CHICAGO — What a day to be an American. We all know about the news of the decade that Osama bin Laden is dead and one mam would actually be happy to have the news over shadow his big day.

That man is Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau.

In a move that was almost as much of a lock as Derrick Rose and the MVP title, the first year Bulls coach was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year today after leading the Bulls to their best season of the decade. With Thibodeau’s leadership the Bulls were able to not only surprise the world and earn the number one seed in the Eastern Conference, but they secured the league’s best record while doing it.

The Bulls 62-20 record is their best since (and is identical to) their 1997-98 season in which they won their final title of their 90′s Dynasty. It’s also tied for the fourth best season record in franchise history.

And it was all done by a rookie head coach.

Thibodeau had spent years as an assistant in Boston before becoming a head coach for the first time when Chicago rang his phone after firing Vinny Del Negro.

“I knew in the first couple of weeks that he was here that we had hit a grand slam,” – Bulls GM Gar Forman on hiring Thibodeau

But even in his moment in the spotlight, Thibodeau isn’t taking all the credit and is staying true to the “No ‘I’ in TEAM” mold the Bulls have epitomized this year.

“I’m flattered, humbled and honored to receive this award, but I think it represents a lot more than just me,” he said. “And it certainly reflects our team winning and our entire organization.”

Thibodeau’s only previous head coaching experience came (more…)