Blinebury 's got it down.

First, mad props to the clutch administrators for continuously improving the site.

Second, Hakeem made the statement that "we" (i guess that did not include him) should keep the team together and not chase free agents such as Chris Webber. Let's stop the blood clot tears for Hakeem and move on.

Marc Jackson is available and I see we get him to backup or start in front of Kelvin Cato. I think he is the missing piece to help us reach the playoffs.

I hope we can use the mid-level exception to perform a trade for Kelvin Cato, Kenny Thomas, Walt Williams and draft picks to upgrade our Center spot and small forwards. Yes, I do remember that Walt's contract is up after this season.

 

Hakeem gets his reputation as being a class act by being a class act. Just a few examples

1.What other pro atheletes did you see turning down millions from Nike, which would have also meant comercials, which could have then lead to more endorsments etc. Maybe it wouldn't have lead to a ton of other deals, but at the very least he threw away millions from Nike, to make a moral stand. That's not fake humility, and it's way beyond what any other pro-athelete I can think of has done.

2.Hakeem asking his teammates to share the acceptance when he was presented with the MVP trophy. He was the first and quite possibly the only MVP to ever do that.

3.Hakeem proposed that the 10 best centers in the league get together every summer and show each other 2 moves. His rationale was that while giving away 2 of your moves you gain 18 new ones. Hakeem felt that this would improve the center position and the game as a whole. It was unselfish, and showed dedication. In addition Hakeem would routinely be out before games working the centers of opposing teams. I witnessed him trying to help Shawn Bradley. He also offered to help Shaq with free throws etc. He wasn't doing that with any media at all around. He wasn't trying to present some fake image, he was only demonstrating good sportsmanship.

4.After the story hit the fan about Hakeem saying he wouldn't mind playing in Miami. Hakeem goes above and beyond the call of duty to call Rudy T. while he's on the radio and make sure that things are square and that there was no disrespect intended, and that it was a case of the media blowing things up, like the media tends to do. Again I don't see many people going to those lengths to try and smoothe things over.

5.The guy has the dedication to his religion to hold to the fast during Ramadan. He puts some things that are most important ahead of even the game, that enabled him to become wealthy.

There are some other stories even from his hot-headed days, but I think this is enough to paint the picture of a class act.

Does, Hakeem make mistakes? Does Hakeem have an ego? Does Hakeem's fierce pride get in the way? Sure it does, but that doesn't preclude him from being a class act. You may not like him, or be angry for how he handled this latest situation, or because like a CLASS ACT Hakeem doesn't seek media coverage for all his good deeds, you hadn't even heard of them.

 

On Mat and Jeremy today (610), Mat refered to that "butchered" line and then started to rag on blinebury (never mentioned his name) but referred to his wardrobe as circa 1970's jumpsuits, and he was a old fat balding man that had lost touch with his objectivity in sports because of his personal closeness to his main source "Hakeem"....Also said you should look forward to a mess of Hakeem in Toronto articles....


This and Oily sums it up, I am surprised that ZRB is so mentally manipulated with ease....I thought he was a tough mind....

 

My opinion on this all is that I'm a Rockets fan first and that is what matters most... if signing hakeem hurts the team in the long run i'm against it. i'm against anything that hurts the biggest goal i have for my team.. winning the championship..

as others have stated.. hakeem and the rockets most likely woul'ndt win a championship this year anyways so why sign him. we need to concentrate on the future... i kinda of gues i'd compare it to lets say college football... if you were preparing for a big game and one ofyour players was ineligible for the game there would be no reason to use him in practice.. you need to use the g uys that will be there for the big game.. the rockets need to worry about people who will be with them for their chase for a ring in a few years.. hakeem wouldn'tr be there for that so i think teamwise it is a good decision.. the only reason most people are against[ it is for loyalty reasons.. if it was anyone besides hakeem they would have wanted to get rid of him

 

Franchisedream,

Those are good points. They're easy to forget in a situation like this. I do, however, still think Hakeem's class is sometimes overrated.

 

1. This is my main thrust of any comments directed towards this topic. ( Rocketfan said it: " ..... My opinion on this all is that I'm a Rockets fan first and that is what matters most...") Amen,brother. No player is above the loyality I hold for my team.


2. But, this is the main aggravation I have, when discussing it with someone who does not agree with me. ...... Well, I have decided NOT to insert anyone in particular here, as it gets down right foolish after a while.

Basically it comes down to everyone arguing that Hakeem would be a better "business" decision .... that he has or has not a lot of game left in him. One side says he has enough game that he should command a sterling big money contract with some even advocating double figured millions yearly. When the argument doesn't hold up because his performance statistaically does not support it ..... they use the old " we owe him", he is an "icon for Houston", etc, etc, ad nauseum. Well, I see Hakeem's travelling to Toronto as a measure of how much loyalty Hakeem has for the Rockets and NOT the other way around.

 

oeilpere.. exactly. whenever I think of this I always have to come back and think to myself. If hakeem wasn't a legend would we even think of giving him this money. Forgetting the loyalty thing for a second I have to think about would in the long run signing a player like this hurt or help the rockets. If the answer is hurt.. then even though it's hakeem I just remember that my goal is for the rockets to be the best they can... its good and all that we have those rings but i'm still not happy and satifised forever.. i dont want to spend the next 3 years thanking someone for 1994 and 1995.. instead I want to be trying to win another ring! loyalty works both ways and I think the rockets have shown plenty of loyalty by paying him those big checks the last few years instead of trading him to toronto in 99.

no matter what the legend of a player is. no player ever comes above my love for the team. just like there are some ex rockets i root for... but no matter what if they are playing the rockets i wnat them to have a bad game.. because the rockets are more important than any one player

 

I have defended Dream just as vigorously as you have ZRB..but sometimies you have to overlook the fanatical support and loyalty that you(and myself) have shown towards him and realize that Dream is NOT blameless here.. use logic not emotions when you look at this situation. The Rockets did what they could while keeping the future in mind. What it comes down to is that he may have helped us to some extent this season, but what about next year? or the year after? do you honestly think that he would have helped us then?? I hate to say that I don't think so. We need to keep our eyes on the prize and realize that under the circumstances it was the right thing to do(not caving into the salary demand).

but I could be wrong...who knows

 

I may not agree with ya most of the time, but I do listen to ya..I like to hear from all sides when trying to understand things. Your emotionally-charged opinions are just as valid as the next guy.
but sometimes emotions will get in the way of seeing the larger truth.
anyway, we are just gonna have to agree to disagree on this one.

later

 

Bravo, OP and all who agree with him. We should have traded his hiny to Toronto two years ago. We would have made out like bandits.

Team management has to face the truth and make all personnel decisions based on the long-term good. IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. Don't try to make us feel good; make the team better.

This is a high-dollar, tight market business. Can't afford NOT to make decisions for the long-term.

The durn Astros rented Randy Johnson for two months and gave up major talent. Wasn't that memorable?

I think we got a steal even now with the first and second rounder because I will be mightily surprised if Olajuwon plays major minutes due to nagging injuries. He's a year older. He may have some renewed enthusiasm coming out of the gate, but I can't see it persisting the way his heatlh problems will.

 

ZRB:

Read Hakeem's new quotes "I never planned on being here" ... that means we went through all this time with Hakeem knowing he wasn't going to sign...ZRB HE PLAYED US.


Hakeem as much as I respect him LIED and MANIPULATED the Rockets into thinking there was an oppurtunity for him to come back....and there wasn't it...

Happy 43 birthday Hakeem, enjoy Toronto.

 

Oeilpere, case well stated!! You are right on the money.

The Rockets MADE THE RIGHT CALL ON THIS ONE. Hakeem checked out early/middle last year and could not accept his limitations or that this wasn't his team anymore. He only got it in gear when he "decided" to be a team player. He's a proud man and just had trouble dealing with reality. Oh, he had some good games, but he was absolutely awful many other times...not to mention the games missed with injuries and infirmities last year (and the last several years).

And now he has dragged out negotiations without really ever intending to re-sign, claiming self-righteously that he " wanted to keep the team together." Give me a break!! There's nothing wrong with wanted to start over at the age of 38, lots of us do that. But don't cloak your intentions in sanctimious self-serving psychbabble, and then point fingers at those who really handsomely overpaid you the last several years.

If Toronto wants to overpay for an aging 38 y/o superstar...good for them. THE REAL QUESTION IS "WHERE WILL THE ROCKETS BE IN 2 OR 3 YEARS?" My money says we'll be a lot better off right where we are, and much further along in the rebuilding process...not allowing an aging idol to mire us in quicksand. And we now have far greater lattitude regarding further moves this year and beyond.

In retrospect, maybe the decision was best for both parties. Hopefully the prolonged process has not hurt us too badly this year re. FA signings and potential trades.

 

I don't know how well we would have done in the botched Toronto trade 2 years ago. I believe we were gonna ship McGrady over to Orlando for Penny "Broken Wheels" Hardaway. But I'm not sure on that.

I have faith CD will do the right thing here...Jahidi White, whomever. We can't just decide to go lotto this year because next year's draft pick goes to Memphis.