Most of the talk last night before the Bulls/Pistons game centered around Scott Skiles’s remarks about rookie Joakim Noah’s candidness with the press. In not so many words, Skiles suggested that Noah keep his yapper shut since he’s just a rook and doesn’t know anything. At least that’s the way it came off.
Now, Skiles is upset at the reporters for the way they portrayed his comments.
”I didn’t understand that,” Skiles said. ”That’s the kind of thing that makes someone like me not really like most [media], to be honest with you. I said it in a very light-hearted manner, just taking a little jab at the rookie.
”So now I had to call Joakim this morning. I wanted to make it perfectly clear with him that I want him to say whatever he wants to say. I love his personality. Really, it was one of the first times since I’ve been here that I feel like I was treated unfairly.”
It’s hard to tell who’s at fault here: Skiles does have a well-earned reputation for being a hard ass, and it’s not hard to imagine him feeling that rookies should keep their heads down and their mouths shut. Then again, a harmless quote from the coach good naturedly busting the rook’s balls doesn’t have too many legs, and sells even less newspapers.
