It's always the darkest before the light (or something)
by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 8, 2010 8:14 AM CST
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PrintSaturday night's game just proved that even if the Bulls play well, the opponent matters a lot. Even with three straight home games against teams coming off a game the night before, the Bulls couldn't steal a victory. With the defense suffering after the trades and injuries, the Bulls need some more cupcakes to feast on, and soon.
Unfortunately it won't be until the last dozen games of the year, as Mike McGraw points out:
it’s tough to tell when this skid will end. The Bulls host Utah on Tuesday, then go on the road for four straight at Orlando, Miami, Memphis and Dallas. When that’s over, they host Cleveland, then visit Philadelphia for what will be their fourth game in five nights.
The final 13 games are much more reasonable for the Bulls and that’s around the time Noah will try to return. How much he’ll be able to play is anyone’s guess, of course.
Anyway, the Bulls play eight of their final 13 at home. Except for another date with the Cavs, the home games are reasonable, while the toughest road opponents are Toronto and Charlotte.
Doug Thonus at ChicagoNow figures that the Bulls can be fine if they just beat out the Bobcats, currently only a half game out. Conveniently they play eachother twice down the stretch, and the Bulls would own the tiebreaker by winning both.
This also is convenient for me since I watch so much Bobcats basketball now. The Bulls are not as fun lately, as even when playing well (as like Saturday) they look consistently overmatched. Despite what sports movies tell us, the scrappy underdog isn't really that endearing.
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Its hard to imagine a basketball team playing more flat,
than the Bulls did the other day while D-Rose was on the bench for a 5 min. period. Without him they are unwatchabull right now.
2010 WhiteSox Baseball: "even if it works it's still stupid"
The Bulls are a bad team
Honestly, it’s surprising they were above .500 for a while. Removing BG, Salmons, and Tyrus from the team is a huge downgrade in talent from last year. Losing Noah on top of that ridiculously thins things out. Honestly, this team should not make the playoffs. I’m pretty confident they won’t at this point.
Someone posted this elsewhere, but I think it’s more and more likely the Bulls will get players in FA that are less talented than BG and Tyrus and cost more. Which is sad, cause the Bulls will have junked two seasons, and two years with Rose, for something they already had.
disagree
anyone we get will be better than those two. even Gay or Manu or Joe Johnson better than BG (and i say that even though i love BG’s offensive game), and Boozer, Amare, and Lee are better than TT. i’m not putting these guys as my wish list ahead of Wade, Lebron, or Bosh. they are givens. but even if the Bulls strike out on those three and settle for that second tier, the are still upgrading in talent.
we went out for pizza after the game. -dave wannstedt
by BULLieving in Miami on Mar 8, 2010 10:35 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
I half disagree
I don’t think Manu/JJ are better then BG. They’re older and are gonna command a lot more money. I like Gay but does he fit on the team? He’s a SF can he play SG? We have Deng as our SF. So either Gay plays SG or Deng moves to PF
by Edicus2288i on Mar 8, 2010 10:48 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
thats what i'm saying
Manu might be a push cuz of age and injury history. Johnson is around same age, plus bigger, better defender (not saying he’s a world-stopper). i feel Gay’s game could translate to SG. he’s athletic enough and has a decent perimeter game. plus his length will help in guarding the taller 2s.
we went out for pizza after the game. -dave wannstedt
by BULLieving in Miami on Mar 8, 2010 11:43 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Those two players are way better all around than BG. Joe Johnson can play SF,SG and even PG at times.
And I think that Gay can play the SG position too.
ben gordon has had an injury plagued off year
for the first time ever. next year he will be back kicking rears and taking names, and it will be worth it for the life of his contract which will end when he’s around jj and manu’s ages now.
jj and manu on the other hand are going to get overpaid and their contract will only be worth it for the first 1-2 years and after that they will decline massively, especially taking their position into consideration (guards).
even if manu and joe are all around better than gordon right now, you look at it over a 5-6 year lifespan.
"4 inches, baby!" --ripped off from Kush
by anorexorcist on Mar 8, 2010 12:12 PM CST up reply actions
BG is a one dimensional player Period, great shooter but thats it. I can't see him be anything else at this point
Joe and Manu are NOT one dimensional. Joe can play 3 positions and he can do anything BG can do and more and is an underrated player. Manu is a legit starter playing on the bench. Both have an all-around game which is MILES better than Bg’s one dimensional game.
I like BG but to say that he is better than Manu and JJ is just so wrong. BG is what he is “a one dimensional shooter who can hit clutch shots given the chance.” Which is awesome and all but he is NOT better than Joe or Manu now and he’s never going to be as versitaile or as good as Joe.
Well, that's great
Manu Ginobli is yay injuries, and Joe Johnson is going to have one more year before falling off a similarly precipitous cliff.
BG is better than them if you take into account that you want talent to put around a young emerging superstar.
Go Rockets/Nets[CDR]/Bucks[Jennings]!
by Prevenge on Mar 8, 2010 5:43 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
BG is better than them if you take into account that you want talent to put around a young emerging superstar.
that would make sense. But he isnt comming back I like BG
Regardless all that Manu and Joe is way better all-around than BG will ever be. But BG is more clutch than them I will give him that.
I wouldn't.
Really? BG is more clutch than Manu? No. Nooooo.
But he’s good, and he’s 5 years-ish younger than Manu and 2 years-ish younger than JJ, and he definitely costs less than JJ. [Manu, now, probably not, because of all the injuries. Which is a good reason for him to be on the bench so much.]
Go Rockets/Nets[CDR]/Bucks[Jennings]!
Have you looked at BG's stats with the pistons?
he’s horrible. yeah, prob not getting a lot of minutes, but just horrible play
by The90sBullsRevival on Mar 8, 2010 12:11 PM CST up reply actions
the same could be said
for rose’s stats at the beginning of the year. if you just looked at the box score you could say “just horrible play” as well.
oh wait, he was injured. oh wait, gordon’s injured too!!!
no one talks about how good gordon was in the first month of the year before he went down, and how he was putting up 24 ppg and the pistons were hanging in there, around .500.
if this continues next year, then yes it will be truly horrible. but the dude is not 100% and thats probably why they only play him 10-15 min a night.
"4 inches, baby!" --ripped off from Kush
by anorexorcist on Mar 8, 2010 12:15 PM CST up reply actions
i dont like gay at the 2
he’s not a good enough ball-handler, shooter, or creator off the dribble. the guy’s a natural 3, no sense trying to hammer a square peg into a round hole by making him a 2.
also saying johnson and gordon are “around the same age” is a bit of stretch; johnson is basically 2 years older than him (johnson was born in june 81, gordon april 83)
http://ExtendtheGame.blogspot.com
I agree, Manu's age and injury history are the only negatives with him.
His PER is higher than Johnson’s or Gordon’s, and he’s the best defender of th2 3.
Brad Miller is god.
Manu doesn't make more than BG right now
and he certainly won’t command more after this season. I think you point applies to JJ though. He’s better than BG but is he $6 million a year better? I don’t think so. I certainly don’t think having JJ would be better than just having BG and Tyrus for the future.
Joakim on whether he ever tried tennis: "I played a little bit. If anybody on the Bulls wanted to play me, I would kick their ass."
I agree.
Because I made the Fanpost. Part of me right now would love to see what a team composed of BG & Tyrus and a non expiring contract bench would look like. They could be 4th or even 3rd in the East. But that would make me hypocritical because I was on board with the ALL IN 2010 plan for LeBron/Wade/Bosh.
Maybe the Bulls put too much faith into Luol Deng and Kirk Hinirch. Lets be honest a playoff run depends on what even they can bring to the table. They are the captains by the way. Or the most paid.
I don't know about that...
That team went 41-41 last season…and the team defense is dramatically improved this season…
But for the sake of discussion, assuming you are correct, that it would 3rd or 4th in the East, is that type of mediocrity worth the chance at pursuing two of the best players in the game? Is it worth being an above average team for Rose’s prime to have those guys on the team? Or is it better to have a shot a difference makes of the caliber or Lebron, Wade or Bosh? I will take the latter at this point, because I want this team to win a championship, and one of these pieces brings the Bulls closer than keeping BG, Tyrus, etc…
I stand by my prediction, there will only be one or two players remaining from the team Derrick Rose was drafted to when Rose signs his extension. Don’t get attached to any of these players not named Rose…
Thomas, Miller, Salmons, James, Pargo, Gray, MLE, and (there is no LLE thanks to the Pargo signing) will not be here with a Max Free Agent...don't get too attached.
And three of those not on the team will be All Star caliber players.
Just because you and the Bulls are both foolish doesn’t mean it’s right.
Also, i didn’t know ATL was “mediocre”. A .650 win percentage with a starting age of 24 is oooohhhh sooo mediocre.
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
Huh?
Which three All-Star caliber players will not be on the team?
The jury is still out on Atlanta…they are playing very good basketball this season, and the pick-up of Crawford has been huge…it seems they are under the radar in the talk of the finals, which could be a good thing…or, they could be heading for yet another second round playoff exit…
Thomas, Miller, Salmons, James, Pargo, Gray, MLE, and (there is no LLE thanks to the Pargo signing) will not be here with a Max Free Agent...don't get too attached.
umm
Don’t get attached to any of these players not named Rose…
Trust me I don’t. I dog Hinirch & Deng to the point that I probably have a mental health issue from it.
I’m still for the ALL IN 2010 plan because it’s pretty much the only way out of NBA hell. I was just saying if they fail to land a big fish then it’s always easier to think of what that team could have accomplished. I’m not saying they would have gotten to the ECF at all. I’m saying they would have made for exciting playoff series.
They could've always used those pieces
in a sign and trade. Also, it’s not really accurate to say that team was 41-41 since the team that we would have started with this season included Fish and Miller who were added at the trade deadline. l like the idea of going for one of the top guys and all, but so much is being left to chance here that I can’t stand it. I just hope it works out.
Joakim on whether he ever tried tennis: "I played a little bit. If anybody on the Bulls wanted to play me, I would kick their ass."
Sign and trades are much easier said than done
See yaopau’s post on the subject if you haven’t already.
Brad Miller is god.
Gasol was under contract and had no choice...
Regarding which team he would join and his salary was already set…sign and trades are much different (see Yao’s post)
Thomas, Miller, Salmons, James, Pargo, Gray, MLE, and (there is no LLE thanks to the Pargo signing) will not be here with a Max Free Agent...don't get too attached.
I read it
and I never said it was easier just that it’s another way they could’ve gone with their assets.
Joakim on whether he ever tried tennis: "I played a little bit. If anybody on the Bulls wanted to play me, I would kick their ass."
On what basis?
I think it’s more and more likely the Bulls will get players in FA that are less talented than BG and Tyrus and cost more
Who are the Bulls going to pay more than $11M per season that would be a worse player than Ben Gordon? While Tyrus’ salary is not yet set, let’s assume he gets a full MLE from team, who are the Bulls going to pay more than full MLE that will be worse than Tyrus?
Thomas, Miller, Salmons, James, Pargo, Gray, MLE, and (there is no LLE thanks to the Pargo signing) will not be here with a Max Free Agent...don't get too attached.
nobody
because they won’t pay anyone.
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
I think it's a decent argument if spun differently
I could see Gordon being more valuable per his contract compared to JJ or Manu. Tyrus better per his contract than Amare or Boozer. But we weren’t going to win a title with a Rose-Gordon-Deng-Tyrus-Noah lineup, so the Bulls decided to take a risk, and good for them. If they fail and end up with a bunch of grade B and C free agents, that’s not the point. Unless Reinsdorf is an even bigger ass than he’s been, in which case it is the point.
but it's not a risk
since they are actually lowering payroll while staying average enough to keep the revenue up.
I agree that ‘value’ is less important as production, but only if they eventually pay the tax can they afford several overpaid players. They already have 2.
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 8, 2010 1:57 PM CST up reply actions
The risk is that they won't be
the perennial 50ish win team they would’ve been by just keeping everybody. And I think there’s some financial risk too. Keep Gordon and Tyrus and I’d guess they’d continue their sellout streak, and they might not have had to pay VDN to sit at home next year.
How is that team below guaranteed 50-ish wins?
It’s 24 years old! Who peaks at that age?
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
Team below?
You don’t think Rose-Gordon-Deng-Tyrus-Noah, with Hinrich, Salmons and Taj off the bench would win 50 games in 2010-2011? We were on pace for 45 just before the deadline with our current team. Maybe it’s not a guarantee but I’d expect 50.
I meant ho they are guaranteed to stay at 50?
I agree, they’d be around there this year or next at the latest. And average ~ 25 years of age. I don’t think they’d be stuck at 50 wins.
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
Do teams just get better because players get older?
The Bulls tried that one before in ‘07-’08, the team got older, but the record got worse…
Thomas, Miller, Salmons, James, Pargo, Gray, MLE, and (there is no LLE thanks to the Pargo signing) will not be here with a Max Free Agent...don't get too attached.
Yeah, um... they're players that got "older" were:
A) a guy who really stinks but they stick with nonetheless
B) a guy got older from 21 to 24 – hardly at his peak
C) a guy who got older from 19 to 22, ditto
the guys this time would have been
A) a star in the making, reaching age 23
B) a guy going from 26-29, his peak years
C) a guy going from 24 – 27, reaching his peak
D) a guy going from 22-25, still under his peak
E) a guy 24-27
I know you’re just playing the devil’s advocate because you’re not that dense.
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
Is 50-ish wins really the goal?
In 2005, we won 47 games (after starting the season out 0-9, so if they have any kind of normal start, we’d have at least 50-55 wins that year. but 47 is still “50-ish”). In 2007, we won 49 (another 50-ish win team). The results of those 2 teams in the playoffs? A first round loss to the Wizards and a second round loss to the Pistons.
I’m all for a fun season full of wins. But if they Bulls have a chance to have a fun season full of wins that results in a championship, they need to at least attempt.
Why aren't they selling Rose's all star jersey?
yes, it is
50-ish wins with a team at an average age of 24.1. Yeah, I think that would be a great goal. Most players get better at least a little better from that point on.
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
Not that anyone can read the future, but I admit to not understanding the...
…“We were never going to win a championship with a team that has a starting lineup average age of 23.6 years old and just won 45 games”* argument. Granted they blew chunks on James Johnson, but if they have this team:
Rose – Lawson
Gordon – Anderson/Henry/Warren/Bradley
Deng
Thomas – Gibson
Noah – Asik
Average age next season, 2010-2011: 24 years old
I don’t get how, prior to this season, you write that entire team off as having any championship aspirations. I really, really, really don’t.
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
I know it's not a great tool...
…but if anyone has their hands on the SCHOENE projections (of course they don’t, why would they?), tell me what that team’s win total is in 2012-2013, when the average age is 27.
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
What team won 45 games?
While you don’t understand the argument "We were never going to win a championship with a team that has a starting lineup average age of 23.6 years old and just won 45 games", you have done nothing to refute the argument.
Provide an example of a team that won a championship because it’s players got older. I doubt that you can, because even really good teams have to trade players/make moves to get better (See Atlanta, trading for Bibby and Crawford).
Thomas, Miller, Salmons, James, Pargo, Gray, MLE, and (there is no LLE thanks to the Pargo signing) will not be here with a Max Free Agent...don't get too attached.
Yes, teams have get other players to get better.
Provide an example of a team signing a superstar outright and winning a championship. The Lakers, who were lucky enough to get one of the most dominant C in the history of the game… who else?
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
Except we have a chance to outright sign...
One of the best SFs in the history of the game, one of the best SGs in the history of the game, or one of the best PFs in the history of the game. And that lakers team won 3 championships. The Kobe-shaq pairing is actually the closest historical comparison to what we’d have with rose-bosh in terms of how the players were acquired and how good they are. As for other examples, I can’t think of a team that won it all because of a free agency signing, but the suns instantly became a contender after signing nash. But other than that, I can’t find too many examples, but that’s mainly because the 2010 class is unprecedented in terms of talent.
Brad Miller is god.
You don't think the Bulls at full strength this year were a 45-win team?
When they had Thomas and Noah both healthy? I thought you were the eternal optimist.
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
You said...
"We were never going to win a championship with a team that has a starting lineup average age of 23.6 years old and just won 45 games"
You used the past tense, saying that the team had already won that number of games in a season, which the Bulls have not done since ‘80-’81.
I believe at one point this season, the Bulls were on pace to win 45 games; and if Noah were still healthy, they could very well still be on that pace…but, sadly, they are not.
Thomas, Miller, Salmons, James, Pargo, Gray, MLE, and (there is no LLE thanks to the Pargo signing) will not be here with a Max Free Agent...don't get too attached.
right, and the starting age at the end of this year would have been 23.6
I used the past tense as if talking from this summer of 2010
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
The Spurs.
Robinson, Duncan, Ginobili, Parker were all drafted. Rose and Jackson were brought in in their second years. Six of their top 7 minute getters in that first year were drafted by the Spurs. That’s hardly a complete re-shuffling of the deck that you advocate.
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
So you're advocating that we try to get really lucky and draft two all-stars in the bottom of the 1s round or in the 2nd round?
Because that’s how the spurs got Parker and Manu
Brad Miller is god.
The Spurs won their first title before the arrival of Ginobilli and Parker...
Adding talent through the draft to a championship team does not prove the team won a championship because its players got older…
Thomas, Miller, Salmons, James, Pargo, Gray, MLE, and (there is no LLE thanks to the Pargo signing) will not be here with a Max Free Agent...don't get too attached.
Now you're just being an idiot.
Your contention is that players don’t get better by getting older. Got it.
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
Resorts to name calling because his argument is weak...
That sounds about right for Tyger…
Thomas, Miller, Salmons, James, Pargo, Gray, MLE, and (there is no LLE thanks to the Pargo signing) will not be here with a Max Free Agent...don't get too attached.
We lost a couple of games. We're at .500
Why are we suddenly not going to get the free agents we want? What changed? Have all the preferred FA’s issued statements I haven’t seen? I don’t get how people are now trying to decide what “last resort” FA to target all of the sudden. Even if we were to miss the playoffs (way too early too make this assumption) why does this mean next season is a wash as well? Who knows…we could still end up taking the 5th seed. Does that mean we’re any more likely to sign who we want to sign? It’s all in your mind.
hard pail lunch hat
who are you talking to?
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 8, 2010 11:34 AM CST up reply actions
Not a specific reply.
But bascially to the several people running around with the idea (having arrived at the conclusion based on the last 4 games) that we’re now less likely to land a desired free agent, when nothing whatsoever has changed. Our dollars are still green. People want to decry trading Salmons and TT but conveniently forget that we’ve been playing without our best defender. Oh well, why bother attempting to critique anyone’s mentality…if people are in the mood for gloom and doom and are more comfortable ruminating on losing than on the possibility of succeeding this year or next, fine. I guess my post would be more relevant if I’d said something about hating “Vinny Del Fuckhole”.
hard pail lunch hat
huh?
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 8, 2010 1:09 PM CST up reply actions
(I tried a better reponse for a couple minutes but really couldn't think of a worthy response to...whatever that was)
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 8, 2010 1:09 PM CST up reply actions
I honestly didn't know what the fuck you were talking about
we should ‘be positive’….for the sake of it, I guess. Since you’re acknowledging the team is no good now but it doesn’t matter if they’re good or not.
That’s fine, go the fuck away then and let us talk about the team, even if it’s, my word, critical.
If you had a specific response to over-gloom then that’d be one thing. This original post didn’t even reference the offseason.
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 8, 2010 1:19 PM CST up reply actions
Over-gloom?
I’m just trying to be honest. This month looks awful for a team thats playing awful against playoffs teams. Sorry I’m not mr sunshine gents! =)
actually I was mistaken
you even said “If it does in fact effect the 2010 plan ( I don’t think it does)”.
So, again, I think headphony just wanted to bring that sunshine in our lives, at the expense of imaginary hatorzzzzz
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 8, 2010 1:54 PM CST up reply actions
So what if the OP didn’t ref the off-season? There’s not a single thread here that’s not in some way about 2010. I point out that there’s no need to panic about landing whatever FA we want to go after next year because money is still money and .500 isn’t bad, and you’re saying “go the fuck away” because that’s not a critical enough stance?
hard pail lunch hat
maybe just poor communication (on your part, of course).
Since I somewhat agree with ‘playoffs’ being arbitrary. You can still go away until July if you think nothing is worth discussing until then, though.
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 8, 2010 1:31 PM CST up reply actions
"It's all in your mind"
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 8, 2010 1:36 PM CST up reply actions
and yours wasn't?
listen, if your main crux of conversation for a few months is ‘why pout, nothing matters until July’, then yes I do think my opinion is superior to yours.
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 8, 2010 1:48 PM CST up reply actions
No, the main crux was:
Why pout and assume we’re fucked out of getting an FA next season when:
A. There are plenty of games left this season.
B. As it stands, we’re still in playoff contention.
C. For all anyone knows, we could end up 5th seed.
D. Even if we didn’t make the playoffs, that doesn’t necessarily hurt our chances at getting an FA. There are worse teams contending for max contract players.
hard pail lunch hat
ok, I hope your imaginary targets got that message.
though I’d contest point C. “For all anyone knows”? what the hell does that mean? You do realize that fandom has no actual effect on the games, right?
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 8, 2010 1:59 PM CST up reply actions
It means the season isn't over yet,
and we’re not that far out. How is a specific reply to your mischaracterization of the crux of my argument addressing any “imaginary targets”?
Care to comment on A, B, or D?
hard pail lunch hat
only smugly.
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 8, 2010 2:14 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs
He doesn't like sunshine and he doesn't like over-gloom.
He wants to be like planet Earth kinda in just the right spot to harbor life.
It's not doom and gloom.
It’s being realistic. The Bulls aren’t as good a team without Noah. They have lost 4 in a row. Nobody knows when Noah will be back. There are no guarantees they will win when he gets back. The Bulls are basing a big part of landing a 2010 on having a ‘great core’ and if that great core can’t make the playoffs people notice. Then they don’t look so great. Image is everything. Look what that ‘EPIC’ playoff series did for them.
I think he's saying, in order to 'be positive'
we should all unplug our keyboards until July. I’ll stay in the basement and watch the basketball instead, sorry headphony.
Basically, if you tell me to ‘be positive’ or ‘be less negative’, or to simply have a mindset instead of an opinion, I’ll likely dismiss you as stupid.
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 8, 2010 1:16 PM CST up reply actions
Yeah, cause I'm essentially saying "turn that frown upside down"
The only point I’m making is that there’s no basis for thinking our chances of landing a max FA have changed. That’s realism.
hard pail lunch hat
even if it doesn't matter, it also doesn't hurt as a recruiting tool to make the playoffs
Plus, despite headphony’s enlightened worldview, some of us chumps want to get enjoyment from watching the team the next couple months, so it’s nice to have a goal.
So I don’t think it was a bit ‘push’ in the first place, it’s still the east, you have to try and be out of contention. The only wild card is if they passed up on a chance to deal Hinrich to help with that ‘push’, which would be significant in terms of how they valued this season.
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 8, 2010 1:25 PM CST up reply actions
I would argue that last season playoffs could be used as a recruiting tool..
regardless of what happens this season. The Bulls will try to sell it even though most of those key players are gone.
the Bulls can sell it, but it likely doesn't matter
again, though, making the playoffs surely can’t hurt.
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 8, 2010 1:32 PM CST up reply actions
I agree.
I’m pretty sure those players know who is who and what is what but yeah it could only help the Bulls sales pitch which is based on MONEY, city, core.
Because teams try to win games.
Even the Nets try to win games. Even if Lebron, Wade, Bosh, etc. publicly declared that they’ll never, ever in a million years play for the Bulls, does that mean we wouldn’t be pushing for the playoffs?
hard pail lunch hat
Gotcha, see ya then.
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 8, 2010 1:21 PM CST up reply actions
You were clearly one of those kids
that asked a lot of questions in school.
by LoveForTheGame on Mar 8, 2010 11:57 AM CST up reply actions
it gives people something to get nervous about
i keep telling people that after we cleared cap space for this summer, the season became a wash. even if we make the playoffs, the season doesn’t matter. pargo isn’t coming back, miller isn’t coming back; warrick isn’t coming back, murray isn’t coming back, and we’ve already given away gordon for free. half the team is gone. why would FAs even look at any success from this team and take it seriously, knowing that it will be different one way or another?
all hype. the season would be boring in a “just wait for 2010” goal so someone created this “need to well this year!” narrative to get people jumpy, nervous, and interested in the games right now.
"4 inches, baby!" --ripped off from Kush
by anorexorcist on Mar 8, 2010 12:18 PM CST up reply actions
I think most correctly figured this season as treading water at most.
they need to ‘do well’ and not look like the Nets or Knicks, but I agree that making the playoffs is looking like pretty arbitrary benchmark at this point. Rose plays well and Noah comes back, whatever ‘core’ they have is still there. Granted, this would’ve likely also been the case if they dealt Hinrich away, so here’s hoping he was kept for this season’s success.
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 8, 2010 1:13 PM CST up reply actions
Yeah, but it'd still be fun to watch them in the playoffs
Even if the best we could hope for is to win 2 games out of 6, those 2 wins would be pretty entertaining.
Brad Miller is god.
What if those are the best players the Bulls can get?
pargo isn’t coming back, miller isn’t coming back; warrick isn’t coming back, murray isn’t coming back
We miss you, Tyrus Thomas and Ben Gordon!
by Granny Waiters on Mar 8, 2010 6:06 PM CST up reply actions
Looking at the schedule, I think we're going to have a nice 10-game losing streak
Thrusting toward the playoffs, one game at a time.
followed by a possible 10 game win streak when noah returns ;)
Practice beats talent when talent doesn't practice.
by iamsasquatch on Mar 8, 2010 12:29 PM CST up reply actions
A man can dream, though.
A man can dream.
"Where are the FUCKING TWINKIES?"
by Dash2112 on Mar 8, 2010 1:12 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
haha i like it dash
but seriously souleater…..
Coming up we have: Uta, @Orl, @Mia, @Mem, @Dal, Cle. let’s say we win just one of those for a 1-5 record
but after that noah comes back and we have: @Phi, Hou, Mia, NJ, @Det, Pho, @Was, Cha, Mil, Cle, @NJ. I say we go 8-3 in that stretch.
…..and we will be one game above .500 going into the final 3 games of the season
Practice beats talent when talent doesn't practice.
Oh I'm not saying they can't make the playoffs.
If they could just attempt to play some solid team defense and rebound and get some contributions from their team captains then the playoffs are a lock in the East. But I need them to at least try and make an effort to play defense and so far they haven’t.
You might be right and Noah sparks a win streak but I just wanna see more team effort defensively before I feel comfortable saying thats even possibility. I need signs to jump on that ship.
You're forgetting a major factor
The Bulls can’t lose 10 games straight. They’re too average to do so. They’ll have to win 1 or 2 through that stretch. For the sake of the fan that needs to overvalue those wins.
by Option27 on Mar 8, 2010 2:39 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
had nothing to do with anything
unless it was some random unconscious brain association
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 8, 2010 2:56 PM CST up reply actions
Thats not even the quote my bad!
The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you’the dawn is coming
The darkest before dawn quote didn't originate in Dark Knight
It’s an old proverb that’s been around for quite a while.
Brad Miller is god.
I realize that.
I was just thinking there was an Oscar tie in. But it wasn’t even the quote so… lets just for get this happened.
not that his presence
would’ve even made a difference tomorrow…but looks like Lu has “flu-like” symptoms now…
BKA – I drank too much at the club the night before
If Luol can't go tomorrow, do you think Vinny will give JJ some extended minutes at the 3?
Or will he once again rely on that heady, steady veteran, the great Flip Murray?
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 Mar 8, 2010 4:33 PM CST up reply actions
Flip has looked like
hot garbage the last several games…while JJ still isn’t playing great, he’s been looking a lot less like a chicken with his head cut off. I was actually surprised he didn’t get any burn in the 2nd half of the last game. Who are they playing at the 3, Korver? Might not be a bad time to check JJ out…they’re gonna lose anyway right?
JJ at least seems to get it offensively for the Bulls.
When Derrick needs a spell he needs to attack the basket. Why Deng and Hinirch don’t drive to the hole more is a head scratcher. They all wanna shoot 20 footers. There is nobody under to rebound and they must try to attack. I hate to sound like Vinny but you can’t just have Derrick being the only guy with balls enough to drive to the hoop and make plays.
JJ is starting to figure that out.
Hinrich can't finish
let alone absorb contact and finish. Heck, he’s pretty much allergic to contact.
by Stacey_Is_King on Mar 8, 2010 8:52 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
It's been time to check JJ out
I don’t know why Vinny wouldn’t put him back in. Same thing with the Atlanta game.
Joakim on whether he ever tried tennis: "I played a little bit. If anybody on the Bulls wanted to play me, I would kick their ass."
c'mon son
either way (Lu in or out), Bulls lose in my opinion. The way they’re playing you think they win?
They scored 115 points on Saturday, anything is posssssssssssssssibleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Taj Gibson is the face of Bulls basketball!
by Trey23 on Jan 5, 2010 6:31 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
by Ozzie Montana on Mar 8, 2010 8:25 PM CST up reply actions
I think it's one of the couple I could see them pulling out
Not that I think they’ll win but my logic on this team thinks they’re able to win 2 outta the 10 during this stretch so with that being said, this looks like one of the best chances.
And Lu is a MAJOR factor in this teams chances to win
Everyone's started doing it
Brandon Jennings did it when he started getting hot from 3, master shooter that he is with the shooting percentage that keeps getting inexplicably worse.
Go Rockets/Nets[CDR]/Bucks[Jennings]!
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