Sam Smith (4) (1948–)

1990-91 was the first season when the Chicago Bulls won the NBA Championship led by Michael Jordan. It was also the year when the journalist Sam Smith, as a reporter for the 'Chicago Tribune', had followed them over these exciting few months, before revealing here his experience in a little book which caused quite a stir back in its days...

The thing is, the author goes behind the stardom and the glam to expose a team then in a constant state of flux, tumultuous, and revolving so much show more around only one player (Michael Jordan), whose ego was so over-the-top that, one might wonder how they bloody managed to even win a championship! Here's indeed a deep investigation, throwing a bluntly honest light upon the Bulls, questioning its various architects evolving then at various levels, to display, without any naive adulation, the challenges faced by such a team at such a high level.

The book, of course, is mostly centred around Michael Jordan. The title is, in fact, an hint to Chuck Daly's strategy (then coach of the Bulls' nemesis -the Detroit Pistons) in order to counteract the legend on the court. It's also an hint to the fact that, even within his own team, Jordan beneficiated of privileges otherwise denied to his teammates, a favouritism which, as the author demonstrates, had plagued the Bulls for quite a while by undermining their team spirit. Fans, then, will appreciate: here is exposed a great player for who he truly was, an incredible athlete whose feats on the court were also the product of a unpleasant personality -arrogance, pride, selfishness, and such a high competitive spirit it bordered on the ridiculous.

Having said that, Jordan is far from being the only one getting portrayed 'unkindly', even if respectfully in regards to his deeds as a player. In fact, here's a book which worth a read for exposing how many are in the world of sports at such a high level: egocentric athletes, the worshipping of the king $$, poisonous consumerism, fetishist and/ or hysterical medias... It's also fascinating, obviously, for its historical interest. Here indeed we also see coming into shape, slowly, the dynamic which will make the Bulls invisible -from Jordan maturing under Phil Jackson's coaching to Scottie Pippen finding his place within the puzzle, or, again, the multiple attempts (at times laughable) to buy Toni Kukoc...

Going even beyond the 1990-91 season to put it into perspective within a whole history, the author also describes some key games with both a punchy style and poetry, retelling victories won over Detroit, LA, New-York... It's a pure regal for anyone who loves the game, and will bring back memories to whose who had the luck to see them!

Fascinating and multi-layered (Jordan himself, the Bulls as a team, professional sports...) here's a read that anyone enjoying sports without being of a naivety as to what such world involves will surely appreciate! show less

Interesting book that chronicles Jordan's first championship season with the Bulls. Slanted so that Jordan is seen to be infatuated with his own inflated ego engaging in fights with everyone near and far. Better about the Championship season itself than about Jordan who was in the process of becoming the greatest single player of his generation.

This book shows even a championship team with the greatest player of all time has crazy drama. It makes me doubt the fairness in basketball games (life?) and the integrity of our heroes.

In the end we are all still people just drying to deal with our demons whether we are champions or just "ordinary" people.

I didn't love this book, but also was in and out of reading it (wasn't consistent). Each chapter went through a month of the season so I didn't like the direction of the book. Felt like there was no big pictures and much of the same until the playoff chapters which were better. I also already knew the Jordan story so that was probably some of it.