Head Saboteur

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 15, 2008 1:20 PM CDT in News Comment 70 comments

The Bulls trumped their 2nd half collapse against Washington a couple weeks ago by doing the same in only one quarter. An 18 point lead, just gone. They gave up 40 points in the quarter.

Boylan's miffed, of course:

Giving up 40 points in the fourth quarter at home is unacceptable, We need to address that. We haven't been successful playing with the lead all season. We've given up quite a few leads, and obviously it cost us...Once it was sliding downhill, it seemed there was no way to stop it.

And this is the topper:

For us, it seems to be that we have success and a formula that we are using, and suddenly we get away from it.

Hey Jimmy: just like against Washington, you went away from it, you ass (and like after that Washington game I'll resort to name-calling).

The same exact thing happened: Bulls big a huge lead, and inexplicably decide that 'normal' frontcourts are out of season. So it's Gooden/Noc, and Gooden/Deng for the rest of the game.

That's it. That's the game.

Boylan has no shotblocking and deficient rebounding, and wonders how they gave up 40 points. I'm sure he's determined it's something effort-based.

I mean, holy crap, Noah didn't play the last 15 minutes of the game, and Tyrus (who was awful on offense but was protecting the rim) the last 9. He had Gooden at center, and Nocioni or Deng at power forward. THE WHOLE TIME THE LEAD WAS FALLING APART.

I can't believe how demoralizing this one was. It's such a big difference in mindset going the rest of the way knowing that the coach is sabotaging the team, and they have no shot at the 7th seed.

Usually I can come up with some reason to trick myself into caring...but after that Washington loss it was confirmed that Boylan's a joke and I should've just stuck to that. This team's going to get rolled in a playoff series with him at the helm, so maybe missing the playoffs is worth it just so I don't have to even read speculation that he may be retained.

What a waste.

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Could it really happen?

I mean, I know the possible reasons that Paxson could use to retain Boylan if he wanted to.

But anyone could see that he has "coached" us right out of a handful of games in his short tenure, right?

That much is obvious, isn't it? I can honestly say that he seems able to less with more than any coach I can remember.

That said, why do I have the sinking feeling that the writing is not on the wall to get this worthless fuck out of here?

Boylan I hate, but as I write this I realize it is a real indictment of Paxson that I am not confident he will replace this ass-clown.

Get Yo Self A Handful

by MarketMaker on Mar 15, 2008 1:40 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

So glad I didn't watch the game

I didn't even want to know how this team self-destructed this time. I'll assume it was another dose of never playing Noah or Thomas in crunch time, wayyyy too much Nocioni, and disappearing acts by BG and Deng, coupled with off-balance shit at the end of the game.

Dickey Simpkins>Ben Wallace

by Ozzie Montana on Mar 15, 2008 1:49 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

sadly enough

you basically hit the nail on the head.

by Jaina on Mar 15, 2008 1:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sadly enough

This is why this team sucks monkey butt.

Dickey Simpkins>Ben Wallace

by Ozzie Montana on Mar 15, 2008 2:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

pretty much

Except that Gordon barely played enough to perform his usual disappearing act.

And don't forget about giving Gooden and Hughes 35+ minutes.

by potato0328 on Mar 15, 2008 3:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh jeez. I didn't realize

that it was that obvious.

"Hey, everyone, thanks for working hard in practice and being there from the beginning, but now that we have two new starters, I'm going to award them all of the minutes."

How can he not expect a mutiny after that BS?

"Duhon, don't make that garbage-time jumper... Save it for the next game!"

by bullhockey on Mar 17, 2008 1:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

What made this game so difficult for me to

tolerate was the Bulls were playing well. NBA teams make runs. Because our problem was not effort it was easier to see how out-coached we were. It is not just that Boylan didn't match-up well the last quarter, but what was glaring to me was how ill-prepared we were when Philly was making the run. Boylan didn't have any contingency plan for dealing with adversity or duress during a game. Most games there is a time of adversity that you need to handle. We've seen this over and over. When a team has found a weakness they can exploit us until we are toast. No adjustments, no plan no win. Lou Williams was killing us inside. Where is Noah and TT. So TT wasn't making jump shots. He had two blocks and could have stopped their momentum before it was too late.

I am confident in Paxson that we will have a new coach. Risking Matt's ire since I've posted this multiple times, I think we need to play on our teams strength which is defense and get a coach that has the passion and ability for a shut-down defense. This team, despite having players that are capable of good defense and like playing defense cannot get a stop when we need it. We are unlikely to get a super-star that can save us at end of games. Let's get a coach to develop the capacity to shut teams down when we need a stop.

225 days until opening night.

by chgobr on Mar 15, 2008 2:09 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Defense is not this team's strength.

Why was this team so good defensively?

Good defense starts inside. Our first winning year we had Chandler and AD, who was still a heck of a defender.

Our second year, despite his awfulness, Chandler was still very functional defensively. Look up the per minute stats... he was a rebounding fool. He fouled a lot because he had to take over the jobs AD and Curry had done before and he wasn't ready for it. But still, control the paint, get your rebounds, and you're well on the way to good defense

Last year, of course, we added a still effective Wallace and Brown. Both good defensive big men.

This year, Gooden is not what I'd call a strong defender. Tyrus isn't either, but he gets plenty of rebounds and potentially could be. Noah is a rookie and rookie bigs are never good defenders, although I like him to be Chandler-like in the longer run (with much better hands and worse athleticism).

Noc is a good help defender but sucks positionally. Hinrich is solid but his value seems to be in his utility. He's not ever been what I'd consider a lock down defender, and he looks positively glacial this year. I hope he gets it back, but at the moment I actually prefer him guarding bigger but slightly slower 2 guards than smaller but very fast points. They scorch him.

Gordon, Hughes and Deng all are below average man defenders. Hughes looks good when his habitual gambling problem pays off.

Duhon was very often a solid defender, but he's not comming back, obviously.

My Blog (Econ/Politics/Sports/NBA Salary Info)

by Sports2 on Mar 15, 2008 7:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agree not presently - my point is to change this

We need a coach with a history of success implementing defensive systems, passionate about defense and can convince players to buy into his system. The goal is to convert our players talent into a shut-down team defense system.

by chgobr on Mar 15, 2008 9:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

They need somebody like...

...Scott Skiles?

by EdNealy on Mar 16, 2008 12:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If

If you could somehow create a coach who could put a defense together like Skiles but could also put together an offense that was more willing to push the tempo and run a bit to take advantage of being the youngest team in the league with athletic big men like TT and Noah...we might have a deal. Does a coach like that exist?

talkbulls.com

by balta1701 on Mar 16, 2008 6:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Scott Skiles had the Bulls running

Chris Duhon, Ben Wallace, P.J. Brown, Malik Allen, and Adrian Griffin just couldn't put the round thing through the hole.

Fire Boylan!

by hscs on Mar 16, 2008 9:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Time to make of Boylan a Bligh

The Chicago players really need to intervene on behalf of all rational parties and start drafting the line-ups and rotations; I am utterly confident that (even partially) college-educated players like Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, Noah, Thomas could coach this team in the fourth quarter better than Jim Boylan.

Hell, Nocioni probably even knew he was playing out-of-position in a bad fourth-quarter line-up; maybe, unlike Boylan, he would sub himself out for Thomas when the Bulls can't defend the rim or rebound to save their playoff lives.

by jpx7 on Mar 15, 2008 2:52 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Ever heard that Libertines song . .

"What a Waster"?

That is officially the theme song to this season

by Option27 on Mar 15, 2008 3:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Seriously

Paxson should say f*ck it, fire Boylan and coach the rest of the way. At least it would send the message that Paxson does not tolerate losing. Yes, it would be an indictment of Paxson for placing Boylan in that role in the first place, but everyone makes mistakes. I would certainly have a lot more respect for Pax if he just said that he erred and wanted to work hard himself to make it right.

Allowing Boylan to stay on will cause long term damage as it shows that the organization does not care about winning. Why should I play hard if incompetence is rewarded?

by Stay Chisel on Mar 15, 2008 3:21 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Actually, Pete Myers should get a shot

And if he's not kept on, just let him be an assistant again.

BAB Tyrus Love-Meter -- 7 - Unhealthily making excuses for missing practice

by cubbybear on Mar 15, 2008 6:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Paxson should coach

You know, one of the things that ticked me off in his recent interviews was Paxson saying he's not going to stick his head in the locker room.

I understand what he was getting at with that comment, but he needs to understand the circumstances.

Boylan is a disaster and has to be threatening the long-term development of our guys. Or their mental health. Hell, the mental health of half the city.
Paxson needs every bit of insight he can possibly gather to sort this mess out. This summer will be full of crucial decisions and it makes sense to get the best possible read he can on things. To do that, he ought to get as close to the situation as he can.

My Blog (Econ/Politics/Sports/NBA Salary Info)

by Sports2 on Mar 15, 2008 7:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pax in the locker room

Paxson doesn't have to be in the locker room to get Boylan to undertstand what it means to trade players so the kids can play. He can repeat it over and over on team flights, practices, pregame, blah.

Paxson's Bulls roster was dismantled by Louis Williams and Rodney Carney, two players that hardly played the last 2 seasons.

The Kids Must Stay In The Picture!!!

by NBA Observer on Mar 16, 2008 9:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Obviously he does

Because Boylan clearly doesn't understand that. If Paxson is repeating things over and over and Boylan just isn't doing it, what does that say about Paxson?

It says he's an even bigger fool than Boylan and impotent to boot. Pax needs to make sense of this mess so he can make the right decisions at the end of the year. Boylan is an obstacle to that. With that clown running the show, you can't tell with any certainty which end up.

Of course the other alternative is that Boylan is playing folks pretty much much how Paxson wants him to.

My Blog (Econ/Politics/Sports/NBA Salary Info)

by Sports2 on Mar 16, 2008 9:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Utterly disgusting

Playing Gooden at the 5. While you watch an insurmountable lead get chiseled away. And choosing not to put Noah back in the game. Its just inexplicable. I just, I mean, I don't even know what to say. I was assuming we were going to hear Noah was hurt. Unless Boylan could explain why, its just an utter joke. Anyone on this site could have said "gee, we're getting killed this quarter, maybe I should either (a) play the people that got us the lead or (b) play a big guy at center. Oh! That leads to the same answer -- put Noah back in. Its not f-ing rocket science.

Noah is a hussle machine, and Matt Duhon is our best guard.

by preverbal on Mar 15, 2008 6:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Big guys block layups?

Someone should tell Jimmy B this breaking news.

BAB Tyrus Love-Meter -- 7 - Unhealthily making excuses for missing practice

by cubbybear on Mar 15, 2008 6:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Boylan never takes responsibility.

It's always "we missed shots" or "the guys weren't hustling" or "the plan was there, they just didn't execute." He passes the buck like a middle schooler who just got caught red-handed.

Jim, you've been put in charge of these players, meaning their results are your responsibility. It wouldn't fly for a branch manager to say "My leadership was perfect, my workers are just lazy. Not my fault." So why is Paxson tolerating what Boylan says?

You aren't an assistant anymore, Jim. It's not enough to just draw up plays, rah-rah in the huddle, and expect everything else to work out. You're coaching the youngest team in the league, and you're getting paid the big bucks because it's your job to make these guys play professionally. When your team plays lazy, when it misses shots, when it gives up 18 point leads, the responsibility to fix that falls on you.

by YaoPau on Mar 15, 2008 8:15 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Thanks Jimbo - You sorry ass

hapless, hopeless, helpless hemmeroidal oozing bloody pus bag, arrogant, imbecilic ultimate anus excuse of a coach.

Isn't it time for all us long suffering bloggers to bombard the beat writers with emails saying we've had it and aren't going to take it anymore. Tell them to stop making excuses for these hacks who are like doctors treating their patient for a cold while missing the basketball sized tumor larger than Boylan's bulbous nose protruding from his forehead.

KC again blames Thomas (+8) who was yanked with 9 muinutes left and the Bulls up 14, while Noah (+8) was sitting on the bench for the final 15 minutes during the 22 point turnaround. Damn you Duhon and Grey, you whiners broke my concentration. BG played little until crunch time when he missed the key shot (deja vu anyone?) And way to go JB, making Deng the skinniest PF with a bum achilles in the NBA.

Who are the biggest dunces,the misfits who pose as coaches or their sycophants in the press who prostitute themselves for coverage? Go interview Elliot Spitzer guys..the results would be the same but the payouts are bigger.

P.S. Paxson can you take your head out of your ass for a minute as this operation continues to metastasize? As long as you don't recognize or seem interested in dealing with the problems, I think the least you could do would be to demand that your loopy staff change into clown outfits at the start of every 4th quarter while wearing large Harpo Marx orange wigs riding tiny tricycles in circles while blowing loud horns so the fans can at least enjoy the circus taking place at courtside as another game blows away.

Sorry for the long rant but my shrink says I am one game away from losing it forever.

by Tyrusmancrush on Mar 15, 2008 10:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

One final observation

Sorry but he drives me nuts.

Boylan once again snatched inevitible defeat from the jaws of a sure victory. He is like a crazed crack addict who constantly drives the wrong way on a one-way street and cannot understand why he is in another wreck. Is there any coach, at any level of competition who cannot outhink this buffoon?

If he were playing a chimpanzee in a checker match, who would you bet on?

by Tyrusmancrush on Mar 15, 2008 11:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like that.

...change into clown outfits at the start of the 4th quarter. Inspired.

by alec on Mar 16, 2008 10:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If Dr. Suess was a Bulls fan

in pain, he'd write something along the lines of your first line. :)

"Duhon, don't make that garbage-time jumper... Save it for the next game!"

by bullhockey on Mar 17, 2008 1:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hey...I like Paxson..or used to...

...but isn't he the one who put this shit together? Too many guards who can't shoot, not enough big guys (and even they don't get enough mintes), a coach who is Skiles-lite without the tactical smarts....god, what a fucking mess.

by bullsfaninbigapple on Mar 15, 2008 10:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

cant shoot

gordon and hinrich are supposed to be great shooting guards. They have just had a bad year.

by Sambossanova on Mar 16, 2008 9:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I gotta believe they are doing this on purpose

Nobody comes out and makes the statements Boylan did without seeing the irony. It's just too plain. They are obviously showcasing Hughes and Gooden and probably looking to get a better draft pick as a trading chip. Boylan isn't a dumb guy, maybe stubborn and overbearing, but not dumb. I still hope they get a different coach next year because apparently the players know they are being jerked around and I don't see how you can expect guys to suddenly trust someone after getting treated like that.

Still sucks to be throwing this season away, but there is no way the bulls are making the playoffs. Not when they are giving games up this way.

Baby Bulls II?

by bullshooter on Mar 15, 2008 10:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm clinging to this hope as well

(That they're showcasing Hughes and Gooden)

It's the only way I can make an ounce of sense out of it. (Although, Boylan HAS claimed he is not a stats guy... So he may not know what we do from reading the following)

I am... So here is my fav stat: Net +/- adjusted per 100 possessions (updated from 82games.com)

Noah +9,4
Thomas +4,2
Thabo +2,8
Noc +2,8
Kirk +0,4
Hughes -0,1
Duh -0,6
Gray -2,5
Deng -2,7
Gooden -3,6
Goron -6,7

So to keep my own sanity (at least for the rest of the season) I have decided to believe that Boylan is coaching like this to show-case the Cavs players and improve draft position.

There, I feel much better.

by Bass on Mar 16, 2008 5:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, I forgot the most important reason!

To get fired. :)

by Bass on Mar 16, 2008 5:30 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You know what's interesting

The top 5, they can play together!

Noah-C
Thomas-PF
Noce-SF
Thabo-SG
Kirk-PG

If they played 30mpg together, and the bench split the last 18, we might just win a game or two.

What a wonderful coincidence.

I feel better.

BAB Tyrus Love-Meter -- 7 - Unhealthily making excuses for missing practice

by cubbybear on Mar 16, 2008 9:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, I've noticed.

Not coincidentally this is the lineup who got the league high in points (at the time) in the Denver game, where I think the lowest was a +20 and the highest (Noah) was +27/28

Obviously (to me, anyway) they play well toghether.

I have been a proponent of these guys starting since that game. But do you think Boylan listens? (or more appropriately, reads.)

I am very close to not giving a F anymore.

Hopefully Paxon can do the right things over the summer and sort this catastrophe out, although I'm not holding my breath for it.

by Bass on Mar 19, 2008 7:41 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree, bullshooter.

Boylan's not dumb. But I do believe he is blinded by his ego, which may be an even worse failing in a coach.

We've now seen time and again where he passes the blame, but the worst for me were those quotes (I can't get those out of my mind) where he was taking personal credit for Hinrich's brief stint of improved play. That stuff just makes me sick.

by alec on Mar 16, 2008 10:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I assume this is tongue-in-cheek

Yes, Boylan is that dumb, or at least as Alec said, blinded by his ego. He's merely falling into the trap most coaches do: play the veterans...even if they don't fit. Plus, Boylan wants to win so he can get a head coaching job somewhere, if not here.

There's no way the Bulls are tanking, because playoff revenue, even for two games, is pretty significant. But wouldn't it be funny if they can't even tank correctly since that'd mean playing their young players and that'd actually get them more wins? Oh...the irony.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 16, 2008 10:40 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have to disagree

the only patterns in the rotation that I can see over the last half dozen games is some Noah and very little Hughes in the fourth quarter of games the bulls win and the opposite in games they don't. I can't be the only one who sees that. The way he's been jerking Hinrich and BG and Hughes in and out and sitting them for long stretches, I have to believe they are experimenting to see what happens.

Baby Bulls II?

by bullshooter on Mar 16, 2008 2:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

well experimenting

than playing for a draft pick. Sadly Boylan can't (like you and pretty much everyone has) figure the experiment out: Noah = good. Hughes = bad.

And besides, there's a disconnect: the only way Boylan 'succeeds' in his case is to win as much as possible, so why would he mess that up.

If you see some kind of organizational directive to 'showcase' Gooden and Hughes, while purposely tanking for a draft pick by burying their talented players...that's just ridiculous.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 16, 2008 9:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

plus

the whole showcasing thing doesn't wash. Isn't it much more important to get the values up of Gordon, Deng, Thomas, Noah, Hinrich?

The league should know by now how to value Hughes and Gooden. It can be argued that 'showcasing' worked for dealing Ben Wallace...but I don't think inflating his per-game numbers helped that much. After all, they just wanted to dump Larry Hughes. I could be giving league GMs more credit than they deserve.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 16, 2008 9:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Showcasing works for everybody

and one thing to consider: Paxson may have already told Boylan that he isn't getting the job, but that if he plays the rotations the way Pax wants, Pax will help him get that next job. Boylan was gone next year either way because a new coach is going to want his own guys and Pete Myers is more of the bulls guy anyway. Boylan was always tied to Skiles. Now he has an nba head coaching line on his resume.

Baby Bulls II?

by bullshooter on Mar 16, 2008 10:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

wow, that gives them all a lot of credit

and still makes them morons for not realizing that playing Thomas means more than any of the other possible results.

Bravo(?)

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 16, 2008 10:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I can't get over this

I know you're a contrarian bot, which is an unfair edge in debate.

But you honestly believe this theory that while a public Paxson has been saying 'playoffs playoffs playoffs' (as well as 'play young frontcourt'), and Boylan publicly says 'playoffs playoffs playoffs'... that in private, Paxson is telling Boylan to play Hughes and Gooden as much as possible, so that they can showcase worse trade chips, and lose games. On purpose.

(Is chairman Jerry somehow involved too? He wants playoff revenue. Somehow he must fit into this grand scheme.)

I think it's a more simple explanation: Paxson figures it's a lost season and he isn't changing coaches again this so he can't be bothered to mettle, and Boylan honestly believes that this is his best chance of winning. Because he's an idiot.

Why keep Pete Myers?

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 16, 2008 11:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

they obviously did it with Wallace, right?

Plus, the thing you guys always seem to forget: TT isn't going anywhere the bulls don't want him to for at least 3 more seasons after this one. Same for Thabo and 4 for Noah. There is no rush to play these guys a million minutes. It's a lot more important to see what kind of guys they are before locking them up to mega-million $ deals.

Pete Myers has been there since 2001, longer than everybody but Reinsdorf. If he isn't Pax's inside guy in the locker room, then I don't know who is. Not trying to say he is some kind of snitch, but I think he's got to be Pax's eyes and ears to what's going on day to day.

The bulls are under the luxury tax threshold, they've been racking up millions for years. One missed playoffs seems like petty cash for a team that will once again be headed up next year, unless Paxson guessed wrong on everybody and all the players are greedy bastards. But I don't think that. It's more important to showcase these new guys and increase his trading chips.

Baby Bulls II?

by bullshooter on Mar 16, 2008 11:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't buy it with Wallace either

I think Skiles and Boylan genuinely believed he'd help. If anything, playing him less gives less evidence of how shitty he is. The deal with Cleveland had nothing to do with Wallace playing minutes...it was shit-contract swapping.

So bullshooter, what is it, anyway? an organizational directive to stunt their young players, or a reaction to their inconsistent play, your other pet excuse for this bunch.

The luxury tax itself is petty cash for this ownership, btw.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 16, 2008 11:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I can't believe I'm still arguing this

you really think Paxson told Boylan not only to play Gooden and Hughes, but play them 40 minutes a game, especially in fourth quarters, and to make sure that Gooden plays center with no real power forward next to him? How deep does the mettling go? and here I thought Paxson wasn't controling Boylan, he's now got Myers with an earpiece to tell Boylan what to do.

It's not like Boylan has to do anything special to get Gooden and Hughes time. Especially Gooden. I suppose Paxson could've said start Hughes instead of Thabo.

I think 'showcasing' is serving as the new be-all answer for whatever's gone wrong with playing time. Teams will look at Larry Hughes in the offseason and see $13m for 2 seasons (or whatever it is), not that he played so-many minutes for a garbage team.

Boylan's playing the vets, because he's comforatable with them. I think it's that simple. Oh, and he's an idiot.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 17, 2008 12:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The whole Gooden at 5

thing was bad because it was Deng and Noc at the 4. Put Gooden next to Noah or even TT and I think the outcome is a lot different. It was "try Deng at the 2" earlier. Now maybe it's "try Deng at the 4 since he's not all that quick to begin with..." Who knows, or it could be some insane infatuation with small ball, an idea that is destined to viewed by history in the same light as designer jeans and the piano key tie.

And somebody took a look at Wallace and said, "you know what, he might have some game left and his contract isn't that bad." Hughes has way more game at this point than Wallace, and a slightly smaller contract.

Baby Bulls II?

by bullshooter on Mar 17, 2008 12:30 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Keep sight of the big picture

First, do you really expect Paxson to say anything other than "Playoffs, playoffs, playoffs." Second, with the exception of TT, none of these guys are really being stunted. Noah starts, Thabo probably would still be starting if his groin would let him, and TT has been a starter twice now. The only reason TT doesn't start is that he and Noah make for an awfully skinny front line and Gooden provides more bulk (and showcasing). There just aren't enough minutes to keep 10 guys who legitimately deserve 25-35 minutes a game happy. Like I said, when TT stays out of foul trouble and runs the plays even he gets decent burn. And he's getting better too.

And Skiles (asked to be fired) quit rather than stay and try and get Wallace going, so I think you are wrong on that one. He saw the writing on the wall. And as far as shit-swapping goes, Gooden and Hughes smell a lot better than Smith and Wallace, to me at least.

Baby Bulls II?

by bullshooter on Mar 17, 2008 12:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think they like Smith better than Gooden

he's consistent, your kind of guy!

I agree that the trade worked out for the Bulls.

I still want to know what you think Paxson is telling Boylan. Because you just hedged it by saying Thabo would start if he didn't get hurt. Doesn't that hurt showcasing?

And as the leader of the Ben Gordon benching society, why does starting matter? Noah played 22 minutes but started, what's more important?

Nevermind, I lied. I truly don't want to know what you think. Not on this, anyway. You're just talking back on yourself...sometimes it's showcasing, sometimes it's just a roster crunch, sometimes it's other circumstances...I suppose there's some worth in trying to decipher this mess. But I'm not buying your many and sometimes contradictory explanations.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 17, 2008 12:25 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Life isn't simple

and neither can the reason this season is so fucked up be boiled down into one convenient answer that also happens to excuse your favorite guys from any blame. I'm not trying to excuse Boylan, which is kind of where the argument leads if he is really just following orders. But there is so much friction in that locker room that something isn't right. And I think the fact that Paxson wants to see what he's got in Gooden and Hughes is a big part of the problem. All year long they've played better without Wallace or now Hughes and yet they keep going back to them for big minutes.

Baby Bulls II?

by bullshooter on Mar 17, 2008 12:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It was the "bring BG off the Bench"

society, bBGB, if you like, not bench BG. There is a subtle, but important difference.

Baby Bulls II?

by bullshooter on Mar 17, 2008 12:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

and starting

just like playing the most minutes (BG) shows the team values their play.

Baby Bulls II?

by bullshooter on Mar 17, 2008 12:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

and if you remember

Wallace sat some 4th quarters under Boylan as well. I'm sure Danny Ferry was counting them up when considering the deal.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 17, 2008 12:26 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Isn't this the time to meddle?

If you're Paxson, wouldn't now be a good time to exert effort as possible to figure out what he's got to work with? I don't have a clue what's what with these guys and I don't think anyone else does either.

My Blog (Econ/Politics/Sports/NBA Salary Info)

by Sports2 on Mar 16, 2008 11:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Boylan's previous head coaching experience.....

Why does this man even have the job??

His previous experience as an NBA assistant was

in Cleveland under Mike Fratello (1993-97), Vancouver under Brian Hill (1997-2000), Phoenix under Scott Skiles (2000-01) and Atlanta under Terry Stotts (2003-04)

That's not such a terrific resume, and I'm putting that lightly. Frankly, those teams ranged from average to completely sucking.

So what is his previous head coaching experience? He has only one stint: 1989-1992 at the University of New Hampshire. But the Chicago Bulls and the NBA are very elusive about printing his record there. I had a difficult time finding out the actual performance of his teams. Even the university of New Hampshire doesn't list his tenure in any archive or history page. Well, read it and weep:

http://statsheet.com/mcb/coaches/jim-boylan

To save you from clicking the link - Jim Boylan had a record of 15-69 (.179) at New Hampshire.

I think it's safe to say that Jim Boylan has performed his best head coaching job ever with the Bulls this season. This isn't a Billy Donovan-type with a 17-22 record with the Bulls after a few NCAA Championships, or even a Phil Jackson-type who won NBA titles as a player and coached a CBA championship.

We have no reason to believe that Boylan will be successful in the future - because success has certainly escaped him in the past. Boylan is a career assistant on marginal teams who, on paper at least, has been a complete disaster at head coach. He hasn't been on a championship club since playing for Al McGuire at Marquette over 30 years ago!

I think we should rename the 'Peter Principle' as the 'Boylan Principle'. It'd be a joke, except it's really not that funny. I think he'd have a difficult time getting a job as a head coach in the college ranks. There's no way he's qualified to coach the Chicago Bulls.

by BullsFanInSeattle on Mar 16, 2008 12:09 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

p.s.

To anyone who might ask - well, how good is University of New Hampshire at men's basketball, anyway?

Jim Boylan is the worst head coach in UNH history:

http://statsheet.com/mcb/teams/new-hampshire/coaches

by BullsFanInSeattle on Mar 16, 2008 12:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Boylan was lucky to win 15

I have no doubt his 15-69 record was achieved in spite of his leadership. Likely his 3 victories for every 20 games played were games in which they ended before he could find a way to blow them.

He sounds like the type of assistant a control freak would want around....easily intimidated, low skill set, no threat to move up and willing to do the little things...i.e. make copies, get coffee and sandwiches, run the video playbacks, etc.

Head coaching material..no way. cleaning the head...probable.

by Tyrusmancrush on Mar 16, 2008 12:48 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, as much as it says,

his first stint ever as head coach, with the Vevey Basket team in Switzerland, was very successful.

The Game chose him !

by Diabolo on Mar 18, 2008 4:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow!

what a diary! I guess Jim Boylan is really doing a bad job to blow an 18 point lead in the 4th. I only caught the last 2 minutes of the game.

by exult463 on Mar 16, 2008 12:49 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Going small ball...

Look at what Reggie Evans said:

"Going into the fourth quarter, the Bulls' coach tweaked his lineup a little bit from the first half," 76ers forward Reggie Evans said. "He didn't play [ Aaron] Gray; he played the kid from LSU [ Tyrus Thomas]. They went small ball.

"I thought that could be a golden opportunity. That was our biggest thing; they changed the lineup. We went small ball and ran them out."

Well done Boylan...

by Vangelis on Mar 16, 2008 6:16 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Interesting point by Reggie

Though I bet most on here would scoff at playing Gray over Tyrus. But I like seeing Gray out there.

Also liked this quote from Mike McGraw: "Give Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks credit for finding what worked. Three of his five starters, including veteran guard Andre Miller, did not play at all in the fourth quarter when Philadelphia outscored the Bulls 40-20." Wish he could say the same about the Bulls now and then.

by T Maple on Mar 16, 2008 8:03 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

MOVED DIARY

Does Jimmy read this? Can Boylan PLEASE READ THIS???

By Deng is the next Bull superstar [Edit User]
Posted on Sat Mar 15, 2008 at 02:09:37 PM CDT

Just like the dang washington game, we lose because dumb Boylan goes small.

Gooden is great posting up power forwards and scoring on them, he can pass well and open up alot of things for us, when he is out there with Noah or Gray it does some wonderful things for our great perimeter talent (as seen in us building 20 and 22 point leads against the Wizards and now Sixers)......

but when Gooden is the only big on the floor and has to play center with no help inside, he cant contain all dribble penetration and lock down the paint himself, and he isnt as effective in posting up big 300 pound centers, meaning he has to go to his faceup game and try to beat centers off the dribble...... making him and us less effective on offense and on defense (as seen in us blowing those huge leads and losing to Washington and now Philly).

JIMMY, LOOK AT THIS QUOTE!!!!!

"I thought that could be a golden opportunity. That was our biggest thing; they changed the lineup. We went small ball and ran them out."

COME ON MAN, THE OTHER TEAM NOTICES IT, OUR GUYS NOTICE IT, THE FANS NOTICE IT, EVERYONE ON BLOGABULL NOTICES IT........... ARE YOU REALLY THE ONLY ONE THAT CANT SEE THIS BOYLAN?!?!??!?!?!

IS IT REALLY THAT HARD TO STICK WITH WHAT GOT YOU THE 20 POINT LEAD IN THE FIRST PLACE?!??! EVER HEARD OF IF IT AINT BROKE DONT FIX IT?!??!

WHY NOT PLAY THOMAS AND GRAY FOR THE LAST 4 MINUTES OF THE 3RD QUARTER AND FIRST 4 MINUTES OF THE 4TH QUARTER AND THEN CLOSE OUT THE LAST 8 MINUTES OF THE GAME WITH GOODEN AND NOAH??!

GOD DANG IT!!!!

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 16, 2008 10:34 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Are you suggesting Boylan is capable of

trying something that is both logical and might even work? Does a leopard change its spots? Can a special ed student be transferred to AP classes and become an overnight gifted student?

Boylan is a stubborn, strong-willed arrogant dunce who apparently cannot even recognize when some of his own moves actually worked? Remember the Golden State game? You do? Well it is blatently obvious he doesn't.

We might as well be coached by the new governor of New York...things may improve. After all, he is legally blind.

by Tyrusmancrush on Mar 16, 2008 7:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Have we confirmed that Boylan can read?

Probably need to move those goalposts a few yards closer.

The Kids Must Stay In The Picture!!!

by NBA Observer on Mar 17, 2008 9:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Do you guys think Pax will draft a point guard?

DuHon will be gone and Kirk and Ben both aren't true point guards. I think Darren the Jet Collison would be a good pick because he has so much speed and lockdown d.

by armstrong2389 on Mar 16, 2008 12:01 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

My plan to regain contender status

1.    Fire Jim Boylan. No more excuses, no more smallball, no more underdevelopment of young players. Boylan has damaged the short term and long term success of our team.
2.    Look for a coach that will place an emphasis on development of young talent. We have so many young players that could develop into an exceptional squad. They simply need a coach who will give them a fair shot with playing time and won't throw them under the bus when the media and fans get critical.
3.    Continue to give significant playing time to Hughes and Gooden. I agree that these players lack basketball IQ and long term potential. That is why we need to elevate their trade value and try to dump them in the off season. Gooden is a bandaid, and Hughes is just terrible. While this move may hurt our lottery chances, I think the development of Thabo, Noah, and Thomas is more important as they have all shown flashes of brilliant play.
4.    Take a close look at some of our NBDL players. Some of these guys still have a chance to "make it". Shannon Brown averaged over 20ppg in his D-league stints. I don't think he necessarily fits our team, but perhaps we could show him in the last couple games of the season to raise his trade value. Cedric Simmons deserves some consideration, as he is a tall, long, and explosive defender.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Cedric-Simmons-609/

5. Acquire a pass-first "pure" point guard. Via draft or trade. I don't care. Even with his decently high assist averages, Hinrich does not see the floor the way a point guard does. Period. He never will. On top of this he can no longer shoot. A real point guard will spur the development of Tyrus, Thabo, Noah, and Deng.

by studdeir on Mar 16, 2008 4:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Can we somehow vote

to have Boylan suspended for Conduct Detrimental to the Team? No? Ugh

"2nd half Ben Gordon bonanza. It's coming :)" - Matt, Blog-A-Bull

by Goostafer on Mar 16, 2008 5:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

This might sounds crazy...

...but do we have any chance of getting Yao now that Houston is doing so well without him?

by bullsfaninbigapple on Mar 16, 2008 8:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Ummmmmm

Despite what the crack in Hollinger's blood will tell you, Carl Landry and Dikembe Mutumbo are NOT adequate replacements for the best all-around center in the league. Not to mention the financial implications of moving one of the most popular players on the planet.

Dickey Simpkins>Ben Wallace

by Ozzie Montana on Mar 17, 2008 2:25 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

no, i doubt it... but

i highly doubt that houston would want to trade yao. there are so few quality big men in the nba, and he is probably the most dominant big man in the west, since shaq is old (although amare is a beast). plus, they had a 12 game winning streak with yao, and having him certainly wouldnt hurt heading into the tough stretch of games they have coming up against western contenders. i agree with studdeir and many others in saying that a true point guard would really help this team out a lot. andre miller is probably attainable from philly. a cheaper option, perhaps, is kyle lowry from memphis. in the draft, i think augustine from texas would be a really good player for the bulls if he is still available when they are on the clock. ive heard this said many times before by several people, but im worried that this team will end up being like the boston celtics from a few years ago, where they werent good enough to be a contender, but also not ba enough to get a good draft pick. thats nba hell, in my opinion, with no hope for the current year or the future.

by hughes sucks on Mar 16, 2008 9:48 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

unload the complete coaching staff this summer

thanks IhatenobrainBoylan for the background on Jimmy. His background sucks. Ron Adams record as a college head coach for 4 years while better than Boylans and seemingly respectable. Still Adams is the worst coach, based on winning percentage, in Fresno State Bulldogs 32 year old history.

http://gobulldogs.cstv.com/trads/fres-selland.html

Put this coaching staff to rest, and I won't repeat my opinion on what Jerry should do with Paxson.

by exult463 on Mar 17, 2008 12:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs