I am just dumbfounded at how Steve Francis has just about called it a career. The guy has been wiped off the NBA map. I love Steve and if it were up to me he would be the best PG in the league, but I've never seen anyone who was so good an promising fall from grace so fast. I mean guys like Iverson and Cassell are still contributing to their teams, and it seems as if theyve been in the league two times longer than Steve. Personally I think he has some kind of Chronic injury which will never allow him to play basketball at the NBA level again, or maybe he just lost the love of the game when he got traded from a place he loved so dearly. I know there are hundreds of things that could have caused Steve to regress, but I guess none of us will ever really know. p.s. Im still pulling for you Steve....
Steve's game relies on athletisism too much. When he's healthy and young, his ability to get a shot off, get to the FT line and reboud makes him an impact player regardless. Once he's injured or old, he starts to lose those ability but he doesn't have the basketball IQ to make up for it. He didn't work hard enough to change his style when he was young, now it looks like he wants to change, but just not able to.
Im sorry he was just my favorite Rocket ever. The last player I saw with as much emotion as Stevie was Sam I Am, and I loved that. Anyway Its just sad how things have panned out this season so far. We are #10 in the West, Steve cant get outta the trainers room, T-Mac is being T-Mac, all the FA aquisitions look like crap.. and the list goes on. It would be a pipe dream to imagine Steve coming back as a contributer and a peice that takes us deep into the playoffs. but hey anything could happen.... I mean look at the NY Giants!!!! THeyre in the *****ing SuperBowl.
No not at all. Its just funny how Stevie just dissapeared. I wish he would come back and tear it up like he used to.
I love Francis, but he's pretty much kaput. Huge payout=complacency. Being 'not wanted' and traded several times hurt his ego. I think it's all in his head and that he could really make it happen if he wanted to. Essentially he's burnt out and has no reason to play. I've used this analogy before, but he's like that fat girl with the pretty face. You know that if she put in the work, she would be smoking, but that's no reason to marry her. Just move along.
What happened? the breakup happened. Check his numbers before and after the split with Cuttino. I predict Stevie turning things around once they reunite (you know it's going to happen).
Yea he got just as far as T-Mac and Yao have.. Steve put the team on his shoulders night in and night out for us on a consistant basis. He had absolutley no help what so ever, unless you think that Mo-Taylor and Kelvin Cato were an elite front court. Did all of you forget the excitement he brought you. Remember that season where Steve had the plantar facsitis or whatever its called. Im not sure exactly how many games we lost in a row, but I do know it was in the teens. When was the last time that one player went down and a team suffered so much?? So dont try and downplay what Steve meant to this team. Give Steve an experienced Yao and I bet we beat that Laker team who knocked us off to eventually win the Title that year.
to the op - many like sf3, but favorite rocket EVER? you're the 1st i've ever heard of. fans can be sooooooo different. from the get go, i've never liked his game and always thought he's overrated (think baron davis, the same class) and overpaid. it's not like only sf3 has a passion for the game. many (like cato and co.) get paid and then laid down or even disappeared. but a huge payout is never the reason you lose drive. reference - veteran michael finley.
i've had this. it really sucks. however, Tim Duncan had it too and its treatable. The reason why Steve was so good was of Rudy T. Rudy knew his strengths and weaknesses so he focused on his strengths. That's why there was so many ISO plays. That whole team that almost made to the playoffs, looking back.. really sucked talent wise. Steve, Cutino, Anderson, Mo Taylor, Kato? and we almost made the playoffs??!! Post Rudy T, Steve, Mo Taylor, kato and Anderson were exposed. Only Cutino was the one with the best talent and skill to adjust to a new team/coach. Compare that to Cassell/Horry leaving the Rockets. Their skill level never diminished post Rudy T. People who watched Cassell in the early years knew of his talent despite his splitting time with Kenny. I was alarmed that Steve couldn't beat out Jamer Nelson, Nate Robinson, Marbury, and just being waived by Portland (Jared Jack, Steve Blake). So I was cautious about his return bringing in dividends.
Well I loved Hakeem and Drexler and Barkley, and Cassell, and Horry, and Kenny the Jet, and Super Mario, and even Pete *****in Chillcutt haha. But I dont think I was ever as excited about getting a player than I was that day we got Stevie. Getting Yao was great, but no one really knew what we had. T-Mac was exciting and I must admit I was happy we got him, but its just kinda been like ho hum with him since. Anyway I knew what we were getting with Steve. Excitement and and enthusiasm we haddent had since the glory days in the mid 90's. Steve was stuck with a Rockets team that was going through its "dark ages". Funny how it seems like were still in the dark ages, atleast in basketball sense.
We may have not lost 15 in a row, but im pretty sure before this season, we were only about 11-42 or something without tmac. And thats still having Yao ming playing most of it. So i think its safe to say tmac meant a lot to this team. Im also pretty sure that when francis was hurt, that team was worthless. When tmac goes down and you have a team that should still be able to win more than 11 games, but they dont, I think that proves tmac meant more.
that's cool. you're entitled to it. i was just saying fans can be so different. one thing you may not like to hear, though. in my mind, steve was part of the reason why we had that dark age (that, plus the sucky drafts); he's not talented enough like chris paul or baron davis his classmate to carry a team on his shoulders. i still clearly remember these dark years as i almost quit on the team.
