Tyrus Thomas suspended 2 games for missing practice

by Big D on Mar 5, 2008 7:47 PM CST

[ed. note: From the Diaries. Ugh. I can't wait for the offseason to begin: Tyrus Thomas out, Tyler Hansborough in. Ty-3, this time he'll stick around (literally. That's a lack-of-vertical joke). Tyrus isn't helping himself: why can't he at least show up late like Wallace, or hungover like Duhon? -Matt]

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/fullcourtpress/2008/03/thomas-suspende.html

GM John Paxson suspened second-year forward Tyrus Thomas two games for an unexcused absence from Wednesday's practice. Thomas will serve the suspension during Chicago's next two games, sitting out the game against Cleveland on Thursday at the United Center and Friday at Boston.

Why, Tyrus, must you fuck up like this? He's giving Boylan a great excuse not to play him now. He probably has a right to be pissed, but blowing off practice is just a dumb idea. That being said, if the Bulls give him away for some washed-up vet in the offseason because of this, they'll be even dumber.

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Unfortunate

For as many Tyrus fans (including myself) that blog here, this is a huge disappointment. Hopefully, we can just chalk this up to a stupid youthful mistake borne out of getting his minutes jerked around. Ultimately, Pax is going to just have to look at this season as one big blowout, throw out the tape and start fresh next season.

Either that or he's just going to have to throw in all his scrabble pieces and get twelve new ones. This whole team seems to be infected with this malaise.

by Gene Banks on Mar 5, 2008 7:58 PM CST 0 recs

I bet Pax...

... regrets not drafting LaMarcus Aldridge...

by Vangelis on Mar 6, 2008 6:00 PM CST up 0 recs

Troll.

by marionette on Mar 6, 2008 9:39 PM CST up 0 recs

With less minutes

we've seen less focus out of Tyrus. He's not a mature player, and the Bulls haven't handled him with kid gloves. Increasingly, I'm getting the sinking feeling that T2 is not going to pan out - with the Bulls that is.

by Freethefro on Mar 5, 2008 8:09 PM CST 0 recs

Don't worry

Whichever team trades for him in a year or picks him up when he walks as an RFA is going to be pretty happy when he does get playing time and develops well.

talkbulls.com

by balta1701 on Mar 5, 2008 8:28 PM CST up 0 recs

When that happens

I'm going to be ill. That's a fan's nightmare - you deal with all the ackward growing pains of a young player only to see them move on, mature, and play superbly, ala Chandler. Though there might be a kind of grim satisfaction in seeing him flyswat Nocioni.

by Freethefro on Mar 5, 2008 8:31 PM CST up 0 recs

at least chandler had time to produce

and even fall on his face afterwards. I'm worried they won't even find out if Thomas is any good.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 5, 2008 8:32 PM CST up 0 recs

They will

Once Indiana picks him up and he starts leading them towards the top of the division again.

talkbulls.com

by balta1701 on Mar 5, 2008 8:37 PM CST up 0 recs

...and I had a dream last night...

... and Tyrus was the league MVP averaging 30ppg, 12 rpg and 2.4 bpg. He had led the Pacers to their first ever 'chip. Ha, ha, ha...

by Vangelis on Mar 6, 2008 5:46 PM CST up 0 recs

I know what you guys are thinking...

Time for a veteran's only vote!

by RogersPark Kris on Mar 5, 2008 8:24 PM CST 0 recs

haha

I was wondering why it was 2 games. Pax probably figured if it was only for 1 there'd be questions about the vote.

god this team sucks all around and over.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 5, 2008 8:25 PM CST up 0 recs

The veterans of this team being

Larry Hughes. ;)

by Freethefro on Mar 5, 2008 8:26 PM CST up 0 recs

I dont think Larry Hughes cares

Thomas playing might lead to winning, or not. Eitehr way larry hughes doesnt care about any of that, just show him his money!

Kirk Hinrich. The Best White American Point Guard in the NBA.

by piccolomair on Mar 5, 2008 9:01 PM CST up 0 recs

I honestly don't want to go to the game tommorow

now. I already saw the 4th quarter against Cleveland on Sunday, now it'll be a whole game of it. Except in-person!

Gooden! Nocioni! Everything can change in the blink of an eye!

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 5, 2008 8:28 PM CST 0 recs

It's worth it to see Lebron James

Too bad he wears a headband though - he must be some kind of thug. No way would the Bulls ever want someone like him on their team.

by Big D on Mar 5, 2008 8:32 PM CST up 0 recs

I don't think it's that

he didn't play in a final four, what would he know about winning?

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 5, 2008 8:33 PM CST up 0 recs

Or in the luxury tax

by eross226 on Mar 5, 2008 8:37 PM CST up 0 recs

Seriously

He's only a little better than Oscar Robertson. And a straight-up thug.

Drew Gooden beard meter - 6 (Old Amish Carpenter)

by cubbybear on Mar 5, 2008 10:15 PM CST up 0 recs

Pax would

have drafted Chris Leak over James if he had the chance.

by ihatenoce on Mar 6, 2008 5:08 PM CST up 0 recs

fyi

Sun-Times has a Bulls blog now. No word about the suspension, but who isn't looking forward to Hanley patting someone in charge on the back for suspending a non-gritty practice misser?

http://blogs.suntimes.com/bulls/

Fire Boylan!

by hscs on Mar 5, 2008 8:40 PM CST 0 recs

I heard a bit of Hanley on the radio this morning

and he's peeved that Tyrus wasn't made available to the media this morning.

He should be held accountable, after all. Granted, none of the beat writers holds the coaching accountable...

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 6, 2008 10:45 AM CST up 0 recs

What IS that about?

They should know that Boylan isn't going to be around next year and there's no reason to stay on his good side. Are they that stupid that they think he's completely irresponsible (heh) for the team's poor play? I've yet to see a link of the MSM that calls Boylan out.

They'll all do it after he's gone, I'm predicting.

Let us prepare for glory! --Michael Redd

by tyger1147 on Mar 6, 2008 10:59 AM CST up 0 recs

Speaking of...

...watching my first Boylan PC last Friday when he said, "We closed out the game at Golden State; apparently, we didn't learn our lesson," I was DYING for someone to ask: "You did that with Tyrus Thomas as the igniter of the offense. Is it possible you didn't learn the lesson?" Why oh why?!?!

Let us prepare for glory! --Michael Redd

by tyger1147 on Mar 6, 2008 11:01 AM CST up 0 recs

Err, because...

... it's not true?

by Vangelis on Mar 6, 2008 5:49 PM CST up 0 recs

I wouldn't go too overboard here

This does suck but if Noah is going to get a 2 game suspension for going off on Adams, then Tyrus should get 2 for missing practice.

Also, after Noah did go nuts on Adams, the trade happened later in the season that had Paxson saying it was done to help develop Noah and Tyrus.

I'm sure they're pissed at Tyrus for doing this but they had to. I wouldn't start thinking that they think he's all trouble and need to get rid of him just yet.

Paxson knows how valuable Tyrus is. At least I think he knows.

by Option27 on Mar 5, 2008 8:48 PM CST 0 recs

Why Practice?

When Boylan isn't going to play him.

I'm just waiting for someone to pull a Sprewell on Boylan, I'm hoping it will be a hungover Duhon.

John Paxson Has Got to Go!:

by Wade.Jones on Mar 5, 2008 8:49 PM CST 0 recs

I hate Tyrus Thomas. Forever!!!

For... e... veRRR!!!

Let us prepare for glory! --Michael Redd

by tyger1147 on Mar 5, 2008 8:52 PM CST 0 recs

Well

they'd probably just play him a few minutes anyway. Bah.

The next few games have just got a lot less interesting.

by cranscape on Mar 5, 2008 9:43 PM CST 0 recs

this blows

Baby Bulls II?

by bullshooter on Mar 5, 2008 9:53 PM CST 0 recs

it's frustrating

most of us are pulling for him, and then this shit happens. i'm sure he's frustrated, but seriously, ditching practice?? that said.. 2 games seems a little rough.

by Jaina on Mar 5, 2008 10:35 PM CST 0 recs

I'll say it again. This franchise is a joke.

Two games for ONE practice?

That's utterly disproportionate.

It's obvious that Boylan is hell bent on molding Tyrus into a responsible, God-fearin', hat tippin', fawnin', yes sir no sir beacon of polite manhood.(Yeah, I know Paxson announced the suspension, but my guess is that it was done at the behest of The Playoff Proboscis, who wasn't going ot stand for the disrespect! He's the big ol boss! Grrrr. Ahhhh. Eeeee.)

It's okay, though, two games for Tyrus is only 16 minutes of gametime, or approximately what he will play in one half when he gets traded to a team that isn't run by Ward Cleaver.

LSU 38 OHIO STATE 24 - LSU IS THE NATIONAL CHAMPION AND I AM THE KING OF BOURBON STREET!!

by 1958ChiTown on Mar 5, 2008 10:46 PM CST 0 recs

we used to take off our hat when entering a room

(whoever made that comment here way back when, that killed me)

I agree, 2 games seems a bit much, and like I said above it probably due to the precedent set by the veteran caucus. They haunt us even after their departure.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 5, 2008 11:02 PM CST up 0 recs

KC speculates as much

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/cs-080305-tyrus-thomas-chicago-bulls ,1,3581647.story

It's likely the length of that [Noah's] suspension played a role in Paxson's decision on Thomas' discipline.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 6, 2008 9:47 AM CST up 0 recs

if that's the reason it's 2 games

that's even more ridiculous.

by Jaina on Mar 6, 2008 9:53 AM CST up 0 recs

At this rate

they will be handing out five game suspensions for not having shirts tucked in in no time.

by cranscape on Mar 6, 2008 1:15 PM CST up 0 recs

I blame this whole mess

on Paxson, Skiles, and Boylan - in that order.
Pax allowed things to get out of control with both Skiles and his little butt-licker buddy Boylan...
Skiles ran this ship aground...
and Boylan got out and blew holes in the side so it sank when it (briefly) floated off the rocks.

What a freakin' disaster, and total waste of what used to be a promising, talented basketball team.

I swear Skiles must be laughing his arse off on a sunny beach somewhere....

Spring training....FINALLY!!

by Bluelou on Mar 5, 2008 11:06 PM CST 0 recs

Why must our franchise be so poor

TT is an idiot for doing this, regardless of how much love I have for him, there's absolutely no excuse for missing a practice, especially when you're on thin ice with the coaching staff about playing time. Yet, after hearing about this all I want to do is karate chop Boylan.

Dickey Simpkins>Ben Wallace

by Ozzie Montana on Mar 5, 2008 11:39 PM CST 0 recs

he's an idiot...

but I'm his same age and would probably do the same thing. Why practice and deal with boylan's shit when you can just deduct a minimal amount of money from your account to sit and have nothing to do with this shit hole of an organization.

At least if we make the playoffs at the 8th seed, Tyrus can get back at Posey for breaking his nose...

by AGBallinisaHabit on Mar 6, 2008 12:19 AM CST up 0 recs

when you think things can't get any worse....

holy fuck

they get worse

by Orlando Woolridge on Mar 6, 2008 1:19 AM CST 0 recs

Tyrus has no

one but himself to blame for his suspension. As far as the 2 games none of us are in practice everyday so we do not know what TT does or does not do. The missed practice might be just a portion of why he was suspended for two games and he may be lucky it was only two games.

I like TT and love to watch him play but unlike some of you I don't think the sun rises and sets on him. Everyone on this team should be held accountable for their actions.

by sue369 on Mar 6, 2008 7:04 AM CST 0 recs

i basically agree

i almost feel like there HAS to be more than just missing practice to warrant a 2 game suspension.

i like tyrus and i want him to succeed, but he totally did not help his case here.

by Jaina on Mar 6, 2008 7:25 AM CST up 0 recs

Agreed

In the Tribune post they said that the team sent people to his house. I've gotta believe something went down when people showed up (i.e. he refused to speak to them).
I'm getting Bears deja-vu with this team: I can't stand watching them. It's a wholly unsatisfying experience, win or lose.
The NBA: Where "ugh" happens.

by Old Skool Sloan on Mar 6, 2008 8:09 AM CST up 0 recs

I guess I

didn't read what you did. I didn't take it as he refused to speak to them. Maybe he wasn't there when they went to his house.

Here's the article

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/cs-080305-tyrus-thomas-chicago-bulls ,1,3581647.story

by sue369 on Mar 6, 2008 8:45 AM CST up 0 recs

No inside info

It was just pure conjecture on my part. I'm leaning towards the idea that there's more to the story. It doesn't really matter one way or the other, just gossipy internet crap.

by Old Skool Sloan on Mar 6, 2008 9:08 AM CST up 0 recs

Woohoo!

4 day weekend!

by Sports2 on Mar 6, 2008 8:46 AM CST 0 recs

At least there's this

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/03/05/baron-davis-roller-skates-and-short-shorts/

Let us prepare for glory! --Michael Redd

by tyger1147 on Mar 6, 2008 10:28 AM CST 0 recs

It gets worse and worse

I'd fire Boylan for making these comments alone. They're entirely inappropriate and, even worse, stunningly unfunny:

Told that Thomas had informed reporters he wasn't speaking, Boylan opted for humor.

"I guess that's his right to speak or not speak," Boylan said. "We suspended him. It was a one-game suspension, but Griff [ Adrian Griffin] and Ben Wallace called and said we should make it two. So we decided that was the best thing."

Boylan's humorous crack is in reference to when those two ex-Bulls led a team vote on Jan. 12 in Atlanta to extend rookie Joakim Noah's suspension from one to two games. Noah had berated assistant Ron Adams at the Jan. 11 shootaround in Philadelphia

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/cs-080406chicago-bulls-tyrus-thomas, 1,4083000.story

First off, you know the joke isn't funny when it has to be explained by the following paragraph. But once again we see Boylan's complete lack of responsibility and accountability. He still hasn't suspended anyone, has he? It's been Paxson, Wallace, and Griffin who have handed out suspensions.

Furthermore, his insistence that Tyrus talk about the punishment handed out by the club is an end-run around accountability. Stand behind your decision, you moron.

If Boylan tried to look like more of an idiot, I don't think he'd succeed. He's just a natural.

by BullsFanInSeattle on Mar 6, 2008 12:20 PM CST 0 recs

I thought it was funny

Baby Bulls II?

by bullshooter on Mar 6, 2008 12:21 PM CST up 0 recs

I just think it's pathetic....

...that Boylan likes to joke about how he doesn't have a spine. Is it really funny that we have a head coach who readily admits and jokes about the fact that he has no kahones??

If you thought it was funny because you were laughing AT Boylan, I can understand.

by BullsFanInSeattle on Mar 6, 2008 12:57 PM CST up 0 recs

I think it was funny as well,

but whether it's him or somebody, there needs to be an explanation about why it's 2 games for 1 practice.

Either it's new 'policy' because of the Noah thing, or Tyrus did something more egregious (or an accumulation of other things) than miss a practice.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 6, 2008 1:01 PM CST up 0 recs

You have to have a sense of humor about it.

When things are going this poorly if you can't laugh at yourself you're gonna end up being one of those dudes who has a heart attack watching sports.

At the end of the day it's still just basketball. Most of us are stupid crazy about it, but don't pop a vein man.

by CrashDavis on Mar 6, 2008 1:41 PM CST up 0 recs

Laughing at myself....

...isn't the issue.

There are plenty of reasons to laugh and experience joy in this wonderful, happy world of ours.

The train wreck formally known as the Chicago Bulls basketball club is not one of these wonderful, happy things, and is not a reason to laugh. It's a great example of a completely dysfunctional organization.

If the Chicago Bulls were a sitcom, I'd laugh.

But I used to love this franchise. The Bull was one of the most recognizable and most respected sports icons in the world, possibly behind only Manchester United and the 'NY' of the Yankees insignia.

Now it's a big steaming pile of cr@p.

by BullsFanInSeattle on Mar 6, 2008 2:22 PM CST up 0 recs

I was more referring to Boylan.

Laughing at himself.

But it's cool. I'm just way way past getting upset about this team, this year.

Tonight for example they'll probably blow CleBron out, give me hope(see: Nuggets, Denver), then stick my head in the toilet and give me another swirly this weekend. Whatevs.

by CrashDavis on Mar 6, 2008 2:29 PM CST up 0 recs

I think it's funny too

by sue369 on Mar 6, 2008 2:18 PM CST up 0 recs

Funny.. but in poor taste

This organization should not draft a young guy 19 years old and then have no intention on being patience, and understand growing pains to allowing him to mature. He still needs lots of encouragement. Tyrus is ok, but I've said he should to be playing in the D-League to remove him from the media and such lofty high expectations of a future day superstardom player.
Let him dominate the D-League daily playing everyday, thus allowing him to mature and grow up without the jam packed UC and ESPN/NBA TV.

Why is this issues so public? Paxson's rein is out of control.

by exult463 on Mar 6, 2008 3:22 PM CST up 0 recs

What a great idea...

... send TT to the D-League where he gets to learn the fundamentals of the game, how not to travel, how to stop fouling every time he's on D, how to turn up for practice etc.

by Vangelis on Mar 6, 2008 5:56 PM CST up 0 recs

Are the Bulls trying to look like a joke?

What team doesn't have a standard policy in place for an unexcused absence from a practice? I would guess, each team probably has a written rule stating an unexcused absence results in a one game suspension and a $5,000 fine.

If you can't reach Tyrus by phone, and you can't reach Tyrus at his home, what about his agent? Talk to us Paxson!

This stretch of games is a complete waste now. I had high hopes to WATCH TYRUS against the best teams in the east in a crucial stretch that is make or break for the Bulls.

The season reaches another new low just when you think it's already hit rock bottom.

The Kids Must Stay In The Picture!!!

by NBA Observer on Mar 6, 2008 12:31 PM CST 0 recs

you put my thoughts into the right words

i was trying to figure out which point i was really driving at. that's exactly it. 2 games seems excessive for one practice so either there's something else going on, or i dunno it is a joke. if it's driving off of noah's suspension, that's even worse as that was a ridiculous precedent to begin with.

i'm so tired of the bulls.

by Jaina on Mar 6, 2008 12:44 PM CST up 0 recs

I've already tired of making excuses for Paxson!

by exult463 on Mar 6, 2008 3:28 PM CST 0 recs

Boylan?

I don't think he is as bone-headed as he often times comes across? One day, he'll make a good comment, and then the next day a bone-headed comment?

He inherited a organization in disarray under Paxson's non-leadership. John Paxson has an uncanny ability to major in minors. (i.e head bans, good guys, non-offensive players, excessive punishments, spending a fortune in media advertising for a face of the franchise for a good player (not great) who doesn't care to speak to the media or be the leader)

by exult463 on Mar 6, 2008 4:07 PM CST 0 recs

I doubt Paxson had much to do...

...w/ the marketing budget, at least direct and intentionally.

Let us prepare for glory! --Michael Redd

by tyger1147 on Mar 6, 2008 4:11 PM CST up 0 recs

WTF, Ty?

by paxson43 on Mar 6, 2008 5:01 PM CST 0 recs

Gail Fisher

of CSN just said from the UC that Tyrus and Boylan had a long talk and cleared the air on many things. TT had not apologized to the coach or the team for the disruption he has caused but plans to.

by sue369 on Mar 6, 2008 5:40 PM CST 0 recs