Francis, Van Gundy broker uneasy truce By MEGAN MANFULL Steve Francis and Jeff Van Gundy finally agreed with each other. They agreed to continue disagreeing. There was no apology. No meeting during which the two made amends. After five days of disagreeing about why Francis missed the Rockets' flight to Phoenix, they simply agreed to move on. "It's never going to be over as far as an endpoint," Francis said at Thursday's practice. "He's going to coach the way he wants to coach, and I'm going to play the way I want to play. There's always going to be conflict. "It's not like we're going to be best friends. There are going to be days when he thinks I should have done this better, and there are going to be days when I think he should have done things better. We both understand that." Van Gundy argued with only part of Francis' assessment. "I would agree with that -- not that he'll play the way he wants to play -- but I agree with everything else," Van Gundy said with a smile. Conflicts between head coaches and star players hardly make headlines these days. That's why Francis' one-game suspension didn't cause waves with his teammates. The Rockets (27-21) overcame the distraction Wednesday to snap their four-game losing streak with an 103-89 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. Tonight, they hope to add another victory when they host the Chicago Bulls. "The best player on the team and the coach are going to always have their spats, regardless of what team you're on," Rockets forward Maurice Taylor said. "That's why they are the best player, they can have spats with the head coach." But Francis' problems were more than just a spat with Van Gundy this week. It wound up affecting the team because Francis' suspension caused him to miss Monday's game. During Francis' suspension, the team suffered a 20-point loss to Phoenix, the worst team in the Western Conference. But Cuttino Mobley said Francis cannot be blamed for that defeat, which extended the Rockets' losing streak to their longest of the season. "It's only (distracting) if you're weak-minded," Mobley said. "Steve wasn't the cause of us losing against Phoenix. We could have beat Phoenix without me, without Steve. And nothing against Phoenix, but they are hurting right now. Transition and turnovers killed us. Simple as that. You don't need Steve for that. You don't need me for that. You don't need Yao (Ming), or Mo (Taylor) or whoever." Francis, 26, returned to the team Wednesday and helped lead the Rockets past the Bucks with 23 points, seven assists, five rebounds and two blocked shots. One day later, he was more excited to talk about how he scored the game's 100th point, which meant free Big Macs for the fans, than he was about rehashing his relationship with Van Gundy. "It's out of my mind," he said. "As far as prolonging it, I could care less. I don't have any bad feelings against him. I've still got to play for him, God knows how long. I have no problem with coach at all." Van Gundy said he shared similar sentiments for Francis, and that the one-game suspension was nothing personal. "I don't look at it as a conflict between me and Steve," Van Gundy said. "Because you could have erased his name and put anybody else's name in there and it would have been the same course of action. Steve and I are fine. Like I said, I enjoy him. I'm sure there are things at times that we'll disagree on, just like I'll disagree with any player on." http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2390086
I will not even comment on the crap Francis said "I'll play the way I want to play", but what about this quote... a) What's this "best player" talk about...it's at least arguable that Yao Ming is "the best player"...it should not be argued, though, and Mo Taylor should not make comments on who is the "best player". b) No player should have spats with the head coach. Mo Taylor's logic here is stupid.
This is like the series of events before you break up with your girlfriend. You know, you're too close to the forest to see the trees, but after you guys break up, you look back, and you see that things were on a decline until the inevitable breakup. Steve Francis won't be a Houston Rocket next season. I'm not sure we can get rid of him by the deadline without screwing ourselves. Then again, CD is at the helm. Bye Steve, thanks for memories, and the always present discussion of what could've been.
I'm conflicted... Every coach has his philosophy about what information is allowed to the press and public. While I like knowing more about the inner workings of the team, Steve Francis isn't really equipped to handle the potential conflicts and humiliation that goes along with that. He changed his story about 3 times while JVG just kept sticking it to him. I think the only real story that goes with that is Steve doesn't think straight when he is frustrated and JVG is like a sniper when he sees weakness. Just to make up a reason why this could potentially be good for the team, I would say.... Steve and Steve's ego were probably due a good scorching. It has been happening on the court this season and I have noticed a defensively motivated/childish way of handling it (very much like his confusing illogical explanation of the recent events). That includes little quick guards being able to get into his head during games, Steve throwing those players to the ground out of frustration, Steve committing offensive fouls out of frustration, Steve ranking very high in the league in technical fouls, etc. This public humiliation might go a long way to getting him to shape up a little mentally or risk being burned again in the future. Steve isn't being treated like a child and then expected to handle himself like a man anymore. I've always thought that a person's tolerance for stress has to do with the stress ceiling that they have been forced to deal with. In other words, you can't function with stress until you have been placed under it and allowed to get used to it. Steve has never been forced to deal with it before. There is some quack psychology for you.
D. R. I generally like your posts, so I'll ask you this, as there's something missing to me in all the rationale about how this is JVG's play, how he's using the situation, how his ego is at work here, etc. What's in it for him? I see nothing but downside in this for JVG, and don't understand why anyone would think he would in any way be happy or active in making this happen, or escalating it. In NY he was renowned for being fiercly loyal to his players. His interests are in winning, and this wonlt help that. I just don't see it at all.
This is one of the stupidest statements I've heard. "Always" the best player and the coach have their spats, regardless of what team you're on. How many teams have you been on, Maurice? Even Jim Jackson, who has been on more teams than anybody else couldn't have said that. Even if that's true, does it make it right? This team is full of morons!
The bottom line is that SF lost all credibility being dishonest. JVG must feel betrayed. He is gonna be loyal to a guy like SF.
I agree that I don't think this is JVG's fault. But that doesn't mean that he couldn't have been more behind closed doors in how deals with problems. I think it's more that it's not his style, and not that he's eager to 'expose' players or that there has to be anything in it for him. But that doesn't mean that the way Van Gundy handled it was the best way of managing the players on this team. I think it might be a management style decision rather than him being disloyal or thinking that it could be something in it for him. I think somebody asked JVG a question and he answered it. Whether or not that was the best way to handle it is another question. But if it was the best or not the best way to handle it, is why I think some people are bothered by Jeff Van Gundy. I don't think anyone is accusing of trying to trash somebody, just of not knowing the best way to deal with a situation.
Actually, MO-T should have followed that statement by... "they always get in spats... but you just never hear about it." The bottom line is... they might not know for sure, but they damn well know more than us Clutchfans.net BBS posters. Phil and Michael weren't always Peas and Carrots. Neither were Bird and KC Jones, Magic and Pat, and even Patrick and JVG. One difference b/t those guys and Steve... they were true franchise players when they made their statements.
What it boils down to is that Steve Francis is a liar, a very bad one at that, and he has not realized that everyone except him has noticed.
Can we just put all this to rest for now and try to win some games? It's only going to get worse if they keep talking about it.
Maybe it's taken out of context, or Francis said it in a different way .... but reading that at face value makes me want to ship him out of here yesterday. I mean irregardless of what the coach says, he'll play the way HE wants to play? Ugh. This relationship will have to smooth over very fast or Francis will not survive as a Rocket past August.
I didn't mean to imply that this was premeditated by JVG. When I said that he was like a sniper when he sees weakness, I was refering to his sharp tongue and low BS tolerance. He was miffed at Steve for doing whatever it was he was he did to cause the scheduling problem and as a result had no inhibition about taking it to Steve and making him look as stupid as he really was at that moment. JVG's ego just kicked at a bad time for Steve. All the rest was just me making up a scenario that could actually be beneficial in the long run as a response to Deckard's sarcastic comment. The most devious plot I can think up about JVG actions would be that he has decided to be a serious hardass with Steve in all situations in order to toughen him up in general.
I'm thinking that in all his years coaching, particularly in New York City, he's prbably had to field a tough question or two before. Yet this kind of thing has never happened before, and he came here with his rep as a loyal coah intact. The odds that you can chalk this up to a brain cramp or him not recognizing the right way to do things are pretty slim, IMO. Players are much more prone to ego based mistakes or ignorance for a simple reason; they have two interests on a basketball team; the team's success, and their own. Some prioritize the former, some the latter, and most fall in the middle, with a combination of the two. Coaches have no ability to seperate themselves from the success of the team. A player can be on a losing team, but perform well personally and be rewarded financially, or traded to another team. A team can lose a game, but have a good night which everyone recognizes, by stellar individual play. For a coach, there is no alternative. No one keeps a list of the Top Ten Locker Room Speakers...or Time Out of The Month. They are judged by one standard alone, winning, and as we have seen in Detroit and New Jersey, often that is not even enough. To accept that this is anything but Francis' baby, you have to leap to a whole bunch of conclusions, many of which make no sense, and some of which defy previously known qualities about Van Gundy. To accept that this is Steve being an immature, self-centered player is less of a reach, both as a concept ( selfish immature players are hardly rare) and in particular, as he has, in the past, shown a willingness to put what he sees as proper, or what he wants ahead of the team's desires. What statement did JVG make that people are finding objectionable? You are supposing he should have let Steve spin the situation and been comfortable with being portrayed, both as a coach, and an organization, as the the type to suspend a player for taking care of a family crisis? THAT would have been better for the team!?!?
Tim Duncan is just 1 year older than Steve. Isn't that amazing? This is a guy who has won 2 championships already, and the Rockets are in the same division as he is, and Steve is the guy who is getting paid to lead this team past the Spurs led by Duncan into the end of the decade. I'm being realistic. I don't see any championships.
I don't understand this deep hatred for JVG. I can undertand it when some fans don't like their coach, but I can't figure out why some hate him so without reason.
It is definitely Steve's fault. There is no question about that. But I don't think it's an either or. I think we can blame Steve for what he did and still believe that JVG could have handled it better. This is kind of going on in two threads so I'll copy my other post. Maybe we should pick one thread or another or go to a nuetral thred? Anyway here is how I believe that one can blame Steve for what he did, and then also blame JVG for how he handled what Steve did. I forgot to mention that JVG could have said Steve missed the team flight so he was suspended. It wasn't important why he missed it, the point is that it was unprofessional and Francis showed a disregard for his teammates, and a real lack of leadership. Once there is a problem it is the person in the managerial position(coach) who must find a way to deal with it. That managerial decision is within the realm of others to criticize reasonably, as long as they don't try and remove blame or the fact that Steve initially did something wrong.
Van Gundy has got nice contract. If CD cans him which is a possibility, he gets a big fat check. Rockets can't trade coaches. I don't think that is allowed. Van Gundy will just go back to TNT.
