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Bulls: More dissension, more disarray
January 16, 2008
BY JAY MARIOTTI Sun-Times Columnist
So there was Ben Wallace, $60 million waste, laughing on the bench Tuesday night in Orlando. The Bulls were losing by 20-something points in another hapless, character-less performance, and Big Bum was having such a good time [...]
He wasn't the only quitter and slacker in a 102-88 loss, the latest stinker in a pathetic season of quitting and slacking, which only underscores the thievery taking place. [...]
Reportedly, Noah and Wallace had a post-game flareup and were separated. Seems Noah was as irked as I was about the apathy of some veterans -- [...]
If the rookie was punished two games, Wallace should be suspended five for laughing. But that won't happen. Know why? His agent, Arn Tellem, is close with Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. It was Reinsdorf, according to ESPN's Ric Bucher, who fueled the regrettable Wallace signing two summers ago because of his relationship with Tellem. There even was a report, denied by the Bulls, that Reinsdorf met last month with Wallace and Tellem to gauge the players' feelings about Skiles.
So maybe we shouldn't be blaming only Paxson for the Bulls demise. Maybe it's a classic Reinsdorf screwup.
This season even getting worse.
How can Wallace laughing at the bench when he and the team is playing so bad? No tolerance to players who don't take this very serious.
A flareup between Noah and Wallace. I don't understand this. Sometimes things like that will help a team, but I don't believe that there are many things that can help the Bulls this season.
I can really understand why "Boylan steamed". I hope that he will stiring up this team and get playing time to players who want to play and win.
I can't say for sure who this will be. But as it seems at least Wallace.
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/basketball/bulls/742786,CST-SPT-bull16.article#
Boylan steamed
Magic 102, Bulls 88 | Coach questions players' professionalism
January 16, 2008
BY JOHN JACKSON jjackson@suntimes.com
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Since taking over as Bulls coach three weeks ago, Jim Boylan has tried his best to accentuate the positive, but the honeymoon apparently ended Tuesday night.
After the Bulls suffered a 102-88 loss to the Orlando Magic at Amway Arena thanks to a third-quarter implosion, Boylan erupted and questioned his team's effort and professionalism.
''Our lack of effort in the third quarter was unacceptable and probably the worst third quarter I've seen since I've been with the Chicago Bulls, as a head coach or an assistant,'' Boylan said. ''It was a lack of effort all the way across the board, a lack of concentration and focus.
''In the NBA, there's always ebb and flow, but we're letting teams have their way with us. Our defense is soft; our offense is anemic at times. We seem to be casual with the ball. We have to do something about that if we want to get ourselves right. We have to change the way we're playing.''
