Could the Chicago Bulls have won a 7th championship if they kept the band back together? Was the Bulls ownership and management too quick to pull the plug on this dynasty? If management knew what was in store for the Bulls organization after the 1998 season, would they have scratched their itch to keep from pulling the plug? Phil Jackson coined the Last Dance speech to the team, knowing that General Manager Jerry Krause did not want him in the building beyond the 1998 season. Imagine if Phil Jackson and all the players knew they were welcomed back with open arms until the run was completely over. Would this team have won their sixth championship without the Last Dance motivation? Seems like Michael Jordan can find an axe to grind with anyone big or small and use it for motivation, at least that’s how he was portrayed in the ten episode documentary, THE LAST DANCE. When the Bulls won their sixth championship to complete the second three peat, it was so typical of Jerry Reinsdorf to call and try to bring Phil Jackson back into the fold. Reinsdorf you think would a be a smart businessman, but the words “a dollar too late a dollar too short” are what describe the Bulls owner.

The Chicago Bulls had an aging roster after the the sixth championship to deal with. This makes things a challenge for the Bulls general manager. Jerry Krause has done some really great things as GM for the Bulls. Like bringing in Dennis Rodman for the second three peat, Rodman’s rebounding and defense were the missing ingredients. Krause found a way to replace Horace Grant, who did that stuff Rodman gives you. Rodman gives you better defense then Grant. Grant gives you more scoring then Rodman. The Bulls were up in terms of age, but the idea of having the best player on the planet, Michael Jordan. who was not running on fumes was there. If he was willing to continue to take one year deals, that may be like holding the ACE in the deck of the cards. Having the biggest domino in check, the rest would have fallen in line as Steve Kerr, Dennis Rodman, and Ron Harper would have followed Michael back for another run. The Scottie Pippen contract, that followed him around like dark black clouds, should have been dealt with years prior. Michael Jordan said in “The Last Dance” that Pip would have not missed that chance to go for lucky seven. It would also depend on whether head coach Phil Jackson was still in charge. If Phil Jackson was not told he would be shown the door after the 1998 season, he would probably easily have been there until the Bulls were knocked off their high perch. Instead you have some sneaky weasel GM looking into the future. How is that Tim Floyd hire that you spent years on, thinking he be the right guy that gave you egg on the face? Jerry Krause should have been looking for ways to keep the current team on the floor. Not be a “Sneaky Pete” trying to improve your damaged ego.

The former owner of the Blackhawks once said a Stanley Cup would cost way too much money. Making the playoffs was good enough for the fans wanting more. I think Jerry Reinsdorf kind of walks a similar line to this nonsense. Yes, Jerry Reinsdorf has gotten six NBA championships and a World Series title as the owner of the White Sox. That is seven championships for the city of Chicago. Reinsdorf says regarding the 7th championship try on the Last Dance documentary, “it would’ve been suicidal at that point in the careers bringing back Pippen, Kerr, Harper because their market value was going to be too high.” They weren’t going to be worth the money they were going to get in the market.

The look on Michael Jordan’s face in the Last Dance documentary tells you Reinsdorf missed the bus on this. To have the best player on the planet in your town on your team, a meeting of the minds could have easily got them both on the same page. Seem like Jerry Reinsdorf had one foot in, wanting Phil Jackson back after the sixth title. Is that just a curtsy call Reinsdorf was doing with one foot out? Seem like Jerry Krause took all the heat for breaking up the dynasty. As owner of the team with fannies packed in the stadium every game and making money off the best player on the planet. If Jerry Krause was told to keep this team rolling and find players to replace ones that were done, could this have been a different story all together? Then the handling of the Scottie Pippen contract is just mind boggling. Scottie Pippen is the dumb fool that signed the original deal. Reinsdorf could of renegotiated with Pippen’s people and came up with something that both parties could accept. These things show you what GREED is all about when it comes to players and owners. The bigger picture is letting this Bulls run out of gasoline by itself, but trying to keep it going by patching any holes. Could we have waited another year for that great Tim Floyd ERA to start? It is hard to win championships in general. Back in 1919 with the Black Sox scandal, would paying those eight men out been worth winning the 1919 World Series after winning the 1917 title. Instead they throw the World Series. Could the Chicago Blackhawks have done a better job with their salary cap during their three cups they captured? Maybe they could have had four. In 1994, the strike year in baseball, it looked to be one of the greatest World Series chances in a very long time for the Chicago White Sox. Reinsdorf let some of those players get away and in 1995, the White Sox were relying on the Chris Sabo move to save the day. What happened to the Cubs after 2016? It’s a shame that it takes one idiot’s thought process to ruin a chance at multiple titles. Jerry Krause should have done his job that he was capable of doing, instead of sticking it to Phil Jackson with not inviting him to his daughter’s wedding. Jerry Reinsdorf is too loyal to some of the brain trust he hires. When he steps in, it’s always a dollar too late a dollar too short.