Apparently, the crisis has ended. John Paxson and Jerry Reinsdorf have finally made a decision. Bulls fans, you can be comforted in knowing it will be ... tuna melts for lunch. With fries. No, make that onion rings. Out of onion rings? Oh, geez. We're going to have to rethink this. Back to the drawing board.Actually, the decision is of a different sort: the Bulls have offered Vinny Del Negro -- the Notorious V.D.N., if you will -- the head coach job. The Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson reports V.D.N. is expected to accept. (It'd be pretty embarrassing for the Bulls if he did not accept.)
Del Negro has no coaching experience, which makes him a rarity this summer. Last year, unproven was the vogue, with Sam Vincent (a one-year assistant with Dallas) and Reggie Theus (two years in mid-major college ball) getting big jobs with little experience. Del Negro's bench resume is even more stark, especially in contrast to the other 2008 hires (Scott Skiles, Rick Carlisle, Mike D'Antoni, Larry Brown). Michael Curry could still join V.D.N. in the rookie class, though.
I have no idea what Del Negro's hire means because I have no idea what Del Negro stands for. Vinny did ascend into the Suns front office under D'Antoni, but had been granted most of his power under Steve Kerr. Based on Reinsdorf's fatwa against offensive-minded coaches during this search, one can only assume Del Negro trends toward the defensive perspective which led to trading for Shaquille O'Neal. Gulp.
