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Riveting Netflix Michael Jordan documentary exceeds all expectations – Smash Newz

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4 years ago

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Riveting Netflix documentary Michael Jordan exceeds all expectations

A lot of people became basketball fans during the Toronto Raptors’ stir for the NBA title last year. If you’re one of them, you’re probably missing hangers right now. Netflix is ​​starting to fill some of that void, and whether you’re a long-time basketball junkie or a reality show fan, there’s a lot to be excited about. That’s because more than 20 years after the scenes were recorded by Michael Jordan’s final season and championship with the Chicago Bulls, the resulting documentary finally sees the light of day.

A co-production of ESPN movies and Netflix, the 10-part The Last Dance, was moved up from a scheduled June turnout this Sunday in the U.S. and Monday in Canada. Episodes hit Netflix in the country two at a time, starting Monday, until the last two go live on May 18.

(Embed) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Peh9Yqf1GXc (/ embed)

The series begins with a shot from behind of a seated Jordan looking out at the horizon while a crawl sets up where things stood at the time, Star Wars style. To recap: Jordan’s Bulls had won five titles in the last seven seasons and were preparing to try for the third time, but everyone wondered if this would be one of the biggest runs in sports history at because of various tough feelings in the front office and among some of the players mainly due to jealousy and monetary disputes.

Coincidental clips of Jordan’s franchise-saving arrival in Chicago in 1984 with the man himself, appropriately addressed the United Center crowd 23 years later with five NBA championship trophies put out in front of him, The Last Dance rolling and immediately drawing viewers in. never stops doing that, at least over the first four episodes that Postmedia was given to the screen.

For starters, it’s a bit jarring to see a young, humble, low-key Jordan with hair vs. all the intersecting later shots of the most dominant player in NBA history doing his thing, along with the reflections of the current business titan, now in his late fifties.

Unlike VHS tapes and DVDs of the 1980s and 90s that built up the Jordan legend where he put him in a class, as someone interviewed in the document, only with the likes of Babe Ruth and Muhammad Ali, this work is not just hagiography. Jordan is presented with warts and all. From cruelly ripping longtime Bulls general manager Jerry Krause – the driving force of the ill-conceived desire to tear the team apart – to his face, to being merciless with his teammates during tough stretches, that’s why Jordan has told director Jason Hehir (Andre the giant, The Fab Five, The ’85 Bears) that people will think he’s “a horrible guy” and don’t understand why he acted the way he did when watching the movie. “My innate personality is winning at all costs. If I have to do it myself, (I will) do it … It drives me insane when I can’t, ”Jordan says years later in trying to explain his thinking and actions. His mother, Deloris, and brother, Ronnie, also provide some insight into where he got these traits from, based on his upbringing.

And that’s the true triumph of the series. Amazingly, Jordan, one of the most famous and controlled people on the planet for over 35 years, is now presented as a human being. When do you ever remember Jordan being revealed as such? Not just as a myth, but as a living, breathing person. It’s impossible not to chuck when Jordan is handed a tablet showing a video of his mother reading a letter a teenager Jordan wrote to her while in college in North Carolina. In it, Jordan, who is now a billionaire and owns the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, says he’s down to his last $ 20, so he could use a handout with some stamps from his parents. “And sorry about the phone bill,” Jordan adds. In another moment, Jordan laughs and tells a story when asked about the cocaine problems of some of his team of rookie seasons.

While sports provide much of the background to the journey, there is so much more here. There are Survivor and Big Brother elements because of the rare, close and personal recordings that were simply not done at the time. Jordan commissioned the crew when it became clear that 1997-98 would be the end of a notable era and head coach Phil Jackson and ownership were on board. What they revealed was the devastating nature of the organization at the time. All the intrigues of the palace are there. Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf tries to explain the still astounding reasoning behind tearing down the iconic group and starting a rebuild, recalling that the Bulls almost made a mistake a year earlier after the fifth title. It’s something to see Jordan openly challenge leadership and ownership while on a dais right after winning number five. The same night, Jordan’s running mate Scottie Pippen, who also appears strong throughout, especially in Section 2, holds nothing back in talking about being underpaid and not respected by the Bulls. Jordan is also there, saying he won’t play for another coach if Jackson is pushed out by Krause, who basically forced the ownership hand to give Jackson another year. Jackson called last season “The Last Dance.”

Jordan talked about how angry the idea of ​​not trying to win again made him.

“We have the right to defend what we have until we lose it.” Then he mocked the idea of ​​rebuilding and burying the Chicago Cubs by saying they had rebuilt for 42 years, took a shot at ownership by saying they should have respect for the people who made them profitable – an open answer to Krause, who said organizations win championships, not players – that came under Jordan’s skin. Krause would unsuccessfully try to clean up the controversial offer by saying he said players and coaches alone are not winning championships.

“We felt like we were the greatest team ever,” Pippen says at one point, making it clear that he still doesn’t understand why some were so eager to move on.

And, yes, yes, there are plenty of Dennis Rodman, the most unique athlete we’ve ever seen, as well as thoughts from those like Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, James Worthy, Jordan’s Canadian Bulls teammate Bill Wennington (who provides strong insights into whole), former Raptor and the close Jordan pal Charles Oakley (who memorably appears abusive with an overly confident rookie Pippen). Bill Clinton, a fellow in Arkansas, even seems to be discussing watching Pippen play for the first time since Clinton was still governor of this state.

The late David Stern and Krause and even Chicago native Barack Obama, who speaks of not being able to afford a ticket in Jordan’s early years when the hanger icon had saved the franchise and nearly tripled their attendance, all provide some historical context.

Jordan can’t save the world, but thanks to his foresight in hiring the camera crew and so many working in the decades to make The Last Dance happen, he and his friends and enemies can at least lighten up our days a little bit the next couple of weeks.

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Red Wings sign Moritz Seider to 7-year deal worth nearly $60M

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8 hours ago

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September 19, 2024

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DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million.

The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal.

Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019.

He was the NHL’s only player to have at least 200 hits and block 200-plus shots last season, when he scored a career-high nine goals and had 42 points for the second straight year.

Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022 after he had a career-high 50 points.

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is banking on Seider, whose contract will count $8.55 million annually against the cap, and Raymond to turn a rebuilding team into a winner.

Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.

The Red Wings, who won four Stanley Cups from 1997 to 2008, have been reeling since their run of 25 straight postseasons ended in 2016.

Detroit was 41-32-9 last season and finished with a winning record for the first time since its last playoff appearance.

Yzerman re-signed Patrick Kane last summer and signed some free agents, including Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million after he helped the Florida Panthers hoist the Cup.

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Veterans Tyson Beukeboom, Karen Paquin lead Canada’s team at WXV rugby tournament

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September 19, 2024

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Veterans Tyson Beukeboom and Karen Paquin will lead Canada at the WXV 1 women’s rugby tournament starting later this month in the Vancouver area.

WXV 1 includes the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (England, France and Ireland) and the top three teams from the Pacific Four Series (Canada, New Zealand, and the United States).

Third-ranked Canada faces No. 4 France, No. 7 Ireland and No. 1 England in the elite division of the three-tiered WXV tournament that runs Sept. 29 to Oct. 12 in Vancouver and Langley, B.C. No. 2 New Zealand and the eighth-ranked U.S. make up the six-team WVX 1 field.

“Our preparation time was short but efficient. This will be a strong team,” Canada coach Kevin Rouet said in a statement. “All the players have worked very hard for the last couple of weeks to prepare for WXV and we are excited for these next three matches and for the chance to play on home soil here in Vancouver against the best rugby teams in the world.

“France, Ireland and England will each challenge us in different ways but it’s another opportunity to test ourselves and another step in our journey to the Rugby World Cup next year.”

Beukeboom serves as captain in the injury absence of Sophie de Goede. The 33-year-old from Uxbridge, Ont., earned her Canadian-record 68th international cap in Canada’s first-ever victory over New Zealand in May at the Pacific Four Series.

Twenty three of the 30 Canadian players selected for WXV 1 were part of that Pacific Four Series squad.

Rouet’s roster includes the uncapped Asia Hogan-Rochester, Caroline Crossley and Rori Wood.

Hogan-Rochester and Crossley were part of the Canadian team that won rugby sevens silver at the Paris Olympics, along with WXV teammates Fancy Bermudez, Olivia Apps, Alysha Corrigan and Taylor Perry. Wood is a veteran of five seasons at UBC.

The 37-year-old Paquin, who has 38 caps for Canada including the 2014 Rugby World Cup, returns to the team for the first time since the 2021 World Cup.

Canada opens the tournament Sept. 29 against France at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver before facing Ireland on Oct. 5 at Willoughby Stadium at Langley Events Centre, and England on Oct. 12 at B.C. Place.

The second-tier WXV 2 and third-tier WXV 3 are slated to run Sept. 27 to Oct. 12, in South Africa and Dubai, respectively.

WXV 2 features Australia, Italy, Japan, Scotland, South Africa and Wales while WXV 3 is made up of Fiji, Hong Kong, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Samoa and Spain.

The tournament has 2025 World Cup qualification implications, although Canada, New Zealand and France, like host England, had already qualified by reaching the semifinals of the last tournament.

Ireland, South Africa, the U.S., Japan, Fiji and Brazil have also booked their ticket, with the final six berths going to the highest-finishing WXV teams who have not yet qualified through regional tournaments.

Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team WXV 1 Squad

Forwards

Alexandria Ellis, Ottawa, Stade Français Paris (France); Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Guelph Goats; Caroline Crossley, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Courtney Holtkamp, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Stade Bordelais (France); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Gillian Boag, Calgary, Gloucester-Hartpury (England); Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Leicester Tigers (England); Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., ASM Romagnat (France); McKinley Hunt, King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Ottawa Irish; Rori Wood, Sooke, B.C., College Rifles RFC; Sara Cline, Edmonton, Leprechaun Tigers; Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England);

Backs

Alexandra Tessier, Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., CRFC; Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Toronto Nomads; Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Leicester Tigers (England); Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Justine Pelletier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que, Stade Bordelais (France); Mahalia Robinson, Fulford, Que., Town of Mount Royal RFC; Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Paige Farries, Red Deer, Alta., Saracens (England); Sara Kaljuvee, Ajax, Ont., Westshore RFC; Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Counties Manukau (New Zealand); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.

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Vancouver Canucks star goalie Thatcher Demko working through rare muscle injury

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September 19, 2024

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PENTICTON, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko says he’s been working his way back from a rare lower-body muscle injury since being sidelined in last season’s playoffs.

The 28-year-old all star says the rehabilitation process has been frustrating, but he has made good progress in recent weeks and is confident he’ll be able to return to playing.

He says he and his medical team have spent the last few months talking to specialists around the world, and have not found a single other hockey player who has dealt with the same injury.

Demko missed several weeks of the last season with a knee ailment and played just one game in Vancouver’s playoff run last spring before going down with the current injury.

He was not on the ice with his teammates as the Canucks started training camp in Penticton, B.C., on Thursday, but skated on his own before the sessions began.

Demko posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts for Vancouver last season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

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