Excellent column by Mike Moreau over at Hoopsworld, in which he describes how Vinny Del Negro’s on the job training is costly.

The struggles Vinny Del Negro is having at the highest level of the game are lessons learned by most coaches with their first J.V. teams. They make mistakes in every phase of the profession – from dealing with players to structuring their programs to substitution patterns. They learn the best way to discipline players, and develop a sense of what rules are truly important.

You learn that you can’t start instituting silly rules and fines for things like eating in the locker room after your players have already realized you are way over your head.

Vinnie played in the NBA, and has been an executive in the league. He knows himself in those roles, but he doesn’t know who he is as a coach or what his strengths, weaknesses, style and personality are or should be. And his team and the players are suffering for it.”

Sometimes I think that Vinny is trying to be a Head Coach rather than just being one. Little things like when he stands up and barks things out, the clapping and other coach-like maneuvers.

My guess is that Pax thought that he would be good with Tyrus, Joakim and the rest of the youngins, while Del and Bernie taught hoops. I know Paxson has stated that he knew there were going to be bumps along the way for VDN, and that there would definitely be a steep learning curve.

Even so, Bulls fans can’t be too happy about the direction of the club so far this season. Rose has been great, but the rest has been chaotic, with a lot of bad basketball.