Referee Incompetence

I'm unable to comfortably comment on the current 1 win Bulls season thus far. It is quite simply too disheartening and disgusting, however it is early. Most should be reminded that the Bulls have started horribly the past three seasons, and things have panned out well. Just wait and see how everything progresses.

But as I'm watching the Clippers game, I'm dismayed at the refs. I consider myself pretty easy going as far as refs go. I get that it's one of the toughest jobs, and a human being won't ever get all of the call right. I usually sympathize for them.

Tonight, in the first half, was a complete disaster. Ruben Patterson of the Clips blatantly elbowed Nocioni in the face not once, but twice. When Patterson recieved the ball in the lane from the position he established from concussing the defender, Nocioni recovered and gave Patterson a hard foul across both arms. There was no malicious intent, no hit in the head, but it was called a flagrant foul, and Patterson recieved a technical.

Then moments later, Nocioni recieves the ball on the offensive end, drives, and the Clipper's Tim Thomas responds by shoving Noc--arms fully extended and recieves a flagrant foul as well.

Concerns--where the refs on the baseline watching the two post players (Noc and Patterson)? Two, the only way Nocioni recieves a flagrant is if the refs feel as though it was a retaliation foul, which anyone could clearly see it was not. If they determined it was a retaliation shot, then they must have known what Patterson did and simply didn't call the obvious call, which should have been a technical.

These are absolute easy calls. No duh a backhand to the head is a foul, how do you mess this up? They are professionals. Players shouldn't ever miss lay ups, and refs don't miss violent calls. Simple. With all they heat officals have taken this off season, they certainly shouldn't be messing up their jobs.

Milwaukee Loss

78-72 Bulls lose thrice.

When the best player on the floor was Joe Smith (14 pts), the Bulls stand no chance, that is what common sense would tell you. Then there's the Milwaukee Bucks, who in their own right played horribly.

For those who watched the game, you surely must have either laughed, cried, cringed, or crumpled. 19 turnovers for the Bulls, 15 for the Bucks, and a field goal percentage worse than Bush's approval rating.

The leading scorer for the Bulls was Gordon, but the rest of the starters sucked. MRedd took out 27 pts and the Chinese kid Yi hit 16 pts, mostly from outside 20 feet.

With absolutely no offense, no matter how great of team D the Bulls can play, how can they possibly expect to win? For all that's holy they let the Bucks hold them to 72. Who is their best defensive player--Bobby Simmons?

Here we stand three games in at 0-3, and the whole city is slowly chanting K-O-B-E. I used to be harshly against the trade, but the games are providing sufficient evidence against me.

Bulls Home Opener--Ugh

Effortless.

Unfocused.

Lack of resilience.

All of the above can describe the Chicago Bulls tonight as they played the visiting Philadelphia 76ers.

Coming back from a loss to New Jersey, the Bulls came to the United Center to kick off their home schedule. The fans were hyped, the journalists were ready with their laptops (including Jay Marrioti and Sam Smith), and the players looked to do their part.

However…

Much to the dismay of all parties involved, the Bulls let the 76ers effectively handle them at home. The Bulls never lead throughout the game and managed only one late fourth quarter rally in the 3rd and 4th minutes.

Kirk Hinrich was benched with four fouls and a technical late in the 3rd quarter. Ben Wallace was held in check on the boards. No real bench help, except spurts from Andres Nocioni. Ben Gordon led the team in scoring but had several key turnovers at the end of the game.

Now Luol Deng. You needed to show up tonight. You’re tired of being harassed by the press about the Kobe trade. Well tonight, you’re the one to blame. If you continue to lay goose eggs the next tens games or so, Chicago will be calling Kobe, and if you’re the piece that needs to leave to make it happen, so be it.

The game was ugly, truly. Tyrus Thomas had a great game today with a double double. He’s the only one of the Bulls that showed any type of enthusiasm or heart. Hopefully the immaturity is gone, and he’s growing into a special type of player.

And there I sat in perhaps the greatest seats I’ll ever have. I had a chance to sit right behind the journalists. I could yell, and the players could hear me, I was that close. And what did I get to see, but the ugliest, and perhaps unraveled performances in better than Hi-Def.

Here’s to getting better.