Chicago Bulls Opinions Before the Season Starts So I Have a Reference As to What I Thought

by B.J. on 10/26/2007 07:47:00 PM 0 comments Print this post

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1997-1998
2007-2008

Well, this season marks 10 years ago that I last experienced the surreal feeling of being a true fan of a team winning an NBA championship.

10 years ago I was debating on what school I wanted to go to. I was wondering if a girl would ever like me for me. I was living at home very comfortably.

I guess you could say things are about the same. The differences are in the details.

I'm debating Cal Poly Pomona, Michigan, UCLA, USC, and Harvard. I'm wondering when my next booty call is coming. I'm living in an apartment in Silver Lake where the gentrifiers love to caroose.

10 years ago, the balance of power was with the Democrats swinging towards Republicans.

Today, it is with the Republicans swinging towards the Democrats.

10 years ago, Britney Spears drew controversy by posing half-naked for a magazine.

Today, Britney Spears draws controversy by existing.

10 years ago, Apple was the fruit company that Forrest Gump talked about in the movie.

Today, Apple is the fruity company that Forrest Gump talked about in the movie.

10 years ago, the Bears sucked.

Today, well, the Bears still suck.

10 years ago, the Cubs were on the verge of a great season.

Today, the Cubs were also on the verge of a great season.

10 years ago, the balance of the power in the NBA was in the Eastern Conference.

Today, the balance of power in the NBA is in the Western Conference.

10 years ago, the Bulls were a team that everyone got sick of.

Today, they are a team everyone likes to pick as dark horse contenders.

10 years ago, we had an intricate offense that can play pretty tough defense.

Today we have a smothering defense that can play pretty good offense.

Another difference between the Bulls of old and now is that we were an old team on the breakdown.


-Our offensive firepower came by way of a 34-year old shooting guard, and a 32-year old small forward.
-Had a tall defensive point guard
-We had an old ecccentric but effective power forward
-Had a tall bearded soft foreign guy to shoot the lights out off the bench
-We had a big white stiff drafted in the first round who could do a few things.

Now, apparently were a young team on the rise.

-Our offensive firepower comes by way of a 24-year old shooting guard, and a 22-year old small forward.
-Have a tall defensive point guard
-We have one young definite eccentric, hopefully effective power forward (or potentially 3)
-Have a tweener bearded bruising foreign guy to shoot the lights out off the bench
-We have a big white stiff drafted in the 2nd round who could do a few things.

10 years ago, we had the best player on the planet playing for us. His name was Jordan, born in 1963, an NCAA championship winner and clutch player.

Today, we could have the best player on the planet playing for us...cough Kobe cough. However, today today, in the meanwhile we do have Gordon, born in 1983, an NCAA championship winner and clutch player.

We were a team that was centered on 2 great players and heroic performances.

Now were a team that has many good players (at least that's what they like to say) and heroic performances.

This will be the thought that will percolate the season. In 1998, the questions surrounded whether or not we were motivated enough to win. It was a question of will. Now, it's a question of how. How are we going to win without a superstar? And if we don't win and somehow lose out on the Kobe sweepstakes, the questions will linger, would we have won with Kobe?

Last season ended on a loss in the 2nd round to the Detroit Putos. I think if we go through them, we could go through to the finals.

-I think what would have beat them was having Ben Gordon handling the ball and starting the offense. Yeah, blah blah, he's turnover prone, but usually the net effect is that the offense becomes noticeably more fluid and we win the game. It's hard to say the same about Kirk Hinrich. When he has 10 assists a game, though he may not have turnovers, we have a losing record. Don't forget that Ben Gordon played point guard in college while Kirk Hinrich played shooting guard. I never understood why Kirk Hinrich played point guard for us other than the fact that Skiles and co. subliminally just want a white player to be the visible leader of the team. (Makes money, and looks nicer for team morale especially in the apparent "thug culture" of the NBA)

I remember those days when I looked forward to seeing Ron Harper instead of MJ score. I want to feel the same way about Kirk. Ben can't get to the free throw line if he's being set up to take jump shots.

-We have actual tall guys now in Gray, Noah, and Smith. So hopefully we won't get outmuscled in the post again. There's even a possibility of post scoring!

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