[quote name='lordopus99']My team kept itself from winning a title since we were a brand new team around that point. If you would read anywhere in this thread, you would know I am a Magic fan (been that way since Scott Skiles and Terry Catlidge). Boy the times have change since our team is up and yours is way down. You sound pretty bitter and bias. I am a realist. This is why I mentioned what I did. In our history, my town had the hope that TIMMY would show up and play with us... but the realist in me said "there is no way he is moving to play in Orlando"... and you know what happened... he resigned with the Spurs.
As for your statements, I personally can't stand Kobe and I think the Jazz are by far the boring-est team in the NBA. I don't watch Baseball so no Nationals hat here...
The reason I brought the 90s into this is... personally why do you think Chris Bosh would come to Chicago? What reason would he have to want to come there? The atrocious management? the subpar players? the "new" coach you say you are getting? the cold weathers? Wow... sounds so inviting...

Let's look at facts... Bosh grew up in Dallas, TX (so no ties there), is super good friends with Dwayne Wade and Lebron James, and has a home in South Florida... to me being the realist, I would assume one of three things... 1) staying put in Toronto with a new fat contract, 2) Go play with Wade in Miami (my guess is Wade re-signs with them), or 3) go play with Lebron (most likely in Cleveland).
As for the Lebron comment, I actually heard that statement during one of your televised games a couple weeks back. Maybe it was their opinion that you were trying for them... Remember the same analysts pick and say things all the time based on speculation.
You could have a shot at Stoudamire as who knows where he will end up. Boy don't you wish you still had Tyrus Thomas... Another talent you threw away.
Good job sneaking into the playoffs with almost a losing record. Hope you like your chalk claps... Why bring last year into this... it was a different team. The bulls had reserves. Different starters. Just looking at Game 1 from last year...
Starters - John Salmons (Gone), Tyrus Thomas (Gone), Ben Gordon (Gone) - accounted for 48 of the 105 points
Reserve - Tim Thomas (Gone)
That leaves you 4 guys that played in last years series still with the team. I predict a Cavs Sweep. Jamison + West + Varejo > Miller + Flip + Warrick
Playoffs wise... I think the winner of the Cavs/Magic Eastern Championship game wins the title. I think in the West it is anyones game to get to the Finals.[/QUOTE]
Why would Bosh come to Chicago? I never said there was a guarentee the Bulls were signing Bosh. I said they are going to try to sign him. Why would he consider it? #3 biggest market in sports. The "sub-par" players you talk about include Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah (say what you want about the way he looks, doesn't change his game), Kirk Hinrich, Luol Deng, and Taj Gibson are far and away a better option as far as teammates than any other option, with the exception of Miami if you consider Wade+nothing > Rose+Bulls, which is up for discussion. He isn't going to follow LeBron anywhere, because after Cleveland resigns him they wont have any capspace, nor do they have impact, possible all-star young players that Toronto would demand in a sign and trade. The 90's have nothing to do with it, so stop your Michael Jordan envy. Listen, I fully understand why opponents wouldn't like to play the Bulls in the 90's. But while, yes, Jordan and Pippen did demoralize their opponents, they did it with their play. You didn't see a river dance or a chest pound in the face of opponents.
As far as our telecast mentioning the Bulls going for LeBron? Preaching to the choir. Stacy King and Niel Funk are average at best. They like to make rediculous comments like that, and each game they pick 1 flaw of the other team or 1 player from the other team and spend the entire telecast derailing it/him regardless of the score. Having the privilage of watching one of the all time greats (Johnny "Red" Kerr) call the games until last season (thus giving an imidiate comparison to him), makes it seem even worse.
As far as throwing away Tyrus Thomas, most Bulls fans agree that the Bulls organization mishandled him from day 1 and we all wish he could have excelled here, but we also knew that wasn't going to happen. The reason Thomas, as well as John Salmons, were traded for players who play the same positions but not as well was for the sole reason of creating extra cap space for the summer. As a Bulls fan I look at it like this. Keeping those guys and extending them would have tied us up long term, even more so in two years when Rose and Noah need to get paid. Now, that would have also gaurenteed us to be a 48-54ish win team for about 10 years. However, I feel that if there is even a microcosm of Bosh (or LeBron, Amare, Joe Johnson, Dwayne Wade, Al Jefferson, etc.) considering coming to Chicago, it would have been foolish not to put ourselves in that position. If we don't get one of those guys, we're still the same team and still have cap felxibility. With another star next to Rose, on paper we have a team on par with the best of the west and have an underdog's chance to beat the Cavs to get into the finals. If one of those guys doesn't sign? Is the next 5 years being filled with 1st or 2nd round exits all that much different than it being filled with 2nd or 3rd round exists?
And you're right. Last year's Bulls team was better than this year's (by design. Again, since day one, this year's goal has been clear cap space while still reaching the playoffs, and do it without losing Rose or Noah), but, and I know you don't get to see the Bulls, imparticularly Rose, as often as I do, but I simply don't think this team will allow themselves to be swept. I don't think they will beat the Cavs. I'm all for that epic upset as much as the next guy, but i'm also realistic and I believe the Cavaliers will win the series. However, I do give Derrick Rose and the Bulls enough credit to believe they will not completely roll over. Could I be wrong? Maybe they don't roll over, but Cleveland is just that much better? Sure, it could happen, but I still think the Bulls will get at least 1 game, and the series will most likely go to 6.
Now, I don't want bad blood between myself and another NBA fan (or CAG, for that matter), so just to show you I'm not trying to be an ass, I would like to say a few things about your Orlando Magic. I really, really, really like Dwight Howard. I'm also one of the few people from Chicago that don't think the two Rose injuries were intentional. And I really think the Magic could make the finals again. I'll be rooting for them should they play Cleveland, mainly because I hate the egos of LeBron and Shaq, and I think they deserve much more credit than ESPN gives them credit for. When the Bulls played Orlando this year, Orlando took 2 of 3, both of the losses sans-Rose. I happen to be at the game the Bulls won, and (as i'm sure you know) the Magic live and die by the 3 point shot. I couldn't believe that in overtime against the Bulls on the road (and this was pre-flurry-of-Bulls-injuries so at the time the teams had similar reccords), rather than shoveling it inside when a rookie (Gibson) was on Howard, they tried to win by having JJ Reddick jack up 3s. I know they've made 3s all year, but this could really be the death of them in the finals should the play the Lakers. Bryant and Artest are very good perimiter defenders, and Howard will absolutley need to be option 1 instead of option 1.5 to the 3's. That being said, I if they are able to grab a true "slasher" style SF next year (VC just doesn't seem to do that kind of thing anymore), then look out LeBron, because in my opinion, Orlando is now better.
[quote name='bigtymer']In general I beat off to consecutive MVPs and consecutive 60 win seasons.
I never thought that shit bag of a Celts team would sweep last year because they are a worse team then the Cavs and the Bulls were a better team last year. As for your assertion that LeBron's swagger will get him put on his ass, it could happen but the flagrants will fly and the Stern hammer will drop. And I don't care nor will I refute that he gets special treatment and get fouls and calls no one else would because guess what I had to watch a decade of the same shit from a man in a Bulls uni what goes around comes around. And speaking of cockiness they only can't tolerate it because they aren't on top...
If you honestly believe that either team was a "full strength" in game 5 of the season you are as dumb as Vinnie Del Negro's coaching strategy is stupid. Please can your front office avoid the infighting for a week so they can unite and take pictures of the best #23 to step on the United Center floor. (maybe not best but at least he's not a degenerate gambler)[/QUOTE]
I've seen LeBron put on his ass before. Flagrants didn't happen. And seriously, you just posted insult after insult after

you after insult. Who is your favorite team? I'm sorry if Jordan and Pippen stopped you from having a title in the 90s. If they didn't, and you just have some other kind of anti-Jordan/Pippen/Bulls fetish, that's fine (every sport's best players always have a strong hate-base), but seriously don't try to use your opinion as an argument. "What goes around, comes around". What the almighty

? Did the Bulls do something they weren't supposed to here? Should Jordan not have hit the shot over Ehlo because it would be mean? Don't say stupid things.
And how the

is both teams having all their players not full strength. I'm sorry, but the fact that your team needed about 2 weeks longer than the preseason and training camp to get used to their new obese center is not my problem and nobody's going to feel sorry for you in the NBA because you havn't "gelled as a team" the point of the season in no way determines if it was "full strength" or not. If I remember right, those games still count. Based on your logic, the Bulls should be 5th seed because the 10 game losing streak they had when their 4 best players were all out shouldn't have counted because it wasn't their fault and teams should have gone easy on them. Think before you post.