North: Will Bulls' front office be held accountable?

The rumors are swirling and the reports are rampant about the disenchantment of the front office with the Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau.

Let me go on record as saying that while I wasn't high on the hire in the beginning, the man has grown on me and I would imagine most Bulls fans agree that he's a good coach.

He's hardworking and tries to win every game with the ultimate goal of getting a seventh championship for Chicago. But to no surprise, multiple injuries and LeBron James have derailed the Bulls during Thibodeau's tenure.

I have read and heard different reasons given as to why Thibs should be shown the door - one because he hasn't won the big enchilada. I guess Derrick Rose's being hurt for three years didn't have anything to do with that!

Look, LeBron James is doing FOR the Cleveland Cavaliers what Michael Jordan did TO the Cavs for years. After all, how many teams did Jordan keep from winning titles?

I really didn't think the Bulls would beat the Cavs in a seven-game series, but when Pau Gasol got hurt - well that was the final blow.

Thibodeau, who still has two years left on his contract, will go somewhere else and do well, but the front office must shoulder some blame, too.

General manager Gar Forman and vice-president of Basketball Operations John Paxson did give Thibs the chance to be a head coach after he was passed over more than once. So kudos to them, but apparently Thibs didn't follow the script.

It won't be the first time that Jerry Reinsdorf let a quality person go - think Tony La Russa, Ozzie Guillen, Doug Collins and Phil Jackson.

But when, I ask, will the front office be held accountable? It always seems to be the managers or coaches who are shown the door.

I looked up Forman on Wikipedia the other day; I am not sure what the fascination is with him because his resume is average, and what has he actually won? Paxson certainly has the right to pick anyone he wants and he's done a fine job, but as an executive he hasn't won either.

Then the reports that Jen Swanson, director of Sports Performance for the Bulls, has major influence over minutes puzzles me and I'm not sure how well the plan has worked.

Derrick Rose only played in 51 regular season games this year averaging 30 minutes per game after three years of almost no play at all. Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson and Pau Gasol among others have all broken down too, so maybe more attention should be paid to their health and training and less to designated minutes.

Last but not least, doesn't Reinsdorf owe the fans some type of explanation? The fans still pay the freight, and the confusion and lack of transparency about Thibodeau is unfair.

Fans deserve to know what's going on, but Jerry doesn't seem to care - it's his way or the highway. Bye Tom and good luck.

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