For Bulls fan Matt Gray, it’s not personal, it’s personnel.
The Joliet Junior College freshman has nothing against general manager Gar Forman and vice president John Paxson, but he has lost faith in the Bulls executives’ ability to put together a winning roster, which is why he has organized a fan protest for Saturday, when the Bulls host the Clippers in a nationally televised game.
Gray estimates about two dozen or so protesters will wear black "FIRE GAR PAX" T-shirts and chant the phrase from the 300-level sections on the east side of the United Center upper deck. Gray will be seated in Section 309.
"We’re not trying to cause a huge scene, but we just want to have our voices heard," Gray told Inc. "We don’t want people standing in the audience and screaming cuss words, we’re just a good chunk of fans that are fed up with the direction of the team."
About a month ago, Gray said he read Tribune Bulls writer K.C. Johnson’s report that Paxson’s and Forman’s jobs were safe, regardless of how the team finished the season. "Just seeing that was real frustrating," Gray said. "They’ve had such an up-and-down season; they’re mired in mediocrity. They just need to take the team in a new direction, and it starts with the front office."
The 18-year-old Homer Glen resident vented online with a post on Reddit calling for a fan demonstration. "It really blew up. It was my first post on Bulls Reddit," said Gray, who uses Bobby Portis as his avatar and calls himself "graythematter."
Subsequent posts drew more like-minded fans, and Gray’s efforts eventually caught media attention. WSCR-AM 670’s "The Mully & Hanley Show" invited him on-air Feb. 16.
Saturday night, Gray said he’ll try to start the demonstration during a quiet moment in the game, such as a free throw attempt, and hopes ABC trains its cameras on the protesters.
"If you have a group of a couple dozen fans chanting ‘Fire GarPax,’ wearing shirts, they have to say something about it. I think it would be kind of hard to ignore," he said.
plthompson@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @_phil_thompson
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