I really don't get all the Ewing hatred. I personally don't care about what he does/did outside of basketball. The guy was one of the great centers in NBA history. He's a top 50 all-time player. I mean, really, the homerism on this board is a little silly at times. Hakeem is by far my favorite player of all time, but that doesn't mean that Robinson and Ewing and O'Neal weren't/aren't great, too! Do some of you actually watch games other than the ones the Rockets were involved in? Ewing played hard, played hurt- as a player, he did everything he could for the Knicks. And Van Gundy gave him a job here- so what? It's not like he hired some no-talent ex-player like Chuck Nevitt! I mean, really, Ewing the enemy? If VG had the chance to hire Malone or Stockton, I'd give him the thumbs up, as well. Sure, I'd rather have it be Olajuwon or Moses Malone, but that doesn't mean those guys (S&M) sucked. Maybe I'm in the minority, but there were great players who didn't happen to wear a Rockets uniform. And Ewing was one of them. So was Hakeem and David Robinson and Karla and the other top 50 players. If anything, Barkley had to have been the most hated non-Rocket for all the crap he used to spout off- and then pushing Hakeem at the end of Game 7 in 1994 - and look how the city embraced him! If we can pull for CB, we can support anybody!!!!!!!
Whats Ewing taking credit for?? Doesnt sound like he is taking credit for anything. He is talking about teaching Yao the things that it will take for him to become a great center. Isn't that what he is here for?? I mean, he is an assistant coach after all. Give the guy a break.
First you say he is talentless and then you bring up how is one of the top 50 all time. What is it? Also, I lived in New York for 12 years and for a long time the Knicks were my second favorite team. (A big distance between my favorite team of all time the Rockets and 2nd)I rooted for Knicks over the Spurs in San Antonio so don't talk to me about watching other games. My problem isn't with the Knicks my problem is with the lack of character in Ewing and I will again say I have personally experienced it. He is an arrogant and characterless man and I would be much happier with David Robinson someone else.
He doesn't deserve a break. He needs to just shutup and coach. He is not the head coach. His just a retired center that got a job with the Rockets to coach the big man. When there were much better choices out there. Larry Smith was a better big men coach. If he could just shutup and coach he would be more tolerable.
Old Man Rock, Why doesn't he deserve a break??? So he should just refuse interviews and never say a word when asked a question???
"He needs to just shutup and coach?" Ok.... He's saying the same thing that a lot of BBS posters have wanted from Yao since last year. The difference is that, that advice is going directly to Yao's ear.
Why hate on Ewing? He was a very good center for a long time, very good, not great. Neither he nor anybody else has claimed otherwise. He may not be a genius but I have never found him to be that stupid. I mean, jesus, have you ever heard Moses Malone interviewed? That didn't diminish my opinion of him as a player at all. How do you know sh-t about his coaching ability? He's been at it for all of a year, so how do you know he's any better or worse then Larry Smith? Its his character? Well, if I was getting free sidedishes along with my lapdances, I would gladly take them and shut the hell up.
Guys, I think Old Man Rock has a valid point. If you read Chinese, you can look at this interview with Yao. Yao basically indicated that it was VG who coached him one-on-one, not Ewing. http://sports.sina.com.cn/s/2003-10-30/050085816s.shtml
I guess it'd be pointless to mention the nice job Ewing has done with Cato so far. Van Gundy and Ewing are Rockets. The Rox are my team. No farther explanation needed.
i disliked ewing as a knick and a rocket's opponent, but he seems to be on the job as an assistant here. gotta like that. i really don't understand what the problem is with what he said. isn't he right on the money?
As a rockets fan, I am pleased that the organization DID hire a qualified big man, Ewing, to coach Yao and others. About better big man teachers than Ewing, I feel the issue is irrelevent as the other "teachers" are unwilling, unable, unavailable or unqualified to help the Rockets NOW. As to hiring former "enemies" (competitors is the more appropriate term), that is the American way and is done all the time in business. A a thriving profession, namely management recruiters or headhunters, exists to do just that. Hiring away stars from your competition to better your organization is often good business !
Nowhere did I say he was talentless. "Outside of basketball" means that I don't care if he doesn't sign autographs or acts sullen or has "no character." All I was saying (and BTW, the comment about watching other games wasn't directed at you- so don't take offense to something that wasn't necessarily meant for you) is that the "homerism" that goes on within this board, with posters saying things like Ewing was a lousy player or that Karl Malone is highly overrated, is downright silly. Oh, and I lived in Brooklyn for 15 years, but I haven't rooted for the Knicks since 1984, the year before they got Ewing. If you know something about Ewing that makes him a "characterless" man, fine. That's your prerogative and you have every right to it. But my point stands. For someone to say that Ewing sucks is ludicrous, IMHO. Outside of basketball, well, I don't keep up with those types of things, so I have no basis to judge.
This just reminded me.... Anybody else remember the time mugsy bogues blocked ewing?.... think it was a playoff game actually. i loved mugsy, but if you're a big man being blocked by mugsy then something ain't right.
well couldn't find the exact game, but yes it was ewing... http://www.yaleherald.com/archive/xxii/10.4.96/sports/stoelting.html
Ewing comes from the best school for developing big men. Georgetown. And you guys think he has nothing to offer. Please. He's the best person to offer advice. He has access to Mutombo, Mourning, and John Thompson. And he has had access to them for about 20 years now. He's clearly the best big man coach around.
This is untrue. Didn't Bill Russell and Kareem BOTH volunteer to help teach Yao over the offseason? I can't remember if it was those two guys, but I remember distinctly at least two legendary centers offered up their services. And if it was Kareem, then you can't claim he is unable, because the guy runs a big man camp every year, so we know he can teach. Many a PF/C in the NBA has given much credit to Kareem's camp for improvements in their game.
JVG and Ewing couldn't beat us so they just joined us. They will get their rings playing Houston after all!
