http://chicagosports.chicagotribune...y?coll=cs-basketball-print&ctrack=2&cset=true OUT LOUD: Jeff Van Gundy February 9, 2005 Steve Rosenbloom finds the little Rockets coach has big expectations. Every game I feel pressure to win. Absolutely. I think in the West, probably 13 or 14 teams think they're a sure lock for the playoffs, as do their fans. Probably 10 of those teams think they're a sure lock for home-court advantage. And then reality will strike because of the depth of the West. There's going to be a lot of disappointment in the Western Conference this year. I just hope it's not in Houston. Good defense will dictate who gets shots more than the offense will. When you're around him (Rockets center Yao Ming) you see as much pride as any NBA player, minus the bravado. You just won't see him be as demonstrative, but that doesn't mean he has any less pride in his work or responsibility to his team. There's a difference between emotion and bravado. Emotion is great. Bravado is over the top at times, but that is our NBA sometimes. Nobody cares what I think. They just want me to have a good team. I think Yao understands where he's at, what he needs to improve on. He doesn't want to shy away from responsibility, and I think he understands that he and Tracy (Rockets guard Tracy McGrady) have to have unique seasons for us to have a year that we're happy with. You guys always made me out to look haggard instead of I look (bad) all the time. You haven't seen me in the summer. In the summer I look like we've just lost seven in a row. But that's just me. My bags under my eyes, I was born that way. If you're ugly, you're ugly. What are you going to do? I do regret some of the byplay I had in there (when Van Gundy coached the Knicks and called former Bulls coach Phil Jackson "Big Chief Triangle."). As I look back on it -- and I have -- about his Zen religious beliefs, it was clearly uncalled for. It might've been a good line, but in the end I think it showed my immaturity and I'm trying to learn from that. We could never find a solution when Jordan was there. We had a chance up 2-0 the one year. Jordan goes 3-for-18 in Game 3 coming off the Atlantic City debacle, but we weren't ready. We got blown out by 20 even with him 3-for-18. Then next game he drops 54, I believe, so it's 2-2. Then we lose a heartbreaker at home and another close one in Chicago. I worked for Rick Pitino and Stu Jackson and John McLeod, Don Nelson and Pat Riley. Can't hit the lottery better than that from a coaching standpoint because they all have different ways. People don't want to take the time to get to know someone. They just rely on other people's reports. They see some fool running on the court and tackling Mourning. I know I looked foolish. You think I'm oblivious? I looked like a clown. The best thing about fatherhood is being there on a daily basis and seeing them grow. And the worst thing about the job is not being able to be there every day and seeing them grow. We did have a bet about Jodie Foster in my freshman class (at Yale University) about who could get the first date. We all threw $100 in. One of the other guys asked her to a hockey game and she went. I had my chances earlier. I was walking back from the gym. There's this big freshman quadrangle. You go through this big gate. There's a candy store and popcorn. I stopped as I'm going by, and a voice behind me says, `Boy that popcorn smells good.' I turned around to say, `Yeah, it sure does,' and it was her. And I froze. And I ran away. Twelve-hundred bucks I could've used. That was a choke. Copyright © 2005, The Chicago Tribune
When he is cracking jokes he is at his best. I really am starting to get used to him. I love the way he sticks up for Yao and Tracy. Really as I think back when he has publically dissed a player he was stating the obvious. He's pretty honest in his opinions.
I know it's probably not the most popular thing to say here but I really think that JVG is a classy guy. Maybe he's not the best coach for the Rockets (in no way I could possibly judge that) and I can understand how many people don't like his seemingly stubborn/pessimistic/ negative (or whatever you want to call it) demeanor and his tough-guy NYC attitude. But I really believe he's an extremely hard worker who gives everything to improve our team. BTW, I happened to meet JVG last August at L.A. Airport. I was about to fly home to Europe (Vienna via Paris) and had some time before take-off so I went into some duty-free shops and that's where I met him (the name of the shop was "I love (symbolized by a heart) L.A.". I asked him if my Dad could take a photo and told him that I was a Rockets fan for many years. He was really cool and seemed very down-to-earth. He asked where I am from (since it was obvious that I am not from the US) and how old I was. After my Dad took the photo I wished him good luck for the upcoming season and we shook hands (then he headed towards the toilets ). Since most of you won't believe me without that photo I would be grateful if I could e-mail the photo to someone who can post it for me (I don't know how to post it). (The quality of the photo is not very good though. My father, who took the photo, somehow messed it up a little bit) Thanks in advance!
oh man that jodie foster thing had me rolling. JVG has grown on me he may or may not be the right coach in the future for the rockets but he is sure a damn good coach and thats what this team needs.
