[Chron] "I feel good," McGrady said. "It's good to be pain-free."

I was talking to my uncle and swimming 3 hours a week has helped his chronic back problems, couldn't stand before doing his swimming regimen.

 

Yeah, me too. I went to MU but was a Jayhawk fan since I lived closer to KU and they had a legit program. I've been following them since before the Larry Brown days. I thought Gooden would be a lot better pro then he has turned out to be so far. I don't ever remember anything about him having problems fitting in with his teammates or being a headcase at KU. Of course, Swift looked like a world beater in college too with his post up game.

Still, I would take Gooden or Noah over either Howard or Swift. To me, Howard is just a terrible fit next to Yao. He is the most unathletic PF playing in the league. And Swift seems to lack drive. I don't see the attitude from Swift that he really needs to be successful.

And that's the big difference I see with Noah that will help him to be successful. He's got the physical tools, although they need development. But more than that he's got the attitude and work ethic that it takes to be successful at the pro level.

I think Howard is so bad, I'd take Noah right now and plug him in with Yao and suffer through all the mistakes and inexperience. Because I have to suffer everytime I see Howard on the floor with Yao and we go -10 because Howard cannot stop anybody.

I haven't checked in a while but Gooden has been near the top of the rebounding charts for most of the season. He does seem to be an above average rebounder. If he could stay out of foul trouble, he'd be a lot better.

 

As far as Gooden is concerned, he has been moved because he has a low bball IQ

 

Gooden did have issues with his teammates and banged head with Roy Williams for about 1 1/2 seasons at KU. He thought that he was good enough to start (ahead of Chenowith/Collison) his frosh year. Anyway, Yao needs a polished PF next to him and win right now. When Noah develops into a decent force in the league (if lucky in 4-5 years), Yao and Mac would be over their peaks.

I live in East coast now and haven't been back to Lawrence for 10 years. Maybe one day I will.

 

I didn't know that. But he was good enough to start. The Gooden-Collison linup was better than the Chenowith-Collison lineup. It's the low BBall IQ thing that I never heard about that concerns me. How hard mentally is it to get up and down the floor, play your man, help your teammates as much as possible, and when the shot goes in the air, box out and board? I mean it's not football. If you aren't the first 3 options on offense, then really what is your job? Space the floor, go to the rim when your man leaves you, and hit the glass. On defense? Guard your man, help, communicate, board.

 

Doesn't Gooden have some issue mentally, like he couldn't concentrate for a long period, some kind of mental condition? That's what I heard.

 

May be he's feeling 'pain-free' because of how drugged up he is

Seriously though, the future of this franchise is entirely dependent on McGrady's health status, because if he isn't near 100% and is durable during the season/playoff runs we plan on making, not even a God-like Yao will be able to get us over the hump by himself and a bunch of below-average cast of role players.

 

Hopefully his personal life is as heathly as he is physically. They both require as much concern as the other.

 

Good to hear the news... but still it is not wise to field T-Mac given our playoff hopes are gone...

Hopefully he does not pull another of these stunts in the next season or else I'll go

 

Um... CBS sucks SEC dick very hard. So don't listen to their announcers. Before you forget, those announcers are the same ones (Jim Nantz and Billy Packer) who bashed the committee on national TV for including too many mid-majors; look what happened (GMU to Final Four).

The play that didn't get replayed much is when this one guy on UCLA (Aboja?) totally posterized Noah off an inbounds pass. Of course since CBS sucks SEC dick they won't show it again, but I can imagine that happening a lot in the NBA. He needs to bulk up to have a chance.

 

That was the best play last night. That kid was riding Noah the way that TMac rode Bradley last year in the playoffs against Dallas. Unfortunately, it was Noah that was embarassed in front of national TV and they did not dare to replay that even once.

Any other dunks by Florida players were shown 3-4 times in all possible angles in replays.

 

heres another one

 

Not to take this thread down a different line but Joakim Noah is overrated.

That kid is not a good player - at least worthy of a first round pick now.

The only thing he does well is block shots. I really do not know why so many are so much in love with him. I am sure this discourse will continue as the days roll by. If I am Joakim, I will stay in school for at least one more year and improve my game much further.

 

Because it's a she?

 

yea he is overrated.. but Tmac will be back. Carter has back spasm too, but hes ok now. NOT everyone that has back spasm ends their career.. geez ppl. if farmar decides to go to the nba, i say we draft him (VG will like him for sure, cuz of his D) he can shoot and handle the ball well.

 

Nowadays, even the assurances from doctors don't mean much. Look how many times Grant Hill was cleared to play and then what happened next. I hope I will be happily eating crow but I remain suspicious on these PR statements.

Did people forget TMac was still nursing his knee(s) when the pre-season started? If indeed as he said that he was in the best shape in his career (something to that effect), why in the world he wasn't able to have the bum knee cured in the offseason?

 

you may be right.

--------
We are not going to move tmac - so our best bet is to get him healthy and hope it stays that way. With Morey on board, I hope we can pick up "cheap" good parts to compliment Yao and Tracy. Someone like Josh Childress will be nice in a trade.

We have a trade exception we could use (Phoenix used theirs to land James formerly of the Pacers).

We also have a little financial flexibilty under the luxury tax threshold. With a little luck in the draft and some managerial gymnastics + good health we could turn this around very very quickly.

 

Noah reminds me of a Marcus Camby type player, the two differences I noticed is that he can put the ball on the floor and Camby was a BEAST at Umass.

 

Everybody is overrated going into the draft except for Lebron, Yao, Bird, Magic, Zeke, and a few others.

 

I am glad to see this news. I do hope it's true though. Back problem is quite difficult to get it settled permanently