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Will time heal bitterness between T-Mac and Rocket Fans?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Brando2101, Dec 23, 2012.

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  1. Brando2101

    Brando2101 Contributing Member

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    Clutch had an interesting observation about T-mac when he first came back to town in another uniform. When T-Mac was booed as a Rocket visiting Orlando he ate it up. He fed off of it. When he was booed in Houston it wasn't the same (as a knick IIRC). Maybe he was just surprised. Maybe he felt unappreciated. Or maybe he felt like he messed up something good he had.


    The guy gave up at the end. He had legit injury problems but handled it like someone who didn't want to be apart of this city or this team. It was an awful way to end a tenure that wasn't full of championships but was still full of good moments. He gave it his all for 4 of those 6 years and we were all eating it up. He was greatness and we marveled in it. Perhaps I'm bias. I was at the press conference in Toyota center where he was introduced. The fans were in love immediately and he was legitimately blown away. Looking at it now I wonder if he remembered that moment as he was getting booed in his Houston return. To remember how he felt and wonder how he got to the complete opposite point.


    I think the way things ended have caused people to change history and how they think they felt. Perhaps maybe I see that more than it exists. In general, the internet brings out the cynicism in people. I enjoyed the T-Mac Yao years way more than the Francis Mobley years. We were a team that existed on the international stage. All-Stars every year. I think we are just now hopefully getting to the point with this new team where they are becoming something special. A collection of players that are more than basketball players on a roster. We are finding another identity that we have lacked for years.

    Anyway, I hope one day T-Mac can visit houston and smile and everyone can smile back at him. It would help if he showed some kind of outward remorse. I'm thankful for all the memories and that era will always mean something even though we never made it past the first round while he was still in charge of this team. I don't feel like I'm romanticizing this too much. After time has passed, people can hopefully look past the bad moments and appreciate that they had the good.
     
    #1 Brando2101, Dec 23, 2012
  2. crash5179

    crash5179 Contributing Member

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    I have already put TMac's last 12 months with the team behind me. I have chosen to remember the good times with TMac. I was glad when the Rockets got rid of him and it was certainly the right move but I'm glad we had him when we did and just wish he could have stayed healthy.
     
    #2 crash5179, Dec 23, 2012
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  3. durvasa

    durvasa Contributing Member

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    The good:

    13 in 33 (2004)
    Games 1 & 2 in Dallas (2005)
    22-game win streak (2008)

    Am I missing anything?
     
    #3 durvasa, Dec 23, 2012
  4. iconoclastic

    iconoclastic Member

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    The problem is T-Mac is a loser. Even in China, his team is something like 0-12 this season. If losing follows a guy wherever he goes, then maybe there's something he's doing wrong. Fans tend to give more slack to winners, but not losers. He was a great player for some time with some great moments, but the facts of his results speak for themselves.
     
    #4 iconoclastic, Dec 23, 2012
  5. alethios

    alethios Member

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    That's all in the past. We're a different team now.
     
    #5 alethios, Dec 23, 2012
  6. rolyat93

    rolyat93 Contributing Member

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    The bad:

    ****ty teams around him and Yao.

    So much playoff disappointment.

    Stromile Swift

    Injuries

    The Ugly:

    The Toronto game.
     
    #6 rolyat93, Dec 23, 2012
  7. Brando2101

    Brando2101 Contributing Member

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    That seems callous to me. I don't want to be Philly or New York. I hope that this aren't just workers that me only measure by success. No, he wasn't the savior and you could say he wasn't a winner. That shouldn't mean we shouldn't like the guy or appreciate the effort he put in for...most of his time here. Even major corporations still value the human part of the worker bees.
     
    #7 Brando2101, Dec 23, 2012
  8. larsv8

    larsv8 Contributing Member

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    I never blamed Tmac for anything and am pretty disgusted with the way he was scapegoated for everything. I, for one, enjoyed nationally televised games, optimism, playoff races that mattered and actually being relevant.

    He played well here, we had bad luck, he got injured, it didn't work out.

    And I will never, ever, call a humanitarian a loser.
     
    #8 larsv8, Dec 23, 2012
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  9. BEAT LA

    BEAT LA Member

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    It doesn't make sense that T-Mac is treated one way and Yao is regarded in another. Both of them missed games due to injuries and both of them just faded away in the end. If all we remember is one game with T-Mac then why is it his last?
     
    #9 BEAT LA, Dec 23, 2012
  10. KingLeoric

    KingLeoric Member

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    I believe soon he will mess up again in China and gets booed there too.
     
    #10 KingLeoric, Dec 23, 2012
  11. TheresTheDagger

    TheresTheDagger Member

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    I think the end for Tmac in Houston was that press conference after the Utah series where he walked off in tears.

    He never could get past that. I legitimately felt sorry for him. You could tell how much it meant to him.

    But....people don't remember that. They remember how he mailed it in and quit. I don't think they will ever forget that or forgive either.

    Personally, I'm a Tmac fan. There were flashes of absolute brilliance that I had not ever seen from a player before..(yes even Michael). He just didn't have that internal fire needed to sustain it.
     
    #11 TheresTheDagger, Dec 23, 2012
  12. sugrlndkid

    sugrlndkid Member

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    Game 7 against Dallas, the "Its on me" Utah Series, The announcing ill have microfracture surgery without informing the team...the botched dunk??(lol)

    Tmac has had a average NBA career for star...made money like a superstar...and failed to lead his teams past the first round and not just Houston...

    The real bitterness by the Rockets fans in regards to TMAC is that Yao and Tmac were supposed to deliver a title...heck even make it competitive...but they just kept giving us excuses whether it was legit or not...they didnt deliver...nothing personal...its just business...
     
    #12 sugrlndkid, Dec 23, 2012
  13. langal

    langal Contributing Member

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    tmac is just a footnote in Rockets history. This ain't Shaq and the Lakers. Closer to Cedric Ceballos and the Lakers. There shouldn't be any "mending of fences" because Tmac couldn't care less and neither should Rocket fans.
     
    #13 langal, Dec 23, 2012
  14. sugrlndkid

    sugrlndkid Member

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    Put Yao in TMAC's body and I guarantee you we win a title...Yao had the passion for the game, but his body let him down...TMAC lacked passion for the game and eventually his body let him down as well....
     
    #14 sugrlndkid, Dec 23, 2012
  15. KingLeoric

    KingLeoric Member

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    I still remember those days.

    Tmac: "I'm injured;"
    Tmac out, Rockets win a couple of games;
    Tmac: "I am 100% and ready to play;"
    Tmac comes back, play like piece of crap, Rockets lose;
    Tmac: "Injury still bothering me, I need more rest;"
    Tmac out, Rockets win a couple of games;
    Tmac: "I am 100% and ready to play;"
    Tmac comes back, play like piece of crap, Rockets lose;
    Tmac: "Injury still bothering me, I need more rest;"
    .
    .
    .
    Tmac: "I know, I'm not playing back to back games;"
    .
    .
    .
    Tmac: "Hi reporter, I'm gonna have microfracture surgery"
     
    #15 KingLeoric, Dec 23, 2012
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  16. BeeBeard

    BeeBeard Member

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    He's less of a Rocket to me than Scotty Brooks or Mario Elie.
     
    #16 BeeBeard, Dec 23, 2012
  17. rockbox

    rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

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    T-mac has as much relevance as World B Free. He never accomplished anything in a Rockets uniform that I care about.
     
    #17 rockbox, Dec 23, 2012
  18. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    you've been away from the garm and this is the first thread you make dude?

    i think he cares more about 'his fans' than Rockets fans.

    at least when he comes back, he won't get stomach problems like he does now in china.
     
    #18 tinman, Dec 23, 2012
  19. underrated015

    underrated015 Member

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    tmac had great talent and was considered a superstar. only problem was that he didnt live up to any of his expectations as a rocket. delivering championships. i cant put all the blame on him cuzz the rest of the team was pathetic. after the its on me series with utah in 2007, he came out with an its my fault series again with utah in 2008. put up numbers but seemed like he was finding a scapegoat for the losses in the playoffs n the fans just got tired of it. I have no problem with tmac but rather worry about my current rockets.
     
    #19 underrated015, Dec 23, 2012
  20. Rip Van Rocket

    Rip Van Rocket Contributing Member

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    He quit on the team. I can forgive a player for pretty much anything, but quitting on your team is something that is unforgivable. Maybe some people have forgotten about that game, maybe some people are unaware of that game. But that game is something I will never forget. I don't even think of T-Mac as a Rocket, he's just someone who wore the uniform for a while and embarrassed himself by quitting on his team.
     
    #20 Rip Van Rocket, Dec 23, 2012
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