Circ-cess

Think about 1998 for a second. Third Eye Blind and Savage Garden were still relevant. Deep Impact and Armageddon managed to separately gross over $350,000,000 while sharing virtually the exact same plot. Gary Coleman was still alive and assaulting women bus drivers outside California shopping malls. Simpler times indeed. 1998 also happens to be the last time the Bulls returned home from their yearly "Circus Trip" with a winning record. In the past, the Bulls didn't just play below their potential on this annual 2-week tour of the Western Conference, they were a legitimate circus act. Of course, Eddy Curry was always the stationary elephant during his tenure in Chicago while the Bulls' collection of incapable coaches jumped through hoops to keep their job in tact. But this year, 12 years removed from a "Circus success" and the glory days of Pippen and Jordan, the Bulls are back on a winning track when they return home to the UC Wednesday to face one of the Eastern Conference's best in the Orlando Magic.

Over the course of their trip, the Bulls beat the Rockets, squeaked by the Mavs, outlasted the Suns in 2 OT's, and finally overcame the Kings in the 4th quarter to close out their trip. Not to mention, the Bulls were a 3rd quarter collapse away from beating the Spurs on the 17th, a Steve Blake and Shannon Brown shooting barrage of defeating the defending champion Lakers, and a few critical John Lucas III free throws away from stealing a win in Denver without D. Rose. The Bulls also had a few unfamiliar heroes step up along the way. Taj Gibson, who hadn't hit a 12-footer since training camp responded against the Mavericks with 19 points and 18 boards. And, in the biggest surprise since Mark McGrath was hired as the host of Don't Forget the Lyrics, CJ Watson lit up Denver for a game-high 32 points on an array of circus shots (no pun intended) that fell in with the help of the backboard, which he of course used unintentionally.

We are also anxiously awaiting Boozer's return, albeit mostly so we no longer have to see him in his ghastly sideline attire complete with a variety of suede jackets and v-neck merino wool sweaters, it's still a plus. And with the Bulls facing the Eastern Conference's elite in the coming week, someone is going to eventually relieve Derrick from carrying the team every night in only his 3rd season.

With all that being said, the Bulls have found themselves jockeying for position for a top 4 spot in the East. God knows Spolestra's shelf life in Miami is about the same as an opened bag of Romaine lettuce in your household fridge, so the Bulls better get their wins now with the Heat and the upstart Indiana Pacers closing the gap behind them. Still, the circus trip turned out to be a success for all. Previously, the only circus talk that Omer Asik had heard of was the album entitled "Circus' released by Britney Spears a few years back. And for D. Rose, I think his stiff neck injury was all a hoax, he needed some time off after he and his agent downed 6 bags of circus peanuts while flying over the Rocky Mountains.

As for Pick of the Day, the Pulse Man did it again and can only thank Derek Anderson for the immaculate Jeff George impression that he put on yesterday night on national television. The Cards are falling faster than a base jumper from contention in the worst division in football. Either way, a win is a win. For tonight, the Pulse Man likes Wake Forest giving 2 points to Iowa at home, much to the dismay of everyone's Iowan, Ashton Kutcher.

Pick of the Day: Iowa @ Wake Forest (-2)-WAKE FOREST

Record:(35-24-0)

Now I'm done. Rack me

Frost