BY DAVID THORPE
In the ESPN documentary, “The Last Dance,” we see 1998 Michael Jordan, an epic player at the height of his playing career, trying to lead the Bulls to one final title. The star wasn’t happy that his mercurial teammate Dennis Rodman needed a 48-hour trip to Las Vegas in the middle of the season to clear his head. But coach Phil Jackson’s instincts said to let Rodman go, and Jordan went along with that. As Jordan remembers it on camera, Rodman not only took an unusual break, but was late returning from it.
So, MJ retrieved the colorful power forward from his home (where his celebrity girlfriend, Carmen Electra, remembers hiding from the frightening Jordan). Within the hour, Rodman was studying film with the team and going over scouting reports. It’s generally seen as a success story.
Every group of people is a big bundle of needs. Strengths, vulnerabilities, oddities. A little bit of noticing, caring, and nurturing goes a long way. The Bulls had all kinds of issues, but o…