As you now have heard, Kendall Gill, former Illinois Fighting Illini star and Chicago Bulls pre-and-post game analyst for Comcast SportsNet Chicago (and WGN sometimes too) is suspended for the rest of the year. It’s all in the station’s hands, but Gill’s job could be in serious jeopardy when CSN re-evaluates his contract this off-season.
During his suspension, Gill won’t miss much when it comes to Bulls basketball.
He might be missing the studio and the money, but this Bulls season is a lost cause. They have first-round elimination written all over them and the Derrick Rose returning or not returning drama has now mentally, psychologically and emotionally persecuted a fan base. It’s now at Roger Clemens or Brett Favre level status. And I don’t know who’s at fault: the team, the doctors, D. Rose, Coach Thibs, the 3rd largest media market in the country, the Luvabulls, everyone all at once…but I do know the storyline is draining and irritating. This Bulls season can’t end fast enough.
I just hope Gill’s broadcasting career doesn’t end with it.
But if it does, I completely understand why.
I’ve written over 1,700 words about the past, present and future of Kendall Gill. Go here for that.
Kendall Gill said the officials made a “a very bad call” as the Bulls got hosed on an overtime call in a loss to the Denver Nuggets this past Monday. Tim Doyle, who played college basketball for NU and works for BTN supposedly told Gill that he de-followed both him and fellow Bulls analyst Stacey King on Twitter.
I said it would be an awful idea to have Doyle on the show back on February 24th. When writing about the format change from Chicago Tribune Live to SportsTalk Live I said:
“Just don’t have BTN’s Tim Doyle on; because he has a track record of not saying intelligent things on the air.”
But I never envisioned that anyone would actually physically assault Doyle over something he said.
I also called Tim Doyle the worst sportscaster ever back in December. However, I never thought anyone should beat him for his analysis and commentary. And you MUST listen to Doyle’s interview this past Friday on WSCR. He discusses the fight somewhat, but much more important is the perspective on life you’ll get from hearing Doyle talk about his past week.
Neither CSN nor BTN will discuss this incident any further. Kendall Gill himself is wisely remaining silent. Gill is a quintessential Chicago area guy. He played preps, college and pro ball (at least for one year) locally, let’s look back at how he got to where he is in life before guessing on what could be ahead for him.
GO HERE TO DO THAT
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, an author and regular contributor to MSN, Fox Sports , Chicago Now, Walter Football.com and Yardbarker.
Banks has appeared on Comcast SportsNet and the History Channel, as well as Clear Channel, ESPN and CBS radio all over the world. President Barack Obama follows him on Twitter (@PaulMBanks)