A BULLish Promise

[luv_mist]

Here's Tyson Chandler talking about how he's going to change. Check it out

[bball_1523]

Re: A BULLish Promise

tells me to register, would you mind pasting the article?

[Tha_Kid]

Re: A BULLish Promise

www.bugmenot.com

[luv_mist]

Re: A BULLish Promise

$60 million player, 4.8 points a game
Bulls' Chandler vows to put in extra work, raise his meager stats


Tyson Chandler's slide hit rock bottom Saturday night.

In a two-point loss to the Pacers, Chandler had five fouls in 4 minutes 20 seconds, and boos rained on him from a sellout crowd at the United Center. Aside from a turnover and his fouls, the 7-foot-1-inch center's statistical line was filled with zeros.


"All of his fouls except one were from being in poor position and reacting late," Bulls coach Scott Skiles said Sunday after a two-hour film session with players at the Berto Center.

The Bulls' $60 million man is regressing in every way as the season's midpoint approaches.

Chandler averaged 8 points and 9.7 rebounds a game last season. Currently he's averaging 4.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and a career-low 1.06 blocks.

His free-throw percentage is embarrassingly low at 38.3 percent. In practice, coaches have him virtually starting from scratch, shooting one-handed, to correct his form.

He ranks 384th among 421 players listed on the NBA's Web site for free-throw shooting. Even Shaquille O'Neal isn't quite that bad, coming in at 373rd (45.1 percent).

This would seem an appropriate time to declare the season a bust for Chandler, except he's still trying to salvage it.

He and forward Michael Sweetney were the last players to leave the Berto Center on Sunday. They stayed late to run through conditioning drills and shoot extra free throws.

"I know it's going to get better," Chandler said. "I'm doing the right things. I'm working hard in practice. I'm in here after practice, and I'm in here at night too. It can't help but go better. If you continue to keep a winning attitude, things will go right.

"I've been having games that obviously have been disappointing. When you're not doing the right things … that's when you second-guess yourself. I know I'm doing the things I'm supposed to be doing, and it's going to come."

Injuries have marred Chandler's fifth NBA season. A hiatal hernia, exercise-induced asthma and a sprained ankle have derailed him.

Wednesday against Minnesota, his second game since returning from an ankle injury, Chandler had a promising three-minute stretch but asked Skiles to pull him because he was winded. Skiles ignored the request.

"Anytime you sit out five days, you come back winded," Chandler said.

It's reasonable to assume, though, that Chandler's problems are the result of a relaxed summer.

He stayed in California, got married and sat tight while his agent negotiated his six-year deal that, with incentives, could be worth $70 million.

He won't be meeting many of those incentives this season.

"Once the season starts, it's a tremendous grind," Skiles said. "If you get in a Catch-22 where you didn't do anything all summer, you're always playing catch-up. Then the season starts, [and you still are] catching up. That's not a good scenario."

Chandler doesn't believe his summer is at the root of his troubles.

"I don't think so," he said. "The thing is you address the problem and go at it. That's what I've done."

When he stayed in the Chicago area in previous summers, his play improved noticeably the next season.

Bulls management and coaches will be eager to see if he stays or opts to go home after this season. Chandler said he hasn't decided and he probably won't until his daughter is born about May 5.

To this point, general manager John Paxson and Skiles have been patient with Chandler. They go out of their way to say they don't expect him to be a scorer. They want rebounds, fewer fouls, heady defensive plays and more time on the floor.

"If you're being distracted, whether it's some sort of pressure you feel or expectations or whatever it is, your default mechanism has to be to go out there and play hard," Skiles said. "It has been difficult just to keep him on the floor."

Chandler said he isn't hanging his head as he has in the past.

"The thing I'm happy with is that I've been able to come in here and stick with it," he said. "I continue to put in the extra work and continue to work on my game rather than putting my head down and having the 'woe-is-me' syndrome."

At least four times Sunday, an optimistic Chandler said a turnaround is "going to come."

"I'm going to have another great game, and everything is going to be, 'How did you turn it around?'" Chandler said. "The thing is to keep at it, and it's going to come."

Hope that works

[bball_1523]

Re: A BULLish Promise

well I'll keep an eye on his stat line and see how he plays whenever I see them on TV

[SonicMage]

Re: A BULLish Promise

Vowing doesnt mean anything in this league. How many times have we seen a guy vow anything and then produce?

[Silverstring]

Re: A BULLish Promise

Promise or no promise, I just hope the guy improves SOMEHOW. While his intent is certainly admirable, I detect a tinge of self-satisfaction in that article that has me worried. After the optimism of last season, I am feeling pretty down about this year. I hoped the core would improve together, but Tyson is not the only one where I see a regression. Gordon and Hinrich(has he just leveled off? Hope not...) are a couple of others, as well as Harrington (but he's old). Deng is the only one who I see positive progress from consistently.

[Vince]

Re: A BULLish Promise

Promise or no promise, I just hope the guy improves SOMEHOW. While his intent is certainly admirable, I detect a tinge of self-satisfaction in that article that has me worried. After the optimism of last season, I am feeling pretty down about this year. I hoped the core would improve together, but Tyson is not the only one where I see a regression. Gordon and Hinrich(has he just leveled off? Hope not...) are a couple of others, as well as Harrington (but he's old). Deng is the only one who I see positive progress from consistently.

Someone tell Skiles that Kirk is a PG and not a SF. Then you'll see him improve.

[dieselboy]

Re: A BULLish Promise

Man this team has really struggled compared to last year.

[faster]

Re: A BULLish Promise

Is there any doubt now what Eddy Curry brought to the Bulls? If they had him, would they still be this bad?

I don't know... just posing a few questions. You can look at stats all you want, but what Curry did was open up the floor for guys like Gordon and Hinrich to do their things. Bulls were in a tough situation with Eddy anyway... I don't blame them it, it was just one of those things. You can't second-guess it.

[Graphik]

Re: A BULLish Promise

Is there any doubt now what Eddy Curry brought to the Bulls? If they had him, would they still be this bad?

I don't know... just posing a few questions. You can look at stats all you want, but what Curry did was open up the floor for guys like Gordon and Hinrich to do their things. Bulls were in a tough situation with Eddy anyway... I don't blame them it, it was just one of those things. You can't second-guess it.

To this day, I still think the Curry trade was bad. He was the key ingrediant for our inside prescense. It opened up the entire floor for the smaller players in the lineup. Last year, he was considered the second best C in the east behind Shaq. Anyway, its over now.

As for CHandler, I dont know whats wrong with the dude. He needs to step up big time and these promises mean jack. Makes no sense for a home crowd ro boo their own players. Step up for crying out loud.

[Flyboy]

Re: A BULLish Promise

Man this team has really struggled compared to last year.

You could say that about a ton of teams this year.

[faster]

Re: A BULLish Promise

Didn't mean to dwell on the past, but it goes to show you how much a player can mean to team, even if stats don't always tell the full story. I was pulling for Eddy to stay with the Bulls.

Chandler, well... I don't think he'll ever more than a backup PF/C. Sure you can start him and get serviceable minutes, but hopefully your team has another option. Regardless, it's tough... he generally works hard and at least USED TO do the little things.

We'll see where Tyson goes. Best of luck to him!

To this day, I still think the Curry trade was bad. He was the key ingrediant for our inside prescense. It opened up the entire floor for the smaller players in the lineup. Last year, he was considered the second best C in the east behind Shaq. Anyway, its over now.

As for CHandler, I dont know whats wrong with the dude. He needs to step up big time and these promises mean jack. Makes no sense for a home crowd ro boo their own players. Step up for crying out loud.

[Pointguard]

Re: A BULLish Promise

On the other hand, Smauel Dalembert is having a career year.

[luv_mist]

Re: A BULLish Promise

Well, I don't want to jynx my team even though they played some slipping teams, but Tyson has been scrapping so much more. I don't know what his wife said to him but he's playing more like his worth now.