Well I hate to be negative but maybe it's b/c the East is 10 times better this year and b/c the Bulls overachieved the last couple of seasons. Ben Wallace is a year older, Deng & Gordon are very upset they didn't get contract extensions, & Kirk is Kirk. Just an average player that hasn't even been average thus far.

Not to mention we lost a solid veteran in PJ who really did a good job holding the team together. But when you are the coach and you are playing Adrian Griffin there are some issues. Skiles is arrogant and thinks that his changes to the lineup (no matter how stupid) will produce wins. It just doesn't happen like that.

Could the Bulls turn it around? Sure. But will they win a title this year? Highly unlikely.

In the east the Wizards (even without Arenas), the Celtics, the Bucks (if they stay healthy), and the Magic are all significantly better than last year.

And that doesn't take into account the Pistons who when healthy will also be better. So unless New Jersey, Cleveland, or Toronto start tanking I wouldn't be surprised if the Bulls missed the playoffs again. I also wouldn't be surprised if the Bulls got hot in the 2nd half and made the playoffs. But there comes a point when making the playoffs vs contending for a title has to become the goal.

If we don't have the money to sign a big time free agent then we have to do it in the draft, by trade, or pray our players develop into stars. I'm thinking the first 2 options are more realistic. I don't think we are going to be winning any titles by keeping the players we have. Especially with east getting stronger. In a few years Cleveland will be able to clear some cap room and get Lebron the stud 2nd man he needs and Dwight Howard will be 2nd best player in the game. If that happens the Bulls better have some stars or it won't even matter.

This is also a good time to mention to all you haters that Rashard Lewis is having a better year than Deng like I said he would. He doesn't even have to shoot as much. He's just a deadly 3 point shooter. His rebounds are down (b/c he plays with the beast) but he is the better player.

We were hoping for a multiple all-star representation and are going to end up with 0 again. That's rediculous and that's when you know something has to change.

a little more than 1/8th of the season is over with and we have 10 losses...

50 wins this season was generally where all of us saw this team coming into this year and to make the playoffs with a good seed, so we need to go 48-22 for the rest of the season to get there.

That's a 68% winning percentage which going to be tough to do in the improved east and seeing how we have already bottomed out as one of the worst teams in the league (record wise). This team needs to win and WIN NOW, if they are thinking about the playoffs.

Drastic changes need to be made that's for sure.

I love that picture. That's exactly what Skiles thinks. They just need to make their shots. Has nothing to do with his coaching.

Just be glad you didn't take that sig bet.

He's a very good shooter, but he's not playing THAT much better than Deng did last year (though he's obviously off to a mediocre start), and no way he's averaging 25 like you predicted.

Has it been since Jordan was here the last time this team has had an Allstar?

The season is still young. Lewis will have some huge games this year. He may not get to 25 ppg but Orlando doesn't need him to. Do you see how much better Turk & Bogans are playing since Lewis joined the team. Anyway, I still think that Lewis is the better player. I love Deng but I still feel that way. If Lewis didn't play with Dwight he'd definately have to score more and he'd be shooting a lot more.

One thing I have noticed that Lewis isn't that strong at is driving on his left side (I think it's his left). He's not a great dribbler with one of his hands and sometimes he bobbles the ball or turns it over by trying to drive. But his post up game is definately better than Deng's. But Deng is very young and still has a few years to pass where Lewis is at this point. Will it happen? Hopefully it will if he is still a Bull.

I think so. Brand would have been but we traded him. His first year in LA he was an all-star. Jalen Rose & Toni Kukoc were probably the closest other players to make an all-star team.

The list of former Bulls players that either have been or likely have a chance to someday make an all-star team
Ron Artest
Brad Miller
Elton Brand
Tyson Chandler
Eddy Curry

After the Lewis acquisition in TalkBulls fantasy last night, Hitched Chocolate GM Steve Harnden echoed Edwin's comments.

"He's sick as spiff, can't believe all it took was Carmelo Anthony and D-Wade to get that huge upgrade at center and a stud like Lewis."

Edwin now must deal with Dwight Howard's lousy free throw percentage and the fact that he is no longer a guaranteed winner in 3 pointers, an advantage he had taken to the bank in the first three weeks of fantasy basketball.

"I like men," Edwin chimed in. "My main goal with that deal was to increase the fruitiness of my franchise, and I believe I've done so ten-fold."

Steve is ****. "I like big white stiffs he spewed last night as Kaman dribbled between his legs and past Yao for the dunk on his way to 20 points 13 boards and 7 turnovers. (too bad those still counted against me)" "I'll trade you Josh Howard for Melo he said just minutes after the deal b/c he couldn't stand to lose his baby blue mistress." Edwin will hear that trade offered for a few weeks and after Melo scores 30+ points 5 games in a row, Steve will be asking to trade back for his girlfriend that he can't live without. It will take time but he will eventually offer Rashard Lewis to get him back. Just give it time.

Edwin received D-Wade (for the 2nd time) a player who when healthy gives you the assists of a good PG, steals the ball like Puerto Rican's steal tv's (I can say that b/c I steal TV's. JK), & scores points like a God. Come the end of the season, D-Wade will be rated at least 20 spots higher than the big white mush that I took in the 8th round. Once again Edwin's fantasy dominance shines through as he took a center with the 86th pick that is a top 4 center in the league. Then flipped that player and Rashard into 2 prolific scorers while obtaining Dwight Howard (his second pick in the draft and a mighty fine one at that) back on his team just days before. So he might lose FT%, & TO's for the rest of the season. It will still be hard for any team to beat me in 3 of the other 7 categories meaning at worst I'll win every week at least 5-4 if my players stay healthy. (Rebounds, Blocks, Steals, Points, FG% will be my new strongest categories and if Navarro continues to play and Caron keeps hitting 3's I'm still the best long shooter in the league outside of Sup Jordan).

Rashard will be greatly missed. But with Dwight, his rebound #'s are down and not likely to equal that of last year. He's a solid player and hits the 3 with little effot. I have faith that Rashard will be on my team again before the season is over.