Pax on the score, getting irritated with Mike North

[dougthonus]

As a side note, did anyone else start laughing their ass off when North accused Paxson of filibustering him? It reminds me of Ross Perot's famous "can I finish" speech.

[suckfish]

I need some confirmation, I'm certain that I heard Mike North blurt out this..

If you don't like how Skiles handles things, you're weak mentally.

Was that just me mishearing what he said?

Because thats pretty freakin' stupid.

[mysteryfan]

As a side note, did anyone else start laughing their ass off when North accused Paxson of filibustering him? It reminds me of Ross Perot's famous "can I finish" speech.

Yes.

Hysterical considering North's unwillingness to let him answer questions.

[Grand Champ]

-= original quote snipped =-



I thought this very same thing. I didnt post it because I was afraid that I would get attacked by other posters for being a "conspiracy theorist". But it does kind of seem like that. I mean, Ben hasnt shown a shred of leadership ability since coming here and now (all of a sudden) he decides to step up and play leader when the player involved is someone who is in direct competition with him for playing time. Tell you what though, after a while, its going to get to a point where Wallace isnt going to be able to hide it. Hell, he cant hide it now. The more Noah sits, the more Wallace plays and sucks while doing so. It will eventually get to the point where every time the Bulls are at home, the crowd will be chanting for Noah every time Wallace touches the ball. If only Wallace knew how to gracefully step aside perhaps he could (at least) find a productive role with this team instead of just remaining an overpaid POS.

And don't you also find it interesting that Aaron Gray wasn't involved in the "team" vote????? I do! Aaah must, stop, conspiracy theories!

[TB#1]

Man, we are so smart around here. All of the grown men, all teammates and professional basketball players, all guys who know The Fro on a day to day basis, attended the team meeting and fell for Ben Wallace's thinly veiled sabotage attempt to keep Noah on the bench and get him some more playing time. It took a bunch of folks who weren't there to expose Ben for the mastermind of subterfuge that he really is. Kudos, my friends, kudos.

[blumeany]

Bah. The Eddy Curry thing was not a bad move at all. Eddy isn't going to the All-Star game and leading his team to the playoffs. He's closer to getting benched than being glorified - and he would have done the same thing here. We would end up with two overhyped big men that can't rebound worth a damn.

[blumeany]

And, for what it's worth, for those hoping for a move by the deadline, ESPN's True Hoop doesn't agree.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-2 ... Watch.html

That's probably a good thing, because usually when the press says the Bulls are close to a deal, they're not. So maybe the fact that no one thinks they are going to trade means they are going to trade.

[fudgie]

Hmm, we were playing the Hawks, who are young and athletic and ran us off the floor. We could have really used an athletic, defensive big like Noah.

However, I don't believe that Wallace created some sort of elaborate plan to get Noah suspended to protect his spot. It's just too ridiculous to believe.

^Did I just defend Wallace there. I feel dirty.

[sporadiclee]

Bah. The Eddy Curry thing was not a bad move at all. Eddy isn't going to the All-Star game and leading his team to the playoffs. He's closer to getting benched than being glorified - and he would have done the same thing here. We would end up with two overhyped big men that can't rebound worth a damn.

I fully agree with you on trading him. I do think the promise of the picks bought Paxson more leeway than normal, though.

[kobebull]

I can't believe some of you are defending Paxson. He has made the Bulls the laughing stock of the NBA. He deserves to get ripped even more so than what North threw at him. This team NEEDS to be blown up. And get us a f'ng real coach while we're at it. This is BUSH LEAGUE.

[AirP.]

Do you really think it's a slippery slope? Do you really think that the team is going to start voting on everything?

This was a very unique situation.

Do you think discussing this for 10 minutes was more interesting than asking why the hell Tyrus and Noah can barely get on the court, but Ben Wallace can absolutely suck balls and still play?

Is it more interesting then asking about how crowded our front court is and what he feels about signing both Nocioni and Joe Smith?

Is it more interesting then asking about what he sees are the major problems with this team and what he'd like to do to fix it?

Didn't like the interview, I think North had an agenda to roast Paxson and try to fluster him enough to get something out of him.

Vote on everything, no, but this definitely opens the door to certain players thinking well.. we voted on that, so why not this? Yes it was very unique, but the decision was handed down... Had this been someone other then a rookie or a rookie with a major role in this team I don't think this would have happened.

My true theory... it's more of a "reality check" for Noah that this situation allowed them a chance to punish him. I see him voicetrous(if that is a word), passionate and having leadership ability and is probably stepping on some vets toes calling some guys out because if we're seeing the lack of effort on the floor, I'm sure the players on the bench are seeing it.

That interview did suck. Things that should have been talked about...
1. Are we anywhere closer to where you wanted the team to be or are we closer to getting to see what the young guys can do in this league?
2. If the young guys are played major minutes, will you look to move some vets because it would be tough for a young guy to play major minutes with someone like Ben Wallace sitting the bench and more then likely making comments
3. Would you consider buying Wallace like the 76ers did with Chris Webber or Portland did with Steve Francis?
4. Has Tyrus grown as a player as you had figured he would when you drafted him as a project?
5. Is there anyone on the team that it would take just a knockout trade to move or is there nobody that is near untouchable?
6. Do you believe that playing the vets big minutes this year is slowing down the development process of your young players, if not why?
7. As of today... what are your expectations for the team this year.

#7 really needed to be asked.

[Magilla_Gorilla]

I can't believe some of you are defending Paxson. He has made the Bulls the laughing stock of the NBA. He deserves to get ripped even more so than what North threw at him. This team NEEDS to be blown up. And get us a f'ng real coach while we're at it. This is BUSH LEAGUE.

No. Thats where the Bulls were when he took the job. He brought us back to respectability.

[Betta Bulleavit]

Man, we are so smart around here. All of the grown men, all teammates and professional basketball players, all guys who know The Fro on a day to day basis, attended the team meeting and fell for Ben Wallace's thinly veiled sabotage attempt to keep Noah on the bench and get him some more playing time. It took a bunch of folks who weren't there to expose Ben for the mastermind of subterfuge that he really is. Kudos, my friends, kudos.

Nobody is saying that TB. Obviously at least a few others had to have agreed in order for it to hold with the coaching staff and upper management. But there is an article that states that Wallace was sort of the "ring leader" and so I am calling into question his (Wallace) motives for being so adament about team accountability now where he wasnt before. See what Im saying??

[Ben Wilson25]

I don

[Betta Bulleavit]

I can't believe some of you are defending Paxson. He has made the Bulls the laughing stock of the NBA. He deserves to get ripped even more so than what North threw at him. This team NEEDS to be blown up. And get us a f'ng real coach while we're at it. This is BUSH LEAGUE.

If we were the laughing stock of the NBA then nothing that we are going through right now would be a surprising. However, it is and thats because expectations were very high. We are one of the leauges biggest disappointments this season but we are not a laughing stock.

[TB#1]

-= original quote snipped =-



Nobody is saying that TB. Obviously at least a few others had to have agreed in order for it to hold with the coaching staff and upper management. But there is an article that states that Wallace was sort of the "ring leader" and so I am calling into question his (Wallace) motives for being so adament about team accountability now where he wasnt before. See what Im saying??

Of course I see what you are saying. You are saying Ben had ulterior motives that the rest of the team either apparently didn't pick up on, or shared with him.

[TB#1]

-= original quote snipped =-



No. Thats where the Bulls were when he took the job. He brought us back to respectability.

and back again...

[SherronShabazz]

I can't believe some of you are defending Paxson. He has made the Bulls the laughing stock of the NBA. He deserves to get ripped even more so than what North threw at him. This team NEEDS to be blown up. And get us a f'ng real coach while we're at it. This is BUSH LEAGUE.

whatever... no one was saying that last season.

[Hold That]

I can't believe some of you are defending Paxson. He has made the Bulls the laughing stock of the NBA. He deserves to get ripped even more so than what North threw at him. This team NEEDS to be blown up. And get us a f'ng real coach while we're at it. This is BUSH LEAGUE.

I understand your fustration, especially seeing that you was planning to get Kobe and all from the looks of your name.

[Jo Jo English]

Well I could have skipped listening to that interview and still had a good idea how it went considering how familiar I am with both Mike North and John Paxson.

I'm with Doug (and a few others) when I say that I cannot understand why the Noah suspension is such a big deal. I know it isn't something that you typically see (players voting to extend a suspension), but that doesn't mean that I find anything disagreeable about it.

Mike North, in this interview, is being his typical, overbearing self. John Paxson, while clearly very annoyed at various points, held it together well and acted like a professional.

As far as all of the criticism directed at John Paxson, I understand it, but still don't feel he deserves most of it. I am as frustrated as any other Bulls fan by how the season has progressed, but I don't really think Paxson directly screwed anything up to get us to this point. Or maybe I should say that since I would NEVER have predicted this season turning out the way it has, why should I have expected John to? I will, however, hold him accountable for how he tries to resolve the problems facing the team now. Since I never really criticized the moves he made over the past few years (even though I was leery of the Chandler trade) I don't think it is fair for me to second guess all of the decisions he has made now.

Like I said before, I'll judge Pax by how he handles all of the problems facing the team in the coming months and years. Hopefully he is up for the challenge.