Hanging Vinnie Out To Dry

Not surprisingly, there has been lots of speculation that Bulls coach Vinnie Del Negro will be fired, with most people expecting it to happen Christmas Eve, since the Bulls have played Scrooge on that day by firing two coaches in the recent past. But Christmas Eve came and went with no firing. Then, directly after Christmas, there were reports that Vinnie was fired. So, Vinnie had to face a press conference and state that it wasn't true. However, the silence from the front office was deafening. Neither Paxson nor Forman came out to make a statement in support of Del Negro. Their silence was even more punctuated by the fact that the Pacer's coach was in a similar situation with firing rumors and Larry Bird immediately made a statement to support him.

It it seems like the Bulls have their heads up their butt, that's because they do. But before I get back to thumping the front office, I'd like to thump the Bulls players for some of the worst basketball in recent memory.

Post awful circus trip, they get killed by a Cleveland team that clearly looks like they aren't even trying. Then they get destroyed by the Raptors in a game that featured a bizarre moment where a Raptors' guard dribbled the ball past halfcourt in the third quarter with an enormous lead, and then proceeded to casually tie his shoe with the game clock on. The Bulls didn't even attempt to take the ball from him, and instead stood around waiting patiently for him to finish. They probably realized that they would just embarrass themselves with the ball once they got it.

Next the Bulls lose to New Jersey at home. The same New Jersey team that set the record this year for most losses to start the season. A New Jersey team that is currently 2 and 29! Then after a few blowout losses and a few lucky wins, the Bulls produce one of the most stunningly inept games in basketball history. Playing at home to the same Kings team that gave them their only win on the circus trip, a Kings team that is playing without their best player, the Bulls build up a gigantic 35 point lead well into the third quarter. Then they make NBA basketball history by becoming the first team to have a lead like that so late in the second half and lose the game.

Then they lose to the Knicks, one of the very few teams the Bulls have been able to look down on during the past several years. After all the Vinnie rumors, they finally show a bit of life by beating New Orleans, but it was basically a New Orleans team that was taking the night off.

On the plus side, everyone is healthy now and both Hinrich and Thomas played better than usual against New Orleans. This may be the Bulls one last shot at trading Thomas. There are rumors of a three team swap that gets us Al Harrington for Tyrus. Please let it happen!

The other really stunning fact is that as bad as the Bulls have been, they are still in playoff contention! It seems like a bad joke, but there are plenty of crummy teams in the East so all the Bulls have to do is play mediocre ball and they could get a sixth seed!

But getting back to Vinnie and Paxson and Forman, there is certainly plenty of blame to go around for all three. I'd be quite happy to see all of them out the door but the coach always goes first. I've hinted at it before, but now I'll say straight up that Paxson is one of the worst NBA management types I've ever seen. It hurts me to say it because I was a big fan of Paxson when he was a player, starting back in his college days. He's a smart, likable guy, but man has he done an awful job in the front office. And Gar Forman is a joke! Have you ever seen a more invisible GM? Most people I talk to in Chicago don't even know he is the GM! They still think it is Paxson, and really it is all the same because neither one knows what they are doing. This latest fiasco with Del Negro is a perfect example. Clearly the Bulls are looking around for another coach but they don't even know how to do that properly.

Now, as for who I'd like to see as the new coach, that is a tough question and one that I, just like Paxson and Forman, will address in the future.

It's A Circus All Right

Well, I wrote that the Laker game would be a bellwether of what the Bulls were capable of, and unfortunately, it proved that they can't do much. Deng took one look at Ron Artest and stood in the corner sucking his thumb and crying for his teddy bear. Gasol must have had this game penciled in for his return from injury because he knew the Bulls bigs wouldn't be able to stop him. Kobe basically took the night off since he wasn't needed. Salmons is forever going to be up and down. And worst of all, Rose is proving himself to be no floor leader.

A disaster all around, not just for the Laker game, but during the four blowouts in a row to Denver, Portland and Utah as well. Bulls at least put up a fight against the Bucks, mainly by playing a bit of defense, before losing out in the end. That puts the circus trip in the books at 1-5, with four very ugly loses. Extremely disappointing, to say the least.

Bogut took note of Gasol's triumphant return and repeated it himself against the Bulls. Potential trade target Boozer, killed them. Why would he ever want to come here when he can have career highs against them? Bulls displayed almost no toughness or desire during the road trip. They are a weak team, content to go through the motions for a few quarters and then fold.

Clearly, the Bulls are worse than last year, which makes the playoffs unlikely. And a top draft pick is out of the question with horrific teams like New Jersey, New York, and Minnesota sunk down at the very bottom of NBA muck. Free agency may well be their only hope.

Dare I say Rose has been over-rated? He's not good defensively. He doesn't get the offense moving fast enough -- Bulls are ridiculous with their 24 second violations. And he isn't shooting well. Hopefully, it is a bad stretch and he can learn from his mistakes.

Heinrich has been hurt, so the Bulls are short at guard now. Hunter had to play against the Bucks and it wasn't pretty watching the Buck guards breeze past him. Of course the Bulls are short-handed in the front court as well with Thomas out, but I don't see that as any loss. Speaking of which, Bulls revealed that Thomas broke his arm while doing chin-ups. Now, just imagine that for a minute. Think about attempting a chin-up and breaking your arm in the process. Envisioning that? Now you have a glimmer of understanding as to what kind of a spaz Tyrus is.

Nine out the the next eleven games are at home now, so the Bulls should improve somewhat. Historically, they do improve anyway. Bulls are 10-60 on the circus trip in the post MJ era, so it would be difficult for them to be that bad all the time.