http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/1867719 April 14, 2003, 10:50PM Rockets can win with spin By JOHN P. LOPEZ Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle WITH regard to the Rockets -- of the NBA variety, not the Scud -- may we offer a few quotes from Iraqi minister of information Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, the smiling spinmeister who has gone underground, so to speak, since the fall of Baghdad. Underground? Al-Sahhaf would call it, "entering a transitional period," rather than admit defeat. But this is what the great spinmeisters do. And this is who the Rockets need as another blunder needs explaining. A disappointing year? Nah. Over-rated? Of course not. All is well in Rocket land, they'll say. Changes in store? Nah. Everything's right on schedule. Desperation? Frustration? Lies? Al-Sahhaf's memorable public relations burps about the war over the past month might well suit some in the Rockets organization -- namely, players -- as they continue to make empty excuses in the wake of a hugely underwhelming season. After all, a spin is a spin is a spin, whether discussing world affairs or local basketball flops. This is a Rockets team that did not advance to the NBA playoffs for the fourth consecutive season and played far below expectations. Recent high draft picks Steve Francis, Eddie Griffin and Yao Ming should have forged a path toward greatness. Instead, they failed to show any kind of significant progress. Admitting defeat is always the hard part. Trying to get the Rockets to admit changes should come might be like talking Rocketball with al-Sahhaf. Just imagine. Us: Now that the Rockets officially are eliminated from the playoffs ... Al-Sahhaf: No, stop right there. We will crush the infidels. The louts of colonialism will not prevail. God will burn them in hell, and we will prevail. Us: No, you won't. Look at the standings. It is mathematically impossible for the Rockets to make the playoffs. Al-Sahhaf: The American press is all about lies! All they tell is lies, lies and more lies! Lying is forbidden in Iraq. Us: What would you say to the many critics who point to no real development as a team, despite Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley having played together for four years and the emergence of Yao Ming? Al-Sahhaf: God will roast their stomachs in hell. Us: OK, but don't you see the numbers? Numbers don't lie. The Rockets are near the bottom of the league in shooting percentage and are second to last in assists. This team doesn't shoot and doesn't pass. That points directly to Mobley and Francis. How can you say the critics are wrong? Al-Sahhaf: These numbers, they are not right. Those who follow them are villains. Those who give you those numbers are in a state of hysteria and haste. We will prove them wrong. We will push those crooks, those mercenaries, back into the swamp. Us: OK, even if you do not put much stock into statistics, the fact remains that this team is not in the playoffs and, unlike years past, it cannot point to injuries, youth, inexperience, blah, blah, blah. Except for Rudy Tomjanovich's illness, this team has been virtually injury-free, yet has been over-run like Baghdad airport, by teams that just a year or two ago were not nearly as far along? Al-Sahhaf: They are not even within 100 miles of us, or the airport. Us: Look, the Suns clearly have passed you. The Jazz, with parts older than Sherman tanks, continues to stay a step ahead. Golden State and Seattle have showed every bit as much promise for the future. Heck, even in the weak Eastern Conference, your current record would not yet guarantee a playoff berth. Al-Sahhaf: My feelings are, as usual, we will slaughter them all. We will welcome them with bullets and shoes. Us: Speaking of bullets, Eddie Griffin pretty much fired blanks this year. Does the name Richard Jefferson ring a bell? Griffin showed no progress. Mo Taylor and Kelvin Cato were decent, but Mobley -- the shooter -- still has yet to shoot even 44 percent from the field. Francis still looks like a shooting guard and Moochie Norris was a non-factor. Are you not ready to surrender and start over, building around Yao Ming, moving Francis to his natural position, finding a true point guard and making tough personnel decisions? Al-Sahhaf: You see, we are not worried. You hear the infidels saying these things, that the mercenary cowboys are at the walls of our city and we should give up, but where are they? We are still here. We do not see them. We will win. Us: You'll win? Every year, it's been the same, old thing. You say the team is young, on its way and will not settle for anything less than the playoffs. Aren't you afraid that the makeup and grit of a playoff contender just isn't there? Al-Sahhaf: I am not scared and neither should you be. Us: Will this team in its current state ever get there? A lot of people think four years together should have been more than enough time for Francis and Mobley to lead the way to a playoff berth. Al-Sahhaf: I now inform you that you are far from reality. Rumors and stories run like wild donkeys. Let these infidels bask in their illusion. Us: Isn't the reality that Rockets explanations and excuses are running thin? It's time to do something drastic, like either change regimes or change personnel? Al-Sahhaf: I triple guarantee you, everything is OK. We've heard it all before.
Wierd article, but the broken record he refers to is an obvious one. With the influx of make some drastic changes and should Rudy stay or go/is he a good or bad coach articles from press around the nation (Chronicle & ESPN & SI, etc), it's interesting to see that this BBS isn't the only place acknowledging that something is wrong.
I like the article, it reminds me of that time somebody (from cc.net) was translating that Mobley interview (classic message on cc.net).
