Should the Rockets do anything to mark Steve’s Return?

How wrong you are, fun to be a Rocket's fan (!?), I think not. Five years of agony, broken remotes, some of the dumbest basketball I have ever seen at any level including "little dribblers," the same mistakes over and over and over, a flat learning curve, basketball hell. And "little Stevie" was the main culprit. IMO, he is the most over-rated player in the league who, if he couldn't jump through the roof, would be a virtual unknown. The mistakes are sooo vivid because that is what mostly occurred. Plus, I am sick to death of all the threads that continue to appear on this site in tribute to a player that accomplished virtually nothing while here. Hakeem was a great player; Francis is a bad memory.

 

Good post "Friend of Earth". tru rocket fans enjoyed steve and cuttino, and cato (last year).

 

Baloney! Rocket fans are deeply divided on the subject of Francis. I wouldn't question for a second the fan loyalty of those who love him, I only question their view of basketball fundamentals.

Francis was and is an athletic phenom, he was often a showtime performer, often, IMO, to the detriment of the team. For a few games at the beginning of the 02 season, he was Jordan-like. But game to game he made far too many fundamental mistakes for a professional player. If you disagree, fine, but don't say I am not a "true" fan. I have been watching and attending Rocket's games since Rudy played. I just happen to not like Francis' game and believe that the TMac trade is the most lop-sided in NBA history.

 

Yes. I believe anyone with 5 or more years playing for a team should get that recognition when playing against their former.

In Dream's case, it was more than special, because he missed the first encounter between the Raps and the Rox

 

like what? what would the Rockets do?

the fans should clap. they probably will. a few will boo, but they'll be drowned out.

no need to have a special party or celebration. he's a very good player who was a very good Rocket for a long time. it stops there. this isn't a guy who brought a ring to the city...he's not a legend on the local sports landscape.

wish him well in orlando. seems like a nice guy.

 

I know, he has done soo much for this team! You better get up and cheer for him, even if u dont like him. He got us Yao & T-Mac for cryin out loud!

 

I agree with most who have posted. The Rockets organization should do nothing official. I think any "special treatment" would be a disrespect to McGrady and Howard and the rest. Just my opinion.

But the fans should treat him with respect and gratitude, and I believe they will. When he is introduced, I hope the crowd gives him his due in applause, as well as for Cato and Mobley. But after the first introductions, I'm hoping everyone is professional enough to move on and play the game after that.

 

I agree with FriendofEarth in that even though the rockets did not win many games in the past few years, they were sure fun to watch. Especially the lobs thrown down by Francis and Cato. Although a very productive player, Yao is not very exciting to watch. Hopefully T-Mac can pick up the slack. I don't know about most other Rockets fans out there, but I love to be excited by spectacular plays that the home team produces. Otherwise I would have spent the past 5 years watching nothing but comets games. So at least for that, we owe Francis, Mobley, and Cato a standing ovation.

 

I think an ovation is sufficient for francis, cat and cato. as much as i loved these guys when they were on the rockets they didnt make the same impact that dream and drexler did for that matter even robert horry in terms of winning. give them an ovation and then move on

 

I liked and still like Steve Francis a lot, with that said can I suggest that threads like these be locked from now on? It's basically a re-run of other threads just like this one, why do we need more than one?

 

You haven't been here very long, have you?

 

Nope, but I'm racking up posts with the best of them. It's just seems to be a never ending cycle, I don't know I guess it's typical.

 

Rockets? -- No

Fans? -- Applause during player intro, then we treat him like any other visiting player not named Malone.

 

The point isn't that I wasn't extremly frustrated watching our players make the same mistakes over and over again. I was, as much as anyone out there. But what needs to be faced is the fact that the rockets were going to go through a massive rebuilding project once the Hakeem era finally came to an end. Knowing that we weren't going to be very good for a while I least was able to appreciate the fact that on any given night I would be treated to some athletic, jaw dropping moves. Let's just say I think Rockets fans had more fun watching our team rebuild than Atlanta fans are having right now...

Of course it was easier to watch the losing and appreciate the athleticism because we all "knew" that if we were able to just bear with the team during this period eventually our core of young guards would get the picture, mature and lead us to the promise land. Of course, once it became obvious this wasn't going to happen it became much more difficult to find a silver lining in the abomination that rockets games had become.

Thats doesn't, however, take away, in my humble opinion, from the fact that I loved those teams almost as much as I loved the championship teams, but for different reason. I think you had the feeling that Rudy, Steve, Cuttino, Moochie, Mo Taylor and all those guys were a family, one that I felt apart of. And call it naivete if you like, but I truly believed we were going to accomplish something great if we could have just added a couple more pieces... But alas, it was not to be. Apparently no one ever told me it takes more than a lovey-dovey, free love type of team to win championships... go figure.

Anyway, it doesn't just take accomplishing something to make me love a player. I think personality, heart, effort, all these things are just as important in endearing oneself to the fans. It's the same thing with the Texans: we may not win a whole lot of games, and I may get sick of seeing fumble after fumble, interception after interception, missed tackle after missed tackle, but that doesn't mean I don't love the hell out of those guys.

I just don't understand all the hate steve still gets... Hopefully yall will get over it once the season starts...

 

Once the season starts up...
You will see with your OWN EYES what the Rockets have been missing for the last 5 years (competence). And after you get a taste of it, you wont want to go back to the "warm and fuzzy Francis days."

It was all "fo sho." But nothing else. Exciting at first (two years). But it got old quick.

 

There's a reason for that. A "couple more pieces" would just have turned into two other players that weren't getting the ball at the right time. When a POINT GUARD (SF), is weak in PG skills, is turnover prone, but his strengths relies more on ISO type plays....you tend to get a "team" that plays like individuals rather than together. When you have this type of mistake-ridden player, that team will never materialize into a SINGLE UNIT. No matter how many *other pieces* you add.

So, adding "other pieces" to "help" the team kinda defeats the purpose.

I'm not saying that McGrady "makes his teammates better" like Magic or Bird did. But at least we don't have to worry about him turning the ball over so much. He wont be "required" to do PG duties; not like SF was. And we get a BONUS in his great scoring ability! This is why it's still important that we scope out a better PG for next (following) year. Someone that will be with us longer than Ward/Lue and maybe a little younger.

You will. Sit tight.

 

The answer to that question is contained in the quote you cite. He drove some of us crazy for five frustrating years. A few highlight reels does not compensate for five years of futility. The real question is why do you want to pay tribute to a player who lead your favorite team nowhere. One first round exit from the playoffs in five years, I don't think so. Such an organizational response should be reserved for great players. And I could more easily get over Francis if people would stop writing about him on this site. There is a thread or two on Francis almost everyday. He plays for a team in Florida, people!

Nothing personal with you, FriendofEarth, I like your name and you write in an interesting fashion. Any mention of Francis just sends me off; I think that many Rocket's fans are just delusional about this guy. He just wasn't that great. Let's move on.

 

solid,

Sometimes I think that a lot of Francis fans grew up in the "Francis era" or became fans not long before. So, they really don't know anything else.

He's like an "old friend" to them. Their only "good" memories. This is why I want the season to start so bad! Many will see what they've been missing.

 

Really? Can you name even one of the players that LA traded for Wilt? How about any of the players that the Celtics traded for the rights to Bill Russell?

 

Or how about Jason Kidd for Stephon Marbury? One team swinged from last place to finals, the other from 50 wins to last place. The Tracy trade, Francis goes to the last place team, Tracy goes to an average team, I predict 5th place in the West for the Rockets, average team for the Magic. Not so lopsided to me...