Deng 180°

Up until 2009 Luol Deng was one of the most polarizing figures in Chicago sports. Coming out of Blair Academy in 2002, Deng was ranked as the #2 most promising high school prospect in the country behind Lebron James. After a year at Duke (and a Final Four appearance) Deng entered the NBA draft and was the 7th overall pick by the Phoenix Suns, who then traded the rights to Deng to the Bulls and the roller coaster began. Prior to 2009 Deng was regularly criticized for being soft and injury prone.

Since Tom Thibodeau became coach of the Bulls, Luol Deng has shed the “soft” label that followed him for many years. Deng was called soft to to his blatant hesitation to drive the lane and take/draw contact under the basket. Because of his hesitation to drive the lane, he settled for jump shots which was not the best part of his game. Despite his 6‘9” frame and 7 foot wing span he seemed almost afraid to go up against bigger stronger players in the paint which made his offense one dimensional and easier to guard. Under Thibodeau, Deng has found a confidence and toughness that has, since 2009, endeared him to Bulls fans. He’s become a hard nosed defender willing to mix it up with anyone and has been able to take bigger strong defenders off the dribble and not worry about contact. Deng has gone from not wanting to drive the lane, due to contact, to initiating contact and trying to draw fouls. He’s played through injuries that would have kept him side-lined in previous years and given this Bulls team a hard nosed defensive identity.

Luol Deng’s toughness was, I think, directly related to the injuries he suffered. Deng has only played in more than 70 games three times in his 8 year career and only played all 82 games twice. Deng’s confidence was also in question, because it seemed that every time he drove to the basket he wound up getting injured. A wrist injury in his rookie season, Achilles tendinitis in the ‘07-’08 season, a stress fracture in his right leg in ‘08-’09 and a sprained right calf in the ‘09-’10 season caused Deng to be labeled as injury prone and was not seen as worthy of the six year $71 million dollar contract signed before the ‘08-’09 season. Since 2008 Luol Deng has been mentioned in trade rumors for the likes of Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant, Carlos Boozer and Chris Bosh among others and the the Bulls’ unwillingness to trade Deng infuriated fans who saw Deng as soft, injury prone and way over paid. The Bulls stuck by Deng regardless of the fan reaction and has since shed that injury prone label as well. This year alone Deng has played through a torn tendon in his left wrist that will definitely need surgery and keep him out of basketball for almost six months but he has decided to play through the pain. Deng injured his wrist in January and has decided to play through the NBA season and also represent Great Britain in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, pushing a surgery back to, at least August 12th. Luol Deng has gone from being labeled soft and injury prone to being a rock in the Bulls lineup and fighting through injuries for the sake of an NBA title.

Luol Deng is the perfect example of a talent needing the right system/coaching and I believe he has found that balance. Deng showed flashes of his true talent under Scott Skiles, but his confidence was still an issue, and he regressed a bit under Vinny Del Negro (then again everyone did) but now he seems to have found his niche. Past Bulls teams were looking to Deng to be a number one or two scorer which isn’t the kind of player he is. Thibodeau has asked Deng to, instead, be their primary defender and third scoring option/swingman when needed. The last two years Luol Deng has remade his game and for the life of me I can’t think of any Chicago athlete who has completely changed their image for the better so fast.

Defending Miami

        Let me first just say that I am as big a Miami Heat hater as can be. I think they’re arrogant and I believe they truly lack the killer instinct and determination to put their talent to use and be a great team. With that being said, they are dangerous and very, very good. They have two of the best players in the world performing in their primes. They have a big man whom, on 95% of the teams in the league, would make them instantly better. And a head coach whom, although young, has a great basketball mind backed by one of the best coaches in NBA history.

The 2003 NBA draft is seen as one of the best drafts in NBA history. Four of the top five picks in that draft are potential hall of famers (No not you Darko), two of whom are guaranteed to get in (Wade and James) and the other two can still make a case (Bosh and Melo). There is a lot of criticism of Wade and James (James mostly) some fair, some unfair but they are still two of the best in the world. As a die hard Bulls fan I see the Miami Heat as sort of an evil empire and the Bulls are the resistance. My dislike for Wade and James (and to a lesser extent Bosh) is no secret but, if you were to tell me that Wade and/or James just signed with the Bulls I would be ecstatic. Love them or hate them you cannot deny their talent or athletic ability. Dwayne Wade is a shooting guard with point guard abilities and the strength of a small forward. His agility and strength make him a nuisance to defend and attack on the offense. Wade’s basketball knowledge is so good you can plug him in to any style offense and he can produce quickly. James, to put it simply, is the best player in the world. I know some Bulls fans are gonna hate me for that statement but its true. Here’s a 6‘8 guard/forward with the speed to defend any guard and the talent and strength to defend forwards and centers. I’ve seen James slash like a point guard, hit threes against some of the best defenders in the league and post up bigger, stronger players. He’s got Magic’s passing instinct with Karl Malone’s strength. Hero or Villain he is the best player in the NBA.

I know what you’re thinking “Is he really gonna give Chris Bosh his own paragraph”. Yes. Yes I am. Before Bulls fans go crazy, I want you to remember something...Chris Bosh was our first choice. Boozer was a safety net in the 2010 season. In 2008 and 2009 the Bulls seriously explored trade options for Chris Bosh, both deals were blown up due to the Bulls not wanting to part with Luol Deng. In the shadow of LeBron and Wade, Bosh has taken a kind of comic relief role on the team. He is regularly called soft by the media, sometimes he’s even portrayed as being a bust with his talent coming into question. Anyone who believes that has never seen Chris Bosh play. Bosh, at 6‘11, is as difficult a defensive assignment as any. With a mid-range game he can hit all day, and the ability to knock down a three, if you give him any space he can burn you. At a long, lean 6‘11 his ability to take most defenders off the dribble is the most impressive. While his post game is a bit underwhelming (save for a beautiful turn around fade away jumper) he is still an under the basket threat, being one of the best passing big men in the league. While Bosh isn’t the best defender his size and length regularly give forwards around the league trouble and his foot work, surprising speed and effort give him the ability to guard smaller quicker players as well. Bosh may not be the most mentally tough but his two way game make him and extremely important piece to the Heat’s success.

When Pat Riley stepped down as head coach of the Heat at the end of the 2008 season, the Heat chose to hire a little known assistant coach/video coordinator/scout named Erik Spoelstra. Before succeeding Riley as head coach Spoelstra was responsible for helping design and integrate a state of the art statistical database and scouting software. This software tracked player productivity and trends and is still in use by the Heat (and many other teams) to this day. Spoelstra, who was 38 when he took over as head coach, encountered some skepticism due to his youth but had the full support of Pat Riley who stated “This game is now about younger coaches who are technologically skilled, innovative, and bring fresh new ideas. That's what we feel we are getting with Erik Spoelstra. He's a man that was born to coach.".Spoelstra’s team control is often questioned due to the talent, money and egos in play on the Heat but the coach and his team have stated time and again that he is the coach and fully in control. As an assistant coach Spoelstra was known for hammering fundamentals into the players going so far as to clean up Dwayne Wade’s shot and make him more fundamentally sound after Wade returned from the Athens Olympic games in 2004. Under Pat Riley, Spoelstra was given a crash course in defense and the philosophies of letting your defense create your offense. The defensive knowledge and schemes learned under Riley have aided in giving the Heat a top 6 defense three of his first four years as head coach. Spoelstra may not be the best X’s and O’s coach in the league but his defensive knowledge and focus on fundamentals have helped him become one of the best young coaches in the league. Plus if he ever has any X’s and O’s questions....he always has a hall of fame coach at his disposal.

The Miami Heat are the biggest (and possibly only) hurdle the Bulls need to overcome to become champions once again, but that is MUCH easier said than done. The talent on the Heat is unreal. Players who can score at will, a stingy defense and good leadership. The only question is whether they can put it all together and reach their potential. As an objective observant and NBA fan, its a treat to watch the Heat play but, as a Bulls fan its a bit unsettling. Love them or hate them the Heat are tremendously talented and damn good, and anyone who tries to dismiss them as a team is severely lacking in any basketball knowledge.

Bulls Better in 2012?

        After a 62-20 season, an appearance in the eastern conference finals, a coach of the year winner and the reigning MVP who would have thought the Bulls could be even better in 2012. As of this writing the Chicago Bulls have the best record in the NBA (39-10), a 3 game lead on the Miami Heat and the best point differential in the league (+9.1). I personally think the Bulls are better and more dangerous than they were last year for a few reasons; a better bench, a smarter Coach Thibodeau and a die hard belief in the system and trust in each other.


With Derrick Rose missing 14 games (and counting) with various ailments (toe, back and groin) and free agent acquisition Rip Hamilton missing 34 games (and counting) and Luol Deng in and out of the line up with a torn ligament in his wrist, the bench has been called upon to help keep this team afloat in the East. The depth and talent of the Bench-mob is no secret but the toughness and and fearlessness they’ve shown has been amazing. The emergence of some new faces have made this bench better than last years. Jimmy Butler, a rookie out of Marquette, didn’t see much playing time at the start of the season but, with the wrist injury to Luol Deng, Tom Thibodeau called on the rookie to provide energy and defense when needed. Butler is still only averaging about ten minutes per game but the hustle and heart he shows every time he steps on the floor has given him: A) Confidence and B) Thibodeau’s trust. The best part of the rookies game is his fearlessness. He shows no hesitation in guarding the super-stars of the league or attacking them on the offense. The other revelation on the Bulls bench has been journeyman point guard John Lucas III. To NBA fans outside of Chicago JL3 is know as “the small guy Lebron dunked over” but to Bulls fans he may be the scorer off the bench we have been looking for. After playing a major part in a Rose-less win over the Miami Heat, Lucas has seen the most playing time and production of his career. Over the last ten games Lucas has averaged 10.1 points per game on 48% shooting with an average of 16.5 minutes per game. With his confidence at a high it’ll be interesting to see what the Bulls plan for Lucas is when Derrick Rose is healthy again.

The early success of Tom Thibodeau almost makes the Vinny Del Negro years worth it. When Tom Thibodeau was hired I knew the Bulls defense would be good but I didn’t know how good. In 2010-2011 season the Bulls were top 3 in opponent field goals made, field goal percentage, 3-pointers made, 3-point percentage, defensive rebounds (4th in offensive rebounds), total rebounds, total points and points per game and as of this writing are 1st in rebounds per game and 2nd in points allowed this season. That stellar defense is the reason the Bulls have been so successful while lacking a true second scorer. Thibodeau’s system requires full throttle energy which can drain players in the course of a season as we saw with Derrick Rose in the eastern conference finals but Thibodeau has seemingly adapted his system and rotation in order to not tire out his players before the playoffs. Luol Deng is the defensive work horse Thibs has relied on in almost every defensive situation but even he has seen more rest (40.2 MPG in 2011 to 38.3 MPG this year) due to Thibs’ easing up on the gas pedal, especially in late game blowout situations. Thibs took a chance early in the season, with injuries to Deng, Rose and Hamilton, to see if the bench could step up and perform when needed and he hasn’t been disappointed yet. With a deeper bench, better rotation and enough rest Tom Thibodeau has coached the Bulls to the best record in the NBA (so far) and could possibly earn back to back Coach of the Year honors.


The Bulls are a very talented team but talent can only get you so far. On paper the Bulls are set up with 1 superstar, 3 very good players and a host of role players. The Bulls play with and intensity and focus that few (even more talented) teams can match. Its the belief in the system and each other that gives this team the confidence to truly believe they can beat anyone thats steps on the floor with them. From reigning MVP Derrick Rose down to human victory cigar Brian Scalabrine this team carries themselves with a humility that is rarely seen in professional sports these days. If one man goes down another steps up to pick up the slack. If you only get to play four minutes a night in full court pressure situations, there is no complaining. There is no whining about minutes or shot counts. If Carlos Boozer has to sit out a majority of the fourth quarter because of the need for defense, he sits and supports him team 100%. The majority of the roster is the same as last year and the additions that have been made don’t see major minutes, but everyone clocks in and does their job no questions asked. The Bulls are better because after a year together they know that even through tough losses, slumps and injuries if they work together and trust each other they can beat anyone.

Today’s society is such an “instant gratification” society (especially in sports) that if you don’t win immediately, you may be deemed a failure. This Bulls team is one of the top two or three teams in the NBA and this core group has only been together for two years. Imagine the growth not just of players but of Thibs as a coach in the coming years. This team was thrown together in 2011 with nine new players and a whole new coaching staff and they went to the Eastern Conference Finals in their first year. Its only year two but you can already see that time has helped the Bulls in both confidence and chemistry. And as far as I can see, this team can still get better in the coming years.


JxV

Good Day Forte?

    Matt Forte's season ended early in 2011. Forte sprained his MCL in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on December 4th and was eventually placed on injured reserve for the remainder of the 2011 season. Even though he missed the remaining four games of the season he played well enough to earn his first pro bowl appearance and still finished with almost 1500 yards from scrimmage and accounted for 46.2 percent of the Bears' offense. In fact, ever since Matt Forte entered the league as the Bears 2nd round draft pick (#44) in 2008, he has been in the top ten hn most yards from scrimmage 3 of his 4 years in the league. In 2011, still on his rookie contract, Matt Forte made a base salary of $600,000, which I'm sure we can all agree is under paid for someone of Forte's production and importance to the bears offense. After the 2011 season the Bears and Forte and his agent sat down to discuss a new deal for the pro bowl running back but the two sides still haven't reached an agreement and the main hurdle is the guaranteed portion of the contract. The Bears are wary of breaking the bank for a running back going in to his fourth year in the league, when studies and stats show that a running back's production falls off after his 5th year in the league. The Bears would like to re-sign Forte long term and make him an integral part of their offense, but they don't want to be handcuffed with a bad contract should Forte begin to lose his legs.

    Forte is looking for a new contract with the Bears with at least $20 million guaranteed, and the Bears seem to not be budging on their highest offer of $14 million.  From Forte's perspective he realizes running backs very rarely get TWO big money deals and thus would like to get paid as much as he can in case, just as the Bears are worried about, his production dips. He wants long term financial security,and who can blame him. The Bears on the other hand look at the Tennessee Titians and say "That's not going to be us". The Titans are handcuffed by Chris Johnson's 4-year $53.5 million contract with $30 million guaranteed.
After a lengthy holdout during the 2011 season he basically disappeared from the football field. So mtch so that reports surfaced that the Titians were so afraid  of CJ2K's contract that they might cut him before the 2012 league year started saving $17 million. It seems the Bears appreciate Matt Forte and everything he's done but will not let themselves be handcuffed by a CJ2K-like contract. Now begins the leverage game.

    Michael Bush signed with the Bears on March, 22nd for 4 years, $14 million with $7 million guaranteed. A small price to pay for a very reliable bruising back that gives you a solid third down and goal line threat.
But what does the Bush signing mean for Forte? I have spoken with people who see Forte as expendable with the signing of Bush and the trade for Brandon Marshall and would like to explore trade options. The problem with trading Matt Forte is that the market for running backs has changed over the last few years. Most teams are of the thinking, and I agree, that if you have an offensive line that can move people off the ball and get out and block you can throw any average running back in the backfield and they will produce. Because of that way of thinking, the price teams are willing to pay is dramatically decreased. At this moment I'd say Matt Forte is worth a second round pick to a very desperate team. The Michael Bush signing gives the Bears leverage plain and simple. Leverage to say to Forte and his agent "You aren't our only option at running back and we are willing to part ways if we cant reach an agreement".

    First of all I'm not giving Matt Forte any more than $17 million guaranteed, he's very good, but not a top tier back. If a deal with Forte can be worked out, the Bears offense would be very formidable (despite a still uncertain offensive line and no number two receiver). But the Bears offense would look the best it has looked since 2006. Brandon Marshall as the number one receiver (FINALLY!!) with built in chemistry with Jay Cutler, a healthy Cutler, a more experienced o-line, a multi talented every down back in Forte, a good possession receiver in Earl Bennett and a third down/goal line back in Bush. Why would anyone want to  trade Forte and take a weapon away from Jay Cutler when the fans have been clamoring for more weapons since that lovely day in April 2009 when Cutler became a Bear. Why trade a multi talented, hardworking back who has had spectacular success behind a terrible offense line that couldn't block a breeze from a candle? Those who want to take away a weapon to try and trade up to get a Michael Floyd or Justin Blackmon in the first round seem to forget the "stud" first round receivers don't usually pan out. Since 2008 only 2 wide receivers have made the pro bowl (Percy Harvin and A.J. Green) and in 2008 no receivers were taken in the first round. Also, since 2008 11 receivers have been taken in the first round of the NFL Draft and only 2 of them have had 1,000 yard seasons.  Why waste a first round pick on a receiver (that recent history tells isn't a very good move) when the offensive line still needs help and a rush end is needed to play opposite Julius Peppers both of which you can find with your first round pick (#19) and then look for a receiver later in the draft.

    No one really knows how the Forte/Bears contract situation is gonna play out but now that the running back market has shown itself to Forte and his agent I think he will hold out for a little more guaranteed money (from $14 million up to maybe $17 million) and sign mid training camp, I do not foresee a Vincent Jackson-like holdout. If he doesn't sign, the Bears will be missing a big piece of their offense and I'm not sure Michael Bush can handle being an every down bruising running back (you saw how well that played out for Brandon Jacobs).

    I would like the Bears to reward Forte for his magnificent play and hard work, while dealing with a bad offensive line and no other receiving weapons to take attention away from him, but not at the expense of the Bears' financial future.

JxV

Here Goes Nothing...

Hello Everyone,

    My name is Joshua and I am your author, thinker, over analyzer, butcher, baker, candlestick maker and pretty much everything else you need me to be pertaining to sports. This blog will mainly focus on sports stories and teams coming out of Chicago, but will also be my outlet for national stories and pretty much anything else I feel the need to comment on. I was born and raised in Chicago but currently reside in Spring, Texas which I feel gives me the ability to see how the national media perceives Chicago, its athletes and its issues.

This is my personal sports blog but I will make you, the reader, three promises:

1. This blog will never get political. I will never talk politics or environmentalism or any other subject like that. This is a sports blog and I intend to keep it that way.
2. I will be as accurate as I can be. I will do my damnedest to be accurate about stats and dates, but I am only one guy on a shitty computer so I will fuck up. Forgive me.
3. I will never be contrarian for the sake of it. One of my big issues with sports writers and sports blogs is that many of them seem to be contrarian just for the shock. If my opinions are boring and/or not groundbreaking or shocking I don't care. I will write what I want and never betray my beliefs or feelings just to boost readership.

With that being said I hope you enjoy this blog and if you would like to comment feel free to leave one. All i ask of you the reader is. If you like this blog share it with your friends.


My first actual post should be up tomorrow.

Talk to you soon

Josh