According to ChicagoSports.com, the Bulls have hired Bernie... It's not former Chicago Tribune columnist Bernie Linciscome, nor is it Bernie Kopell from "The Love Boat", or even Chicago's own Bernie Mac. The Tribune's sports Web site says journeyman NBA head coach Bernie Bickerstaff is one of two new assistants hired by the Bulls to work with rookie head coach Vinny Del Negro. Bickerstaff most recently coached the Charlotte Bobcats in the team's first 2 seasons as an expansion team, and has a career record of 414-512 coaching the Seattle Sonics, Denver Nuggets and the Washington Bullets/Wizards before joining the Bobcats in the dual role of Head Coach and General Manager. Bickerstaff and another veteran NBA assistant, Bob Ociepka, have agreed to join Del Negro's first coaching staff. A member of the Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame, Ociepka most recently was an assistant coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves. A third assistant, the Leslie Nielsen-looking Del Harris, is still being considered to also join Vinny's staff, but ChicagoSports.com reports that there have been snags in talks to get him off the Dallas Mavericks' bench. Vinny needs all the experience he can get to be successful right out of the box.

and WMVP production assistant Billy Ociepka now has an inside source with the Bulls: his Uncle.

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The name's Rockmore. Beef Rockmore

Bernie Bickerstaff has a good basketball mind. He's a good addition to the staff.

I agree Vince. Harris would be a good addition too. Any times you make head coaches, even bad ones, assistants I like the move. Seems like they are overqualified.

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I tend to think that despite Bernie's subpar record as an NBA head coach over the years, his experience will certainly help Vinny grow into his new job. There's no substitute for proven coaching experience...

Bickerstaff was always surrounded by teams with poor talent like the Bobcats(expansion), Sonics (who he took to the playoffs three times with guys like Dale Ellis and X) and the Wizards. I'll give him a pass for the record as a head man, but he was an assistant to teams that won the title (78 Bullets) and went to the finals (75, 78 and 80).

I like it , solid move here by the team. I also really like the idea of Dell Harris on the bench.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

The only concern with having both Bernie and Del on staff is (and this might sound silly) can you have multiple head coaches being involved in game planning and strategy? Too many cooks in the kitchen....

I think they have both been assistants enough that they would understand their role in the process.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Where's Thibodeau?