Okay, hindsight is 20/20, we all know that... And speculation, well that's the name of the BBS game. So I pose this question as food for thought. If Chuck was still in the game in a Rockets uniform playing with the same heart he had last year, what could have been? Would we be in the hunt for the lotto, or could we at least be battling for a 6,7 or maybe 8th playoff spot? Could we have been even better than that by now? Personally I don't know. With Dream seemingly falling off the deep end of "days gone by" after his latest surgery... and all of the total roster flip-flops, seeing as how practically only Bullard, Mobley, Chuck and Dream were leftovers form '99 (oh yeah, Drew too)... would it have made much difference? Talent wise? Surely we'd be better at power forward... but maybe not in longevity, which is easy to say after the fact, in 20/20 hindsight, that he got hurt. Motivation wise? Surely we'd be better. It's hard not to play harded when you're around a guy that is always pouring sweat, screaming at the ball, arguing calls, and smiling through a blue mouthpeice. but his team boosting attitude is seen through 20/20 hindsight even moreso now. What about intimidation factor? You better believe it's more intimidating to have heard "Charles Barkley" over the p.a. system in place of "Carlos Rogers" or whoever else. I just remain... even still, in shock that it all had to end the way it did for Chuck. But it's becoming clearer every time I see the record... but hey, hindsight's 20/20. ------------------ Proud Father of the Rockets' future point guard.
we would have been battling the blazers and lakers for 1st right now if chuck was still healthy. and yes i truly and sincerely feel that way. [This message has been edited by brahma rocket (edited February 28, 2000).]
If Chuck were playing????? We'd be in the playoffs as the 8th seed causing hell for the Blazers. We would eventually lose, but that would be enough to get those voters to approve the new stadium deal. ------------------ Ciao!
We would be in the hunt for the 6th seed, IMHO. Chuck gave us what we sorely need right now...a post presence. That makes our bench that much stronger with Kenny Thomas supplanting that chump Matt Bullard as first big man off the bench. Now how about this? What if we didn't have Hakeem at the beginning of the season. You remember the horrid start (3-10?) that seemed to leave us in a huge whole too deep to dig out of. The dump it in to either "Hakeem or Charles and stand around" system ruined our season for the short time it was in play. What if we had Charles as our sole post up threat, but using the offense we are currently using (Francis-Mobley in charge), but from DAY 1 of the regular season. I think we'd be in 4th place right now.
My, my. All this pining for the post. How soon we forget all those clear-out-the-post threads we wrote three months ago.
Exactly Will, If Barkley were still healthy and playing, we'd be scratching for the 7th or 8th seed. But, everyone would be saying how Hakeem and Charles were holding the young guys back in their development, and how getting a lottery pick is better than going out in the playoffs in the 1st round. But, here's a question: (Since we seem to like "what ifs" right now) What if? Hakeem hadn't had an injured abdomin? Cato had't hurt his wrist? Rogers hadn't hurt his thumb? W. Williams didn't have a season long shooting injury? Massenburg hadn't missed almost the entire season? Hell, we'd be right there in the hunt for one of the top 4 playoff seeds. Just like I said before the season. But, you know what? We would've missed: Kenny Thomas' development. Rogers' development. Francis' offensive game wouldn't have developed at the same rate. etc ------------------ I have a dream.........his name's Hakeem.
Has Francis game really developed that much? He plays one on one quite well... but can't seem to break a double team, and needs to learn how to hit open jumpers. I'm almost inclined to think that all of the accolades have gone to his head.
Here's the what-if i was thinking about tonight. Popeye posted earlier that if Hakeem hadn't backed out of the Toronto deal, the Rocks would have packaged the 2 picks (and maybe christie?) for a higher pick and taken Odom. Think about this squad: Francis Odom Mobley Anderson Rogers Thomas Cato Wow.
Or how about this scenario. Pippen doesn't turn into a whiny b**** Stays with the team and tries to focus on winning. Olajuwon and Barkley also don't go down to injuries in the beginning of the season because both's roles aren't to carry the team again. Lineup of: Olajuwon-Miller Barkley-Thomas Pippen-Bullard and off-season aquisition Anderson-Mobley Francis-Drew I see this team in the hunt for the 4th seed and a team no one would want to face. STUPID PIPPEN!
cabbage how dare you blame dream for this crap, it was'nt his fault scottie bolted, it was'nt his fault clyde drexler left to coach, it was'nt his fault barkley got injured , it was'nt his fault this team was not acustomed to each other. you are an idiot for saying we would be better off without dream .
Whoa there. This is a bit much of sanctimonious remark for my taste. You may not agree, but that is point of respectful debate. Not to join on the policeman “badwagon” but a lot of people need to lighten up. [This message has been edited by sir scarvajal (edited March 01, 2000).]
I don't know why I am even wasting time replying to this: I said: "...What if we didn't have Hakeem at the beginning of the season. You remember the horrid start (3-10?) that seemed to leave us in a huge whole too deep to dig out of. The dump it in to either "Hakeem or Charles and stand around" system ruined our season for the short time it was in play...." You said: "...cabbage how dare you blame dream for this crap, it was'nt his fault scottie bolted, it was'nt his fault clyde drexler left to coach, it was'nt his fault barkley got injured , it was'nt his fault this team was not acustomed to each other. you are an idiot for saying we would be better off without dream..." Where in my post did I blame Hakeem for all of those forgettable events that you have mentioned? Where did I say that it was his fault Pip bolted, Chuck got injured, and the kids weren't used to each other? I simply stated that having two primary postup players in our offensive scheme really slowed down our perimeter game. It was either Hakeem or Charles. The thread adresses, "what if Charles..?" so with the thinking that Chuck would be in uniform (to stay on thread topic) I posed the scenario of Dream not being in the lineup. I also hate to watch the image of what was once such a great player become tarnished over his final moments. It is my personal opinion that it would be better for Hakeem if he retired. Of course, you didn't stop to think about that or even bother to ask... So cool it with the "...how dare you..." BS when you don't even know what my real feelings for early retirement of Dream are. It might help to read a person's post before calling them an idiot.
