I remember back when Bryant Reeves and Greg Ostertag came into the league (1995). I rooted for them when they weren't playing against the Rox. They were tounted to be the next "big centers" at the time. Anyone remember the promos for Reeves (shattered backboards from college)? Reeves ended up leaving the NBA only after 6 years. Ostertag, well...What the heck happened to him? I remember times when he come into the game and miss 3-4 lay-ups in a row. He'd get out-rebounded by shorter guys and then start hanging his head and feeling sorry for himself. Sloan would chew him a new one, but it wouldn't matter. He'd just pout on he bench. He's like night and day. He never really had a good year. I've only seen a few games where he actually gave it his all. It was incredible! Not like him. But the next game he'd returned back to his old self. Carreer stats? 5.1ppg, 5.9rpg .570FT%. Ugh... Not what I expected out of a 7'2" 280lb center.
How is that anti-semitic (racist)? He's merely stating that in the views of christians, jews (religiously speaking) are responsible for the killing of jesus (not to restate a pretty well-known story for americans). whether you believe the historical accuracy of the bible of the concept of jesus in the first place, it's hardly a racial attack. it's like saying germans from the mid-20th century had blood on their hands for allowing the killing of jews to occur--a bit of a judgemental statement, perhaps, but certainly not a racial or ethnic attack on northern europeans in general.
Guys, not here. Take it to the D&D (even though it IS an interesting debate ). http://bbs2.clutchfans.net/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=28
Great point. See's the picture the way it is. But I, like most, still want more. I know we want to see much more movement. Lets just hope we have a injury free year. If we go injury free, I predict we will do well. Peace!
Great point. See's the picture the way it is. But I, like most, still want more. I know we won't to see much more movement. Lets just hope we have a injury free year. If we go injury free, I predict we will do well. Peace!
While I agree with what Jeff said, the amount of butt-kissing in this thread makes me blush. Will I get banned for this?
Rockets2K is the man... Kayman seems to have had his heart set on Fisher, preferring to see the romantic side of all the clutch playoff shots Fish had given the Lakers...I can understand (I used to think Francis could actually mature into a REAL point guard), but I disagree nonetheless... Luckily, CD is not so inclined to such infatuation and realized the folly of paying a 36-year-old PG $7M. I'm proud to know that Rockets management has learned its lesson about overpaying a PG, and I look forward to using the cap space Fisher (or anyone else) would have sucked up on something that will still be useful 2 or 3 years from now...
Exactly! You have proved my point clearly and concisely. The Rockets have a checkered history of talent evaluation and player acquisition. The question that we should be asking is WHY were there so many bad contracts and bad players on this team that they are forced to undergo a period of shedding all of the deadwood before they can move forward. And not just WHY but WHO is responsible for this mess. If the same people who got the team into this mess are still running the show, then why should you or I or anyone else believe that things will be any different this time around? That "better" deals will be made in the future by this bunch? A lot of folks here want to give this organization credit for not giving out big money for the mediocre talent available on the FA market this year but I feel that it's a misplaced sentiment. That part was easy especially this year. No, what's hard is to actually go out and find players who fit into the concept of your team and its style of play (whatever that is). That's what Detroit, SA, Utah and Denver just did. Why aren't the Rockets doing so as well? It's time for this team to stop threading water and move forward. You don't do that by giving away your 1st round picks for guys who are no longer in the league. You don't do that by drafting consistently at the end of the 2nd round - picking guys who can barely play in Europe much less in the NBA. You don't do that by taking flyers on so-so players in free agency just because they come cheap. You don't do that without having someone in charge who actually has a plan AND a clue. Detroit has Joe Dumars. Denver has Kiki Vandeweghe. Memphis has Jerry (The Logo) West. SA has R.C. Buford. Utah has Kevin O'Connor. The Rockets have ???
You are trying to pin the mistakes on CD but you'd forgotten something: 1) There have been good decisions made also. 2) I believe the big difference between the Rockets now and then is Rudy T. I am sure he had a lot of say on the players he wanted. Most players that were picked by Rudy, CD are gone. We now have mostly those picked by Jeff, CD. We'll see how they pan out. 3) You compare the Rockets to teams that are currently on the up-swing. It took them a long time to get their teams together, with some luck involved. Detroit lucked into Sheed just this past year, and Prince worked out. Without them, I don't think Detroit is better. SA lucked into Duncan, when you have him, all you need are bit parts. I don't care for Memphis much, they have a lot of good players, none great, and they have a bigger pay-roll. Same with Utah. Good players, none great, they are not gonna win championship. While CD is not the best GM, he is not the worst either.
Right or wrong you could hardly call trading 3 of your starting 5 for one of the most exciting players in the game "treading water". I have been as critical of CD as anybody but you would have to say putting together Yao and T-mac is a new beginning; step 1 of a new plan. We will have to see what other parts can be assembled over time before we can judge it.
I would characterize it as more of a sideways move in a different direction. The T-Mac deal both helped and hurt the Rockets. For this to be a step 1 of a new plan for a "new" beginning, there first has to be a PLAN. I just haven't seen enough to convince me that such a plan really exists within this organization.
First of all, aside from Fish's clutch shots, he is the best on-the-ball defender PG in the league. Also he is smart and outstanding citizen. Second, the point about paying a 36-year point guard $7M is the sorriest excuse that the Cheap Bastards could come up with to feed their shills like Feigan and Jeff. If you only have an MLE, you max it out, that's how it works. You can't pay a player more in year 1, but you make the contract longer so that on average the player gets paid appropriately. He will be underpaid in the begining, and overpaid at the end of the contract. If we could get D-Fish for 1 year for $4.9M, that would be steal. Steal for who? Steal from whom? The rich b*stard Alexander will be stealing money from a hard working athlete, and you all will be OK with that. GSs contract, in its entirety is fair. Do you think that Phoenix is happy to be paying a 37-year old Steve Nash $12M+ a year? No, it's just that this is the price you need to pay to get him in his productive years. Plus you never know how long an athlete will be productive. Speaking of Phoenix, I remember very well Gary Hunsicker saying that he couldn't justify a contract longer than 3 years for Randy Johnson. The year was 1998. Phoenix gave him 5 years, he won the Cy Young in 4 of them, won a World series, got another deal and is still the best player on the team...
Are you saying DFish has a couple of MVP seasons left in him.... strange how he can't keep his starting job..... The insinuation that Jeff is somehow a puppet of Rockets management is some funny ****. Just because a person doesn't think DFish is worth a long term expensive contract doesn't mean that you are kissing ass.
I have to agree with you on that. Dawson has a track record on signing scrubs and then signing to big contracts. The only credit I give Dawson is the signing of JJ. I want everybody's opionion on this situation scenerio 1. The Rockets acquire Mcgrady,Howard,Lue, and Gaines in a Blockbuster Trade. 2. The Rockets have holes to fill at the Pt. guard postion and they need a backup 5 3. The Rockets have the MLE, 6.9 trade exception, 1.6 E What would the best Exec. in the NBA (Jerry West) have done in this same situation. He's not gun shot wounded for making bad signings. Just curious?
Good Lord you people can't see the forest through the ****ing trees! You are critizing Dawson for signing scrubs to long term expenxive contracts then in the same post are complaining because he isn't joining in on the free agent madness that is going on right now. Jerry West didn't find it necessary to add expensive free agents to his power duo of Shaq n' Kobe. He relied on role players and youth to step up and help out his stars. Jerry West epitomized caution and reservation when chasing free agents. He also emphasized chemistry. That is what Dawson claims to be doing. You people complain complain complain but I can guarantee you that if any other team's GM had brought them TMac while keeping their best player they would be jumping for joy. There hasn't been a single free agent signing outside of Arroyo that I wish we had signed. I have confidence Dawson is working out deals for affordable, compatible players. A pro basketball team is only going to be in the situation we are in right now with young players of great, phenom talent to build around about once every two decades or so. Dawson doesn't want to blow it by signing an old player to a long expensive contract. We have time on our side, use that.
