The legendary Chicago Bulls, by all means, wouldn’t have existed without Jerry Krause. The infamous Bulls GM smartly scouted and signed every star, including Michael Jordan, who was necessary for Chicago’s dominance. The Bulls eventually won 6 championships, a testament to not just the team but also Krause’s skills as a brilliant executive.
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However, Krause never found the respect he desired for his accomplishments. The lack of credit riled deep insecurity deep with Jerry, which eventually caused the dramatic end of the legendary franchise.
His flawed belief in his own importance and the downplaying of the Bulls’ team made Jerry Krause a prime target for Michael Jordan’s jibes. Jerry took all the insults quietly but began to loathe Jordan. He disapproved of all the power he held.
Another thing that affected Jerry was how the entire press revered Michael. Krause believed that the press was merely a puppet doing MJ’s bidding.
Jerry Krause claimed the press revered Michael Jordan
In Michael Jordan: The Life, Roland Lazenby detailed the animosity between Michael and Krause. Lazenby wrote Krause was jealous of the way the press treated the star. He was offended by their reverence for him.
Following the end of Chicago’s golden era, the press crucified the Jerrys. They attacked both Krause and Reisendorf for not negotiating better with Jackson and Michael Jordan. But Krause wasn’t amused. He thought it was too harsh and that Michael too deserved some criticism.
Jerry: “We used to have a saying. We said we could line up all the media at State and Madison streets, and Michael could have p*ssed on each one of them, p*ssed right in their faces, and they would all say, ‘Oh, the nectar of the gods!’ That’s how much he had the media in Chicago. He had complete control.”4
Krause’s statement reveals the hurt in his heart. He despises Michael for everything that happened to him. But, on some level, Krause’s reaction isn’t too excessive.
MJ took things too far with Krause
Lazenby’s book presents a troubling account of Michael bullying Jerry. He was so disgusted by his GM that Jordan took it upon himself to insult him whenever possible. MJ and his teammates would sit in the bus and hurl insults at Krause.
Jerry, however, would never retort. He took it all quietly, perhaps as a defense mechanism. It was this relentless bullying that likely created such hatred for Michael Jordan.
