Full Court Press

AMEN!

Couldn't have said it better myself Roman. What a disgrace.

Stop it Romo...these 2 are the judge and jury of your Chicago Bulls!

Just an observation, but in my opinion a telling one. On the play that Nocioni got hurt, that complete slacker/stoner braindead piece of s**t gordon stood there trying to catch the ball instead of grabbing his teammate and trying to stop him from hitting the floor. I absolutely hate even having to look at Gordon, and Wallace with there comatose personalities and hangdog body language. Wallace no longer deserves to start. Thabo proved tonight that he deserves to start opposite Hinrich, and Noah should start at center. I believe that he wil average a double double as a starter. Wallace and Griffin should be banished to the DNP/CD end of the bench. Trade Wallace and Gordon to Memphis for Gasol, another passive mope, but at least he will get you 20 and 8or9. Or Trade Gordon and Hinrich for Joe Johnson who demolished both of them the other night in Altanta. Johnson looked like Magic not Joe sizewise compared to both Hinrich and Gordon. Notice how Thabo and Deng at least made him work for his points in the second half. Start Thabo, Hinrich, Deng, Smith and Noah. Off the bench with Nocioni, Gordon, Thomas, Duhon, and Gray. Actually, bring back Jameson Curry to take Duhons place.

Ben Wallace was yuking it up with Joe Smith while Noah was out there tryiong to clean up their mess. At least Noah cares about the score. Get rid of these hypocrats now and let the youngsters play.

Ben needs to be gone like yesterday, watching him and Joe Smith laughing on the bench really ticked me off, Paxson should be ticked off and should fine both of them. they should know better as league veterans, maybe they'll have a team meeting and tell jokes, better yet it should be a slide show featuring pictures of all the jokes on this team. Hey Joakim call a meeting and vote on which vet should be fined his game check for every pathetic game played by them this year.

John Paxson is the worst GM in Chicago sports.

I would include Deng in the "keeper" category, but other than that you're right on. Wallace has got to go - by a trade if possible, or by a buyout if necessary. The Bulls are going nowhere, so they need to spend the rest of the season playing Thomas, Noah, Thabo (and to a lesser extent Gray) and see what they have in the young players. I thought Tyrus played pretty well in the second half of last season, so I'd like to see him get some consistent playing time before writing him off as a bust. Noah was obviously wrong to curse out a coach, but it's too bad more Bulls don't have his intensity.

I don't know if I have ever witness the total collapse of a team with such high expectations.

Is somebody and I mean you Paxson, finally going to listen to me? After weeks of me posting and describing what is wrong with the Bulls and offering solutions is Paxson finally going to make some good decisions instead of the all the bad ones he has been making since he became GM?
Let me restate the obvious...... again:
1, No GM, except a moron appoints an "Interim" coach for the rest of a season to see what he can do. You hire a coach, let him make changes and start to mold the Team so they can be competitive the next season. Paxson, you stupid a--, fire Boylan now and bring in Van Gundy or Carlisle. It's your only hope with a team that is this far gone.
2, No "GM" or "Coach" although Paxosn and Boylan do not deserve those titles allows a piece of s--t like Ben Wallace, who has lead the charge to get TWO coaches fired lead a players only meeting to suspend one of the only players on the Team with heart because he yelled at an assistant coach. I guess Wallace thinks that players should be able to get coaches fired but should never yell at them. Coaches and management are the only ones who should ever suspend anybody. PERIOD! It's called Leadership folks.
2, Wallace should be CUT immediately. I don't care if you have to buy out his contract or you don't get anybody in return by trading him. He is a cancer(Much like Anthony is on this blog.) and has to be gone now. Hey, Paxson do something that remotely resembles Leadership and get that piece of crap off the Team. Hey, Anthony do you still think that you need Wallace to handle the "Man-Child"? Or that he and Joe Smith need to start for their "Veteran Leadership"? By the way does Veteran Leadership mean laughing up a storm on the bench while the Bulls are getting crushed? Anthony, do you still believe that A. Gray hasn't earned the right to play 30+ minutes a night and should sit the bench in favor of Wallace? Or that the Bulls need to go with their veterans to save the season and only play the young guys sparingly? Or that starting Thomas, Noah and Gray at the 3,4 and 5 would be a bad idea and lead to crushing losses? Like the one tonight?
3,This season is over, the inmates are running the asylum. Therefore, sit the veterans and start the kids the rest of the way to see what you have. Dump Wallace and Griffin. Do NOT trade for Gasol, he isn't going to lead anybody to the play-offs.
4, Here is the new starting line-up: Duhon-point, Deng-2, Thomas-3, Noah-4, Gray-5. I don't care how inexperienced, young or unlikely that line-up is,just do it. I guarantee that line-up will create match up problems unlike the current one. It cannot be worse than ANY line-up that has Ben Wallace in it. Bring Gordon, Nocioni, Smith, Thabo and Hinrich off the bench.
5, Hire me, Van Gundy or Carlisle as coach and use the last 40 games to mold my line-up into a team.
I thought no Team could be ruined faster than Lovie Smith and Jerry Angelo have ruined the Bears. I guess Boylan and Paxson are proving me wrong on that notion. Just remember though Anthony it's the only time I have been wrong about anything!!!!!

You know it's funny (or maybe not) but when I met the team in person I didn't leave with a good feeling about them. They seemed cold and aloof. Almost like the were acting nice but deep down they didn't much care for the fans. It makes you wonder where their heads are and really the Bulls are mostly Jerks. They came off like jerks. Not that you have to be nice to be good in the NBA but they didn't seem to be the team I thought they were. In person you can get a better perspective and I felt like I couldn't warm up to the team.I felt like I was watching spoiled children goofing off with each other. All I could think of was what would Michael do? This was a week before the season but I kinda let it go and rooted for the name on the jerseys. However I think it's time they return the Bulls threads and get the heck out of Chicago. I don't care for any of them really. Deng included he came off a bit of a snob also, sucking down his Starbucks Vanilla bean frappachino. When Skiles was fired I had a feeling that these guys pushed him to the limit and he knew he couldn't win with them. Honestly their heads aren't right. Their just spoiled children. I applaud Scott for quitting on these clown losers!

What have I been saying about Wallace since Pax signed him?He can laugh all right at the fools Paxon,and Rheinsdorf who gave him all that money.And 2 more years coming--At a bargain $28 mill!Do Paxon,and Boylan have the guts to fine him for laughing?Just let him laugh when his pay check comes.They should play the kids as much as possible and let Big Ben enjoy the view from the Bench.Maybe some of his peers in the league can laugh at him too.
Right now the Bulls are worse than in Tim Floyds time.Remember,bad as they were they played for him..Right now Ben Wallace couldnt carry Diicky Simpkins Jock!

Joe Dummars is laughing his butt off.

Well at least nobody"s still claiming that "they always start slow, they,ll be just fine". You could tell after about 10 Games this Team was going to stink.
They had chances to make trades and didn,t. How many players do they have that have any trade value whatso ever? Both Bens and Paxon need to leave Town as well as Reinsdope!

When you analize this team, they played way over there heads last year, and to think they were projected to be tops in the eastern conference... what a joke. Similar to the bears having a great run defense 2006 and getting run on over a 100yds by almost every running back in 2007.

Even if Pax decided to get another head coach now instead of waiting until the off season,who would want to come in at this point? A whole sale change in coaching staff would be needed in order for another head coach to be effective.
Jim Boylan has made only two changes to this point that make sense 1) bringing Gordon off the bench 2)giving Gray more minutes. But he continues to have Noah and Wallace on the floor together which basically means that on offense the Bulls are playing 3 on 5. No one is going to double team Wallace or even guard him when he's not directly under the basket. Noah is much more effective with Gray on the floor commanding some attention and allowing Noah to get freed up to either rebound or cut to the rim on the baseline. With Noah and Gray together on the floor that also allows Noah to guard the more athletic centers like Howard occasionally. Add Thomas into the mix with Gray and Noah and the Bulls should own the boards at both ends. But then what the hell do I know, I'm only a fan.

I'm not sure I would fire Paxson, unfortunately you can't fire the owner who is the idiot in this show. I agree that trading Wallace would be a good thing, he has no heart and has gone soft since he got his payday. Better yet cut him from the team due to contract breach. It's not like he's earning his money.

I didn't get around to turning on the game until right before halftime (when the Bulls were still in it). I remember being shocked that the game was so close. What does that say about a team with expectations to reach the Finals that I was completely shocked that they weren't down by at least 10 by halftime? Of course 5 or 10 minutes later, the Magic had opened up a 25 point lead and my shock went away. I think we'd all be better off if this whole team went away. There's few redeeming qualities about them.

you lured me into this insipid drool with a new headline/old blog manuever...I feel smart....I"m never up this early.....boy the stars aligned for you with that chinsy new headline and my grogginess...and now I'm back here typin asleep...

I'll recap my answers since the season...

Yes, trade for Kobe..I"d rather have LeBron, tho
or play all the kids now..noah..gray..swiss miss
I like Aaron Gray
trade for Kidd and Kobe now...hurry
doggonit...DaBulls Blow

When I had performance reviews (normally about this wretched time of day too).. if my review looked like the above....could you imagine....your boss wrappin it up with "and doggonit, you blow?"

anyway goodmorning....wth...my phone is ringing? I hate everyone right now....ugh

Roman responds: It's a new thread, my friend. It's just the same problem with these bums.

This team is garbage. Can't guard a telephone pole. Won't penetrate and go to the basket. No hope for saving in this scheme. How about trying to find out if the "athletes" Paxson drafted can at least get out and outscore teams. Start Hinrich and Curry at guards (find out if Curry can score like its' been said he can), Smith, Deng and Thomas up front. Rotate guards with Thabo & Gordon (keep a decent offense / defense balance) and frontcourt with Nocioni, Noah & Gray or Wallace.

Can we have public vote to have Gordon & Gordon sit out 2 games? They didn't even score double digits last night while Noah had 12 pts.

Roman responds: You mean Ben and Ben?

I'm not watching this team anymore until they make some moves. I blame John Paxson for sitting on his hands and doing nothing but signing Joe Smith this offseason. But don't talk to him - please - Pax is the Lovie Smith of NBA GM's - he can do no wrong, and anybody that disagrees with him is wrong.

Now that the only thing stopping this from becoming a complete break down (Skiles) is gone this has gone right into the toilet.
Anyone still feel that he was "too hard" on these crybabies and that he was the problem?
The Wallace signing has now officially pasted the Elton Brand trade as the worst deal in team history.

What does Wallace's comb and game have in common?

They both take a lot of naps.

Even the Knicks are starting to look better.

I live in New York and a few weeks ago some guy made an 8-foot pink slip addressed to James Dolan to fire Isiah Thomas. Perhaps we should get one together in Chicago to demand a trade of Ben Wallace.

What a disgrace! I haven't seen Chicago sports this bad since I've been alive!

db

I saw something last night that I couldn't believe:
Ben Wallace actually dunking the ball, instead of missing four lay ups in a row.
Usually, he posts up with someone five or six inches taller than
he is and gets abused, or Henrich or Gordon dribble down court and
pass the ball in to him, and then he throws it to someone in the stands.
The trade package has to be formed now, and with him in it.
And JK Noah better watch it, or he might become the Zambrano of
the Bulls, and without the All Star talent.

Chris:

You didn't watch the Bears' collapse this season????

Now for a trifecta only Chicago could produce, the Cubs must fall flat on their face (ie, 72-90).

I think the most telling development on the Bulls this season is the firing of Skiles. Think about it: Paxson hired Skiles because of his no BS attitude as a coach. Paxson was a no BS player and when he was the color man for Bulls radio broadcasts, he was a no BS color man.

You would think that Paxson would have drafted no BS kinds of players. Afterall, Jordan was all fun and games until he stepped onto the court. Then the BS was over. Same for Pippen, Grant, Cartwright.

I believe Paxson got Wallace because he thought he was getting the no BS enforcer for the middle of the defense (Cartwright's role in the Championship years). Moreover, he probably thought Wallace's attitude would be adopted by the Bulls young pups.

Man, was Paxson wrong (except the young pups did adopt Wallace's lazy, disinterested attitude).

About the only player on the Bulls team that fits the Paxson/Skiles mode is Nocioni. He goes out, plays for the team, does what he's told, doesn't ask why, agitates the opponent, etc., etc.

I know a number of folks on this blog didn't like Skiles because he was on his players' a**es too much. That's exactly what he was hired to do. Now, after getting them to the playoffs the past two years, he gets dumped by the person who hand-picked him for the job. The person who hand-picked him exactly for the no BS attitude Paxson thought today's players required.

The players may have tuned Skiles out, but I believe they tuned out the entire Bulls front office too. When the Bulls didn't add a marquee player in the offseason, I think Skiles and the team realized how difficult this season would be.

Skiles got 110 percent out of this team last year. Faced with basically the same team and the higher expectations for this season, he did the only thing he could -- he rode the players even harder.

He got fired for that, but this season's debacle rests solely on John Paxson's shoulders. It's not Reinsdorf's fault. He ponyed up the money for Wallace the Waste. After seeing that investment pay off, I'm sure Reinsdorf was a little less than enthusiastic about shoveling millions toward another of Paxson's "bets."

Reinsdorf is very loyal, but it will be interesting to see if Paxson survives the season.

This Bulls Season and this Blog have very eerie parallells.

Started with such High Hopes, but too much trade talk caused the team/blog to fracture and form splinter groups.

Then we had to deal with an interrim coach...and all the youngsters started acting up while the Cat was away....

Now, it seems all is lost, Bulls cant get a rebound or Score in the Post....and...Good ideas and comments dont get posted up either.

This is a joke...

Both seasons...a total write off to me!

It appears The Two Bens don't take their jobs serious enough. Neither one has been bringing much to the table lately. These clowns are totally challenging any optimism I have left in my dedicated bones. It is also a well known fact, if we lose any one of our top five shooters, we're dead. When your SIXTH top scorer is averaging less than SIX points a game, almost unheard of in the N.B.A. since the inception of the shot clock, you are definitely considered an offensively challenged team. Couple that with pathetic defense, and you've now become fodder for the rest of the league.

It appears Boylan isn't gaining any strides with his learning process either. Starting Wallace, Duhon, and Thabo may have luckily got you thru the first quarter, but if you thought a two headed offense was not going to be adjusted to, then you get exactly the third quarter whipping you asked for.

Actually, for the umpteenth time this season, one quarter really hurt us, but how long does it take before any one of these coaches can figure a balance, even when the deck is stacked against you.

Ed in Richmond, I submit. You were right about Boylan. I've seen enough to realize his game strategies and adjustments are bush league if not non-existent.

Thabo and Noah both showed they deserve more playing time, if just on hustle and will, alone.

It's a sad day in Chicago sports, folks!

I was going to go to a Bulls game with the family this year but that has been scrapped. My youngest son said he would rather go to a Hawks game instead. I think Pax has just done a horrible job by just sitting on his hand and doing nothing to improve the team. There isn't one reliable scorer to take over at the end of the game and that's why they are losing so many games in the last few minutes. They all choke down the stretch and they did it last week when the Knicks were in town. That was rock bottom. They are not a playoff team.

I really try not to watch the Bull anymore. But this new information about Wallace laughing on the bench really isn't a surprise! VERY FEW guys on this team are real starters, It's time to trade for better professionals. Sadly no one wants what Chicago has at the moment!

I was going to go to a Bulls game with the family this year but that has been scrapped. My youngest son said he would rather go to a Hawks game instead. I think Pax has just done a horrible job by just sitting on his hand and doing nothing to improve the team. There isn't one reliable scorer to take over at the end of the game and that's why they are losing so many games in the last few minutes. They all choke down the stretch and they did it last week when the Knicks were in town. That was rock bottom. They are not a playoff team.

Roman responds: I don't blame you for not going, but I hate to say the Blackhawks are just as bad. At least they play hard, I guess. Haven't watched them in a while.
Take your son to see the Wolves. They're fun, play hard and win.

The Bulls are an embarrassment to Chicago; a firesale must happen! This season is as dead as fried chicken. I was never convinced that Paxson trying to shoe-horn Gene Hackman's team concept from "Hoosiers" into the NBA was going to work long-term: too many prima donnas in the league. The Bulls need a player to build around -- with talent and a desire to win. Outside of a few players, the team as a whole is an assemblage of fragile mediocrities.

I agree that Wallace is horrible. But it would be a shame not to mention the fact that Gordon has had 3 terrible games in a row, and the Bulls need his offense desperately and he has been erratic at best.

To add to the the last comment, what about the Bears? It stinks and hurts to be a Chicago sports fan this year.

Paxson the trainee is the problem! Hinrich is a highly over rated circle dribbler who can't beat any one off the dribble. Capt. Klank should be coming off the bench for another NBA team! Do you really think that hard working Nocioni is any thing more than a bench player! Neither one could beat G'Ma off the dribble! These two slow footed guys, klanking shots off the rim from Mars doesn't win games!

No-Shot Noah is a JOKE and a wasted 1st round pick, combined with
No-Shot No-Free Throw Wallace, the results are crippling!

Deng, Thomas, Smith and Gordon are keepers! Trade the rest and fire the trainee Paxson!!!!!!!

You can add Hinrich and Deng to the All-Hang Dog expression team, along with the 2 Bens. There are no keepers on this "team", nobody Pax should think of as untouchable.
And, yes, at least Noah cares.

Joe Smith, while good, is the ring leader of the laissez faire attitude. I noticed it early in the season when he laughed himself silly after blowing his third consecutive uncontested bunny. It p!ssed me off. Now, he and Wallace, secure in their multi-millionaire boys club, laugh away while collecting huge pay. It's rubbed off on the team. Wallace is so indifferent on the court that the Tim Thomas treatment is not only warranted, its necessesary. It's clear that Pax and Boylan are so petrified of him they will give him 30 minutes a game just to keep him from going postal. At least Skiles had a sack and stood up to him. This team goes nowhere until Wallace is gone.

You weep for Scott Skiles, but dare I say it - The Bulls are STILL playing better under Boylan. We are now angry at Ben Wallace for laughing? Well um glad he is able to laugh and smile. God forbid someone laughing and smiling - even though they are doing a bad job and getting paid well for it??? Newsflash - happens every day and in every facet of our society. Terrell Owens cried - but does that change his fortunes??? In fact the media clowned him for it. Got to be done on the court/playing field.

Roman responds: Ok, THEN DO IT ON THE COURT! The most emotion Ben has shown all season was the laughing.

"Big Bum" to quote Marriotti has got to be in the top five worst investments a Chicago Sports team has made. He is horrible, but he should not take on all the blame. Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon seem to regress each year. They are small guards who should be able to secure the ball, but the opposite always seems to happen. Hinrich will dribble down the base line and then try and pass the ball to the top of the key, only to get it stolen. Gordon lost both games that went into overtime a couple weeks ago with his poor ball handling. IT MAKES ME SICK!!! To top it off you have Big Bum laughing another loss all the way to the bank. Did Gordon and Deng forget that they are in contract years? Great decision to turn down guaranteed money!! This is a sad time for Chicago Bulls fans, looks like the problem wasn't Scott Skiles after all. Way to go Reinsdorf!!

They HAVE to trade Ben Wallace he is a bust and start Joakim at least he shows he still has a heart. Trade Hinrich too and start Thabo. It might be time to rebuild AGAIN!

Roman responds: He is UNTRADEABLE! The only way you can move him is if you eat a ton of his contract and I think they should, or if they get a high-priced malcontent in return.

Two words: John Paxson. Nobody has messed up the Chicago Bulls more than their own General Manager. Ever since he drafted Tyrus Thomas he has been miserable. Paxson should have been able to see that Thomas was a bad character guy when he drafted him. Then he sends Ben Wallace a sixty million dollar contract to do virtually everything that Tyson Chandler could have done minus anything offensively. Chandler would cost less, and provide more offensive in one game than Wallace can provide all season. Paxson's screw ups don't end there. He has known for the last three years that the team lacks an interior presence, he let deals pass the team by and has stuck with Gordon and Deng. He let a Garnett deal roll by because he wouldn't give on one or two players that would have gotten the deal done. I don't mind sticking with Gordon and Deng however he didn't even extend their contracts. So dear old Pax has not re-signed them and who knows what's going to happen at the end of the season with their contract issues. The Bulls slumped at the beginning of the season because the entire off season, trade winds were sw