Once again, the NBA season is upon us and it seems my hopes of Michael Jordan returning to save my interest in professional basketball are slight to say the least.

Jordan was my childhood hero, and aside from a few slight differences between the two of us (height, jumping ability, and basketball skills or my lack of), I might have also been the best basketball player ever to step on the court.

However, after viewing a couple of the Chicago Bulls’ games in this still early season, I’ve found a new reason to watch the NBA.

I want to see just how bad the Bulls are really going to be.

I say this with no angst towards Tim Floyd for leaving Iowa State; admittedly it seems he is trying to bring the Cyclones to Chicago, but we’ll get into that later.

For now let’s look at how bad the Bulls are doing this season. After four games they are last in the league in scoring, averaging a meager 84.5 points per game while allowing opponents to score an average of 101.

Just imagine how bad they’d be getting outscored if Coach Floyd wasn’t a defensive-minded coach.

As always, the coach is the first person to catch the blame, but don’t point your finger at Floyd just yet. First, look at the guys he has to work with.

Feast your eyes on this list: Toni Kukoc, Randy Brown, Hersey Hawkins, Dickey Simpkins, Chris Anstey, Fred Hoiberg, Ron Artest, Dedric Willoughby, Elton Brand, Kornel David, Michael Ruffin, Will Perdue and a few other players on loan from some CBA teams.

Admittedly the Bulls have some future talent in Artest and Brand; both are rookies that could develop into solid players, but all-star play this season is asking too much.

Unfortunately, these two will have to struggle in every game and by the end of the season might not have the motivation to ever play basketball again.

Toni Kukoc has proven he is solid when part of a supporting cast, but not when he is the main spoke in the wheel. After forcing shot after shot and carrying this non-scoring team on his back the rest of the year, I’m guessing he may seek a trade.

Randy Brown is the starting point guard, enough said.

In the paint, the Bulls are blessed with Chris Anstey, Dickey Simpkins and Will Perdue. Perdue might not have the best skills in the league, but he is ranked highly in size of feet.

The Bulls have rookie Michael Ruffin, and the only Hungarian player in the league, Kornel David, as back-up forwards. If that doesn’t get fans in the stands, then maybe fans aren’t really that important (sarcasm).

Which brings me to former Cyclones Fred Hoiberg and Dedric Willoughby rounding out the roster. Don’t get me wrong, The Mayor and Dedric were stars for the Cyclones, but are they good enough to be averaging around 25 minutes a game in the NBA?

Which leads to the question, does Floyd miss ISU a little bit and is trying to bring a smidgen of Ames to the windy city in order to feel a little more at home?

Because if it’s just former ISU stars he is looking for, I think Jeff Grayer, Hurl Beechum and Victor Alexander aren’t on any other rosters.

The Bulls have started the season maintaining the spot they reserved last season, in the cellar of the NBA and will hear about it all season long.

Unfortunately for Floyd, all the teams and their fans who watched the Bulls dominate the nineties are basking in their demise and will find this season anything but forgettable.

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Jerod Bruner is a Senior in Journalism from Newell. He thinks he might have seen Michalik sitting behind the Bulls bench the other night.