The coach has to own up to some of the responsibility for that collapse in game 7. actually, he has owned up to it. as for the JVG improvement of Yao. Yes, yao has improved due to a lot of people including his own tenacious work ethic. But JVG is on that list for helping him improve. heck, if JVG can help cato play better he can make yao.
honestly, JVG = C JVG is an average coach plain and simple. I'm sure after a "personal" talk with Les he did that commercial. However, I would rather have Rick Adelman as the head coach and JVG the assistant coach. With the offense of Rick A. the Toyota Center would be rocking not some empty cavern like it is now. Webber/Stojakovic/Bibby are nice ,but with a lighting bolt like TMAC and Yao....damn cow bells ITS ABOUT ROCKET BOOSTERS.
I have never been a fan of JVG's style in general. I tend to prefer guys who emphasize offense over defense, but that's just me. He seems like a good guy and he has probably more knowledge about the game in his pinky than most of us do in our entire bodies and I respect that, but he wasn't my first choice for coach and I haven't agreed with many of his decisions. Having said that, he is the coach of MY team, so I will root for his ultimate success. I will defend him like crazy because he is still my coach. Rudy T is one of my all time favorite people, nevermind coaches or athletes. Yet, when he was with the Lakers, I seriously hoped they would suck because, well, they're the friggin' Lakers. I wanted to see RUDY succeed, but I wanted the team to suck donkey nuts. I really get annoyed when I see people openly diss the team and the organization because they dislike a single player or coach on the team. The whole idea that you won't spend money on a team or support them because of a single person makes you the opposite of a fan. In fact, it makes you an anti-fan and really unworthy of being a supporter of the organization. And, edc, what is with the Mister Van Gundy thing? It's as tired as the stream of anti-JVG posts you've made since he was hired.
Whether you like JVG or not I like that the commercial has a tone of accountability, like they owe us a good season. I think that sentiment is geniune from JVG and the players from last years roster. So I hope they can take last years "lost season" as motivation to make some noise this season. As far as not accomplishing anything, that can be said about every other coach in the NBA that isn't Popovich, Riley, Brown, or Jackson. So if you're gonna complain throw a name out there that you think could do a better job. The only one I can think of is Jerry Sloan, but our chances of getting him are as slim as getting the four I've named above.
Per Hippieloser- Your are right-JVG does delegate development to others. Nobody can do it all. It is to Tom Thibedaeu's credit that Yao has improved his game. The trainers get credit for conditioning. I am a Rockets fan first- I want my team to win-so yes I do want Van Gundy to succeed. I do support his efforts though not with blind loyalty. I have hung with the Rockets for many years and have been a season ticket holder in the cheapo seats since '99 when there was not much to be cheering about. I have gone through the bad times-Matt Maloney trying to guard Stephon Marbury. I want Van Gundy to succeed. If Yao and Tracy stay healthy he will make us tough defensively and we will compete. I am ready for the season to start.
There is not one single definition of "a fan," and choosing not to financially support the organization (by purchasing tickets) due to one player, one coach, or one general manager is a perfectly valid option. As to "Mister Van Gundy," it is dude's name. "Mister" is a polite form of address, and I don't know (or care to know) anything about this particular fellow beyond the fact I don't care for the basketball style of teams he coaches, and that he apparently has supernatural powers because according to his own statements, he "can't breathe" during the nine months+ of the year that he spends in Houston. Further, neither of those things makes the commercial the Rockets are running anything more than a weird spot. To the casual observer, it is thirty seconds of somebody talking in a bit of a monotone and a zoom into a still of Yao Ming's right eye.
I realize Van Gundy took the blame for the game 7 loss. I respect that. I support him as he is the coach of the Rockets. I am a Rockets fan 1st. Originally Posted by Old Man Rock I have to agree with the game 7 loss. Game 7's are about motivation more than anything else and motivation starts with the head coach. JVG maybe a good x's and o's coach but he clearly lacks the ability motivate his players. You've heard players say they would go to war for their coach or they love their coach or they want to win for their coach. The best you hear about JVG is he is a smart coach. Smart coaching alone doesn't win championships, leaders do. Per Candle green: "Actually, didn't T-Mac and pretty much the current roster talked about how they would go to war for JVG and how much they loved him as their coach?" As long as Yao and TMac are healthy-we should be successful. I have to listen to Spurs and Maverick fans at work constantly for the last 7 years-they are of the opinion that a monkey could coach the Rockets if Yao and Tracy stay healthy and the Rockets will be competive. I will not go that far. We need an effective coach and I think Van Gundy deserves props for defense and game preparation. My comment earlier on GAme 7 at Dallas was a response to Old Man Rock's post. I realize Van Gundy took responsibility for the loss and I respect him for it. I support the team and our coach. We are thin though.
