This is embarrassing

Nothing is wrong with Noah. He was eccentric in Florida and they won back to back National Championships. Wallace gets Flip Saunder fired and points fingers at Noah. Thats a laugh.

Pax gets a pass if he can pull of a deal for T-Mac. Open the roster and make it work.

Does anybody know what Noah said? It had to have been pretty explicit since the whole team voted to suspend him a game and it doesn't sound like any punches were thrown.

Then again, I guess what he said really doesn't matter. It doesn't change the fact that their starting PG (in his 5th year) still makes dumb mistakes like fouling his man when he's shooting from beyond the 3-point line, their starting center is averaging 4.5/9.1 while making nearly $16 million, their best "shooter" is shooting only 41%, and their best player continues to get injured.

Is it possible to take a mulligan on this season? Better yet, where is Pax? Has he been on vacation since Christmas Eve? Okay I'm done; this team frustrates me to no end.

Like I said... exactly what appeal does the NBA have?

Three (maybe more) teams will make it into the Eastern Conf playoffs with losing records.

Sounds like hockey, which is ... errr... uhhh... popular?

Can Ben Wallace spank Joakim "the Scream" Noah in public? It might be his only useful act this entire season.

how dare Noah show some emotion and get fired up, the Chicago Bulls will never recover, boo hoo. get a grip people! he crossed the line and received his punishment, please move on. if you checked the collective pulse of the Bulls recently it would probably indicate a coma. I am glad we have someone who can push the team to do something. I only wish he would have punched someone. I am serious. I have tried very hard to watch the Bulls this year and the past few years. this season is toast and if the mighty "Pax" can't bring in Kobe by next year it will be many more years of mediocrity. I love them, but they suck. the games are so boring they make me angry. I can't figure out what is wrong with the mentality of this town. the whole blue collar, grabowski thing is getting old. we should change gears and go after every problem child any sport has to offer just to break the monotony. sports is competitive entertainment not a friggin like-ability contest. I would rather watch a egotistical athlete who gets the job done than some johny do good who can't. when a city hopes it's teams will win instead of expecting them to win it gives license to the owners and management to prey on those hopes while they line their pockets with our time and money.

how dare Noah show some emotion and get fired up, the Chicago Bulls will never recover, boo hoo. get a grip people! he crossed the line and received his punishment, please move on. if you checked the collective pulse of the Bulls recently it would probably indicate a coma. I am glad we have someone who can push the team to do something. I only wish he would have punched someone. I am serious. I have tried very hard to watch the Bulls this year and the past few years. this season is toast and if the mighty "Pax" can't bring in Kobe by next year it will be many more years of mediocrity. I love them, but they suck. the games are so boring they make me angry. I can't figure out what is wrong with the mentality of this town. the whole blue collar, grabowski thing is getting old. we should change gears and go after every problem child any sport has to offer just to break the monotony. sports is competitive entertainment not a friggin like-ability contest. I would rather watch a egotistical athlete who gets the job done than some johny do good who can't. when a city hopes it's teams will win instead of expecting them to win it gives license to the owners and management to prey on those hopes while they line their pockets with our time and money.

What a joke this team has become..WHY HAS JOHN PAXSON TAKEN NO HEAT IN THIS TOWN(outside of a few selected journalists)?! HE IS A BUM, WORST FREAKIN GM IN CHICAGO, AND MAYBE THE NBA SAVE ISIAH THOMAS..GET RID OF THIS JOKER!

This is a bad team and organization at this point and no one is in charge. Where is the coach? Where is Paxson? WHAT HAPPEND TO THIS TEAM OVER THE SUMMER? The original sin was even drafting this guy. He has zero offensive skills and is a head case. Paxson is on the clock with this team and it looks like his days are numbered as the GM in Chicago. Trading the future ALL-Star Tyson Chandler for Wallace and not drafting the players you need is costing this team. I know Kobe is glad he stayed in LA.

we'll disagree on the point of the team adding a game. if you wrote something inappropriate, or constantly came in late, would you be ok with your fellow columnists fining you or suspending you? Isn't that management's job?

the comical part is Wallace calling the team meeting...the biggest malcontent on the team.

This is clearly a case of Pax and Adams asleep at the switch...again.

This is truly embarrassing I thought Pax was better than this yeah the players are quitters but who put this mess together. Biggest mistake was Ben [no offense at all] Wallace who historically runs coaches out of town, remember [Flip] Pax second mistake drafting a [2] projects on a team who was a few pieces away from being very good instead of accomplished college scorers. And last failure to pull the trigger and turn over this mistake citing unprovens as untouchables. Well Pax it's all yours no it's your turn to fix it or step down.

I like the way the players attempt to police a rookie but as Jay Mariotti said, "can't even hit jump shots" Leave Yokum Joakim Noah alone. He's about the only guy other than Thomas and Nocioni that have fire on that team. I don't care if a grenade is thrown at that starting lineup anyway. Ron Adams hmph#@%^!! He can bite the big one. I hope a trade does happen, and I could care less if Wallace, Hinrich, Griffin, or even Noce get packaged away. Imagine Griffin feeling like he can extend a one game suspension two. Too much power for a group of players that underachieve!!! Heck I'd be playing Noah, Thomas, Sefolofsha, and Gray a whole lot more than they play now if it were up to me.

Noah's not the problem. The Bulls have been awful in every game I'v watched this year. He needs more playing time - he plays with a tremendous amount of energy. He's still a rookie and isn't a head case. The problem with the Bulls is the lack of leadership from the top down. Pax, Skiles, now Boyles, and there is no leadership on the team. Noah's a great leader, but that's not a role that a rookie can play. Give him time and you'll appreciate what he brings to the table.

This is garbage I'm tired of watching the Bulls already. We are going to have another season where we don't have a single player representing on the all star team. It's been about ten years since the Bulls have had one. I don't know why the Bulls picked Tyrus Thomas over Lamarcus Aldriege. In that same draft the Trailblazers were able to come away with Brandon Roy and Lamarcus while the Bulls got Tyrus and Tabo. I feel that Paxson is not agressive enough and way too cautious to make moves. This team needs to be improved they need a big guard that can play defense and score, along with a low post scorer. I never thought I would say this but it's clear that Krause is still a better GM than Pax. I don't know why Paxson didn't keep the two 7 footers' that Krause left him. Now the team is going to be rebuilding again. Well, I hope the organization drops it's ticket prices because Whitney Young is more exciting to watch than the Bulls!!!!

They have it all under control. Bulls are going to struggle until they bear down and start playing 48 minutes of quality Defense. Teams are shooting too well against us. Atlanta was at home, but what scared me was Portland who came in the UC and seemed to shoot 90%! And every guy they played was splashing shot after shot like Phoenix. Boylan has his work cut out, but it can be done. Like you said, a lot of balance in the league and we are still in the playoff picture. Noah has been checked, but Boylan needs to make sure his assistants are in check too. We just cleaned up the UNECESSARY tension. They need to be working with the players - not against them.

Players have been late under the GREAT SCOTT SKILES and always will be late. Chicago loves keeping "Athletes" on a short leash. They are in the NBA not the Marines. And most of these guys are under 25. The folks that we all work for - who happen to be rich like NBA players can walk in the middle of a board meeting smoking a stogie and sipping on a drink with a golf shirt on and NOT one of us will have a stammering word to say about it! And you might see these jokers once or twice a year! But Jokim better be on time!!!

I don't feel sorry for Pax .I wrote a email to Mariotti saying that the only player the bulls should have drafted 2 years ago was Brandon Roy but my advise wasn't listen to. We could have had D Wade if Pax had dealt Donyell Marshall to Toronto during his draft year but Pax wouldn't make the deal, then the Bulls made the deal after the draft getting us Kirk bad passing no jumpping no speed no penetrating worst point guard in the world Hinrich. Pax was given a pass then and he is give one now. Pax needs someone like me to assist him with the draft. There is a young kid on the Pistons name Avril Smith I think can help the Bulls investigate it pax. We should have drafted the kid out of Boston college who New jersy stole in the draft. Tyson chandler should still be on the roster. Pax do something or leave in disgrace.

The Chicago Knicks? This team is a joke. The White Sox and The Bulls need new ownership.

Wheres Mike? Scottie? Horace? Dennis? BJ? This is a bad acid trip! These cant be DA Bulls! Heaven help us all! Take me back to 91-93 or 96-98..I cant take all this losing anymore! Aaaahhhhhh!

Teams influenced by Reinsdorf are built to maintain the bottom line which is fiscal viability not championship caliber.

The real problem with the Bulls is that everyone has figured them out. The Nets and Detroit always killed them by being bigger in the back court. Now everyone does it and attacks,Duhon, Kirk and especially Gordon. I believe if you looked at game after game, Gordon is now toasted by a taller offensive player and mismatch in the back court on defense. Johnson at 6'7" shot over everyone until Deng and Thabo got on him. Can you see some team putting a 6'3" player on Deng or Nocioni? Were is the coaching and doesn't Paxson see it? It is why we have lost game after game. You need the one tall guard ALWAYS on the court, it is how the game is played. Sending Gordon to the developmental league would make this team better. Start Thabo next to Kirk. We are not losing games because of Wallace or lack of a post up player, we lose because it is too easy to score on our guards. Gordon will not get 50 million from anyone!

Noah has to grow up. Now.
I wasn't one to think he was a wasted draft pick but if
his attitude and emotions don't mature he might end up as
part of the Bulls' trade package before the February deadline.
Adams was on Noah for not knowing the plays.
NOT KNOWING THE PLAYS?!?!
How long has Noah been on the team?
At what point is he going to realize that this isn't college?
At what point is he going to realize that he's a PROFESSIONAL
athlete and knowing the plays is part of his JOB?
And all this stuff that some sportwriters are saying about the
"inmates running the asylum" is b______t.
They agreed unanimously.
They went to Boylan.
He could have said no.
At least the Bulls are showing some kind of team unity at this point.
Message to Noah: NBA = Not Boys Anymore
Either pull your own weight or go play somewhere else.

Dean...agree with pretty much everything you said but lack of a post game (easy baskets) furthers the problem of an outside shooting team who isn't hitting their shots.

Can someone explain to my how the Bulls' issues relate to someone showing up smoking in a board meeting?

Dean, I disagree. The Bulls are averaging 97.7 PA PG. It's a far cry from where they were last year, but hardly the reason why they're losing now. Their losing continues to be related to their inability to score, particularly at the end of games. Granted Gordon is a big reason for this; as we've seen recently he can't even get a shot off when the clock is winding down. But you're right that teams have figured him out. Last year, bigger guards would back off him which allowed him to shoot open jumpers, or he would get a jump-start on driving the lane where he would do that running floater. Now they're playing up on him and refusing to let him get any open looks. For whatever reason, the Bulls offensive sets with the end-arounds and weaves haven't created any space for him either. What would help is another true scorer, which they don't have. Teams can cheat on Gordon because there aren't any other options. This pretty much eliminates their half-court offense. It's a problem that's always been there, but was masked in previous years by opponents not playing up on Gordon in their half-court defensive sets.

"Teams influenced by Reinsdorf are built to maintain the bottom line which is fiscal viability not championship caliber."

Perhaps, but I could have sworn they offered Deng and Gordon multi-year contracts in the $50MM range. And I also thought Wallace had a $60MM multi-year deal? This isn't a case of being cheap, it's a case of being unable to lure a true superstar to the team and overpaying the non-superstars.

Keith your last paragraph is priceless...I won't waste time ridiculing each comment but I can only assume you have years of experience in board rooms to base that (among several other) idiotic comment on.
Please idulge me on how us chicagoans keep athletes here on a short leash.
Yeah, how DARE we ask people to show up on time, stay out of trouble and do their job! It's not like we're paying their salaries or anything.

I just want the Bulls core three (Deng, Gordon, Hinrich) to play well at the same time. All these internal squabbles would magically go away. It was working fine the last couple of years.

When will Chicagoans learn?Listen untill you Bears,cubs,bulls and whitesox fans protest the owners of your teams you will never get to a championship!!Jerry riensdorff is the cheapest owner ive ever seen!The Mckaskeys their the second cheapest ive even seen.As for the tribune the cubs speak for themselves,!00 yrs without a championship.Its great that chicago fans are loyal but NOW CHICAGO FANS ARE JUST GULLABLE AND NIEVE!!!Wake up fans protest at hallas hall or at the united center or the tribune building!How much losing is this city supposed to take?

Oh By the way Kirk hinnrich is not a point guard.Jhon Paxson is not a good GM and thier team wont to anyware until Riensdorff and Pax are gone.Come on they got rid of So many good players the last few years. I dont believe they could have had alot of great players and never did a thing.Pax why dont you be aggressive with signings?Could of had Garnett, kobe ,Gasol ?

Wallace and Griffin orchestrating this move is total Bull****, they haven't earned the right with their play as Bulls, I want Noah on my team over either one of them any day. He needs to show up for work on time, but that doesn't make him a bad player.

I was among the small vocal minority against the Wallace for Chandler "trade" before it ever happened. Wallace is a no talent brooding mope, a cancer who used to overcome his personality with effort, now he only puts out once a week if we're lucky which does not make up for his sour puss personality. Griffin should be collecting social security, not (not)playing in the NBA and calling team meetings and punishing fellow players.

Top Bulls players to keep; Deng, Nocioni, Noah, Thomas, Thabo, Gray, Curry
Top Bulls players to get rid of; Hinrich, Wallace, Griffin, Krapyapa, Duhon, Gordon.

Well NATE and Thomas P - As my buddy Lamont explained it to me yesterday - "NON-ATHLETES are the ONLY ones who complain about Athletes." And today the TOPIC/ISSUE of the blog is about Athletes and their tardiness - (for those of you who are having the problem understanding the relevence). Now I work in the corporate world and I know good and well what I'm talking about (and you guys know as well). White COLLAR businesmen make NBA salaries look like pennies in a bubblegum machine. And they show up late and go home early EVERY friggin DAY! And in the summer they leave and go play golf - with NBA PLAYERS! We say NOTHING and never will so cut these players some slack! And what is the WE PAY THEIR SALARIES - supposed to mean????? YOU DONT PAY JACK!!! AND MAYBE THAT IS THE PROBLEM - FOLKS THINK THEY OWN THE ATHLETES like slaves huh? LETS GET IT RIGHT, YOUR taxes pay for all the lazy, 4 hour lunch taking jokers on the golf course - who just stole your 401k with his blackberry! Thats who YOU should have on a short leash! Folks hold Athletes to standards they don't hold others to. Talking about act right! Probably got kids that don't act better than Jokim.

A rookie missing his assignments? Isn't that normal especially big guys? Since this was a Skiles coach, he probably be-littled Noah in a way that would cause anyone to react. The team has been upset ever since he called them out for their poor effort earlier in the year (accurately at that). Normally this is inappropriate for a rookie, but since none of the 'leaders' are doing the job he has to. Looking at his two NCAA titles tends to lend him my benefit of the doubt. Anytime I have seen him play it has been max effort, unlike Wallace and co. Why don't the players call out Gordon for playing for contract stats above team goals? Noah, Noc, and Thomas should stay all else are expendable. The lack of trades, might be the lack of pulling the trigger or it might be no other team rate our poor effort, undersized or soft (see Deng), poor ball handling (Gordon/Deng), as high as Pax does!!

They lost me for this year. What a joke. I actually want this team to lose now. I have never been this frustrated, even when they were a 20 win team at least there were no expectations. If they think this is acceptable they can get their fans from somewhere else. Even if they make the playoffs, what then. They should all quit and go home. I would rather see Noah and Tyrus playing than these soft players. They are weak physically and mentally. Gordon is gunning for a contract, he won't pass it to anyone.

If Wallace was really smart he would start a movement to have Aaron Gray removed from the team for the rest of the year because he has been the better center.
What a worthless, lazy cancer this guy has been.

HEy ThomasP, welcome to the post, and I love all the new posters, must be the short opening line ;) but BUDDY

OK, anyways...

Love all the new Posters, again...but the BULLS PROBLEM is very simple....

BAN HEADBANDS AGAIN!

TI

I think that saying that Pax Should've gotten KG is a stretch, because I am convinced that deal was made special for two old Celtic buddy GM's, not the guy that rode in with the guy who killed their Dynasty.

Also, Ban Headbands like I said, and also...Start Thabo and Gray.

Ship Noah to Phoenix...for that big kid from france with back to the basket moves and can score in the post. WE HAVE ENOUGH HI ENERGY GUYS.

oh..and more Hustle?

I hear ya though BigWay...I liked Chandler and Curry...thought that was a solid future in the middle.

Maybe I have my head in the Gray Clouds, but I swear this kid could revitalize us in the Middle.

What would be really embarrassing is if they made Joakim wear a dunce cap while he sat on the bench.

Then they could make him swear that he would never do that again. Kind of like Clemens during the 60 Minutes interview.

Didn't Pax play with Rodman? Joakim's blow up had to be pretty tame by Rodman standards.

Look this is a decent team that went way farther than it should have last year in the playoffs. Each of the last two years, it's been apparent that the Bulls lacked a "go to" or even a "possible go to" player during the playoffs. Pax didn't address that issue in the off season. Plus he drafted Joakim Noah-Game, which gives the Bulls a monopoly on low-post, non-scoring players. He complemented these two by pairing them with soft small-forwards who really want to be fade away jump shooters in Thomas and Deng. Then he topped it off with Hinrich, Gordon and Duhon. They are small, slow, and can't drive to the hoop or create their own shot. They don't have a defender that can take the other team's top player out of the game. They also don't have a player that other teams have to account for. Last year they hounded teams like a pack of rabid pitbulls. This year, they play more like chi-hu-a-hu-as, as Les Nesman would say.

This organization is soft, from Pax down, I expected more from them as men and players. this team full of "good guys" have no fight in them and it's not surprising that they suspend a player as a team for arguing with a assistant coach, this kid is a winner and is very emotional, I feel sorry for the kid, he is stuck with a bunch of players who have no fight in them NONE. this has to be driving him crazy. he won 2 championships in school and had a team full of hard working winning players, now he has to come to work and watch these lazy "VETS" do nothing. the only thing they did all season is suspend a young guy for being just that, where was the leadership up until that point?
They should suspend themselves and give back their checks, they should apologize to Noah for using him as a pawn in an attempt to show the media and the fans that they are a real team, then this "real team goes out and gets smoked by the Hawks.... maybe they should vote to suspend gray for laughing too much, maybe the deflection will work this time. shame on you PAX!

I am a chicago fan. Lived there for 28 yrs.But i am appauled at chicago FANS!Jerry Riensdorff is a cheap horrible owner and BULLS AND WHITE SOX FANS should protest and complain at the berto center or the house that Michael built NOT Reinsdorff!Paxon is blundering everything!WHY?Why dose he consistantly make bad decisions?Get Rid of the GM AND OWNER!!!

I have no problem with Boylan sitting Noah down for a game, but there isn't one player on this team that has shown they have the right to lead and mete out punishment. If Adrian Griffin wants to be a leader, then maybe he should at least play well enough to see the court when games are still in doubt - when Boylan is looking for veterans to play to their full capabilities so they can get on a roll.

Fact is that it's time to move the team in a different direction. How this team can not have a big man coaching the young bigs is beyond me. Blame Skiles and Pax for that, but I don't see Boylan bringing one in either.

I'm not sure that Aaron Gray is the answer at center, mainly because it's been so long since we've seen someone as fundamentally sound as he seems to be there that maybe he just looks good by comparison, but he needs to play a lot more to find out.

Tyrus has to play more too, but with his back to the basket - he's shown some nice low post moves and he can jump over anyone to get his shot off. His problems come when he tries to face up and drive. Here's where a big man coach could really be a help, although Joe Smith seems to have been a good influence on Tyrus.

I really believe that the real reason that Boylan is playing the vets is because the only way to increase their trade value is to play them until they start playing better. Until then, no one will want them. Ben Wallace and Kirk Hinrich need to go. We already have a younger, better free throw shooting non-scorer in Noah to replace Wallace (if you're not going to play Gray) and Duhon is a true point guard not looking for his own shot first like Kirk does. After 4 years in the league, it amazes me how 1) Kirk still commits stupid touch fouls, and 2) they keep calling stupid touch fouls on him like he's a rookie. Maybe if he's just raise his hand and shut up he'd get a few breaks.

I have no problem with Ben Gordon, but we just don't need two undersized spot-up jump shooters (Hinrich and Gordon) playing together. That said, BG will probably bring more back in a trade, so if he has to go then he does, but it'd better be for a big scoring guard (TMac would do nicely) or a low-post scorer. Still like to see Thabo get more time and, if you really need a short scoring guard, then bring back JamesOn Curry from the DevLeague. Seems to me that when Pax drafted him, it was with the idea that either Kirk or BG would be gone.

I realize this is long and scattered, but I could write 5 more pages and not say it all.

So Noah mouthed off to caoch Adams.Adams was probably right.Noah wasnt runing the plays properly.Why?The season is almost half over-this isnt the triangle offence.Is Noah a moron or havnt the coaches done their job?I would like to see a new coaching staff next seson,with a proven big mans coach.Could I suggest Alonzo MourningFor big mans Coach? How about the unemployed Mr Van Grundy for head coach The coaches they have have screwed up every young big man to get drafted except Elton Brand
So Griffin who has as much time on the bench as most fans,and $16 million dollar malcontent,Ben Wallace vote to fine Noah another day off.How about every game Wallace doesnt show up,and play or is blown out by his man he doesnt get payed? The days Griffin doesnt play at all Coaches decision. The players should vote on that too. We need a change in management from Rheinsdorf down.Pax drafted Noah and Thomas,as a young energetic crew who could bring the Bulls to be contenders.Noah has no shot,and all Tyrus can do is dunk on certain teams Where are the coaches? Gordon,and Ding turned down the Bulls offfers.Where are the Bulls going to get better players in this age group for less money?Who? The Bulls should bench Wallace in most occasions,and play Noah,and Grey In the middle depending on the situation.What was Paxon smoking the day he gave Wallace that contract.Even Kevin Garnet,and Isiah thomas arent that dumb.He still has 2 years to go!

Keith...you're delusional and angry.

Yeah...slavery...I can see the corelation. Come by my office some time if you'd like to see accountability for 22 year olds. They get here late as a habit - they're gone.

Yeah, kind of like slavery...yeah, that's the ticket.

"THAT IS THE PROBLEM - FOLKS THINK THEY OWN THE ATHLETES like slaves huh?"

...and who said Keith brings in race where it doesn't belong???

How soon we forget!!! Jerry Reisdorf is the only Owner to win a significant championship in Chicago in the last 20 years. We owe ALL of our celebrating for the last quarter of a century to HIM exclusively. Now if recent futility is the requirement for running somebody out of town - then we need to shut down CHICAGO sports as a WHOLE. ALL OF THE WORK ETHIC AND CLASS and every other catchphrase that we have come to love has been provided courtesy of Jerry Reinsdorf. New world-class Facilities on the West and Southside!!! Teams that compete hard and have won a combined 7 championships. And how do we reward that??? With complaints and threats that should only be reserved for crooks in Washington.

I really do not like all of that boyscout/gleeclub stuff, but its something that has come to be a badge of honor in Chicago. Having players that are robotic lovable losers. When Ben Wallace and Adrian Griffin went to BOYLAN their HEAD COACH and asked about an increased punishment for their comrade they did it as a TEAM and out of concern for the man's future as a pro and for the overall health of the league. Noah was still unapologetic about his behavior - which as a ROOKIE is still able to be corrected before it even starts. Now whats funny is - I thought that is what folks in Chicago love??? To police your own is straight cliche military, Westpoint glee club stuff!!! Boylan thought it was commendable and folks are going ape about it! People don't like that Wallace and Griffin - the OLDEST players on the team - showed LEADERSHIP. I guess noone on the team but Kirk Hinrich should be able to lead?

Then the Bulls lost the game to the lowly Hawks. And that just added more fuel to the fire. Now Chicago (without Skiles) is an ASYLUM!!! Give me a break! Bulls will win when they play some defense, get a big guard or playmaker, and have a low post game. But just playing defense is enough to get them going this season.

The bottom line here no matter how you look at it is Noah was wrong. He's a rookie with a record for being tardy for practice and was admonished for not knowing plays. In my opinion that is no different than a factory worker being diciplined for tardiness and a verbal attack on a floor foreman would also be considered insubordination punishable by suspension preliminary to discharge. Some of you make me laugh and remind me of the people that said P.J. Carlisimo probably desrved to be choked by Sprewell. Did you stop to think that maybe the team meeting to increase the suspension was designed to wake Noah up and possibly prevent another Sprewell type incident?
I'll grant you that Noah plays with alot of energy but on the offensive end of the floor he is useless if he's more than 4 feet away from the rim and should NEVER be on the floor at the same time with Wallace. He has the makings of another Rodman on the boards but him and Wallace on the floor together means you're basically playing 3 on 5 offensively. Get rid of wallace and get someone to back up Gray then Noah could make a difference offensively rebounding and creating second chances.

I totally agree Noah is at fault and should be punished. But judging by the team's performance against the Hawks there are issues far more serious than Jo's blow-up. Sounds to me like the leaders on the team (not just Grif and Wallace) aren't stepping up to the fact they haven't stepped up their play and almost are looking for an excuse. Voting to sit him and announcing it to the media obviously creates drama and draws attention to the team and wrongfully turns a mistake by a young kid into something much bigger. I just don't think Noah needed to be made the example of what has been wrong with the Bulls this year.

And the hypocricy of Wallace has me upset. The head-band thing last year and the time he refused to enter the game while playing for the Pistons. Really, who is he to talk about showing respect to others?

Appropriately punish Noah in-house. Give him a DNP with no explanation to the media. Haze him harder. Make him run suicide-sprints till he pukes. Extra donut-duty. Anything except for the method of choice.

Hey..My comments earlier got edited to look like I was propin ThomasP but I actually said...

hey Thomas, Keith is the Chairman of the Board of THIS Blog, and although I rarely agree with him....you best tread a little lighter when you start calling someone an idiot over their sports opinions! Keith is fair minded and rational (except when it comes to the Knicks) so...dont come bustin in here and start name calling....thats my job.

I also see that Keith has since destroyed you himself....so...I guess my comments were not needed...but still.

Go Bulls!

Noah is just on MPT

Call me if you cant figure that one out!!

Noah is a huge problem. This doesn't mean he has no talent but he's a definite headcase and I was shocked that Pax took him when so many more talented and polished players were ready. Alot of Noah's appeal was the silly hype that he got from the foolish college bball analysts who fall in love with certain players and pretend no one else exists.

Noah will never be more than a high-energy player who can't score and provides some decent minutes off the bench on a second team. His shot is non-existent and he shoots like a girl.

Jason my friend - I didn't bring up the topic - I just interpret what folks are thinking and hopefully cause folks to RETHINK what they are saying. Its probably more accurate to say "KEITH YOU ARE ALWAYS CALLING PEOPLE ON THEIR UNFAIR/RACIST REMARKS". I don't get into CHILDISH namecalling and ignorant uninformative exchanges. And I don't "play the race card" and make excuses - I simply ask for EQUAL treatment and consideration for every issue and situation.

I don't like a hypocrit. I can appreciate what Thomas P. wrote this morning - and all I am saying is - if folks protested lateness in other venues like they do with athletes ---- then we would have a different society. Thomas, I guess they got perfect attendance (and attitude) where you are at and I commend you and the folks at your company who have a right to expect perfection from others (wink wink) - but in my universe - my BOSS'S NEW YEARS resolution was not to be late as much this year!! It seems nobody really cares about anything - until a person with a tan is involved. And folks resent me for saying it.

Paxson needs to change his ways or he's the one that will be run out of Chicago soon. This Blue Collar BS stuff has to go. The only thing the Bulls need is an idenity. They need to be tough, play with fire, and attidude. That's why Paxson and the coaching staff needs to accept the Players the way they are, don't try to change who they are. Let the players be them selves and maybe they will start playing better. Don't police anyone. Besides in the NBA "The Player Rule". Paxson and the coaching staff just stand back and let them play.

I don't really know what Noah has been like day-to-day, or what he said to Adams. I know only what I read, like most people. I'm sure the suspension was waranted. But having players initiate a second suspension is dangerous in the extreme. If I were Boylan I would have stopped that before it started if possible. One never knows the motivation for player vs. player conflict, or how the subject of the action will percieve it. Also, there are other ways for players to police each other. What ever happened to one for all and all for one? One leadership technique is to turn the troops against the leader (coach) to make them bond with each other. You don't separate the players. I hear Boylan's point about the players taking ownership of the team, but it is still a dangerous precedent. Noah may just be paying for everyone's frustration over losing. Or maybe it's something else. If the Bulls respond positively to this, it will surprise me. So far I don't see it.

3 posts for 1:

1)Noah got what he deserved, and if the players wanted to bench him another game for tardiness and other atrocities, the coach signed off, so he still got what he deserved. The coach AGREED, he made the final decision to agree with his players, it still was ultimately his decision, he received their input and agreed with it, I have no problem with that. Unlike the Knicks players who voted to bench Marbury, and Zeke played him, that is how you lose your team. Keith, we have a right to demand something from the players, if the league demands our money to see the games, or buy their jerseys.

Keith, I haven't worked in the corporate world, yet. (fortunately, but my time is coming soon, too soon, love working outdoors ;^D ) But I have known business owners who take half days to play golf (or other things.) There is a double standard for athletes, just like athletes are paid better than most employees, it is a 2-way street, and they should be scrutinized, just like we are targeted for our disposable income. Kinda agree with you about the non athelte complaining thing, as if being a professional athlete is so easy, it's mostly hate man, U know haters, but we do have the right as fans to criticize in good taste, if we pay to see.

And JASON is after you again. U live near Crystal Lake??

We have the right to demand at least hard work, when we spend our entertainment money on them, but we should not be so ignorant as think they are not human, and very mistake prone at early to mid 20s as males.

2) Wallace with his NBA championship, has a right to say whatever he wants, and Griff has been to the finals as a starter in this league. They are trying to instill some maturity to a group of underachievers. Skiles has damaged some psyches this season, and it will take a while to get over him and his negativity. It's the others who should shut up (NOAH) and be a professional, learn the plays and the league first.

3)Culz, don't know if Gray could revolutionize the position, but he does need to play about 20-30 min a game, every game, so we can see what we have there. Like his fundamentals.

This team is bad!! who's to blame? the answer is far more serious then who is coaching the team, or who puts it together.

because they are paid to do their jobs. Its very simple they are bad and the reason they are allowed to be bad is because we as fans accept IT!! We show up we pay 20.00 to park we pay 35.00 per seat in the nose bleed section we pay 7.00 a beer 4.25 for a hot dog!! If I was big ben why would I play hard day in and day out the building is full!! I'm going 2 make the same amount of salary if I run or if I walk! Jerry is still making his money and it will be another profitable season; no championship but profitable!! Once FANS realize and make a collective stand to NOT show up and spend monies will players and owners be forced to actually look at themselves and say hey we need to change our product!! IT is simple to do! I went to my first cubs game last year in over 10 years why because they finally put money into the product! 300 million; outcome was still the same but they finally spent money so I in return spent some money!! Black hawks are a good example, jerry should walk down the hall and talk to his neighbors

I love this blog!!!! Thanks for the comments back, I am out in Ventura, CA and NOBODY is really interested in the Bulls, maybe some with that damn Kobe guy.... Noah got what he deserved, needs to get an alarm clock or HIRE someone to get him up....Don't practices start at 10:00am????? I think we are scoring more points because we are getting more shots because the opposition is scoring so much more(and higher percentage?!?!)... One of those bad stats... If you want a winning program you need to be better than the other team in some facet, it was hussle and teamwork. The problem with the Bulls are the oposition brings size and better defense in the backcourt, at least that is my premise. I like Hinrich because he tries hard, period. Great free throw shooter, has been taking better care of the ball, plays SOLID defense and can score a little. I agree that Noah will take Wallace's place in the future, but Thabo needs to be playing in the back court. Even in the Hawks game, he brought defense and shot blocking and even brought up the ball. He can do it. I think everyone likes Gordon as a person, high desire and shooter, but like a 200 lb middle linebacker, they get run over more than they make plays and you can't win consistently.

Since it is so rare for players to discipline themselves in the NBA today I applaud the actions of the Bulls players in demanding that Noah sit another game.

The Bulls are an all-star big guard away from making some noise. Put together a pkg including Deng and get one.

Mr. Paxson human make mistake and you are one of them, do you think when when you pick "WALLACE" is a good choice, he is a waste of money to the team and useless player that, don't even how to shoot
and even without no one guarding him can't even make a free throw.
So please, Mr Paxson open your eyes and hear the "BOOOOOOOOOsss
of the fans, In short get-rid of WALLACE.

Awesome post THE CHUCK!!!!

The Bulls don't have a real leader. How much respect can Griffin command when he can't get on the court and probably wouldn't make half the rosters in the NBA? How much can Wallace command when he can't score? The Bulls need a real leader on and off the court. They need someone to inspire them and give them confidence vocally and through performance. It's not going to come from anyone on this team.

Dean: I totally agree with you. The Bulls need to trade Gordon (better sooner than later) before everyone starts mimicking his behavior (ie, putting as little effort on defense as possible and always looking for your own offensive stats). Why don’t other Bulls follow the BG’s successful formula –he got a 50-million offer (unless they are retarded)??

I was not a Noah’s fan because I didn’t root for the Gator. But now I’m a Noah’s fan because he is a winner – he is not afraid of standing up for himself, doesn’t let anyone (a stupid assistant coach) insult him and doesn’t let anyone (the bench-warmer A-Drain and the headband-headache Wallace) try to destroy his confidence. Skiles’ former assistants are just as stupid and terrible as him – they encourage players against players and they create an unhealthy and hostile working environment. Pax is responsible for this as well because he keeps hiring talent-killing coaches one after another.

The Bulls have other scorers who can also play defense; Deng and Noce are more efficient scorers (checking the FG% last and this seasons). Kirk’s FG% last season is similar to BG’s despite Kirk has to exert so much more energy than BG on defense (if BG put effort on defense like Kirk, he would shoot poorly). Kirk didn’t shoot well sometimes this year because he is finally worn out by having to put too much effort on the defensive end to cover BG’s deficiencies for several years. Thus, I vote for the Bulls to trade Kirk so that he will have a chance to develop into an all-star caliber PG if he’s put in an appropriate environment (much like Chandler). Kirk is too weak to stand up for himself and he doesn’t understand that letting others take advantage of your unselfishness is stupid. There is no way that Billups, Nash, Kidd, TP, D-Will, CP3, Ford, etc. would let anyone force them to sacrifice their offensive game to defend for the team defenseless SG and to satisfy a undersized/selfish SG’s ego.

Thabo is one of the two best defenders at the SG position (besides Kobe); the coaches are just too stupid to play him. Kirk is one of the two best defenders at the PG position (besides Kidd), but your stupid coaches always play him out of the position – it’s a mismatch and inefficient strategy to ask him to guard those taller/stronger SGs. Nash said this year I would not be effective if you asked me to guard the opposing best offensive guard (paraphrase).

Keith - one question...do you really believe that psycho-babble you type?

How 'bout dem Cowboys?

Another game another blowout! anybody still think this team has a leader? Joakim is the very least of this teams problems. the GM,coaches and the players pretending to be a team need to be shaken up. break the team up and move already!

Dean and Arit - great posts! I think we need to replace Gordon and Kirk. Arit - Kirk is good, but overrated. He plays good defense on the 2 guards but he NEVER stops the other teams playmaker. Too tired to shoot is a copout. Gordon is a unique streak shooter who is undersized and poor defensively. They both play to their strengths and I don't blame either. Paxson knows he has to move Gordon because he can't sign him and Deng. Gordon averages 21 points and when the Bulls trade him they had better get a bonefide 2 guard in here - because you would be surprised to find out how hard it is to get 21 points in the NBA EVERY night. I'm all for him moving Gordon for a traditional 2 guard - someone 6'6 who attacks the rim and gets to the LINE and plays good defense. Thats an awful lot to ask....

I would play Gray right behind Wallace every night. He can't start, but he is our ONLY traditional low post option. You have to get a big man coach to work with him and watch him develop like Andrew Bynum has. He is not as athletic as Bynum, but is bigger and has BETTER post moves already. I think Gray's only problem is conditioning and strength. Now he is a keeper.

Bulls lost terribly again, but I sure liked watching Thabo on the floor. Made me know for certain that we have to part ways with all of these undersized overachieving players.

Keith is the Chairman of the Board...

Yall best show some respect!!!

SHO NUFF

Complete cr@p Keith...people on this board make a comment; either commending the team, or critiquing - either way, Agree or disagree with people's comments as opposed to this grandiose analogy that fans want them to be slaves? Or these thinly veiled references to race when IT HAS NO PLACE IN THIS TOPIC!

NO - most fans want them to put forth the effort and try to earn the $ they make, regardless of their color.

I think it's pretty ironic that the players voted to make Noah sit for another game. On a team full of half-hearted underachievers, Noah and Nocioni are probably the only 2 players that still seem to care about winning, not just collecting their huge unearned paychecks.

bculz...

If you want to bring in race to sports, talk about relevant issues:
- why so few minorities in management in pro sports,
- why so few minority college ADs,
- why so minority college football head coaches...there are others to be sure.

When you introduce slavery comparisons and race after people criticize a variety of Bulls players after this incident, I'm more than a little perplexed...enlighten me.

Culzie I am laughing too hard to even respond!! Guess I better stop laughing.

GREG H. - very insightful. I think Boylan was trying to do what his predecessor didn't do - and that is LISTEN to his team. He took a LOT of heat for it, but its already paying dividends. Boylan gave it to the Tribune AND got the players to back him up with a win. It still does answer ALL the problems, but it has the coach and the team working TOGETHER and moving the ship in the right direction. Stroke of genious to me.

Shave Buckwheat's and the Ponytailer's heads and start all over again with a clean slate.

bculz...

If you want to bring in race to sports, talk about relevant issues:
- why so few minorities in management in pro sports,
(Slavery)

- why so few minority college ADs,
(Slavery)
- why so minority college football head coaches...there are others to be sure.
(Slavery)

You see my friend, I had a very enlightened philosophy professor put it to me like this...

If you take two equal runners in both speed and endurance and you set them up to race a set distance, but then SHACKLE one of the runners legs, Runner A will get X far and Runner B will get 2 x X far.

Shackles = Slavery

Now, if you take off those shackles and tell the runners to keep racing....being that they are equal in ability. Runner A will never catch up to Runner B, because he was systematically targeted and singled out to shackle.

The only thing that can be done to make the race fair again is to somehow either slow down runner B or...make Runner A faster?

You tell me which would be fair???

bculz | January 17, 2008 09:01 AM, Bculz - that was very philosophical.

hey when did Obama get his shackles off? he passed me up!

"Bculz - that was very philosophical"

A enlightened professor of mine once told me there is a fine line between philosophy and self-induced victimhood...

Was that "enlightened philosophy professor" Professor Sharpton by any chance?

T-Bone and Thomas P - then why don't you guys "enlighten" us? Easy to pick apart what someone else thinks.

To the fan that said we have enough energy guys on the team. Hah!!!Thats a joke. We have only two energy guys on the team. And one's a sophomore while the other is a freshy. Get your facts straight. And I quote a previous poster:
Top Bulls players to keep; Deng,Gordon, Noah, Thomas, Thabo, Gray, Curry
Top Bulls players to get rid of; Hinrich, Wallace, Griffin, Krapyapa, Duhon.

Sorry, but Kirk the jerk is not a point guard. And if he is, he sure doesn't shoot like one!!

IMHO it all begins and ends with Ben Wallace.

I looked for his name in an article that summarized their latest loss to Golden State, and he wasn't even mentioned. "Why is that?" you might ask.

It's because he wasn't there!

4 rebounds and 7 points is what we got from our $60 million dollar man last night folks. A valliant effort indeed.

This guy is pathetic. His attitude sucks, and he's nothing more than a slow, lazy coach killer with no offensive skills whatsoever.

I've watched him sleep-walk through entire games, and I'm completely fed up with him. He's less than worthless. For the kind of money he's making, he should be leaving EVERYTHING on the floor EVERY frickin' night; no excuses. What Wallace leaves on the floor every night does little more than draw flies.

His performance is unexceptable and since it's obvious that he's just going through the motions (slowly I might add) and stealing the Bull's money, I'd sit him at home for the duration of his contract. If I was Pax I'd make it my life's mission to humiliate this lazy, sullen SOB, and make sure that no other general manager in the league would give him so much as a glance when his contract finally expired. I'd poison the well.

When I finished with him, the only endorsement deal Wallace could get would be hawking Sominex.

Mark...well said!

Professor X

U make a guy calling plays on the RADIO the GM and u are surprised the team stinks? Get real. John Paxson is a carbon copy of his brother Jim. Remember him as a GM? This guy should be UNEMPLOYED.

They did it out in AZ with Steve Kerr...

The more Ex Bulls as GM's the better....who would you suggest MG...Lambier?

MG...what's worse is that the clowns he put together fired 1 coach and completely neutered the second!