Chicago Bulls Fire Coach Scott Skiles

After years of not drafting a low-post scoring big man, trading away their lone such commodity in Eddy Curry, and not having an All-Star selection in a number of years, it was the Chicago Bulls' predictable 9-16 start to the NBA 2007-2008 season that got Scott Skiles fired on the eve of Christmas.

And of all people to pull the trigger on Scott Skiles' firing, it was General Manager John Paxson. And with all due respect, I am not too sure that Paxson should be given the right to fire anybody but himself.

Afterall, Paxson has not done a great job of grocery stopping to help Scott Skiles in the kitchen. Since Skiles' arrival to the Bulls, he has led the team to the playoffs in his three complete seasons with the team. Before him, the team was a league-wide doormat, and to blame him for the Bulls poor start to this season is almost ludicrous.

Before I even get to this season, let's look at exactly what has gone on within the Bulls' organization to get them to this very point.

First of all, the team has not had a low post scorer since forever. Okay, they did have Elton Brand, but they traded him for Tyson Chandler, and well- we saw how that worked out. Being void of a big man might have worked nicely when they had Michael Jordan in the backcourt, but that is not exactly the recipe for success in today's NBA- even if it is the Eastern Conference. Yet despite that, Skiles still managed to make this team a playoff contender in all of his complete seasons as the head coach.

Where exactly are the all-stars on the Chicago Bulls? Despite having great draft picks over the last decade, this team has yet to have drafted a perennial all-star of any type. They have not managed to sign one via free agency either. Sure, they got Ben Wallace, but his days as an All-Star have expired. Ben Gordon and Luol Deng are great players, but they better be waiting for a couple of players to retire before they become the cream of the crop at their positions in the Eastern Conference.