Chisoxfn

Wohoo!!!

I am going to give Pax credit. He backed Boylen and didn’t panick after last weeks disastser and I think it was that backing that helps get this ship turned in the right direction (sent a message to the players that the front office was behind him and thus if you want to play for Bulls you need to get with the program). Boylen is nuts but I think the dude can coach and I like the fact that he isn’t backing down. Young teams, more than any other team, need to really be pushed. The d they played down the stretch tonight was absolutely stellar. Both the intensity but the fundamentals and how well they were switching, etc. The team is going to play much better with Dunn and Lauri back. I’m not saying they are great but they are going to win more games...good thing they lost so many early that no matter what they’ll get a good pick. But I’m totally fine winning more games if it is because the core is kicking ass.

Well technically Bulls are still evaluating but yeah...I presume it is more 2 to 3 weeks if I were to guess.

That was a nice win. Huge contributions from Dunn and Lauri. The energy they played with was great again. Defense has looked significantly better of late. I had forgotten how athletic and strong Dunn is. His mid range game should be lethal as he continues to develop. Was very happy Lauri did something other then just jack 3s today and it helped. He had a lot more easy points by attacking. He still looks slower than last year...not sure if that is due to him still adjusting to missing so much time or what?

Wow...man talk about no luck on the injury front. Lavine out at least a few days, more likely at least a week, if not longer, with an ankle injury. Would be great to see the actual core get a sustainable amount of time to play together, so you can get a picture of what they have.

Very interesting when you consider the fact that Alonso and Machado are related by marriage.

I was going to say, I remember you being on the opposite side.

I know no one believes this...but in 11 of Paxsons's first 14 full seasons as a GM/President, the Bulls made the playoffs. And if you extend that out and count last years tank season, it would be 11 of his first 15 seasons. Yes, there are issues, but take a step back and if you put on your head as owner of the franchise, there is a lot to like about that sort of track record, especially when you think of the stench in culture that he inherited (post Jordan era). Rebuilding a team is not easy and Pax essentially has already done two rebuilds...one the original team post Krause and then the conversion to Rose and theoritically a mini conversion to the Butler era (post-season play but the least successful of the 3 as it ended with a full tear down). Now this is a 4th wave in the future. Sure he had issues with some of the coaches, but over 15 years, you kind of expect that to happen. Big picture, regardless of if this rebuild works or doesn't, I still view Paxson as having been a very successful front office exec. Very few franchises have been ran better than the Bulls over that time.

By the way....not everyone in the national media immediately thinks Boylan and the Bulls coaching tactics are disastrous. NBA TNT crew was not a big fan of the Bulls player (at least those who partook). It was a weak weak performance for the report to get as far as it did. On the Magic telecast last night, they mentioning they hadn't seen a Bulls team play that hard since the Thib era. I have no idea if it will remain, but damn did they look lightyears better defensively last night. Rachel Nichols and Stephen Jackson also pointed the finger in the players direction. This is not to indemnify Boylan for all his antics cause he did go to far, but the extreme outrage on this board and from Bulls fans is absurd.

For all of you saying they should fire Pax because of them deciding Parker isn't a fit...you probably should go back and look at your posts of excitement regarding the signing of Parker in the 1st place. It was always a lottery ticket with a high probability of being a one year deal. Unless Jabari was able to be way more explosive, a further year removed from his injury, there would have been very little reason to keep him on a 2nd year @ 20M per year.

I figured the timing of the report wasn't too good given they were probably going to move him. This hurts there leverage, to extent they have any.

I don't think the move is anything to freak out about over. And it is just 2.5M so it technically doesn't prevent the Sox from going after Grandal with McCann as the backup (and moving Castillo seperately). However, I do believe if the team intends to contend, it should be looking at upgrading the catcher position.

Dissapointed. I very much wanted Grandal. He'd be a HUGE upgrade (assuming they wanted to contend). In isolation I don't have a massive issue with McCann, other then the fact the Sox still have a massive hole at catcher, imo.

Aren’t the minutes mainly going to carter, Lauri and Portis? I suppose Lopez too but I presume it is more to make sure those guys plus dunn, Lavine and Hutch all play with each other without worrying about the high number of shots Jabari will put up? bulls defense and effort looked superb today. Lauri needs to step up...only a few games but he hasn’t looked as good at getting to the basket this year. Needs to stop just jacking threes and getting more involved down low...make the d really work. Forgot how good Dunn is defensively.

That was quick. I can appreciate taking the chance and now they have clearly decided they won't be moving forward with him and I'm presuming want to focus the minutes on other players.

All I'm going to say is if Wood is on the block, I see no reason not to kick the tires if the club is attempting to contend. While I think Gio could turn things around, I think the Sox rotation has MASSIVE issues and still quite a bit of unknown / not ready talent in the minors (and obviously Kopech out for the year). Waiting and hoping the guys magically all come from within probably isn't the right answer, especially since you know guys are going to get hurt.

Maybe Grandal's postseason was a sign of things to come, but presuming it isn't, he's been flat out a very productive player and would be a massive upgrade for the Sox. They need quite a few of those if they are going to contend.

If the Sox ended up going with Machado, I would think either of those could be nice adds. Wood isn't a huge innings eater but he's been very effective and it largely appears any trade by Dodgers would be more of a payroll dump for them. I think if the Sox intend on contending, they need to make some significant upgrades to their rotation (and lineup) beyond the one big FA signing.

By the way, I should point out, when I read the quotes from the article in the Trib (and I realize it is the Trib and written by KC) and while I absolutely disagree with the 2nd substitution and the need for a public lashing (it was beyond over-kill), I can't really argue Boylan's overall message and focus. I think for most of the time in NBA history his exact focus would absolutely work, however, the league has gone soft the past few years and players just can't handle this type of coaching. Or at least that is the media bias. And while that is the media bias, the reality is to be great at anything it takes a combination of a special talent and a special work ethic. Additionally (and I said this when we started the "tank journey"), people underestimate how a team filled of youth can learn really bad and poor habits and you can end up creating a culture of losing ways that is so toxic that your organization is gutted (regardless of talent). I think the Bulls players response to Boylan's demands showed some of that toxcity and "easy culture" that existed on the club. That said, there is a time and a place and a balance for how to do it, but I don't think the actual message Boylan has been giving is the wrong message, albeit, he very well might have crossed an unnecessary line that he can't go back from (we shall see).

I just want to point out, in terms of on the field production, I find it highly unlikely Harper lives up to the deal. But hopefully he can create lots of revenue, excitement and TV deals that increases the Sox ability to spend money and regularly field highly competitive teams (and obviously Harper would be a critical piece in terms of on the field performance).

Do the Bears clinch playoffs with a Vikings loss? Or is there magic number 1 for the division and a playoff birth? Just curious?

I do think if the Bears had Cousins (near term...ignoring salary cap...but just his play), I would be more confident stating Bears might be a super bowl team. That is more just a component that the Bears don't need tremendous play out of their QB, but above average to good play is probably enough. I do think Trubisky could be more than that (he certainly could be less than that as well). His accuracy (or lapses there of) will have to improve over the off-season and as he continues to refine his game. I expect that will happen as accuracy was one of his strenghts and its something he's flashed at many points in time of the season. That said, while Lombardi's comments were absurd, I certainly understood where he is coming from. Mitch has had his fair share of extremely inaccurate passes (all QB's have him, but I'd say he's had more "bad misses" than many QB's). I happen to think those should not be expected from a young QB who is rushing everything.

Question...I read somewhere that Trubisky had seperated/disclosed his shoulder (vs. what had originally been reported as a bruise). Is that actually the case?

By the way, I very much believe how the franchise responds to this will be a very defining moment. This could get insanely ugly in a hurry or it could turn into a galvanizing moment. It is also the type of thing, that if it turns into a disaster that will cost Gar/Pax their positions.

I figured 100% that it was Lavine who pushed the revolt. You saw a microcosym into how he emotional his responses can be based upon his twitter comments during the free agent window.