But, if you know anything about pgab, you'll understand the undertone of his post are to undermine any positive news or feelings toward Tmac (due to the demise of Francis). His post have a "sour grapes" tone. Grumble, grumble... And Pole's post need to repeated...
I am quite familiar with pgab and his feelings on Francis and TMac. I think most people who jump on him do so with a strawman understanding of what he's thinking and saying. I've seen him explain it over and over to have it just fall on deaf ears. As soon as anyone sees pgabriel in the sidebar, they think 'sour grapes' and look to see how they can complain about how he hates T-Mac. I'll let him try to explain it again himself, since I don't want to speak for him. For myself, I can agree with his point in this thread. Many go nuts over every comment by McGrady. That's ok, but the communal consciousness of the board could be setting itself up for a fall when the honeymoon is over. We were every bit as enthusiastic with Francis' first season. Look at the board now: with a handfull of exceptions, the BBS has turned against him. The same can happen with McGrady. And especially when we start with unrealistically high expectations. So, I'd like to see people make an effort to be a little more grounded and a little more reasonable. Optimism is good; but this isn't about optimism. It's just about reasonableness. Is what McGrady says about training camp an indicator about the season to come? Only a little bit. That's all. I know we're all starving for news, especially McGrady news, but don't take what scraps we're fed all out of proportion.
I think Pgab is just a pragmatic poster. He just went to far in this thread...no big deal. He is a respected member of this community. DD
DaDa, I think you got it wrong. It is quite simple. You see, Pgab is a SOF (yeah I know, haven't heard that term in a long time). Now, I don't throw that term loosely, but every post Pgab posts are either: 1) Saying Yao is not the leader (from last season, when most of us where leaning at least half of the way over the fence) 2) JVG is a lousy coach and Rudy was betrayed (interestingly, JVG had problems with Steve whereas Rudy let him run around) 3) TMac is trash (and that Steve will have something to prove in Orlando, is it a coincidence that TMac was the guy they traded Steve for) 4) Rockets will fail (because of 1, 2 and 3 and that Steve is gone) I think if you read his posts you would agree. PS. I thought there was a 5th type but I can't remember off the top of my head. Get back to you on that one.
This statement sums it up! We are starving for news. Especially those (ME) that do not live in Houston. That being said, we are happy to hear good news (comments and interviews) from our new guard. This is regardless if pgab likes it or not. You have to look at in perspective. If it wasnt pgab, then maybe we'd be more reasonable.
This is the only thing in this thread that I thought was indicative of pgab's McGrady/Francis grinding ax. He thinks it much more likely that Tracy is lying to the media in order to get a day off than that JVG is ACTUALLY teaching a young, previously not-defensive minded player a thing or two (or 10) about playing defense. Sure, I don't know if TMac is just paying lip service or if he is sincere. But by the same token, pgabriel doesn't know if McGrady is paying lip service or lying in order to serve his own selfish purposes. But he chooses to believe that the latter is the more likely possibility. There's your out-in-the-open bias right there. That sort of thing pisses people off.
Bingo. Any player traded to a new team will say these things. When a star player involved in one of the biggest trades of the year says these things, people report it and fans want to hear – therefore it is newsworthy. The veracity of these statements are yet unknown. However, based on the evidence we have (I have outlined them), there is a higher likelihood that his feelings are sincere and he will be successful. If you go with the argument that these words are meaningless because he has played 0 games, you can say that about any new player or player in a new environment, or before a big game. If Carlos Beltran says he’s ready for the playoffs, does the fact he has never played in a playoff game or that the playoffs have not yet begun make his statements irrelevant, not newsworthy or phony?
If in-towners are hungry for news because Texans and Astros, then us out-of-towners are STARVING for info, news, and anything related to Rockets, good or bad. I mean slobbing McGrady nut sack isn't necessary, but I think this was news and warranted a thread. Now if someone started a thread without a source or anything and says, "McGrady is a freaking God, and I love him", then that's nut riding. On a side note, I think my wife is trying to suprise me with tickets when the Rockets come to town in December and January, SWEET!
The fact that mutombo (4 time defensive player of the year) also stated the same sentiments as mcgrady tells you that they are learning alot from van gundy. Does it translate into wins? The answer is no. It takes time for a team who hasn't played together time to gel. To hear comments from your star player brings excitement for what to expect of the season to come. I for one love seeing a player make positive comments about a coach and hearing everyone buy into the system. That means they are trying hard to play the right way versus trying to be resistant versus change and improvement. It might be just words but it is better than certain players not buying into the system at the begginning. cough cough francis mobley cough cough. The fact that they were against van gundy at the begginning last year made me feel less excited about last season.
I'm not so sure "100% defense" (which is another quote from McGrady about what training camp has been like so far) is "the right way." I would prefer to hear a bit more about how they are working on meshing Yao and TM's offense. That's just me though...
You didn’t give evidence you gave an opinion son. I gave evidence. Just because riet thinks something doesn’t make it evidence. I gave evidence with Barkley. I can site more examples of how its all talk till the season starts. Remember Dominique Wilkins. I can remember in the late eighties when the media got down on him for not being a leader and not doing the little things to get his team to the next level. I remember him specifically coming into the 87-88 season claiming he had changed his ways, that he listened, that he was going to be different. But the fact is Dominique Wilkins never got his team out of the second round of the playoffs. You see that’s evidence of a theory. Not I think, therefore it must be.
I gave you the evidence of why he's motivated and you agreed with them. He wants to prove people wrong, he wants to win, and he has more talent surrounding him than while at Orlando thus reducing the probability he'll quit on the team. Your statements are incongruent and contradictory. He has something to prove but that doesn't make him motivated ???? Whatever happened with Charles Barkley has absolutely ZERO relationship with how TMac feels or wants to accomplish other than people say things they don't always mean. If that's your argument, you just stretched the boundaries of commons sense.
Hate to be condescending, son, but your evidence is r****ded. Reason being, they're not evidence at all. Saying Barkley or Pippen or Wilkins said this said that and didn't live up to their words have no bearing on Tmac. In fact, I can give you a list of people who DID do what they said in training camp. What would that prove? Nothing. Because Tmac isn't Barkley, or Wilkins, or whoever i name. But the point is, ofcourse its all talk until the season starts. But that doesn't mean he is lying or that he is being phony. What do you want him to do now? All he CAN do is talk, the freakin season hasn't started. There is nothing that indicates Tmac, or Howard or Deke are lying or being phony, therefore, i am inclined to believe what they say. Does that translate into wins? Absolutely not. But do I like hearing about our players buying into the system and learning from their coach? You betcha ass I do. Son.
Defense is where we need t-mac to mind to be. If he can commit to defense then our perimeter defense and interior defense will shut down everything. Offensively, T-mac can score at will and judging from his assist number on a terrible team, he can get his teammates involved also. I am not at all worried about our offense to tell you the truth. Once t-mac gets accustomed to giving the ball to yao, one of many things can happen. 1)yao scores on single coverage everytime 2)yao dishes out of double team to jj for a three at a 40% clip 3) yao dishes to juwan or motay for a sweet mid range jumper 4) dish it to t-mac for a jumper 5) dish it to a slashing t-mac for an easy layup/dunk. Either yao demands a double team which will leave an open man easily converting to 2) through 5) or they double on t-mac which will lead to yao dominating down low or t-mac hitting an open man. This year is totally different from last year since francis could not hit an open jumper therefore his defender can collapse down low. The opposing teams will not have the luxury of sagging down low this year except for maimi and spurs who can play man on man with yao.
