Features

Today’s guest: @RyanMcGuffey

@SteveJohnson_12

As a Production Assistant & Associate Producer at CSN Chicago, I have a lot of ambition. Working in the world of sports broadcasting, there is a lot of opportunity to tell stories and be a part of something memorable.

I have seen and worked with a lot of “names” in our industry, but what people do not realize is that there is always the “story behind the story.” It is not just about the people who bring you those features or the subjects that they are about. No, there are always those who bring you the moments that you did not or would not know even happened.

Enter Sr. Producer of Original Content at CSN: Ryan McGuffey.

“Guffman,” as I know him, has seen and done a lot in our business. He is the man behind “5 Outs,” “Believe: The Story of the 2005 White Sox,” and most recently: “Reign Men.”

You have seen him on television during Chicago White Sox broadcasts or on CSN news programs such as “In The Loop” & “In The Loop: Prime.”

You have heard him on several Chicago radio stations, sometimes as a host as he did with David Haugh on the “Kap & Haugh” show.

However, what stands out about The “Guffman” is that he does not take himself too seriously. Honestly, you probably would not have known about all he’s accomplished if I did not list it.

It is not something he boasts about. He is fortunate to have been a part of a lot of historic moments; however, it is the humble approach he takes when it comes to what he has done in this business.

“Never forget where you come from,” he always tells me. It is that honest approach that keeps McGuffey grounded. He never takes what he does for granted and it is that which motivates him to keep working hard and telling stories.

So how did we get here? Let’s hear from the man himself:

“When I was four or five-years old, I can remember broadcasting Nintendo games,” McGuffey said.

“When I was home, we had this projection-screen TV when I was a little kid. I remember we got it for the Super Bowl when the Bears were playing in 1986 and I thought we were like the richest family on the block, and we weren’t, but it had the slide bar for the volume on it and when I was at home at night and the Bulls were playing, I would run downstairs and turn all the lights off and slide the thing all the way off and then would do: ‘AT GUARD, FROM NORTH CAROLINA!’”

“It was in my blood, I don’t know why or how. My Mom & Dad weren’t big sports fans but it was always my passion for as long as I could remember. I was broadcasting the games, I played sports and from the time I was eight or nine-years old, the people I wanted to be were the people I saw on TV. It just stuck; I knew what I wanted to do all through high school and when I got to college, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. It’s very rare, I know that. When you’re 17 or 18- years-old, no one knows what they want to do… and I did.”

“Luckily, I just worked hard & I stayed with it. Like I’ve always told you: ‘You have to kick down your own door;’ and once you get in: keep kicking it down because I feel when you get in, it’s your responsibility to keep going… and here I am.”

Even though McGuffey’s journey started off as an eight-year-old kid, he continued to hone his skills throughout his growth in the world of sports.

While attending DePauw University, he was a three-year letterman for the DePauw Football team, a four-year letterman & two-time captain for the Track & Field team and also served as the Assistant Sports Director for WGRE Radio. He was also an active member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity.

“I found a place I was happy enough to call home,” McGuffey said. “I love DePauw; I loved everything it did for me. I continue to love it. I have a passion for that place because I feel like it was a huge inspiration for me being here today.”

“I try to give back to them and the students who reach out to me. I didn’t have all that necessarily with people reaching out back to me at the time. It’s just so valuable for kids, whether it’s DePauw, Illinois or Indiana, whatever it is… you still see people that have passion: that to me is the best part.”

After graduating from college in 2001, McGuffey was like most graduates when it came to finding the right gig after school. He worked with his family’s small business until one day he decided he had to take matters into his own hands. He was hired as a Production Assistant & Associate Producer with Fox Sports Net Chicago (where he interned in 1999).

“One day, I just called this phone number that I had,” McGuffey said. “I called this guy, a DePauw connection that was working at Fox Sports Net and he kind of wrote me off… and he told me as much because I didn’t keep in touch for a little while.”

“He gave me a guy’s phone number, a name & a phone number: Dan Lafferty. He was the Executive Producer and that was it. That was all he gave me. It was up to me to do something with that number. Keep in mind: it wasn’t like texting. E-mailing was an option… but from a computer, because cell phones were still really new. I didn’t have one in 2001. So I called the guy, every single day for 17 days… and he never picked up.”

“Every day, I left a message. Every day… and on the 17th day: he picked up. He said: ‘Hey, I’m Dan Lafferty.’ I froze because I didn’t expect him to pick up & before I could say my name, he said: ‘You’re Ryan McGuffey,’ and I’m like ‘Yea.’ He said ‘could you come in today at 3:00?’ and I was like: ‘Yes.’ I think I was in his office for maybe 10 minutes.”

From there, McGuffey was hired as a freelancer. He was allowed two days to train and was assured that if he caught on quickly; they would try to call him every day if they could. McGuffey proceeded to work 22 straight days after the meeting.

“It was persistence,” McGuffey said. “Like I said, when you get an opportunity, kick down the door. I got hired full-time three months later. I got laid off four months after that. After September 11th, there were huge layoffs. They let 100 people go and we had to stay here two weeks to get severance packages. I was devastated. I was 22-years-old and I just didn’t expect it. I was so happy to have this job.”

“It happened, and I got called into the same guy’s office. He said: ‘Look, they’re going to rehire like three people. Not for what we’re doing right now. I know it’s not what you want to be doing but if you want the job, you should consider it.”

McGuffey was convinced he was not going to take the job. He went home one day, however, and had a conversation with his mother. Not only did his mother encourage him to take the job, she raised a good point when it came to McGuffey’s dilemma: “Take the job, if you want to find another job afterwards, ok but stay on board.”

“It was a rough three years,” McGuffey said. “It was fine for like the first 15-18 months. Then, the last 18 months, it was rough. It was more like administrative, 9-5 stuff. Not that I don’t like 9-5 but it just wasn’t production.”

“So I would keep my nose in the production mess over here by helping out with ‘Pro Football Weekly’ while I was doing my normal job. I just needed to feed that fire. CSN came along in 2004 and I was right about at the end of my bridge. My bridge was almost up at the end of that other job. If CSN had been another year, I don’t know if I would’ve waited… but it all worked out.”

From there, McGuffey continued to hone his skills in all facets of the sports broadcasting field. He started at CSN as an Associate Producer for seven months before being promoted to Booking Producer in February 2005.

After working in that role for three years, he produced the popular “Monsters in the Morning” show, which was hosted by Mike North & Dan Jiggetts. He also served as head producer of “Chicago Tribune Live,” now known as “Sports Talk Live” on CSN.

McGuffey continued to pay his dues as a producer. He served as CSN’s Coordinating Producer for two years, a role in which he oversaw all of the daily content on the station.

In April 2013, McGuffey moved into the role he continues to have today at CSN: Sr. Producer of Original Content.

“I never stopped doing things on the side,” McGuffey said. “Because I love to be creative, I love to feed my own beast and that’s kind of how it all led to where I am at now. With Original Content, which I give Kevin Cross [CSN’s News Director] beyond so much credit because it’s truly what I feel I should be doing.”

“It took a long time. It took a lot of different paths and detours to get to a spot where I feel I truly am doing something with my talent that makes sense for it. You need time to figure out who you are; you need time to figure out if the career is right for you. It’s like any career: you have to have a lot of downs & you have to have some ups, then you have to sort through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.”

“Luckily & fortunately, I have been able to do that. I don’t know what the future holds… but I like where it’s at right now.”

Original Content at CSN has an impressive library of content thus far:

 

McGuffey is always one step ahead when it comes to his next feature.

He collaborates daily with his team which includes Cross, Sarah Lauch, Willie Parker & various talents at CSN. He makes it a point to always “tell the story behind the story.”

How did this event get to that point that’s being talked about nonstop? McGuffey always asks himself different questions when approaching his features & it frames the story structure. It’s a deliberate process & it is very detailed…

“In 2013, we did ‘5 Outs’ and it was really good,” McGuffey said. “I was excited. We told some stuff that had never been told… like players buying plane tickets home during the series. At the time, I was so excited about ‘Ok, we got Moises Alou.’ I didn’t care about anything else. I didn’t care about how it looked, I didn’t care about where it was, and I didn’t care about what he had on.”

“It didn’t impact the show but it did impact maybe the look, whereas now, everything to me is thought out. I know we’re going to get the interview. I’m just confident. We’ll get Jason Heyward, what’s the room like? Is it going to be in this room? What time? What’s the day look like? What are our lights situations? Should we go to the room an hour, two hours early? That’s all a part of the content creation part.”

McGuffey focuses on what is not obvious. We all know the Cubs won the World Series in 2016. We all know the White Sox won the World Series in 2005. We all know about the Bulls & Blackhawks dynasties. But what are the stories behind them? What went on behind the scenes to get those teams to that point of accomplishment?

“I was at Game 7 (of the 2016 World Series) and I knew there was other stuff going on that needed to be told,” McGuffey said. “I watched Game 7 six or seven times before I did these interviews and I think the art and crafting process has changed the longer I’ve done this. Not just for what I do & we do, but for everybody.”

“If you look at [ESPN’s] 30 for 30 from where it started vs 30 for 30 now, it just destroys the original product… and that’s just because they are getting better. They’re putting more resources into it. That’s a good example too: that people want it. People want that stuff. They think about that ‘What if I told you…’”

“There is something. The Cubs didn’t just win because there was this rain delay. There was legitimate doubt and concern from the players. They felt like you did at home. I don’t think people thought about that. People didn’t think those guys felt the emotions that fans do, but it turns out they are human beings.”

“My goal is to humanize these guys… to realize: ‘Yea, he makes $25 million and we’re only sitting three feet from each other… but it’s just two guys talking.”

McGuffey’s story itself is “the story behind the story.” Yes, he’s accomplished a lot and continues to create and tell stories. He loves what he does and he is truly fortunate. But he never forgets what he had to go through and what journey he had to take to get to this point.

It all would not have happened if he didn’t call for 17 straight days about a job. If wouldn’t have happened if he didn’t take his mother’s advice. It wouldn’t have happened if he didn’t have to experience the lows of doing a job he didn’t want to do.

Hell, it wouldn’t have happened if the bridge didn’t stay strong for one last week…

McGuffey wants those to know the story is still being written, while also encouraging others to keep “kicking down that door.”

“There definitely is more,” McGuffey said. “I want to keep telling stories that haven’t been told or maybe some stories that have been told: but differently. I want to keep pushing the envelope… further & further, whether it’s here or down the line… wherever it is.”

“I want to raise the bar of expectation, not for those around me but for myself too. For my bosses, for the people all the ways up the ladder. For people who don’t even know me yet. Maybe I am a little more cognizant of my name now than I have been in the past… whereas, I want people to say: ‘Ryan McGuffey was involved in that.’”

“I have more confidence. There’s proof out there, so I should. That could sound arrogant and cocky but I think it’s more of a humbling process for me to get to that point. I want to keep doing Original Content, 100%. I do not want that to change. That passion is very much alive.”

What should all the aspiring producers do to get to this level, though?

“Test your limits,” McGuffey said. “Push yourself. Challenge yourself to do something that maybe you think you can’t do. Don’t just come in here and swipe in. Don’t come in the door to just be content. That’s probably the best way to say it.”

We’re already on our way…

Follow Ryan McGuffey on Twitter: @RyanMcGuffey

Follow me on Twitter: @SteveJohnson_12

Steven JohnsonLeave a comment

WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE

Segment for CSN’s “In The Loop” & “In The Loop Prime” shows that I created, co-wrote with Pat Boyle (@CSNBoyle) & Mark Schanowski (@MarkSchanowski) & co-produced.

Boyle, the Blackhawks Pre & Postgame Host/Analyst & Schanowski, the Bulls Pre & Postgame Host/Analyst, join forces to evaluate the 2016-17 seasons for both franchises.

In addition, the hosts look at what both the Bulls & Blackhawks need to do to contend the for next few seasons & beyond.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_EhoNUsNo4

Steven JohnsonLeave a comment

RUNNING WITH THE BULLS

Running With the Bulls: A Path to Contention or Sustained Mediocrity

A season review wrapped into a season preview & beyond…

By Steven Johnson

@SteveJohnson_12

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” – Albert Einstein.

The statement above should not only be applied to the Chicago Bulls franchise, but their fans as well.

Ever since the heyday of Michael Jordan and their six championships, Chicago’s professional basketball team has done the same thing over and over again while producing the same exact results.

The kicker is this: Bulls fans have been sold on false dreams, promises & futures all as a direct result of Jordan’s dominance. Not only in the game of basketball, but also in building the Bulls as a global brand.

When your franchise was blessed to have the greatest athlete of all-time, that brand of basketball has staying power… no matter how mediocre the product is. The incentive to put a consistent, worthy product on the floor is secondary.

Let’s get right to it then. In the summer of 2016, the Bulls decided to take the first step in changing their identity. The team made the decision to part with their hometown superstar & former Most Valuable Player: Derrick Rose.

Rose, the most important & popular Bull since the MJ-era, was robbed of his prime years due to various knee injuries. Before the setbacks, Rose brought the Bulls back to national prominence and within three wins of their first NBA Finals appearance since 1998.

During his MVP campaign, where he averaged 25 points and eight assists a game without the benefit of a “second star,” Rose & the Bulls went down in five games to LeBron, D-Wade, Bosh & the Heat super team.

No shame in that. Here was Rose, already playing out of his mind, taking on the task of knocking out the main villains of the NBA. The Bulls bowed out in five, but the series was a lot closer than the final scores indicated.

An MVP-caliber player simply ran into two superstars and an All-Star; and every team & executive knew what had to be done around the league: get Derrick Rose some help.

That help came in the form of aging star & NBA Champion, Richard “Rip” Hamilton. The main goal for the Bulls was to compliment Rose with a secondary scorer to play alongside him in the backcourt.

Rose, who was the consummate teammate when it came to his support of Keith Bogans, was thought to finally have a solid running mate.

However, the dream would never come to fruition as Rose & Hamilton dealt with various injuries throughout the course of the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season. Fast forward to the injury that changed the landscape of Chicago basketball for the foreseeable future, and you have your current product.

The Bulls have not been a real contender since Rose tore the ACL in his left knee. Do not let all the winning seasons and playoff appearances fool you. Making the playoffs in a mediocre Eastern Conference is almost the equivalent of being the tallest person in the room amongst little people.

What made those Bulls teams entertaining was the development and breakthroughs of the Joakim Noahs & Luol Dengs of the world (both of whom made All-Star teams during Rose’s recoveries). Even during the 2014-15 season, where the Bulls were in their best position to compete since Rose’s MVP year, the contender label did not quite fit that team.

Yes, Jimmy Butler improved his game. Yes, the Bulls were able to snag a multi-time NBA Champion, All-Star & Future Hall of Famer in Pau Gasol. Yes, and most importantly, Derrick Rose was the healthiest he had been since his best season (albeit before another late season knee injury.)

But as a fan, you knew it was not enough to get past a LeBron James-led team (the one that ultimately ended their season again).

Where the Bulls missed their best opportunity to get past James was in the 2014 offseason: They failed to sign Carmelo Anthony.

All things considered, Anthony’s skill set as an elite scorer to pair with Rose was what the organization (especially Tom Thibodeau) had been craving since his MVP year. The Bulls believed they could have made it happen in terms of signing both Anthony & Gasol.

Could the Bulls with Rose, Butler, Anthony, Gasol & Noah have made the Finals that season?

Purely speculative, but I like the chances of that squad more when compared to a Rose, Butler, Dunleavy, Gasol & Noah lineup. Instead, they settled on Gasol, brought over Nikola Mirotic, ultimately traded five draft picks for Doug McDermott and brought back Kirk Hinrich.

It was also the same thing: a lot of depth and skill on paper, when in reality, it was only good enough to win you a playoff round, or maybe two.

From there, the mediocrity continued. Rose, as mentioned earlier, was dealt to the New York Knicks.

While the deal was not a complete wash (it brought back productive & likable center Robin Lopez), the value was not equivalent to that of a player of Rose’s caliber, even with all the injuries considered.

The Bulls traded away a former MVP, a second-round draft pick and an underrated, cheap two-way player in Justin Holiday for Lopez, Jerian Grant & Jose Calderon. The centerpiece of the deal was Grant, who Gar Forman and John Paxson were both high on. He was sold as someone who could be the “Point Guard of the Future,” (More on that later).

To get into the “analytics” of the deal, here are the 2016-17 season comparisons:

  • Derrick Rose: 64 Games (64 GS), 18.0 PPG, 47.1 FG %, 4.4 APG & 3.8 RPG in 32.5 MPG.
  • Justin Holiday: 82 Games (4 GS), 7.7 PPG, 43.3 FG %, 35.5 3-PT FG % in 20.0 MPG.
  • Robin Lopez: 81 Games (81 Starts), 10.4 PPG, 49.3 FG %, 6.4 RPG, 1.4 BPG in 28.0 MPG.
  • Jerian Grant: 63 Games (28 Starts), 5.9 PPG, 42.5 FG %, 36.6 3-PT %, 1.9 APG in 16.3 MPG
  • Jose Calderon: Waived in order create cap space to sign Dwyane Wade.

 

  • Via BasketballReference.com

Who won this deal is a matter of debate. Considering the point guard woes that plagued the Bulls outside of Rajon Rondo & the lack of two players in the rotation, the Bulls could have really used the skillsets of both Rose and Holiday.

However, the Bulls definitely upgraded at the center position, as Noah would turn in a miserable first season with the Knicks at a hefty price. Lopez was as serviceable as they came & is still on a bargain deal.

Grant showed flashes when given playing time, but as the playoff series proved, he needs to become more consistent before Hoiberg starts trusting him with increased minutes.

After stating that the team needed to get “younger and more athletic,” the Bulls drafted Denzel Valentine and Paul Zipser.

Valentine is still a project who has earned the benefit of the doubt (he actually needs to play more before being judged), and Zipser, surprisingly, is a skilled wing with staying power as an elite role player. Paxson and Forman deserve credit for finding him in the second round.

Then the signings of Rondo and Wade occurred. While on paper, the magnitude of their names brought excitement back to the city for the short term, the reality was the Bulls just committed big money to aging veterans.

Wade, who twice spurned the Bulls advances before, was now on a mission to bring the organization back to respectability while sticking it to the Heat for the perceived disrespect he felt they showed towards him.

The city embraced both veterans. Rondo became the younger Bulls’ biggest ally. Wade endeared himself back to his hometown and his hometown welcomed him with open arms. The Bulls began the season with an 11-7 record, beating the defending NBA Champions and going 4-2 on the dreaded “Circus Trip.”

Then came the inconsistencies that most expected for the Bulls when Wade & Rondo signed up. The lack of shooting and athleticism, coupled with the frustratingly long stretches of ISO ball, did the Bulls in.

Wade & Butler decided they had enough and ripped their teammates publicly. Rondo decided to stick up for the young teammates and ripped Wade & Butler through Instagram. There were fines, benchings and continued up and down play.

Rondo was suspended, benched and regulated to anchoring the second unit. Butler became an All-Star again. Wade had flashes of “Flash,” but was mostly average and then suffered a fractured elbow.

Somehow, someway: the Bulls made the playoffs with a mediocre 41-41 record. They finished tied with Wade’s old team, but backed in by virtue of a tiebreaker. They also had a favorable match-up with the #1-seeded Boston Celtics, avoiding a likely sweep at the hands of the LeBron-led Cavaliers.

With a new lease on life, #PlayoffWade & #NationalTVRondo gave a skeptical fan base hope.

For two games, those hopes were rewarded. The Bulls looked like a legitimate playoff team with the right mix of battle-tested veterans and surprising performances.

Rondo systematically dismantled the Celtics defense, finding open shots for the likes of Nikola Mirotic, Bobby Portis and Paul Zipser. Wade and Butler were there for the big buckets and plays. Lopez literally could not be stopped, feasting on Boston’s small lineups.

Nationally, the team was so impressive that people were convinced they could make a run all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals.

As “Bulls Luck” would have it: an injury to the star point guard derailed any promise.

Rondo fractured his thumb in Game 2, knocking him out for the remainder of the series. For the next 4 games, the Bulls looked more like the team fans preferred to be in the lottery as opposed to the legitimate playoff squad that was seen the first two games of the series.

The Bulls bowed out with little to no fight, culminating in a Game 6 all too familiar to the one in 2015 at home vs the Cavaliers. Mercifully, to most fans, the 2016-17 season for the Bulls was over.

So here’s the question: “Where do we go from here?” A legitimate, simple question that John Paxson & Gar Forman have to ask themselves & the rest of the organization.

If the press conference on May 3rd was any indication: the organization, the players and their fans do not have a clue. Paxson and Forman took questions, but were not entirely clear when it came to their answers. “GarPax” addressed many topics, such as the one about enigmatic point guard, Rajon Rondo.

“There’s a really good chance we’ll bring Rajon back,” Paxson said. “You can’t underscore the impact Rajon had with our young guys.” Paxson is right here.

While Rondo does not give you much in terms of scoring, he has proven to be able to penetrate and finish at the rim. He has also transformed himself into a respectable 3-point shooter, shooting at least 35% for the last three seasons (and a career-high 37.6% with the Bulls in 2016-17).

His leadership is also invaluable, especially with the Bulls relying on a youth movement. Paxson and Forman indicated that the young players will be given every opportunity to improve and having Rondo in the fold for them would be a positive.

The most pressing topics came in the questions on the futures of the Bulls two best players: Butler and Wade:

“Jimmy is far and away our best player. His work ethic is one of the best in the league,” Paxson said. While praising the work ethic of their star, Forman and Paxson again stopped short of committing to Butler as the franchise centerpiece.

Not the best way to go about the future when you’re not sure you want to commit to your best player. As someone who feels the modern-day rebuild has no place in today’s NBA, the Bulls must be cautious with their treatment of Butler.

  • While probably not a #1 or #2 option on a championship team, Butler is undoubtedly one of the best two-way players in the league on a bargain of a deal.
  • He is arguably a top-15 player in the NBA who has earned the respect of his fellow players around the league along with their coaches.
  • One also cannot underscore the fact that the NBA is a player’s league and Butler has showed a willingness to recruit.
  • He holds player relationships from his All-Star appearances and his time on the USA National Team.
  • He’s on the record of saying he’s willing to speak to players like Carmelo Anthony about joining forces.
  • He was the main reason Wade decided to sign with Chicago this past summer.

Speaking of Wade, his future is up for debate, even if he holds a player option that comes with a hefty payday for next season.

“Dwyane will look to us for direction on our team moving forward. We will sit down with him again this offseason,” Paxson said.

Wade is on the record saying he wants a clear vision of the franchise’s direction after meeting with Paxson and Forman. Wade, who will turn 36 next season, is looking for one last shot at glory before calling it a career.

As someone who said he would not be too thrilled with playing with a bunch of 21-year-olds, it might not be appeasing to stick around with a team who does not plan on contending for a championship any time soon.

If Wade likes what Paxson and Forman have to say, he opts in for the 2017-18 season and he still has a voice around the NBA.

Wade is better suited as a 3rd or 4th option on a contender right now and has expressed that he would be content with any role that his team wants him to have. With Butler and Wade, the Bulls would again have two voices around the league that are willing to recruit. If going young is the Bulls preferred preference, then it is best to trade Butler and hope Wade walks.

The problem is that the haul the Bulls would command for Butler probably isn’t as feasible anymore. The Celtics, the most-thought logical suitor for Butler, saw him firsthand in a playoff series.

With a boatload of assets at their disposal, Boston is primed to make a run at trading for Paul George, Anthony or Dwight Howard. They can also elect to go the free agency route and try to entice Gordon Hayward or Blake Griffin.

If the Bulls hang on to Butler and Wade opts in, they’d have little to no wiggle room to operate, especially if Rondo’s option is picked up.

With a team that desperately needs shooting and athleticism, you’re basically committing to an aging core and wasting Butler’s prime years.

Moves that Butler and Wade would most likely be in favor of are bringing in Wade’s good friend, Anthony, through a trade.

It would again be a case of the Bulls acquiring a star who spurned them before, but with Anthony’s scoring ability, he would be able to take pressure off Butler and Wade while also playing with a natural Point Guard in Rondo.

It would be a fluid situation in order to make it work, and most likely a third team would have to get involved. Another possibility because of Wade’s direct line to him would be to target Chris Paul, however, with Paxson expressing strong interest in bringing Rondo back and Paul unlikely to turn down a new $205M deal, that possibility is an extreme longshot at best.

What we do know is this: the Bulls are the epitome of a “middle of the road” team:

  • A .500 team with aging veterans and young, unproven talent. Not bad enough to be in the lottery but not good enough to contend for a championship.

After the presser, fans were left with more questions than answers and are still in the dark when it comes to the direction of the franchise.

The organization owes it to its fans to pick a lane: either blow it up or go all the way with it in terms of a retool.

If they continue to go the same directionless route, they will forever be stuck in mediocrity and interest around the city of Chicago will continue to wane.

Steven JohnsonLeave a comment

‘BULL’-ISH ON THE FUTURE

The 2016-17 Chicago Bulls: First Half Edition

By Steven Johnson

Twitter: @SteveJohnson_12

Contributor for @ChiBullsLife

The All-Star Break is finally here for Bulls fans. At 28-29, they are going into their vacation with a 2-game playoff lead as the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference. They are also one game back of the 6th seed. The Bulls enter the break with some much needed momentum. They knocked off two elite East teams in Toronto & Boston, consecutively. Huge confidence boosters considering they could be previews of a first round playoff match-up should the Bulls hold on.

How did we get to this point? It is time for a Bulls mid season review.

After a promising start to the season, the Bulls were living up to the task of being “Must-See TV.” An 11-7 start culminated with a signature win over the defending NBA Champion Cavaliers. Jimmy Butler continued his ascent to NBA stardom. Dwyane Wade endeared himself back to the city of Chicago & embraced the role of locker room leader, mentor & NBA Champion. Rajon Rondo, who dubbed the trio “The Three Alphas” before the season, was on his best behavior.

Everything was going well in the land of the Chicago Bulls.

As the season went on, however, the predicted… and expected flaws of the team were put on full display. The lack of 3-point shooting, athleticism & a strong personality at the head coaching position reared its ugly head.

The downfall began with the Bulls blowing a 21-point lead at home versus the Timberwolves & former Head Coach: Tom Thibodeau. What followed were embarrassing showings versus the “younger & more athletic” Bucks, bad losses to the rebuilding Mavericks, Suns & believe it or not, the even more dysfunctional New York Knicks.

However, in which has continued to be a “Bulls trend,” there were the trademark “good” wins versus the likes of the Spurs, Grizzlies & a comeback, OT victory vs the Raptors.

But the eyes of the NBA world, media & fans alike were focused solely on the Bulls after the January 25 game vs the Hawks. The pesky team from Atlanta, a thorn in the Bulls side over the last few seasons, got another big win in Chicago. However, it was how they got the win & what happened as a result of it that became the story.

The Bulls, looking to finally get that elusive ‘W’ vs Atlanta, put forth a 45-minute effort. With Chicago leading by 10 with 3:02 remaining in the game, three consecutive 3-pointers by Atlanta started a game-winning run. The Bulls collapsed completely down the stretch & their star players, Wade & Butler, had finally had enough.

Wade took the roster, specifically the younger players, to task.

“I’m 35 years old, man. I have three championships,” Wade said. “It shouldn’t hurt me more than it hurts them. They have to want it.”

To openly call out the passion & work ethic of the team was a sharp contrast to the “adult in the room” role Wade was playing. Here was a future Hall-of-Famer & three-time NBA Champion calling out his teammates after another horrible loss. Wade put the team, organization & city on notice: he did not come here just for a payday… he was here to build towards a goal and bring the franchise back to respectability.

The loss got to Wade deep enough to the point where he called out his teammates through the media. Not everyone could predict the trickle-down effect Wade’s comments would have.

Almost immediately following Wade’s tirade, Butler added gasoline to the fire.

“If you’re not mad after you lose every game, something’s wrong,” Butler said. “This is your job. This is supposed to be what you love to do. Not everybody looks at it this way. I want to play with guys who care and play hard and want to do well for this organization, that want to win games.”

A message, very loud & clear, was sent by the two best players on the team. It was not only a message to the players in the locker room, but also the coaching staff & members of the front office. The message was simple from Wade & Butler: players have to prepare for every game like it is their last, and also have to be ready to play when called upon.

How would the young guys in the Bulls locker room respond? Well, it turned out that they did not need to.

Rondo, who had already been suspended & benched during the season, took it upon himself to stand up for the young guys. In the now infamous post on Instagram, the former All-Star & NBA Champion took some not so subtle shots at Wade & Butler.

“My vets would never go to the media. They would come to the team. My vets didn’t pick and choose when they wanted to bring it.” Rondo continued, “When we lost, they wouldn’t blame us. They took responsibility and got in the gym. They showed the young guys what it meant to work.”

And there it was… the Chicago Bulls were officially in shambles. A laughingstock around the city of Chicago & the NBA, it was rock bottom for the organization, who came into this season thinking they were able to avoid the reset button.When the Bulls brought in Wade & Rondo, it was sold to the fan base that the roster revamp was merely a “retool.”

Surround the rising star & franchise centerpiece, Butler, with veterans who have won it all. With accomplished players like Wade & Rondo added to the roster alongside strong veterans in Taj Gibson & Robin Lopez, the younger players (Doug McDermott, Nikola Mirotic, Bobby Portis & Denzel Valentine), were all expected to take the next step.

All of a sudden, those same young players were the basis of an outburst by the two best players. Rondo, considered to be an upgrade at the point guard position, caused more friction with one post on social media than the recently departed Derrick Rose ever did. The fans’ interest turned to indifference & they became angry and embarrassed.

The fallout of the dysfunction was left to the players & their Head Coach to address. General Manager, Gar Forman, also spoke on the situation. Team meetings, listless losses & the up & down season continued. The Bulls were now what they tried to avoid being before the season: irrelevant.

The trade talk around Butler was constant, reported discussions of Rondo not even being on the team for a playoff run took place, Wade not committing to opting in for next season & the regression of key young players continued. This was a mess & there was no solution to fix it in sight.

The Bulls continued to tease its fan base, getting back to .500 twice after the dysfunction. But a listless 2-4 “Ice Trip” culminated with another embarrassing loss to Thibs & Co. in Minnesota. The biggest story, however, was that Gar Forman & John Paxson would reportedly return next season. Whether the Bulls continue the “retool,” or finally decide to push reset will again be left up to “GarPax.”

The only thing for sure about the Bulls, to quote professional wrestling legend Sting, “is nothing’s for sure.”

You do not know what you are going to get from the team on a nightly basis. You do not know if they will be active before or at the trade deadline. As the deadline approaches, what will or won’t the Bulls do when it comes to their roster now?

You do not even know if the fans will ever take it upon themselves to disconnect from the franchise, which would be a strong message to the organization. Nothing is for sure for the Chicago Bulls indeed.

Here is what we do know: if the season ended today, the Bulls would be a playoff team in a weak Eastern Conference. They would match up with those same Boston Celtics in a rematch of one of the greatest NBA Playoff series ever. They would return to the postseason after a one season absence.

Jimmy Butler would be able to show just how improved he is on the playoff stage. Dwyane Wade would become “Flash” in the playoffs yet again… that is why he is here according to him… to bring them back to respectability.

In the grand scheme of things, the Bulls season would then become a success predicated on those factors. The team was still able to sell tickets, build a relevant playoff team & also showcase a roster that already had its young two-way star in place in Jimmy Butler, alongside one of the most powerful voices in the NBA: Dwyane Wade.

Financial flexibility going forward, a team with a core of young players and two star pieces, were able to will this team into the postseason. How would that sound to potential free agency targets like Blake Griffin or Wade’s good friend: Chris Paul?

Or if the free agency route does not work (historically, it has not), how about pursuing trades and having Butler & Wade play the role of recruiter? They could pick up the phone to place calls to DeMarcus Cousins or Carmelo Anthony. “GarPax” could even revisit reported trade talks about another hometown product.

If the Bulls can hold on for a playoff spot, this is exactly what the thinking will be. The prospects of pairing Butler & Wade with a Blake Griffin, a Chris Paul, a Carmelo Anthony, a DeMarcus Cousins and others will be endless. While the thoughts are certainly more realistic because of Butler & Wade’s relationships with several players, it ultimately rests on the shoulders of the front office to get the moves done.

Can the fans and the city of Chicago really count on this Bulls team turning it around? A brand, who was blessed enough to have the greatest athlete of all-time, don their jersey for nearly 15 years & also elevate the team and game to new heights. When people think of the NBA: the Chicago Bulls are definitely a part of the thought process.

The city of Chicago wants their basketball team to be good. Fans still wear their Bulls gear proudly around the city, even though this currently has the makings of another lost season. People want the Bulls to be great again. It is better for the league, the city and the product.

In an era where their arena mates, the Chicago Blackhawks, climbed out of obscurity to become the flagship franchise & a true dynasty in the NHL, we have seen it can be done. In an era where the Chicago Cubs ended 108 years of futility and won the World Series, we have seen it can be done.

However, again, the future of the Chicago Bulls is the same as it has been for the last two seasons: “nothing’s for sure.” As a fan base, they just have to wait and see what happens next.

Steven JohnsonLeave a comment

And Still the Best Player in the NBA… Kobe Bryant

As a casual NBA fan, you are probably looking at the title of this piece and are either thinking: a) this guy is crazy, LeBron James is the best player in the NBA, b) this guy is just another bias Lakers fan or c) this guy does not know anything about basketball. Well, just like every other truth in the world, there are facts to back up my sentiment that Kobe Bryant is still the best player in the NBA, today.

In terms of popularity, Kobe Bryant has more  Facebook fans than LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. LeBron James boasts the title of “best-selling jersey” over Bryant and Wade. According to Bleacher Report’s Hadarii Jones, internationally, Kobe Bryant is the most popular athlete in the NBA. While these are nothing more than interesting tidbits, the other facts are a lot more telling.

Most NBA fans agree that LeBron James or, as of right now, Dwyane Wade, is the best player in the NBA. Both Wade and James are very talented players, however, Wade is the only one that can make a case at being the best player in the NBA when compared to Bryant.

Kobe Bryant is still the most complete player in the game, today. Bryant is an unstoppable force offensively, whether it is from mid range or beyond the three-point arc. He is also well-revered for his defense where he has been named to the NBA All-Defensive team nine times. Kobe also posseses what many sports analysts like to call “the clutch gene” or “killer instinct.” According to Henry Abbott of ESPN.com, Bryant is considered to be the most clutch player in the NBA. The general consensus is that when the game is on the line, Kobe Bryant would be preffered to take the last shot before LeBron James or Dwyane Wade.

The beautiful thing about sports is that there is always a debate. Everyone loves to argue who is better, Kobe Bryant or LeBron James? Kobe Bryant or Dwyane Wade? In the Bryant-James argument, the key point that fans make, according to NZSportsLife, is that LeBron has done more statistically then Kobe. However, Kobe fans and other casual fans in general, like to point out Kobe’s championships and ability to close out games better as their main point according to RealGM.com.

While LeBron might have the edge statistically, Bryant has the edge legacy wise. The biggest number that stands out of course is Kobe’s five championship rings to LeBron’s zero. The lack of championships continues to be LeBron’s main criticism and recently, his inability to close out games in the clutch. LeBron has also recieved a lot of backlash when he chose to join the aforementioned Dwyane Wade and fellow all-star Chris Bosh to form a superteam. Many thought LeBron took the easy way out to win a championship and by doing that, as Johnathan Abrams and Catherine Skipp of the New York Times noted,  he damaged his legacy by not winning a title by being “the guy.”

Kobe Bryant, on the otherhand, has built a reputation as someone who can lead a team to a championship. Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski wrote that Bryant himself noted that this was a personal goal of his. Besides his five championship rings and overall popularity in the game, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are similar, I admit.

Both are former Most Valuable Players, multiple-time all-stars, well-renowed defensive players and they both are entertaining. However, I feel that what separates Kobe from LeBron is Kobe’s all-around game and leadership ability.

Kobe has more offensive weapons than LeBron and will lock down an opposing team’s best player. While defensively, LeBron is just as strong as Kobe, he has yet to master a reliable mid range or long range jumpshot and has not developed a post game, something Kobe has mastered. Teams can live or die by LeBron James beating them with his jumpshooting ability, while it is considered foolish to let Kobe shoot anywhere from the floor unattended. For those little but huge reasons, Kobe Bryant is the better overall player than LeBron James.

Deciding who is the best player in the NBA between Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade would be a better debate, in my opinion. When looking at both player’s respective careers, there are many similarities. Both are NBA champions, NBA Finals MVPs, multiple time all-stars, former NBA scoring champions and acclaimed defensive players. Most importantly, they have both demonstrated the ability to be “clutch” and will their team to victory, specifically in pursuit of an NBA championship. For the record, Wade has said that Kobe is still the best player in the NBA. However, respected sports analysts, such as Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless, have gone on the record making their cases as to why Dwyane Wade is the best player in the NBA.

To be perfectly honest, Wade is the only player in the league who can rival Kobe for the “best player” title. Not just because they play the same positions or because they have similar accolades, but because Wade truly means everything to the Miami Heat just as Kobe Bryant means everything to the Los Angeles Lakers.

If you take Dwyane Wade off of the Miami Heat and leave them with just LeBron James and Chris Bosh, they do not make the NBA Finals this past season or win their only championship in 2006. If you take Kobe Bryant off of the Los Angeles Lakers, it’s debatable if they even make the playoffs or have the five championship teams that Kobe was a part of. Both players are their’s respective organizations “franchise players.”

So, what truly separates Bryant and Wade for the title of best player in the NBA? I can point to Kobe’s experience, multiple championships and playoff experience in a debate while noting Wade’s two NBA finals appearances where he is 1-1. I can also point out that Wade has only made it out of the first round of the playoffs four times compared to Kobe’s twelve times. However, this is truly the toughest debate in basketball. Right now, I give Kobe the slight edge over D-Wade because of his experience and longer track record.

In conclusion, the facts do not lie. Kobe Bryant has accomplished everything there is as an NBA Player. While LeBron James definitely can match Kobe stats-wise and Dwyane Wade can make a strong, legit case as to why he is the best player in the game, at the end of the day… Kobe Bryant has just done more than both of those terrific athletes. As the best player in the NBA, “The Black Mamba” reigns supreme.

Steven JohnsonLeave a comment