Phil Jackson rode off on a motorcycle. Tim Floyd grew introspective even as he released frustration. Bill Cartwright joked about a flight delay as he sat in his home. Scott Skiles looked inward. Vinny Del Negro took the high road on a brilliantly sunny day. Tom Thibodeau released a classy statement. Fred Hoiberg is contemplating the same.

To beat writers, the exit interview lands high on the to-do list. It places a period — or maybe ellipses or an exclamation point, depending on its content — on a coach’s tenure.

Understandably, it might not rank as high a priority for the fired or resigning coaches, who are processing myriad emotions.

Nevertheless, even if they hadn’t fired two coaches on Christmas Eve, the Bulls have had memorable exit interviews over the last two decades.

Phil Jackson

On June 22, 1998, Jackson followed through on his season-long stance to exit after the Bulls won their sixth championship in eight seasons. With Jerry Krause’s courtship of Floyd an open topic, Jackson idled his Harley-Davidson outside the Berto Center while addressing reporters.

Even as Jackson acknowledged that Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf offered him the opportunity to stay, the future Hall of Fame coach addressed his legacy and spoke eloquently about the team’s bonds that would endure as the dynasty dismantled.

“The biggest thing is when people say that you did it with a certain style or aplomb that represented some kind of unity with the players that stood above or beyond some of the other things that we’re seeing in coaching today,” Jackson said. “The relationships are enduring with these players. We had a meeting last week. Sentiments were expressed. It has been a wonderful time.

“Whatever paths people may have to take, the one thing that they can’t take away from us is the bonds we made together winning these championships. It was real liberating for us.

“I’m not going to sit here and speak about could’ve or would’ve or should’ve. It’s just time to go. I feel happy. I’m glad to be on my way out of here. I look to have some fun.”

And with that, Jackson fired up his motorcycle and rode past the sign at the exit gate of the players and coaches parking lot that read: “Caution: Autos only. No motorcycles, bicycles or pedestrians.”

Jackson always did things his way.

Photos of the former Bulls coach (1989-1998), who won six NBA titles in Chicago and 13 titles overall (two as a player).

Tim Floyd

On Dec. 24, 2001, Floyd stuck around for a hastily called news conference on the Berto Center floor to address what was officially called a resignation but was really a firing.

With his wife and daughter looking on, standing under the championship banners Jackson won, Floyd thanked players, assistant coaches, front-office personnel, team broadcasters and Reinsdorf by name.

He left out Krause, who he did acknowledge gave him “a wonderful opportunity.”

Before he sarcastically challenged a longtime media nemesis, Floyd spoke passionately and eloquently about his trying tenure.

“This is a place that has an incredible amount of tradition, which forces you to try to give your best even at times where you don’t feel like being your best,” he said. “It’s why I came. At the same time, it has a lot to do with why I’m stepping away.

“I tried to challenge players to be their best every day in very difficult times. It’s very easy to be resilient when things are going well. But these have been trying times. I think I’ll grow from this personally.”

Bill Cartwright

In one of his first major moves just seven months after succeeding Krause, general manager John Paxson fired Cartwright, his former teammate, as the Bulls traveled from Sacramento to Dallas in November 2003. Cartwright met with his assistant coaches and players, then endured a two-hour delay for his commercial flight home to Chicago.

“That plane I flew on had great seats,” Cartwright said that night in a phone interview from his north suburban home. “There was this TV screen where you could change channels. It was great.”

That perspective highlighted Cartwright’s calm and classy demeanor, which sometimes got mistaken for a lack of competitive fire.

“The team is my responsibility,” Cartwright said. “And I accept that. I don’t hold any ill will toward anybody. That’s exactly what I told Pax. I’m at peace with myself.

“Everything else in my life is fine. I’ve got great support, great people around me, great family and friends. I’m just disappointed. It’s like walking out in the middle of the fight. I wanted to finish it.”

Scott Skiles

In an astonishing lack of public-relations savvy, the Bulls fired Skiles on Christmas Eve just six years after doing so with Floyd.

Kamil Krzaczynski/Chicago Tribune Scott Skiles talks to the reporters at Bulls Media Day on Oct. 1, 2007. Scott Skiles talks to the reporters at Bulls Media Day on Oct. 1, 2007. (Kamil Krzaczynski/Chicago Tribune)

Unsurprisingly for someone as direct and blunt as Skiles, he offered lacerating self-analysis in a phone interview from his north suburban home.

“Hardly a day goes by that I don’t demand accountability and stress results,” Skiles said. ”Today was my day to be held accountable.

“This is a great organization to work for. John is great to work with, the training staff, the players, ownership. Everything is wrapped around the Bulls having success.

“I understand how this business works. We had a lot of expectations and we weren’t playing up to them this season. We went from an overachieving team to an underachieving team. But this was a great experience that will continue to make me a better coach.”

Vinny Del Negro

Del Negro’s firing had been rumored for months after a badly deteriorating relationship with Paxson spectacularly climaxed with a brief physical altercation in March 2010.

That, plus the feeling he had performed admirably in back-to-back playoff appearances, led an at-peace Del Negro to step outside the Berto Center on a gorgeous spring day on May 4, 2010, and thank Reinsdorf, his players and others.

“I feel very strongly the organization is in a much better place now than it was two years ago when I started,” he said. “I’m proud of the things we accomplished as a team.”