Chisoxfn

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ May 17, 2017 -> 08:51 AM) It doesn't have to be Boston though. I could see something getting done with Minnesota. What is Minnesota giving us? They don't have a pick worth Butler and they aren't giving up Wiggins or Towns? Dunn and the 7th isn't near enough.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ May 17, 2017 -> 07:47 AM) KC Johnson thinks Butler to Celtics is not gonna happen because when they discussed the Brooklyn pick in past discussions, Boston always wanted to put protections on the pick. Now that they have #1 overall, they are gonna turn around and flip it for Butler? If you aren't willing to trade the #1 pick, plus another high lottery pick for Butler...then i see no reason to move him.

They weren't going to make a deal with Boston not knowing whether they had the #1 pick. Boston getting the pick now makes a trade a bit more realistic, imo.

Awesome news Steve. Sorry you had to go through the health scare, but glad you are getting better!!!

Awesome. Congrats Steve!!!

Interesting article from Peter King on the Bears covert operation to get Trubisky. http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2017/05/02/nfl-chi...-2017-nfl-draft

Our daughter was sick most of the week with some random virus...which of course caused massive amounts of crankiness. Anyway, she got better on Thurs/Friday and was still a bit whiny, but generally better...until Saturday came. It was a day where I swear she was taken over by the devil. I don't think I can remember a time (where she wasn't sick) that she was this poorly behaved. It was on another planet. My wife and I were utterly exhausted. She must have had 15 tantrums on the day, crying episodes, total insanity. Thankfully on Sunday...the girl we all knew and love emerged. I guess this was a huge preview into what being a teenager will be like, haha.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ May 7, 2017 -> 06:27 PM) Death, taxes, and the Ducks blowing 3-2 series leads I was at the epic game 5 comeback. Was sitting in a suite next to Gretzky and on the other side were 30 Edmonton fans (who flew from Edmonton). Was priceless seeing the reactions, haha (as a non Duck / Non oiler fan...I root for fan meltdowns, haha). Crazy game though...3 goals in 3:30 minutes and then the winner in 2 OT.

QUOTE (GoSox05 @ May 5, 2017 -> 06:11 AM) Cutler seems like he would be awful in the booth. Hey Jay what did you think of that play? Uh, I don't know. Whatever. I have a feeling we'll see a more open side of Jay. I always like Jay though, so I'm biased.

QUOTE (bmags @ May 4, 2017 -> 09:06 AM) I can't say that I remember a lot about the 02-03 season but I thought Williams looked like a bust. He had that really nice triple double game but couldn't shoot. yeah, blech, under 40% from the field. http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/willija03.html Look at Durant's rookie year numbers. Not related, but PG's usually struggle (even the best) their rookie year. It is why if I were the Bulls I'd be hounding the Lakers to grab Russell and see if you can make him work. His numbers (compared to other good / young PG's) are really really good. Heck, look how long it took Wall to really emerge.

QUOTE (bmags @ May 4, 2017 -> 07:29 AM) I've said it before and I've said it again but I firmly believe Krause was actually on verge of a very solid turnaround that Paxson got to ride the wave on. He really did acquire a crapton of assets that Paxson flipped into a bunch of those knicks picks and really only landed on Deng. Would really love to know if Krause would have been able to acquire Wade in 03 at the draft. Crawford/Wade/Chandler...then you have to get into alternative history where we still make the knicks trades... but potential for crawford/wade/deng/chandler core. Hinrich and Gordon were good draft picks as well (I realize Gordon went on to suck, but the value the Bulls got out of him was good). Krause was an excellent and brilliant GM though. People skills lacked, but fantastic GM. I think the Bulls could excel with Paxson, but I think they need a fresh team below him. I firmly believe Paxson is a very good basketball executive (albeit his time might have come in Chicago and there are absolutely thinks to knock him for). That said, him taking more authority (and Gar less) is a positive. Maybe not as good as other alternatives, but at least a positive. Will be an interesting (or uninteresting) offseason. No one really knows yet.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ May 4, 2017 -> 05:58 AM) Paxson took over as GM in 2003. He has hired 5 coaches and they have won 5 playoff series. They've actually only won 5 playoff series since 98. Their drafting has also fallen off the cliff since Matt Lloyd left the organization. The Bulls have fewer scouts than most teams and a semblance of an analytics department. Paxson basically took the reigns back yesterday and I'd rather have him in power than Gar but it's still just meh. I do think there's a solid chance that Pax trades Butler at the draft though and restarts the franchise. There were a couple reports yesterday that Gar might be fired. I think WhiteSoxDave might have been the source of it. Either way, it seems that Paxson is winning back the power struggle from Gar (if it did exist), with his brother becoming more involved (which isn't a bad thing). I wonder if we'll see them bring in some new blood? That said, as we all know, they are in a pretty unique position, you either kind of take it one year at a time, while biding time for young players to develop (hoping you get a bit lucky) and tackling free agency, or you blow it all up. I don't really know that one is much better then the other, although it is probably more frustrating for many fans to be caught "in limbo".

I don't know if anyone else read this article from the Trib. I know this is "puff" piece central and his QB coach at UNC is going to have good things to say Mitch, but I just got more and more excited about our new QB based upon everything said in this answer. Maybe the only down side is that he is a "quiet" leader, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. He seems like a humble kid who is going to come in and put in work and continue to put in work, which is absolutely what it takes to establish yourself in this league (and also to not overstep your bounds and make a mess with other veteran players, etc). The big thing that had me gushing was hearing how humble he was, how much work he put in, and oh, how freaking accurate he was (both on the run and in the pocket), including how well he does under duress (stats back this up). It is a big jump from college to pro's and its going to take time, but I'm really getting excited about Mitch and seeing if he can develop into our first successful "franchise" QB in my lifetime!!! http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/footb...#nt=oft01a-6la1

Beautiful!!!

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ May 1, 2017 -> 03:49 PM) "The general manager who drafted LeBron James " Wow!!!! Yeah, I got a kick out of that. That said, when it comes to Paxson, I do give him (or whomever made the decision) a lot of credit for taking Rose over Beasley. That was not some sure fire pick (as for a long time everyone thought Beasley was going to go #1). So while he got lucky, getting Rose, picking him over Beasley wasn't a sure thing. I bet it was 60/40 or something along those lines (in terms of what other teams would have done in the Bulls shoes).

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ May 1, 2017 -> 03:59 PM) Paxson is the better drafter and more aggressive, I like it. Supposedly he wanted to actually address this mess, but was outvoted. Either way...Paxson had a pretty darn good run at building the club. He probably is just as screwed up as Gar, but I at least saw a time where Paxson was head honcho and the Bulls were one of the more respected orgs in the league. It really wasn't even that long ago (sadly). And he built them back to that after an all-time low (post Jordan era).

Seperate from this...there was another report from Cowley that the Bulls intend to tell Jimmy during exit-interviews that they intend to build around him.

Surprised no one posted this. Long story short...reports that Paxson may overtake day-to-day duties and that his brother is expected to take on a larger role. Both moves are ones that diminish Gar's involvement. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/colum...430-column.html

I will say this...one thing, more then anything concerns me...it is the Pace/Fox disconnect. If Fox & Pace aren't on the same page, then one of them needs to be shown the door. Why have a season with a coach who is on the way out...especially when you have a young QB who needs to get developed (and it would behoove us to learn from the Cutler fiasco and provide said QB with a consistent system, etc). I think, more then any position, when you take a QB that early, you need to be on board with your offensive system and coaches, to ensure you lay out the best foundational path for success. If Fox wasn't that (and I can understand that answer), then we should have moved on from him in the off-season.

Last year, right after the draft, I saw pundits rating the Rams draft an A-. What would those same pundits say today? On the flipside, they all ripped last years Eagle's draft...which I think if you had a do-over, people would agree that Wentz has some real upside and was probably worthy of going where he did (yes, he struggled the second half of the year...but the talent was certainly on display). What if the Bears picked Allen @ #3...most people would have been happy...but fast-forward and watch the draft...we would find out that we could have traded down ~15 picks and be able to get that same guy (which is a pretty steep disconnect). Had we picked Allen @ 3...we technically would have overdrafted him by far more value then what we gave up to move from 3 to 2. If Pace believed Trubisky was the franchise QB, then I don't disagree with the notion that you don't sit around and wait for that guy to get there, you ensure you get that guy. Last year a lot of people ripped the move up to get Floyd...reality was, if we hadn't made that move, he would have been taken and well, Pace was right on getting Floyd (at least after one year it looks that way...of course that could all change).

QUOTE (bmags @ May 1, 2017 -> 08:54 AM) The only way they'd be certain someone else had an offer on the pick is if another team traded up and they lost out on who they wanted. A year from now, we are all going to be excited because we stocked up on picks next draft (you can book it).

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ May 1, 2017 -> 08:14 AM) I actually like all of the picks. They didn't have enough of them though which happens when you trade up for a QB. They did sign 3 UDFA's that could make the team though. I don't understand the national narrative that says Pace will get fired though. He had a great draft last year. Taking the QB this high buys him more time. Pace absolutely gets a 2nd head coach while in Chicago. If Trubisky is terrible, Pace will end up getting fired but we are like 3-4 years from that IMO. I think the thing that gives me hope is that Pace really had a great draft last year. It takes time...I'm not going to call out the mob because of draft grades now...draft grades a year from now and 3 years from now, sure, then I'll get upset (or happy), depending on the result. This is a process and I believe in being patient. Pace could be awful, but when you pick a guy to be GM, you need to give him time and you need to buy into the LT plan. You constantly flip direction and you will always be mediocre. Best franchises have consistency / continuity, and while they probably have smart people, I don't know how much of the success is driven by distinctively better smarts vs. just the benefits of consistency (i.e, scouts know what coaches need and what fits said "system", etc.). I'm not trying to downplay smarts, but luck plays a fact, especially in an early window of success. I think it is easier to have sustained winning, when you have consistent systems, processes, etc.

Call it a hunch...I think Gar is going to get fired.

Total bummer. Get better Adam!

Total bummer. Get better Eaton!!!