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ESPN - Reports: Collins returning to Bulls as head coach

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by Rockets34Legend, May 29, 2008.

  1. Rockets34Legend

    Rockets34Legend Contributing Member

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    http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3417029

    The Chicago Bulls' next head coach will reportedly be a familiar face.

    Numerous media outlets reported Thursday that the Bulls will hire Doug Collins as their new head coach.

    Earlier this month, Collins told ESPN.com's Marc Stein that he had "no interest" in coaching again.

    Collins, currently an NBA analyst with TNT, last coached in 2002 with the Washington Wizards. He also coached the Detroit Pistons and the Bulls, compiling a 332-228 record. He has a career 15-23 record in the postseason.

    Collins was fired by the Bulls in 1989, despite leading the team to the Eastern Conference finals. He was replaced by Phil Jackson, who went on to coach the team to six NBA titles.

    Expected to contend in the Eastern Conference after reaching the second round of the playoffs last season, Chicago plummeted, losing 49 games. Coach Scott Skiles got fired in December, and interim coach Jim Boylan lost his job after the season finale. But suddenly, luck seems to be smiling on the Bulls.

    Chicago will pick first overall in the 2008 draft after winning the draft lottery.

    Collins also had a solid NBA playing career, averaging 17.9 points in eight seasons after being selected No. 1 overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1973 draft out of Illinois State. He was selected to four All-Star games.
     
  2. ClutchCityReturns

    ClutchCityReturns Contributing Member

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    IBTGoodBecauseIHateListeningToDougCollinsOnTNTComments

    (for the record, I like Doug Collins as an announcer)
     
  3. SuperBeeKay

    SuperBeeKay Member

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    I think JVG or Avery would be a better fit
     
  4. Legend Killer

    Legend Killer Contributing Member

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    Doug Collins?

    Doug freaking Collins?

    Really Chicago?

    Why is this guy given so many chances? Phoenix wanted him but he turned them down. This guy has never won anything as an NBA coach and his teams have always quit on him. In Washington and in Detroit he was a disaster and he couldn't win anything with the greatest player to ever play the game. Every team Collins has coached has gotten better AFTER he has been fired.
    Horrible, horrible selection by Chicago.
     
  5. jopatmc

    jopatmc Contributing Member

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    This is obviously just a bandaid solution until next season when they can go after Van Gundy or some other coach that they really want. Good old Collins, willing to take the reins for $10 million or so, just to walk away again. That's an inside deal between Paxson and Collins if it goes down.
     
  6. CriscoKidd

    CriscoKidd Member

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    yeah ... doubt this will work.


    but at least it gets him off the air. I'm so tired of his "this bucket has such an emotional impact" diatribe every single game, every single quarter. He's a monotone teddy ruxpin.
     
  7. Dave2000

    Dave2000 Contributing Member

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    he annoyed the hell out of me during Game 3 vs. the Jazz when he kept mentioning EVERY FREAKING SECOND that we didn't have the lead at halftime in any of the games vs. the Jazz the past 2 years in the playoffs and how its a "mental" thing, I wanted to shoot my TV every time he mentioned it.
     
  8. Sooner423

    Sooner423 Contributing Member

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    I think they're trying to get away from that type of coach.
     
  9. Drizno

    Drizno Rookie

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    IMO, this move to more about a setting a standard/theme after so much turmoil last season. Players heads are all over the place, this will bring every one down to square one. Make no mistake, Paxson made it clear to Collins what this is...

    groomtime.

    Regardless of what you think of Collins and his knowledge, he is a historian of the game in a sense of controlling egos and letting players play. He is not going to over coach and he is not going to bench the rookies.

    You don't think Paxson asked MJ if Collins can be controlled? Paxson will be pulling the strings from a coaching style perspective until the next coach gets hired in 1 or 2 years years when they will be a more seasoned team with that number one going through a full season. Also, the PG situation will be situated, the Gordon and Deng issues should be done by that time, and they can see what core players they will keep. They have a nice stable of players...

    I personally think they should go after JVG next season. At one point they responded great to Skiles dictatorship style ala Parcells, JVG, Sloan...etc.

    JVG would be perfect. It would challenge his coaching ways but I think he would be sucessful.
     
  10. ibm

    ibm Member

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    wow. 20 years later...
     
  11. GATER

    GATER Contributing Member

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    Exactly. Coaches like VG or Avery don't do well with young teams. That's why the Baby Bulls tuned Skiles out.

    Paxson's no genius but it doesn't take that level of intelect to see VG only coaches one end of the floor and if Avery can't let Kidd free-lance on offense, he and Gordon will lock horns pretty quickly.
     
  12. A_3PO

    A_3PO Member

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    It's ironic you use those terms. It was almost 20 years ago when the original Baby Bulls tuned out Doug Collins and he got fired. Best decision Bulls' management ever made. 5 years ago the Wizards players completely lost respect for the guy and got tired of listening to him. If he hasn't mellowed out and is still high-strung with players, this ain't gonna work.

    I think this is a bad choice but hope to be wrong. People can learn from their mistakes but they can't change who they are and what their comfort zone is. When things get really stressful, Collins will wear thin on the players. I expect the Bulls to have a one bounceback season but they will get tired of him eventually.
     
  13. WhoMikeJames

    WhoMikeJames Contributing Member

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    More TNT analysts on the go.
     
  14. sook

    sook Rookie

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    Doug collins? The guy on the Reff's jockstrap 24/7? Ha, It'll be fun watching him argue with them next season
     
  15. codell

    codell Contributing Member

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    I hear Bill Wennington is going to be playing C for them next year.

    Maybe Brad Sellers can play too.
     
  16. tiger0330

    tiger0330 Contributing Member

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    For those of you that didn't hear his interview with Craig Sager about the rumors of the job with the Bulls. Its not official yet, Collins only confirmed there were discussions with the Bulls and himself and both parties are interested. He said Paxson wants to evaluate everybody and he wants to finish out the playoffs with TNT before coming to a decision. Asked why he changed his mind about coaching again, he said it was his son Chris that urged him to take the job.

    It sounded to me like they will name him the coach after the conference finals.
     
  17. baller4life315

    baller4life315 Contributing Member

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    ESPN is reporting Collins has backed out and removed his name from consideration.
     
  18. A_3PO

    A_3PO Member

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    Great news for the Bulls! I am very happy about this.
     
  19. Egghead

    Egghead Member

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    I have read on some websites saying former T-wolves coach Dwane Casey is the frontrunner for the job.
     
  20. TheFreak

    TheFreak Contributing Member

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    The Bulls would have won championships with Collins just like they did with Phyllis. Collins was great with Detroit.

    The Wizards lost respect for him? Is that a joke? Jordan brought him in as coach, iirc, and he was their best player by far. If you ask me, 37-45 with that team isn't bad at all:

    Jerry Stackhouse
    Larry Hughes
    Tyronn Lue
    Christian Laettner
    Kwame Brown
    Brendan Haywood
    Bryon Russell
    Juan Dixon
    Etan Thomas
    Bobby Simmons
    Jared Jeffries
    Charles Oakley
    Jahidi White
    Anthony Goldwire
    Brian Cardinal

    Those guys lost respect for him? I'm going to borrow from a common cliche thrown around nowadays and say I don't even know what that means.
     

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