Thibs Is Here For Awhile

It's not often you see a smile cross the face of Tom Thibodeau, but he has all the reason in the world to flash one today.  He's just agreed to a four-year contract extension on top of his current option year, assuring that if he and Derrick Rose are going to find even greater success in the NBA, they'll be doing it together.  This story was the clear focus of Media Day today at the Berto Center.  The news that Rose will not be cutting for another couple of weeks isn't exactly a story unless you consider it one along with every time he breathes the wrong way.  Hearing a Rose update every few minutes would tire as quickly as the coverage of Anna Nicole Smith's death (insert that is so 2007 joke here).

Thibodeau won 100 games faster than any coach in NBA history, so he's only scratched the surface as far as his realized potential.  The Bulls core of the last two years adapted quickly to his system.  The stars remain, but the bench has changed for the coming season.  Thibodeau's new challenge is to reach the new group of players who will come on in relief for Rose, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer, Rip Hamilton and for the first few months, Kirk Hinrich.  This is when we'll really find out what he can do as a head coach.  It's one thing to properly guide the same group for two years running, but if he can keep it going with the revamped bench, his value will shoot even higher than it already is.  Other players have been known to act skeptical toward a new head coach initially, but the defensive philosophy Thibodeau preaches has proven so successful that it'll (hopefully) be difficult for Nate Robinson, Marco Belinelli, Vladimir Radmanovic and Nazr Mohammed to even think of giving a cold shoulder.  I have to assume Marquis Teague will be easy to sway since this will be his first professional coach.

Thibs is already up there with Johnny "Red" Kerr and Dick Motta as far as successful coaches in Bulls history, but to reach Phil Jackson standards might take some time.  I've already talked about how it might take another year before the Bulls are championship contenders again, so we may have to cut Thibs some slack for his option year.  Once that new contract kicks in however, some special things could happen.  I'll be waiting patiently for the day he hosts the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, but until then, I'll sit back and enjoy the roller coaster ride to come.  Care to join me?