CHICAGO -- Scott Skiles was fired Monday as coach of the Chicago Bulls, who have one of the worst records in the Eastern Conference.
So are the Bulls essentially throwing in the towel for this season? I realize they're 9-16, but it's still the Eastern Conference. It's not like the Bulls have never rallied late to make a huge playoff run before. Running Skiles out of town this early tells me they're ready to give up and build for next season.
"Wocka Wocka...who wants to hear a funny-ass joke?"
If it had been a trade, maybe that'd be for next season, but they can't be content keeping the players they have and just writing off this year. Whatever Ben Wallace is able to contribute this year is going to be less next year, but the bigger problem is Gordon and Deng both being (restricted) free agents - the Bulls will be trying to keep both of them, but it's no sure thing they will.
By firing Skiles, and doing it now, the Bulls can check one variable and see if he was the issue. I think the team generally liked him (there'd been talk about changes this season, but everyone was still thinking it'd be a player shake up and they were at least 10-15 games away from a coaching change), but there was questions about his player usage that makes it worthwhile to see if Skiles was contributing to it. They're a team that's struggled offensively, yet have been giving extended minutes to guys whom are ineffective on that side of the court (and it's not as though they've been at their usual level at defense as a result.)
They've got a month to figure out if a coaching change makes a difference. If it does, then maybe they can pull a success out of this year yet, spend (way too much) to sign the pending free agents, and keep with the overall plan they've had for the last five or so years. If the team is still broken with a new coach a month from now...you hate to give up a young group of players, but the best time to blow this team up is before the deadline this year, before Deng and Gordon sign those huge contracts and become untradable. I'm sure that's why the firing happened today - there's limited to make a decision and start talking to teams if the Bulls are going to get something done.
Pete Myers will probably be interim coach. He was last time, and I could even see him coaching out the year if there's no obvious candidate.
Originally posted by It's FalseSo are the Bulls essentially throwing in the towel for this season? I realize they're 9-16, but it's still the Eastern Conference. It's not like the Bulls have never rallied late to make a huge playoff run before. Running Skiles out of town this early tells me they're ready to give up and build for next season.
I actually think it is the opposite. They are probably thinking the players are done listening to Skiles and the only way they can turn it around is to get a fresh voice in there.
Either way, it's a pretty big shocker when you consider what was predicted for the Bulls this year.
EDIT: What Cubs said - 29 seconds before me.
(edited by JayJayDean on 24.12.07 1410) Holy fuck shit motherfucker shit. Read comics. Fuck shit shit fuck shit I sold out when I did my job. Fuck fuck fuck shit fuck. Sorry had to do it....
*snip*
Revenge of the Sith = one thumb up from me. Fuck shit. I want to tittie fuck your ass. -- The Guinness. to Cerebus
Originally posted by KawshenAnd in othr news, Isiah Thomas is still employed.
If Isiah had 3 playoff appearances in a row, he'd be named Emperor of Cablevision for life on X-Mas Eve, not fired. And, I'd like to thank my cable company for somehow consistently putting the Knickerbockers on the station of the NBA package that somehow is tranmitted to my area even without ordering the package. The '07-'08 Knicks: Far more humorous than any comedy network could dream of being.