KC's article on Kirk from the bench is just about the craziest shit ever. Apparently this (new) policy extends to Deng as well. I guess to Gordon too, although I assume the Bulls might continue to have him coming off the bench even if it meant starting Nichols for the rest of the year. But get a load of this <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Also, after saying he "most likely" would bring Kirk Hinrich off the bench for a second straight game Thursday night when the Bulls face Miami, Boylan announced a team policy. "This is just one I'm putting down right here: If you're out for an extended period of time, you need to work your way back into the lineup," Boylan said after Wednesday's practice. "I have all the confidence that Kirk and [Luol Deng] and Ben [Gordon] will do that. Our guys just all need to be willing to sacrifice for the betterment of the team." Translated: This rule is as much to put Deng and Gordon on notice as it is to reward Chris Duhon and Thabo Sefolosha for playing through nagging injuries. Hinrich, who scored 15 points in 26 minutes Tuesday night after missing just three games with bruised ribs, just happens to own the distinction of being made the first example. Deng, who said he had "no idea" if he would play when the season resumes Feb. 20 in New Jersey, remains out indefinitely with left Achilles' tendinitis. Gordon, who has missed nine of the last 11 games with a sprained right wrist, has said he would play in New Jersey. Boylan is juggling a variety of issues, not the least of which is more consistent effort and spirited performances on the recently concluded West Coast trip before Tuesday night's fourth-quarter clunker against the Hornets.</div> It's been a strange season, but this takes the cake. Wow. These guys just need to "sacrifice" more? Hey dickhead, maybe you shouldn't be playing Deng 40 minutes (or even 0 minutes) with a sore Achilles. Freaking nuts.
The other day I was wondering if Kirk was benched because he sort of through Duhon and Gordon under the buss by talking about how much easier it was to play with Thabo. I still think that was some... ahem... extremely poor "leadership" on Kirk's part (if you think it's not, consider how you like it when someone blames their suckitude on you at work... you wanna go have lunch with that guy?), but it appears it was just a new "policy" handed down by our glorious leader. Sheesh.
I posted about this in the Miami GT. The organization is trying to hold Deng and Gordon accountable for being too careful with their injuries. But it's not gonna work because the organization has little leverage at this point... Deng and Gordon are a few months off from RFA, the team sucks, and clearly this standard doesn't apply to Ben Wallace. The wheels are coming off.
Pretty much. If they're really doing that, by the way, they're so myopic it's crazy. Why on earth do they want to put these guys out on the court and risk a long-run injury on an already lost season? Sneaking into the playoffs can't possibly be worth tearing a freaking Achilles on your best player. That's just insanity.
I hope Boylan didn't expect to get hired as the full time coach, cause he's slowly shooting in the foot. If you're best players are healthy, you freaking play them. Who cares if others were playing well in their absence, you play them. They're going to give you the best chance to win, and that's what this sport is about. And quite frankly, Boylan hasn't done that. If he's back next year as the head coach, I'm going to go nuts.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Moo2K4 @ Feb 14 2008, 05:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I hope Boylan didn't expect to get hired as the full time coach, cause he's slowly shooting in the foot. If you're best players are healthy, you freaking play them. Who cares if others were playing well in their absence, you play them. They're going to give you the best chance to win, and that's what this sport is about. And quite frankly, Boylan hasn't done that. If he's back next year as the head coach, I'm going to go nuts.</div> The other option is that Pax is telling him to do stuff like this. Pax said he'd be making decisions about PT to some extent after he axed Skiles.
Pax can't be that stupid though, can he? He has to realize who his best players are and the only reason he'd do this is if he's planning on just saying to hell with the playoffs and taking his chances on reloading with the lottery. That way he can let Gordon walk instead of paying out the ass for him and still get premium talent to replace him c/o of the lottery.
It's pretty clear to me that Boylan's just massively out of his depth. He was 15-69 in three years as the head coach of the University of New Hampshire. That doesn't seem as implausible to me now as it did before he took the helm of the Bulls.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Scott May @ Feb 14 2008, 09:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>It's pretty clear to me that Boylan's just massively out of his depth. He was 15-69 in three years as the head coach of the University of New Hampshire. That doesn't seem as implausible to me now as it did before he took the helm of the Bulls.</div> I defended him the other day suggesting that everyone looks worse when we're losing, but it's becoming clear losing is his natural condition.
