[TomBoerwinkle#1]

The last thing this young team needs is the distraction of an unreliable plane...

http://www.suntimes.com/output/jackson/cst-spt-jax01.html

With a 6 p.m. start for their game at Charlotte on Wednesday, the Bulls were expecting to be back in Chicago before midnight. But problems with their charter jet forced the Bulls to stay in Charlotte on Wednesday night, and the team didn't arrive back in Chicago until about 11:15 a.m. Thursday.



''There are a lot of teams in the league having plane trouble this year,'' coach Scott Skiles said Thursday before the Bulls' game with the Cleveland Cavaliers. ''Ours, I guess, is probably at the top, but it's not unique. Other than the teams that have their own planes, these are the kind of things that happen.''

The Bulls, though, have had more than their share of travel woes, and this was at least the second time they experienced a major delay because of a problem with their charter jet. In January, the team sat in the airport for seven hours before a flight to New Orleans. In February, fog in Houston forced the Bulls to sit on the plane in Dallas for hours after a game with the Mavericks before the flight finally was postponed.

With center Eddy Curry having to sit out Wednesday night because of an irregular heartbeat, another travel headache was the last thing the Bulls needed.

''I had to go in after the game and tell the guys about Eddy, No. 1, where he was and what was going on, and No. 2, 'Oh, by the way, we're going back to the hotel,''' Skiles said. ''I don't want to appear like we're spoiled and we should complain about having to stay in a hotel prior to a game, but it does throw guys out of the rhythm of the season they are accustomed to.''

 

[ScottMay]

"Other than the teams that have their own planes, these are the kind of things that happen.''

I was always under the impression that the Bulls DID own their own plane. It's kind of unforgiveable that they don't.

Airplane Families 2004 $ in Millions

717-200 38.0 - 42.0

737 Family
737-600 44.0 - 52.0
737-700 50.5 - 59.0
737-800 61.5 - 69.5
737-900 64.5 - 74.0

Place an order, Jerry. A custom 717 or 737 will last you for at least 20 years, and with a good lease or purchase deal, it'll be a walk in the park, financially. And you'll be patronizing a hometown business to boot.

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/prices/

 

[Kneepad]

Am I the only one who finds it mildly amusing that Boeing actually puts prices of planes on their web site?

I was looking for the shopping cart, but didn't see one.

 

[TomBoerwinkle#1]

Am I the only one who finds it mildly amusing that Boeing actually puts prices of planes on their web site?

I was looking for the shopping cart, but didn't see one.

That's a perk for Boeing Board Supporting Members.

 

[such sweet thunder]

Am I the only one who finds it mildly amusing that Boeing actually puts prices of planes on their web site?

I was looking for the shopping cart, but didn't see one.

And its not even real prices. . . they give a range of nine million dollars . I'd love to give myself a nine million dollar cushion on work estimates. I guess the package with the leather seats are what really do you in.

 

[bullsville]

I'd settle for the Ted McGinley plane right about now...

 

[Kismet]

If I understand it right, the Bulls and most of the other NBA teams lease their planes from the NBA itself. Somewhere I had heard that just three teams own their own jets...the Knicks, Mavericks, and one other team I can't recall. And yes, during the Jordan years I believe they did own their own plane.

As Skiles said, there are a bunch of teams having plane problems this year. So maybe its time the league updates its fleet.

 

[ScottMay]

As Skiles said, there are a bunch of teams having plane problems this year. So maybe its time the league updates its fleet.

Or maybe it's time for the Bulls to act like the ultra-high-revenue, large market team that they are and use their profitability to give their young team a competitive advantage?

 

[Kismet]

Or maybe it's time for the Bulls to act like the ultra-high-revenue, large market team that they are and use their profitability to give their young team a competitive advantage?

I have no doubt that at the end of the season Mr. Reinsdorf will be much more amenable to suggestions like yours. The Bulls are a winning ballclub now. If Paxson comes to him and says the ballcub needs this or that to get better, and it's going to cost the organization money, the chances of getting Reinsdorf's approval for a playoff team are greatly enhanced vs. asking him to spend money on a 23-59 team.

And that raises a very interesting point: Paxson completely turned around a franchise from one who had the second worst record in the entire NBA in 03/04 to a playoff bound contender with the 4th best record in the Eastern Conference in just one season...and all he did was increase his payroll by a paltry $2.3 million (from $54,983,480 last year to $57,276,136 this year). That's incredible and it proves that spending reems of money isn't always the ultimate solution to solving a professional sports franchise's problems. Way to go, Pax!

 

[TomBoerwinkle#1]

I have no doubt that at the end of the season Mr. Reinsdorf will be much more amenable to suggestions like yours. The Bulls are a winning ballclub now. If Paxson comes to him and says the ballcub needs this or that to get better, and it's going to cost the organization money, the chances of getting Reinsdorf's approval for a playoff team are greatly enhanced vs. asking him to spend money on a 23-59 team.

And that raises a very interesting point: Paxson completely turned around a franchise from one who had the second worst record in the entire NBA in 03/04 to a playoff bound contender with the 4th best record in the Eastern Conference in just one season...and all he did was increase his payroll by a paltry $2.3 million (from $54,983,480 last year to $57,276,136 this year). That's incredible and it proves that spending reems of money isn't always the ultimate solution to solving a professional sports franchise's problems. Way to go, Pax!

He's already jacking ticket prices in response to the improvement. If he buys the team a new plane, is he going to add a tax on nachos and beer? Or really clamp down on the peanut guys outside, who are cutting in to the profit margin?

 

[truebluefan]

I have no doubt that at the end of the season Mr. Reinsdorf will be much more amenable to suggestions like yours. The Bulls are a winning ballclub now. If Paxson comes to him and says the ballcub needs this or that to get better, and it's going to cost the organization money, the chances of getting Reinsdorf's approval for a playoff team are greatly enhanced vs. asking him to spend money on a 23-59 team.

And that raises a very interesting point: Paxson completely turned around a franchise from one who had the second worst record in the entire NBA in 03/04 to a playoff bound contender with the 4th best record in the Eastern Conference in just one season...and all he did was increase his payroll by a paltry $2.3 million (from $54,983,480 last year to $57,276,136 this year). That's incredible and it proves that spending reems of money isn't always the ultimate solution to solving a professional sports franchise's problems. Way to go, Pax!

Very good point.

And the way ticket prices are going up, tells me JR plans on keeping almost everyone

 

[such sweet thunder]

v

Boeings trying to charge 74 million dollah? I think I could hook up the Bulls with a plane for much cheaper.

 

[BG7]

Very good point.

And the way ticket prices are going up, tells me JR plans on keeping almost everyone

In some article one of the beat writers mentioned that J.R. was raising the ticket prices so the Bulls would be able to keep all the young players. Don't kid yourself, Bulls have an owner in the bottom 10 for wealth. Eddy, Tyson, and Chris should all be back next year.

 

[TomBoerwinkle#1]

Don't kid yourself, Bulls have an owner in the bottom 10 for wealth. Eddy, Tyson, and Chris should all be back next year.

Huh?

 

[remlover]

I have this image of Reinsdorf w/ a roll of duct-tape going to work fixing the plane.

I sure hope George Costanza's prediction never occurs **Seinfeld reference, anyone know what im talking about?**.

 

[SausageKingofChicago]

I have no doubt that at the end of the season Mr. Reinsdorf will be much more amenable to suggestions like yours. The Bulls are a winning ballclub now. If Paxson comes to him and says the ballcub needs this or that to get better, and it's going to cost the organization money, the chances of getting Reinsdorf's approval for a playoff team are greatly enhanced vs. asking him to spend money on a 23-59 team.

And that raises a very interesting point: Paxson completely turned around a franchise from one who had the second worst record in the entire NBA in 03/04 to a playoff bound contender with the 4th best record in the Eastern Conference in just one season...and all he did was increase his payroll by a paltry $2.3 million (from $54,983,480 last year to $57,276,136 this year). That's incredible and it proves that spending reems of money isn't always the ultimate solution to solving a professional sports franchise's problems. Way to go, Pax!

Absolutely agree .

Pax has proven he has real talent drafting players - even if he didn't move to 4th to take Dwayne Wade

I am speculating but I am wondering whether Pax had Kirk rated equally of better than Wade which is why he didn't see the value in dealing Marshall and #7?

But everyone being an expert in retrospect aside , Hinrich , Gordon, Deng and Duhon is incredible

And Nocioni is just a flat out boon. Forget about the stats. How do you measure setting the tone and the absolute fanatical commitment to commit ?

That's Noce and its been like a bushfire throughout this team with everyone catching light

Sure you had Kirk and AD to set the tone and the committed , abiding types of Deng , Duhon and Griffin .. and up until this season , the rhetoric of Tyson as opposed to the tangible results ...... but in a light of ways even though Kirk is the symbol that everyone lauds ( and fair enough to a degree ) Nocioni and Gordon for me have been HUGE factors

Nocioni for his uncompromising physicaility and Gordon for his talent

Without both we don't make the playoffs this year . I am convinced of that

But back to Pax and payroll management with addition of talent

Yeah props. He's done a great job by anyone's standards.

I don't know that I necessarily agree with the philosophy that you only open the chequebook once you start winning

Kind of a chicken and egg thing

To grow the garden you got to water it