Clip Show Becomes the Bull Show

We finally got what we Bulls fans have been waiting for this season: a pretty victory. It was also made better by the fact that the Clippers were able to match their guests for much of the game. But in the fourth quarter, the Bulls stepped on the gas to put enough distance between them and their hosts, winning 114-101. This was the first game this season I couldn't find anything really wrong with, but let's analyze this anyway.

Derrick Rose finally looked like the MVP he was last season. His 29 points and 16 assists only told part of the story. The shots he hit, the drives he made to the basket and the passes he made were pretty, crisp, highlight-worthy and above all, efficient. He actually made me cheer the most since his winner over the Lakers on Christmas.

Luol Deng looked all right with 19 points. I really liked the shots he took and even though he's been struggling from three-point territory, he did hit one in this game. Don't forget his eight rebounds too. It wasn't just Rose and Deng making a difference though. All five starters scored in double figures: 19 for Noah, 16 for Hamilton and 10 for Boozer, who is really impressing me with his hustle and overall improved play. There may be hope for him yet to fully play up to the contract he signed.

Off the bench, Ronnie Brewer scored seven points and made both of his field-goal attempts. If he keeps this shooting barrage up, the Bulls may have finally found their true sixth man, though obviously not on a Jason Terry level. Kyle Korver knocked in two of his three shots from beyond the arc for six points. Encouraging signs from both players. Let's hope they continue that on New Year's Day when the Bulls finally get to play at the United Center against the Memphis Grizzlies. Expect a nice ovation after the team went 3-1 on its season-opening West Coast swing.

On a personal note, I'm thrilled to announce that I have been offered a job with the Chicago Tribune as a part-time editing assistant for the Scoreboard page. This will probably affect the frequency of my posting, but I'll keep this updated in an orderly manner. Happy New Year, everyone! See you in 2012!

King Me

The early criticism of Derrick Rose this season has been that he's been too unselfish with the ball. While unselfishness is an important quality in a basketball player, your team suffers if you're the leader and you're not taking shots yourself. Tom Thibodeau told Rose to change that. While he didn't do a complete 180 in a 108-98 win over the Sacramento Kings, he still led the team with 19 points and eight assists. He was also rusty in taking care of the ball as he committed a game-high six turnovers. This win was more than about Rose however.

There was balance on offense all-around. Rip Hamilton created his own shots and knocked them down. I particularly liked how he got open on the baseline and hit his attempts effortlessly. It may be early, but Hamilton's first three games have been very inspiring and encouraging. How about Carlos Boozer? All he did was record a double-double of 16 points and 15 rebounds. That was pretty amazing. Luol Deng had 12 points. So did Ronnie Brewer, who made all five of his shots. C.J. Watson did well off the bench with eight, as did Kyle Korver, who scored all six of his points from beyond three-point range. Keep it up, Kyle.

Of course, this win wasn't perfect. The Bulls didn't take good enough care of the ball to hold off a Sacramento run. Also contributing to that inability of holding off the Kings was the lack of intensity they displayed whenever they were able to add on to the deficit. When they build up a decently sized lead against a weaker team like the Kings, they need to go for the kill, especially when they're not on their home court. You don't want to lose any momentum. They need to stay out of foul trouble too. No one received a DQ, but Rose had four fouls in the third quarter, forcing Thibodeau to pull him in favor of Watson. Rose finished with five, so did Noah. Omer Asik had four. The Bulls don't want to find themselves in a situation where both true centers foul out because even though Taj Gibson is certainly competent down low, you don't want to have to be creative like that at the end of a game.

The Bulls did outhustle the Kings on fast break points. I don't know the numbers exactly, but the Bulls had well over 30. There was the jump ball in the second half that lead to an easy open layup for Hamilton. That's just one example though. That hustle will come in handy when the team gets back at it tomorrow night in L.A. against the Clippers. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will be ready for that type of play, so the Bulls better have a good strategy against this up-and-coming team. Should be an exciting one.

Christmas Hangover

The Bulls had to travel north from L.A. after their Christmas victory over the Lakers for a next-night game. Their hosts, the Golden State Warriors, also played the day before, but no travel was required on their part. They got to stay right where they were. Taking advantage of home cooking, the Warriors smoothly sailed almost the entire way en route to a 99-91 victory. Their backcourt tandem of Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry combined for 47 points. Down low, David Lee chipped in 22 points. Since this is a Bulls blog however, we have to look at it from their perspective.

It never really seemed like the Bulls were in this one. It reminds me of the first full year I started watching the team (1996-97) in which they had to travel the day after a Christmas Day game and lost. That's a different story, but it was clear almost from the start that the Bulls were exhausted. Perhaps nothing demonstrates that more than the 20 turnovers committed, most of which occurred in the first half. Although C.J. Watson got hot in his old digs down the stretch and finished with 13 points, it wasn't quite enough to mount a strong comeback. Luol Deng was the big man for the Bulls, leading them with 22 points. He did look consistent out there, hitting 10 of 15 from the field. Kyle Korver must have read my last post because he hit three of five three-pointers and two free throws for 11 points. Let's hope that persists. Derrick Rose was all but quiet, scoring just 13 and Rip Hamilton had only 10. Simply put, the Warriors' backcourt outlasted that of the Bulls convincingly.

It's a long year and games like this are going to happen. No one in the NBA is going to go 66-0 this season. Still, one has to have some concern about how the Bulls uncharacteristically did a poor job of taking care of the ball. If the Warriors were able to take advantage of them, that leaves the Bulls vulnerable against stronger defenses in the league, so Tom Thibodeau will surely emphasize that hard in the next practice. Those turnovers dug a hole that was too big to get out of, so let's hope that changes on Thursday in Sacramento.

I won't be able to watch some of that game against the Kings because I'll be announcing games for the Glenbard West Holiday Classic over the next three days. Lucas Mitzel mentioned this on his blog and since he was kind enough to plug and link this one, I have to return the favor. See you all again in a few days.

A Gift That Will Keep On Giving

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! If you're a Bulls fan, you definitely did. Opening the season in L.A. against the Lakers on national TV was a gift itself. The gift that will keep on giving throughout the season though became another stocking stuffer as the first of 66 games ended with an 88-87 victory and a shocked STAPLES Center.

The Bulls were cold for much of the second half, but got hot at just the right time in the fourth quarter, pulling to within one with 20.4 seconds left and setting up a sequence that will hopefully epitomize the things to come this season. Kobe Bryant was forced into a bad pass and Luol Deng came up with the ball. After two passes, Derrick Rose had it. He drove toward the hoop and even with Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol in his face, he still managed to put up a floater that went in. Rose would be the team's leading scorer with 22 points. Behind him was Deng, who blocked Bryant's shot at the very end with help from Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson, with 21. Carlos Boozer made seven of 13 shots to finish with 15.

Naturally, since this was the first game of the regular season, a few kinks still need to be worked out. Consistency is one. Rose didn't score in the first quarter and only attempted one shot. He eventually got hot, but it would be nice for him to get going sooner. I have little doubt that will change. Noah scored six of the Bulls' first 10 points, but that was it for him in the points column. I know he's a rebounder first (he led everyone with nine on the afternoon), but the fact that he went cold after that early stretch might be disappointing to folks who thought that could keep up (though that could have been a tad unrealistic).

Omer Asik appeared ready to play, but he was beat up a lot out there and looked lost at times. He also badly timed a lot of potential rebounds. He'll need to work on that if he wants to be thought of as a serious threat off the bench in his second year. Even more concerning is Kyle Korver. In just under 10 minutes, he missed all three of his shots and looked like he picked up right where he left off in last year's postseason: bricking attempts that he had no problems during the regular season. He better improve on that in a hurry or he'll be seeing as much time on the court as Brian Scalabrine and John Lucas. With one year left on his current contract, the Bulls might want to shop him if he gets back to what he was, but that's for another day.

Even if the Bulls had lost this game, it still would have been an encouraging step for them. They showed they can still compete with at least one of the elite teams in the league. I know they beat L.A. at the UC last year, but they squeaked out of the STAPLES Center this time. Defense was the name of the game as both teams had a great number of stops. As earlier indicated, defense is also what decided this contest. The Bulls should be very confident going forward in that if they can outlast the Lakers on the road, maybe they can do the same to the other teams in the league just like last year. Of course, everyone wants to know if they can beat Miami, but that will have to wait for now. In any case, if you like hard-nosed basketball, this was a game to watch.

No time to savor this though. Golden State comes up tomorrow night. The Warriors will look for their first win after running out of gas against the Clippers tonight. As we saw in L.A. though, the Bulls will and should be ready to play.

Chicago Boy Now and Later

Why is Derrick Rose smiling in this picture? It's quite simple really. He's sitting at the press conference where the Bulls formally announced that the reigning MVP has signed a five-year, $94.8 million contract extension. It's not like he was going to leave after his rookie contract expired after this season anyway, but this is the ultimate statement that Derrick Rose is the Chicago Bulls just like MJ before him. As such, they were going to keep him around and Derrick wasn't planning on going anywhere else.

Rose conducted the press conference with the humility and gracefulness he has become known and lauded for. He started off by thanking God. He also thanked his family (especially his mother Brenda), the Bulls and his friends. He said he never takes anything for granted and doesn't let bad influences affect his life. This, ladies and gentlemen, is how a superstar is supposed to act. He shouldn't buy up an hour of television to announce his taking his talents elsewhere. He shouldn't be disrespectful to the media who have helped build up the large reputation he has in the public eye. What Derrick Rose did today, and has done, should be the prototype for an athlete of his stature on how to approach things like this.

Besides the humility of this guy, what he has done on the court in only three years in the league is nothing short of extraordinary. So extraordinary in fact that the clause in the new CBA that allowed this deal to happen has been dubbed the Derrick Rose Rule. There are the obvious honors: Rookie of the Year, two-time All-Star, MVP. And all of this happened before he turned 23. No matter where he'd be playing, this deal would have happened.

Perhaps above all, he loves Chicago and Chicago loves him. So many in this area (including the author) dreamed of becoming a star for the Bulls, but for everyone not named Derrick Rose, it has to stay a dream. Rose is the one living it out, so he carries with him not only the weight of his hometown on his shoulders, but those childhood dreams of all of us who never got this opportunity.

I'll be 23, Rose's age, on January 8, so it could easily be me doing all of this right now. Instead, I'm just sitting in the family room of the house I've lived in for 16 years writing this on a laptop computer. Since Rose is the one living out the dream for both of us, I really, really hope he becomes even more than what he has been. He's supposed to, so let's hope he does. I want to see another Bulls championship and with Rose, the Bulls have an opportunity to do just that. You go, Derrick!

On a personal note, I don't know who in Russia is reading my blog, but thanks to whoever is doing so and feel free to leave a comment and tell me who you are.

Rip's Debut

Bulls fans finally got to saw two highly anticipated things on Tuesday: basketball at the United Center and Rip Hamilton's first game in a Bulls uniform. The newcomer, winner of championships on both the college and the pro level, did not disappoint in the Bulls' 93-85 victory over the Pacers. With only one preseason game to show himself off, all Hamilton did was knock down his first two shots in impressive fashion en route to a 13-point, six-assist evening. In a preview of what is expected to be a dominant backcourt in Chicago for the next few years, Derrick Rose added 12 points and nine assists of his own. Having Hamilton as a partner should increase Rose's assist total during the year. Don't be surprised if he's among the league's leaders in that category at the end of it.

Luol Deng and Ronnie Brewer had respective performances of 14 and 11 points, but what about Carlos Boozer? Everyone was talking about Hamilton afterward, but also Boozer. Why? He led the Bulls with 24 points, looking very confident out there on the floor. I've made note on how he's appeared to have slimmed down and so far, that's working out. When the real games begin, the Bulls will need him to keep it up as well as stay healthy. His inability to do either was a factor in last year's playoff loss to Miami. It also had to have been a factor in the Bulls' need for a two-guard to compliment their MVP, so any major production out of Boozer this season would be a huge bonus.

Though the offense worked like a well-oiled machine most of the night, the final quarter saw poor shooting from bench players and even some of the starters, resulting in only 15 points in that frame. While the Bulls' bench is undeniably deep, the players you see there are really only around to give the starters a breather and play whatever role has been designated to them. It's true for any team, but this Bulls team especially. That was another factor in the Miami defeat: the Bench Mob going cold at the times least affordable. Rose-Hamilton-Deng-Boozer-Noah is a strong group, but they can't be counted on for everything. Taj Gibson and to a certain degree, C.J. Watson, are the only players who usually come off the bench and have consistently solid performances. Everyone else is hit-or-miss. Let's hope this changes as the season progresses.

In the event I don't think of anything to say between now and the season opener in LA, have a Merry Christmas and I will definitely try to write something after opening my presents and spending the day at my grandmother's.

Basketball is Back!

I know I said I wouldn't be able to see much of last night's preseason game against the Pacers, but between my two jobs, I was able to listen to the first quarter on the radio and watch almost all of the second quarter on TV. From what I was able to gather, my sentiments are the same as everyone else who reported on it. Even though the Bulls won 95-86, it was clear they were a little rusty.

Often times, passes that otherwise would have been completed cleanly were not. That can only improve over time. With this team, it will. Derrick Rose, who tied for the team lead in points with Luol Deng with 16, picked up two fouls in the first couple of minutes, forcing Tom Thibodeau to put in C.J. Watson early. He however was hit with three fouls before the first quarter ended. It was a good night for him though. He had 15 points and knocked down all three of his three-point attempts.

The player that stood out to me best though was rookie Jimmy Butler. He hit all three of his field goal attempts and two free throws. Do the math and that's eight points. He looked rather smooth out there I thought. I'm very interested to see what he can bring to the table. If he plays enough (and I don't mean Keith Booth minutes from '97-98), he could be a candidate for the All-Rookie Second Team. If I'm wrong about him, feel free to refer me back to this post after the season. For now though, I will gladly drink the Butler Kool-Aid.

The Bulls waived Keith Bogans and Jannero Pargo prior to last night's game. Can't say I'll miss either though. Pargo was a complete non-factor in his brief stint here last season and with Rip Hamilton on the roster, Bogans' services were deemed no longer necessary. Someone will pick up Bogans. Starting all 82 games for the team with the best regular-season record a year ago gives you some pretty good credentials. As for Pargo, his career might continue, possibly somewhere in Europe, but don't be surprised if you don't see him in the NBA again. With all the chances he's had to prove himself over the years, he doesn't fit a better billing than NBA journeyman with few opportunities to play in most of his stops.

With luck, I'll find something to say before Tuesday game ends, but if I don't, hope the wait is a painless one for you and yours.

The Gang's (Pretty Much) All Here

Finally, we get to see Bulls basketball again tonight. Well, technically, this game and the next one don't count, but at least we get to see Rose and company again tonight. In Indiana. But I'm not going to waste time over match-ups for a preseason game. I want to talk about the roster.

For the first time since the championship era, we've seen virtually no turnover on the Bulls' roster from the year before. Take a look at it. If you're too lazy to go the team's website, it's in today's Tribune and vice versa. Once you've done that, you'll notice that the only departure at the moment from last year's team is Kurt Thomas, now in Portland. The only additions are Rip Hamilton and rookie Jimmy Butler. While Hamilton definitely adds a big piece to the puzzle and changes the offensive game plan for the Bulls, there's no getting around the fact that we'll probably expect the same type of team from a season ago.

Are they the favorites to win the Central Division again? Without a doubt. With Hamilton now in the lineup, can they get past Miami in the conference finals or whenever they happen to play them during the postseason? That's the big question. They need to do that before they can be considered a top contender for the NBA championship. Time will tell us the answer, but this roster is a year older and a year wiser. Hamilton has far and away more playoff experience than anyone else in a Bulls uniform. It helps for sure, but the main focus will again be on Derrick Rose. When you're the defending MVP of the league, that tends to happen. It will be up to Hamilton, Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer to pick up the slack when Rose is unable to.

As I said in a previous post, Boozer will be under pressure to perform up to the contract he signed when he first came to the team. He appears to have lost some weight during all his time off, so maybe that's a good thing. Maybe that will help him become more capable of doing what he's able to do. Much will be made about the slimmer Boozer, but only he can give the media and the fans more to talk about than just that.

Bring the basketball on. I won't be able to see much of tonight's game if at all because of work. No worries though. I'll keep on counting down the days until Christmas AND the premiere of the new NBA season, which includes your Bulls in LA against the Lakers. Can't wait!

Brian Scalabrine - The Man,The Myth, The Legend?

I was writing a lengthy post on the "legend" of Brian Scalabrine, who just signed a one-year deal to stay with the Bulls, but just as I was getting to the good part, my laptop decided to shut itself off. All of my tabs were saved, but the post was wiped out since I didn't save it. I'm too drained by my previous effort to just write it all again, so I'll keep this short.

Averaging 3.2 points and 2.1 rebounds per game over a decade in the NBA, no way should he still be playing, especially after playing a career-low 18 games last year and having scoring and rebounding averages of 1.1 and 0.4 respectively. He didn't play in the postseason at all. But it's his hard work ethic and standing-out personality that makes him so loved in both Chicago and Boston, his previous stop before suiting up here. He also represents all of us tall white guys who can only dream about playing in one NBA game. He's the one living the dream. All we can do is watch and cheer. Forget about being like Mike. Taking our game and life after Brian is perhaps the closest thing the rest of us can reasonably do. Just throw in the personality and boom, you're Brian. That said, I'm looking forward to seeing him in a Bulls uniform again this season, no matter how little we see of him.

Again, sorry for the short post. I'll be sure to plug in my charger when blogging next time.

December 11, 1996 - 15 Years Later

You're looking at the ticket stub of my first ever Bulls game, exactly 15 years ago today. You can also, on the lower left, see the stub for my first ever baseball game, but that's beside the point. How did this come to be? I'll let you in on it.

It was a typical Wednesday in December, sort of. My 2nd grade teacher Mrs. McIntyre (who died the day after I graduated college this year) was in South America for a wedding all that week, so it was a bit of an unusual week at school. Anyway, I came home that day and for the first couple of hours or so, nothing out of the ordinary happened.

Then my dad came home, which I thought nothing of. Sometime later, he called me into the living room, where my mom was sitting with him. That's when he showed me the piece of paper you're looking at in the provided photo. At first, I refused to believe it. I had been told since my fandom began earlier in the year that it was hard to get tickets. But I quickly concluded that they were in fact tickets. Still, they had today's date on them. Was today really December 11? I ran back into the kitchen and looked at the calendar. Yes, today was indeed the date on the tickets. I WAS GOING TO A BULLS GAME! TONIGHT!! As you can probably guess, I couldn't contain my excitement. Before we left the house, I fetched my Jordan jersey and put it on. Had to dress appropriately after all.

Before we made the trip to the city though, I needed a haircut, so we went to our old barber in La Grange Park, from where we had moved to Lombard a year-and-a-half prior. Of course, I told him where we were going, but he seemed indifferent toward it. Maybe he wasn't a big fan. Afterward, we drove to Chicago and before I knew it, there was the United Center in all its game-day glory, traffic and all. I know God was smiling down on me as this defining moment in my life was taking place.

Inside, our seats were on the side of the court reverse from what we see on TV, so it was a little different from what I was used to. For the first time, I had firsthand exposure to the famous introductions. The starting lineup that night was a little unusual as Luc Longley was injured and Dennis Rodman suspended. It went like this and I didn't even need to look at the box score to remember it: Scottie Pippen, Jason Caffey, Robert Parish (yes, the Robert Parish), Ron Harper and...well, I wish I could same the name, but the noise of the crowd drowned it out.

Strangely enough, Parish scored quite a few points in that game, eight to be exact. Funny how he could still contribute even at age 43. Scottie Pippen had an impressive 26-point, nine-rebound, eight-assist performance. Naturally, Michael Jordan led the Bulls in scoring with 27 points, but I remember more his pass to Toni Kukoc, which resulted in a dunk that brought the house down. I also remember he got called for traveling toward the end of the game and was brought out for good shortly thereafter. No matter though. After trailing 50-49 at halftime, the Bulls won 103-86.

The Minnesota Timberwolves were the opponent that night. Thanks to Doug West's 19 points, I left the United Center thinking he was the big player on Minnesota. However, I failed to realize that Tom Gugliotta also had that same number of points in that game. Even more so, I had no clue that an NBA sophomore named Kevin Garnett was on the bench with an injury (wonder what happened to that guy). Also chipping in was rookie Stephon Marbury and his 10 assists. Led by those players, the Timberwolves would make the playoffs for the first time ever that year, but get swept in the first round by the Houston Rockets. The Bulls, of course, won their fifth title.

It was a night I'll never forget in that a dream (though short-lived at the time) had come true. When I told my friends in school the next day where I had been the previous night, they were all impressed. Hope my story impressed you just as much. You only get one first Bulls game and this was mine. I close with a link to the box score of that game.

Is the Face Mask Coming to Chicago?

With Jason Richardson heading to Orlando and Keith Bogans' future with the Bulls uncertain, the attention in Chicago's camp appears to have moved away from Jamal Crawford and shifted instead to 2004 NBA champion Rip Hamilton. A member of the Detroit Pistons since the 2002-03 season, Hamilton fell out of favor with former coach John Kuester and long story short, was waived by his longtime team on Friday. Back in Chicago, the Bulls have sparked quite an interest in the veteran shooting guard, especially Derrick Rose, who has made his fandom to Hamilton known. Maybe he's not the best solution to the team's woes at the two, but considering the salary demands of who's available and the overall options at that position, Hamilton may be the best way to go, but there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical.

Hamilton may not have gotten along with the Pistons' coaching staff at the end of his time with that team, but health should be more of a concern. In the last three seasons, he has averaged only 56 games. A more troubling area might be his scoring numbers. His 14.1 PPG last season was the lowest since he first came into the league. It bears repeating that the lack of a true second scoring option, and really a two guard who can be relied on for offense, doomed the Bulls in last year's conference finals. Hamilton turns 34 on February 14, so it's not like he's getting any younger.

Still, I'd be willing to give Hamilton a chance. The way I see it, only two things can happen: his scoring will continue to decline or he'll get back up to at least close to his career 17.7 average. With luck, he'd be able to make up for any deficiencies by the likes of Carlos Boozer and Luol Deng. I'd also trust him more as a consistent shooter than Kyle Korver, who as we know, went ice cold in the postseason save for the first few games.

If Rose trusts him like he says he does, this is a backcourt duo that can do some good things together. Pair the reigning MVP with a proven winner and who knows what they can accomplish? Rose would clearly do most of the penetrating that a guard is expected to do, but Hamilton could probably show some flashes of doing that. Give him an open lane to the basket and he'll be off to the races to put the ball in the hoop. I also like the idea of Hamilton as a kickout option. It wouldn't even necessarily be a result of Rose driving to the hoop and then going out. Deng, Boozer and Noah can all be found near the baseline or grabbing rebounds before they find a cutting Hamilton just waiting for the ball after getting open.

All that said, I would be more than happy to have Hamilton in a Bulls uniform. Hey, the face mask couldn't possibly be more disappointing than the afro a few years back, right?

A special post is coming tomorrow, so stay tuned for that. Yeah, I know I've only been at this for a few days, but this is still gonna be special.

The Mystery of Carlos Boozer

To all NBA and especially our Chicago Bulls fans the coming months will be providing everyone with incredible competitive basketball and NBA action at its best.
Physically, mentally and spiritually I’m ready for the 2011-2012 season. I’ll keep you posted with updates!!!

That's the message Carlos Boozer posted on his Facebook page tonight. With an abbreviated training camp set to open tomorrow, he clearly felt obligated to say something, especially since the players just approved the new CBA with the owners expected to follow suit.

I bring this player to your attention because other than a certain player whose name rhymes with Herrick Pose, Boozer will be the Bull Chicago fans will be most focused on in the coming season. It won't be for what he's expected to do though, like the MVP of the league. It will be for what he can do. Widely thought of as the best power forward left in the 2010 free agent class after Bosh joined Wade and LeBron in South Beach, the Bulls quickly jumped on him. There were warnings however that he could be a liability in more ways than one and we could see why right before training camp even opened.

A freak accident at home broke his right hand, forcing him to miss the whole preseason and the first month of the regular season. He would be injured twice more during the year, but only missed eight regular season games. However, the turf toe he suffered in the playoffs appeared to hamper his ability to shoot as his percentage took a dive. He also looked to be outmatched several times, forcing Bulls fans to look the other way on him.

In his first season, Boozer averaged 17.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. That doesn't look so bad, but as we found out last year, it's not enough to help Derrick Rose get over the hump in the playoffs. One could make the argument that he's the third-best on the team behind Joakim Noah. Others might say Luol Deng is an overall better performer. Simply put, Boozer is at best an above-average player who despite his top efforts, can't really be seen as the one to help the Bulls to a championship, at least not now.

That said, it'll be very interesting to see if Boozer can improve from last year. He has to if the Bulls want to get past Miami in the playoffs, whenever that may be. I'll be pulling for him. All of you need to as well.

Greatest Show On Earth Moving Dates?

As fans of the Bulls and Blackhawks know, there are two occasions every year that force their teams to take extended road trips, usually out West. The Ringling Brothers Circus in November and Disney on Ice in February always take up stake in the United Center for a couple of weeks, costing the arenas inhabitants the luxury of a home crowd for an extended period. It's nothing new. This is how it's been for years. In fact, my first trip ever to the United Center consisted of that very circus the year the place opened (I was five). I remember it happened in late November, so I've known the time of year the circus visits for most of my life.

What's the point of all this? Well apparently, Blackhawks chairman Rocky Wirtz is currently talking with the circus about changing the dates they can inhabit his building and Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf is all for it. They might even get Disney on Ice to change their dates too, something they like to accomplish. For now though, let's focus on the circus aspect and why dumping it would be beneficial to the Bulls.

During the championship years, the Bulls would breeze through that part of their schedule just like any other, losing only a couple of those games at most. Afterwards however, there would be seasons where the young and inexperienced team would fail to win even once on that trip. With the trip being scheduled so early in the season, guys were still getting used to each other and losing all those games couldn't have done very much for team morale. Even last year, the 62-win Bulls could only manage a 4-3 record. And that was their best mark on the trip in years. See what I'm getting at here?

I would not be sad to see the circus trip go. Having to go on the road for a couple of weeks is one thing, but doing it when the team is still finding their groove is quite another. I certainly respect what the circus has done over the course of its long history, but there has to be another time of year that they can come to Chicago so as not to do a disservice to the teams that play in town. Disney on Ice actually comes to town twice a year, the other time being the end of summer, but they should get ready to receive a call from Wirtz pretty soon too. Dump the trips, let the teams have their arena throughout the season and give us, the fans, those two weeks to spend our money to watch dunks and goals, not elephants and Mickey.

Hello, Fellow Bulls Fans

Welcome to the newest blog on your Chicago Bulls. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Geoffrey Clark and I'm a recent graduate of North Central College in Naperville, IL. I currently make my home in Lombard, but that may change in the near future (more on that later). More importantly, I am a huge Bulls fan and have been since I was seven years old, right around the time the Bulls won their fourth championship. Thanks to Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Co., my fandom was secured for life. Yes, I even stood by the team in the disastrous years that followed the dynasty, even when many in the city seemed to care less about what was happening (though surprisingly, the United Center was still packed for many games).

I'm not here to reflect on that fandom however. I'm here to bring you my thoughts on the Chicago Bulls as they currently stand. I begin with the following paragraph.

Even if our last (painful) memory of the defending Central Division champions is collapsing against Miami in Game 5 of the most recent Eastern Conference Finals, there's still a lot of upside for the coming shortened season, specifically, the return of defending MVP Derrick Rose, who will be getting a pretty nice pay day once his rookie deal runs out. Though the roster appears to be mostly set, with player movements still to be made, very few others appear to be set in stone aside from perhaps Deng, Watson, Asik and rookie Jimmy Butler. Noah and Boozer have been rumored to be part of a deal to Orlando that would include Dwight Howard. What a sick duo that would be: Rose and Howard? Talk about giving everyone else in the league a run for their money. That's all speculation though. It probably won't happen. But then again, maybe it will.

The main need though is obviously a two-guard. Jamal Crawford and Jason Richardson appear to be the leading candidates to fill the role Keith Bogans was mostly ineffective in last season. I was never really sold on Bogans, so any veteran would be an upgrade. Other names connected with the Bulls are Aaron Afflalo, Vince Carter and Nick Young, but the Crawford rumor has really picked up steam lately. Were the Bulls to land the 31-year-old Crawford, it would create the second scoring option Rose needs in the backcourt if Boozer has another subpar year. As we saw in the playoffs last year, Crawford can show flashes of greatness if he gets in a groove. We also saw Kyle Korver disappear in the same postseason save for some early first-round games against Indiana. The question is whether Crawford can readjust to being a starter after coming off the bench exclusively for Atlanta the last two seasons.

Oh. Before I wrap up my first post, I should probably mention this blog is also an alternative to a dashed dream of being the next MJ. I've never been particularly athletic, but my writing is strong. I'll be posting as often as there's something about the Bulls to say.