{"id":434155,"date":"2020-06-02T14:45:17","date_gmt":"2020-06-02T21:45:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=434155"},"modified":"2020-06-02T14:45:17","modified_gmt":"2020-06-02T21:45:17","slug":"michael-jordan-and-the-greats-of-swimming-unique-connections-from-the-last-dance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/michael-jordan-and-the-greats-of-swimming-unique-connections-from-the-last-dance\/","title":{"rendered":"Michael Jordan and the Greats of Swimming: Unique Connections From ‘The Last Dance’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Michael Jordan and the Greats of Swimming: Unique Connections From ‘The Last Dance’<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Kate Walter, Swimming World Intern.<\/p>\n

How do we define the \u201cgreats\u201d of each sport? Is there a scale we use to measure their prowess? A certain quota of championships won or records broken that earns them such titles? And how are these legends born? Is it strictly genetics, being destined for glory from a young age, or does hard work and developing a mental edge play a role as well? For sports fans everywhere, <\/span>The Last Dance<\/span><\/i> provided some long awaited answers. The 10-part documentary presented by ESPN<\/a> followed Michael Jordan\u2019s<\/strong> historic run during his last season with The Chicago Bulls in 1997-1998,\u00a0 allowing viewers and inside look into one of the most revolutionary teams and iconic players the sport of basketball has ever witnessed.\u00a0 A long awaited explanation for Michael Jordan\u2019s unparalleled greatness can be translated to the mindsets of the respective greats of swimming.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When people think of the greats of swimming, names such as Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz, Dawn Fraser, Krisztina Egerszegi, Tracy Caulkins <\/strong>and Katie Ledecky<\/strong> come to mind, among others. Of course, there is no set list of the \u201cgreats,\u201d of the people who have permanently etched themselves into history books and the hearts of fans all around the world. However, there seems to be some underlying characteristics that distinguish these athletes. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.\u201d<\/b><\/h3>\n
In a Washington Post<\/em> Article, Ledecky’s former Nation’s Capital coach, Bruce Gemmel<\/strong>, detailed her approach to failure: <\/span>\u201cThere are days she fails catastrophically,\u201d he said. \u201cShe fails in practice more than anybody in her (training) group, because she\u2019ll start out like, \u2018This is the pace I need to swim in the race, so I need to replicate it in practice.\u2019 And she\u2019ll go six repeats like that, and the tank goes empty and she just falls off. But you know what? She\u2019ll come back the next day and try it again. And on the third day, she\u2019ll nail it. And she\u2019s been doing this since the first day I walked on the deck with her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
A quote by Michael Jordan echoes a similar relentless attitude: <\/span>\u201cI\u2019ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I\u2019ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I\u2019ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I\u2019ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Both of these athletes emphasize just how important it is to be willing to accept failure and learn from it. Competitors should instead constantly push themselves to the limit of what is possible, working to a point where failure may become inevitable.<\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0Jordan failed to make the varsity basketball team his sophomore year of high school. That summer the ball never left his hand, he worked day in and day out to guarantee his spot on varsity. And the rest was history.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0Ledecky failed to defend her world championship title in the 400-meter freestyle at the 2019 World Championships, losing one of her signature events for the first time in her international career. However, despite battling an illness, she managed to preserve and win the 800-meter <\/span>freestyle soon after, inching away at the finish to secure the victory.<\/span><\/p>\n
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Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant<\/p><\/div>\n
Besides their collective attitude toward failure, Ledecky and Jordan share some unusual common history as well. Ledecky\u2019s mother, Mary Gen, attended high school in Williston, North Dakota, the school where legendary Bulls Coach, Phil Jackson,<\/strong> graduated from as well.\u00a0<\/span>Jackson\u2019s unique coaching philosophy and commitment to his players’ spiritual and physical development led him to become one of the most respected coaches of all time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Prior to episodes three and four of <\/span>The Last Dance<\/span><\/i>, Ledecky shared an old memory with Jordan on Twitter.<\/span><\/p>\n
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Grabbing my popcorn for tonight's episodes of #TheLastDance<\/a>. I can tell you one thing about Michael Jordan: he's a tough peek-a-boo player but he didn't stand a chance against my popcorn. pic.twitter.com\/fvAWlzNhuQ<\/a><\/p>\n
— Katie Ledecky (@katieledecky) April 26, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n