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scottiepippen
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Ready to hear my side of the story? UNGUARDED. I'm giving you a behind-the-scenes look at growing up in Arkansas, college days at UCA, getting drafted, takes on my teammates and coaches, the locker room, and the rings. Stories I've kept to myself for years. On sale 11.16.21. AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW.

Basically, he was so upset with the Last Dance that he decided to write a book refuting some of the narratives that come out of it.

“Pippen details how he cringed at being labelled Jordan’s sidekick, and discusses how he could have (and should have) received more respect from the Bulls’ management and the media,” the “UNGUARDED” description reads.

“He discusses what it was like dealing with Jordan on a day-to-day basis, while serving as the real leader within the Bulls locker room.”

“I don’t think it[The Last Dance] was that accurate in terms of really defining what was accomplished in one of the greatest eras of basketball, but also by two of the greatest players – and one could even put that aside and say the greatest team of all time,” Pippen told The Guardian in December 2020.

“I didn’t think those things stood out in the documentary. I thought it was more about Michael trying to uplift himself and to be glorified. I think it also backfired to some degree in that people got a chance to see what kind of personality Michael had,” he explained.

Pippen, in the same interview, said he confronted Jordan over his feelings about the documentary.

“I told him I wasn’t too pleased with it. He accepted it. He said, ‘Hey, you’re right.’ That was pretty much it,” Pippen recalled.

Wish it was a documentary but I’m sure all the controversial stuff Will be all I need

Shoot I can barely remember what I had for dinner 2 nights ago and now Scottie is going to write a book about "his" POV of the Bulls in the 1990's !

If you want to cringe at being called Jordan's sidekick, maybe "Unguarded" isn't the best title.

The Art Garfunkel of sports. No thanks.

Johnny Bball wrote:If you want to cringe at being called Jordan's sidekick, maybe "Unguarded" isn't the best title.

I want to read Luc Longley upcoming memoir "Undefeated and Invincible".

I loved Pippen the basketball player, but he’s shown over the years that he’s holding on to so much jealousy that he can’t move past.

He’s within his rights to give his side but there are some things which don’t require further explanation that showed how mentally weak Pippen could be in certain situations.

I’m not saying he needs to kiss the ground Jordan walks on, but there’s no doubt in my mind that Scottie starting his career anywhere else doesn’t have the success, fame or reputation that he ended up with

My man Pipp spitting facts. The Chi-Town Bulls wouldn't have won 6 without him, MJ or no MJ.

FreeThrowLine wrote:I loved Pippen the basketball player, but he’s shown over the years that he’s holding on to so much jealousy that he can’t move past.

He’s within his rights to give his side but there are some things which don’t require further explanation that showed how mentally weak Pippen could be in certain situations.

I’m not saying he needs to kiss the ground Jordan walks on, but there’s no doubt in my mind that Scottie starting his career anywhere else doesn’t have the success, fame or reputation that he ended up with

You're right, but the same goes for Jordan and Jackson... They all needed one another to get that shiny stuff.

A lot of people will call this whining or whatever but I don't really blame Pippen for feeling the way that he felt. No other sports figure in the US at least has had a fanatical, cult-like fanbase to the level of Michael Jordan. Pippen has had to deal with being overlooked, undervalued, and blamed for shortcomings more than any other star player has.

It's similar to what Lebron's teammates have had to deal with when they're given no credit for winning and all the blame for losses... But Pippen had to deal with that for his entire career and not just a couple of seasons.

FreeThrowLine wrote:I loved Pippen the basketball player, but he’s shown over the years that he’s holding on to so much jealousy that he can’t move past.

He’s within his rights to give his side but there are some things which don’t require further explanation that showed how mentally weak Pippen could be in certain situations.

I’m not saying he needs to kiss the ground Jordan walks on, but there’s no doubt in my mind that Scottie starting his career anywhere else doesn’t have the success, fame or reputation that he ended up with

I kind of agree with this. Scottie was fantastic and he deserves his props for his contributions to those teams, but Jordan was clearly the engine making them go. Being called a “sidekick” to one of the 3 or 4 most dominant basketball players to ever play is not exactly an insult.

So the guy's marketing his book about how he's not riding Jordan's jock by talking about Jordan.

I hate how insecure Pippen is, but I also hate how much of an egomaniac MJ is. 'The Last Dance' looked like some political campaign type bull****, I felt like I was being gaslighted by it. So I don't mind the Bulls guys coming out and correcting the misrepresentations about the off-court stuff depicted in 'The last dance', no matter what their personal agenda is. Nobody's ever changing the perception of what happened on-court tho, we all know who MJ was as a basketball player. So hopefully this book is more about the off-court stuff.

Unguarded is pretty bad title, it is like he is dissing himself

I hope for Pippen's sake that the book keeps disputes with Jordan's side of the story / The Last Dance to a minimum, because in the wider public's eyes he can only lose a tit-for-tat with MJ.

But he was Jordan's sidekick, that's exactly what he was known for.

He's the epitome of a sidekick, the perfect #2 man.

Harry Garris wrote:A lot of people will call this whining or whatever but I don't really blame Pippen for feeling the way that he felt. No other sports figure in the US at least has had a fanatical, cult-like fanbase to the level of Michael Jordan. Pippen has had to deal with being overlooked, undervalued, and blamed for shortcomings more than any other star player has.

It's similar to what Lebron's teammates have had to deal with when they're given no credit for winning and all the blame for losses... But Pippen had to deal with that for his entire career and not just a couple of seasons.

To be honest, I was fervent Pippen supporter and was meh on MJ growing up. It was an odd stance that i took growing up in Chicago. So I would dog MJ and point out his flaws (oddly though I had personal experiences with him and he was a great guy). I fully supported Pippen but damn Pip you just constantly shoot yourself in the foot. He was always jealous that MJ got the press but I mean Mike was better. MJ doesn't have 6 rings without Pippen there is no doubt about that, no one will dispute that but Pippen was a #2, it wasn't a 1A and 1B thing. Why is it shocking that the most influential athlete from your sport of all time is getting press?

As for recent Pippen, after Jerry Reinsdorf (albeit he is an evil man) bailed him out of financial issues 2 times (maybe 3) you still and mouth him. While working as an ambassador for the Bulls you go on national TV and dog them... Then try to spin it that they are wrong in the situation. I mean Jerry is an easy target and anyone else bashing him I am behind but with Pip... c'mon man he employed you 2 times he didn't have to... he took care of you even after you drug his name through the mud and influenced the NBA to hate the man (which is deserved just not from Pippen)

This book should be fun though. I 100% get it though MJ is a prick everyone knows it, Pippen and Grant hated how they were portrayed, but no one is really going to care. I'm guessing this is a fund raiser because Larsa needs alimony and or Pippen had another "bad" investment. Pip I will always love you but ungrateful definitely applies.

Karate Diop wrote:

FreeThrowLine wrote:I loved Pippen the basketball player, but he’s shown over the years that he’s holding on to so much jealousy that he can’t move past.

He’s within his rights to give his side but there are some things which don’t require further explanation that showed how mentally weak Pippen could be in certain situations.

I’m not saying he needs to kiss the ground Jordan walks on, but there’s no doubt in my mind that Scottie starting his career anywhere else doesn’t have the success, fame or reputation that he ended up with

You're right, but the same goes for Jordan and Jackson... They all needed one another to get that shiny stuff.

They all had key/vital roles in each ring, no question. I just have an easier time believing that without Pippen we still have Jordan in the discussion of all time greatest, of course it would depend on whom the organisation looked to team him up with.

I don’t believe we see Pippen in the same light had he ended up on any other team.

That’s not a knock on Pippen, I just don’t get what he wants. Yes, when people discuss those teams and their success, the first and most brought up name is Jordan, but it’s not like Pippen is just an after thought.

He’s received recognition from the organisation with a statue (even though it looks like it was done by a child)

He made several Allstar teams, was on the Olympic team and named to the 50 greatest list in 96.

It seems he can’t handle any criticism and was upset by the highlighting of certain regrettable moments that many wouldn’t have known about during the Bulls run. It’s part of the story and no one is perfect. He shouldn’t let it get to him so much.

Having said all that, the first thing that came to mind in all honesty is that Pippen is trying to cash in on the success of the Last Dance documentary and figured now would be a good time to make some money

Lunartic wrote:But he was Jordan's sidekick, that's exactly what he was known for.

He's the epitome of a sidekick, the perfect #2 man.

I think Pippen's point would be by labeling him a sidekick, it undermines what he actually did for those teams. In the post he calls himself the real leader of the team. In other interviews he has said Jordan was not responsible for many things on the court outside of scoring. It was Pippen who was tasked with guarding the best opposing player, playmaking, leadership etc. So I think in his mind he was not a sidekick, he was 1b right next to MJ.