One-Two Punch: Basketball's Greatest Dynamic Duo

Many basketball pairs can lay claim to the title of being the best in the history of the league: Bill Russell and Bob Cousy, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson, Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. But none of them can compare to Chicago Bulls’ dynamic duo, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

MJ, His Airness, is arguably the best player the sport has ever seen. But to claim that Pippen was a Robin to Jordan’s Batman cannot be more wrong.

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On his own, Pippen showed that he can lead the team to winning seasons, as he did during Jordan’s short-lived retirement from 1993 to 1995. Together, though, they built a dynasty and won six championships – more than any other basketball duo, save for any pair from the 1950s to 60s Celtics who won eleven titles against a relatively watered-down league.

After Jordan retired, there were several players who strived to “be like Mike.” The first to ever do so was actually Pippen.

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Jordan may be known for his scoring prowess, all-around game, and unmatched clutch ability. But behind this greatness was his work ethic, tenacity, attention to detail, and hunger for victory. And Pippen followed suit, supplementing his natural talent with the right attitude.

A Batman-Robin analogy might not stand; the Jordan-Pippen tandem is more akin to Batman and Superman without the head-on collisions, according to this writer.

Richard Ohlhaber was born and raised in Chicago. Even after moving to Texas, he remains a loyal fan of the Chicago Bulls, counting Michael Jordan as his favorite player. Read more about the Bulls and sports, in general, by visiting this blog.

The Bear Of Bears: Remembering Walter Payton

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Many football experts, including Hall-of-Famer and legendary coach Mike Ditka believe that Chicago Bear Walter Payton was the greatest running back in the history of the game. But what was more astounding was that his on-field achievements were matched by the person that he was outside of the game. He was by all accounts one of the nicest people to ever come out of the NFL. Such a personality was rooted in humble beginnings.

Walter Jerry Payton was born on July 25, 1954. In high school, he played in a marching band, sang for the choir, and ran for the track team. He didn’t join the football team though so as not to compete with his brother Eddie, who was also on the team. When Eddie graduated, Walter joined the team, and immediately became a star running back because of his strength and speed.

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In college, Walter played for Jackson State University, which was historically black, alongside other future pro football players Jerome Barkum and Jackie Slater. As a part of the Jackson State Tigers, Payton dominated the competition.

Although Walter Payton broke a few records, it would all pale in comparison to his performance on October 1, 1972, in a game against Lane College. Payton scored seven touchdowns and led the Tigers through a lopsided 72-0 victory. This game would be a precursor to his legend.

Richard Ohlhaber loves everything about Chicago, especially the Bears and the Bulls. Learn more about him and the professional sports teams of the Windy City by subscribing to this Twitter account.