New Bulls Coach, Same Story for Ben Gordon
In one of the more cold-blooded moves in recent history, the Chicago Bulls fired head coach Scott Skiles on Christmas Eve. The idea, presumably, was to change the contentious team culture and eventually turn things around.
Granted, the post-Skiles era is only a game old, but things don’t appear to have changed all that much in the Windy City: The Bulls are still losing; Ben Gordon is still inexplicably coming off the bench. And B.G. can’t believe it either.
“I definitely didn’t see this coming,” Gordon said.
“Ben wants to be a starter,” [newly minted head coach Jim Boylan] said. “But he understands at this point everybody needs to sacrifice. If we do that, it gives us better balance and hopefully the lulls we go through in certain stretches can be negated by having extra firepower.”
I’ve never understood the logic behind this: The Chicago Bulls are an offensively crippled team, yet they insist on bringing their best scorer off the bench, thereby reducing his opportunities to put the ball in the hole.
If they’re going to stick with Skiles’s deranged mentality through and through, why did they bother firing him?
46 Responses to “New Bulls Coach, Same Story for Ben Gordon”
Dec.28 at 1:08 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
5-11.
Dec.28 at 1:08 pm
white hot eboy says:
“It’s the same old song
But with a different meaning
Since you been gone”
Dec.28 at 1:09 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
They should start Hinrich (or Duhon), Deng, Nocioni, Smith and Noah, IMO.
Dec.28 at 1:11 pm
white hot eboy says:
“It’s just a freestyle, meanwhile, we keep the beat kickin
sweat drippin, girlies in the limo eatin chicken
oops don’t get the grease on your pantyhose
I love ya Rover, move over, I gotta blow my nose”
Dec.28 at 1:17 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
BG is a better sixth man than a starter. He can’t guard opposing twos, he’s not very good at creating his own shot, and let’s face it, he’s not exactly shooting the lights out this year (39 percent). Moving Deng to the two would allow Hinrich to guard point guards instead of shooting guards, and maybe he’d be able to get into an offensive rhythm every once in a while. Gordon has always played well at MSG–trade him to the Knicks. Gordon for Fred Jones and either Balkman or Nate works.
Dec.28 at 1:18 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Starting Duhon alongside Kirk is just silly, and they should probably fire Boylan too. KILL ‘EM ALL.
Dec.28 at 1:21 pm
white hot eboy says:
Russ, is is THAT bad, that you’d take Lil’ Nate on the squad? Damn, son.
Dec.28 at 1:23 pm
TADOne says:
Has Gordon’s trade value dropped that low??
Dec.28 at 1:29 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
It’s not a matter of value as much as it is that he only makes $5 million, and he’ll be a free agent this summer. Fred Jones has an expiring deal, and Balkman (Nate is a less-likely option) could get some run behind Nocioni with Deng shifting full-time to the two. Then again, Balkman would definitely be better on a running team like the Suns or Warriors.
Dec.28 at 1:31 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
I DEFINITELY would not feel comfortable with the Bulls giving him a $50 million plus extension.
Dec.28 at 1:35 pm
Kyle says:
Ben Gordon just likes to cry. He’s averaging as many minutes as anyone else on that team, coming off the bench or not. What a baby.
Dec.28 at 1:40 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Gordon and Khyrapa for Maggette works under the cap, too. I just feel like the Bulls need to make some more changes besides the coach.
Dec.28 at 1:43 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Ben Wallace to the Cavs for Larry Hughes and Ira Newble?
Dec.28 at 1:59 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Ben Wallace to the Grizzlies for Pau Gasol and Hakim Warrick?
Dec.28 at 2:02 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Ben Gordon and Ben Wallace to the Heat for Shaq?
Dec.28 at 2:10 pm
TADOne says:
Russ, you’re getting desperate. You must like playing with the trade machine.
Dec.28 at 2:15 pm
Justin says:
Now I climb around when I hang around with the Underground….
Dec.28 at 2:16 pm
jbn74sb says:
At this point, Chicago wouldn’t trade Sweetney for Shaq.
Dec.28 at 2:17 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
They need to shake up the starting lineup a lot more than just putting Chris Duhon in it. A trade would put all the players on notice and maybe wake them up.
Dec.28 at 2:17 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Speaking of Michael Sweetney, I wonder what he’s up to?
Dec.28 at 2:21 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
About 400 pounds, I’d imagine.
Dec.28 at 2:22 pm
TADOne says:
Sweetney would end up eating Duhon.
Dec.28 at 2:29 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
If the Bulls re-signed Michael Sweetney, the first thing I’d do would be replace all of Ben Wallace’s lotion with butter and barbecue sauce.
Dec.28 at 2:40 pm
TADOne says:
So Russ, do you think that Paxson’s job is in jeapordy?
Dec.28 at 2:45 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Not right now, but if this season keeps going the way it has, it could be by the summer. The fact that he wasn’t able to make a big deal last season is pretty damning.
Dec.28 at 3:06 pm
TADOne says:
So are they not looking for a permanent coach until after the season as well??
Dec.28 at 3:13 pm
Kareem says:
is it me, or is john paxson as bad as kevin mchale?
Dec.28 at 3:23 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
I understand the Bulls not wanting to look for a “permanent” (haha) coach until the summer–there should be more candidates available then. Not to mention it would be easier to conduct interviews during the off-season. And Pax as bad as McHale? HELL no. I mean, he’s no Jerry West, but let’s not get too carried away.
Dec.28 at 3:25 pm
TADOne says:
Is McHale even the worst anymore? Hasn’t Zeke passed him by now?
Dec.28 at 3:42 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Isiah Thomas doesn’t count–he’s on an entirely different plane. I wouldn’t trust him to do my grocery shopping.
Dec.28 at 3:48 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Ben Gordon and Ben Wallace for Vince Carter and Jason Collins?
Dec.28 at 7:30 pm
ak47 says:
Russ, I wouldn’t trust Vince carter to make a layup in garbage time. Leave vince where’s he at and get somebody else more reliable.
Dec.28 at 8:36 pm
Jukai says:
ak47, I don’t think you should look at “reliability.” When dealing with the Chicago Bulls, you need to look at “MORE reliability.” Can’t make a layup in crunch time compared to Gordon, Hinrich and Deng???
Dec.28 at 8:37 pm
LAN says:
orange name?
Dec.28 at 8:38 pm
LAN says:
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Dec.28 at 8:39 pm
LAN says:
ORANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dec.29 at 7:24 am
Zabba says:
So they actually win with Gordon coming off the bench, and scoring 39 points too! Seems like Mutoni was wrong and Russ was right.
Russ for Bulls coach!
Dec.29 at 9:19 am
DannyW_UK says:
I’d start Ben Gordon and just give him the green light to shoot. Then sit back and RIDE THE LIGHTNING.
Dec.29 at 9:20 am
DannyW_UK says:
Alternatively just spend some ca$h on a decent head coach. A real MASTER OF PUPPETS.
Dec.29 at 9:22 am
DannyW_UK says:
And fire whoever offered Ben Wallace his contract. And Isiah Thomas too. Then there would be …AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
Dec.29 at 11:51 am
Zabba says:
There would be AND justice for all? That’s just horrible grammar and I don’t approve. You are UNFORGIVEN.
Dec.29 at 1:36 pm
Gumdrop says:
DannyW_UK seems to enjoy ending comments with capitals. He feels that they EXPRESS HIS EMOTIONS ADEQUATELY.
Dec.29 at 2:42 pm
QQ says:
The Bulls were winning when Ben Gordon is coming off the bench and shooting the crap out. Isn’t that a viable “strategy”?
Dec.29 at 8:07 pm
Art Vandelay says:
Remember when the Bulls swept the Heat in last season’s playoffs? Seems like it’s been over a decade ago now…from a Bulls-fan’s view I mean…
from a Heat-fan’s view, nothing actually changed besides they won’t even make the playoffs this year…
Dec.30 at 4:40 am
bectonD says:
Why fire Skiles, the Bulls always start off slow. It’s Paxson’s fault anyway, he was the moron that passed on Alridge (Low-post scorer) and took Thomas (WTF!).
Dec.30 at 3:27 pm
DannyW_UK says:
Gumdrop, I apologise. Zabba, good comeback. Sometimes my emotions get the better of me, especially when talkin about the Kings, then my posts become a little FRANTIC.