Two Sides of Thibs

You have two columns about the firing of Tom Thibodeau, one from Woj and one from Sam Smith. Very different pieces, both fairly long, both, perhaps, reflecting the writer's personal style.

Thoughts? I will post mine, but I wanted to let others read them.

Woj

Smith

 

Smith's was the more arduous read, droned on a bit too long. Woj's was tight. Both had nice insights and backstories to give a more complete story about Thibs.

Seems like the only people who didn't like him were the management types. Got a raw deal for a guy who won 67% of his games, regardless of his playoff success.

 

Smith had a much more nuanced look at the issues and relationships involved. (He also badly needed an editor.)

Woj sounded like a ranting 15 year old. Management is jealous! OMG, they were totally MEAN to Thibs!! Eh. Woj is much better at breaking new tweets than he is at providing anything approaching context.

 

Actually thought this, from Nick Friedell at ESPN, was more interesting and thorough than both of those pieces.

NBA: Tom Thibodeau's tenure with Chicago Bulls

 

Does Woj so much break news because he plays his share of favorites?

Anything Thibs related, I'm pretty sure he's bound to get the scoop.

 

Jeff Van Gundy, on the Chicago Bulls parting with Tom Thibodeau:

"Ive got a couple comments. One, I’m pulling my name out of the Chicago Bulls running for head coach. Nobody has a sense of humor anymore.

To me, I think this is that the statement they put out when they let Tom go proves once again that every organization needs a vice president of common sense. Because when you have a high powered public relations business put that out, and then you have multiple people have to co‑sign it to put it out, and it just absolutely wreaked of a lack of class, it shows that you just need somebody to say, 'Whoa.' Let’s just acknowledge his greatness, Thibodeau’s greatness, and let’s just move on. But it didn’t happen that way.

And in some ways, in an odd way, I think it was good because to me, that statement revealed exactly who each person was. It reveals who Jerry Reinsdorf is. It reveals who Gar Forman is. And Tom Thibodeau’s statement reveals who he is. Everybody had to put their name finally on who they were, and they did. I think that’s great."

TwitLonger — When you talk too much for Twitter

 

I'm pretty sure it "reeked" of a lack of class.

 

I generally think Bulls management is in the wrong on firing Thibs, but I seem to recall a discussion on a playoff broadcast of how they urged him to hire an assistant to install a decent offense and Thibs refused. Haven't read the links yet, so I don't know if one of those stories addresses it. But their offense was truly putrid in the Cavs series. As much as Thibs won, the team had some serious defects, though Rose's poor health was the biggest one.