Great read on Thibodeau - Please give him an interview, Pax.

by Illini15 on Jun 8, 2008 5:03 PM CDT Comment 70 comments

So, where's the Thibodeau hype gone lately? Is there a valid reason why Pax can't wait a little longer to at least get this guy an interview?

Here's a very good read on him, mentioning how he used to work with Kobe before he got to the league.

Bryant's relationship with Thibodeau goes back to the early 1990s, when Bryant was a teenage prodigy and Thibodeau was on John Lucas' staff with the Philadelphia 76ers. During the off-season, Bryant would train with the Sixers and he grew close to Thibodeau, who put in the extra time to work with a high school phenom.

"He has an unfair advantage," Bryant said. "He started drilling me, NBA basketball drills, when I was 14. So he kind of has inside information on what I like to do because he taught me most of the stuff."

The part that stuck out to me the most, though, was the following:

A native of New Britain, Conn., Thibodeau has a reputation for being a tireless worker who pores over hours and hours of game film. Although he is regarded as a defensive specialist - a recent headline in The Boston Globe called him a "mastermind" - Thibodeau has a history of improving the offensive games of several prominent players.

With the Knicks, Thibodeau worked with Larry Johnson, Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell. In Houston, Thibodeau formed such a close bond with Yao Ming that the All-Star center brought him to China for workouts over the summer.

I know many people on here, including myself, were wondering about his offensive prowess; seems to me like he knows what he's doing on that end as well. The fact that he worked with Kobe, and so many guys around the league like JVG speak so highly of him makes him seem to me like he would be a great candidate.

At least give the guy an interview, Pax. The fact that he is apparently leaning towards a guy like Del Negro who has absolutely no coaching experience is pretty absurd in my opinion. If he doesn't at least wait to bring in Thibodeau to see what he brings to the table, I would be extremely let down. I truly think he could be the best option at this point, and who knows, maybe he's been the best option all along.

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I've got it!

Why doesn’t Pax just hire Del Negro to coach the first quarter, Casey for the second, Person for the third and Thibadeau for the fourth. That way he can continue to do what he loves, avoid every single tough decision that comes his way.

by Juiceboxjerry on Jun 8, 2008 5:39 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

While all four

simulatenously groom Pete Myers to be their successor.

by YaoPau on Jun 8, 2008 6:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pete Myers?

It might take more than four then.

by cranscape on Jun 8, 2008 6:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am hoping this is what all the spinning of the wheels has been about

and that after waiting this long we won’t just get some no-name we could have gotten weeks ago. Not that I am against no-names, but if he is that good we should have already hired him. Thibodeau is the only guy left who we legitimately couldn’t have talked with yet. And the bit about the game film study is promising. We need someone who takes the time to correct some of those mistakes we seem to make over and over again. Not to mention apparently being able to make connections to some of the top players. Interesting.

by cranscape on Jun 8, 2008 6:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

He's certainly got my vote.

I’ll be extremely disheartened if he doesn’t even get an interview.

When I watch NBA games I often call the fouls before the referees do. Sometimes it’s a gift. Most of the time it's troublesome. - NBA Observer

by Illini15 on Jun 8, 2008 7:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for that, Ill.

Thibobeau has been my No. 1 since before I could spell his name correctly!

The public wants what the public gets....

by marionette on Jun 8, 2008 6:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Oh, the irony! Heh.

When I watch NBA games I often call the fouls before the referees do. Sometimes it’s a gift. Most of the time it's troublesome. - NBA Observer

by Illini15 on Jun 8, 2008 6:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just

copy and paste. :)

by cranscape on Jun 8, 2008 6:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

and yet it's still not correct:

Thibodeau.

Tyrus Thomas
-"Million dollar talent, ten cent head."

by bulls*hit on Jun 8, 2008 6:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Interviewing Thibodeau is a no-brainer

I was thinking this way on March 8, 2008.

No team wanted to wait until Thibodeau was available. If the finals goes 7 games we should be able to interview him June 20th. We could have a decision a few days later and have a coach hired before the draft. We can still turn this hiring screw-up to our advantage.

by chgobr on Jun 8, 2008 7:08 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Here's another Thibodeau article from Boston.com

Article

Some stellar quotes here…

“Thib has been the best thing that happened to us,” said center Kendrick Perkins.

“I can do what I want defensively. I can relay it to Tom, and then I don’t have to worry about it,” said Rivers.

“You talk about a guy that flies in from a series at 3 in the morning and he’s back here at 7 a.m.,” said Paul Pierce. “He’s one of the hardest-working assistant coaches that I’ve ever been around.”

“You want to hire people as assistants who are better than you,” said Van Gundy. “He’s better.”

“He gave us a system to believe in,” said Pierce. “From Day One, he said, ‘This is how we’re going to guard.’ And once you put in a system, if you get all the guys to believe in it and trust in it, it means everything.
“Whereas in the past when we got young players and we put a system in, we didn’t always get it, we trusted in Tom’s system from Day One and we all committed to him.”

“I think he’s gotten a lot of credit this year because of how good the team is.” said Van Gundy. “That overlooks his body of work.
“Whatever team hires him as a head coach, it’s going to be a grand slam for the team and a grand slam for the players.”

Back when D’Antoni was available, I was one of the anti-Thibodeaus because I felt a bigger name would better send the “we’re going for a championship” message. The more I read about Thibodeau, though, the more convinced I am that I was wrong. This guy’s reputation precedes him, and he sounds like a star.

by YaoPau on Jun 8, 2008 8:21 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow

It’s like the whole league is on a mission to get this man a head coaching job. I can see why we wouldn’t bother to interview him :\

by Sports2 on Jun 8, 2008 8:52 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Is Paxson watching the Finals?

Is he seeing the best offensive team in the playoffs getting absolutely horrible looks, long time defensive stiffs like Pierce and Allen turning into big time defenders? Christ, this guy is Pax material hire him.

Rusty Longley v 2.0

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 8, 2008 10:21 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Nah, he's too busy talking with "candidates" who have never coached before.

Priorities, man.

When I watch NBA games I often call the fouls before the referees do. Sometimes it’s a gift. Most of the time it's troublesome. - NBA Observer

by Illini15 on Jun 8, 2008 10:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hopefully the game tonight will change Paxson's mind.

The Celtics are just completely shutting Kobe down, and kicking the shit out of the Lakers. The Bulls are seriously considering hiring Vinny Del Negro, but they won’t even wait a week or two and interview Thibodeau? That’s just amazingly stupid.

by Big D on Jun 8, 2008 10:21 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

What I Don't Get

Why is Pax wasting his time interviewing Z-listers like Del Negro and Mike Dunlap? They should not even be part of the conversation, and they are getting real interviews. I understand that the team wants to be methodical, but this is completely ridiculous. Has any team ever interviewed this many candidates for a head coaching job? If you want to interview Thibodeau, that’s OK, but don’t parade these losers through town in the meantime. This endless run of third tier coaches (or, in the case of Del Nego, non-coaches) makes it obvious that this team has no real plan. So clownish…

by Stay Chisel on Jun 8, 2008 10:53 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Pax is trying to get a read

on how other coaches/teams view the Bulls players. This takes time, man. and to get a representative sample, well, one must interview lots of candidates.

Maybe Pax hasn’t interviewed anyone yet who shares his opinion as to how good the Bulls’ players are.

by hlac on Jun 9, 2008 12:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

With all due respect

I’m not sure it takes this long to figure it out. How many candidates did the Knicks, Bucks and Suns interview? If you are in the NBA business, you should have an idea of who fits your team’s style and personality without having to interview 60 candidates. If he was interviewing legit candidates, I would be a lot more understanding, but that’s not what’s going on here. Guys like Del Negro are real reaches and should not be getting interviews two months into the process. At this point, I expect to see stories about how Keith Booth and Randy Brown are the front-runners.

Paxson’s speed dating approach makes the team look like it’s in complete disarray. Is he looking for a soulmate or a head coach? If he can’t find someone who shares his (grossly overblown) opinion on the Bulls players, he should coach the team himself.

by Stay Chisel on Jun 9, 2008 8:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

All of you people place way too much faith in Paxson.

by Juiceboxjerry on Jun 8, 2008 11:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

salute

goog read man

by Belize on Jun 8, 2008 11:07 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

good*

I think watching Kobe lose, made me giddy

by Belize on Jun 8, 2008 11:08 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

It definately made my day

though I wish he didn’t have those early fouls as a crutch to use for not playing well. Their team simply wasn’t aggressive enough.

If Celtics win in four then Pax gets to interview Thibodeau all the sooner, right?

by cranscape on Jun 8, 2008 11:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If Celtics get calls like that in the 1st half I'll be shocked

I fully expect Kobe to get the 2006 Wade treatment at home.

Rusty Longley v 2.0

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 9, 2008 11:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

He should have adjusted his game.

Garnett got into foul trouble in the playoffs multiple times and it wasn’t some huge conspiracy. What I really hate are the commentators who are pretty much saying Kobe shouldn’t get foul calls because people want to see him on the floor. Then Kobe should lay off the fouling. I also expect he will get the Wade-treatment in the future though. And when they still get beat hopefully it will shut people up.

by cranscape on Jun 9, 2008 12:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think what you hate...

is Kobe. ;-)

Dum spiro spero! (While there is life, there’s hope!)--Leon Trotsky

by alec on Jun 9, 2008 12:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am not a big fan

on entitlement. Or Kobe’s finger wag. So yeah, not a fan of Kobe. I like Gasol though and some other players on the Lakers team. And I don’t want to see them have excuses like the free throw issue last night as that would give people reasons to explain why the Celtics beat them. I’d rather everyone was playing well and the Celtics were still beating them. Not really the case last night.

by cranscape on Jun 9, 2008 12:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Um, it wasn't just the 3rd foul on Kobe

When Leon freaking Powe gets more foul calls than the entire opposing team, something is amiss. And I’m not some idiotic Lakers homer, I have no personal interest in who wins, I just want to watch an exciting Finals. And the 1st half was poorly officiated. Is that why LA lost? No, they lost because they are weak up front and Odom and Gasol aren’t asserting themselves enough.

Rusty Longley v 2.0

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 9, 2008 12:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Powe was actually agressive

and attacking the hoop, drawing the fouls. Kobe and the rest of the Lakers were being passive.

by cranscape on Jun 9, 2008 12:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i don’t know much about Thibodeau, but if what the article was right about him working with all these guys and improving their games he at least deserves an interveiw.

by FUTURE12 on Jun 8, 2008 11:55 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

He's been doing this for years now

He helped the Knicks and Rockets become strong defensive teams as well. The fact that he got Ray Allen and Paul Pierce to play team defense alone makes me want to hire this guy.

Rusty Longley v 2.0

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 9, 2008 11:02 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

word on the street is pax might get him to be an assistant

so i guess he would be able to step in after they fire my cousin vinny.

by FUTURE12 on Jun 12, 2008 12:24 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It boggles the mind....

Del Negro has NO coaching experience!! Why is Paxson even wasting his time with this guy? I like Thibodeau but i’d be fine with Casey or Person….just as long as we draft Rose.

by JohnnyKilroy on Jun 9, 2008 12:20 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

What a mistake

Not to interview Thibodeau. Look at all the praise he is getting from those people….One of the best defenders in the NBA is saying he taught him the most stuff. This Del Negro guy better be good! I don’t really have much confidence in Pax though.

by illini23 on Jun 9, 2008 2:07 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Technically

Pax can’t interview him until the playoffs are over. For all we know he will be interviewed the second he can be.

by cranscape on Jun 9, 2008 8:15 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Boston never handcuffed him

I remember in the 1st round there were reports that Thibodeau could be interviewed, and that other teams didn’t need to ask for permission. Maybe he turned down offers to focus on the playoffs, and will take a stronger look after the Finals, but he wasn’t being held back.

Rusty Longley v 2.0

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 9, 2008 11:03 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Didn't help that Boston had to play 20 out of a potential 21 games during the playoffs

We have every right to dream heroic dreams. Those who say that we're in a time when there are no heroes, they just don't know where to look.
Ronald Reagan

by snley on Jun 9, 2008 11:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

but he DID

have a SIX day break after the conference finals…

by Jaina on Jun 9, 2008 11:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Um, you don't think they were slightly busy prepping for the Finals?

If anything, his stock goes up further if they win a title, as most NBA pundits will realize Doc Rivers is an idiot, and someone on that staff has to be coaching.

Rusty Longley v 2.0

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 9, 2008 11:22 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

well i agree

and i’m not even necessarily saying he should have interviewed even with a pretty long break… but i know they were talking about allowing him to interview with a long break. and six days i would say would qualify.

also the fact that now the bulls are in a rush to make an announcement without having interviewed him? even when they had almost a week to take some of his time?

by Jaina on Jun 9, 2008 11:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well the Bulls are known for their incompetency

I dunno, I just want to hire Flip Saunders and be done with it. Next season for me is more important in terms of how good Rose/Beasley can be, and if the rest of the Bulls roster actually decides to give a damn.

Rusty Longley v 2.0

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 9, 2008 11:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

So we have Garnett and Kobe

How many recommendations from league MVPs do you need to even hand the man an damn interview?

by Alighieri on Jun 9, 2008 2:12 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Nice to see all those quotes in the positive, though I still have some concerns

There was a one page box in last week’s SI focusing mostly on Thibodeau and the improved Celtics’ D. While these weren’t glaring issues, they left me wondering on how well this team could respond to Thibodeau.

[Rivers] needed Thibodeau to do the coordinating - and yelling - at the other end of the floor. “There’s days when we want to wring Tom Thibodeau’s neck,” says Garnett. “But he keeps us intact, and the more we saw the results, the more we fell in love with it. [Defense is] our backbone now.”

The Celtics are committed to their basic man-to-man principles, and when a certain approach isn’t working, the staff’s first adjustment is to demand greater effort.

It’s that second quote that gives me the most pause. Thibodeau’s certainly shown he’s great at scheming a defense and the Celtics have defensively dominated the third quarters in the Finals. Still, sounds too much like Skiles popping his head in the gym and saying, “Get better.”

We have every right to dream heroic dreams. Those who say that we're in a time when there are no heroes, they just don't know where to look.
Ronald Reagan

by snley on Jun 9, 2008 8:32 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Meh... It's coach-speak.

It’s a mostly-veteran team that, minus the great Big Ticket, has players that have a reputation for being soft or lacksadasical or uninterested. It could also be a “evidence” that the scheming is so great the most glaring reason it isn’t working is because the players aren’t trying. Okay, that’s a stretch. Or it could be a sign that or evidence that he’s not afraid to call out players for effort. Anyway, just saying he seems a like an engaged X’s & O’s guy—a good combination.

(I understand your fear, of course, just don’t share it concerning this man.)

by tyger1147 on Jun 9, 2008 8:48 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thibodeau! Thibodeau!

If we are going for an assistant coach, at least pick someone in the finals

by JustAnotherFan on Jun 9, 2008 11:54 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Hello Brian Shaw

Rusty Longley v 2.0

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 9, 2008 12:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Obviously they wasted their time by becoming assistant coaches

They should have just practiced their job interview skills instead, and worked on repeating words like “accountability” as often as possible. Apparently that’s more important to this franchise than actual coaching ability.

by Big D on Jun 9, 2008 5:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Word.

Perfectly put!

by smash! on Jun 9, 2008 5:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

...or not :(

When I watch NBA games I often call the fouls before the referees do. Sometimes it’s a gift. Most of the time it's troublesome. - NBA Observer

by Illini15 on Jun 9, 2008 8:53 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Just take this down

So my face doesn’t explode.

Rusty Longley v 2.0

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 9, 2008 9:24 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The true secret to Thibs' defense

You read something like this, and only shake your head wondering how out of the whole NBA blogosphere, FreeDarko’s the one with the book deal. Or is that just me?

management sez: recommend fanposts/fanshots/comments! Click 'reply' when replying to a comment!

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jun 9, 2008 10:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Is that an indictment against FD?

The article smacks of Lakers’ homerism twisted to sound intelligent. I’m not a fan of FD either, it seems for a group of guys who apparently love the NBA they tend to hate a lot of it, or maybe I’m just not cool enough to get their lame hip-hop references and odd google image searches.

Rusty Longley v 2.0

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 9, 2008 10:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think the FB&G post was inspired by homerism

but the somewhat-but-not-really tongue-in-cheek tone sets it from the usually self-indulgent FD.

And I don’t want to get into why I don’t recommend FD, since I very rarely read it. I was more poking fun at the reverence towards that site to pump up that particular post.

management sez: recommend fanposts/fanshots/comments! Click 'reply' when replying to a comment!

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jun 9, 2008 10:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

While FD is extremely self-indulgent

and the whole “let’s post a random picture to show how intellectual we are” shtick is way overplayed, it can be a very enjoyable read from time to time. Maybe that’s just ‘cause I have mancrushes on a lot of the same players that they do…or something. I don’t know. That said, I’m really looking forward to their book that’s coming out.

yeah, if you don't like their over-indulgent wackiness, you're pretty much going to dislike every guy that writes for the site. [/obvious]

I was wondering why you didn’t have them on the blogroll here.

When I watch NBA games I often call the fouls before the referees do. Sometimes it’s a gift. Most of the time it's troublesome. - NBA Observer

by Illini15 on Jun 9, 2008 10:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

not sure wtf just happened with that quote

I tagged something as obvious because I wanted to be tongue-in-cheek with my no-brainer statement, but apparently the format here doesn’t like that?

When I watch NBA games I often call the fouls before the referees do. Sometimes it’s a gift. Most of the time it's troublesome. - NBA Observer

by Illini15 on Jun 9, 2008 10:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think

for some reason when you have a space in front of a new paragraph, it does some wacky quoting.

management sez: recommend fanposts/fanshots/comments! Click 'reply' when replying to a comment!

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jun 9, 2008 11:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

test

here is no space

here is a space

management sez: recommend fanposts/fanshots/comments! Click 'reply' when replying to a comment!

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jun 9, 2008 11:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

well, there you go.

of course, if you all hit the preview button before posting…

management sez: recommend fanposts/fanshots/comments! Click 'reply' when replying to a comment!

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jun 9, 2008 11:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I've still never had a problem.

Go FireFox! Or something similarly nerdy.

by tyger1147 on Jun 10, 2008 8:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

But Safari has faster loading times narf narf!

Rusty Longley v 2.0

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 10, 2008 1:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm sure that book is perfect for the toilet

Rusty Longley v 2.0

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 9, 2008 11:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

re: the book

I will say that I’m intrigued how they’d read with some real editing.

(note to self: look for editor…)

management sez: recommend fanposts/fanshots/comments! Click 'reply' when replying to a comment!

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jun 10, 2008 12:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The FD guys do have a killer mancrush on Tyrus

One that might even rivals yours. Search their blog for “Tyrus.” They love the dude. They wouldn’t stop talking about him during the Heat series.

When I watch NBA games I often call the fouls before the referees do. Sometimes it’s a gift. Most of the time it's troublesome. - NBA Observer

by Illini15 on Jun 10, 2008 10:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Some of them do reside in Chicago

So I would imagine they would witness 1st hand how baller Tyrus is. Plus, they seem to love anyone who has talent, has tattoos, and has some kind of personality quirk. Really, they are good writers (at least to me), and they can capture the NBA in a deep way occasionally. But, all too often their articles read “Wah the Suns aren’t in the Finals, philosophym A Tribe Called Quest mention, random Flickr Photo, NBA games are boring when the Suns aren’t involved.” But, whatever, they aren’t some mainstream publication, it’s a blog aimed at a specific audience, and they’ve been around for a while. I think they’ll survive without my daily page views.

Rusty Longley v 2.0

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 11, 2008 12:19 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

well at least we can be civil and debate the merits of FD

unlike that one time someone dared questioned Bill Simmons…

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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jun 11, 2008 10:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sadly I wasn't around for that

That’s probably the easiest debate in the world. Either you think he’s an arrogant douche with as much writing talent as someone who took AP English in high school, or he’s the voice of millions of sports fans around the world who happen to still watch Karate Kid and Rocky on cable every day.

Rusty Longley v 2.0

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 11, 2008 3:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I see what you did here...

That said, I’m not taking the bait :D

When I watch NBA games I often call the fouls before the referees do. Sometimes it’s a gift. Most of the time it's troublesome. - NBA Observer

by Illini15 on Jun 11, 2008 10:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I most definitely did

Rusty Longley v 2.0

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 11, 2008 10:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I started typing a resonse to your post, but

then I realized I was indirectly taking the bait. Woops.

When I watch NBA games I often call the fouls before the referees do. Sometimes it’s a gift. Most of the time it's troublesome. - NBA Observer

by Illini15 on Jun 11, 2008 11:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Haha truthfully that's not what I think of Simmons

As long as I just stick to his NBA articles (basically 90% of his stuff) and his podcasts I’m fine with him. Plus, I like how he is trying to embrace his inner blogger by talking shit about Rick Reilly and Bob Ryan, starting his secret blog, and sending e-mails to Deadspin. Sometimes I wonder if I’m in the wrong career path.

Rusty Longley v 2.0

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 11, 2008 11:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs