http://www.nypost.com/sports/19136.htm "Poor Steve Francis. Yes, he put up some creditable stats, but anybody who watched knows better. Van Gundy has him so screwed up he doesn't know whether to shoot, pass, dribble, punt or kick. Don't look now, but Stevie Franchise is playing like Van Gundy." Just a punchline from the aging New York writer, but a funny one for once.
Is there any way to create an ignore list for all posts that mention a certain word -- like, say, Vecsey?
And deny the inclusion of 'national rep' writers who are at the level of some of our lowest common denominator BBSers?
Actually I'm seeing improvements in Steve's game, he's more hesitant to shoot now, but some the passes when he gets into the lane were great. They weren't behind the back or anything, but just simply getting the ball to the open man that's in position to score. Not hesitant at all, just passing the ball when needed to pass. Earlier in the year, he'd be hesitant about shooting and passing but I think his passing was great last game. Still I think the love in this city is gone for him, I think it'd might be best if ppl go their seperate ways, I just hope we get enough back for him that we don't curse ourselves for the next ten years. One last thing, to all the Steve haters that say he's detriment to Yao's developement, just wait till he's gone and all the pressure to carry the team is on Yao. I think Yao will over come it eventually, but remember, Francis carried a team without a legitmate C, PF, and SF (Cato and an old Hakeem, MO, and Williams) to a 45 win season in 2 years with an above average SG combo (Shandon Anderson and Mobley). I'm gonna give Yao and the team the same patience I had with Steve, but haters don't start blaming the mgt as the new whipping boy for not having a super star beside Yao should such scenerio occur.
You know, when Steve gets traded, it isn't as if we're gonna trade him for, say, Brian Grant. We'll get someone good in return. Steve played a nice game yesterday. But he's gonna be traded. And not for a bag of chips and a Diet Coke. So Yao won't be carrying the team by himself. Because Yao ain't ready to carry the team. That much I'll agree with you.
Even if we get the best Dreamcasting scenerio on the boards lately and get T- Mac and Hill for Francis, Mobley and TE. I still don't understand why anyone thinks that T- Mac will defer more to Yao. All that crap about he never played with anyone good and he will once he gets with Yao just sounds like wishful thinking. To me he'll be playing like Kobe, if Yao's on, he'll give Yao the ball, if not T - Mac willl play one on one (two, three, if you think Steve takes it into the crowd for circus shots too much....) with some one. Let's look at another acceptable one, Brand. Does brand have a great jumper? Nope so he isn't gonna help Yao on the double teams. He'd be a great offensive rebounder but you don't trade someone who can break down the defense for an offensive rebounder. Brand's good because he has a polished post game, but you can't post him and Yao up at the same time so most games he'd just be doing what Cato's doing right now. And I can just start imagining all the Brand's a blackhole posts right now, "the ball goes to him in the post and never comes out" The final acceptable one would be Hinirich and Chandler. I know most of the posters on this board would be willing to service Chris if he's on the Rox but seriously, both of these guys are years away from being great if ever (though if they start to play like Malone and Stockton next year I'll retract my statements). To me this would be the worst scenerio because the team would be put solely on Yao's shoulders, and if he failed to carry them, the nat'l media and most of the fans will turn on him (remember the first two weeks of Yao's career?). That's what ppl do, don't think it can happen. Francis was the best example, beinning of the Yao's rookie year, I was reading preseason articles with quotes like "I'm not sure how good Yao will be this season or ever, but atleast the Rox have the best guard combo in the west" (I think this was a paraphrase of Jack Ramsey's article) and by half way of the season the "best guard combo" became the "stupid guards" that don't pass. I think Yao, Rox and Steve are in a good situation right now, but so many people want to change just for the sake of change. Does that really make us better? (look at Dallas, they will not have NVE to carry them in important games this year and I think they are worse off). Regradless I'm starting to believe Steve will be traded, I just hope it works out for everybody, but as usually in the case with a superstar and team conflict (Pippen, Wallace,), the only ppl that will bite are vultures.
