This Dream issue has brought out the best in you, ZRB. This is the only issue I think you've ever been in the plus on. Since when do you care about Houston losing a sports icon? Do you automatically take the opposing view to what you feel is the prevailing sentiment? I don't mean to sound derogatory, I really am curious. Are you pure evil? If you are, then you might end up looking like a good guy when this is all over... ------------------
ZRB negative? whats new? As to Dream going to Toronto... I will boo his ass everytime I see him if he leaves over money. and NO I dont want him to go. I didnt want him to retire at the end of last year and I dont want him to go now!!! ------------------ Reporter asks "How close were you to the victim?" Shorty says,"Real close until the roofies wore off. Then she woke up talking about pressing charges, so I took my tongue out of her ass and left." Shorty - Marlon Wayans "Scary Movie" Go Rockets!!! SS
I just couldn't stand seeing Hakeem in another uniform, and I desperately want him to retire as a Rocket. He is still my favorite player in the league, and I really think he could help make the Rockets contenders. I don't automatically disagree with the popular opinion, although it often appears that way. And I do care somewhat for Houston, since I used to live there. Mostly I care about the Rockets franchise though, and I don't want them to lose their greatest player to anything else but retirement. ------------------ Protrolls.com! Keep the ???? alive!
W3C5: What if he goes to Toronto for LESS money??? How hard should we boo then? I for one might still be scratching my head if that happens, and may not be able to boo as loud as I'd like... My main question right now: what could POSSIBLY be his motivation for booting for less $ to a city that doesn't love or even know him? It doesn't make sense. ------------------
EGO Dream doesn't feel that he fits in here. He is no longer "the man". He feels unappreciated and underutilized. According to the Blinebury article, the Raptors have promised Dream things worth more than money (at least to Dream). ------------------ 13-0
You're concerned about Steve, then? No? Cuttino surely won't turn out to be their greatest... These guys just shed their diapers, why are you worried abt retirement? Ooohh, I get it: you still think that Hakeem is the Team's best player. Everything is starting to make sense now... ------------------
Funny... Nobody thinks Hakeem is still the best player on the Rockets currently, but nevertheless he still is and forever will be the best player in Rockets franchise history.
How the hell could keeping Hakeem do anything other than help Steve and Cuttino? Steve himself has said that the Rockets need Dream. Let me make myself clear: I AM READY TO CONTEND NOW! NO MORE BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE! THE TIME IS NOW! HAKEEM COULD HELP THE ROCKETS DO SERIOUS DAMAGE IN THE PLAYOFFS! I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE 2003-04 SEASON! I CARE ABOUT THE 2001-02 SEASON! I WANT TO WIN NOW, AND THE ROCKETS NEED HAKEEM FOR THAT TO HAPPEN! ------------------ Protrolls.com! Keep the ???? alive!
We all know this by now. But, in all fairness, who the f**k does he think he is? I'm sure the Dalai Lama feels the same way, but how exactly does he contribute to Tibet's well being??? Toronto is giving a standard devil's whisper, and I can only hope that Dream doesn't fall for it. He will be treated no better there than he will here - even worse, IMO (like a 2nd rate king, instead of the King). Lies. I hold Fegan 70% responsible for this, Hakeem the rest (none to CD/RT). I wish I could only hold Hakeem 10% responsible for this, then I wouldn't have to boo him next time I see him in Compaq. ------------------
This situation reminds me quite a bit of last year, when Cuttino was ripped to no end until he finally signed in Houston. ------------------ Protrolls.com! Keep the ???? alive!
It doesn't make sense but that is his only motivation...Why else would he shun money in Houston? ------------------ 13-0
Look, I'd prefer that Hakeem made this run with the team, too. I want him here next season. I'm just trying to think abt the future, that's all. Contend? This upcoming season? For what, a second round exit? That is the best we can realistically hope for, and that's why he wants to bail in the first place! The word 'contend' means to me "challenge for the NBA Title", not competing for a second round chance. Don't get me wrong, I think we're a lock for playoff contention, but anything beyond that is a Joker (wildcard) spot. We'll be the scariest playoff team in the WC (no one will want to play us in the first round), but true "Contention" is a ways off. I just don't want to ruin that future out of loyalty, especially when said loyalty is not reciprocated. ------------------
You're probably right. That and the desire to escape the West and play East, where he CAN contend... ------------------
Treeman, if the Rockets take that kind of attitude into next season, they will never contend. This was a team that won 45 last year, added a brilliant young player, and should feature much improvement from its two guards. If that is not a recipe for contention, I don't know what is. The Rockets made the finals in Dream's second season. The Spurs won the title in Duncan's second season. The Magic made the finals in Shaq's second season. The new rules make Kobe and Shaq vulnerable. The finals should be the Rockets' goal for this season. Of course, knowing good old patient Rudy, I'm sure he'll just tell the team that they are "playing for development". Meanwhile, most of the fans like you, will happily twiddle their thumbs until that magical 2004-05 season when the Rockets finally win the title. Wait, maybe the 2005-06 season, or the 06-07 season. Oh, I know. 2008 will be the year... ------------------ Protrolls.com! Keep the ???? alive!
Have the Lakers shown any interest in Hakeem recently? I believe they were interested earlier in the season when he demanded a trade. If Hakeem is all about winning a title then the Lakers are obviously his best shot. [This message has been edited by SteveFrancis3 (edited July 20, 2001).]
The Lakers are trying to avoid the Luxury Tax and would likely only have some form of a $1M exception to offer Dream. I have a feeling it's more about ego and money than winning. Dreams not going to LA. ------------------ Raef to Rocks in '01-'02! [This message has been edited by GATER (edited July 20, 2001).]
I will wait until 04-05 if that's what it takes. Would you? Championships don't grow on trees. They most often have to be STOLEN from someone else. Hakeem is 38+. He will not be around for the next Rox title, unless it happens next year. If he stays longer than 1 year, we cannot sign anyone who would likely help us get one within his time here. What incentive does he have to stay, then? None. To my mind, it is a matter of courtesy to not f**k up your younguns' future. Who knows what will happen? All we can say is that it's extremely unlikely that Dream will get another ring wearing this uni. After that? Who knows, and that's what I'm thinking about. I refuse to believe that Cat, Steve, MoT, EG, etc will go ringless throughout their relatively brief careers. I also have a feeling that this nucleus is going to stay together longer than the norm - these guys might be together for 10 years. I see a full metal hand on each of them. Dream can go to hell if he wants to disrupt that in the diaper stage. He cannot be allowed to play their futures off just to get a couple extra mil, or to soothe his apparently fragile ego. Screw that. ------------------
Saying Mobley is a better player than Hakeem is just crazy. I say Trade Mobley then Hakeem will be happy with touches since Mobley takes so many stupid forced shot. ------------------
Last season I got so tired of scratching my head wondering why Dream was taken out of the game on so many occasions. I'm sure Dream was wondering the same thing. Then the "play me or trade me" thing happened, and I totally agreed with Hakeem. He could still contribute, and we all saw that when that matter was finally settled. Through all of that I never got the impression that Hakeem still thought he was "the man." I never got the impression that Hakeem still wanted to be the man. I still do not have either of those impressions. The only thing I felt that Hakeem wanted, and that I wanted as a fan, was for him to be utilized. He could still contribute, and I feel that that was all that he wanted. At the end of last season I thought (and I still do think) that if he had not been taken out of so many games, we would have won a few more and probably picked up the 8th seed. If I was Dream, I would have been pissed as all hell. I couldn't help but think that the Rockets were treating him like he was already washed up without giving him a proper chance. They didn't give him a chance until he b****ed about it and started talking about getting traded. I can perfectly understand why he would want his ego stroked after last year. Not by the fans or the city, but by Rockets management. I can also understand why he might want fair market value. I do wish though (and so does everyone else) that he would have offered to play for the minimum. All he talked about was how the team didn't need to change a thing, and I for one think he was right. I think if we got Webber, things would have been more screwed up cap-wise for a much longer time. I think he would have been more inclined to play for the minimum or at least a lesser amount) if his ego had been stroked a bit after the way he was treated last year. Now that has all been said, damn I wish everyone would kiss and make up. Cato sucks and there simply is no one else. Dream provides a presence in the paint. Like it or not, we need him. I'll admit that I am very sentimental towards Hakeem. Moses Malone, Elvin Hayes, Nolan Ryan, Earl Campbell. Dammit, I want a legend to start here and finish here. ------------------ "I have no regrets except that I wasn't up to keep Randy from getting on that plane." --Ozzy Osbourne on guitarist Randy Rhodes
