Judging by the character of a lot (not all) of the posts in this thread, it's probably not hard to imagine an impressionable 21-year old thinking his career's over as well. Eddie's great! Eddie's a loser! Man, lots of Jeckyl and Hydes here. It's a good thing you're typically a lot older before you start raising kids. You suck! You rule! While this reminds me of the Tank McNamara comic where the NFL team psychologist runs out to a player down on the field because of an anxiety attack, I'd wait until if the Rockets decide not to exercise Eddie's option to wail on him/the management to this degree.
cut our losses. trade him for some draft picks. how about a turkgolu or a chris wilcox? if he wants to quit then let him.
maybe we could trade eddie and another rocket like jj,adrian griffen or amechi.what do anybody else think about this?
That is a great idea. I hope a team is willing to take this bait now during a heavy storm; and it is a big fish for us!
Where were those people at? Not on this BBS. I was in chat that night and trying to post in the GARM. The excitement over drafting Eddie was almost universal on this BBS. In Chat all you could see was EDDIEE!!!! typed over and over again as his name was scrolled down. Almost everyone here thought that we had just drafted the next mega superstar. I will admit that I was wrong in my assumption of what he would turn into but no one can deny the excitement that drafting him brought to this bbs.
I can still see that potential. He could be the next Tim Duncan or the next Roy Tarpley. I'm hoping and praying he turns out like the former.
You do not trade players when they have hit an extreme, temporary low. Eddie will serve his suspension and the Rockets should take him back and at least rehabilitate his image. The Rockets need to keep him for this entire last year of his contract and then see what his value is to them and to other teams in the leauge at that time. Eddie Griffen had found a comfort zone with his role with the Rockets. With the exeption of his blocked shots we all disliked the type of game he played. If things had stayed easy for him he might have stayed in that comfort zone for a long time. The stress, pain and the near universal slamming of his game and life, both in Houston and around the leauge may jolt him to a new maturity and a recognition that his approach to basketball was not succsesful. As long as his personal problems are not permanent, he may do some growing and become a better player. By the way, what is the consensus, if there is one, as to what the personal problem is?
From Steven Smith at Philly.com Stephen A. Smith | Griffin too lucky to throw in towel By Stephen A. Smith Inquirer Columnist You could feel the exasperation more than a thousand miles away, which is easier to do when roars and cheers are replaced with silence. Two years removed from being a star at Seton Hall, Eddie Griffin was supposed to be a star in the NBA now, not looking to throw it all away at the tender age of 21. Griffin, the 6-foot-10 product of Roman Catholic High School, was in the news last week. As has been the case with more players than NBA commissioner David Stern would prefer, it was for all the wrong reasons. "Eddie missed a flight to go to Sacramento," Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson said Friday. "Once we got back, he missed the next workout, after talking it over with coach Jeff Van Gundy. Obviously, we couldn't tolerate this. We had to suspend him. That's all we're willing to say." Considering the murmurs, who can blame him? Because Griffin was a first-time offender of the league's drug policy last season after being charged with possession in April, there have been questions about mar1juana use. Back in Philadelphia, even more rumors are swirling. There's the complicated relationship with a girlfriend and the recent birth of their child. There are the hangers-on who are as prevalent as flies in the humid Houston weather. Yet no one knows what specifically is the problem. "All anyone cares about right now is that Eddie is all right so he can play," a Griffin confidant said. "He wants to quit playing basketball. He doesn't want to play anymore. He's just drained by all the responsibilities in his life and he can't take it anymore. Some, you just know he'll get past. There's too much to lose. But that doesn't mean he isn't going through some tough times right now." Considering his basketball credentials over the last two seasons, Griffin has been going through a little more than that. After averaging 17.8 points and 10.8 rebounds his freshman year at Seton Hall, Griffin was the No. 7 pick of the New Jersey Nets in the 2001 NBA draft, then was traded to the Rockets for Richard Jefferson, Jason Collins and Brandon Armstrong. And if he's done a thing worth mentioning since, somebody's hiding the records. In two seasons, he has career averages of 8.7 points and 5.8 rebounds. Averaging nearly 26 minutes per night his rookie year, then 24.5 minutes per night last season, Griffin simply has not lived up to expectations. He's gotten older, bigger and seemingly slower. His jump shot has been off, evidenced by his career 38.3 percent shooting. He has no post-up game worth mentioning. No fluidity to his repertoire. Worse, his work habits have been nothing to be proud of. After telling the Rockets he would be in Philadelphia for workouts this summer, Griffin skipped out on those workouts, then lied about it, infuriating Van Gundy just weeks after he came into the job. It would be easy to dismiss it as an isolated incident. Something that comes with youth, immaturity and pressure. Except it serves as a reminder of Griffin's college days - when he was suspended after a fight with a teammate - and of the troubles of numerous players in the NBA today. The Blazers are still disgusted over Damon Stoudamire's three mar1juana charges in the last 18 months. Glenn Robinson arrived in Philadelphia with a domestic dispute on the books. We've heard too much, already, about Kobe Bryant's sexual assault case. And Griffin's personal issues fall right in line with every concern we have about today's athletes. The pressure is not just the job, but the money that comes with it and the contagious effect it has. More money brings out those who present themselves as friends, when they should be recognized as vultures. Once the realization of it all hits you, it's no wonder the NBA is pursuing a minimum-age rule for players. You can't be alone in a room for five minutes with Stern without hearing his line: "The NBA is the greatest game in the world. Our athletes are committed to excellence, to being the greatest basketball players in the world." Now he's hoping we all recognize as much. "We are all so lucky to be in this game," Rockets GM Dawson said, "and I'm not just talking about the players. Myself. Reporters. All of us. We make a living being involved in a game." He didn't add, "Who'd want to walk away from that?" The answer should be, "No one!" Any soul with sense shouldn't want to shove aside a $2,312,000 salary like Griffin is making, with more guaranteed in the near future, just for the sake of omitting tension and responsibility from his life. Then again, when you're 21, it happens. In Griffin's case, it's happening much more than any of us would prefer. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact columnist Stephen A. Smith at 215-854-5846 or ssmith@phillynews.com.
In light of the Philly article, things get tougher. Cutting him would be very stupid. Let's treat it as a clinical depression. Resign him and put him on the injured reserve. Then we can suspend him without pay if he refuses to actively get treatment. It all has to be done in a friendly and professional manner. None of this. You are: "crap, not responsible, not a man, not grown up, have let your teammates down" etc. stuff. Hopefully this is primarily a identity crisis or mental health issue and not mainly a drug issue. This could be a turning point for Eddie and perhaps the beginning of his real growth as a player. You can talk all you want about family values, Christian charity or the Rockets as a family etc., but now is the time to show it. There is no conflict here. The compassionate thing is also the bottom line thing to do.
Umm. u need to shut up! I said most people I didnt say EVERYBODY!!!!!! If u thought he was stupid then this wasnt talkin bout u!!!! Well I guess your happy since u thougth it was stupid! If u thought he was gonna b a bust then this aint refering to u!!!
I was juss looking at some stuff and there is still a chance that if the trade wouldnt have been made we still wouldnt have RJ! When the Rockets made that trade was BEFORE RJ was picked and NJ told the exactly who to pick! So who knows if the Rockets would have passed him up or not!
this thread has turned into the stock market. when to sell when to buy. its actually really amazing, esp with people at each others throats.
It seems like Van Gundy is truly a high-school coach, and I mean that as a compliment. Van Gundy cares so much for effort and desire, perhaps over talent and skill. Look at how he's complimented some of the bench players. He acknowledges their many mistakes, but adds that their supreme effort makes up for that, further adding that even if you're not talented, if you show unceasing heart and desire, you can accomplish almost as much as the gifted. Case in point: Patrick Ewing. The man had no natural talent--unlike Hakeem--but rose up to be one of the greatest centers ever (one of the 50 best players ever) because he simply tried so hard. He hustled and did the dirty work and never quit. Look at the Knicks teams Van Gundy coached. Ask any ESPN analyst, and they'll say that the Knicks under VG didn't have that much athletic talent, natural skill, ect, but because VG was such a good coach--and stressed sheer determination and heart--they were of the best defensive teams in the league and made the playoffs EVERY SINGLE YEAR under Van Gundy.. Good teams show good teamwork, and good teamwork doesn't come from talent or skill but heart and desire. Look at all the players with non-garaunteed contracts. They're hustling their butts off to stay on the team, and some of them, sadly, have been cut. Now, here comes Eddie Griffen, who HAS the talent, and HAS a decent contract, and then BLOWS it away by not showing up for practice and missing games and not training over the summer and saying that he doesn't want to play basketball anymore. That, my friends, is a slap in the face to all the guys who ARE trying hard and are getting cut, or worse, haven't been able to make it to this level. Even if Eddie Griffen was putting up Kobe Bryant numbers, I, personally, would cut him with that attitude. I'd rather have an average player who busts his butt and gives 200 percent than five Eddie Griffens who miss games and practices and throws out the excuse that he has "too many personal problems" going on right now. The NBA isn't high-school basketball, nor is it college basketball. It's a professional league, and these people are supposed to be professionals. They are adults. They get married and they have kids and they're getting paid so much money that they have to quickly garner a business mentality. Eddie Griffen's lack of desire is costing millions of dollars, and in any company that pays employees as much as the NBA pays their players, he would have been fired. Look at Yao. He had SO MUCH going on outside the court last year, and did he complain? Did he not show up to practice? Did he not show up to games? Did he slack off on the court and rationalized that there was too much going on? No, of course not. He rose up and put in the numbers and made the all-star team and almost got the Rookie of the Year award. I hate to reference the following, but look at Kobe Bryant, who shouldn't even be thinking of playing this is, but is still trying to find a way to attend his court hearings and play in games this season. Look at Karl Malone, who recently lost his mother, and just this past week almost scored a triple double. Look at Ben Wallace, who also lost his mother last year, and still secured the Defensive Player of the Year award. Look at (I can't remember his name) the player from the Grizzlies who lost his 11 month year old daughter and still came back and played hard. Even Eddie Griffen is having that hard of a time, to the point where he doesn't want to play, then he should quit. All that money he's receiving would be better spent on a player who certainly does want to play. Look at Michael Jordan. When his father was killed, he didn't make excuses. He was perfectly honest and said that he didn't want to play basketball anymore--and he did just that. He quit, instead of opting to play with distractions he knew he couldn't handle. As a result, he was able to come back and complete the second half of his legacy. You don't even need to look at the NBA. Look at offices and companies all over the world. Everyday, people have problems and yet they show up for work and do their job and fufill their responsibilities. Why? Because that's life, and that's being a responsible adult. If you're getting paid to do something, then do it. If you can't do what you're paid to do, then take a leave of absence. Eddie isn't the only one with problems, and he may indeed have "grown up" problems going on, but he's not handling them as an adult. He's not playing for a prep-squad, or varsity basketball team. He's playing for a business, and the business has every right to trade him if they feel their millions of dollars could be better spent on someone else. Eddie's contract extension is coming up this month. If the ROckets decide to extend his contract (which would be during his suspension), then what kind of message are they sending Eddie Griffen and to the team. That it's okay to skip practices and games, and the worst you'll get is a measly slap on the wrist? Regardless of whether he'll actualize his potential or not, the Rockets have done their part. At this point, whatever effort and money they put into maturing Eddie on the court and off will cost the rest of their team, deprive them of team morale, and undermine the authority of the coach. Let another team deal with it. If Eddie goes on to become an All-Star, so be it, but at this point, he's not even THAT central of a player to debate such a possibility. If this was Steve Francis or Yao, then I could see why the Rockets wouldn't want to let him go despite the no-shows and lack of heart. But he's a role player. Role players are expendable, and role players are tradeable. And right now, he's not filling in his role, so it doesn't take too much logic to figure that he IS a liability, an expensive one. Do we want another Kwarme Brown who says, "It's because of this" or "It's because of that" when people ask him why he isn't producing? We said this last year about Eddie, that he was going to get better. We said this the year before. We're saying it now, and I would have less of a problem saying it if Eddie was busting his butt to become a better player. The Rockets have been extremely generous with his lack of progress, and for Eddie to skip practices and games is an insult to that generosity, and to the other new players that have been acquired. Eric Piatkowski, for instance, was a starter for the Clippers, and gave that up to add depth to the Rockets' bench. Jim Jackson left the Kings, a title contender, to be with the Rockets (well, he didn't volunatarily leave, but he still is with the Rockets instead of them and not whining incessantly about it). Adrian Griffen left Dallas, another great great team, to be with the Rockets. Players and coaches have been fired and replaced for the Rockets to be even better this season, in order for change to ensue--and if Eddie Griffen still insists on moping around like a vicitmized adolescent, then let him go. Everyone else has done the work, and made the sacrifices, to hop on the train and get to the playoffs. If he doesn't want to join them, then let's not make him. Let's just let him go, and get someone who does. No one makes people stay in the NBA. Eddie isn't in prison or the army. If he wants to stay just so he can keep his million dollar salary, then he isn't a player. He's someone who wants the pay and lifestyle of the NBA without putting in the sufficient and necessary work to be an NBA player. Yes, RIchard Jefferson looks better with Jason Kidd, but he probably would have looked good with the likes of Francis and Yao by his side, perhaps even better. But that's besides the point. Richard Jefferson TRIES hard. He TRIES hard. What he lacks in Jordan-esque skill, he makes up for with ferocity and heart--and that's why he's putting up the numbers he is today. If Eddie Griffen was on the NEts, do you think he would have complimented Jason Kidd the way Jefferson has? I don't think so. Eddie Griffen isn't a child, and the ROckets aren't his parents. THE ROCKETS ARE NOT HIS PARENTS. They are his boss and they've done more than enough to let him grow and he isn't growing. The Rockets are about to be a play-off team, and in the long run, a title contender. Let a player like Eddie Griffen go to the Clippers or the Wizards, if he wants to get paid millions of dollars to have babies and not show up to practices and games and say that he really doesn't want to play basketball anymore.
You can't really hate the guy is he has mental problems. I mean, if he really does, I hope we can get him some help. I would hate to give up on him just because he feels overwhelmed.
Yes it sucks because Eddie is MIA and because the presumed reason is that he's overwhelmed with life, pressure to perform, increasing responsibiliy at work and home, etc, but for anyone to say that his recent reaction to all of the above merits immediate dismissal and the team should cut it's losses now not only shows a lack of basketball smarts, but also, a complete lack of sensitivity and compassion for anyone human aside from your own pathetic, hypocritical lives. Eddie is clearly in pain and is "acting out" to get the attention he clearly needs for help in getting past this amazingly difficult transition. Of all the things the league does not do when a player comes in, is teach them how to deal emotionally with the expectations, criticism, etc. Eddie needs one or two REAL friends and/or mentors that he will allow to help him. If he gets that, all will eventually be well!! Peace!!
what good does it do to keep a player around who has made it clear he does not want to be around. You do not give a player an extension who has quit on you and the team, to a player who does not want to play, to a player who does not like the game. I don't care what the circumstances are. You just don't do it. End of story.
