It is the flaw in the team concept but an inalienable truth.
No matter how tight, how cohesive, how predicated on unselfishness it may be, there comes a time for every team teetering on obscurity but intent on greatness that someone must step forward and carry the proverbial flag.
After years of developing both the voice and the ability, Olin Kreutz and Brian Urlacher did it for the Bears. Paul Konerko and Mark Buehrle did it for the Sox.
Down 0-2 to the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference semifinals after jumping over a major hurdle to reach the second round of the NBA playoffs, the Bulls are still looking for that consistent role model. The one who implores his teammates to carry their load while also inviting them to jump on his back.
“No way can you win a championship without being close. It’s one of the major things we’ve displayed,” Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris said. “But there always has been strong leadership on all the great teams I’ve ever been on, a leader who’s always consistent, who you can always depend on, like Michael Jordan and Robert Horry in clutch time.
“A team is only as strong as its leader.”
The Bulls are certainly not lacking candidates. Ben Gordon was their leading scorer during the regular season. Luol Deng has emerged this year as a burgeoning star. Kirk Hinrich is their captain and the glue that binds them, while Ben Wallace and P.J. Brown, with 23 years of pro experience between them, have more years in the league than Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, Andres Nocioni, Chris Duhon, Michael Sweetney, Malik Allen, Thabo Sefolosha and Tyrus Thomas combined.
But upon further examination, Wallace and Brown are in their first season with the Bulls, not usually a component of team leaders. Deng, Gordon and Hinrich are quiet by nature and may believe they are still developing as players. Leadership takes time.
In Urlacher’s rookie season, for example, the linebacker would deflect praise and duck attention consistently out of respect and perhaps fear of his veteran teammates. In his second season, he would make himself available to reporters only when it was demanded of him, confident Kreutz or Rosey Colvin or Mike Brown would handle media responsibilities.
By Urlacher’s third season, his star status secure, his low profile was questioned as a potential obstacle to the Bears’ development. Today, there is no doubt who leads the team.
“You can’t fear being a leader,” Harris said. “The fear is not doing it.”
Just the same, Sox pitcher Buehrle said team chemistry was perhaps even more important in building the 2005 world champions.
“On every team it goes a long way,” he said. “With us winning in 2005, I think guys hung out more, on and off the field, joking around. … [Aaron Rowand, Joe Crede and A.J. Pierzynski], they were called the Three Stooges. …
“It kept things loose when we were losing and didn’t win for a month. It kept us focused on what we set our goals for.”
The Bulls do not have that luxury with a best-of-seven series bearing down on them. And when Gordon was asked Tuesday if he was willing to be the player who leads the team in Game 3, it was clear that is not how they have been built.
“We all have to take it upon ourselves to be more aggressive, but at the same time not force up bad shots,” he said.
Bulls coach Scott Skiles backed that up.
“We need everybody,” he said. “We need all of our main players to step up and … play their normal games.”
Still, Gordon conceded that the Bulls’ penchant for depending on one another is not always a good thing either.
“That can backfire sometimes if you’re standing around, waiting for somebody to do something,” he said.
But if anyone was expecting an air-it-out, players-only meeting Tuesday, they have the wrong group.
“I don’t think we need that,” Gordon said. “I think everybody knows what we need. We’ve been discussing everything openly and I don’t think there’s any need for a players-only meeting.”
Or, evidently, for a pep talk.
“I think we’re all pep-talked out right now,” Gordon said. “We just have to go out there and do it on the court. It comes to a point where there’s not much more you can say, you have to go out there and lead by your actions.”
– – –
THREE POSSIBILITIES
Ben Gordon
Explosive offensive threat who can get hot in a hurry and led the team in scoring in the regular season. Has shown the ability to hit the clutch shot?and miss it as well.
Kirk Hinrich
The captain and thus the leader in title and practice. He stepped up big against the Wizards with 34 points two years ago to give Bulls a 2-0 lead. He disappeared in Game 2 in Detroit, though.
Luol Deng
Simply devastated the Miami Heat in Round 1 in what was considered his coming-out party on the national stage. But he has a quiet nature and is still developing as a player.
———-
misaacson@tribune.com
