<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MikeDC @ May 11 2008, 08:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JayJohnstone @ May 11 2008, 05:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Straight from the horse's mouth... http://www.suntimes.com/sports/basketball/...-bull11.article <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>'[On Saturday] morning, Jerry and I spoke and agreed that Mike was a good fit,'' Paxson said. ''I placed a call to his agent [Warren LeGarie]. Jerry wanted to meet with Mike again and talk about a deal. Unfortunately, we were never given an opportunity to make an offer of any kind, which is the most disappointing thing. ''I thought it would have been fair to listen to what we had to say, but at the end of the day, we simply weren't given the opportunity to do so. I now will continue to search for the proper fit for our current roster.''</div> "It would have been fair" for the hottest coach to wait until Pax stopped dittering. Fair would have been getting off you ass and making something happen. Paxson is SO OVERMATCHED in his job. Un**********believable. "It would have been fair" </div> I was just coming here to post that. Cry me a ****ing river, Pax! Is he really going to talk about "fair"? Wow. You said it all. Pax and Reinsdorf conducted three interviews with the man. He obviously walked away thinking "I don't care what they offer, it ain't enough". </div> Honestly, I feel this is the biggest ****-up of Paxson's career. It would be one thing if the Bulls decided Mike was not the coach for them. It is truly another to wait a week, not get an offer in before he signs with another team, and then carp about it in the media. That is flat-out embarrassing.
Did anyone else see that thing about the Bulls players begging Paxson to hire D'Antoni? They were flooding him with text messages and calls telling him to hire him. (Except for Aaron Gray).
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (darius miles davis @ May 12 2008, 11:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Honestly, I feel this is the biggest ****-up of Paxson's career. It would be one thing if the Bulls decided Mike was not the coach for them. It is truly another to wait a week, not get an offer in before he signs with another team, and then carp about it in the media. That is flat-out embarrassing.</div> No freaking kidding. Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than open it and remove all doubt.
http://sportstwo.com/NBA/Story/NBA/2239642 Report: Bulls owner unhappy with D'Antoni Tuesday, May 13, 2008 12:38 PM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Chicago Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf apparently is unhappy with Mike D'Antoni. Reinsdorf has accused D'Antoni, the new head coach of the New York Knicks, of "misleading" the Bulls during contract negotiations, according to a report published Tuesday by the Chicago Tribune. D'Antoni, who will be formally introduced by the Knicks at a news conference Tuesday, met with Bulls ownership last week to discuss the team's coaching vacancy. Reinsdorf told the Tribune that he had a 2 1/2-hour meeting with D'Antoni, who evidently was willing to listen to contract offers from the Bulls. But D'Antoni chose the Knicks, who officially hired the former Phoenix Suns coach last Saturday. "I'm disappointed in (D'Antoni)," Reinsdorf told the newspaper. "I don't know what else we could've done. He chose to go to New York knowing there was a good chance we would make him an offer. "If he had really wanted to be in Chicago, he would've waited. Instead, he misled us. It's not the end of the world, but it is somewhat rude." D'Antoni, 57, reportedly signed a four-year, $24 million contract with the Knicks. Although the Bulls likely could not have matched those financial figures, Reinsdorf claimed that D'Antoni was not concerned with money. "He said that's not a problem and that money wasn't the most important thing anyway," Reinsdorf told the Tribune. "He said he wanted a job where he was going to be happiest. He said he didn't want to coach the Knicks." The Bulls currently are still seeking a new head coach following a disappointing 2007-08 season, when they went 33-49 en route to a fourth-place finish in the Central Division. Chicago fired coach Scott Skiles on December 24, replacing him on an interim basis with assistant Jim Boylan.
I don't get how a team with $59M in profit can't afford $6M/year for a coach. "Although the Bulls likely could not have matched those financial figures, Reinsdorf claimed that D'Antoni was not concerned with money."
wow they really had $59 million in profit? That's some big numbers. Maybe they just thought it was a rip off to play D'Antoni 6 mill. Every doesn't know how he will fair with a different roster than Phoenix's roster.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MikeDC @ May 13 2008, 02:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Wow, now I know where Pax learned how to whine from.</div> It's a fine whine in the Berto. Jeez, I thought Paxson's idea of "fair" was bad enough. JR has completely lost it. In defending himself, it became pretty clear why MD might have gone the other way. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>I said if we need to get something done this weekend we shouldn't even bother talking because it will take longer than that," Reinsdorf said.</div> I guess if MD "misled" then JR is a ******** liar because the Bulls came back that weekend with an offer. What a shithead!!! The hypocracy. p.s. Why does Paxson always want to explain when he screws up? Just digging deeper. And what is up with JR. Is he senile? He used to have a bit of polish.
Hell if I know. All I know is that no matter how you slice it the Bulls pulled off a failure of massive proportions. I’m not sure what's the final revision of the story, but I can tell a couple things pretty clearly. Like most management, it breaks down into judgement and execution. Did I want the right thing, and was I able to make it happen? 1. The Bulls wanted D’Antoni and were willing to pay to get him. As far as I can tell, you consider that a fairly significant error in judgement by itself. I don’t so much agree, I think he was a pretty good fit for this team, and it. 2. By most all accounts D’Antoni wanted to come here at the outset of negotiations and the Bulls obviously wanted him at the end of them. So I don’t think there’s any doubt that, in one way or another they turned him off when in fact they were trying to turn him on. ----------------- Lots of folks who seem to be trying to defend the Bulls want to call D’Antoni a flake. I don’t see it that way. First, if actions are what I have to go on, D’Antoni is the guy standing up and saying “don’t make an offer, it’s not about money”, and Pax and Reinsdorf are crying about unfairness. But set that aside for a moment. The bigger reason this is a problem for Pax is that the sequence of events sounds something like this: 1. Pax is blown away by D’Antoni and tells Reinsdorf he wants him. 2. Reinsdorf, who’s mentioned his desire for a “defensive mentality” in his coach has to be sold on it. 3. So operating on Paxson’s suggestion, Reinsdorf goes against his natural instinct, sticks himself out there… 4. ... and gets burned in a major way. I’m not saying that’s exactly what happened, but when I work that out in my head, if I’m Jerry Reinsdorf I’m not very happy with John Paxson’s performance.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MikeDC @ May 14 2008, 10:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>1. The Bulls wanted D’Antoni and were willing to pay to get him. As far as I can tell, you consider that a fairly significant error in judgement by itself. I don’t so much agree, I think he was a pretty good fit for this team, and it.</div> Not sure this was directed at me...but I that D'Antoni is a GREAT fit and the one retread coach that I am/was really excited about. I think his success in Europe is unrecognized and makes him more valuable. Kinda like PJax winning in CBA. His players really like him and play hard for him. He is very smart on offense, and balances out Pax's tendency to get defenders. Kinda like if D'Antoni can get some O out of Pax's defensive-minded players, it's all good. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MikeDC @ May 14 2008, 10:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>2. By most all accounts D’Antoni wanted to come here at the outset of negotiations and the Bulls obviously wanted him at the end of them. So I don’t think there’s any doubt that, in one way or another they turned him off when in fact they were trying to turn him on. Lots of folks who seem to be trying to defend the Bulls want to call D’Antoni a flake. I don’t see it that way. First, if actions are what I have to go on, D’Antoni is the guy standing up and saying “don’t make an offer, it’s not about money”, and Pax and Reinsdorf are crying about unfairness.</div> Completely agree <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MikeDC @ May 14 2008, 10:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>But set that aside for a moment. The bigger reason this is a problem for Pax is that the sequence of events sounds something like this: 1. Pax is blown away by D’Antoni and tells Reinsdorf he wants him. 2. Reinsdorf, who’s mentioned his desire for a “defensive mentality” in his coach has to be sold on it. 3. So operating on Paxson’s suggestion, Reinsdorf goes against his natural instinct, sticks himself out there… 4. ... and gets burned in a major way. I’m not saying that’s exactly what happened, but when I work that out in my head, if I’m Jerry Reinsdorf I’m not very happy with John Paxson’s performance.</div> I have to hope that Pax was telling JR to get off his ass and see D'Antoni ASAP and JR didn't move quite as quickly as Pax was advocating. Which would have Pax not being very happy with JR and JR a bit sheepish.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JayJohnstone @ May 15 2008, 11:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MikeDC @ May 14 2008, 10:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>1. The Bulls wanted D’Antoni and were willing to pay to get him. As far as I can tell, you consider that a fairly significant error in judgement by itself. I don’t so much agree, I think he was a pretty good fit for this team, and it.</div> Not sure this was directed at me...but I that D'Antoni is a GREAT fit and the one retread coach that I am/was really excited about. I think his success in Europe is unrecognized and makes him more valuable. Kinda like PJax winning in CBA. His players really like him and play hard for him. He is very smart on offense, and balances out Pax's tendency to get defenders. Kinda like if D'Antoni can get some O out of Pax's defensive-minded players, it's all good. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MikeDC @ May 14 2008, 10:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>2. By most all accounts D’Antoni wanted to come here at the outset of negotiations and the Bulls obviously wanted him at the end of them. So I don’t think there’s any doubt that, in one way or another they turned him off when in fact they were trying to turn him on. Lots of folks who seem to be trying to defend the Bulls want to call D’Antoni a flake. I don’t see it that way. First, if actions are what I have to go on, D’Antoni is the guy standing up and saying “don’t make an offer, it’s not about money”, and Pax and Reinsdorf are crying about unfairness.</div> Completely agree <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MikeDC @ May 14 2008, 10:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>But set that aside for a moment. The bigger reason this is a problem for Pax is that the sequence of events sounds something like this: 1. Pax is blown away by D’Antoni and tells Reinsdorf he wants him. 2. Reinsdorf, who’s mentioned his desire for a “defensive mentality” in his coach has to be sold on it. 3. So operating on Paxson’s suggestion, Reinsdorf goes against his natural instinct, sticks himself out there… 4. ... and gets burned in a major way. I’m not saying that’s exactly what happened, but when I work that out in my head, if I’m Jerry Reinsdorf I’m not very happy with John Paxson’s performance.</div> I have to hope that Pax was telling JR to get off his ass and see D'Antoni ASAP and JR didn't move quite as quickly as Pax was advocating. Which would have Pax not being very happy with JR and JR a bit sheepish. </div> Does JR strike you as very sheepish about how all of this went down? Or anything for that matter As to the first part, I wasn't referring to you directly, I simply mis-wrote everything. Having kids is a bitch.
D'Antoni got a look at management and took the job with one of the worst teams in the league. Go figure.
