"Every year the idiots in Chicago, either they don't want to pay Thibs or his name comes up for other jobs. I wish the Bulls were smart enough to say 'We've got one of the best coaches in the NBA and he's not going anywhere,' " Barkley said Wednesday on the "Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN Chicago 1000. "I don't understand why they don't appreciate Thibs there."
"No guys does more with less than Coach Thibodeau," Barkley said. "... He gets more out of their team than any coach could. Now, if he's not happy and someone wants to give a bunch of draft picks for him that's a totally different animal. But it's disappointing to me that every single year there's chatter about Thibs. You think people would let somebody say something about Gregg Popovich? 'He's our coach. He's not going anywhere.' The Spurs would release a statement ASAP." I'd like to see what he could do with a team that doesn't have to start a Keith Bogans.
As I recall, Thibodeau got re-upped appropriately and on time. It just took him a long time to sign the doc. I agree with Sir Charles that there have been an inordinate number of reports over the past couple years that this team or the other is interested in talking to Thibodeau about their HC job. The thing is, I don't recall one single report that the Bulls were actually asked permission. It's like these other teams float this trial balloon, but if you simply ignore them, they go away. I guess my take is that Sir Charles is wasting his breath on one of those "tempest in a teapot" things.
Yeah, in a perfect world, I guess I'd like Thibodeau, Forman, Paxson and Reinsdorf to join hands and give me a heartfelt chorus of Kumbayah, but one or more seem reluctant. The Bulls are a good gig for Thibodeau. Thibodeau's a good coach for the Bulls. If I can't get love, I'll always take a heapin' helping of good ol' fashion self interest.
We'll see what happens when his contract comes up. I imagine that a team would be willing to sign one of the best head coaches in basketball and let him pick his assistant coaches. You don't hear Pop's name coming up in every other article. Why? Because they don't dick him around giving him no reason to leave. We have a very above average to great head coach. He should be taken care of, not screwed with. If a battle came up between GarPax and Thibs, its pretty clear who should go.
