Happy Bullday

Coming out of this winter, I wondered if it is time for me to become an NBA widower. Do not get me wrong, my favorite NBA team was not The Seattle Supersonics; a team with almost four decades of NBA history, and a rabid fan base, which were given the slip by Oklahoma City snake oil salesmen. Rather my team The Chicago bulls was even more depressing, we watched as Kevin McHale pretty much all but bought the Eastern Conference championship for his beloved Boston Celtics. Then we watched the greatest player of this generation get wooed, and of course John Paxson, the man who had spent all his time acquiring assets for this scenario, choose to be sheepish, and decided his collection of young players was better than a team led by Kobe Bryant.

Fast forward a few months later, The Baby Bulls had become veteran Bulls, and acquired their selfish, undisciplined, and overall bad which of course killed their coaches prompting this lengthened Coaching search, but also Cleveland’s pile of crap (Neck beard” Gooden, and “Offensive set Killer” Hughes) in exchange for his pile of crap (Malcontent and overrated” Wallace, and “Much older” Joe Smith). Meanwhile Kobe Bryant was coasting to the MVP, and a possible date in the Finals. The Bulls who were picked to contend for the Eastern Conference championship were now farther from a championship than in those Pink Floyd years.

But, I like to borrow a Theater term, “Deux Ex Machina”, of for the rest of us, “The God in the Machine”, A term that refers to when a play has not only an existing set of rules, but a perceived outcome, and a God descends, and completely shifts and or changes the dynamics of the characters, and the outcome of the play. Yesterday the basketball Gods descended on John Paxson’s pile of steaming poop, and gave the Chicago Bulls the number one pick, which most likely gives you the rights to MBeasy, or Derrick rose. Two players that not only change the fortunes of a young team, but can make this young team legitimate again.

So by all means Bulls fans celebrate, and dance the Jig, and realize you might have just gotten better without having to rely on John Paxson: a General Manager that gets too much credit because of the sad state of the franchise he took over, and has been giving a pass on his inability to use his properly acquired assets to actually effectively bring the Championship trophy back to its rightful home. While you will have all the lead up to the NBA draft to wonder if John Paxson will be able to rise to the occasion, or will his regime again bungle a worthwhile opportunity. It is too early to say, and or speculate. For now, it is a happy day, time to celebrate, and be merry, and hope the Gods have chosen to smile on your destined tragedy, and turn it into comedy with a very happy ending.