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[Charlotte Observer] McGrady's moves haven't given him wins

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by askball, Dec 18, 2004.

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  1. askball

    askball Member

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    http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/sports/10446040.htm?1c

    Tracy McGrady had three objectives last spring: He wanted out of the Orlando Magic ... to a better team ... where he could count on playoff appearances.

    At least he got out of Orlando.

    McGrady arrives at the Charlotte Coliseum tonight with a new team, the Houston Rockets. These Rockets have two likely All-Star starters (McGrady and Yao Ming) and a high-profile coach (Jeff Van Gundy). They also have an 11-12 record after Friday night's home victory against the Golden State Warriors. That record, extrapolated over 82 games, would be 39-43, which guarantees no playoffs in the fierce Western Conference.

    Meanwhile, the Magic is 13-9 with rejuvenated Grant Hill, refreshed Steve Francis and the bright future of rookie Dwight Howard. If this isn't a classic "be careful what you wish for" scenario, I can't imagine what is.

    McGrady isn't a bad guy; he's candid, funny and entertaining. But he's afflicted with wanderlust. First he didn't want to play sidekick to Vince Carter in Toronto. Then he refused to bet his future on Hill's recovery from a chronic ankle injury, and forced the trade to Houston. And now ... well, now he's trying to figure out how to collaborate with Yao.

    For all the acclaim McGrady gets, he has not played on a team that has won a playoff series. I wonder if it's occurred to him that a maximum contract means maximum accountability, not maximum leverage.

    He's hardly unique in that regard. Carter and Baron Davis both tried to force trades from the teams that made them Powerball millionaires. Carter finally succeeded Friday.

    This is not an NBA-specific phenomenon. Pedro Martinez ditched the world-champion Boston Red Sox for money he'll never spend with the New York Mets. Terrell Owens set a new standard for prima donna acts in his move from San Francisco to Philadelphia.

    "In my opinion, there is no loyalty to teams," said Charlotte Bobcats coach/general manager Bernie Bickerstaff, acknowledging teams can be just as ruthless.

    Bickerstaff said teams should stop quivering whenever their stars become disenchanted. Don't let that player drag you down, but also don't jump at any trade just to rid yourself of the guy.

    "It's a two-way street. You don't have to move that player," Bickerstaff said. "I think if you've got to make one of those moves, that move has to make you a better team."

    And if no such option exists?

    "Then I think you just have to live with each other. That's where professionalism comes in. You (tell the player), `Do your job, because you're picking up a check twice a month.' "

    Bickerstaff is old-school. He said the term "superstar" is vastly overused. He prefers "difference-maker" and said there are barely 10 of those in the history of the NBA.

    "When you pay superstar money, you've got to win. That's the bottom line -- is this guy making a difference?" Bickerstaff said.

    I like Bickerstaff's moxie; he understands the difference between entertainment value and the bottom line, and that line is smeared too often in the NBA.

    "They're gifted, they're talented, but the objective here is to win," Bickerstaff said. "When an agent comes to you and says, `This guy is the best at this,' (ask) `The best at what?'

    "Just because you're the best there, if you're not good at creating wins, that doesn't work."
     
    #1 askball, Dec 18, 2004
  2. seclusion

    seclusion rip chadwick

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    what a stupid article.
     
    #2 seclusion, Dec 18, 2004
  3. drpepper

    drpepper Member

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    totally pointless, don't quit your night job at Walmart.
     
    #3 drpepper, Dec 18, 2004
  4. askball

    askball Member

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    dr. pepper, im actually a student at vanderbilt from houston so as of now i'm not plannin on workin at walmart, and i'll try not to post "pointless" threads. by the way, what kind of job do you have that makes workin at walmart seem so bad
     
    #4 askball, Dec 18, 2004
  5. Stack24

    Stack24 Contributing Member

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    They have to come up with articles before the game to talk crap about the Rockets don't they? that's all they are doing here....CRAP I TELL YOU lol
     
    #5 Stack24, Dec 18, 2004
  6. Plowman

    Plowman Contributing Member
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    Thats's insane.
    The Rockets play in the West.
    We need time to develop chemistry.
    We have two guys - Yao,who should develop into a top 10 all time center at least.TMac,who along w/Kobe are the best in the game at what they do.
    There should be time for tweaking of the roster (defensive power forward to start with)
    Van Gundy
    Longterm we are SET.
    Even so,we'll see what he has to say when we surge at the end of the year.
     
    #6 Plowman, Dec 18, 2004
  7. seclusion

    seclusion rip chadwick

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    he wasn't talking about you, he was talking about the writer of the article, dude :D
     
    #7 seclusion, Dec 18, 2004
  8. lancet

    lancet Contributing Member

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    The intelligience/prefesionism level of this article is right there in the same level as those from Chad Ford or the Magic writers. Houston is never going to win a championship with Francis. T-Mac is never going to win a championship in Orlando. It was a win-win situation for both teams.

    Wonder that they will write when Bobcats have a superstar and demands a trade? Wait, it probably won't happen for another decade. You got to have a superstar in the first place for that to happen.
     
    #8 lancet, Dec 18, 2004
  9. Man

    Man Contributing Member

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    Dumba$$
     
    #9 Man, Dec 18, 2004
  10. Davidoff

    Davidoff Contributing Member

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    Ok I know I'm a ROX fan, but this artical is really bad:eek:
     
    #10 Davidoff, Dec 18, 2004
  11. Dave2000

    Dave2000 Contributing Member

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    Ha, maybe he did write the article.... :)

    Naw, i agree its stupid and the TO comparison and loyalty to your team? Umm, he WAS A FREE AGENT!!! :rolleyes:
     
    #11 Dave2000, Dec 18, 2004
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2004
  12. blazer_ben

    blazer_ben Rookie

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    If i was J VG, i'll make Tracy Read this Vicious Article Over an over again, before Tonights game. if that dosent Fire him up i Frankly dont Know what will!!
     
    #12 blazer_ben, Dec 18, 2004
  13. BRANMAn

    BRANMAn Member

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    what makes the article so bad?
    The rockets ARE in the position that he is talking about.
    Instead of just calling the article stupid and insulting the writer, why not qualify the problems you have with it?
     
    #13 BRANMAn, Dec 18, 2004
  14. Freik

    Freik Contributing Member

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    They are just making a personal slam against T-Mac. Not to worry, T-Mac wont let it have any ill effects against him, if anything he will turn it around and prove them wrong. Keep an eye out for the article tomorrow after Houston wins.
     
    #14 Freik, Dec 18, 2004
  15. Stack24

    Stack24 Contributing Member

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    I think the main problem is calling the comparison of the Rockets and Orlando.

    They are saying how they are all rejuvinated etc and the Rockets are down right now.

    It's kind of hard to compare 2 teams that are in divisions that are like night and day. Orlando has a lot easier conference and can pull of those wins.

    Lets not forget to mention that Grant Hill is a BIG reason that they winning now. When T-Mac and Grant were both healthy the team did well.

    Im not taking anything way from Steve and them over there but, Grant is the difference maker on that team.

    If we stuck our Rockets team in the East right now we would easily have a better record than we have right now.
     
    #15 Stack24, Dec 18, 2004
  16. xelloss12

    xelloss12 Contributing Member

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    This is one of the stupidest observations, ever. We are 5-1 through the last 6 games, and extrapolating that over the rest of the season would give us a 61-21 record. See how easy it is to manipulate math to make it support your point?
     
    #16 xelloss12, Dec 18, 2004
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2004
  17. KeepKenny

    KeepKenny Contributing Member

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    Definately. After we run off a couple straight wins (2 of them from charlotte) and get 3 or 4 games above .500, we could extrapolate to give a record of 48-50 wins. Which would be a top seed in their crappy conference.
     
    #17 KeepKenny, Dec 18, 2004
  18. MR. MEOWGI

    MR. MEOWGI Contributing Member

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    #18 MR. MEOWGI, Dec 18, 2004
  19. MFW2310

    MFW2310 Contributing Member

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    TMac won 19 games last year. He won more than half of that in a quarter the time when his team played badly. So yeah, I guess the guy isn't too good at math.
     
    #19 MFW2310, Dec 18, 2004
  20. GATER

    GATER Contributing Member

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    Among the first things I thought of..I read the "be careful what you wish for" and Bickerstaff's digs and I thought of another cliche..."let sleeping dogs lie"... ;) :D
     
    #20 GATER, Dec 18, 2004
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