feelings, or accolades. It’s about brining 100% every day without excuses. Tired, hung over, sick, bad mood, it doesn’t matter. 100% effort every day. Drive those around you to be their best. Defend the title.
And if you can’t hack it, you get cut. You’re contributing with everything you have on the daily, or you go work somewhere else.
Our government should be a championship team ALL THE TIME. Not everyone has to be an all-star, but they have to give 100% daily. We expect that out of our sports teams, why not out of our government? Why is it ok for substandard effort from our politicians, but we throw things at the television when our favorite athletes let up?
That’s the mindset we need to have. Not the Trump mindset. Not the Harris mindset. The Jordan mindset.
Jordan for President!!