This team is soft and mushy

Should have gotten Ron Artest.

Exactly what this team needed.

 

We need Charlie Manson running the point.

 

I question his basketball IQ.

I think OJ is more what this team needs. He kills people AND has proven himself to be a winner in athletic competition.

 

This team needs Bob Sura back more then people realize

 

We need someone like Vernon Maxwell or Sam

 

Well, until the Rockets surround Yao and T-Mac with tougher role players, the Rockets will never be a championship contender. End of Story.

I hope the Rockets don't think Howard is a long term solution. If they do, then Houston won't win a championship for the next three years. And hearing Les Alexander saying on 610 a few weeks ago that Juwan Howard was an important piece of this team was a very tough pill to swallow. The Rockets need a tough PF that makes up for Yao's lack of physical tenacity. The Rockets need an Otis Thorpe, or a Bo Outlaw type. Where's James Thomas at? And Brad Buckman is a senior this year. He'll mix it up.

I think Alston has been a great fit and the fact he isn't that tough isn't an issue. Kenny Smith wasn't a tough point guard, he just ran the show. We don't need our point guard to be physical influence.

 

A 30 something bob sura is not the answer. If it is, might as well put Yao and TMAC on the trading block.

 

I think some people here give Sura too much credit. He replaced Charlie Ward and Tyronne Lue last year, which isn't saying very much. Of course we got better when he became the starter. He's missed the first 50+ games this year and, again, people are attributing too much of this to his absence. It's understandable, but wrong. The fact Yao, Tracy & Rafer have missed so many games is why the record is sorry. Now that everyone is back, we've won 7/10, without Sura. Would we be better with him on our team? Certainly. Would his toughness and rebounding help? Definitely. But let's not go overboard. I guess it's hard not to when the season crashes like it has.

I remember the carping and complaining about Sura last year. His lack of chemistry with Yao; his slowness in bringing the ball upcourt against pressure; his lack of dribble penetration and playmaking ability; how JB and Tracy were the only two good passers to Yao. Remember when so many said keep Sura on the bench after Mike James' first two games?

The way Rafer is playing right now is better than Sura was last year, easily. But I agree we need more toughness, rebounding and a killer instinct. Maybe Bogans will help us at SG and some trade for a PF will happen.

 

I heard rae carruth was fast. Maybe we could get him off the bench.

 

Carruth doesn't like to shoot...

 

I agree completely; it is not just physical abilities, it is the attitude and personality of a team. This team "quits" far too easily. They seem very "fragile" emotionally. I wonder what part coaching plays into this equation. But definately, yes, too many "laid back" guys. Not enough bull dogs. This frustrates me. But, you know what, when they were loosing without Ming or TMac, the role players looked a bit more testy.

 

I wouldn't call Yao soft anymore. He gets in there and bangs now. T-Mac- yes. He needs to drive to the basket more. Rafer? Not really.

But we are definitely missing it in the PF spot. Is Stromile even a PF? He doesn't play like one.

 

Ben Wallace doesn't think Yao is soft, after a night against him he wanted to take a vacation and he pretty much did against the Mavericks the next night, T-Mac isn't soft either, the problem is the PF position.

 

This is actually pretty funny... for a sport that is criticized for having a bunch of thugs in its ranks, we are ticked off because no one is mean enough. I mean, a few years ago we had a so called softy who tried to shoot someone. Why can't they have their anger management problems ON THE COURT instead of off?

 

Actually, I don't think we are really soft. A better description would be unemotional and undisciplined. I see them as two separate problems. Unemotional effects us usually in the first 3 quarters. We have a tendency to get down because we don't play hard enough. No one takes the initiative. Being undisciplined allows us to lose big games like Dallas last year and the Suns this year.

 

Unemotional and Undisciplined = JVG

Men are not Robots.

There is a cure.

 

I agree we need more 'tough' pitbull types around Yao and McGrady.

BTW, the Rockets confirmed that they in fact WERE going hard after Ron Artest, but they had nothing Indiana was interested in taking back. So they did try, I think JVG and CD agree with you that we need tough hustle smart players around Yao and McGrady.

 

I always liked KMart's fire and enthusiasm, although I think his contract would prevent him from ever joining this team. I know in the West he is under sized but I think his attitude helps him though.

 

We weren't soft when we destroyed the Clippers the other day. Heck, with Amare out, no one on the Suns strikes me as "hard." The same can be said about the Spurs, and the Mavs...yeah, Dirk Diggler is hard. The Pistons...well, that's a different story.

My point being, it's not that they aren't tough enough, it's that they just aren't good enough half of the time. Fortunately, with T-Mac and Yao, they are good enough most of the time...what are they 16-8 now.

I'm not saying you shouldn't be pessimistic about this season...as a fan, I don't care if the team sucks because they are injured, or just aren't good enough...I just want them to win.