The Chairman Fell Off His Rocker........

So yesterday out of his cave comes “The Chairman” for a long 30-40 min sit down interview on a local television program and says the following about the disaster (as he stated) of this Bulls season:
“But if there’s one person that is not responsible for what’s going on right now, it’s John Paxson. I have tremendous confidence in John Paxson. He’s really one of the best people that I know. He’s a great general manager and a great judge of talent. I just worry that he not be too hard on himself. He takes all of this very, very seriously.”
Jerry, I love ya and you’ve brought alot of joy to Bulls/Sox fans over the years…..but to be polite…you’re out of your freakin’ mind!!
How is John Paxson not responsible for what’s going on right now with the Bulls? That’s like saying Jerry Angelo isn’t to blame for the lack of production out of the quarterback position. That’s like saying Kenny Williams can’t be blamed for the lack of a strong center fielder since the departure of the fire and passion. That’s like saying that every general manager since 1908 can’t be blamed for 100 years of misery on the north side of town.
The job of a general manager as I understand it is to place the pieces and let it play out on the field and your success is based on how those pieces fair in the game. So, let’s look at the success of John Paxson.
Paxson was named Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations in April of 2003. During his tenure….the Bulls have gone:* 213-244 (31 games under .500)* 3 Playoff Appearances (remember…the east is weak)* Of those 3 playoff appearances (2 first round exits…and 1 semifinals exit)* Now on his 5th head coach in as many years (Cartwright/Meyers(twice interim)/Skiles/Boylan/Del Negro)* 5 times you’ve drafted in the top 10 in the NBA Draft (Hinrich/Gordon/Aldridge/Noah/Rose) and on top of that you’ve traded for Tyrus Thomas (#4 pick) and Luol Deng (#7 pick) in the their respectable drafts.
Paxson is one of three current general managers who have had the position for 5 years or more and still have yet to win a division/conference/league title (Chris Wallace {Memphis} Ernie Grunfeld {Washington}.)
Jerry….maybe you’re right though cause after all Paxson took over a team that went 30-52 the year before he took over and since then you’ve been in the big dance 3 times since. Isn’t Paxson the guy who brought in the core of your current roster right now though?? Let’s look at the roster today:Luol Deng - traded for by Paxson in 2004 draftDrew Gooden - traded for Ben Wallace (oh yeah…remember that signing Jerry)Ben Gordon - drafted by PaxsonAaron Gray - drafted by PaxsonKirk Hinrich - drafted by PaxsonLarry Hughes - traded for Ben Wallace (yeah…he’s a cancer)Lindsey Hunter - please…..Joakim Noah - drafted by PaxsonAndres Nocioni - drafted by PaxsonDerrick Rose - drafted by PaxsonThabo Sefolosha - drafted by PaxsonCedric Simmons - traded for Ben WallaceTyrus Thomas - traded for in 2006 NBA Draft (LaMarcus Aldridge)
Alright Jerry….of those 13 players…9 of them were acquired in the draft. You say that Paxson is a great general manager and a great judge of talent. Where’s the talent?
Let’s face it Jerry….what can you trade from this stack of garbage“talent” that would bring you back anything in return? Remember also that Paxson wouldn’t give up the rights to ”any of his young players” for Pau Gasol when Memphis was looking to trade the big man. How’s Gasol looking in LA?? Pretty good if you ask me…..plus the Bulls have needed a big man that can score since………………?
Jerry, if you could please tell me why Scott Skiles decided to walk out again? Yes, I believe he walked and you didn’t fire him….but if I recall it was because those young players quit on the coach. Those young players that quit on Skiles were all Paxson draft picks right? Well….you gotta figure that Paxson would send a message to those players by getting rid of some of em so the next coach that comes in won’t have that problem. I knew it was Chris Duhon too….thank god he’s now on the Knicks(averaging a career high in points/assists per game). Yeah…he held the Bulls back. He’s also playing for that coach….gosh….what’s his name again. Wasn’t he gonna come coach the Bulls…..Mike D’Antoni THAT’S HIS NAME!!! You had to open your mouth about his defensive philosophy and he headed to the NYC.
Jerry…let me get this straight again. Between 5 head coaches, an under .500 record in a weak eastern conference, a 53-75 record since your last playoff appearance and not one of your draft picks turning into true “talent” or a leader for this organization….Paxson isn’t responsible?
I remember that shot in the 1993 NBA Finals. What a great moment for the franchise, a 3-peat with the greatest player in history on your team. However I think you look at Paxson and his performance as GM of your team with rose-colored glasses.
Jerry…you need to accept reality. You have a bad team full of selfish players with a rookie head coach and a GM that sticks by his draft picks like they’re his kids where he’ll support them fully. This team is gonna go no where unless Paxson grows some and rebuilds this team starting by letting go of some of his kids and build around Derrick Rose…..the only player you have that has heart on this roster.
All in all….Jerry…..stop playing favorites and get this team back to respectability starting with getting rid of your buddy ol pal Johhny Pax.
-RoCk

10 Things I'd Rather Do Than Watch Bulls Basketball

#10 - Read A Book On Dirk Nowitzki The best part is it's written in German.....and I don't speak a lick of it. Wo ist das Badezimmer? #9 - Watch The First Round Of The Austrailian Open - The Men's Side
Ouch!! #8 - Get Rick Roll'd OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER and..............
and over and over and over and over......AHHHHHHH!!! #7 - BUY COLLECTOR EDITIONS OF WEEKLY WORLD NEWS Gotta get that Sarah Palin is really a man issue!! #6 - Become This Guy's Agent...
wonder if comcast is hiring? #5 - Listen To The Eagles.......... (*cough*) #4 - Write A Three Page Blog On Combovers In Sports might as well be productive since the Bulls can't be. #3 - Do Laundry #2 - Eat Shards Of Broken Glass While Watching Re-Runs Of Maury
and finally.... #1 - Sit Down With A Glass Of Falanghina White, Light A Fire, Turn On My Computer And Watch Classic DEL NEGRO!!!!
When does baseball start? -RoCk

Fox News Still Coming To Gripps That Our President Is Black...sad

I really feel sorry for the people at Fox News. It's a fucking popular song....but the black people don't like Bush....therefore it's news.
Yet another reason why Fox News should be considered satire rather than substance.
-RoCk

Fox News Yet Again Grasping At Straws To Bring Down Obama..sad

Last time I checked....don't you have to pay a fee to get FoxNews?
You think the performers of at the memorial had talent fees to perform? Maybe HBO paying for the talent? That never came up in this 7 min waste of air. Even the douche sitting next to her wasn't interested......body language people!!
Again....Satire....not substance.
-Rock

Another Victim Of PPM....Indie 103.1 FM

Indie 103.1 FM was indeed a favorite station of mine and on Thursday it crumbled to the ground thanks to the all new Arbitron approved PPM meters. Oh how those tiny little meters have changed radio across the land. It almost wants me to scream for the ol school diary days.

For those that are out of the loop....PPM meters are the new Arbitron diaries. How radio is rated is random people from all random ranges are asked to wear these little meters (about the size of a pager) on them at all times of the day. What happens is that the meter picks up on all radio signals and makes a record of what that person listened to/at what times/for how long..etc. It used to be that people would recieve diaries (surveys) in the mail and they would fill them out and mail them back....and that was how radio was rated.

Keep in mind that broadcasters make their contracts based on ratings....everything is based on them in fact. People who work in sales bring paperwork of ratings in every imaginable demo (market) to prospective sponsors for advertising.

Now PPM is the new big thing....Arbitron believes it gives a better gague on who listens to what and we can get a better sense of how a radio station really rates.

We used to complain in the business that diaries weren't the way to go cause people would fill the thing out and just put "all day" on it or draw a line down which in turn tells arbitron that you listen all day everyday.

Now PPM's are a little controversial because like the diary where people weren't guaranteed to fill em out in the first place......PPM meters must be worn to record.

Now, I'm a 27 year old male who listens to alot of radio.....If I was asked to wear something on me for an extended period of time just so some guy sitting behind a mic can make a few extra dollars....like you....I probably would mail it back or disregard it all together.

This I believe is what caused the fall of Indie 103.1. You're asking young adults who listen to alternative/rock music to wear a pager at all times? Come on....

Common sense would tell you that's not going to happen....yet Entravision who owns Indie 103.1 decided to hold a meeting on Thursday and fire everybody.

From a person in a market that uses PPM.....GM's and PD's shouldn't be so quick on the trigger finger. This technology isn't even a year old yet in Chicago, yet PD's and GM's are making staff changes to "improve programming."

Just like everything else, you need to give it time. At least a year for gosh sakes. But I guess with a sluggish economy, CEO's not willing to take a pay cut to save people's jobs/lively-hood and big time business running radio (not neccessarily understanding how to run it however), it's a bad time to be unique in a world where it seems it's all the same already.

God bless stations like Indie 103.1 FM......unfortunate for them to be cast off like they were, but that's business...right?

-RoCK

Pain Is So Hard To Forget....Unless You're A Cubs Fan

Welcome to yet another edition to the Rock Report weekend edition.....don't need to pay a cent for this one folks....just make sure you're ISP bill gets mailed on time.

So this weekend brings the Cubs Convention back to downtown Chicago. OH YEAH!! I can wait in line for an hour to get Mike Fontenot's autograph!!!


THAT'S RIGHT RYAN....AN HOUR!!!!

Fan conventions are nice and they give people that may not make it out to games at Wrigley a chance to get "up close and personal" with their favorite players/coaches. The pep-rally attitude of the whole experience along with $5 dollar hot dogs, large crowds mixing kids and parents with autograph seekers who are merely getting the signature to make a quick buck. It's alot of unexpected tension, bordom, and disappointment for me when I don't get to do/see what I want because you have to wait for hours and hours. It's like going to Great America and maybe getting on 4 rides in 6 hours of waiting for 45 seconds of a thrill. Wouldn't you rather just go bowling or something? It'd probably be cheaper.

Now fan conventions are around to celebrate the team as well. Looking forward to another great season of Cubs baseball........right? The Cubs Convention program includes the following quote:

" Baseball's popularity is at an all-time high and the Cubs are coming off their greatest season in generations. "

Cubs fans....please tell me you haven't forgotten the last 2 years of Cubs baseball. Great season....yes.....postseason....HELL NO!!

Remember this feeling....


Cubs fans....remember how you felt when the final out was cast in game 3 against the Dodgers as Alfonso Sorriano struck out on 3 straight pitches. Remember how the Cubs got outscored 20-6 in 3 games against LA......do you remember?



Remember talking to your friends the next day, reading comments on blogs around the net, calling the Score and saying you're done with this team. Why should you spend your entire summer waining on every pitch and living through the daily crisis that is Cubs baseball only to have high hopes going into the postseason and your heart broken again in October. It's kinda like a girl that you dated and loved in high school....you both move on to college....meet up later in life....share a good time or two.....and then she cheats on ya but comes back and admits her mistake...."Oh, i'll be better, i'll never do it to you again."




Cubs fans....they've cheated on you for 100 years....but do you remember the pain? Do you remember that wound being opened yet again with another early exit from the postseason? Do you remember or are you so blind as a Cubs fan that you fit into every stereotype there is about being a loveable loser?



If you're headed to the Cubs Convention this weekend, I'm not going to ask you to be angry. I'm not going to ask you to be upset, I'm not going to ask you to be the buzzkill.

When you see Lou Piniella and he says to forget the past and look forward. When you see Alfonso Soriano and you cheer and cheer knowing that there is no doubt he will be your leadoff hitter once again. When you see Milton Bradley introduced and you know he's an injury prone designated hitter playing right field at Wrigley all year.

Remember and make sure to not forget the past.



Don't be fooled yet again.

-RoCk

Wanna Make A Bet?

The crescendo of the NFL playoffs is this weekend.....the Super Bowl is too much of a phony spectacle to count as the crescendo to me.

Are you excited to see if Kurt Warner can return to the big game?

Can you imagine if Donovan McNabb gets another shot at glory?

How about a rookie QB in Joe Flacco doing the impossible and taking his 6th seeded team to the promised land?

And then there is the Pittsburgh Steelers...champions of 2 seasons ago trying to return to the pinnacle of the NFL for the sixth time in their history.

The storylines are endless for this coming weekend that the fact that it's just two football games gets lost in a sea of what this player said....is Brian Westbrook healthy....is Anquan Boldin ready to go....has Big Ben recovered fully from a late season concussion.....how will Rex Ryan scheme Ray Lewis/Ed Reed and that defense this week.

But the stories that I enjoy are the ones that involve people outside the inner circle of the remaining four nfl teams. For example....the Mayors of Glendale, Arizona and Philadelphia, PA have made their bet for the upcoming game on sunday.

If the Cardinals win - Philly would have to buy Cerreta Chocolate for everyone on the Philly city council as well as the mayor of Philly wearing a Cardinals jersey at the next city council meeting and treat a school class to a Cardinals home game next season.
If The Eagles win - Hersey's Chocolate for everyone on the Glendale city council plus the Mayor will wear a Eagles jersey in the next city council meeting and treat some Philly kids to a game in Philly next season.

If you ask me....that sorta a lame bet. Why not a ride with Shaq in his new whip......or a cameo in the next Rocky movie or something like that. Chocolate and wearing a jersey is sorta kindergarten if you ask me.

The best story however that I've seen so far from this past week is the Mayor of Pittsburgh, PA changing his name in honor of the game this coming weekend. Mayor Luke Ravensthal officially changed his name to Luke Steelerstahl for the remainder of the week and will not change it back till at least the end of the AFC Championship game.



Now some in the media that I've seen in the past couple of days (print/tv/radio) are calling this guy a total idiot and this has gone too far. Of course it's all about getting himself some pub....but this guy is a football junkie. He played high school football at North Catholic High in Pittsburgh....Graduated from Washington & Jefferson College which is also where Roger Goodell graduated from....and he was arrested outside Heinz Field in 2005 after getting into an altercation with a cop. His name ends in 'stahl' which is german for...........Steel.

To me this guy isn't an idiot/moron/dumbass/bonehead/nincompoop/dunce/dork/geek or any other word you may want to use......he's a "Superfan."



Mayor Luke Steelerstahl got me thinking though....say the Bears/Sox/Cubs/Hawks/Bulls make it to the Super Bowl/World Series/Stanley Cup Finals/NBA Finals.....what should Mayor Daley do that would trump what Mayor Steelerstahl has done with his personal last name?



Of course depending on the city our team would be facing....how about Daley agree to volunteer Ronnie Woo Woo for for public speaking engagements around the city we're betting against.



Or how about Mayor Daley bet the 2016 Olympic bid because frankly no one who lives in Chicago wants it.

Wouldn't mind losing that one if you ask me.

Or how about this...


Daley could offer the services of one Steve Perry (ex-Journey) to annoy the hell out of the crowds at the celebration parade.

Now that's a bet!!!

-RoCk