Apparently, the Bulls head coach, Vinny DelNonsense, thinks he running a high school basketball team in the 1980s. The Chicago Tribune reported Sunday that the team had to attend a Super Bowl party hosted by the head coach.
It was mandatory.
Actually, it was dumb.
After the players moaned about it, DelNegro said it was voluntary. But who actually showed up? Larry Hughes? What about Lyndsay Hunter?
These are grown men who make millions of dollars to play games. DelNegro should remember since he played ball in the big leagues. They are not awe-struck high school players, and even high school athletes these days are ahead of their time.
Couldn't you just see Aaron Gray sitting on the couch next to DelNegro, analyzing commercials?
Does Gregg Popovich or Phil Jackson host mandatory Super Bowl parties? No. Why? Because it's frivolous and silly.
Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan listen to their coach because they respect them. They're knowledgeable, not neceassarily likeable.
This Chicago Bulls' bunch? Don't know.
I know I should be feeling good after the Bulls blasted three teams in a row on the west coast, but this team is still stuck in the muck. For a short time there, I thought they were tanking the season and headed toward another high lottery pick.
It's not a bad thing when your team has a direction. Even the Oklahoma City Thunder have talent (Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook) and direction.
The Bulls are on their way to Houson, New Orleans, Dallas and Detroit. Let's celebrate if they walk away with a winning record after that assignment.
- Derrick Rose victimized Phoenix on Saturday and looked like he is regaining confidence in his jumper. I wouldn't call it a funk but Rose appeared to be struggling over the last month, particularly on defense.
It would seem that his sour play was synonymous with the team's five-game skid in January. Rose scored several times on Saturday with a running floater that almost looks like a punch-shot. He said he used the shot at Memphis and hadn't gone back to it at the NBA level because of comfort.
It's a sign that Rose is something special because he adds elements to his game within the season. It's also a sign that Tyrus Thomas is not special. He has had three seasons in the NBA and still looks lost many times.
Granted, he is playing harder and shown some aggression when going at the basket, but for someone with spectacular athletic ability to have no "game" is a telling sign. In one positive sequence, Thomas blocked Amare Stoudemire when he went in for a dunk Saturday. It was a clash of possibly the two best leapers in the game (Dwight Howard, Josh Smith as well); both were at their pinnacle, with arms stretched.
Thomas was still called for the foul.
I still want to know how many players actually showed up "voluntarily" for the Vinny Super Bowl bash and what dialogue was shared. K.C. Johnston of the Tribune called it a mistake.
And what hasn't been?
No comments:
Post a Comment