Nothing really new...just suprised that no one has posted this yet. This is the audio; I hope it works. http://www.nba.com/preview2001/tomjanovich_call_011017.html?nav=ArticleList#top Here's the transcript: Rudy Tomjanovich, Houston Rockets Tomjanovich Oct. 17, 2001 | Audio Tomjanovich opening statement: Hi, everybody. There are some changes on our team. The big change, especially for me, it's the first time since I've been here that in my opening remarks to the team that Hakeem Olajuwon wasn't there. I knew that one day that would happen, I was just hoping that it wouldn't happen this year. But I do understand the situation and he has moved on to Toronto where he feels that he has a chance to get to the Finals, and I wish him nothing but the best. But we have had a very productive offseason. We have acquired Eddie Griffin and Terence Morris in the draft. Also, we've made a trade to bring Glen Rice to the Rockets, and he's a guy that I have felt for a long time, really fits the way that our team plays, even back in the old days where we were more of a post-up team because of his shooting ability, now also with our penetrators. And then we also picked up a foreign player by the name of Oscar Torres, who was just really great in the exhibition season. We had him in the summer and he just displayed great athletic ability, great shooting range. He seems to be one of the foreign players that can play defense, and has had some good defensive games already in the preseason. So, I do have a younger team but a team I feel is moving in the right direction, and I feel really excited about the upcoming season. Q: Have you seen Hakeem in a Raptors uniform yet? How strange do you think it will be? Tomjanovich: I have not seen him in another uniform and that will be another really big adjustment. We, in the last couple years, there have been several times where he wasn't with us so, him not being in the lineup at times, sort of got used to that. But not having him on this team, like I said, was really a strange feeling for me and I talked to the assistant coaches and they all felt the same way. Q: With Michael Jordan returning, what's the implication, short term, for the younger players who are making a name for themselves? Tomjanovich: I don't see how that changes. There are different franchises all over the country and every area has their favorite guys and their players on the way up. And Michael could be the guy who has done the most for this league, and there's been a lot of contributors. What a tremendous champion in his play and in his courage as a champion. I'm one of those guys who believes that just because one guy gets something, it doesn't take something away from the other guy. There's plenty of room for good players and I'm one of those guys who doesn't think the league is broke, like you do hear some of these negative comments. I think we've got some tremendous young players. Guys like Kobe [Bryant], [Kevin] Garnett, [Tracy] McGrady, Steve Francis, [Vince] Carter, these guys are really something special. I think our league is the best sport - of course I'm prejudiced. I just think there's a lot of entertainment. Q: Do you think the league needed Michael back? Tomjanovich: I think Michael wanted to come back, he's such a competitor. It's just a positive thing, I think it's just great and what he's done already in the preseason is almost legendary. Q: How do you intend to take advantage of the new guidelines? Tomjanovich: What I've seen so far, is that, the guidelines, if someone is not playing a -- and I wouldn't even call it a zone, I would just say playing any defense -- the guidelines are easier to enforce by the officials. Less is missed as far as guys hugging the lane, but it makes people play a stricter man-to-man defense. So, I think a lot of people thought it was going to be a lot looser, but I feel it's stricter. But defenses do have the option of placing themselves anywhere on the floor to double-team away from the ball and things like that. We've seen a little bit of that. Mostly, what we've seen in exhibition has been when they see one of our good players maybe getting into an isolation play, a shifting, but they don't double-team, they run a guy across the floor and he sort of plays -- sort of zones up our player. It's different than it was before for us as far as how we break it, but we still have wound up getting pretty good shots out of it, so I haven't seen where these things have changed the way that we play drastically. Q: What's your take on the Grizzlies with a revamped lineup and a 3-0 record in the preseason? Tomjanovich: I have not seen them but I have seen the scores and they've been scoring a lot of points. So, I can't make an accurate comment on them but something's happening there. You know, something's really happening there. I'm looking forward to seeing them on tape.
Thanks Kim! Some things I picked up on this conference: - The Rockets didn't "run" Hakeem out of Houston, or push him out running and screaming. Hakeem wanted a few extra dollars and to be on a title contender. The Rockets wanted to free up space and get picks to help the young team. Both parties benefited and there doesn't seem to be any hard feelings. - Oscar Torres will be a Rocket come the start of the season and will play a key role off the bench Now things I think Rudy T. was secretly thinking: - I'm spouting the NBA propaganda to get them off my back. To tell you the truth I'm sick of Michael Jordan, and I wish the NBA would stop covering him 24 hours a day! We have you circled on our calendar "Your Highness"! We had your number when you were in your prime! Try not to breakdown before we get to you! *snicker*! - Try and pull a zone on us and we'll rip it to shreds - I don't know a lot about the Grizzlies, but who gives a crap you know? It's the preseason! We know what happens when the bright lights shine down! I'm looking forward to looking at tapes of them so we can cut through them like a hot knife through butter.
Beware the Grizzles. They're young. They should be an uptmepo team that can score before the new defenses get set. They can shoot. Dickerson and Battier are deadley from long range. Gasol I've heard has a good stroke as well, but I'll believe it when i see it. They're unpredictable since no one has seen them play in regular season. Gasol, Williams, Swift, Battier are all X-Factors that could go off this year in the NBA. Hey with the new rules even the grizzles can fly!!! ....it'll probably be two years before they make the playoffs, though. But in two years....you might consider to begin to think about possible fearing the Grizzles.
