President Obama gave his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress earlier this week. I’ll stay on the edge, but I won’t go off the political cliff on this post, I promise.
There’s an underlying OneMoreStep opportunity here…
The president gave his address and almost immediately thereafter, newsrooms and politicians on both sides of the aisle fired up the political debate.
Everyone commenced, with their own spin, their own ideas, most of which pointing toward their own personal or political agendas.
WHOAH!!!! Aren’t we all on the same team? For one cause? For one country, our country, our…Union?
I thought it was the ‘State of the Union’ address…Operative word – UNION –, which is defined as:
1) the action or fact of joining together or being joined together
2) a state of harmony or agreement
This made me think about the state of the “union” as it applies to our lives at home and at work.
Friends, community groups, relationships, marriages, coworkers, leaders, bosses, colleagues - Are we “joined together” in “harmony”? Or are we at odds with one another, paralyzed by differing opinions and polarized by opposing personal agendas?
Unfortunately, too often we find the supposed unions in our lives in a less than harmonious state.
The OneMoreStep opportunity, in the context of enhancing the state of our unions, at home or at work, is to spend time and energy building more community WITH each other as opposed to building a better business case AGAINST each other.
It should be all about We, not Me. After all, the Constitution of the United States begins with, “We the people…” not “I am awesome…”
Pardon my love for basketball in this quick illustration, but hang with me here. If nothing else it will be the only post in the blogosphere that goes from ‘State of the Union’ to ‘Michael Jordan & the Chicago Bulls.’
It’s blogging history in the making. For those of you just joining us, Welcome Aboard…
Remember the Chicago Bulls, in the Michael Jordan era? When MJ first got into the league, it was all about him – ’87 & ’88 Slam Dunk Champion, Michael Jordan…League’s Leading Scorer, Michael Jordan…Hot New Shoes, by Michael Jordan (I had em all. #UrWelcomeMJ).
Jordan, Jordan, Jordan… As fans it was spectacular for us to watch, but as far as the state of their union at Chicago Stadium in the early days, it was a sad scene.
The Bulls didn’t start winning championships until it became less about Michael Jordan and ALL about the Chicago Bulls, the TEAM – Scottie Pippen, BJ Armstrong, Horace Grant, Bill Cartwright, Toni Kukoc, Steve Kerr, Dennis Rodman, and the list of supporting cast goes on and on.
Once their state of the union was in a good place (thanks to coaches Tex Winter and Phil Jackson’s leadership), they rattled off three consecutive NBA Finals championships in ’91, ’92, and ‘93. MJ stepped out for two years, which broke up their union, and the Bulls went two years without winning a championship.
Michael rejoins the team in the ‘95/’96 season; they further enhance their sense of union...
Michael averaged 30 points per game that year and shot 50% from the field, which is sick. However, in the NBA no team can win only scoring 30 points per game.
MJ had the likes of Randy Brown, Jud Buechler, Jason Caffey, James Edwards, Jack Haley, John Salley, Dickey Simpkins, Bill Wennington, Luc Longley, Steve Kerr, Toni Kukoc, Ron Harper, Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen…all of whom combined for an average of 75 points per game.
That Chicago Bulls TEAM, averaged a total of 105 points per game, holding their opponents to an average of 92 points per game. They had a record of 72-10 that year and won the NBA Finals Championship. To this day, it still stands as the best record of any TEAM in the history of the NBA. They proceeded to win it all each of the next two years in ’97 and ’98.
Michael was the best player…but the Chicago Bulls won their six championships because of their ability to play as a team. They had a great state of UNION. I used to watch and re-watch games, Sports Center, and NBA Specials over and over again.
I remember a clip of Michael in the huddle at a time out, encouraging his teammates, “come on…we’re alright…everybody get together…” #Union
Remember Game 5 of the NBA Playoffs in ’97? It became known as “The Flu Game”. Michael had the flu and was extremely ill during the game. He had no energy and was at the brink of exhaustion, but Scottie literally, physically held him up, kept encouraging him.
We all watched what greatness is all about, as MJ was MJ and dropped 38 points, as the Bulls won the game and eventually would win their fifth title.
It was the other guys on the team that kept Michael from quitting. They helped each other, and together they won a championship ring.
Even in his finest moments and in his most amazing individual performances, Michael Jordan understood the importance of a strong union among the team. He even appreciated the magnitude and significance of doing what he did where he did it, in the greatest sports city in this great nation, Chicago, IL.
As great as he was, individually, his awareness and appreciation of the bigger picture was evident in his comments to over 300,000 people at the Bulls Championship rally in Chicago’s Grant Park in June of 1998.
The Bulls had just won their sixth NBA title, and Michael said:
“Nobody knows if we're going to be in Grant Park next year. But the one thing I do know is my heart, my soul and my love has always gone to the city of Chicago. And no matter what happens, my heart, my soul and my love will still be in the city of Chicago."
Dennis Rodman’s comment, at the same rally, summed up that team’s strong state of their union:
“I've always told myself I would never get married again. I would never have another wife," Rodman said. "But if I had to marry anybody, it'd be these 12 guys right here."
I love the United States of America, the greatest union in the world. I love basketball, and I loved the Chicago Bulls.
And I just love it when we all join together…a true state of 'union'.
Have a great day.
Taylor
Two for the road...
February 17th is MJ's birthday..
On behalf of basketball fans, players - past, present, and future - coaches, and leaders all over the world, HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY TO MICHAEL JEFFREY JORDAN.
Thanks for the memories...
Also earlier this week, the Kentucky Wildcats were dealt a tough blow, as Nerlens Noel suffered a season-ending injury, tearing his ACL in a game at SEC rival, University of Florida.
It was so tough to watch, as a KY Wildcats fan and as a fellow TORN ACL / RECONSTRUCTIVE KNEE SURGERY (times two) ALUM.
What was beautiful to watch was the scene that unfolded just after the injury took place and just before play resumed, at the eight-minute mark in the second half.
The Cats were making a bit of a run, coming back, cutting into Florida's lead, in front of a sell out crowd - 12,000 rowdy reptile Gator fans - at the unfriendly confines of the O'Connell Center at UF.
All of a sudden the game itself seemed to become secondary, to the Kentucky players. Five guys gathered around Nerlens, literally picked him up, and carried him off the court...all the way into the tunnel.
Each of them giving their injured teammate and eventual top five pick in the NBA Draft, a hug and words of encouragement before heading back onto the court to finish the game.
Pretty strong sate of 'union', for a group of 18, 19, and 20-year old young men...that was a beautiful site.
Big Blue Nation is still behind our Wildcats 100%, as we lace 'em up again Saturday, on the road at Tennessee. We'll be rooting for them, and win or lose, this Wildcat Team will play together...you count on that.
And we'll probably win it all...again.
Go Cats!
