The Kool-Aid Thread

[ghostinthepost1]

Here's the thing. I like the Bulls. I like watching them. I want them to play good. It makes me happy when they win.

I spend more time than is probably healthy reading/talking about them on the internet.

But something I've noticed is how negative everything around this team is. I can't say it's not justified but it feels like everything is seen through the most cynical pessimistic lens.

We draft some 18 year old kid and instead of letting anyone be excited about it all we get is:

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

So, here's my proposal. We use this thread to say positive things about the Bulls.

I'll go first:

I really like how they've been building the team the last year or so. Giddey (6'9), Matas (6'10), and now Essengue (6'11) are all giants at their respective positions. They all also like to get out and run, have a good feel for the game, and I think Matas and Noa are going to be really good defenders.

I also don't think tanking is the only way to build a team. Maybe you can just hang out in the middle for a few years and then get lucky and jump up in the lottery. You could always hit on a pick like Giannas (15), Kawahi (14), Haliburtion (12), SGA (11).

[GoBlue72391]

Cowley is a sht stirring troll and Friedell has been a douche for years.

[CBS7]

reddit is a bit more optimistic than this place. I don't really post there, but this place has been pretty negative for a while. deservedly so. We've only known pain since 2011.

[MrSparkle]

Well, even Stacey, KC, Perdue and Schanowski - diehard long-time Bulls guys on payroll - have made pretty bold criticisms of this FO. It's been a frustrating as hell decade for a team that looked like it was out of the post-MJ dark ages more than once, before some tragic knee surgeries and decisions set us back again.

I don't find Friedell and Cowley to be very insightful basketball minds, but I don't think they've been wrong. I just think they gloat in their Bulls criticisms too much. Seems like they appeal more to the loud frat guy "this team sucks!!!" than the well-mannered b-ball fan. Honestly, the SAS/ESPN/Silvy flavor. Appeals to passive listening fan. Not my style.

Ragging on the Noa pick is weird. I'm not seeing him to be a crazy reach. Not like Hang, or trading next year's unprotected FRP for Queen...

[GoBlue72391]

reddit is a bit more optimistic than this place. I don't really post there, but this place has been pretty negative for a while. deservedly so. We've only known pain since 2011.

Reddit used to be nauseatingly sunshine and rainbows, but it seems more neutral nowadays, even trending towards negative from what I see.

I wouldn't say it's pretty negative here, just more realistic and analytical.

We haven't really been relevant in like 15 years, though. Those few months when we were 1st place a few years ago things were peachy, and rightfully so.

The fan's attitude is generally a good barometer of the direction of the franchise.

Right now there are things to be optimistic about and things to be concerned about, but overall it seems like we're starting to trend in the right direction.

[CBS7]

I wouldn't say it's pretty negative here, just more realistic and analytical.

They are the same thing for the Bulls these days lol

[Bulliever2020]

Step 1 to avoid negativity as a Bulls fan - Don't follow Joe Cowley or Nick Friedell on social media

[waffle]

positivity most of us would agree to I bet - The 2nd 1/2 bulls were really fun to watch!

[Dominator83]

Cowley is a sht stirring troll and Friedell has been a douche for years.

Ehh people just hate on Friedell because he tells it like it is. Like back then he would say Lebron's Heat were the team to beat, and they were. Lebron's Heat never lost an Eastern conference Playoff series (12-0)

4 years ago when we had that Mirage of a start, he said we would make the 2nd round and get knocked out... because our mid 3 was nowhere near the level of a KD, Embiid, or Giannis. and as soon as we run into one of them in the playoffs, we wouldn't have an answer. Well, he was half-right....... we ran into one of those in the 1st round not the 2nd! Nick's prediction was actually giving them TOO MUCH credit by saying we would advance a series So even he thought they would do better than winning 1 game that postseason

[Muzbar]

I can't drink the Kool-aid, it's hard to swallow.

But. I'll have a sip.

I'm excited for year 2 Matas and seeing if Giddey can maintain what he started after the all-star break. I'm anticipating a lot of lots from Essengue, but also expecting a lot of flashes (similar to Matas last year I guess).

If AK can trade Vuc and just run with Smith/Collins at the 5, that'll be good to see also.

[drosestruts]

As someone who believes our end of season run was real (and believed the same in 2023) we need to not repeat the same mistakes we made then.

Primarily, we need to retain not only Giddey (which seems like everyone discusses as a given) but we need to retain Tre Jones.


In 2023 we had a nice run starting and giving big minutes to Beverley-Caruso-LaVine-DeRozan-Vucevic

We turned around and started the next season with White-LaVine-DeRozan-Williams-Vucevic and acted confused when things weren't going as well.

I can already see us believing Ayo can simply fill the strong play of Tre Jones - I like Ayo, but is that true? It might be, they both excel and getting to and scoring in the paint.

Tre has a higher FT-Rate

Both again have great Assist to Turnover Ratios. There's certainly similarities

Jones with Giddey was a +4, Ayo with Giddey was a -11.6

That's a stark difference given all their similarities

I'm hopeful we don't, again, go - we're happy to how we ended the season, and then make large changes to how we ended the season then give the shocked pikachu face when it doesn't work the same

[GoBlue72391]

Cowley is a sht stirring troll and Friedell has been a douche for years.

Ehh people just hate on Friedell because he tells it like it is. Like back then he would say Lebron's Heat were the team to beat, and they were. Lebron's Heat never lost an Eastern conference Playoff series (12-0)

4 years ago when we had that Mirage of a start, he said we would make the 2nd round and get knocked out... because our mid 3 was nowhere near the level of a KD, Embiid, or Giannis. and as soon as we run into one of them in the playoffs, we wouldn't have an answer. Well, he was half-right....... we ran into one of those in the 1st round not the 2nd! Nick's prediction was actually giving them TOO MUCH credit by saying we would advance a series So even he thought they would do better than winning 1 game that postseason

He can be right and still be a douche.

[Bulliever2020]

Friedell takes particular joy in ****ting on the Bulls. Anyone denying that is kidding themselves.

[sco]

As someone who believes our end of season run was real (and believed the same in 2023) we need to not repeat the same mistakes we made then.

Primarily, we need to retain not only Giddey (which seems like everyone discusses as a given) but we need to retain Tre Jones.


In 2023 we had a nice run starting and giving big minutes to Beverley-Caruso-LaVine-DeRozan-Vucevic

We turned around and started the next season with White-LaVine-DeRozan-Williams-Vucevic and acted confused when things weren't going as well.

I can already see us believing Ayo can simply fill the strong play of Tre Jones - I like Ayo, but is that true? It might be, they both excel and getting to and scoring in the paint.

Tre has a higher FT-Rate

Both again have great Assist to Turnover Ratios. There's certainly similarities

Jones with Giddey was a +4, Ayo with Giddey was a -11.6

That's a stark difference given all their similarities

I'm hopeful we don't, again, go - we're happy to how we ended the season, and then make large changes to how we ended the season then give the shocked pikachu face when it doesn't work the same

Great points.

I am a firm believer that all else being equal, not ever playing Vuc or Ayo (or Pat), and keeping/playing Tre, that this team is a full 10 wins better.

[Chi town]

As someone who believes our end of season run was real (and believed the same in 2023) we need to not repeat the same mistakes we made then.

Primarily, we need to retain not only Giddey (which seems like everyone discusses as a given) but we need to retain Tre Jones.


In 2023 we had a nice run starting and giving big minutes to Beverley-Caruso-LaVine-DeRozan-Vucevic

We turned around and started the next season with White-LaVine-DeRozan-Williams-Vucevic and acted confused when things weren't going as well.

I can already see us believing Ayo can simply fill the strong play of Tre Jones - I like Ayo, but is that true? It might be, they both excel and getting to and scoring in the paint.

Tre has a higher FT-Rate

Both again have great Assist to Turnover Ratios. There's certainly similarities

Jones with Giddey was a +4, Ayo with Giddey was a -11.6

That's a stark difference given all their similarities

I'm hopeful we don't, again, go - we're happy to how we ended the season, and then make large changes to how we ended the season then give the shocked pikachu face when it doesn't work the same

Great points.

I am a firm believer that all else being equal, not ever playing Vuc or Ayo (or Pat), and keeping/playing Tre, that this team is a full 10 wins better.

We don’t know what Ayo with unleashed Giddey will look like. We barely saw them together once Giddey got the keys.

My hunch is he will play really well with Giddey.

Point is tho that Ayo is not a PG. Bulls need Zo Tre or Giddey on the court at all times. We suck without a PG. Ayo and Coby are NOT PGs

[sco]

As someone who believes our end of season run was real (and believed the same in 2023) we need to not repeat the same mistakes we made then.

Primarily, we need to retain not only Giddey (which seems like everyone discusses as a given) but we need to retain Tre Jones.


In 2023 we had a nice run starting and giving big minutes to Beverley-Caruso-LaVine-DeRozan-Vucevic

We turned around and started the next season with White-LaVine-DeRozan-Williams-Vucevic and acted confused when things weren't going as well.

I can already see us believing Ayo can simply fill the strong play of Tre Jones - I like Ayo, but is that true? It might be, they both excel and getting to and scoring in the paint.

Tre has a higher FT-Rate

Both again have great Assist to Turnover Ratios. There's certainly similarities

Jones with Giddey was a +4, Ayo with Giddey was a -11.6

That's a stark difference given all their similarities

I'm hopeful we don't, again, go - we're happy to how we ended the season, and then make large changes to how we ended the season then give the shocked pikachu face when it doesn't work the same

Great points.

I am a firm believer that all else being equal, not ever playing Vuc or Ayo (or Pat), and keeping/playing Tre, that this team is a full 10 wins better.

We don’t know what Ayo with unleashed Giddey will look like. We barely saw them together once Giddey got the keys.

My hunch is he will play really well with Giddey.

Point is tho that Ayo is not a PG. Bulls need Zo Tre or Giddey on the court at all times. We suck without a PG. Ayo and Coby are NOT PGs

Yeah, it's hard to evaluate Ayo's fall from a slightly above average player and good defender to what we've seen the past season+. Was that 100% his shoulder? Certainly possible. I think I like having Tre to be the guy who defends the small/quick PG's and Ball (not that we can count on him) to defend the bigger guards.