Del Negro Is a Fighter. He's a Man. He's Beyond 40.

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Chicago Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro came out on the offensive Thursday afternoon after practice with a message for his critics who think he should be fired. "It's easy to sit back on the sidelines, and everyone has all these great ideas and all these things that people think they know what they're talking about," Del Negro said. "But until you live it and do it, no one has an idea. "All you guys have to write and do your job and come up with stories and things, and that's all great, and you have to do that, but you guys really don't know what it's like, because you've never done it."

"My thing is, I'm a fighter," Del Negro said. "We fight as a team. We stick together as a team, and that's all you control is your effort, your preparation, the opportunity that's ahead of you.

I'll always have a soft spot for the Chicago Bulls. I don't know what it is. I grew up on MJ and Scottie. BJ Armstrong was a favorite of mine as well. I remember actually rooting for them when they had guys like Elton Brand, Ron Artest, Eddy Curry, and Jay Williams. Here's a throwback for ya. Eddie Robinson. Whatever happened to that guy? Now I root for guys like Kirk Hinrich because he's white. Anyway, I don't even play for the Bulls and this speech inspired the shit out of me. I just love the attitude. Del Negro is a fighter, baby. You fight as a team, stick together as a team, cheat on your girlfriends as a team.