Joakim Noah isn’t the Peoples Princess of Chicago Anymore.

People expected great things out of Joakim Noah, especially the Chicago Bulls who made him a first round pick. Joakim and his flowing ponytail have burst on the Chicago scene but things aren’t going as planned for him. Joakim Noah was benched for Sunday’s 105-84 loss to the Atlanta Hawks — by his teammates after a unanimous vote. Ouch.

Apparently Joakim was involved with an “altercation” with assistant coach Ron Adams during practice before Friday’s game in Philly.

“We have a chance to salvage this season and we just need everybody on the page,” said Bulls veteran guard Adrian Griffin. It’s one of those things that I believe is going to bring us closer. Everyone on this team knows what Joakim can do and we just look forward to getting him back on the court. In the meantime we’ll take this opportunity to beat his ass in the locker room”

Notice how Griffin believes they can salvage the season. That’s something that a certain team in New York doesn’t believe nor should they. Noah who is averaging a blistering 4.2 points & 3.1 rebounds in 12.3 minutes this season must be in idiot if he thinks that he’s the new flavor in Chicago.

“They just told me what I did was unacceptable and I’m just going to move on from here,” Noah said before the game. “I’ve just got to accept it. What do you want me to say? I’ve just got to move on. There’s nothing I can do about it. Even though they really hurt my feelings something awful.”

When asked if he believes the two-game suspension is too severe, Noah said “Ask the players who made the decision. I don’t know. … Do I agree with it? It doesn’t make a difference. I respect my teammates because if I didn’t they’ll lock me in a trunk and Fed-ex me to the next road city, AGAIN”

Boylan called Noah “a great kid, for a fag” but noted he’s been involved in “a couple of situations where he’s been late or not doing what the Chicago Bulls do like sleeping with men. So the cumulative aspect of this is definitely part of the reasoning for the players doing what they did. Plus they think he’s a big pussy and I agree he is.”

Atlanta rookie Al Horford, who played with Noah at Florida, called the ninth pick in the draft “very emotional like a girl” and “very competitive.”

“I just feel it’s a learning experience for everyone in general,” Horford said. “If you cross a line in something like that, there are consequences to it. … He wants to win really badly. I think people will figure him out as time goes on. I mean sooner of later he needs to come out of the closet. Am I right?”

This I proclaim on 1/14/08.

TtT