Thomas and Noah address their early-season cruddiness

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Nov 13, 2008 8:06 AM CST

Thomas sounded as though he's as impatient with his progress as fans and coaches.

"It will take time, but we need to hurry it up," Thomas said Wednesday. "I take ownership on a lot of it. I just have to find a way to get it going. Ain't no excuses, no youth, new offense, none of that b.s. I've just got to get it going. I haven't done a good job at all.

"I've got to figure out what it is I need to do to help the team get started, especially if I'm going to start games. I feel like if I start games, then it's my responsibility to help the team get off to a good start and I haven't been doing a good job of that at all."

Noah expressed many of the same feelings after the 3-on-3 showdown ended with a dunk by Gray, who then tacked on a short stream of trash talk. During the scrimmage, Noah drilled a number of 17-foot jumpers from the key.

"I know coach isn't expecting a lot of me offensively," Noah said. "But I feel like when I catch the ball inside, I have to be more aggressive and attack the basket a little bit more. I feel like I've been a little bit too tentative.

"Being a competitor, when you're playing against somebody from your college, of course you don't like him getting career highs, but it's part of the game."

Horford padded his point total by scoring a number of times after beating the Bulls defense down the court. Some of those plays could probably be blamed on the big men, while the full team shared in others.

"It was almost like they were cherry picking," Noah said. "As a big, you go and crash the glass. That's our job. If (your man is) already down (the floor), somebody has to pick him up until you get there.

"I feel like no excuses, though. They did a great job. I've just got to get better. Yeah, sometimes it is frustrating, but I'm trying to stay up and work hard."

Meanwhile, fellow blogger Steve Rosenbloom says Pax should be seeing if he can ship either or both out for anything. Well if it has really gotten to that point, Paxson himself should be on that same bus out of town.

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It's good to know that they want to improve

But the fact that Tyrus is impatient is not so good. Maybe this is his big problem. He wants to make everything well and fast. He needs to relax a little bit and someone needs to explain him that Rome and Pavia weren’t built in a day.
I still think his major problem is in his head and not on his skills. Maybe he just needs more psychological work. How can he go from being one of our best players during the preseason games and on the first game, against the Bucks, to being one of the worst’s?

Please Pax, don't trade Hughes! Just make sure that he stays injured until... 2010!!!

by bull83 on Nov 13, 2008 8:35 AM CST reply actions

he must've read the game thread after the Boston game.

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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Nov 13, 2008 9:20 AM CST up reply actions

why?

Please Pax, don't trade Hughes! Just make sure that he stays injured until... 2010!!!

by bull83 on Nov 13, 2008 9:57 AM CST up reply actions

I get it know

I hadn’t reed the thread after the game. I was so pissed that I went to bed and tried to erase that game from my memory…

Please Pax, don't trade Hughes! Just make sure that he stays injured until... 2010!!!

by bull83 on Nov 13, 2008 1:03 PM CST up reply actions

+100 for Drew Gooden

…he had the money quote of the day:

‘’I need to do a better job and the coaches need to do a better job teaching our young guys how to defend bigger, stronger guys with quickness and the mental part of the game,’’ Gooden said. ‘’I need to sit down with Joakim, Tyrus and Aaron and have that talk with them. Every night, especially in the paint, you’re going to match up against one of the top guys on their team.

by NormVanBeer on Nov 13, 2008 8:54 AM CST reply actions

"Defensive fundamentals with Drew Gooden"

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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Nov 13, 2008 9:19 AM CST up reply actions

also

I think the Bulls should trade Aaron Gray just so he can’t be grouped in with other players anymore. It gets me every time.

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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Nov 13, 2008 9:25 AM CST up reply actions

I thought the best part

was that Gooden was going to teach them about the mental part of the game…

"Worker bees can leave.
Even drones can fly away.
The Queen is their slave."

by jpchi on Nov 13, 2008 11:01 AM CST up reply actions

Hey Hey there

Drew’s not a perfect defender, but on the every 3 games or so he’s got his defensive swagger about him, he can be good in stretches, tipping balls out of the PF’s hands…..see Amare this year for instance.

But yeah I really wish he wasn’t our only consistently decent, not great big.

by majoyenrac on Nov 13, 2008 11:31 AM CST up reply actions

agreed.

Gooden is (almost) off limits to bad-mouth. Gooden has to share the front court with Gray, Noah, and Tyrus. Not having other players Gooden can count on makes his game limited.

And I can continue that stream of thought with the back court. so, Hughes, Gordon, and Hinrich shoot too much? They force their shots?

WELL, IS THERE ANY OTHER SCORING OPTION?

The best on court team: Rose, Gordon, Thabo, Noc, Deng. Yes, and that is sad.

by chicago-homesick-blues on Nov 13, 2008 12:41 PM CST up reply actions

What is taking him so long to have that talk?

That should’ve happened during preseason or in the summer. Don’t these guys hang out after work or even talk in the locker room?

by J Theory on Nov 13, 2008 9:24 AM CST up reply actions

Because it's not his job to coach?

He’s never really been in a leadership position before.

by tyger1147 on Nov 13, 2008 10:05 AM CST up reply actions

That is no excuse.

Being part of the team is to help the other parts out. It’s obiviously on his mind so why not discuss it with his peers?

by J Theory on Nov 13, 2008 10:16 AM CST up reply actions

I'm not saying it's an "excuse", just an explanation.

Why do we hold athletes to unrealistic standards. Drew Gooden is a normal human who is tall and has athletic abilities. People are created different!

by tyger1147 on Nov 13, 2008 10:55 AM CST up reply actions

I guess I can't shake

the Jordan Bulls when everyone was held accountable and they each pushed each other. Even the players deep in the bench would push each other. The way I see it to reach greatness you have to emulate greatness.

by J Theory on Nov 13, 2008 11:30 AM CST up reply actions

I don't disagree w/ that at all.

I definitely think Jordan’s desire/need/psychosis w/ being the best basketball player he can be and to hold others to a similar standard is a large part of what made the team so great, and not just really damn good.

And I’m sorry for implying one shouldn’t call out players, because, obviously, that’s a large part of what blogging is.

I just think that leaders can be “born”, but that they can also be made out of their circumstances. Gooden is a space-cadet on the floor and always has been. He’s elevated his play back to where it was 3 or 4 years ago because the team needed it. Being on teams w/ kirk Hinrich, then being young, then being on a team w/ LeBron James, and having that space cadet reputation (which he may or may not have w/ coaches), I’d be surprised if he’s ever been called on to be a leader before. I’ll be glad if he continues to up his “leadership” on this team. It’d be a welcome sign.

by tyger1147 on Nov 13, 2008 12:23 PM CST up reply actions

Gooden is becoming indespensible.

De gustibus non est disputandum

by Sports2 on Nov 13, 2008 9:38 AM CST up reply actions

:::sighs:::

"You’re caught up in basketball. Get caught up in life" - Starbury's Head Tattoo

by Belize on Nov 13, 2008 12:01 PM CST up reply actions

Knicks will take Noah

How about for Curry? You want low post scoring, right?

NBA Team Analysis and Player Comparison

by mindfeck on Nov 13, 2008 9:53 AM CST reply actions

Derrick Rose out rebounds Eddy Curry.

No thanks.

In a trust with Vinny Del Negro.

by NBA Observer on Nov 13, 2008 10:09 AM CST up reply actions

Plus the whole heart-blood test thing

by RogersPark Kris on Nov 13, 2008 10:20 AM CST up reply actions

go away.

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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Nov 13, 2008 10:26 AM CST up reply actions

We need Gooden tonight

Another night with Noah, Thomas, Gray and Noc at 4 and 5 won’t be pretty against the Mavs. We’ll end up putting Noc on Brandon Bass which will won’t remotely work at all.

In a trust with Vinny Del Negro.

by NBA Observer on Nov 13, 2008 10:11 AM CST reply actions

Brandon Bass will destroy all of our spirits :(

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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Nov 13, 2008 10:26 AM CST up reply actions

I would just like to make it clear

There is no relation. Family or otherwise…

by BAB-Bass on Nov 13, 2008 10:51 AM CST up reply actions

It's good to see TT taking ownership

Instead of blaming others. I’d say that in and of itself shows a lot of growth and maturity on the part of Tyrus, who has never had a problem complaining about the coaching staff.

Now, if only he showed any growth on the basketball court…

Asked what kind of player he expects to be in the next five years, he said: "Not a star, but like, a superstar. Something around, like, Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, something like that."

by BigBenign on Nov 13, 2008 11:09 AM CST reply actions

Talk is cheap.

Show me on the court if you can.

by messwiththebull on Nov 13, 2008 12:36 PM CST reply actions

Tyrus just needs consistent minutes.

(joke.)

by chicago-homesick-blues on Nov 13, 2008 12:42 PM CST reply actions

Tyrus needs a lobotomy

Or go to anti-Stromile Swift camp. Or, (the most realistic scenario) get traded somewhere else where he will instantly produce.

"I’m gonna rise up, gonna kick a little ass. Gonna kick some ass in the USA. Gonna climb a mountain, gonna sew a flag, gonna fly on an eagle. I’m gonna kick some butt, gonna drive a big truck. I’m gonna rule this world. I’m gonna kick some ass. I’m gonna rise up, gonna kick a little ass. Rock, flag, and eagle!"

by Ozzie Montana on Nov 13, 2008 1:13 PM CST reply actions

The last thing Tyrus needs is a lobotomy

I have been informed by secret inside forces whose names I cannot reveal, that his previous coach, Jim Braindead Boy&#@ had a lobotomy just prior to taking over the head coaching job last year and you can see what good that did him.

I am losing confidence in my prediction that TT would be a future all star but we of little faith should keep in mind, that he had to spend a completely useless season under the non guidance of the ultimate anus who shall go unnamed and that is a huge milstone to overcome. Let’s give him a little more rope before we hang him or he self-destructs due to some misfiring brain cells that seem to have affected his decision making while on the court.

If you can't answer a man's arguments, all is not lost. You can still call him vile names.
Elbert Hubbard

by Tyrusmancrush on Nov 13, 2008 4:08 PM CST reply actions