Paid In Full: Chris Boline's Blog on Business and Pop Culture

Snake and I: Business Lessons Learned from Snake Plissken

Image via Syfy Wyre

Throughout 2020 I have watched several various shows of varying degrees of caliber. Some better than others (Tiger King, the original Indiana Jones trilogy) to the not-so great (90 Day Fiancee, but shout out to my guy Big Ed). However during this time, I re-visited one of my all-time favorite classics: John Carpenter’s Escape From New York starring Kurt Russell. While Carpenter’s film did not achieve any major awards, his film received positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success, grossing more than $25 million at the box office. The film was nominated for four Saturn Awards, including Best Science Fiction Film and Best Direction. Its main character, Snake, has since become an icon in various mediums from video games to music and he is probably one of the most underrated action icons of the 21st century. That being said, I wanted to highlight his contributions to popular culture and being a diversified icon.

Big Trouble in Little China’s Jack Burton is another famous Carpenter character. Image via HeroesWikiFandom

That glorious soundtrack: Carpenter’s work regarding sound is well-known. His work on the original Halloween is chilling and iconic in terms of nostalgia and his scores on both Escape from New York and Big Trouble in Little China hold a special place in my heart. The music is performed by Carpenter himself and is a triumphant melody of glorious synth music with Snake being the spearhead. Yeah, I might be biased since I grew up with these melodies, but his soundtracks are some of the best known tracks from the era. Carpenter has even gone on to perform these songs with his son at various venues. So obviously the diversification of the film has gone a bit further than originally anticipated.

The Metal Gear Solid connection: If you have read my earlier blog posts, you know I am a huge fan of video games. Although none might be closer to the top of my list than the iconic Metal Gear Solid franchise spearheaded by creator Hideo Kojima. In his quest to establish a signature action icon for his new video game, Metal Gear, Kojima went through a couple incarnations of the character’s image. Initially, the artwork of the original Metal Gear game the main character resembles the Michael Biehn incarnation of Kyle Reese in The Terminator. Though in his later appearances, the Metal Gear Snake resembles Russell as he portrayed Snake in the film. Later on, art director Yoji Shinkawa said that his appearance is based off Jean-Claude Van Damme’s physique and his facial appearance is that of actor Christopher Walken. In Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Snake uses the alias “Pliskin” to hide his real identity during most of the game which is also the last name of the character in the film. Though Kojima later established that the connection to Carpenter’s film was not intentional, the roots of this relationship were definitely a great boost to each other.

Legacy: Snake’s impact on popular culture might not be as profound as other famous characters of his generation, but his niche is certainly well-deserved. His likeness went on to inspire a sequel to the original film, the campy “Escape from L.A.”, a novelization, a comic book and even a board game (got to love that 1980’s capitalism). If this blog has helped me reflect on anything, it is shedding the light on characters and stories that have inspired me in my careerand who wouldn’t get inspired by a grizzled and disgraced ex-special forces operative? I even keep a picture of Snake at my desk today, weird I know, but I am superstitious. So comment below with your favorite action movie icon!

“The Last Dance”: The Best “Under The Radar” Moments

Image via Variety.com

Since this last Sunday, America has been mourning the loss of one of its greatest joys. That being, last Sunday was the conclusion of ESPN and Netflix’s Last Dance documentary on the 1990’s Chicago Bulls dynasty. The series showcased a ton of different angles of the multitude of personalities on those iconic teams. From the zen master Phil Jackson to embittered general manager Jerry Krause, there was no shortage of quality television from this 10-part series. So while there has been a slew of people sharing their favorite stories from the series, I wanted to share some of my thoughts as well in addition to this podcast. #plug

Dennis Rodman in WCW: Finishing a close second in this category was “Rodzilla” chugging a Miller (?) before speeding off to a bender in Las Vegas in between Bulls games. What is most surprising about this portion of the series is Rodman, the team’s defensive stalwart, putting the season on pause to go smoke cigars with “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan on an episode of Nitro. Though the taping was in nearby Auburn Hills, Michigan, it is hard to fathom a player doing something like this during the modern era. Just goes to show much of a skillful chemist coach Jackson was in combining of these volatile personalities together.

Michael Jordan on the iPad: Whether it was blasting Gary Payton or renewing old “Dream Team” rivalries, there was no shortage of meme-able content from His Airness. M.J. is famous for his bitter rivalries and long memory of slights, so being able to see his reactions in real time was a pleasure to watch especially given how legendarily competitive Jordan is. The North Carolina native did not become the greatest of all time by being complacent so his competitive drive was on full-display throughout the series. Jordan recounting his battles in the NBA Playoffs was a joy to watch, even if there was some revisionist history abound.

The core of the Chicago Bulls second three-peat. From left to right, Dennis Rodman, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Image via ESPN.com

The blistering soundtrack: You can find the entirety of the soundtrack here but pairing old-school 90’s nostalgia with a star-studded Bulls highlight reel was something to behold. The majesty of those 90’s Bulls teams is pretty close to seeing how perfect basketball can be played, and while they had their dysfunctions, those teams set the standard for the league just like the songs featured in the documentary set the standard for hip-hop music during the era. These were songs that captured the grace and ferocity of those teams and made you feel like you were part of the moment as soon as the bass hit. The soundtrack had everything from high-intensity jams to somber melodies as the sun set on the Bulls dynasty in 1998.

Anytime “Sirius” was played: Wright Thompson wrote about Michael Jordan in an immaculate piece earlier this week and his impact on the game and one of the key standouts from the article was reflecting on those iconic Bulls intros from the era. During the height of their powers, there might not have been a more intimidating intro than “Sirius” by the Alan Parson Project. This intro rivals even some of the most iconic WWE entrances of all time in terms of making the hair on your arm stand up. So let me know your favorite part of the series and what it meant to you in the comments below.

The Nostalgia Corner: Reflecting on the greatest video games of the early 00’s

Image via VentureBeat.com

I think we all have a favorite sleepover or birthday party scene from our childhood. In my case it usually involved Pizza Hut, WWE Confidential early in the night and definitely some Toonami: Rising Sun (hmmm, maybe that will be another article down the line) late into the evening. While the participants changed from time to time, it absolutely always included some kind of video game console and some multiplayer mayhem that was a key element of an awesome night with the boys. As time has gone on, I look back fondly on these memories and wanted to share with you all my top favorite video games from my childhood and their impact on a generation.

WWF No Mercy (Nintendo 64): Touted as one of the greatest wrestling video games of all time, No Mercy was a staple of anyone that had a Nintendo 64. Between the crisp gameplay and all of the iconic “Attitude Era” wrestlers, there was a lot to love about No Mercy. However, sometimes in life all good things must come to an end as the relationship between as No Mercy was the last wrestling game to be developed by Asmik Ace and AKI for the Nintendo 64. Nonetheless, the game was also a commercial success, selling over 1 million copies and has a 89 overall rating on Metacritic.

Kirby Super Star (Super Nintendo): Before we get into the mini review, I just want to give a shout out to Peavine Elementary School in Reno and my friend Aaron Palone, the king of Super Star. Man, what is there not to love about the pink puff ball floating around in this insanely addictive platform adventure from the Super Nintendo? The answer my friends, is almost nothing. Super Star was both a critical and commercial success, selling over one million copies in Japan. The game was a strong mix of difficulty, platforming, an awesome soundtrack and beautiful visuals. I look back fondly on those memories from my elementary school days so if this read sways you to check it out, it is available on the Super Nintendo Classic which is also a great study in micro-sized nostalgia.

Super Mario Sunshine (GameCube): While there are certainly stronger main Mario titles in history (Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy), Sunshine was the first title that I completed 100% and man what a rush that is. Shout out to my little sister Molly for being there along the way with me along with my trusty helping of double stacks from Wendy’s (luckily I found track and field later on in my life to save my insides from failing). That being said, I vividly remember all of the glorious maps and endearing characters from this title that looked gorgeous and made everyday a vacation when playing thanks to its tropical visuals, soundtrack and of course, stellar gameplay. The game sold over five million copies worldwide by 2006, making it one of the best-selling GameCube games.

Super Smash Bro. Brawl (Nintendo Wii): Part of the iconic Super Smash Bros. series, Brawl is arguably the perfect fighting game (yeah, I said it). In fact, while you are reading this list, I just want to take this opportunity to throw out an open challenge to anyone that thinks they can beat me in Brawl. While I am not usually one to boast, my skills on this fighting game were near the top of the totem poll amongst my friends. Sure I might be a little rusty, but Brawl is always a joy to play. In 2010, the game was included as one of the titles in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die. As of 2008, it is the eighth best-selling Wii game of all time, with over thirteen million copies sold worldwide. Just goes to show that people love the idea of Link swinging his sword right into Mario’s face.

Pokemon Red (Game Boy): Man I don’t think there is a better way to say “I’m the coolest guy in the room” than by owning an original purple Game Boy Color. That item is just drenched in success. Before I get carried away, my point being is that this was the device I used to conquer Pokemon Red and spent over 100 hours playing on and yes, I do not regret a single minute of playing. Pokemon is a phenomenal series, sure it might be kind of corny at times but it was a core staple of many of my peers’ childhood and always so rewarding to play. So leave me a comment below with your favorite game from your childhood or challenge me in Brawl (at a perfectly acceptable social distancing ratio).

Podfathers: My Favorite Podcasts and Career Lessons Learned

Image via Stitcher/Knuckleheads

Welcome back my millions (and millions) of readers! I took somewhat of a small hiatus from blogging to end the semester, but am back with a vengeance. As we slowly lurch into summer, I wanted to keep the theme of sharing my love of pop culture and how it has applied to my career in business. Since graduation from the University of Nevada in the summer of 2015, I developed a solid appreciation for podcasts. That being said, I wanted to reflect back on some of my favorite podcasts I have picked up since that summer and share them with you along with some business tips I have picked up from each.

Pardon My Take: Really the undisputed champion as far as podcasts go. Between the constant content that the show is producing with its guests, social media, and now Twitch, PMT has always been a constant in my podcast rotation. I wrote about the trio of Big Cat, PFT and Hank earlier this year, but the admiration for the crew still stands, especially after their great recent interviews with Undertaker and Karl Malone. The show has also interviewed a slew of business moguls including Mark Cuban and has made it a point to produce constant content and a show that is near the top of iTunes podcast charts, well maybe at the top since Joe Rogan is moving to Spotify. My admiration for PMT is well known, especially since Cat is a Wolf Pack basketball fan and a low-key sneakerhead.

I AM RAPAPORT: STEREO PODCAST: Wow this might be a really controversial selection since the fallout between Michael Rapaport and Barstool Sports was so bitter, but man when they were on together, it was awesome. The peak period for me was in the summer of 2016 and listening to both Rapaport and his co-host Gerald Moody aka “G Moody” was always an entertaining time. Though the podcast does contain a 1.5 rating on iTunes, it was one of my favorites thanks to Rapaport’s brash wit and his skill in in connecting with his interview subjects. There was even a short-lived talk where the show almost linked up with the now-defunct Reno Bighorns (#HornzUp). Though I have not listened much in the last couple of months I fondly remember my time as part of the #Rapapack.

Knuckleheads with Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles: A more recent inclusion is duo of former Los Angeles Clippers young guns, Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles. Yeah I might be biased since “Q-Rich” enjoyed my column on him and Miles earlier this year, but their engaging content with their guests is unparalleled. Being able to hear war stories from the NBA in the 2000’s is amazing to listen to and also a nice nostalgia trip as well. The lesson here is how these two ex-pro athletes were able to transition into another lucrative career path and also doing so as friends and business partners in a positive way.

I already wrote about my appreciation for “The City” podcast that was put on by USA Today and the Reno Gazette-Journal, but I think it also deserves an honorable mention here. So let me know some of your favorite podcasts and what they mean to you. Also thank you for taking the time to read as always and leave a comment below as well!

The Economics of Quarantine: My Top 3 Favorite Purchases of April

Image via Maxim.com

As maybe the strangest month of my adult life has come to a close, I have had some time to reflect on the last couple months of this blog. It has been such a joy to write consistently again for a purpose and I look forward to continuing into the summer with more anecdotes for pop culture and business. However, for now I want to go over some of my main purchases this last month or so in quarantine and power rank them on the grand scale of other iconic quarantine pick-ups. In terms of sheer economics, there are definitely few more interesting case studies than what consumers spend on than during a national pandemic so I wanted to share some of my own.

The Fire Red Air Jordan 5’s re-release on May 2, 2020. Image via Nike SNKRS.

Air Jordans/Sneaker in general: Well, it definitely is important to have a solid “drip” even when it is just you and your pet chinchilla mostly hanging in the house. The moment this blog is posted will be the day before the Air Jordan “Fire Red” 5’s drop at most major sneaker outlets. So while shoes might not have as much utility as hand sanitizer right now, it is truly something I am thankful and can still afford to spend on my hobby. What’s more is I am able to wear more of my shoes consistently around the house which was been a blessing in disguise somedays. While no new Yeezys have sparked my attention, my fondness for the sneaker game has grown more over this time, in a responsible way that is!

Video game consoles: This was really a surprise entrant to the list, but with vacations and trips out of town being postponed, video games have stepped in to fill some of that break time void. While I have always enjoyed playing in the past, they are a truly large time commitment that can be spent elsewhere. However, between Call of Duty: Warzone and Madden 2020 being on Xbox One, this was as solid a time as any to pick up a new console, the first modern one I have purchased since 2012. Shout out to all my homies in the Gulag holding it down!

Toilet paper, I mean more Digorno pizza: Frozen foods and I have a real love-hate relationship and the amount of time I have spent cooking at home has definitely gone up since mid-March. While my chef skills are hardly on the level of the Gordon Ramsay’s of the world, my appreciation for cooking and tasks around the home have definitely gone up. From cooking more to fixing things around the house to gardening, there have been a solid amount of projects done during my work breaks and down time at home. I definitely have taken to looking at each situation as glass half-full, so I am thankful to have knocked some things off my to-do list in this lovely weather.

So what have been your highlights during quarantine? Let me know in the comments below.

Pour One Out For The City: USA Today Cancels “The City Podcast”

Image via TheCityPodcast.com/USA Today

While 2020 has hardly been the best year of my adult life — for obvious reasons — one of the shining stand outs from this year has been the culmination to “The City” podcast that was produced by USA Today in conjunction with the Reno Gazette-Journal. To be clear, I am not referring to USA Today cancelling the series, but rather the series being created in the first place. This series chronicled the changing landscape of my hometown in a way that has never been done before (at least from what I have seen), and helped shine a light on one of the country’s most fascinating cities in terms of its image changing. So I wanted to salute the crew who put this together since Reno’s economy is much more diversified than ever before and for spotlighting all of these changes, for better, and for worse.

*Image via the Reno Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority*.

Stand out reporting: Headlined by the RGJ’s Anjeanette Damon, “The City” follows the story of Reno changing from a town with a history of quickie divorces, gambling and brothels to a burgeoning tech hub that is aspiring to be the next “Silicon Valley” in many ways. The show is also produced by one of my old colleagues from college, Fil Corbitt, and narrated by Robin Amer who does a fantastic job of setting the pace of the entire story. The crew does a great job of making sure to involve the major players of “Old Reno” and some of the new tech and development acolytes that are moving into the region to take advantage of its growth opportunities. Similar to the boom of the 1859 Comstock Lode in Virginia City, northern Nevada has seen a ton of new interest and investment in the region.

The cast involved: In terms of a colorful characters, I don’t think I have listened to another podcast that does so well in terms of framing its cast. If you are from Reno or northern Nevada, you will no doubt recognize a slew of these names and businesses that have helped to grow our region to where it is today. As a Reno High alumnus, I am very familiar with the Keshmiris and their contributions to the city and also their generous investment in the Reno High track team (Go Huskies, shout out to coach Green). So seeing this story along with the parallels of the new developments out in USA Parkway, was very exciting and beautifully told. Reno is a town that has a lot of grit and personality, and is a place full of people who have made it what is today.

Expanding on the history of my hometown: Reno is a town with a marred history in some regards, but it is still a place I am proud to call home. With a much more diversified economy since the Great Recession of the late 2000’s, northern Nevada has weathered a lot of storms and has grown into a trendy and thriving community, well until March of earlier this year but we won’t get into that. With our community banding together once again, I cannot say how thankful I am that a podcast is available to those interested in learning more about the changing state of our community. It’s not every day that a town undergoes an identity crisis amidst an economic boom and you get to live through it, but that’s what it is like living in Reno right now. It is a pretty special time and I wanted to salute the crew of “The City” for making this possible.

Turn Up The Radio: The Most Profitable Hair Metal Acts of the 80’s

Image via Amazon.com

In music history, there might not be a more polarizing time period than the mid-to-late 1980’s hair metal scene. Set amidst the haze and sunshine of Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip, 80’s hair metal birthed a number of different important musical acts as the decade drew to a close. Bands such as Mötley Crüe, Ratt, Guns N’ Roses (kind of a fringe hair band, but still), Dokken, Warrant, Poison and Whitesnake ruled the day as these acts were all the rage in stadiums and bars across the country. So who made the biggest impact on the state of music as the decade wore on? Well in many wayss they all did in one way or another, but I wanted to take a classer look at who had the most mainstream appeal, stayed the most true to their initial “look” and finally, who made the most money during this time.

Def Leppard: Is Def Leppard really a hair band? Well thanks to some exhaustive research, Rolling Stone tabbed “Hysteria” as their number one greatest hair metal album of all time so for this list this they qualify. In terms of mass appeal, few bands were able to rival DL in their heyday thanks to their strong arena rock anthems. Released in 1987, “Hysteria” topped the UK and U.S. album charts. As of 2009, it has reached beyond the success of “Pyromania” (my personal favorite), having been certified 12× platinum for sales of over 12 million in the U.S. and has gone on to sell over 25 million copies worldwide. DL was later inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019, so their lasting appeal from the time period is warranted.

Poison’s 1986 album “Look What The Cat Dragged In” is one of the most memorable albums of the time period. Image via Amazon.com

Poison: Now in terms of iconic looks from the era, Poison is right there at the top. Their 1986 album ‘Look What the Cat Dragged in’ was full of classic sing-along hits that defined a lot of the sound from the era. Front man Bret Michaels would later on go to become a successful reality television star and the band would find somewhat of a second wind because of this. Poison probably won’t win any “greatest bands of all time” lists, but their look defined an era.

Bon Jovi: You don’t become the owner of an Arena Football League team by not selling a TON of albums, but that’s exactly what Jon Bon Jovi and his band did and still continue to do since their formation in 1983. Bon Jovi has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the bestselling American rock bands of all time and has also landed them in numerous halls of fame. Their third album, “Slippery When Wet”, has sold over 20 million copies and included three Top 10 singles, two of which reached No. 1 (“You Give Love a Bad Name” and “Livin’ on a Prayer”. Indeed, Bon Jovi is not only one of the most successful hair bands of all time, but also perhaps one of the most successful bands of all time, period.

Honorable mention: Dokken: Now I don’t think Dokken is really one of the best bands of the era (even though they did beat out Metallica at one point in terms of headlining appeal), I just think they’re underrated. Plus the “In My Dreams” music video is one of the best depictions of that era. So while I might not have lived through the 1980’s, if you grew up in Reno listening to the radio, it still is a staple in your rotation at one point or another. So let me know who you think is a great 80’s hair band and why in the comments below.

NFL Draft: Best Case Economic Scenarios for Three Teams

Image via CBS Sports.com

With the first round of the NFL Draft wrapping up last night, teams around the league are doing their due diligence to make sure their new chess pieces fit within their sets. LSU’s Joe Burrow was selected as the first overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals and a number of other bluechip prospects were scooped as the evening went along. So who were the big winners and losers from the draft? Well you can Google that pretty easily and find an assortment of opinions and hot takes that would fit the bill for pretty much anyone. What I want to find is which picks make the most sense economically for the teams selecting in the top 10 of the draft and their impact later on this off-season.

Los Angeles Chargers: Ah yes, my beloved Bolts. The Chargers selected Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert with the No. 6 overall pick and also traded back into the first round to select inside linebacker Kenneth Murray of Oklahoma. While the Chargers have a glaring need at QB since the departure of franchise stalwart Philip Rivers, the team has a strong defense with a handful of weapons on the offensive side of the ball along with a bolstered offensive line. So how does this stack up on an economic scale for the Chargers? Well they need to fill seats in their stadium that they will be sharing with the Rams and a potential franchise QB and playmakers on both sides of the ball fit the bill. Also with Rivers moving on, the team has cap space to move and find playmakers which it did this off-season by signing a handful of ex-Pro Bowlers in G Trai Turner, CB Chris Harris Jr. and DT Linval Joseph.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Well, signing Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski is one way to energize a stagnant franchise. With the Pats, I mean Bucs, having one of the splashiest off-seasons in recent memory, the draft was meant to help bolster some of their other needs and the team made another great choice by selecting Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs in the first round. Tampa now has another great talent to help protect and help TB12. So with the Bucs really readying to win now, Tampa is in a great position to win this season and make a lot of money. If there is a season that is.

NFC Scout Has Incredibly Honest Quote On Joe Burrow — LSU’s Joe Burrow was picked as the number one overall pick by the Bengals. Via @ TheSpun.com

Cincinnati Bengals: As mentioned at the top of the article, the Bengals opted to go with Heisman Trophy winner Burrow as their top pick and for good reason. The Ohio native won the national championship last season as the leader of the Tigers and will be able to transition into being the eventual leader for Cincy. Burrow was touted as the top pick by multiple sources and should fire up a stagnant franchise since they drafted Andy Dalton in 2011. In terms of economic appeal, it is hard to quantify the success of Burrow, but the excitement is palpable in Cincy. Plus the Bengals just drafted Tee Higgins out of Clemson to start day two of the draft which will hopefully compliment disgruntled All-Pro A.J. Green.

As day two of the draft kicks off, let me know which team will make the biggest splash in 2020.

A Sneakerhead in a Pandemic: A Diary

Image via SoleCollector.com

Among the top most desired items in a household in America circa April 2020, a new pair of tennis shoes is not even close to the top of the list. Toilet paper (!!), hand sanitizer and other discretionary cleaning supplies reign supreme as the world changes and shifts due to the demands of COVID-19. While oil prices have dropped drastically, the sneaker stock market has not seen much a shift in the way of Air Jordan’s reverting back to their 1980’s price point. Of course this hopefully means the sneaker economy will be able to rebound in 2020, but with changing release dates and times, should I really be prioritizing the latest sneaker release over the bare essentials? Well I guess it depends on who you ask.

With the upcoming release of the “Fire Red” Air Jordan 5‘s, my mind immediately gravitates toward the idea of owning this OG pair of shoes and adding it to my collection. However, with the economy changing almost every day and the future uncertain, is buying a new pair of sneakers the best move? Well, in my eyes yes because it is one of my favorite hobbies and the price is right. Indeed this is a time for anybody around the world to fulfill their hobby needs if it brings them joy and happiness. Also if it is within reason, of course.

Jordan 5 Retro Oregon Ducks — A brand new pair of Jordan 5 Retro “Oregon Ducks” will cost you at least $7,000 on StockX brand new. This is almost six times as much as the base federal stimulus check ($1,200) sent out earlier this month. Image via StockX.com

While my wallet has certainly had its fair share of battles with sneakers, it seems only a global pandemic can slow down the likes of Jordan and Yeezy. Over the past couple of decades, tennis shoe prices have only gone up, with a new pair of Air Jordan or Yeezy V2 sneakers easily costing you over $220 retail for just one pair. This doesn’t even get into the fact that the values skyrocket up even more on the resale market (anybody looking to drop over a grand original 350 Turtle Doves?). Nonetheless, sneaker sales have been down this year and release dates have been pushed back as supply chains have shifted and companies batten down the hatches on their warehouses.

However, sneaker websites like StockX and GOAT have made it clear for their customers that they are there to support them during these restricted times due to COVID-19. Their brand is one of style and fashion so having to shelter in place is not ideal for their target market consumer showing off their latest kicks. Indeed though it does present an opportunity to make sure their customers are taken care of and know that they are still doing business during these uncertain times. Which somehow makes me want to buy shoes more. Maybe it is the cabin fever or that the timing is just right.

So let me know what you think on Twitter if you think buying shoes or spending on your hobby is a good idea right now.

The Other Guys: The Unsung Heroes of “The Last Dance”

Image via the Chicago Tribune

Well I think it might be safe to say that more than 20 years after the end of the Chicago Bulls dynasty, they still can be one of the most unifying teams in America. As ESPN’s 10-part series on Michael Jordan’s iconic Bulls has proved, the team still resonates deeply within the American sports culture. With viewership for the first part of the special coming in at a whopping 6.1 million, America made its voice heard that they desperately still desire live sports in this peculiar time we are living in right now. As such, I felt there was no better time to spotlight some other members of those Bulls teams and their impact on the game of basketball in the 1990’s. Everyone of course knows Michael, Scottie and Dennis, but giving a spotlight to the other star players on those teams is a key element of how general manager Jerry Krause built those elite squads.

Horace Grant (1987-1994): A dominating presence on the glass during Chicago’s first three-peat, Grant made sports goggles one of the most popular fashion accessories during the early 1990’s. Drafted with the 10th overall pick in the 1987 N.B.A. Draft, Grant immediately became a key contributor to those early Bulls teams as they battled with the “Bad Boy” Detroit Pistons for Eastern Conference supremacy. After Jordan’s first retirement following the 1992–93 season, Grant became the number-two star behind Scottie Pippen, and helped the Bulls push the Knicks to seven games in the second-round playoff series before being eliminated. While he was eventually traded to the Orlando Magic before Jordan returned later in the decade, Grant was a key cog of those early Bulls teams that helped spark a dynasty.

Steve Kerr (1993-1998): Though he is more widely-known now as the head coach of the Golden State Warriors, Kerr made a name for himself on the Bulls as a sharp-shooting point guard. An alumnus of the University of Arizona, Kerr became a key rotational piece for the second three-peat by utilizing his high basketball IQ and court savvy. With Jordan back full-time for the 1995–96 season, the Bulls set a then NBA-record of 72–10 and defeated the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Finals. Kerr played a major part in the Bulls’ championship victory in the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. In the final seconds of Game 6 with the score tied at 86, he took a pass from Jordan and hit the title-winner to secure Chicago’s fifth world title. Kerr has since gone on to become a three-time N.B.A as head coach of the Warriors. Also according to Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune, Kerr was Bulls head coach Phil Jackson’s recommendation when people asked him about hiring a coach.

John Paxson (1985-1994): Signing as a free agent with Chicago in 1985, the same year Jordan was drafted, the crafty Notre Dame point guard made a name for himself by continually hitting clutch shots and giving the team some grit. While never the fastest player on the court, Paxson did hit a clutch shot to help secure the team’s third consecutive world title as the Bulls knocked off the Suns in 1993. Paxson is still involved with the Bulls as a senior advisor and had a solid career as general manager of the team from 2003 to 2009. He also is in some ways was the spiritual successor to Kerr running the point for Chicago.

CHICAGO – 1997: The 1996-97 NBA Chicago Bulls pose for a team portrait in Chicago, IL. Front row (left to right): Luc longley, Dennis Rodman, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Ron Harper, Middle Row: Jud Buechler, Jason Caffey, Toni Kukoc, Bill wennington, Robert Parish, Dickey, Steve Kerr,Randy Brown. Back Row: John Ligmanowski (Equipment Manager), Frank Hamblen (Asst. Coach), Jimmy Rodgers (Asst. Coach), Phil Jackson (Head Coach), Tex Winter (Asst. Coach), Chip Schaefer (Trainer). NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice: Copyright NBAE 1997 (Photo by Bill Smith/ NBAE/ Getty Images)

Toni Kukoc (1993-2000): A member of the FIBA Hall of Fame, Kukoc’s tenure with the Bulls started on rocky terms as he was picked as the successor to Jordan and Pippen’s success according to then general manager Jerry Krause. While Krause never made the terrible business decision to completely relinquish the franchise to Kukoc, he did find a way to help all the personalities gel together — at his own expense most of the time. A three-time champion with the Bulls and the 1996 Sixth Man of the Year, Kukoc was a solid starter for Chicago following Horace Grant’s departure. Though he might not have had the strongest relationship with the team, he was still able to become a decisive cog in their arsenal.

Well let me know in the comments below what you think about the list and if I missed anyone. Also make sure to check out “The Last Dance” as well!