This is such a disgraceful thing to do. The Bulls held an inaugural ceremony for the opening of their new Ring of Honor, and a handful of fans within the United Center BOOED Hall of Fame ex-GM Jerry Krause and his widow.
This is a travesty to the Chicago Bulls franchise and especially the Bulls fanbase.
Despite being responsible for building perhaps the greatest dynasty in NBA history in the 2X “threepeat” 1990’s Bulls roster, the late Jerry Krause, the former Hall of Fame general manager of the franchise, was booed along with his widow when he was honored at the inaugural Bulls Ring of Honor ceremony. And, as you can tell, I think this was one of the most classless things the Buls fans could have done.
What is wrong with the Bulls fanbase? Are they really THAT VINDICTIVE and SPITEFUL? Really?
Okay, I don’t want to blame all the Bulls fans as I could really only hear about 50% or less of the United Center crowd booing; yet if you watched the Bulls vs. Warriors game and the Ring of Honor ceremony the team had for all of their legendary players, coaches, and executives, you would have seen thousands of fans BOOING the memorial tribute and Thelma Krause, the late widow of Jerry Krause, when Jerry Krause’s name was presented to the fans.
Now, I know that Jerry Krause, despite bringing 6 championships to Chicago and bringing everyone in to that amazing 90’s team aside from MJ himself, is one of the most reviled men in Chicago sports legend given his…well, less than pleasant demeanor and being at least 50% responsible (owner Jerry Reinsdorf is just as guilty in my eyes as Krause), for breaking up the dynasty after the 1998 NBA championship win, and being the archrival to Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen (to a lesser extent).
So, I get that fans wouldn’t really be inclined to bring out the champagne and red carpet in his memory…but the man is dead. Like Jacob Marley, Jerry Krause has been dead 7 years to the day (well, actually he died on March 21st, but that is beside the point) and has no bearing on the Bulls organization anymore. In fact, he hasn’t been responsible for the decision-making of the Bulls franchise since his resignation from the Bulls in 2003.
Why are thousands of Chicago fans essentially dancing on his grave (by booing him) and insulting his elderly widow by disrespecting his memory? Because he and Michael Jordan didn’t get along? Because he broke up a nearly 30-year-old team? REALLY?!?! That’s why we’re outright disrespecting a dead man?
I mean, I know the guy is despised by Chicago fans and has been treated as if he’s Attila the Hun Jr., but he’s not. He was just a guy performing the job of general manager of the Bulls…and quite successful too!
Let’s not forget that Jerry Krause is the guy who drafted Scottie Pippen (Hall of Fame), Toni Kukoc (Hall of Fame), Horace Grant (All-Star), traded for Bill Cartwright (All-Star), traded for Dennis Rodman (Hall of Fame), signed Steve Kerr (5X NBA champion…just as a player; 9 as player and coach), signed Ron Harper (5X NBA champion), and hired Phil Jackson (6X NBA champion with the Bulls; 11X NBA champion in total).
Yes, Jerry Krause did not draft Michael Jordan and had a lot of tension and fights with him…but does that really make him the Sauron of the Bulls?
I really hope not as for all of Krause’s faults, he still is one of the greatest GMs of all-time and Bulls fans should be FAR MORE RESPECTFUL for the man that built the greatest dynasty in NBA history.
Images Source: Featured Image:
