Houston Chronicle suggest veteran leadership to fix Rox problem

rvpals · Apr 13, 2003

John Feigen said we need Karl Malone or Scottie Pippen to instill some veteran leadership

I totally agree we need veteran leadership on this team.

Here's the link: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/1865107

Here's the answer for what ails Rockets
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
The first reaction was naturally to blow up the whole thing and start over. Trade them. Fire them. Dump them. Sell the rest for parts.

That of course doesn't work, and now that the sting of the Rockets' midweek collapse is not quite so fresh, the solution is clearly not to shock the roster and staff. When you blow up a roster, you are left with rubble and at least four more years of rebuilding.

But the Rockets' sometimes-thrilling, often-infuriating and wholly unsatisfying season does demand a major change, a bold and brilliant -- yet shockingly simple and possible -- move to fix what is so obviously broken.

The Rockets are not nearly as destitute as they might seem. Steve Francis is not as far from being the point guard they need as some believe and much closer to being a superstar as a point guard than he would be as a shooting guard. Cuttino Mobley has settled down and developed at least a taste for defense. Yao Ming will become wondrous in the middle.

But the Rockets have desperate needs.

They need another veteran leader, an unquestioned winner who commands respect. They need inside muscle, someone tough enough and mean enough to punish the next big man who dares plant an elbow in Yao's throat or slice slashes across his back.

They need someone who will be a model professional, whipping himself and anyone willing to join him into fabulous shape, and then to be ready for every game. They need someone who will publicly say what must be said, someone who will hit an open shot, someone with poise and no loss of passion.

They need Karl Malone.

That'll teach them.

Not ready to play the Bulls? Tell Karl. Got a lead to protect against the Clippers? Let Karl. Want to dribble out the shot clock or go one-on-four? Fine, but let's check first with Karl.

Hate the guy? Tough. He is the punishment for blowing the season's only real goal. He will be a free agent, possibly too expensive for Utah and probably no longer tethered to John Stockton. Houston is close to his roots in Louisiana, ranch in Arkansas and wife's background in San Antonio.

He's expensive, but Les Alexander has 18,500 seats and 92 suites in a new arena to fill with fans terribly disappointed with this season. And Les loves to make to make a splash.

Malone wants to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA's all-time leading scorer. He won't do that for the Lakers or Mavericks. But he can score 18 a night for the Rockets as the third option. He'll love Yao's professionalism and determination and won't mind giving him the low post. Malone rarely posts up anymore, anyway. He's old, but still in great shape and putting up numbers. As he gets older and crankier, he'll be an even better thug watching Yao's back.

Francis would need smelling salts after hearing the news, but the guy wants to win so badly, he'd get it. Either Maurice Taylor or Eddie Griffin would stick around, and with Malone turning 40 this summer, whichever one returns would get at least the playing time he gets now. Rudy Tomjanovich is ideal for veterans and would be given more motivation to return. Larry Smith won't have to be the toughest guy in the room.

Too drastic? Still refuse to sleep with the enemy?

Fine. There is another solution.

Come back, Scottie Pippen. All is forgiven.
Click to expand...

KeepJuaquin · Apr 13, 2003

http://bbs.clutchcity.net/php3/showthread.php?s=&threadid=55511

I wish.

Go_Spurs_Gooooo · Apr 13, 2003

That would be appropriate. Houston signing another way overrated low post player to finally replace the guy that originally held that spot, Hakeem Olajuwon. Malone, Olajuwon (along with Jordan) were the most over hyped players of their generation. Just sickening that a guy like David Robinson would be ignored in favor of guys who had half his skill at best, and much more help on their rosters.

Go ahead and sign that whining crybaby, Tim would still own him and Yao easily!

walls · Apr 13, 2003

Uh...

Spurs guy.. where were you when Hakeem smoked Robinson in the Western Conference finals?

Robinson is a good center, a hall of famer, but he's no where near the Olajuwon/Jordan ranks.

Go_Spurs_Gooooo · Apr 13, 2003

Oh, you mean the series where David got double and triple teamed constantly because of lacking help while the Spurs couldn't do the same to Olajuwon on the other end because of all thos deadly perimeter shooters (Clyde, Horry, Cassell, etc.) Houston had? Just an example of a superior TEAM beating another a less taleted team, not an example of Olajuwon over David. The only reason for the imbalance in stats between the two in that series was because of all the help Hakeem had from outside..you couldn't double or triple him, while David had nobody to jelp him.

KingCheetah · Apr 13, 2003

John Feigen said we need Karl Malone or Scottie Pippen to instill some veteran leadership
Click to expand...

"Shock and Awe"

Raven · Apr 13, 2003

Dream won two championships, and was the leader of his team.

Robinson didn't get his ring, until he started carrying Tim Duncans jock strap.

Raven

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