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"Strict parent, spoiled child feud in Houston" (Francis/JVG article)

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by AroundTheWorld, Feb 8, 2004.

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  1. AroundTheWorld

    AroundTheWorld Member

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    Strict parent, spoiled child feud in Houston

    ISRAEL GUTIERREZ, igutierrez@herald.com

    This whole plan to have a disciplinarian Van Gundy coach help a misguided star fulfill his limitless potential, is not working out quite as planned.


    Not the Stan Van Gundy-and-Lamar Odom matchup. That's coming along swimmingly.


    It's the Jeff Van Gundy-and-Steve Francis affair. The two clearly are not getting along, even after more than half a season in which the Rockets have established themselves as players in the incredibly deep Western Conference.


    It would seem that Francis, who never has been to the playoffs, would respond well to the coach who has taken the team this far. But Francis is acting less like a leader and more like a child trying to rebel against a strict parent.


    Sure, he is averaging a healthy six assists and is deferring to 7-5 center Yao Ming -- per Van Gundy's request -- more often than he did last season.


    But Francis is far from the kind of team leader Van Gundy had in New York with Patrick Ewing. Last week's Super Bowl incident made it as apparent the "Stevie Franchise" moniker is a definite misnomer.


    SUPER STICKING POINT


    When the Rockets boarded the team plane to Phoenix last Sunday, Francis decided he would stay in Houston to attend the Super Bowl, telling his coach he would take a charter and be there in time for the Monday morning shootaround. Van Gundy, however, wouldn't hear of it and told his star point guard to stay in Houston the extra day because he was suspended for the game against the Suns.


    "I talked to Steve," Van Gundy told The Houston Chronicle. "He was in the parking lot of the Super Bowl. We had a long discussion about him thinking it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and me talking about the commitment to the team."


    Of course, instead of letting it go, Francis' agent, Jeff Fried, tried to absolve his client by saying Francis was not at the Super Bowl but rather "dealing with these family circumstances."


    "I was on the phone with Steve last evening from his home during the Super Bowl," Fried said.


    Van Gundy scoffed at that assertion.


    "Steve knows what the truth is," he said. "Everyone involved knows what the truth is. That's up to them if they want to try to spin it a certain way. Everyone knows what happened. What agents say doesn't have any bearing.


    "I talked to him [Sunday] night. He disagreed with the decision vehemently. He just thinks it was the wrong decision."


    But the Francis spin continued once he rejoined the team Tuesday. Not only was he not at the Super Bowl, Francis said, but he was simply late and missed the team flight by 15 minutes. That Super Bowl story? Francis said he was simply upset at his coach's decision to suspend him and made up that part, which is inconsistent with the conversation Van Gundy said the two had Sunday afternoon.


    "I don't feel like I let [the team] down," Francis said. "I missed the plane. That's it."


    TRADE NECESSARY?


    Not only are Francis and Van Gundy not on the same page, they're not reading from the same self-help book, and it seems only Van Gundy's has something to do with winning basketball games. What might have seemed inconceivable just last season -- and still might be to the fans who voted Francis an All-Star starter -- is becoming more and more of a reasonable option: Francis needs to be traded.


    Having begun his career playing for the more lenient Rudy Tomjanovich, Francis has yet to accept Van Gundy's ways. If Stephon Marbury can be moved as often as he has, despite having better career numbers than Francis, why couldn't Francis be dealt as well? Both have been told they don't pass enough and shoot too much, and neither has had postseason success.


    With the Rockets succeeding this season, such a move probably should wait until next season. But if this coach-player power struggle remains an issue this season, it's clear which of the two should not be around for a playoff run next year.


    http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=knight-strictparentspoiledchildf&prov=knight&type=lgns
     
    #1 AroundTheWorld, Feb 8, 2004
  2. AroundTheWorld

    AroundTheWorld Member

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    After reading it again, there is really nothing new in it. I should have probably just posted it in one of the other Francis/JVG threads. Please feel free to merge.
     
    #2 AroundTheWorld, Feb 8, 2004
  3. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    I'll say it for the umpteenth billion time. A problem off the court does equal problems on the court. Francis's only problems on the court this year are shooting percentage and turnovers. And they are coming from trying to run JVG's system. Francis made a dumb decision but I doubt him wanting to go to the SuperBowl has anything to do with JVG's style of coaching.
     
    #3 pgabriel, Feb 8, 2004
  4. farhan007

    farhan007 Member

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    its the "Everyone hates steve show!"
    The media likes to create drama. There really isnt much to what steve did. There is no internal conflict.
     
    #4 farhan007, Feb 8, 2004
  5. DearRock

    DearRock Member

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    PGA, problems off the court means problems on the court most of the time. Too many times the JVG system results in an open shot for SF and he hesitates which, most of the time, the result is a bad shot by SF or a teammate or a turnover. If SF just does what he simply has to do which is shoot the open j when he gets it, the team would be better off. All he has to do is catch and shoot like JJ does. Funny enough there is not resisting of JVG by JJ. So many times last night I am shouting at SF for not taking the shot and allowing the defense to catch up. I cannot say he is resisting JVG but he surely is stubborn and could very well be resisting in those situations. It is certainly not a stretch to say he is resisting, it certainly is his style. I do not need to remind you about him resisting Canada, do I?
     
    #5 DearRock, Feb 8, 2004
  6. DaDakota

    DaDakota Balance wins
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    Pgab,

    Quit apologizing for Francis and his underacheiving ways.

    Yes, he is an amazing athlete, does that make him a winner?

    No.


    If Steve can not play team basketball, ship him out.

    DD
     
    #6 DaDakota, Feb 8, 2004
  7. MacBeth

    MacBeth Member

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    Er...isn't that in direct contrast to what Steve said...that there is conflict, and always will be? Whether or not you feel that conflict is seriously detrminetal is another issue, but to say there is no conflict is to avoid reality.
     
    #7 MacBeth, Feb 8, 2004
  8. Pizza_Da_Hut

    Pizza_Da_Hut I put on pants for this?

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    whoever agrees with this is an idiot, plain and simply. Van Gundy and Francis have a tiff, so what, last time i checked Van Gundy doesn't win basketball games, Francis does. While Francis should be under Van Gundy's rule, most of the time, this is not a freaking dictatorship. One thing i loved about Rudy, he gave his stars, his established players a tad more leeway. Van Gundy needs to understand he cannot just take over and boom wina championship, he needs to earn a teams trust. Bulloks to the rules.
     
    #8 Pizza_Da_Hut, Feb 8, 2004
  9. MacBeth

    MacBeth Member

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    ...and that's all there is to say about that. Thanks for clearing these things up, it gets so confusing somethimes...
     
    #9 MacBeth, Feb 8, 2004
  10. farhan007

    farhan007 Member

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    the conflict steve is talking about is what every coach deals with. Minor issues like taking the wrong shot, or making the wrong decision. Steve nor JVG will ever be perfect.
     
    #10 farhan007, Feb 8, 2004
  11. MacBeth

    MacBeth Member

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    How do you know that it's minor, or endemic to the NBA?
     
    #11 MacBeth, Feb 8, 2004
  12. DaDakota

    DaDakota Balance wins
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    Dude, better to let people think you are stupid rather than opening your mouth and removing all doubt.

    DD
     
    #12 DaDakota, Feb 8, 2004
  13. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    When did I apologize for Francis, I guess Francis didn't play team basketball when he passed the ball to Mobley who passed it Jackson Friday against Chicago for the win. That was sooooo selfish. There is no conflict on the court.
     
    #13 pgabriel, Feb 8, 2004
  14. mos-def

    mos-def Member

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    DDD,
    then what about your sig?
     
    #14 mos-def, Feb 8, 2004
  15. SWTsig

    SWTsig Member

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    oh, totally dude. cause francis has, like, totally been winning like a bunch of games the past four years and he's, like, totally the best player ever! bullocks to the playoffs.
     
    #15 SWTsig, Feb 8, 2004
  16. HillBoy

    HillBoy Member

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    And I'll say THIS for the umpteenth billionth time: SF is following his own personal agenda and that agenda does not necessarily include the Rockets team and organization.
     
    #16 HillBoy, Feb 8, 2004
  17. Man

    Man Member

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    We better not trade Steve Francis......
    WHY?!? I don't see how they are struggling..they look fine during the games...I think to Steve, it's not that big of a deal. Growing pains..
    Steve is an All Star...very popular..I don't think we will trade him..unless we can get Shaq or Kobe or Ray Allen or T-Mac or Allen Iverson or Jason Kidd or Kevin Garnett or Tim Duncan or Lebron James...or another popular player.

    If we trade him...okay we might be a better team. But Steve is part of our team...
     
    #17 Man, Feb 8, 2004
  18. rvpals

    rvpals Member

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    I don't Francis' only problem is shooting and turnovers.

    I have yet to see a changed Francis that can take the Rox to the playoffs. Stop making excuse and treat him like a max player.
     
    #18 rvpals, Feb 8, 2004
  19. StupidMoniker

    StupidMoniker I lost a bet

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    If we would be a better team by trading him, why in the HELL would you not want to trade him?!?
     
    #19 StupidMoniker, Feb 8, 2004
  20. Man

    Man Member

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    Because lol...I am a kid and he is my role model! He's my favorite player. The Rockets are a big family...

    I still don't believe they dislike each other like the media is saying...they probably yell a lot but Steve is a yeller! JVG loves to yell too. We'll just have to see how we did after the season is over...

    Not all of the great players are great every single game. They have bad games..and make some bad plays. They can't be perfect. What do you expect?!?

    Maybe..just maybe Steve is not the perfect fit for our team.
     
    #20 Man, Feb 8, 2004
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