Post#4 » by therebirth » Tue Apr 17, 2012 2:26 am
The Bulls are in Charlotte this week to face what is becoming one of the worst seasons ever. The worst ever season was the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers are 9-73, a percentage of .110. The Bobcats are 7-52 for .118, and if they lose out, which is quite possible the way they have been blown out for the last few weeks, they’ll be 7-59 and a winning percentage of slightly less than those infamous 76ers. Plus, it would be a 23-game losing streak to end the season. The symmetry has been painfully obvious in being Michael Jordan’s number, and there’s been debate of late about Jordan’s competency as an executive. Former Bobcats coach Sam Vincent got caught up in it with a Washington Post story quoted questioning Jordan’s work ethic. I caught up with Vincent, who now is a chapter director for the retired players’ association, and he was a bit embarrassed. He said he was misunderstood in his comments and they really didn’t reflect his opinions regarding Jordan and the Bobcats. Actually, Vincent said if the context were better he would have explained he thinks Jordan is actually doing things the right way now and he believes there are big things ahead for the Bobcats.
“I’d like to set the record straight and admit I didn’t do the best job expressing myself,” said Vincent. “I don’t know if there was an agenda regarding Michael, but I feel my answers were used out of context. Yes, there were times Michael was criticized for not being involved.
“But I will tell you this,” Vincent continued, “There is going to be a very fortunate man coaching the Bobcats soon. I love what Michael is doing and the patience he is showing in building what I think will be a winner. I will always appreciate the experience I gained while working with the Bobcats organization and the insights MJ shared with me during my season as head coach. He was always there when I had a question or concern.
“The route MJ is taking isn’t popular, but it’s the right thing,” said Vincent. “He had a team built around good, but not great players in Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace, and had a ceiling of just making the playoffs. That’s nice for an ongoing story during the season, but it’s dishonest with your fans. MJ is about winning and winning big. He’s been adding talented, young players through the draft and is in position to land a high level player in a good draft this season. He hasn’t been impatient and gone recklessly into free agency for a quick fix player and he has a nice management team in place now. He’s positioned himself well under the salary cap and players will want to play in Charlotte.
“I know people like to beat up Michael about some of his picks,” said Vincent. “But a big part of being a great executive is being lucky, and Michael hasn’t been. They say he picked Kwame Brown and Adam Morrison. OK, look at those drafts. After Kwame was Tyson Chandler, who took before four or five teams to get it. Then Pau Gasol, who was good, but then Eddy Curry. And how about when he picked Morrison. Andrea Bargnani was No. 1, and then the Bulls could have had LaMarcus Aldridge but traded him for Tyrus Thomas. What about right after Michael the Hawks picking Shelden Williams? Would Oklahoma City have Durant if they were No. 1. Or Greg Oden? Should the Bulls have Derrick Rose with the ninth best odds in the lottery? What about the Spurs and Tim Duncan? Where would they be if the Celtics, who had the best odds, got Duncan and where would Rick Pitino be if he got Duncan instead of Chauncey Billups? So Michael is hardly alone in not being fortunate. But I think he’s due. I loved living in Charlotte. It’s a great sports town and a great basketball area. I think we will look back some day and wonder why we questioned what Michael could do. Though we did before as a player and I think he showed us pretty well. After all, when we played in the McDonald’s game, it was me who was the star and he was the guy we were wondering how good he could be.”
Can you say retract
The curse of Higgins!
