I'll be there in section 126 to cheer for the man who respects The Man: "But maybe my favorite Dream story has to do with clothes. It was my second year in the NBA, and I think we were in New York. What I remember is that it was really cold. Now, you know Hakeem is always dressed to perfection. You won't find a guy who dresses better than him. So, I walk in and I have a brand-new jean outfit on, jacket and pants. I think I even was wearing a jean cap. I thought I was looking real stylish. We get to the bus, Hakeem looks me up and down and asks, "Are you going to drive the bus to the arena?" I didn't know what he was talking about, so I asked him. And Hakeem says, "Because you look like a bus driver." That right there made me start to change how I dress. It was another unforgettable Dream lesson." You give Dream back his change and you're OK in my book. Link to Steve's role model.
I think I am going to this game. I took a vacation day thinking that this was the day of the Tsunami relief thing, but it is NEXT monday. Man I effed that up. I don't feel like being home on a Monday, so I will go to the game I suppose. I will cheer steve during warmups and pregame, but shut up and just watch the game during. if i go.
i will yell at my TV so loud my neighbors will curse for hours on end! Hell Yeah! The Franchise is back, well, at least for a game! OOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH Yeah! Wooo
I will, Francis is still one of my favorite players. He may not have the same level of skill as T Mac but he has twice the heart.
So I guess Francis is the Lion and TMac is the Scarecrow in the NBA version of Oz? Kinda makes sense as Stevie never seemed liked the cerebral type of player...not saying he's dumb, just that he doesn't make sound decisions alot on the floor. He seems more fit in that league where The Professor is in and Skip to My Lou used to play in.
someone who doesn't want to play for a team because they are not doing good all while being a multimillionare and being in a place where so many people wish they were shows not only that he has no heart but is also out of touch with reality. How many people do you think would trade their regular job for playing for the Magic and be a millionare right now? not only would a lot of people do it but they would do it with heart.
Hmmm...kinda like when you get drafted by a team but refuse to play for them so you force a trade...or when you hear that your about to get traded you pubicly complain, almost sabatoging the trade, just because you don't want to be traded...does that say you have heart?
Steve complained, because he didn't want to go, and was lied to by the team. He didn't almost sabotage the trade. We shouldn't over react. His draft day demand was childish. Steve has been childish several times before and since. But then again John Elway and other sports guys who wouldn't play for certain teams that wanted them on draft day haven't had the same stigma for some reason. However, that is still different than playing hard for a team once you are there.
He wanted to play for Houston really bad i guess, and publicly complaining about the trade just meant that he loved playing for Houston and didn't want to be moved. and besides i said Francis had twice the heart as T Mac so it's not like Francis has that big of a heart, just big enough to want to play for the team he loved, unlike T Mac that just wanted to move to another team. Again, i never called out T Mac's skills just his heart and eventhough many people will dissagree, Francis plays with more heart in Orlando than T Mac here in Houston.
Umm...the Scarecrow's issue was his lack of courage...not his bball skills... (in other words, I wasn't questioning your assessment of TMac's skills )
I will clap, maybe even stand during intros, but only as a praise for how hard he worked for us and how disgusted he was when he was forced to leave.....but.....now that I have seen him on the otherside of the "ring", on the otherside of the ball...I must say I am not that much of a fan anymore. Even though I had been labeled by many as a SOF, after watching him physically try adn injure Sura, and handle himself so childishly in the media towards the Rockets, and even in general, I really am starting to dislike him more and more....I mean lets face it, he's a punk, an immature punk....I understand he is going to have a grudge on the Rox for booting his a$$, but that is even more reason to root against him. I used to worship SF, I used to think he was our savior...but now he is nothing more than an opponent... I get sick to my stomach when I see him prance around like he is "all that" on his new Orlando team, which is sadly a subpar team....in the EAST for gods sake..... and then I realize that is what the rest of the NB saw when he was with us, and I get a little embarrassed.... Anyway, standing-o no, clap in recognition...yes ROCK ON ROX....
Uhhh no, the scarecrow's problem was..."if I only had a brain"......the lion's problem was courage....get it right man
good article i just found on the Chronicle, with this im off to bed, good night. Boo who? Not the 'Franchise' Francis' leaving is not a reason to jeer his return By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Yes. This team will improve down the stretch No. They are too inconsistent It's too early to tell Jeff Van Gundy insisted again that the deal was made to acquire Tracy McGrady rather than to move Steve Francis. Assumptions that existed before the trade led to more assumptions after the deal, opinions that Francis has at times seemed to share. But Van Gundy never wavered. If he had, he might understand why some in Toyota Center might give Francis the treatment Orlando gave McGrady. If there were reasons to move the former "Franchise" other than to get a different "difference maker," there might be reasons to redirect the boos that engulfed McGrady last week. Cheers Instead, Van Gundy said Francis should not be booed tonight in his first game back in Houston, but that he should be and probably would be cheered. "I don't know why you'd boo him," Van Gundy said. "Frankly, I was surprised (in Orlando). Those years they had, the leanest teams that you could have, and he (McGrady) carries them into the playoffs, I mean you boo the guy? I was shocked by the booing. But it wasn't all. I watched. There are some smart people out there. "But there is no reason you would be anything but appreciative for what Steve did. I think what every town should do when somebody comes back is in the introductions, cheer like heck for him, and then cheer your team and your guys during the game. I have no idea why (McGrady was booed). I would just chalk it up to ignorance." The departures were vastly different. McGrady had come off his team's worst season of his tenure and wanted to be dealt. The Rockets had their best season of Francis' five in Houston, and Francis, for all his complaints since about how he was used, was very clear that he wanted to stay. Francis has said since that much of his initial shock and disappointment was because he had just moved into the Houston home he had built. Until this season and the reflections on last season, Francis' greatest disagreement with Van Gundy, especially after his Super Bowl weekend suspension, seemed to be with Van Gundy's role in trading him. Even now, Francis said he is most excited about his return not to make a point but for the chance to be back in his house for a night. "I can't wait to get to my home," Francis said. "I'll just have to see (what the reaction will be tonight). I don't think I burned any bridges with anybody there." Think positive Van Gundy agreed. "The most overplayed thing about our trade was a negative about Steve. Not at all," he said. "Steve had a very good year last year despite what anybody wants to do fantasy league-wise about statistics. Steve played well. That's why we got to the playoffs for the first time in five years." "Certainly he was a difference maker last year, and he's made a difference this year in Orlando. And Orlando has been smart trying to get him off the ball more so he can be a finisher." When Francis and Kelvin Cato return tonight, they will find few former teammates. Only Yao Ming and Maurice Taylor (who is on the injured list and will not play) played more than one season with Francis and Cato. "He was like a big brother to me," Yao said. "I'm used to it now. The first game we had in Orlando, in the preseason, that really bothered me, to play against him. The second one, a few days ago, that was much better." "I don't really like to face Steve on the court." Yao said he would be upset if Francis is treated the way McGrady was. But the cause of their departures were so different there would seem little reason for Rockets fans to feel jilted as Magic fans were. "That's different," Yao said. "Everybody will have to make a choice sometimes in life. (McGrady) made a choice. He's my teammate right now. I stay on his side. He did a great job in Orlando when he faced so much booing. That's something I never saw." But to McGrady, there is another reason Francis is unlikely to get the treatment he received in his homecoming last week. "Fans here are great," McGrady said. "They appreciate what he did, the time that he was here. That's a lot of respect and love that he has if they cheer him. You appreciate that. You really do when you come back. I can see them cheering, just by the reception I got from when I first came here. People here are really nice." But "nice" is not the point. Van Gundy said Francis did not play his way out of town. No one expected him to be treated as if he did tonight when he is back. jonathan.feigen@chron.com
Fair enough guys, I know what you're saying. Both players have well founded stigmas about them (TMac=slacker, Francis=immature, low bball IQ?) that will follow them until they lead their teams to at least as perennial playoff contenders. As for the Oz analogy, been a long time for me also.
I will clap for Steve but I won't stand. For what? It's not like when Dream visited us for the first time as Raptor. Steve hasn't brought us a championship just a 1st playoff appearance in 5 yrs and a 1st round exit.
Wrong again.. That was Yao and Co. that brought us a 1st playoff appearance in 5yrs. Stevie boy didn't show up TILL the playoffs So, essentially all he "brought us" were a few clutch plays.. Still not worth giving a standing 'O', IMO.
