http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/6693987.html Rockets name pair of captains Hayes says he'll take back seat to co-captain Battier By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle Chuck Hayes' duties as a Rockets co-captain along with Shane Battier have been limited. He had to answer a question about being a captain. “I'm a captain?” he said. “I didn't know I was. That's news to me. Wow. I can't remember the last time I was a captain. I guess as far as the captain is concerned, I'm more of the Robin to Shane's Batman.” There was, apparently, no ceremony. There was no vote. There will be no ‘C' stitched onto uniforms, hockey style. For Hayes, there is not even a pregame chat with officials. That falls to Battier. “Shane does that, and I get the layups ready,” Hayes, 26, said. “I guess I'll second whatever he says. I'll let my voice be heard, but I don't know how to take it. I guess I'll be more vocal.” Battier, 31, was nearly as unsure how to view the honor. “I think my captaincy is by default,” Battier said. “We (he and Hayes) have been here the longest, so I think they thought we'd do it.” But with that, rookie Chase Budinger could stay silent no longer. With the candor of youth, Budinger, 21 and a particular subject of Battier's leadership, jumped in. Teammates supportive “See now, he's just being humble,” Budinger said. “He deserves to be captain.” He then turned to Battier to call him on his attempt at perhaps false modesty. “You deserve it,” Budinger told Battier. “You're always the one who talks in huddles. You're the most vocal on the team. If there was an official vote, you'd have gotten it anyway.” There is little doubt Battier is in many ways a leader. Late in the 2007-08 season, when speaking of the role of the point guard to direct a team, Rafer Alston said there is an exception to that. “The timeouts,” he said, “are Shane's.” “I thought I was more of a spokesman than captain,” Battier said. For the Rockets, the issue of captain is of so little concern, the designation of Hayes and Battier was largely made by athletic trainer Keith Jones and only because he was asked. The designation is not always a matter of minutiae, and can be a significant issue for some, as the Rockets could have been reminded with Wednesday's game against the Warriors. When the Warriors sought to elevate Stephen Jackson's role with the team, they made him the captain and he became known as “Captain Jack.” When he demanded a trade this offseason, and seemed determined to get it, he was stripped of his captaincy, with much made of those that insisted on using his nickname anyway. Others over the years, from Willis Reed to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, became labeled by their role as captains. The Rockets captains did not know they had been so designated until they were interviewed about it. But there are times the Rockets captains will be asked to do more than chatting up officials and choosing the color of shoes and socks. “Every now and then, if the team has to lodge a complaint, the captain has to do it,” Battier said. “So if guys are complaining about something, they'd make me go talk to the coach or Daryl (Morey, the general manager) about it. Every now and then, a team meeting. But if I wasn't quote-unquote team captain, I'd speak up.” He has not called a team meeting or extended his comments to anything that could be called a speech. Hayes did in January 2008, when Rockets players met the day after a particularly bad loss to the 76ers. Days later, they took off on a 22-game winning streak. “I remember that,” Hayes said. “I was frustrated. I guess I had a lot on my mind. At first I wasn't going to speak. But I forgot who said something that made me itch a little bit and I had to say what I wanted to say.” Willing to speak Now, when he speaks up, he can do it from the front of the room. He and Battier can ask how they became so honored, though Battier has a theory. “I think everyone assumed,” he said. “The referees just came and said ‘Shane, the meeting.' So I said, ‘Oh, all right. I'm a captain.'“
Some people here actually wanted to trade Battier for Captain Jack straight up. LOL talk about going opposite ends of the spectrum I'm kinda' surprised Chuck is the co-captain instead of Scola. I guess its also because Scola is a foreigner, so the players can't relate to him the way they would to Hayes.
Could that person who he "forgot" be McGrady? I could definitely see him blaming others or making excuses in that meeting. Whatever Chuck said carried a lot of weight and affected everyone as it showed on the court the rest of the season. Congrats to Shane and Chuck! They deserve it!This is another reason why I don't see Battier getting traded anytime soon. He's too valuable as a vocal leader and personal mentor to Budinger. If we lose him, the identity of the team would shift greatly.
I would have tought that also, but I think Scola's accent may be hard to understand at times. I do know he goes Ricky Ricardo when he's angry and yelling at the officials!
5 years ago if i told you chuck hayes would be team captain of an NBA team I would have been laughed at.
TMAC's not even playing yet...how and why should he be captain? He bailed on the team last year with his drama and possesses little to no leadership skills. With that said, it doesn't mean he can't come back strong and eventually lead the team (which im hoping for).
Battier was always a captain even during that 22 win streak. Tmac isn't the captain type of guy. He's not really vocal. He is just a very talented and gift player that's not very much of a captain. Anyway, why would you want Tmac to leave this team so bad? You are hating on him for all the wrong reasons. He is the one that made us look good even though our team sucks bad. He is the one that carried us in the playoffs and sadly we just couldn't win because he's the only one. Im sorry but Tmac is the one that gives us all hopes when he comes back. If you want Tmac to leave this team, I believe that same goes for Yao also. Plus you can't say that we got out of the first round this year because Tmac wasn't playing. No, if Tmac was playing, and he was healthy, we would beat the lakers and I promise we would be hanging our 3rd banner. The reason why we got out of the first round this year is because the Blazers were inexperience, we had a deep good team with Scola, Wafer, Brooks, Lowry, Landry, Artest, Battier, and Yao. Before when we were in the playoffs, who did we got? All we had was Tmac. Yao wasn't even effective against the Jazz. So that year when we had both Tmac and Yao, the ( its on me by Tmac) it was basically just him. He was the only one doing the damage. Battier chipped in a bit. Yao did well the first game but Okur shut him down after that and Boozer torched Yao up badly. Deron Williams was doing whatever he wants on Rafer and Rafer couldn't make a shot. Luther Head just crawled into a corner and got into a fetal position. So tell me how can Tmac get us past the first round against the Jazz like that? When he didn't have no help whatsoever. Tell me this then, lets say the game is on the line, who would you trust the ball should be in the hands of? Yao or Tmac?
If you're talking about these previous two years, Yao would be the obvious answer. Higher percentage shot coming from a higher percentage fg shooter. The problem is getting it into him.
This is what happens when logic is used on a team basis instead of who can shoot the most points... the Rockets are the smartest program alive.
They are primary reasons players exceed expectations... they are glue... they make everyone around them better.
Absolutely. Do we have enough time to get some proper stars around them? If I was Cleveland, Miami, Orlando, LA, SAS, I would go after Battier before I would go after a guy like Stephen Jackson I think. He brings the right attitude and the perfect tools to boost a talented team going into the playoffs.
didn't realize hayes is only 26. good for the rockets. hope he retires as a rocket. really love the guy.
