I think it's coming up very soon. JVG is usually very entertaining when in the studio with those guys.
Big surprise Lance is making the conversation about him in some way. No rockets talk in 5 minutes so far.
Recap, transcribed as I listen.......SEGMENT ONE JVG is optimistic, he knows how much work they have done, and he feels that the team can grow, that the way the team plays in the first game will not be the same as they play after 1 month, and he looks forward to seeing where the team will go. He also feels that sometimes optimism is not warrented, but feels that in the case of the Rockets it is warranted. He thinks the team can play well immediatly. Thinks that when Bonzi gets back it is a transition that may take some time, as to how the minutes will be allocated and will take some time to sort out. Starters are set with Luther & Novak off the bench and the FIVE by committee. Asked if the roster is set, JVG thinks there are many improvements that they need to make, is talking about Ryan Bowen - says that Ryan became fodder for what was wrong with the Rockets and JVG says everyone could not be more wrong.....thinks the team last year played hard, played together but couldn't hit shots. He says Ryan had the right attitude and professionalism, and thinks that if he was still in the role of a short defensive stopper he could still play well, but when more is asked of him, he is not able to deliver. They say the reason that Casey was let go is that Bob Sura is still trying to comeback......Sura says he needs 3 - 4 weeks to get in shape. JVG says that it is usually 18 months after the surgery that players start to feel better, so they respect Sura and want to see how his knee responds to the every day pounding. Patrick called in, and says he loves JVG - but Patrick sounds stupid on the radio and is not making very good points, now is talking about HIS own high school career.....where is the gong when you need it? He says he is excited, and has his season tickets. JVG says you can never allow satisfaction to rule the day, you have to have an edge to your team to suceed, you can't be negative or positive, you have to be realistic to allow your players to strive for individual improvement. Being asked where the balance is because not every player has that attitude, how do you get the team to have that attitude...JVG says....it has to come from your BEST players, says if they understand the need for constant improvement then the team will follow. JVG says McGrady is the type of player that is VERY coachable and setting great examples, and feels that this is important for the team to get it. Tmac will go over the tapes with JVG to see exactly what the coaches see, JVG says he wants to strive for perfection and it rubs off on the rest of the team. Says the core group needs to be that way and...in that vane... Yao is on the floor an hour before practice working with Thibideaux, Battier staying late to practice and Rafer coming in early EVERY day to shoot.....he says the core is in line and he feels great about that. End of segment one.... More to come. DD
Mentioned Yao's girlfriend is here going to school and learning english. Some guy asked her out and she said, "I can't, I'm Yao Ming's girlfriend." The guy says, "You have to come up with a better story than that" because he didn't believe her.
JVG said the best Euro team wouldn't win 10 games if they joined the NBA because of the 82 game grind.
SEGMENT TWO. Critics of Yao.....says there will always be critics. Is a bit worried about Yao maintaining the same fire and intensity that Yao had after the all star break without McGrady. Says that McGrady has NO problem deferring to Yao, says Tmac understands that if he has single coverage in the paint, he needs to go to work. With Tmac Back, says Yao still has to have that dominant personality.....and doesn't want Yao to slip back into defering mode. Billy Span- His preseason GOOD plays were as good as anyone's on the team, but he has too many BAD plays, is undiciplined, got to cut down turnovers, fouls, and gambling but still maintain his intensity. Says that he is going through a hard transition that any 2nd round pick would go through. JVG says that V-span beat the Americans and then lost to spain without Pau Gasol, says you have to play 82 games, and you have to bring it every day. Says he doesn't think the BEST European team would not win double digits in the NBA. JVG says he sees improvement, and says he has pressures from his Greek community that expects him to knock it out of the park right away, and JVG says he needs to negate those thoughts it is going to be a growing process a learning process....he says in the first 2 weeks he stunk, then he got a little bit better, but then stepped back in the last 2 preseason games. He says that it will be step forward and back...and thinks V-span has supersized expectations....and it will take time. Now being asked about Entry passes - the interviewer says that he thinks the Rockets SUCKED at it last year - see what JVG says. JVG says Horry and Drexler were good because they were tall, but mroe importantly there are different rules in place now...and it makes it a more difficult pass. Says Yao needs to help the team out by being a better target, and can handle the pass coming directly too him but has difficulty with his balance and can't handle a lot of passes that Dream and others could handle. Thinks it is a problem being 7'6" with leverage issues. Says we are a no touch league on the perimeter, but still anything goes in the paint, says it is unfair to the low post players. He thinks that Low post basketball is slower in nature and boring, but on the flip side it is more important, and is now quoting Phil Jackson saying "In the end, post play wins out".....says Post play is the most efficient. JVG thinks Bonzi will be a Power guard down in the post when Yao is out of the game. Now being asked about TMac in the post, but JVG is saying that you always ask players to sacrifice for the greater good, and says that on good teams, Tmac will have to sacrifice his post game because it is a strength of others....says Tmac is VERY unselfish and feels he doesn't get enough credit for being that way. JVG says Yao has to be a dominant player for the team to win, and says he will be at a disadvantage on the defensive end and in transition, says he has to take advantage of his strenghts on the low post to compensate for his shortcomings on defense to even it out. Says Yao has to be forceful on the block to make the other teams pay for his strengths and to have that dominate attitude and not passive, and that it will make the team that much better. Wants Yao to go at single coverage EVERY single time he gets the ball....four or five times in a row if necessary. JVG says that he is excited about the team and thinks that this team warrants optimism and should be held to a high standard of performance, and says he thinks we will see an unselfish team out there that will play hard, and feels the results will speak for themselves. Looking forward to a great opener against Utah...and "IT WILL BE ON !!!!" End of interview...... Fingers tired, must go. DD
Had some good things to say about Yao scoring... Said they need Yao to be an aggressive scorer and not defer to anyone when he has a single defender. Wants Yao to take it to one on one coverage. sorry DD, just saw your post... good recap thanks
Nice to listen to Van Gundy it got my mind of D Carr for 15 min. I like Van Gundy as a coach, he has a very good handle on the teams strengths, weaknesses and what it will take to win.
Thanks for the recap, DD. From what I see here, we Rockets fans shall expect anything but a slow start from this team in JVG's 4th season.
I hope JVG's disposition was sunny enough for everybody. He sounded like the offseason JVG even though the season is about to start.
Guys if I missed anything please fill in the blanks, I only type so fast. I have to earn my keep around here somehow to compensate for the boneheaded days. DD
Good job DD You did great. I only caught the last part of the interview, but JVG seemed really upbeat. No more Van Grumpy. Les probably got on him a little bit too. Van Grumpy doesn't sell tickets. Fans want to see excitement and optimism.
