I'm pretty sure what Clutch posted was hypothetical. Notice the *if* near the beginning of his supposition.
I haven't seen anybody post the apology for this rumor on NBA Insiders. Apparently they received many emails from angry readers. Here is the link. I couldn't copy and post it. For some reason I can't highlight anything on that site. Recommendations are welcomed. http://insider.espn.go.com/insider/story?id=1733314
Apologies are in order to the record number of readers who wrote in the past two days furious at the three-way trade proposal floated by Insider that would've sent Steve Francis, Eric Piatkowski, Glenn Robinson and Aaron McKie to Portland; Eric Snow, Zach Randolph, Qyntel Woods and Ruben Patterson to Houston and Dale Davis and Damon Stoudamire to Philly. Here's what Insider has learned ... Houston fans are outraged because Francis is still the franchise, and they don't want to replace him with an overpaid, low-scoring point guard or an overweight, lazy-defending, teammate-punching power forward. Portland fans are livid because Randolph is the franchise, and they don't want to replace him with an overpaid, poor-shooting point guard who skips practice for the Super Bowl, a Big Dog with a big mouth who flopped with a similar supporting cast in Atlanta, and an aging role player with a big, fat contract. Philly fans are angry because Snow is the best thing that ever happened to Iverson; McKie, I'm told, is the ultimate sixth man (huh?); and hanging on to Robinson, despite the ugliness, is still preferable to getting two guys they really hate in return. Interestingly Philly fans also are angry because King never makes any moves, and they really think he should find a way to dump the contracts of Snow and McKie -- just not for two guys from the Blazers who both happen to have expiring deals in 2005. We really should talk more. .
Not really an apology, but more of a bit of self-aggrandizing how smart he is (Chad Ford) and how dumb the fans are... I'd say copying and pasting that little tidbit is fair use, by the way. SamFisher, please correct me if I'm wrong .
If a CHAMPIONSHIP IS EVER COMING BACK TO HOUSTON STEVE FRANCIS NEEDS TO BE TRADED! This guy is cancer to the team. I thought Moochie dribbles alot. Moochie has nothing on Steve. Make a trade . lets move on and build the team to the future. Playoffs will be important.
Long time reader... first time poster (ok, not really). The part of me that studied sociology for a half of a semester in college would observe and comment that the “hot stove” has gone cold if we are spending more time insulting/not insulting and apologizing/not apologizing than prospecting what might go down with JVG, Stevie and the trade deadline. Nothing will happen until after the All-Star Break for obvious reasons. If something happens… it will be announced right after the All-Star break as this will be when GMs meet and talk. And… did you notice last night how much off guard Stevie played? I watched JJ and Cat bring the ball up just as much at Stevie. Stevie was also not the one to initiate the offense as much as he has been in the past. MAYBE that is the solution. Let the athletes (JJ, Cat, Stevie) push the ball on the break. Let JJ and Cat initiate the offense.
All players are imperfect. The question is, will they improve? Are there changes the team can make that play to their strengths? After last night's game, isn't there any possibility in your mind that things could work out with Steve? (But I must admit that I wouldn't mind seeing him have as much glee making a Kidd-esque pass as attempting a contorted power-ranger lay-up)
Sorry, it was just a fake example used to expose pgabriel's pity party. No Vecsey column exists mentioning that trade. RRNYC's contact is legit and the info given to him really was given to him ... but it's a good bet that somehow a fantasy deal turned in to a "real rumor" by the time it got to a real contact. Meaning someone was talking about the fantasy deal, someone caught part of it, it got to being discussed elsewhere. All it takes is one person to misunderstand what was being talked about. It wasn't lost in translation on RRNYC's end though... just that's a good bet what happened. We'll find out soon enough.
What I don't understand is why people can't just say things like "I highly doubt this is a legitimate rumor considering the Chad Ford column blah blah blah but thanks for keeping us informed on what your source is hearing Rich. Then you get to express your opinion but the insider isn't disrespected and it doesn't appear to be bashing. Is that really so hard?
Well, whenever I try to log in and the server is "busy" I assume that I have missed the big trade and then I have to go to ESPN quick just to check it out. This has happened even with such moves as Glen Rice, Moochie and KT.
Sorry if this has been said, I diddnt have time to read the whole thread but dont you relize that trading steve would mean rebuilding the team and rebuilding the team means no playoffs this year and mabey next. If you want Steve off the team just imagine the Suns game over and over and over and over because thats what the rockets are without steve.
i dont know why call call yourself rockets fan. bunch of bandwagon people in houston. all yall gonna like whoever is on our team. i am a die hard rockets fan. i can understand its only a sport. maybe if you all started to talk nothing but positve for da rockets player,they might play well after the all star. i hate it when you all talk shietyttt bout them.
