Friday, June 6, 2008
Collins, Reinsdorf agree coaching search continues ... minus Collins
ESPN.com news services
CHICAGO -- Doug Collins isn't coming back to the Chicago Bulls after all, citing a mutual agreement with Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf that the team will continue its coaching search without him.
"I just knew over the last few days that Jerry was really struggling over whether or not to do this, and I didn't want Jerry to have those struggles," Collins told the Chicago Tribune for a story posted on the newspaper's Web site. "I love him. And I didn't want him feeling that kind of angst.
"This is absolutely mutual," Collins told the Tribune. "When this first came about, there was a tremendous amount of excitement about this possibility. And I'm losing that. The feeling now is more, 'Should I do this?' Once I got to that point, it meant no. I always make decisions yes is yes, no is no and maybe is no.
"Jerry knows me well enough to know the only way I could do this is if I was totally engaged. And I just couldn't do that now."
Reinsdorf told the Tribune: "As time went on, he came to realize that there are good coaches out there and we will be able to get somebody and that it's more important for us to maintain our friendship. I didn't push him to this. And I'm disappointed because I won't be reunited with Doug. But in my heart, I know he made the right decision."
On May 29, ESPN confirmed reports from Chicago-area media outlets that the Bulls intended to announce that Collins would leave his TV career to take over as the Bulls' head coach. The Bulls denied the reports that day, saying "contrary to some reports that are currently out there, we have not reached an agreement."
Collins, working for TNT on the NBA playoffs that night, said: "I have not been offered. I have not accepted." The Bulls have been without a head coach for seven weeks since firing interim coach Jim Boylan.
Sacramento Kings assistant coach Chuck Person was set to have a second interview with the Chicago Bulls for their vacant head coaching job, The Associated Press reported earlier this week.
Collins, Reinsdorf agree coaching search continues ... minus Collins
ESPN.com news services
CHICAGO -- Doug Collins isn't coming back to the Chicago Bulls after all, citing a mutual agreement with Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf that the team will continue its coaching search without him.
"I just knew over the last few days that Jerry was really struggling over whether or not to do this, and I didn't want Jerry to have those struggles," Collins told the Chicago Tribune for a story posted on the newspaper's Web site. "I love him. And I didn't want him feeling that kind of angst.
"This is absolutely mutual," Collins told the Tribune. "When this first came about, there was a tremendous amount of excitement about this possibility. And I'm losing that. The feeling now is more, 'Should I do this?' Once I got to that point, it meant no. I always make decisions yes is yes, no is no and maybe is no.
"Jerry knows me well enough to know the only way I could do this is if I was totally engaged. And I just couldn't do that now."
Reinsdorf told the Tribune: "As time went on, he came to realize that there are good coaches out there and we will be able to get somebody and that it's more important for us to maintain our friendship. I didn't push him to this. And I'm disappointed because I won't be reunited with Doug. But in my heart, I know he made the right decision."
On May 29, ESPN confirmed reports from Chicago-area media outlets that the Bulls intended to announce that Collins would leave his TV career to take over as the Bulls' head coach. The Bulls denied the reports that day, saying "contrary to some reports that are currently out there, we have not reached an agreement."
Collins, working for TNT on the NBA playoffs that night, said: "I have not been offered. I have not accepted." The Bulls have been without a head coach for seven weeks since firing interim coach Jim Boylan.
Sacramento Kings assistant coach Chuck Person was set to have a second interview with the Chicago Bulls for their vacant head coaching job, The Associated Press reported earlier this week.