Scottie deserves it. As great as Michael was, the fact is that Pippin was on all six Bulls championship teams, and was basically equally important to the team. I’ve been a Bulls fan since the starting lineup was Jerry Sloan, Norm Van Lier, Bob Love, Chet Walker and Clifford Ray, and Pippin was the second best player I’ve ever seen on the team, and a very close second at that.
Pippen may still have been an All-Star if he didn’t play with Jordan, but Michael put Scottie in the Hall of Fame. Those six championship rings that Pippen wears were won when Jordan was playing. When Jordan left the Bulls after the first three, no rings for Pippen. When Jordan came back, three more rings for Pippen. Yeah, there were other good players on the Jordan teams, but Jordan’s dominance allowed the others the room to perform at the top of their abilities: if Jordan is always double-teamed, the other Bulls get to play 4-on-3.
If Jordan had played for anyone other than the Bulls, there’d have been no rings at all for Pippen. If Pippen had played for anyone other than the Bulls, someone else could have filled his role (also resulting in no rings for Pippen).
In the “Superman, Batman, and Rodman” equation, there’s no question who was Superman.
Saying “Scottie Pippen is the second-best player the Bulls have ever had” is like saying “Echo & the Bunnymen is the second-best band ever to come out of Liverpool.” A case could be made that it’s true, but it doesn’t say a lot…
Pippen yearned to be “THE MAN’ and leader. When Jordan took his baseball hiatus he led the bulls to NO RING. His most striking memory of leadership was his “1.8” leadership moment. When he demanded to leave the Bulls after Jordan he was given a large $$$ gift in the form of a maxed out sign and trade. In his stays at his other teams he failed to earn the RESPECT from his new teammates that he felt he was entitled to, still no rings.
As you say, jollyjack, Michael’s baseball stint provided Scottie the opportunity (and the necessity) to “step up to the plate.” And he struck out. Whatever else his accomplishments might have been, that “1.8” is gonna follow him forever like “No Mas” follows Roberto Duran.
Before they built the rest of a team around him, the Bulls’ game plan was “Give the ball to Michael and get the hell out of the way.” You can’t win championships that way. In the Bulls’ championship years, it was “Give the ball to Michael if you can, but if you can’t or if he gives it back, you better know what to do with it.” It still doesn’t work without Jordan, and everyone else is “supporting cast” (using the words of the Bulls’ own website). Pippen may have chafed against that, but it worked. And when he was called upon to take the leading role, he couldn’t hack it.
Jordan made Pippen a Hall-of-Famer, but he also made Phil Jackson a “genius.” What Jackson did was figure out what part each player needed to play, and made sure they played it. Hell, he even made a team player out of Dennis Rodman. And Jackson of course went on to coach the Lakers to three straight championships.
Jordan was tearing up the league for 7 years before the Bulls’ first championship, and Pippen was there 4 years before the first ring, and Jackson figured out how to make the pieces fit. Still, without His Airness, they wouldn’t have jack.
Edcole1961 about 14 years ago
Scottie deserves it. As great as Michael was, the fact is that Pippin was on all six Bulls championship teams, and was basically equally important to the team. I’ve been a Bulls fan since the starting lineup was Jerry Sloan, Norm Van Lier, Bob Love, Chet Walker and Clifford Ray, and Pippin was the second best player I’ve ever seen on the team, and a very close second at that.
fritzoid Premium Member about 14 years ago
Pippen may still have been an All-Star if he didn’t play with Jordan, but Michael put Scottie in the Hall of Fame. Those six championship rings that Pippen wears were won when Jordan was playing. When Jordan left the Bulls after the first three, no rings for Pippen. When Jordan came back, three more rings for Pippen. Yeah, there were other good players on the Jordan teams, but Jordan’s dominance allowed the others the room to perform at the top of their abilities: if Jordan is always double-teamed, the other Bulls get to play 4-on-3.
If Jordan had played for anyone other than the Bulls, there’d have been no rings at all for Pippen. If Pippen had played for anyone other than the Bulls, someone else could have filled his role (also resulting in no rings for Pippen).
In the “Superman, Batman, and Rodman” equation, there’s no question who was Superman.
fritzoid Premium Member about 14 years ago
Saying “Scottie Pippen is the second-best player the Bulls have ever had” is like saying “Echo & the Bunnymen is the second-best band ever to come out of Liverpool.” A case could be made that it’s true, but it doesn’t say a lot…
jollyjack about 14 years ago
Pippen yearned to be “THE MAN’ and leader. When Jordan took his baseball hiatus he led the bulls to NO RING. His most striking memory of leadership was his “1.8” leadership moment. When he demanded to leave the Bulls after Jordan he was given a large $$$ gift in the form of a maxed out sign and trade. In his stays at his other teams he failed to earn the RESPECT from his new teammates that he felt he was entitled to, still no rings.
fritzoid Premium Member about 14 years ago
As you say, jollyjack, Michael’s baseball stint provided Scottie the opportunity (and the necessity) to “step up to the plate.” And he struck out. Whatever else his accomplishments might have been, that “1.8” is gonna follow him forever like “No Mas” follows Roberto Duran.
ChuckTrent64 about 14 years ago
Where’s Jerry Sloan’s statue? ;-)
fritzoid Premium Member about 14 years ago
Before they built the rest of a team around him, the Bulls’ game plan was “Give the ball to Michael and get the hell out of the way.” You can’t win championships that way. In the Bulls’ championship years, it was “Give the ball to Michael if you can, but if you can’t or if he gives it back, you better know what to do with it.” It still doesn’t work without Jordan, and everyone else is “supporting cast” (using the words of the Bulls’ own website). Pippen may have chafed against that, but it worked. And when he was called upon to take the leading role, he couldn’t hack it.
Jordan made Pippen a Hall-of-Famer, but he also made Phil Jackson a “genius.” What Jackson did was figure out what part each player needed to play, and made sure they played it. Hell, he even made a team player out of Dennis Rodman. And Jackson of course went on to coach the Lakers to three straight championships.
Jordan was tearing up the league for 7 years before the Bulls’ first championship, and Pippen was there 4 years before the first ring, and Jackson figured out how to make the pieces fit. Still, without His Airness, they wouldn’t have jack.