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Jerry Sloan, the Bulls’ original tough guy

Jerry Sloan died less than a week after a heavily packaged Michael Jordan documentary ended, and I couldn’t help but be struck by the timing of it. Not that it had some sort of cosmic meaning. Just that life is … interesting.

In “The Last Dance,’’ Jordan was presented as the ultimate competitor, unmatched, we were told too many times to count, in his desire to win.

Sloan’s scars and bent nose would have begged to differ.

One commentator in ESPN’s 10-part series chalked up Jordan’s mental strength to his ability to live completely in the moment when he was on the court.