he was very real Said Cato should pay back half the money cause he was not half the player the rockets signed him for. . . . Paul called him a JOKE!!! hehehehehehehehe after that I bet they screened the calls more KEEP IT REAL!! Rocket River ------------------
Dayum! What was Cato's response? ------------------ The season's almost over...and I still really need that keg of Pepto-Bismol.
Cato was asking him Why he a joke? The guy was saying that Cato was a 'Decent' defensive player and needs to work on offense. . . . Cato had mentioned that earlier . . . and was trying to say it over again . . . Cato said he was like a 80/20 guys 80 percent of the time he is intense and ready to play 20 % his head is not in the game [he says it's because of injuries] He says this summer he gonna VACA in may in atlanta then come back and work on his game with the youngstas the rockets bring in. yeah . . . .right. . . Rocket River ------------------
Who is this Paul and where do I go to get his autograph? ------------------ Hey now, Hey now, don't Dream it's over...
I listened to the interview and I have to admit that sometimes Cato sounded very delusional. He was talking about how opposing players fear coming in on him. I almost drove off the road when he was talking about the fear he instills in the opposing guards when they drive past franchise. Another thing though, he did get my respect for actually doing the show. I mean he knows EVERYONE in Houston is bashing him, yet he comes on a radio show and sits in studio to take questions from the ppl that have bashed him all season. That takes ba...guts. ------------------ Mmmm ... open-faced club sand wedge. [This message has been edited by Band Geek Mobster (edited March 28, 2001).]
Stone Cold Hakeem, My name is Paul, and I'll be happy to send along an autograph..oh wait...THAT Paul... ------------------ "It's finger ling ling good!" - Homer Simpson's opinion of Kentucky Fried Panda
Actually I don't think it took that many guts . . . beyond paul no one with much negativity got through The hosts were bending over backwards to try not to offend or talk bad about him . . . . Trust me . .. . if cato did a chat with ClutchCity . . . his feelings would be SEVERELY hurt and that would take BALLS, GUTS and a little humility. I really got the feeling that Cato's Ego is a little out of touch with reality Rocket River ------------------
quote: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Originally posted by Rocket River: Cato said he was like a 80/20 guys 80 percent of the time he is intense and ready to play 20 % his head is not in the game [he says it's because of injuries] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Its true. Cato is a 80/20 guy. Only its 80% that he is sleepwalking and 20% marginally trying. ------------------ "Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen" -Hudson
I know I may be flamed for saying this but I beleive there is still hope for a useful and effective Cato. I guess I wasn't aware that he didn't play any ball in HS. Therefore it makes sense that he doesn't have that effective of an offense. I think it's big of him to recognize his current limitations. I also liked the attitude he had on the show towards his teammates. He seems to have loads of respect for Steve and Cuttinos abilities. Sure he cracked on them but he was only dogging. The big problem with everyone is the fact that we expect him to give us more of what we saw in that preseason game. And also the fact that his contract came shortly after that performance. I doubt very seriously that the Rockets staff overreacted because of that one game. That's not how they work. They must truely beleive that he is on the right path to becomming a better center. Keep in mind that not even Hakeem could consistantly have double-digit blocks every game. We also perceive him as being lazy and one who does not try. Can we really come to this decision just based on watching TV? I'd like to hear CD talk about what progress he has made and if he is on the right track. We don't need him to score on his own. We need him to block, rebound and accept point-blank assists for monster dunks. The guy can run. He seems to know the plays and where to be and when. He seems to be a good fit for Steve and Cuttino and co. I guess the question i am asking is: Is he making progress? Because if we trade him and in 2 or 3 years he becomes a major defensive force in this league I will be pissed. I know your fingers are gripping that trigger on your flamethrowers right now. Just drop 'em for a sec and humor me with your true thoughts and feelings about the guy. Have you lost all hope? Do you think he can be a force in a year or two? If he performs well in the last 4 years of his contract then wasn't it all worth it? Surely some of you have some decent things to say about Kelvin. I'm sure he's reading (why else would he go on live radio to try and address some of his accusers) and would appreciate something nice from the Rockets fans. I got yer back Kelvin. Just keep working and don't make me look too foolish! [This message has been edited by SpaceCity (edited March 29, 2001).]
Cato seems like a sensitive guy, one with alot of highs and lows. If he plays intense and smart, I think he could be a top 10 center in this league. But, he has a tendency to mope and pout. I think he is a genuine nice guy though. ------------------ "norm, would you like to buy an indian scalp ? This deal isn't gonna make or break me Norm, so don't jerk me around." Harry Carey "Norm, if I had a mohawk scalp, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you."
I think the reason he's playing w/o intensity is b/c he's afraid of getting hurt again. I mean dude's been hurt twice almost consecutively with maybe a game or 2 in between each injury. That has to be very frustrating to work alot during the summer only to go down in game 1 and then go down again right after recovering from your first injury. I think that explains why he looks so lazy on the court. ------------------ If the 3 pointer was banned by the nba, No amount of money would make him stay. Air Bullard, Air Buuuuuulllll, Air Buuuullll Can't stop Bull.
Marion recently took a hard fall, and could have broken his neck or worse, but he never came out gun shy! I understand being a bit timid for a few minutes or even a game, but come on. If you can't take the heat....... ------------------ There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Cato does have a history of injuries. Not sure if Marion has or not. (hopefully that cut on his knee will have an effect on his performance tonight) Cato also explained that when Hakeem went down he had to play a lot more minutes while he was still injured. ------------------
Cato is a lazy piece-o-crap. His own teammates are tired of his BS (see: Mo). His hands are worse than Jim Petersen's. All you have to do is watch him -- whether on TV or at the game, both are brutally honest media -- play defense for a few minutes. Have you EVER seen Hakeem just stand at one side of the lane and watch a guy just lay one in a couple of feet away? No. That basket is his and he's not letting anyone get a freebie. Cato tries to play D once every 4 or 5 games, like in the 4th quarter and OT against the Pacers. That is unacceptable. ------------------
The main problem I have with Cato's game is that his one on one position defense is not very good, and he still has a lot of problems catching passes around the basket. Two areas I have seen improvement in are his ability to stay on the ground more and not get as easily faked out and a slow development of a decent mid range shot. I have noticed that his perimeter shot (evidenced by his free throws) has developed more arc and rotation and has become a softer shot. I hope he can develop into a better position defender and become a more consistent rebounder. ------------------ Check out the Best Source for Draft Info Draftsource.net
I thought Cato sounded pretty realistic about what the team should expect from him (i.e. someone who plays hard on defense, gets some blocks and pulls down some rebounds - not a big scorer). Unfortunately, he did seem a bit off in his perception on how well he fulfills that role currently. He really thinks that he's an intimidator in the lane and that no one can score any easy buckets on him. What was really funny, and I was like "No, he didn't . . .", was when he was asked what the biggest offseason need of the Rockets was. Most people seem to think the team needs a good frontcourt player or three, but Kelvin thinks the only ingredient missing on the Rockets is another guard. He wants an experienced guard, "like Mario Elie", to come in and calm down the young guards when they get too highlight-happy. He said they won't listen to the big men. Now, that's really not all that bad an idea, as Steve and Cuttino could certainly use a little more discipline from time to time, but come on! . . .our biggest need?!!! I also thought it was interesting that he pretty much said that the reason the Rockets have been so much better since the All-Star break was that certain players (read: Cuttino/Steve) were no longer looking out for the individual honors and started trying to just win games. I don't think that's necessarily true, as I'm sure Steve and Cuttino both value winning very highly, but it's not a good thing that their own teammate (however bad a player) thinks that of them. ------------------
