That Barkley was a fat, lazy b*stard that played with all heart because he left everything else scattered across the myriad "gentlemen's clubs" in our fair city?
Oh Chuck.. a friend of Clutch fans http://www.clutchfans.net/feature.cfm?FeatureID=30 Clutch: Hey Charles, can I ask you a few questions? Barkley: Sure, man. Clutch: I write for a website called Clutch City Online and a lot of fans asked about the new rules. I know it's being casually referred to as the "Barkley Rule", but we wanted to know how you think this is going to affect your game and the Rockets game this season, being that the Rockets always do a lot of post up. Barkley: I don't think it will affect me at all to be honest with you. I think it will give me an advantage because I know exactly how quick I have to make my move.... and it only counts if you're dribbling the ball, so if you're facing up it doesn't matter so I don't think it affects me at all. Clutch: Who do you think is the "Team to Beat" in the West this year? Barkley: There is a lot of good teams. I don't think there are any great, great teams. San Antonio is very good. I think the Lakers obviously are going to be better. I like our chances after that. Clutch: We have a lot of Rocket fans here in Austin and I know many wanted to know what you think of Austin so far. Barkley: (excited) Oh it's nice man, I had never been here before. I'm having a great time. I am. I was excited to see the city and it's been... Clutch: Hit Sixth Street? Barkley: Yeah, I went to Sixth Street last night. It's an interesting street. You can get in some trouble down there. (laughter). Clutch: Great. I saw some of practice yesterday and you looked great yesterday. I appreciate you taking the time... Barkley: No problem man. It may be cliched to say good things about a superstar, but talking to Barkley then was fantastic. At first I said, "What I wanted to ask you was... " then forgot for just a second and had to look down at my sheet of paper. I was thinking a player like Charles would shoo me off but he was very cool and easy to talk to ... like Anderson he really made me feel at ease talking to him. That has to be rare in a global superstar like Charles Barkley.
It's funny that the most popular answer had no chance of happening. It isn't possible to do worse than the Yao/Mac combo did.
Huh? My take on this is that TMac was much better than Francis/Cat at the time of the trade, and by the time TMac was irrelevant both Francis and Cat were irrelevant as well. All 3 players had bad career endings, along with Yao. I'm a fan of all four, I just don't think things would have been much different.
True enough. Maybe if we had Cat/Steve/Yao we would have ended up assembling a more balanced team as opposed to throwing Yao and Mac out with gaping holes. Maybe we would be second round bound.
The most popular answer here is "Rockets would be worse than Tmac/Yao era". It's not possible to be worse than never winning a playoff series.
Cat was pretty productive for his career, the problem was that they found out he had that heart defect and he had to retire.
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they already proved they can make the playoffs. How can it be worse than Tmac era? Yao was in his second year in the Francis/Mobley era and was slowly taken over. I think they could have gotten out of the first round.
And you hit the nail on the head. IMO the MeMac era was not fun to watch. Steve, Cat and Yao were always exciting and they no doubt left it all on the table. Watching Tracy and JVG's coaching style rally made it hard to swallow. I was hoping they could make some noise but ultimately they did nothing but a winning streak. Steve, Cat and a prime Yao(not a 1st or 2nd year rookie Yao), would have made the playoffs and had some success way before the Roxs team that had Tracy on the bench and Yao hobbled pushing the Lakers.
The team that lost to the Lakers in the 1st round would have WHOMPED the teams that followed Rocket River
Looking at this thread though, it seems like people would now rather Steve/Cat due to the issues with T-Mac at the end of his Rockets tenure. I just want to know who those Rockets would have beat...serious question. Those teams couldn't beat Dallas and San Antonio or even the top seeded Suns. Instead of 4-3s vs. those teams, it would have been some 4-0s or 4-1s.
Honestly, even if we were more balanced with Cat, Mobley, and Yao we would have had ****ty role players. Maybe we get out of the first round sooner, but we still wouldn't be a championship team. Now if it was Cat, Mobley, and Morey....That would be different.
I always wondered this... but I will say... Rockets were a lot more fun to watch with Yao/Francis/Mobley - and if you're not winning, you want to be entertained. Francis, for all his faults, was so talented and full of heart. He's a player that I think deserved more than his eventual NBA outcome. Tmac may have deserved more, but that was based on raw talent and not due to him out of any real aggression or desire we ever saw truly manifest. In his own way he may have been "emotional," but not in any way society sees easily. Yao and Steve were like brothers, same between Cat and Steve. I think this team would've advanced faster and maybe further, but wouldnt have won a championship. To be honest tho... who knows what role players couldve been picked up in a year or two? Tmac/Yao couldve worked if we hadnt shelled so much out for Tmac and then had years plagued with various start and role-player injury. It couldnt have been worse... and if I could do it over I probably would. We wouldnt have the Lakers series or the 22-game win streak, but hell thats over the last 7 years!!! We also wouldnt have had to deal with the up-2-0 Mavs flop and 2 Utah series losses. I bet Francis and Mobley wouldnt have flamed out, and Tmac wouldve gone onto somewhere else where maybe he had better health luck. Francis was too emotional, probably took it all so hard that his trade made him lose focus on the rest of his career. All in all it was a sad time for Houston with some really nice bright spots. cmon, at least we're not the Clippers or Minnesota or something lol. I know the Twolves made a western conference final, but wtvr, thats 1 great year out of forever. Utah has been good forever and cant win a championship. Dallas its 2nd chance in what...a 12-yr 50+ win season and may still blow their championship opportunity? Portland? Injury struggles. Sactown? blah, no one cares for the last 5-6 years. GSW? Bright time was being good enough to be 8th seed and upset the Mavs. PHX? the home of a multiple-time MVP and not even close to a ring to show for it. Seattle got their beloved Sonics ripped from them and no amount of positive or negative can change the fact that that SUCKED!!! As much as I wish we could maybe take back the trade... and as much as I think we've had awful luck and deserve better... only the Lakers and Spurs can be very happy with the last decade in the West. the Rockets either couldnt make it work, or fate wouldnt allow them to, but we pretty much had as good a time as anyone else.
Good god, people around here will be giving Tracy McGrady sainthood in 6 years..... Steve and Cat were occasionally fun to watch. Most of the time is was frustrating because they basically played not smart. The Tmac trade was great for us. I despise that b*stard now, but the first year of Tmac was more valuable than the whole Rocket marriage between Wink and Cat. Steve Francis was the most excellent example I have ever seen of a guy that is a great athlete but not the skill set to off set athletic decline.
