http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=francissuspended&prov=st&type=lgns Rockets G Francis suspended one game for missed flight February 2, 2004 PHOENIX (Ticker) - Houston Rockets All-Star guard Steve Francis on Monday was suspended one game for missing the team's flight to Phoenix on Sunday night. Francis will not be with the Rockets for Monday night's game against the Suns - his first missed game of the season. Voted a starter for the Western Conference's squad in next week's NBA All-Star Game, Francis is Houston's leading scorer with 16.6 points per game and is averaging 5.9 assists and 5.6 rebounds over 46 contests. Updated on Monday, Feb 2, 2004 12:54 pm EST
Terrible timing considering how the team has been playing of late. But I had a feeling something like this would happen with the Superbowl being in Houston and all the partying the players would be doing. The Superbowl and all the events and parties that go with it seemed to have a negative effect on the players and their peformance and you could see that they just didn't have their normal energy and focus during those last two games. I'm not going to be too harsh on Steve Francis for missing the plane since this is the first time something like this has ever happen but this is definitely not something the coaches and team would have expected to happen with the leader of the team.
This is very disappointing. I guess Mark Jackson gets the start. I guess this will be an interesting game to see how we do with a pass first PG starting for us. ' More than ever this is a game where Yao Ming needs to step up and take a leadership role and be a factor in the game!
This is exactly the lack of leadership people have been ranting about on this board. You have lead by example and its a little obvious now if it wasn't before that Stevo is not at that level. My prediction for tonights game..... Mark J will get over 10 dimes Yao will score over 30 points 10 boards... GO ROCKETS!
Missed flight? Suspension? This is how Eddie started. Stevie's ex-girlfriends may want to invest in Kevlar.
Oh good. This should quell all those "trade Steve" and "this team is going nowhere with Steve as its starting point guard" threads. I guess the only good thing to come out of this news is that it all but confirms that the Rockets' lack of quality play this week is due to all the Super Bowl festivities.
This is really a game where Yao need to take the torch from Steve. Van Gundy did this specifically to show who is the boss on the team, but the leadership void on the court tonight allows for Yao to step it up.
Piatkowski needs to step it up tonight too because Cuttino might play like crap with his buddy suspended.
Hopefully the Rockets are going to grant his wish. Put him out of his misery. Do it NOW! And banish him to the leastern conference to booth! No All-Star game for the spoiled brat!
Seems like it. Can't believe the so-called team leader would do this. It goes to show his lack of commitment as a player and as a person. Anyone thinking I'm being too harsh? I don't even know what his excuse is and I wouldn't care. The Rockets haven't made the playoffs in four years and he begins this week by accompanying Ewing and Cat and Mo to Miami Beach tittie-bars until 3 am on the night before they play their third game in four days and begin a 3-game losing stream which included (pause for breath) blowing two substantial halftime leads as if they were already (pause for breath) thinking about hitting the Houston parties. I don't like that Steve will miss the game, but I am hoping for this organization to get some guts and to find the right deal that improves Houston and gets Steve the ticket out of town that he is either begging for or deserves anyway. P.S. Wasn't that a great Super Bowl?
