There are some pics of him practicing for the Rockets on AP. Something's wrong with my computer, I can't copy/paste. He doesn't look like he's in GREAT shape, but definitely in good shape for a 40-yr old.
Gater: I don't see how you can say this with our recent injuries. Cato is now on the IR, Spoon and MoT didn't play last game. It's a 10 day contract - a test run if you will There can be no bad that comes out of this, worst case scenario, he doesn't get his contract renewed after 10 days. Why is everyone so against this? Hillboy: Every single post I've read from you today has been 100% worthless, with no numbers or thoughtful insights to back it up. Please, please, go away.
Oakley is here to say. Absolutely no way he signs unless he was guaranteed he was on board for the playoffs.
Go to the Yahoo! Sports website, nba section. Click on the Rockets sign Oakley story, then click on Chares Oakley's name to get his profile. The pics are at the bottom of the profile page.
If your going to test drive something, isn't the goal to buy it? Chris Andersen (DEN), Jason Collier and Mikki Moore are all NBDL players who have/are going to stick. We'd be better off with one of the NBDL's leading rebounders - 7'1" Karim Shabazz (Cato with hands). While 95% of this board was ecstatic, I was one of 7 posters disgusted with the acquistion of Glen Rice and I have the same feeling about Oakley.
I wasn't dissapointed with Rice. I was dissapointed about what we gave up to get him, but he really started lighting it up and without him we never would've been near the 8th spot last year. In this case, we really don't lose much. Oakley didn't respect any of the Bulls, Wizards and Raptors coaches. Here, his coach is JVG and the assistant is Ewing. I think we can very very safely rule out him critisizing the coahing staff. As for saying stuff about the rest of the team, I'm all for it. This team needs him yapping at them 24/7. But the main factor remains that he respects JVG and Ewing, meaning he won't pull anything stupid.
The goal IS to buy it, but if it doesn't drive well - no harm done. Oakley is not Rice, we didn't sign him for a 5 year contract. Best he'll get is for the remainder of the year. No matter how much he's improved, a 60 year-old Oakley will still be better than a Collier As far as why we didn't go the NBDL route - I think another poster earlier hit the nail on the head. We're so far into the season, we don't have time for someone to come in and have to learn JVG's style and his system. Hence Jeff's quote that he trust Oakley and that Oak knows what to do. It's only a matter of getting the role players to fill in.
He's only a role player. It's not like we are depending on him to lead this team. Like you said. Anything to help improve the team.
Maybe that's the point. A player says to himself: "I better not get too thuggish on YM, or JVG will sick Oakley on me". Oakley has no problem with mixing it up, and he's got nothing to lose. It's not like the team would suffer much if he got suspended. Consider him a bullet that JVG can aim at any player getting too physical with Yao. Raven
And the difference between JVG (and Les) and Mark Cuban is that JVG will not sic Oak on anyone in the press, he will do it in the huddle.
Let's see it play out. You all wanted Yao to get mean. You're going to get it. Steve is trying to show he's on board. Elbows out. Wait 'till the rest get a taste of this.
