Analyzing the Bulls - Post Draft

HT's Two Sense

So, the NBA draft was last night, and I even watched a big chunk of the 1st Round. The player I most wanted for my Bulls was Henderson, but I knew he wouldn't last that long.

Going into the draft, we needed a big man with an offensive presence, and maybe a scorer if Gordon leaves.

I was thrilled to get James Johnson at 16. He's a great athlete and can play the 4, and even has 3 point range. He could really develop into a 20-8 player, which is something we've needed on the inside for a long time.

Taj at 26 was just an ok pick to me. It becomes a better pick if we make a deal and move Thomas. Maybe a Thomas/Deng for Amare package? That's better return for the Suns than I heard about in another rumor involving Amare.

Now we focus on Gordon. I'm really torn here. I love his scoring ability, and he's fun to watch, but he doesn't play defense and he often goes in spurts. If he's hot, he can score with anyone in the league, when he's cold, its ugly.

Free Agency opens up the 1st and Detroit has there eye on Gordon, although not sure where he'd play unless they trade Rip.
We also have some trading coming up, its inevitable, and several players will be on the move.

I will be back with more when camp opens.....or a trade happens.

Presenting Your 2007 Chicago Bulls

The hopes were high last year, especially after the big signing of Ben Wallace. Outsiders were picking the Bulls to go far in the playoffs, and deep down, I was too. However when I would take off my Red and White colored glasses, I could see a team that was missing a scoring presence on the inside. Would Tyrus Thomas step up? Could PJ Brown offer enough of a presence? Those were my thoughts going into last year. I knew they could get far in the East, but if they could somehow make it to the Finals, the West would probably destroy them. Well, turns out they couldn't get past Detroit. They went up 2-1 in the best of 7 series, but would wind up losing 3 in a row to a much more veterand Detroit team. Let's not forget just how young this Bulls team is. That brings us to the 2007-8 season. I have on my Red and White glasses again, and with that comes great optimism and hope. So, here is my look at the 2007 Chicago Bulls:

PG: Kirk Hinrich: He's generally overlooked when it comes to Point Guards in the NBA, but if you look closely, he's improving his game steadily every year and becoming more and more of a leader on the court. He's increased his FG% every year, with last year being his high at 44.8%. He still sometimes tends to try and do a little too much if Gordon and Deng are struggling, but he has definitely proved his worth hitting many clutch shots last season and in the playoffs. Kirk is 26, and one of the few players that actually stayed in college perfecting his game.

SG: Ben Gordon: Gordon has become the "go to" guy for the Bulls, Mr.4th Quarter. I can't count how many games Ben has just taken over, and when he is on, no one can stop him. Gordon has struggled at times, and almost seemed more comfortable coming off the bench than he was starting. He'll be starting this year and the Bulls need him to show the same fire and passion in quarters 1 through 3 that he does in quarter 4. Don't forget, Ben Gordon is only 24 years old.

SF: Luol Deng: Deng really blossomed into a big time player last year, and showed everyone what he is capable of. He's only 22 years old, and his best basketball is still ahead of him. He started all 82 games last year, the only Bull to do so, and led the team in shooting percentage just under 52%. He is a very strong defensive pplayer as well, yet rarely commits fouls...only averaging 2 per game. He's a great person on and off the court, winning the NBA's Sportmanship Award that is voted on by NBA players.

C: Ben Wallace: In all reality, who doesn't know what Ben Wallace's game is all about? He's a defensive guy that brings great energy and heart to the floor, he just doesn't have an offensive game. He's a great shot blocker and he provides some verteran leadership on the court. He's getting a little up there in age at 33, but can still provide the defensive presence the Bulls need from the man in the middle. He's on the shorter side for an NBA Center at only 6 foot 9 inches, but when is AFro is in full effect, it makes him look about 7 foot tall.

PF: Here is where things get a little interesting. In all honesty, this should be Tyrus Thomas' job to lose. His athleticism and natural skill is unmatched by anyone on this team, he just has yet to show the heart and effort to put it all together. The also picked up veteran Joe Smith this off-season who should get some good playing time if his knees hold up. Then it brings us to two rookies, Joakim Noah and Aaron Gray. I have to admit, I wasn't happy with the drafting of Noah. I thought, we already have Tyrus Thomas, we don't need Noah. But Noah offers something Tyrus doesn't, and that's heart and hustle. Noah is an all-out energy type of player. If he had the athleticism and natural skill that Tyrus has, he would be unstoppable. Unfortunately, he has a shot that is uglier than Wallace's. Now, that brings us to Gray, who has really stepped up in the pre-season and has earned himself some playing time with great defense and even some offensive prowess. This will most likely be a platoon situation until someone steps up. I'm really pulling for Tyrus to show some fire, that kid can be special if he can put it all together.

So, that brings me to my prediction for the 2007-8 season. Can the Bulls win the East? Absolutely, I fully believe they could have last year, and they've only gotten better this year. Can they hang with a West team in the Finals? If I leave my Red and White glasses on, I say yes, and being the fan I am, I have to believe that. Their main competition in the East will come from the Cavs, Pistons, and maybe the Celtics with the big three they have now. This Bulls team is very young and has steadily improved every year, going further in the playoffs. They have a very talented and very young roster that continues to grow together. Thier coach, Scott Skiles, is a no-nonsense fiery competitor that seems to get everything he can from his players. It's taken a long time to get back to the top after the Jordan Era, but I believe we are just about to get there again.

I'm excited for this year, I can't wait for opening night.

No limit Sportsline is here!

Nolimitsportsline.net is here!

We have it all covered for you in our brand new site! Fantasy Football advice, Fantasy Football Classifieds, who to start and sit, and much, much more. We also have leagues for Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Basketball, Fantasy Hockey, etc. You can also play some poker and talk real sports. We have breaking news and Insider Articles on every sport!

So come join us over at NLS where it's FREE to join and post!

Role Models in Sports

I've been out of town for the last week, so I haven't had time to write much. Hopefully, I'll be able to post a lot more of my wandering thoughts from now on....to my latest thoughts:

I've heard a lot over the last few weeks and months about Sports players being role models for our youth. Heck, when I was growing up I wanted to be as good as Walter Payton, Ken Griffey JR, Frank Thomas, Jerry Rice, or Michael Jordan. I started thinking about how sad it is that our sports these days are mired in controversy. Where do I begin?

1. Micheal Vick's dogfighting situation
2. Pacman Jones various arrests and suits.
3. Tank Johnson's arrests and suspension
4. NBA Referee Tim Donaghy bets on games he called and has ties with the mob
5. Steroids in baseball

I could go on and on, but my stomach is starting to turn as it is.

When I first heard on the radio that these guys are being bad role models for our youth, I agreed. But then I started thinking about it; Should a prefessional athlete's be our children's role models? After a little thinking, I realized that statement is completely wrong. Sure, it's okay to want to hit the ball as hard as Barry Bonds, run as fast as Devin Hester, and catch as good as Jerry Rice, but that doesn't make them a role model. As parents, WE need to be the role models. WE need to teach our children the difference between wrong and right, not leave that up to an athlete. Sure, we probably can't play sports as good as their favorite athlete can, but we have a much more important job, we are their parent. It's not always an easy job being a parent, but it is easily the most rewarding job we could ever have. I know I won't ever be the athlete that my children watch on Television, but I also understand that I have more responsibility than that athlete does.

My Team

During the NFL draft I was talking with some friends and said, “I can’t believe we got Greg Olsen!” While talking with a friend about the Bulls season, I said, “We finally made it to the second round of the playoffs. It’s a good building block for us, hopefully next year we can take it one more step.” When the Bears were in the Superbowl this year, and someone asked me if I was happy, I said, “I didn’t expect for us to make it this year, we were just able to overcome some injuries and inconsistent play at the QB position.”

Notice anything weird or different about my answers? If not, maybe you just view sports like I do. Maybe how I discuss them isn’t that weird after all. One of my kids asked me a while back how come I refer to the Bears as “My team?” How come I include myself in the answers when I answer a question about one of my favorite teams? Other people have asked me that as well, I guess I just never realized I was doing that. I have heard other people answer that way, so after some thought I realized why I talk that way.

Thinking back to 2005, the Sox were in the World Series for the first time in my lifetime. They were playing Houston, and watching the whole World Series was like a dream for me. I kept waiting for them to blow it, I didn’t want to get too excited just to have those thoughts crushed. They ended up sweeping Houston, and I was so excited, it was an awesome event. My first World Series victory. Then, the Bears went to the Superbowl this year. It started out so great, and then the bottom fell out. My heart was crushed, and it was at that point that I realized why I use words like “we”, and “us” when I talk about them.

It’s because I am part of the team….okay, I’m not crazy, let me explain. My heart is in it, I feel pain and joy when they do. When they lose, it makes me sad, when they win, it makes me happy. When they win championships, it makes me ecstatic! Without fans like me, these teams would not be in the situation they are. We as fans are the ones that make it possible for them to win championships, sign free agents, build new stadiums. Every time you buy a jersey, go to a game, or eat a hot dog at a game, you are investing yourself into that team.

So if people look at you like you are weird when you say “My team is only a few games away from winning it all!” Or, if you say, “I can’t believe we get the number 1 pick!” Don’t worry, you aren’t weird, you are just an invested fan. And don’t forget, that is the BIGGEST reason those teams are around.

LeBron

Not sure how many people were watching the finals last night, but LeBron put on a show. The Finals had actually gotten to be a little unwatchable. The Spurs were running all over the Jazz, while the Pistons and Cavs were trying to see who could score 80 in one game. Then came May 31st, 2007. This is a day that many will remember, not only Cavalier fans. LeBron has had his toughness questioned, his ability to close a game questioned, and his ability to be a finisher.

When you have the talent that LeBron has, everyone is going to expect greatness from you from the minute you step on the floor. Let's not forget, this kid is 22 and has not even hit his prime yet. He took a lot of grief over the game 1 and game 2 losses that were pinned solely on him. So what does he do to follow that up? He has solid games in game 3 and 4, and his supporting cast steps in and contributes as well. But, the questions still remain: Is he tough enough, can he close a game and be a finisher?

Well, after last night, those questions are answered. Last night, from the 4th quarter through the 2nd OT, he just could not be stopped. Everyone on the Pistons knew he was getting the ball, still couldn't stop him. Ilgauskas and Gibson foul out, taking away two of the Cavs scoring threats, yet the Pistons still couldn't stop him. He had multiple defenders on him, taking fadeway jumpers, driving to the rim, he couldn't be stopped. He took the Cavaliers on his back last night and drove them to a game 5 victory.

Watching that game last night was sort of surreal for me. I grew up in Chicago idolizing Michael Jordan, the real #23. So I was used to seeing efforts like that, just wasn't use to seeing them with any other name but Jordan on the back of the jersey. I always get sick of hearing "who will be the next Michael Jordan?" There will be no next, he is and will always be the greatest.

As I sat there last night watching this 22 year old take over a game of this magnitude, I started thinking.....I am watching this kid become a man right before my eyes. I've never liked the Pistons or the Cavs (probably the Bulls roots!), but I can always appreciate greatness when I see it.

Now, he still has to go out and lead his team to one more victory in order to get to the finals. He also can't be counted on to score the last 29 of his team's 30 points every night. Part of being great, is being able to count on your teammates to make big shots....just ask Steve Kerr or John Paxson.

Now, he isn't the next Micheal Jordan, that isn't fair to Michael or LeBron to make that comparison. What is he then? He's a kid that just answered a lot of questions, became tougher, and became a finisher. I just hope everyone got to witness that.

The Bulls

Well, the Bulls keep creeping closer and closer each year to returning to the days of glory they once knew. Long gone are they Dynasty days of Jordan and Pippen. We struggled through the years afterward, almost wondering why they are even playing.

But now, we have a young nucleus. We have Hinrich, Deng, Gordon, Thomas, Sefelosha. These guys all have the potential to be great one day, and they took another step toward that this year. They had their best record post the Jordan Era, and they made it to within two games of the Eastern Finals.

They need a big man in the middle, someone that creates not only a scoring presence, but a defensive presence as well. Let's see what happens in Free Agency and the draft.