As we shift gears from one UC team to the other, we leave behind the crap, and welcome back the return of the Bulls. This Bulls team looks good; how good? Time will tell, but good enough to make this matchup tonight with the Knicks highly anticipated… as highly anticipated any matchup can be 5 games into the season. The whole Bulls Knicks history, which has been very very good to the Bulls, comes rushing back, bringing all those good feelings with it. Wouldn’t it be nice for these teams to meet again when it really counts?
Yeah, we’re excited for tonight for another reason: the celebration of Joakim Noah. I love Joakim Noah. I’ve expressed that many times over the years, including this one, about 6 years ago:
Seeing Joakim back in the house will bring feelings rushing back too. He was the leader of the “heart, hustle, and muscle” Bulls teams around that time. There is nobody that can tell me otherwise… if Rose did not get injured, the Bulls would already have their 7th ring; I firmly believe that. It’s one of the biggest “what ifs” in Chicago sports history IMO. Those teams were very easy to love. Obviously there was nobody like MJ and the Bulls dynasty, but my second favorite Bulls teams… this Thibs, Rose, Noah era. Absolutely loved that team. In fact, I got to thinking… maybe I should do a special surrounding them. I know they weren’t a championship team, like the teams I’ve featured in the past, but they were something else. Having season tickets during that era, attending 80%+ of the games… yeah, great great times, in a great part of my life as well. Moving back to Chicago, getting married, having my son… it all kind of intertwined. I would certainly have more than enough material to write about… coming soon…
But for now, let’s get back to the matter at hand. How will this Bulls team rank? Waaaaay too early to say. I hate when people try to rank players and teams up there after a small sample size; it’s the worst kind of recency bias. I may be guilty of it myself from time to time, but I try not to be; I try to keep things in perspective. COULD this Bulls team be great? Sure. Are they now? Well, they are 4-0… but with 78 more games to play, long, long way to go. But they provide some hope, some promise, and like Justin Fields at QB, that is everything. Living through the great Bulls days, with those days so much a part of my life, you get excited. Sure, the NBA isn’t what it was back then, the glory days of the late 80s and 90s IMO, but it was never about the NBA. It was always about our Bulls, and tonight, they face their biggest test of the young season in a familiar foe, with familiar faces coaching and playing for them.
I’m ready to see, what will happen tonight, how this season will unfold. I’m ready for the Bulls to be back; I’m waiting to be as excited about the Bulls as I was during the Thibs, Rose, and Noah era. I’m waiting for that 7th ring… No rings tonight, unless Jo will get one as part of the celebration of his career, but plenty of buzz… Let’s get it started. GO BULLS!!!
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