Jason Goff's Bulls - Written by JasonGoff on Wednesday, December 9, 2009 1:05 - 24 Comments
Question-A-Bull?
The Bulls have lost 8 of their last 9 games. The Bulls lost to a ONE win team at home. The Bulls turned the ball over too many times against a poor defensive team. I heard about energy and effort and how everything was going to be better because of a good practice that was had before the game. None of those things were apparent until the final minutes of the Bulls embarrassing loss to the New Jersey Nets Tuesday night. If it weren’t for Devin Harris and the Nets becoming basketball dumb and forgetting Brook Lopez was dominant on the inside, the Nets would have won by 10 points or more.
All day I heard about how terrible the Nets were after the Bulls were punched in the face by the Raptors Saturday night by 30. I predicted a Nets win and was disgusted that it came true. LeBron dances, Jarrett Jack ties his shoe; and I’m out of line for asking Vinny about his job security?
Speaking of the question. After all the softballs were lobbed up to VDN about what he tells his players (obviously it isn’t working), what happened on the last play, I asked Vinny: “After losing 8 of 9 and losing a at home to a one win team; at what point does job security in your mind become an issue?” Vinny replied: “I don’t worry about that. I go to work everyday doing the best and trying to develop these guys. Those are questions for Gar (Forman), Pax, and Jerry (Reinsdorf). We’re fighting with what we have, we’ll keep on fighting; those decisions aren’t up to me.”
A professional honest answer to what I thought was a legitimate question about his thoughts of being the head of a team who hasn’t competed early in games with teams that were supposedly worse than them and blown out by teams who have taken the step this team was supposed to take. This question I’m told was deemed inappropriate by the postgame crew of Mark Schanowski and Kendall Gill.
My response to those assertions of the appropriateness (if that’s a word) of my question is this; I asked a question that is whispered but never brought up. Earlier on Comcast’s very own Chicago Tribune Live the question was brought up about Vinny’s future if the Bulls lost. On the show that I produce this question was brought up by listeners and hosts alike. I’m not on the west side of Chicago in sleet and rain to be anyone’s friend. I will continue to ask the questions in a professional manner, but the tough questions nevertheless.
The Bulls are mired in a two week period of poor basketball. Their star seems to be stuck in the middle of asserting himself and running a jump shot offense which needs motion and far too often ends up with the ball in other’s hands (see the end of Milwaukee and New Jersey games). The defense and rebounding that was going to be heightened as soon as Ben Gordon became an ex-Bull is non existent. Joakim Noah is logging more minutes than anyone would like (see his production vs. the production of the opposing starting centers over this two week period).
So stating all of those things I think there are serious questions about whether VDN is the coach to get this team out of this funk. Understanding all of these factors, at what point is it the right time for the questions to be asked? When they lose 11 out of 14? How about 14 out of 20? Sorry boys; I leave my Bulls pom poms in my living room. When a credential is granted to me I take it serious and I’m not in the locker room or press room to make comfortable guys more comfortable.
Maybe next time I’ll ask how the team’s energy and effort was. Or maybe I’ll keep doing what I think is right; which is not waste questions and words.
The Toronto loss was unacceptable. The Circus trip was embarrassing. If you’re bad because of injuries that’s fine. There is no reason for James Johnson almost 20 games into an NBA season still not know where to be a majority of the time on offense and defense. Their is no excuse for the Bulls closest game on the trip to be against the Lakers (other than the Kings and the Bucks). Their is no excuse for this team to be bullied and take it. These are lost days that you’ll never get back in the growth of your two young players in Noah and Rose.
I was told by several people in the press room that it was a great question, but they could have never asked it; with a smile. I’ll continue to do it if nobody wants to; Bulls fans deserve it.
The Bulls are now in the middle of a 4 games in 5 night stretch with the Atlanta Hawks coming up next. The Hawks are one of the best teams in the league. They have one of the smoothest and quietest stars in the game in Joe Johnson. He’s a real star and I don’t imagine the Bulls or Vinny Del Negro will have an answer for him or his team. They’re long, athletic, and skilled. This is one of those matchups where the Bulls will have to win with ”effort” and “energy”. That’s Vinny’s expertise; hopefully it pays off.
24 Comments
Eddie daze
Knickknack7450
I f there is one thing that bugs me the most, is this ridiculous jump shot offense of there’s. It is really predicatable and it’s isolation every play. I’ve never realized how little fast breaks there are this season. This is going to be a looong season, and compared to last years high powered offense, the brand of basketball this year is really unappealing.
McNasty545
Mark Schanowski and Kendall Gill better get their head on straight. I believe a late great analyst, Norm Van Lier, would have said things above and beyond what you asked Jason. The spineless twosome would have sat there laughing and pouring on the insults. One of the many positive influences Stormin Normin had on not only basketball, but those who covered it. The postgame for Comcast is spineless and gutless. I applaud you for actually asking a “real” question. You know one where the recipient need not give us regurgitated garbage, and actually has to think and ANSWER the question. In addition, I think the bigger story is that so called “REPORTERS” came up and said they would never ask that question! That’s your job! Your job is to be intuitive and give your audience a prudent look into whatever aspect you’re writing/reporting about. What a joke! Speak about sense of entitlement! We berate the Bulls players for not showing any effort. How ironic how the very same people who parade those comments are practicing the same feat, in their inability to report critically, honestly, and intelligently. Keep it up Jason! You’re one of the few who honestly gets it.
middlebrown
Schawhateverski and Gill are not legitimate members of the media. Don’t listen to a word they say re: media etiquette.
Scoopie
hey jason
dont listen to the guys on comcast. there is a reason they are sitting in the studio doing pre and post. how that is a bad question is beyond me. You just lost to the worst team in the league, at home. so vinny doesnt feel the heat, huh? my god that was embarrassing last night. luol deng stinks.
John
Dont worry about Kendall and Mark, they were Bulls apologists last night. Kendell opened up his post game monolouge by saying this wasn’t the same Nets team that was 0-18, instead they were more like a team competing for the 7th spot now that they were healthy.
I would like you( or BandB) to guide the Bulls talk toward the question; how much of the blame goes to this extremely thin roster that they created( without Kirk and Tyrus the roster is really 6 deep and Brad as one of those 6 is gonna have dead legs some nights) and how much of it is actually Vinny’s fault? I want Vinny gone because the organization is wasting time developing Derrick and that should be reason for making a coaching change. However, I dont think many coaches in the NBA could compete with this 5.5 man roster right now.
MediaWhore
Good job Jason. The Bulls should fire Vinny, Paxson and Gar Foreman.
Shaina Marie
Continue to ask the questions others are too afraid to ask themselves… that’s how you continue you progressing while they sink their heads in the sand.
Great Blog J
fat tony
Yeah, Jason!!!!
Ask the difficult questions and don’t listen to the static….
you know you were /are correct….
respect&salut from VERMONT
SHARK
Jason, excellent question by you last night asking about Vinny Del Negro’s job security and lack thereof following the Bulls’ latest loss to the rotten New Jersey Nets last night on the West Side. If he were still alive, Norm Van Lier would’ve strangled Kendall Gill & Mark Schanowski on the Comcast SportsNet set following this embarrassing loss to a Nets’ team that had only 1 win before last night, not to mention what happened Saturday night on my birthday when the Raptors manhandled the Bulls by 32 points! When he comes back from the MLB Winter Meetings in Indianapolis, Jason, Uncle Jerry should cut his losses and admit that hiring VDN was a big time mistake. Jason, even though Bernie Bickerstaff has previous NBA head coaching experience, if VDN gets whacked sooner rather than later, Reinsdorf needs to do whatever he can to get a proven winner here before the season gets away. At last check, as much as 670 The SCORE can’t stand ESPN, get Avery Johnson off the Bristol, CT set, get Byron Scott, get something who can accelerate the development of Derrick Rose into stardom! The longer the VDN experiment continues, Rose will continue to be held back!
Sell The Team Jerry
Jason, it was a good question, but I’m not surprised the dying media dinosaurs didn’t like it.
Did Vinny have a timeout left?
And VDN needs to go, but Pax still has his hands all over this team, Gar is just a puppet, following the team around so he can report back to Pax, sounds like the Raiders. Take a look at so many of the players who were taken after JJ that are contributing. And why don’t they sign anybody? Will they go into the luxury tax?
Jon
Keep it up Jason! There’s 20,000 frustrated Bulls fans in the stadium every game, and it looks like you’re our only mouthpiece. Great work, and you just earned yourself a new fan.
Isaac
Nice work Jason! At least you were willing to ask Vinny a real question.
Here’s a question for Pax, if you ever get the chance: Is there a precedent for hiring an actual experience-less coach? It’s one thing to be inexperienced, but a whole other thing to have never coached a game on any level before. Especially in a major market like Chicago! What did Paxson/Reinsdorf see in Vinny? It definitely wasn’t his x’s and o’s, as it’s clear he’s empty in that department. He doesn’t seem to be much of a motivator, as even with all of that talk about getting last year’s team to play hard, the team lacked effort defensively. Was it simply that he was the cheapest option? I don’t really see any way to make sense of the hire, and no real reason to keep him on board with this cluster of embarrassing losses.
dogra
Keep asking tough questions, Jason. We need more journalists not PR hacks.
John Kos
Jason keep asking the tough questions.I was surprised to hear one journalist not sugarcoat things like Jerry Reinsdorf wants his ******* like Sam Smith and KC Johnson to do.
This team came 2nd in profits made last season (100 grand behind the champions Lakers).
Stop going to Bulls games …Reinsdorf and Gar Paxdorf are a farce.
Change is needed!!!!!
stoops
Great question about Del Negro’s job security Jason. Keep it up, the fans are appreciative
tyger
The Chicago media has carried water for the Chicago organizations for too long. I’m glad SOMEONE wants to ask the questions that need to be asked.
Dan
Good for you Jason. Kendall and Mark work for Comcast Sportsnet, which is partially owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, so they’re nothing but company shills. I’m glad to see there’s at least one reporter in town with some guts.
Dickey Simpkins
Jason, keep up the good work. The true Bulls fans in Chicago (and the rest of the country) are here to support the one real reporter who takes his job seriously. I hope everyone at Comcast Sports Net reads this article and realizes what actual JOURNALISM looks like.
alex
One of the finest questions ever asked.
Joe
It’s about time somebody in the Chicago media has balls to ask such a question to a Coach.
vico
thank you so much for bringing some semblance of journalistic integrity to sports coverage. please keep it up!
Dils
Great question Jason. Keep up the good work man. I’m sure you know, more than fans, the politics involved with our media. I mean there has to be a reason why the Bulls have been able to get away with filling that stadium through some of the worse years imaginable but still be too cheap to hire a decent coach or hold on to good players right? I think the Media is culpable as well if you ask me by not answering the obvious and tough questions. But you did! Big ups!
Terry
You asked a great question. Keep doing it, please, Chicago needs someone to speak for the fans rather than the business.
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Way to go Jason. Skiles didnt get babied an neither should Vinny. Along with Vinny, The double headed failure(Gar Paxson) should be let go too. Rose will not bloom with that trio at the reins. Go getem J.