I don't understand why people keep thinking Scola has mailed it in? I haven't seen anything different from him this year that would suggest that he's not giving it his all per his usual effort.
I do not think he is mailing it in, but I also don't think he is playing as hard as he has in the past. Now it could be his knee, but he was playing very hard for Argentina in the summer so it leads me to suspect it is more about his snub by the franchise. Scola is the passion assassin, and right now, he is playing without that passion. DD
If Kevin McHale wants to know what "it" is, I can help with the answer: "It" is the presence of Chuck Hayes and the absence of Jordan Hill on the Court. The Rockets looked just as bad as they did in some of the losses this year at times last season. Same group of guys-- but horrible results. Specifically, the times in which they looked this bad were when Chuck Hayes got hurt and Adelman stuck Jordan Hill in the starting lineup and any other time in which Jordan Hill was on the court. Maybe Jordan Hill is more focused now, but it generally has not translated into significantly better results. The "effort level" will pick up and "it" will be found in abundance once Jordan Hill is replaced by a competent interior player.
This is a really dangerous trend developing for the Rockets...or if you are a tanker a great trend. When the coach is in the media blaming the players for lack of performance, then you can be sure that behind closed doors things are bad....and very likely to get worse, much worse. McHale has not impressed as a coach and blaming the players publically may not be the best way for a coach to get his team ready to play....and most games this season so far, the Rockets have not been ready to play.
It's hard to show passion when your teammates are dragging ass. It's like being the only one at a party with a drink.
Good point. It's not like Chuck was ever as valuable to the Rockets as he was with Rick. People used to think he was a terrible offensive player until he was in Rick's system. Well apparently we don't run that system anymore, and neither do other teams (except Minny I'm assuming). So who's to say he would have the same impact on this year's Rocket team or King's team as he had last year?
personality management is so overlooked in professional sports... Now, the TEXANS have a perfect mesh of personalities...working so well in synergy. I wonder if that was by design or it just happened to come into being that way. The Rockets should hire me for some persona consulting :grin:
Would "It" be enough in the McHale era, in your opinion? He talks a good game, but does he coach one? I know we're not too far into the season, so things change, but what's your feeling so far?
LOL ... Paul Silas on his Bobcats' performance tonight: [rquoter] "It's just one of those nights. Even layups. We had shots right at the hoop but we couldn't convert. I can't fault them, I mean, they played as well as they could play. We just didn't have it. They were sitting here waiting for us to come in (from New York). We played a tough game Monday night (at the Knicks), and then to come back tonight and have to play, that's rough. It's rough." [/rquoter] That's precisely the opposite mindset McHale is trying to instill in our guys, and I'm glad. We need some of that JVG tough mindedness back in our lockerroom.
Well Carl, bad night to try your theory about the "it", but don't worry, you can try another crack at it soon enough, as even I was about to throw the towel as a supporter of Hill, and I admit there's a good chance it could happen in the near future. You can tell the "it" that's been eluding McHale is the will to make things happen, and tonight it was conspicuous by it's absence during that 4th qtr stretch when a rookie had to solve the problem for our starters. From different perspective, we get good insight by Bobcats' coach Paul Silas, he points on the subject: "I thought we were tired and couldn't really do anything, couldn't execute, couldn't run, couldn't defend," Bobcats coach Paul Silas said. "It's just one of those nights. Even layups. We had shots right at the hoop but we couldn't convert. I can't fault them, I mean, they played as well as they could play. We just didn't have it. They were sitting here waiting for us to come in (from New York). We played a tough game Monday night (at the Knicks), and then to come back tonight and have to play, that's rough. It's rough."
You beat me by a long mile with the quote. Agree that the mindset is better but can't help but think that if we had that same 4th quarter against a better team, the it word would cross McHale's mind trying to scramble for an explanation, it was brutal, we were lucky we got these cats tonight.
the thing i love most about mchale is just his knowledge of the game, sometimes it looks like he has so much in his mind and so much knowledge that it takes hime a while to put it in words... our guys can really learn alot from him if they choose to listen
I like how mchale keeps repeating how basketball is a simple game I also like when he talks about setting harder screens being tougher and more physical bcuz that's wat our players need 2 hear and I think alot of the players have a problem with it cough Martin bud and maybe Scola cough cough
