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Just the thought of playing the Chicago Bulls makes me go to my dark place. No, literally, I go to a dark spot in my room that the lamp doesn’t cover.... and then I brood. A very dark brooding ... with cookies. Mainly it’s because my nightmares are filled with games against this team.
This song haunts me to this day. Just hearing those tones brings back memories of “He Who Must Not Be Named” being announced. “At guard from North Carolina! Six foot six...” Wait, now I have to go back to the dark place...
We’ll soon have the reunion game and see everyone together. Stockton, Hornacek and, well, almost everyone. But there’s one attendee I’m glad won’t be there, above all other teams, the Chicago Bulls.
Having the Bulls at the Utah Jazz reunion would be too much. Can we agree to just never have home games against the Bulls ever? No? Okay.
But the most frustrating thing of all is that the Bulls just aren’t very good anymore. Beating them isn’t very satisfying.
Recently we found out Dwyane Wade is out for the season.
Just like that ...Bulls announce that Dwayne Wade is out for the rest of the season with a small fracture and sprain in his right elbow.
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) March 16, 2017
You can argue whether that helps their offense and defense or hurts it with Wade now a shell of his former self. With or without him, the Bulls will continue to be mediocre. And so we should win this game. In fact, we should blow them out! And we probably will. But it won’t do anything for that hole where a championship should be. The hole that will never be filled until we get back to the biggest stage.
It’s funny, there’s a part of me that doesn’t want the reunion. I think I’m the odd one that doesn’t like talking about the glory days. Partly because it has a sad ending. I think that’s part of the reason I love the draft and getting young players with upside, because young players with upside fill you with hope. They give the future a silver lining you can look forward to. The other thing young players don’t do? Take you to the playoffs. The playoffs, where the hurt happens.
But I’m ready guys. I’m ready to let myself be hurt again. I’m like one of the contestants on The Bachelor deciding to open their heart, knowing it will most likely be destroyed.
This year we’re getting back there and will most likely lose. But I’ve been through that before, against the Bulls. I’m over it.
Tonight, we get the victory, even if it’s not the one we wanted 20 years ago. And I’m just glad we’re playing this game in Chicago and not home when we honor that amazing team of legends. They deserve the spotlight without the Bulls shadow. And I’ll enjoy talking about it for the first time in a long while.