I actually thought Bryce had some bright spots, the rest of their team is just awful.
Happy for Bagent, he’ll make a lot of money in the league as a backup.
We should send a letter to the front office about Zach carrying every time he drives to the lane. Once they start calling that he’ll be forced to put himself in catch and shoot/cut to the basket scenarios. If he could actually play within himself that would be the best version of the Bulls offense.
The best version of this current Bulls team's offense is if Zach was almost strictly shooting spot up three-pointers or driving and immediately dishing.
The only problem with that is he makes $40 million and not $14 million.
The Bears. I am not out on this administration as seemingly everyone else is. We haven't had our best back or our QB for five weeks. This team should be 5-5. OLine looks much better once they got everyone back and DLine is making progress. Bagent has done his job and is worthy of getting paid as a solid backup. Now sit him down and put Fields in and hopefully Bagent can watch and figure out these complicated zone defenses that you simply don't see in D2 football.
Forget this Caleb Williams nonsense. Trade that No. 1 for two firsts and a second or throw in an established player for one of those picks but make sure they are Olinemen and Dlinemen first and foremost. Then go from there.
I am a David Ross fan. That being said, the Counsell news was incredible. Counsell managed circles around Ross and Maddon for years. Thank god one Chicago Team is making moves. No way Counsell comes here unless Cubs have promised big moves.
Hi Andrew ! ANOTHER great article. I hope all is well. I am home sick today, so I thought I would reply.
1) Is it time we look at Billy Donovan (who I love), or is this team just a bad combination of players? Way too many misses on draft night, and the one we got right, we let go (Jimmy B). This team is the perfect definition of "not great, not bad"
2) Jerry's team is becoming a joke. Zero direction. Will not even pay to keep one of the best announcers, I have a bet with a friend, that of all the major sports teams in Chicago, the Cubs are the closest to a championship. I would love your thoughts on this issue.
3) I really liked Grandpa Rossy, but I give credit to Jed for going for it. Now to pay Cody, and keep adding, which I think they will.
4) Watching the Bears game last night, I actually said this out loud to my dog: "Enough with the Kelce brothers, I get it" Under rated was the 3rd and 7 call to seal the win. I would have bet my house that they would have run the ball and make Carolina use their final time out.
5) Bedard continues to impress....keep building around him.
Final thought, when the Lakers got their ass kicked by 38 (?) points, did they have another meeting with the NBA about LeBaby not getting calls??
Best to you and your family, missing the good ole days !
1) absolutely agree, but I think Donovan has just been dealt a bad hand. Players from OKC, Florida, Chicago love him. It's the group of guys, they're either unwilling or unable to run an effective offensive system.
2) Cubs are the closest to a championship, and it's not particularly close. They rebuilt for 2 years and Cubs fans (including me) went mad. The Sox rebuilt for 5+ years and are already back to rebuilding. The Bears are the Bears, and won't do anything until they have a top-12 QB. The Bulls may be in the worst position, all things considered, in the NBA = not good, no draft capital, no cap space, and an owner unwilling to go into the luxury tax.
3) Agreed
4) I said the same thing. I like Jason Kelce. There was zero reason to have him in the booth last night. Even he knew that.
5) Bedard makes hockey worth watching.
6) I cherish Lakers losses as much as I do Bulls wins
7) Thank you for reading and engaging on the newsletter!!
Excellent article! Love your intro but I thought I taught you more about basketball. You are off-base in your diagnosis of the Bulls. I will admit that Lavine is not the player he was before the knee injury. DeRozan is the biggest problem the Bulls have and Donovan is apparently unable to coach veteran players. THE POSITION DEROZAN plays in the NBA requires an effective three point shooter, slasher, distributor off those slashes AND good defense. DeRozan is incapable of all those skills. Lavine's problem is he is a good guy and he loves DeRozan and defers to him. At the end of the game, the ball should be in Lavine's hands but he defers to DeRozan. Lavine showed he could deliver at GO time before Lavine arrived. This situation, as well as benching Williams, shows how Donovan will not intervene and drive what needs to happen. If you watch a Bulls game, the opponent will constantly drive, draw the defense and dish for a three. DeRozan is incapable of that. 20 years ago, he is a top ten player. Now, he is a fourth quarter role player.
I don't care to ever see Pat WIlliams pass up an open three or get out hustled for a rebound ever again. Dead to me. What a waste.
Not sure you watched a single Bulls game if this is your take. LaVine is a mope and incapable of getting into any sort of a rythym. DeRozan has taken on a downsized role and is still an efficient and smooth scorer. LaVine is not. Only one guy is blaming the coaching staff. Can't win with those guys.
LaVine averages over 2 less assists than DeRozan. He shoots more.
At the end of the game, LaVine should have the ball in his hands... have you watched the end of any game in the last five years? His brain short-circuits. He's the worst "clutch" guy in the league.
I actually thought Bryce had some bright spots, the rest of their team is just awful.
Happy for Bagent, he’ll make a lot of money in the league as a backup.
We should send a letter to the front office about Zach carrying every time he drives to the lane. Once they start calling that he’ll be forced to put himself in catch and shoot/cut to the basket scenarios. If he could actually play within himself that would be the best version of the Bulls offense.
The best version of this current Bulls team's offense is if Zach was almost strictly shooting spot up three-pointers or driving and immediately dishing.
The only problem with that is he makes $40 million and not $14 million.
I heard Reinsdorf personally wanted Benetti out which sums him up completely.
The Bears. I am not out on this administration as seemingly everyone else is. We haven't had our best back or our QB for five weeks. This team should be 5-5. OLine looks much better once they got everyone back and DLine is making progress. Bagent has done his job and is worthy of getting paid as a solid backup. Now sit him down and put Fields in and hopefully Bagent can watch and figure out these complicated zone defenses that you simply don't see in D2 football.
Forget this Caleb Williams nonsense. Trade that No. 1 for two firsts and a second or throw in an established player for one of those picks but make sure they are Olinemen and Dlinemen first and foremost. Then go from there.
I am a David Ross fan. That being said, the Counsell news was incredible. Counsell managed circles around Ross and Maddon for years. Thank god one Chicago Team is making moves. No way Counsell comes here unless Cubs have promised big moves.
Amen
Hi Andrew ! ANOTHER great article. I hope all is well. I am home sick today, so I thought I would reply.
1) Is it time we look at Billy Donovan (who I love), or is this team just a bad combination of players? Way too many misses on draft night, and the one we got right, we let go (Jimmy B). This team is the perfect definition of "not great, not bad"
2) Jerry's team is becoming a joke. Zero direction. Will not even pay to keep one of the best announcers, I have a bet with a friend, that of all the major sports teams in Chicago, the Cubs are the closest to a championship. I would love your thoughts on this issue.
3) I really liked Grandpa Rossy, but I give credit to Jed for going for it. Now to pay Cody, and keep adding, which I think they will.
4) Watching the Bears game last night, I actually said this out loud to my dog: "Enough with the Kelce brothers, I get it" Under rated was the 3rd and 7 call to seal the win. I would have bet my house that they would have run the ball and make Carolina use their final time out.
5) Bedard continues to impress....keep building around him.
Final thought, when the Lakers got their ass kicked by 38 (?) points, did they have another meeting with the NBA about LeBaby not getting calls??
Best to you and your family, missing the good ole days !
Rob Ruffulo
1) absolutely agree, but I think Donovan has just been dealt a bad hand. Players from OKC, Florida, Chicago love him. It's the group of guys, they're either unwilling or unable to run an effective offensive system.
2) Cubs are the closest to a championship, and it's not particularly close. They rebuilt for 2 years and Cubs fans (including me) went mad. The Sox rebuilt for 5+ years and are already back to rebuilding. The Bears are the Bears, and won't do anything until they have a top-12 QB. The Bulls may be in the worst position, all things considered, in the NBA = not good, no draft capital, no cap space, and an owner unwilling to go into the luxury tax.
3) Agreed
4) I said the same thing. I like Jason Kelce. There was zero reason to have him in the booth last night. Even he knew that.
5) Bedard makes hockey worth watching.
6) I cherish Lakers losses as much as I do Bulls wins
7) Thank you for reading and engaging on the newsletter!!
Hello Rob, hope you are doing well.
Excellent article! Love your intro but I thought I taught you more about basketball. You are off-base in your diagnosis of the Bulls. I will admit that Lavine is not the player he was before the knee injury. DeRozan is the biggest problem the Bulls have and Donovan is apparently unable to coach veteran players. THE POSITION DEROZAN plays in the NBA requires an effective three point shooter, slasher, distributor off those slashes AND good defense. DeRozan is incapable of all those skills. Lavine's problem is he is a good guy and he loves DeRozan and defers to him. At the end of the game, the ball should be in Lavine's hands but he defers to DeRozan. Lavine showed he could deliver at GO time before Lavine arrived. This situation, as well as benching Williams, shows how Donovan will not intervene and drive what needs to happen. If you watch a Bulls game, the opponent will constantly drive, draw the defense and dish for a three. DeRozan is incapable of that. 20 years ago, he is a top ten player. Now, he is a fourth quarter role player.
I don't care to ever see Pat WIlliams pass up an open three or get out hustled for a rebound ever again. Dead to me. What a waste.
Not sure you watched a single Bulls game if this is your take. LaVine is a mope and incapable of getting into any sort of a rythym. DeRozan has taken on a downsized role and is still an efficient and smooth scorer. LaVine is not. Only one guy is blaming the coaching staff. Can't win with those guys.
LaVine averages over 2 less assists than DeRozan. He shoots more.
At the end of the game, LaVine should have the ball in his hands... have you watched the end of any game in the last five years? His brain short-circuits. He's the worst "clutch" guy in the league.