Can Murphy Help Our Guards? [Archive]

JeffB

11-22-1999, 04:13 PM

It seems that part of watching a Rocket game is to hear Calvin Murphy going ballistic over every mistake our guards make. He makes intelligent comments about how to avoid getting trapped on the sideline, how to run the fast break and decision making as a point guard. Last night, while on a verbal rampage, Murphy said that although he is not supposed to do so, he is going to have a talk with the Rocket guards. I just want to know if anyone knows whether or not he is helping advise the guards or if there is some rule or someone not allowing him to do so? Despite being completely full of himself, I think Murphy could be a valuable asset in helping out guards develop. Is it possible that he too could help the team in the way that Kevin McHale, Isaiah Thomas and Magic Johnson have helped their respective organizations in the past?

popeye

11-22-1999, 04:34 PM

He has helped in the past. He goes to their practices sometimes. He was specifically asked to work with a couple of the guys on Free Throw shooting. You saw the improvement last week and this week. 62% to 79%

He usually has to be invited by Rudy. He sounded last night like he was going to invite himself, though! Bill W, is his most immediate supervisor, but his contract is owned by Les, so it obviously isn't tampering or any other NBA league rule.

JeffB

11-22-1999, 04:38 PM

Thanks. I knew I could count on you to give me a great reply!! http://bbs.clutchcity.net/ubb/smile.gif

CBrownFanClub

11-22-1999, 05:24 PM

Bill is Calvin's immediate supervisor? Sakes alive.
-------------------------------------
MEMORANDUM

Date: 11/22/99
To: Calvin
From: Bill
Re: Perfomance Review
Calvin - I have come up with your quarterly goals; pls sign and return. Need to give to Les by the afternoon.

Goal #1 Stop referring to music no one has heard of ("James Brown") and start talking about music people are familiar with ("Judy Collins").

#2 Schedule a preliminary meeting with my plastic surgeon (chins and cheeks are his specialty, discount rate to Rocket employees, I will receive a discountt for next visit)

#3 Wear pants on air at all times unless notified by immediate supervisor

#4 Stop distracting Charles Barkley while he should be playing

#5 Watch game when on air

-----------------
Calvin Murphy, Color Commentator -

-----------------
Bill Worrell, Sr. Analyst

[This message has been edited by CBrownFanClub (edited November 22, 1999).]

[This message has been edited by CBrownFanClub (edited November 22, 1999).]

popeye

11-22-1999, 05:31 PM

LOL CBFC

http://bbs.clutchcity.net/ubb/redface.gif

Cohen

11-22-1999, 06:49 PM

Was at a party back in the '70s (I was just a teen) and Rudy and Calvin were there. They seemed like best buds (they hired a singing telegram...pretty amusing).

I would be surprised if that relationship had grown apart at all. It would seem safe to speculate that Calvin probably gets to impose himself as he sees fit.

CBrownFanClub

11-22-1999, 07:11 PM

Wait a second, Cohen, I would only like to hear every single detail of 'being at a party with Rudy and Calvin in the 1970s.' You cant just drop that and leave!

Holy nuts, that sounds incredible.

CBrownFanClub

PS Please go answer the trivia question in the "Good Time To Be A Rockets Fan" thread, just to assure me that someone around here watched the Rockets pre-1994.

Cohen

11-22-1999, 08:56 PM

Sorry CB,

It's not that exciting. It was an anniversary party for some relatives of mine who were friends of the owners. I guess they got to know some of the players.

Rudy and Calvin had a great sense of humor...more than anyone else at the party (thank g*d that they were there). The singing telegram that they hired was a little risque, and most of the crowd was too stuffy to laugh.

FWIW, oddly enough, Clyde moved in next-door to the same relatives years later (I believe he sold that house a year or two ago, though).

The only other Rocket that I ever met was Charles. He was in Houston the summer before his rookie season to play in Moses' summer league. I was a manager of the apartments (it was another life...long long ago) where he lived for the summer. He was 'Charles' even back then. He totally humiliated his agent/attorney, but he treated everyone else there (and ESPECIALLY the children) with utmost etiqutte and respect.

Ever since, when I see Charles 'act-up', I think about his other side and how he would treat a stranger on the street. It certainly tempers any crticism of him.

CaucasionSensation

11-22-1999, 11:13 PM

I grew up playing in many of Calvin's TYA basketball camps. I have played against his sons and such. His eldest was really good, about the same size he was, another kid was pretty chubby but still managed to have a lot of game. That's why Calvin's always cracking the fat jokes.

Calvin used to be the Rockets shooting coach, though I am unaware of his status in this area now. If there was ever a guy to coach shooting it was him. He would give us long lectures about free throw shooting, and then could easily go and hit like 30 free throws in a row. An absolutely amazing shooter. To entertain the the parents somtimes, he would walk to the corner, put a foot on each baseline, and lean outward at the basket. It too my freinds was automatic.

He had his own basketball he used to call Big Bertha. It was one of those ABA balls blue, white, and red. He loved it cause you could see the rotation.

I attribute my ability to shoot from his stressing of fundamentals. At my peak in high school before injury, I could often hit about 70 percent threes when I was warming up in practice. Believe me, Calvin can still shoot better than anybody the Rockets can put on the floor. It's true. He can teach anyone to improve their shooting. When he critiques the shooters during the game, listen up. He knows WELL what he is talking about.

Dr of Dunk

11-22-1999, 11:21 PM

Yeah, but Rudy still had to teach Calvin how to take a leak at night without waking him up...hahaha... http://bbs.clutchcity.net/ubb/wink.gif

(If you didn't catch that reference, read Rudy's biography done with Robert Falkoff "A Rocket at Heart : My Life and My Team".)

------------------
Rocket fuel pumps through these veins...

Cohen

11-23-1999, 11:17 AM

I distinctly remember watching Calvin drain shot after shot in the Summit. He was so quick, quick release, and then all net. You wouldn't often see his shots do the toilet-bowl spin-on-the-rim that seem so common now (at least from our shooters).

tod the bod

11-23-1999, 11:32 AM

Please no. Anything but more Calvin. He is the most annoying television commentator that I have ever heard. Instead of talking about the game, he talks about himself. (I mean, how many times can we listen to him talk about the number of blocked shots he had in his career.) If the Rockets give Calvin any official coaching duties, the man will become insufferable on the air. The Rockets should fire Calvin and Bill Worrell and hire real broadcasters. The fact that the Rockets such is not the only reason why watching Rockets basketball has turned into a painful experience.

PhiSlammaJamma

11-23-1999, 11:52 AM

Anyone remember him in the legends game. He was launching threes from all over the place. One year he just dominated the game.

Cohen

11-23-1999, 12:19 PM

TodBod,

There certainly are a number who share your opinion, but I am not one. We thoroughly enjoy Bill and Calvin, and are disappointed when DirecTV has the other team's announcers. Other team's announcers are BAD. The only ones worth ***** are Chick-n-Stew (gotta love that) for the Lakers. Chick knows his BB.

Does anyone recall last year when Bill made a comment that Clutch was wearing Calvin's pinstripe suit....how d*mn funny was that?

I don't understand why everyone takes Calvin so seriously.

Cohen

11-23-1999, 02:28 PM

Gene's available on RealAudio?!

Convergence time!

CaucasionSensation

11-23-1999, 04:05 PM

Right on Cabbage, I love Calvin as a person, but as a commentator, he's all giggles. When I watch a game I want unbiased coverage. Now they block out simulcasts of TNT and TBS so that you must watch WB, or FSW. I used to always favor the TNT and stuff. Get me away from Lisa Malosky, and that Kevin Eschenfelder ***, with his in the "Club house" routine. Neither can provide decent game analysis at half-time. I'd rather watch Ernie suck up to Kenny "The Jet" Smith. "The Jet", that's so silly.

thacabbage

11-23-1999, 04:16 PM

I hate watching Bill and Calvin.

Every time the Rockets get called for a foul:
Where was the call? I don't know Calvin, I think the officials missed that one..HeeeHeeeHeee.

Every time the other team gets called for a foul:
Good call. That was a definite foul. Notice how they look so innocent when they get called for a foul, Calvin? HeeHeee, that was you when you were a player. HeeeHee, pass me the cookies.

Let's not even get into the halftime reports..

NBC:
The Blazers are sizzling, they are 10-0 in the month of December...our own Ahmad Rashad caught up with Scottie Pippen earlier in the week..

WB:
He's one of the best three-point shooters in Rockets history. He also enjoys fishing and playing on his guitar. He is Matt Bullard and he talks about his latest return off the Rockets injured list.

How long until NBA on NBC starts?

[This message has been edited by thacabbage (edited November 23, 1999).]

Scarface

11-23-1999, 04:20 PM

christmas.

Are we comparing multimillion dollar corporations or the crappy Wb and Foxsports?

I must agree I can't stand the gay rights movement with Eshenskellter and Malone...I mean Maloney...err Bartowski..... Mogadishu...um however u spell her name.

But if you want to listen to people even worse then listen to any other teams broadcasts, there all dry and old.

------------------
"We need to fockass".....Dream back in the day

CaucasionSensation

11-23-1999, 05:09 PM

Mad props on the post Cabbage.

NBC:
The Blazers are sizzling, they are 10-0 in the month of December...our own Ahmad Rashad caught up with Scottie Pippen earlier in the week..

WB:
He's one of the best three-point shooters in Rockets history. He also enjoys fishing and playing on his guitar. He is Matt Bullard and he talks about his latest return off the Rockets injured list.

You captured the style perfectly. You could have interjected the bold waivering pot smoking opinions of Bill Walton. The way he's always hopping to the hot bandwagon, and often b.s.'s so passionatly.

"The poise, fire, and winning that Scottie Pippen has brought to this ball club, can not be underestimated."

You bet you are going to here a lot of wacky statements from him about his beloved Blazers, and some sickening staetments about Scottie's happiness in Portland.

Do we have any assasins on this board who we can pay assassinate this long winded dork?

CBrownFanClub

11-23-1999, 05:25 PM

Cab:

Come on, WB would never run anything like that, because Bullard plays drums, actually. He was in a band called the "Anita Singer" band, as in I-Need-A-Singer. They played Ted Nugent and stuff like that.

Othella played the trumpet
Brent Price sang
Maloney played the guitar, like U2 crap.

Trade those guys for master P, and it looks like we get the good end of the deal.

CbrownFanClub

Finalfantasy

11-23-1999, 06:15 PM

Bill: " oh my god, Cato played so hard that he was foaming out of his mouth."

Calvin:" Pass the ball to Hamilton, that's right, he's the future of the Rox, there you go, another 2 for Hamilton! Hamilton never miss! now watch Hamilton block the shot, yes!! I told you Hamilton is the next Shaquille Oneal. Give him the ball, give him the ball!"

Don't know about you guys, but I like Murphy with Worrel, and Walton with Hammond, they have chemistry and most others announcers are like Lisa Malosky, cassette players speaking pre-recorded game stats.

green smurf

11-23-1999, 11:08 PM

i don't understand why some ppl don't like them...they're so funny =) And every game you can hear bill talking about some cookies joe bob sent them and then calvin chowing down in the background...hehehe...

Finalfantasy

11-24-1999, 01:40 AM

Calvin and Bill are the best commemtators of the NBA.

thacabbage

11-24-1999, 01:53 AM

Hell NO. I hate "homers" and would rather watch a game done by the best, "Marvelous" Marv Albert.

Scarface

11-24-1999, 01:54 AM

If you have ever watched another teams commentators you would know that Bill and Calvin are top 3, Vancouver is good, Minnesotta is good and thats really about it.
As far as radio no one is better than Gene. I live in the Bay area and I have direcTv so I know about the Tv broadcasters, and the radio guys I sometimes listen to on RealAudio broadcasts, so trust me Houston has the best announcers when it comes to BBall.

------------------
"We need to fockass".....Dream back in the day

thacabbage

11-24-1999, 02:10 AM

"The poise, fire, and winning that Scottie Pippen has brought to this ball club, can not be underestimated."

Whiteboy:

OH MAN!! LOL!!!

Bill Walton really does tend to get carried away with the adjectives, doesn't he?

Oh man, I can give you so many examples from last season...

A game featuring the Houston Rockets at Miami Heat last season brought out the best of this clown, LOL:

[Scottie Pippen attempts to drive on Dan Majerle, but is denied..]
"Dan Majerle, one of the greatest defenders in the history of the NBA, Scottie Pippen just DOES NOT have what it takes to get around this defensive specialist. Dan Majerle's defensive presence on the floor is always felt, even by the great Micheal Jordan.

[Scottie Pippen stops, and hits a pullup three over Blue Edwards]
"Scottie Pippen absolutely defying the basic laws of physic and gravity...there is just no way Blue Edwards can stop that.

And who can forget the redheaded idiot's verbal spat with LJ during last year's playoffs?
[Larry Johnson with the "LJ" sign]
"Ohhh...that is just disgusting. Larry Johnson absolutely promoting self above team, completely demoting the team concept with that ridiculous symbol. That is just disgusting.."

And just for old time's sake, let's throw in one from the day's of the great Marv Albert..

"I am joined here at courtside by my partners Matt Guokas and Ahmad Rashad, here, at the Summitt in Houston Texas, as the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks get set to do battle in this 1994, NBA Championship Series...

those were the days..

Finalfantasy

11-24-1999, 02:33 AM

Marv Albert is just a grumpy old man doing announcements of which restaurant passed hygiene inspection and which restaurant abounds in cockroaches right now lol. Learn from the great Calvin and Walton sunglass boy, then maybe you can prolong your career.

O-dawg

11-24-1999, 09:37 AM

Hey, back off of Bill and Calvin.
This thread went from the question of whether or not Calvin can help our gaurds, (which I think has been answered in that he can and on occassion does) to the bashing of Bill and Calvin's broadcasting skills.
These guys are great, hands down. I personaly prefer thier style to the prim and pomp of some of the major broadcasts. TNT and TBS? Come on! Sometimes these guys have problems keeping our players names straight.

Our guys give us a local intrest style of broadcasting. I mean who cares about broadcasting stats', I'd much rather hear about Calvins conversations with different players or Rudy and how they feel about themselves and the team and the way things are going. Simple fact though is that the major broadcaster have to be objective or should be. Bill and Calvin are 100% Rocks' and broadcast the game from that perspective.

Scarface

11-24-1999, 12:35 PM

I just had to get this off my chest I missed the Czar and Alberts connection, there is nobody out there today that can handle a telestrator like the Czar. Simply put he IS the CZAR of TELESTRATING. All hail the return of the Czar and the Czarina (Alberts)

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"We need to fockass".....Dream back in the day