Am I the only one who thinks this shot of EGO in the arm of Cuttino (Player of the week honors) is going to make him jack up more ill-advised shots....possibly costing us a ball game or two???? Just a thought ------------------ "Chucky who?" Charles Barkley
You shoudnt of said that Drew, your in for big arguments. ------------------ "Break off the block like Maurice Green" --- Steve Francis President of the Moochie Norris fan club.
Im just curious...not trying to cause a fuss or anything....but Cuttino is always brimming with confidence which can be good and bad. This is not a bash Cuttino thread by any means.
Just a thought... ridiculous. Cuttino gets one of the most sought after awards in the league, and rather than congratulate him some of you guys still try and find a negative from it? I sure didn't hear this when Steve won the award before... Truly a sad day when Francis wins player of the week everyone absolutely loves the guy and congratulates him, but when Cuttino wins, people still try and find a way to find the potential negatives of the guy because of getting a great award. ------------------ "We're not settling for just getting in the playoffs." "We want a higher seed. There's no doubt. We expect to get in."-- Steve Francis President of the Mo Taylor and Jason Collier fan club! Draftsource.net ClutchTown.com [This message has been edited by The Cat (edited March 20, 2001).]
I agree . .. . folx are REALLY STRETCHING for criticism and pessimism Rocket River ------------------
Might want to ask some other fans about #1. Francis is considered by a good deal of people as one of the cockiest players in the league. He has the 2nd most T's as well. Some respond when we say that that a ton of those T's are from slapping the backboard, hanging on the rim, etc. That, unfortunately, is a form of cockiness. 2. Many are dead wrong as well. We've been through this a million times. See almost any thread in the last week, but esp. the one started by Smeg. Cuttino is running the plays the way Rudy wants him to run them, and he is doing a damn good job. Let me rephrase #2 for you-- many have bashed Cuttino for years and their egos cannot take the hit of acknowledging to everyone that Cuttino has become a great player. So they use the age old complaint with Cuttino, which simply at this point is not true. ------------------ "We're not settling for just getting in the playoffs." "We want a higher seed. There's no doubt. We expect to get in."-- Steve Francis President of the Mo Taylor and Jason Collier fan club! Draftsource.net ClutchTown.com
I completely agree with The Cat. I don't care if you or anybody else thinks Cat is cocky, he has helped the Rockets to victory in those three games and landed them even closer in the playoff race than before and deserves the award without the criticism and besides when you put up those types of numbers you can be as cocky as you want, I would like to see you get in the NBA and keep a modest composure with those stats. ------------------ Arkansas' Biggest Rocket Fan!
I have to disagree here. Having fun playing basketball is not a sign of cockiness. Granted, sometimes it is at the expense of the team (technical), but I don't think he does it because he thinks he is better than the team, or above getting technicals. I think Steve does it in the heat of the moment when he is having fun and really gets into the game. I have no problem with this, unless the technical loses the game for us (which I haven't seen happen yet). But I can't see how getting into the game and getting pumped up can be construed as cockiness. ------------------ "Any event, once it has occurred, can be made to appear inevitable by a competent historian." Lee Simonson
I think the EGO will translate to confidence for Cuttino. Not bad shots. He will continue to play the way he always has. I am so glad to see him get this honor. He deservers it. I think it can only be good for him and the team. He is a special player and is showing it. Congrats Cat. ------------------ "Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen" -Hudson
Cat- I totally agree with all your points in this thread. Too many fans of the Rockets are bigger fans of Franchise than the team (no offense Drewdog or others). Alot of these guys would be so happy if Stevie averaged a triple double and we didn't make the playoffs, just so they could talk about the greatness of Stevie and how noone else can play. Stevie is the PG but for the time being Cat is the go to guy. Most of the time if there is one shot to be taken it is Cat taking the shot, not the beloved Stevie. Take it any way you want but Cat is getting better each year. He is going to end up being a really good NBA player. But just like Stevie they both need to learn to play D more consistently.
I agree with you CAT. I think he is a very special player with loads of talent. Cuttino has the potential to be on of the NBA elite. But to me personally I think he comes off a little cocky. Hell I dont know maybe that helps him stay focused on the game. Im from the old school and used to the good guys who keep there ego's in tact IMO like Hakeem, Clyde, Mario....just classy positive guys (for the most part). I have never and will never question Cuttino's ability to play.
Raven, I can see that side of the story. Good point. But let me ask something else-- would a person with no confidence or little confidence being doing something like that? For example, lets say Dan Langhi gets into the game and throws down a monster dunk. Would you expect him to be slapping the backboard? I sure wouldn't. Why? He doesn't have the confidence in his game to go around doing things like that. While Steve is having some fun out there, he is in a way doing it because he has confidence, etc. in his game. Is confidence cockiness? That's for you to decide. But since this is Drew's thread, and he said that it was, then for the sake of argument I'm saying it is right now. ------------------ "We're not settling for just getting in the playoffs." "We want a higher seed. There's no doubt. We expect to get in."-- Steve Francis President of the Mo Taylor and Jason Collier fan club! Draftsource.net ClutchTown.com
First off Drewdog, everyone loves Francis because he dunks. Secondly, am I the only one getting tired of seeing Francis with that stupid shoulder-thrown-back strut of his walking out to the court with the clenched jaw. Such histrionics...I want to slap him. Thirdly, Francis skips down the court like Walter Payton. What's up with that. I still love Francis, given all his immature histrionics. He seems well coached on speaking to the press, like in Bull Durham. Understand, Cuttino does not have Stern, an agent and endorsors to pamper him, and groom him. Francis is trying to become a PG/SG hybrid; that's why I love him. But he is far from playing under control like a team-oriented PG would. Still, that's fine. He is trying to do difficult things. I have no problem with that. But, get off this Francis is perfect thing, and humble, and sugar and spice everything nice schtick. He is a show-off trying to learn how to play winning ball, plan an simple. Cuttino has a chip on his shoulder, for sure. Cuttino's track record of being disrepected by the media and his peers, to me, has a lot to do with Cuttino's self congratulations. None of that matters, because he is still going to fight for the team just as Rudy asks. He is becoming a good team defensive player, certainly better than Francis. He has been disrespected all his life, from the playgrounds (I've been told) to the 2nd Round Pick. But, when is the last time you've heard an NBA player say Mobley thinks too much of his skills on the court, one-on-one? I haven't read it. Cuttino certainly is not overestimating his potential. The guy has always, his whole life, been right about his skills when others said no. He is right again; he is an All-Star in the making...most definitely. He won this week award because he does what Rudy says, and does it better than Rudy or any of us ever expected. He won this award because he is a stud top 10 one-on-one player (just like Rudy and Doc Rivers said) who is learning to see the court better. Francis can't play one-on-one like Cuttino, so he has learned to see the court better than Cat. But from what I've seen, Cuttino is seeing more and more of the court. Damn, he's going to be good ... he just needs more repetitions like Rudy has always believed. Rudy is the first person to give Cuttino freedom. That doesn't mean he won't tell him to improve, and learn more options. One thing at a time. You can't drive like Cuttino that FAST, and score in the NBA above the rim with 101 different layups, and learn to see the rest of the court, immediately. It takes many reps, and pretty much, pure reflex. Much like how Dream shook all around and couldn't see his teammates until he got more reps in a structured offense. He is not selfish; I feel he is being groomed by Rudy. When I see him on the court looking at Rudy talk to him, he looks a lot more humble than Francis. Cuttino is awesome because he is rising out of sheer hardwork and determination in the face of disrespect. If you know what it is like to be disrespected on a new court, when you know you are the better player, it is easy to see why he dribbles in guys faces like he does. If you love basketball, learn to love cockiness. Big time sports stars use cockiness airs to gain advantages. Doesn't mean they are like Gary Payton or Jason Kidd off the court. Cuttino is fine in my book.
What did I say. ------------------ "Break off the block like Maurice Green" --- Steve Francis President of the Moochie Norris fan club.
WOW....excellent insight hey p......... I had no idea he has been disrespected his entire life. I guess he has a thing or two to prove to the world and as you said, he has overcome a ton of adversity to be where he is now. I guess it must be hard as hell to get dissed your whole life knowing that you are more talented then someone else, and not getting the recognition you deserve. Everyone has been there at one time or another.
What I've heard from people who played in Philadelphia is that there is a pecking order on what Summer leagues you can play in. One story told on talk radio is one old man has a league where all the best play. The old man liked Cuttino and invited him to play. However, hardly anyone felt he deserved it, and dogged him all the time about being the undeserving favored son. He also didn't get named in the (what) top 200 high school players. Didn't get invited to any big-time games. And then the second round dis! Yet, Rudy read his potential immediately...amazing. And why is it the coaches love him like the old man...like another old man--Lenny Wilkens. Because he is selfish?! Think about growing up like that vs Francis always having screaming crowds around him, because he was gifted with Hall of Fame hops. I don't view Cuttino's histrionics as ego. I view it as a chip on his shoulder. I certainly have no problem whatsoever with his in-yo-face dribbling. Francis's histrionics to me are pure showing off and ego.
Clutch--I hope there isn't any doubt now about the types of posts I was mocking in the "player of the week" thread. ------------------ "There's a lot of things you can say about playing with Dream, but I get to say, `I played with the Dream.' That speaks for itself." --Walt Williams "****!" --Kenny Thomas
