Bill Cartwright tries to pacify his young and restless Bulls, the story beyond Ryne Sandberg’s numbers and some unfinished NFL draft business.
Q. What do you think of the job Bill Cartwright has done with the Bulls so far?
A. I would give him a B-minus. Cartwright has been involved in basketball most of his life. An All-American at the University of San Francisco, he later became a standout center in the NBA with the New York Knicks and the Bulls. He also served as an assistant coach to Phil Jackson.
But being a head coach, Cartwright admits, is a daunting task.
“There are a lot emotions at play with the players,” Cartwright said. “When you are a player, you are focused on yourself in terms of preparation. As a head coach you work with guys and your goal is to get them ready. You are focused on where their heads are and you try to motivate them.”
As with his young team, Cartwright is a work in progress. He says he struggles with the notion of wanting to win every game with veteran players or providing ample playing time for the untested younger ones.
If Cartwright can teach the Bulls how to win on the road half the time, they will become a playoff contender.
Q. How can Ryne Sandberg get less than 50 percent of the possible Hall of Fame votes? Have these people taken a look at his career numbers and the fact that he dominated his position for a decade?
A. That befuddles me as well. He has my vote. I was the beat writer covering the Cubs throughout most of Sandberg’s career. I think the ease with which he executed plays may have undermined his consistent display of superiority.
I often saw him sacrifice his personal offensive numbers by hitting to the right side to advance a runner to third or swing at a high pitch to allow a baserunner such as Bobby Dernier to steal a base. Still, he is the all-time leader among second basemen in home runs and he won nine straight Gold Gloves. His Hall of Fame time will come.
Q. Can Jamal Crawford and Jay Williams co-exist on the Bulls?
A. Both guards seem to perform better when they are allowed to get into a rhythm on the court. That comes from extensive stretches of playing time, which Crawford has not received on a regular basis. Crawford made the most of his opportunity Monday night against Utah while Williams nursed his sprained ankle on the bench. Unless Cartwright can find a way to play both of them at the same time, I don’t see how Crawford can continue to improve.
Q. With so many young players on the Bulls, is it possible they might hit the wall physically and mentally at the halfway point of the season?
A. I asked Jay Williams that question Monday night and he admits mental and physical fatigue is a concern.
“For me it has been difficult,” Williams said. “Coming from last season [at Duke] and working out all summer, going through the draft and the two-week training camp, playing in the world championships and then coming straight here . . . it’s a long battle. Sometimes you’re tired, but you realize you are blessed to do something like this.”
Q. I see that the Bears will select fourth in the April NFL draft. Has the entire draft order been determined?
A. Not exactly. Teams that remain in the playoffs are still to be set in the draft. For instance, the Super Bowl champion will pick 32nd and the runner-up drafts 31st.
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Have a question or an idea for Fred Mitchell? E-mail: AskFred@tribune.com
