1996 Chicago Bulls

by walsh2317 on Oct 6, 2008 7:55 AM CDT Comment 9 comments

I remember when Shaquille O'Neil stole the ball from Scottie Pippen to seal the Bulls fate in the playoffs of 1995. The Bulls hadn't won a championship in (gasp) 2 years, and this was the year we were going to do it again! Michael came back midway through, and they were playing tough again....but O'Neil and Penny Hardaway put those thoughts to rest.

Then 1996 came and it was nothing like the sports world had seen before. In a little over 6 months, the Bulls won 72 out of 82 games. Unbelievable. This wasn't a team that you sat on the edge of your seat for. No, you sat back and just enjoyed the ride. Then came the playoffs where they stuck it to everyone. Then they held up the trophy after game 6 of the NBA Finals. I still get excited about that one.

I think that's how the Cubs need to approach next season. Instead of the whole "it's a marathon not a race" philosophy, they need to come out and play every game like it's game 7 of the World Series (or in our case, game one of the NLDS).

The talent is in place, they are just missing the killer attitude. This years team won 97 games, but I'm sure we all can agree that we never trusted the lead in every game. Many times there were threads about how "I knew they were going to win" after they were down. Next year, put them out in the beginning.

It starts now....

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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The phrase is...

… “it’s a marathon, not a sprint”.

In any case, you can’t play 162 games as if each were the 7th game of the WS. You’d be exhausted by June.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Oct 6, 2008 8:01 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I have to laugh

On one hand there are people here who say Piniella shouldn’t treat every game as critical. Here you have someone saying that every game should be critical.

Which is it? I’m confused.

by rlpete on Oct 6, 2008 8:58 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

1982-83 Philadelphia 76'ers

That was a great team that finally got it done in the playoffs that year. They had lost to the Lakers in the finals in 1980 and 1982. Philly blew a 3 games to 1 lead against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals in 1981.

The Sixers got Moses Malone from Houston before the 1982-83 season. Philly didn’t care if they got to the 70-win mark in regular season play. It was a moot point to them. They were focused on winning that elusive championship. The 76’ers “only” ended up with 65 regular season wins.

The team was on a mission with Moses leading them to the Promised Land. The Sixers won 12 of 13 postseason games that season and became one of the greatest 1-season teams in the history of the NBA. Dr. J finally got an NBA title. The point is, that team, knew that their postseason performance would determine their legacy. Regular season is not postseason. The Cubs need to learn that lesson.

"The big possum walks late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on Oct 6, 2008 8:11 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

A couple of points

Al is right. Baseball is not meant to be played that way. The Bulls didn’t approach every game as if it is were Game 7 of the Finals.

They were just flat-out better than everyone else. If I recall, some of those 10 losses came to teams that didn’t even make the playoffs, which is damn-near impossible in the NBA.

Next point. Do YOU see anyone approaching the leadership skills of Luc Longley on the Cubs, let alone Jordan and Pippen? I don’t.

The worst beer I had was pretty good.

by Worf on Oct 6, 2008 8:28 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Not apples to apples...

…the Bulls had one of the greatest competitors we have ever seen in the history of sports, bar none – Michael Jordan. Never mind his physical talent, they guys desire to win was contagious with his teamates and he was known to challenge them constantly to get better.

This Cubs team has talent, but they are abscent any player leadership that would even approach what Jordan’s desire to win did the the Bulls. Sometimes you can’t wait to perform on your own agenda, you have to perform when the bell rings and this club may very well be lacking that ingrediant.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Oct 6, 2008 8:56 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Point C

Just like the Bulls of the early 90’s the Cubs have gotten from Point A to Point B. We now have to get to Point C (Championship). For those who do not think we are close I remind you that we have had winning records in 4 of the last 6 seasons and made the playoffs 3 of the last 6 seasons. I agree that we need some strong leadership and perhaps a player or 2 but not a wholesale renovation. Perhaps we need Phil Jackson :)

by Chodes on Oct 6, 2008 8:58 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Point C

by Chodes on Oct 6, 2008 8:59 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The "Bad Boys" Hump

How many times did the Bulls lose to the Pistons in the playoffs before “finally” getting to the finals? Those Pistons matched up really well with the Bulls until the breakthrough season of 1990-91.

"The big possum walks late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on Oct 6, 2008 9:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I had posted this comparioson a couple of days ago

the Bulls finally got pissed enough to beat the Bad Boys and never looked back. I thought the Cubs were pissed about getting swept last year, and for the season, I thought they were. They were winning in bunches, putting up crooked numbers almost at will and really only had the one really bad streak after the ASB, but once that was behind them, they played well and put distance between them and Brewers and Cards. But they still choked in this postseason. The Cubs were streaky, to be sure. When they were playing well, they rolled, when they didn’t, they looked like the 2004 Cubs. That was part of the problem, We could win 7-3 easily, a 3-2 game, not so much.

I also would say that the Brewers blew it themselves because they basically matched us for wins and losses the last 7 weeks of the season, they never got on a roll and pressured us. I also think the Cubs coasted the last week and that hurt them, some of the intensity was gone.

I agree with some others, the way this team is built, and with no players with any post season SUCCESS other than Lee and Edmonds to fall back on, we need to be the underdog and sneak up like we did in 2003. Except for the booted DP ball by Gonzalez, we would have been in the WS by now.

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on Oct 6, 2008 10:54 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs