Reinsdorf says ex-Bulls coach Skiles called for change (ESPN)

CHICAGO -- Former Chicago Bulls coach Scott Skiles was fired after he told management the team needed "a new voice."

"Something didn't mesh right this year," team chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in an interview scheduled to air Sunday night on WGN-TV. "Scott came to us eventually and said, 'I think the team needs a new voice.' ... Scott realized that he wasn't getting through to them. It was time to do something else."

The team fired Skiles on Dec. 24 and replaced him on an interim basis with assistant Jim Boylan. "Scott's a dedicated professional," Boylan said before Chicago's game Sunday against the Suns. "He'd never quit on the team. I think Scott's realistic and he sees what's going on around him and he's not afraid of the truth. "Sometimes, when things aren't going well, there's a reason for that. ... Whatever conversations he had with Jerry, that's a private conversation between those two guys. That really doesn't have anything to do with me."

Reinsdorf also discussed how the team was affected by the Kobe Bryant trade rumors and the decisions by Luol Deng and Ben Gordon to turn down multimillion-dollar contract extensions.
"One of those two guys told me he made a mistake," Reinsdorf said. "I don't know if that had something to do with [the slow start.]"

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

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So the team gave up on Skiles and/or stopped listening to him. Any idea what the mistake is that Jerry is referring to at the end of the article?

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The "mistake" was Gordon or Deng not taking the contract.

There is no doubt in my mind it was Deng who thinks it was a mistake not to take the Bulls offer. Gordon things he'll get that offer and probably more next year.

Sorry, the way I read it was that either gordon or deng told reinsdorf that skiles made a mistake.

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The AP should give WGN channel 9 credit for this story. Reinsdorf talked to their Instant Replay show tonight. Rich King had the exclusive interview with Reinsdorf.

For those who missed it CLTV will replay the show at 11:40.

This whole organIzation lacks focus this year.
No one is keeping their mind on the game.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014