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Administrator 12/02--7/07
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: That other place and now here sometimes
Age: 42
Posts: 35,837
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Mariotti: Skiles Makes Boss Blink
Gotta love the reference to Gov. Blagojevich's recent "testicular verility..." quote.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/mario...spt-jay08.html
Quote:
You can stop referring to Jerry Reinsdorf as The Chairman, as if he is some modern-day Sinatra. Seems he has been professionally ransacked by a feisty bald guy with very big double-dribbles -- or testicular fortitude, as Gov. Blah Blah waxed. It's a rare day in Chicago when a Reinsdorf employee declares a public-relations assault on his boss and walks away with a better deal as a result.
But Scott Skiles did just that Tuesday, reducing the Bulls owner to The Pushover.
Phil Jackson lost to Reinsdorf. Scottie Pippen lost to Reinsdorf. Magglio Ordonez, Frank Thomas, Jack McDowell and Carlton Fisk lost to Reinsdorf. Almost every coach and athlete who has dared engage in a battle of wills against Reinsdorf has stumbled and fallen, with the lone exception being Michael Jordan, though he was mad when Reinsdorf handed him $30 million and said he hoped he didn't regret doing so. When Skiles and agent Keith Glass spent the last few days portraying J.R. as a tyrant, even accusing him of sending an ink-stained "henchman'' after Skiles with a rip-job column in the sleepy newspaper, well, put it this way: I thought a chalk outline was being drawn inside the coach's office at the Berto Center.
What I should have realized was Skiles, a little con man going back to his wild days at Michigan State, was backing Reinsdorf into a corner. For once, J.R. didn't have the clout and power in this game. Sure, his henchmen were putting out word that any coach was replaceable and that Skiles was unappreciative of his Chicago opportunity after spending 16 months out of work. But Skiles had more leverage: a 47-win season after an 0-9 start, an old-school message that resonated among young players, intelligence, attitude, work ethic and, above all, a league that recognized his fine deeds. As the story circulated Monday night that Skiles was ending negotiations with Reinsdorf, there was a buzz in the Detroit sports community, even as the Pistons were advancing to the NBA Finals, that Skiles was a natural to replace Larry Brown because general manager Joe Dumars thinks highly of him.
With Reinsdorf tenderized after criticism by media and fans, Skiles eyed his prey. He went to work and left a message for John Paxson, the bewildered general manager, that he wanted a meeting with Reinsdorf. At that point, Skiles was unhappy only $14 million was guaranteed in a four-year deal and that he wouldn't be paid an additional $3 million if fired. Next thing he knew, he was meeting downtown with Reinsdorf, face to face, without his agent. You figured Skiles would back down -- as White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen did last week in accepting a two-year, $2 million extension lowball -- and sheepishly take the offer that was on the table.
Skiles may be many things, some unprintable, but he is not sheepish.
"I wanted to bear my soul a little and have him do the same,'' he said of his boss.
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