Thank you. I'll add one last comment: I don't know how many of you play pick up games, but go down to your local Y or Lifetime Fitness. I'll bet you'll see some 40 yr old with a brace or 2 on his knee playing his a** off. Challenging some young punk who thinks he's the next Kobe. Why would he risk another serious injury or make his current one worse? For the money? Fame? Women? No, because he loves to play the game.
9 months. Yao Ming has screws placed into his foot March 3rd 2008. Plays his first game back with the Chinese National team July 18th (4.5 months later). Averages 19 and 6 in the Olympic games, and so far is averaging 20 and 9 with us (missing one game).
..but all people heal differently and you can't personally know his pain level, blah, blah, blah. You can try and convince some of these people, but there will be T-Mac nuthuggers till the bitter end. Just look at the GARM posts hoping we'd pick Francis up again after we paid to get rid of him and then the Grizzlies cut him.
True, but Yao's game is not exactly dictated by his athletic ability. Of course, he has to be able to endure the running back and forth and the banging down low, but he doesn't depend on his ability to cut, jump, etc. Good thing he doesn't depend on those things eh? heheh McGrady does. He has a few options. If he's truly hurt, then heal up. He's in a contract year next year so he should think long term. If he is loosing his athletic ability, adjust his game so he's still effective. If he can't adjust, then play a more well-rounded game on both ends of the court as he's shown a few times thus far. Again, he was not alone in the team's poor performances, but he's by far the one taking the most criticism. To me, it's because the team depends on him so much.
Like i've told you pessimists before... There will be nuthuggers even AFTER the bitter end... Steve Francis the perfect example.
Well, I respectfully disagree. I think he catches the heat b/c a lot more is expect from him. "To me" he's trying to go out and do things he can't do, because he's hurt. I think he's out there because he's feeling the pressure to go out and help the team. Is he hurting it more than helping, some nights yes, some nights no. I can't say he's the biggest screw up, because I have plenty of complaints about a couple other players. I didn't expect much from Artest with this season and somehow he's still managed to disappoint. People complain about McGrady's shot selection, but Artest's are many times worse, at least now it is. I guess I'm just not quite to the point of throwing in the towel as many seem to be hinting towards. Hey, I have a lot of concerns, but the sky isn't QUITE falling to me yet.
McGrady's the biggest problem because he's the primary source of the soap opera distractions that have plagued the Rockets all season. The issue isn't shot selection. 1) The whole phantom injury issue. Has everyone forgotten that the Rockets issued a press release that both of the doctors who examined McGrady, one of them being a nationally known expert, found no structural damage and recommended that T-Mac play himself back into shape. Has everyone also forgotten that T-Mac torpedoed that press release and told everybody he was taking himself out for two weeks? Or that he just decided on his own to come back early? 2) The issue with playing only one game of back to back's. Has anyone ever heard of this happening with any other player on any other team? 3) Doc Rocket's reports that McGrady is causing dissension in the locker room, that Battier hates his guts. The reports from both Doc Rocket and David Aldridge about friction between Yao and T-Mac. The Chronicle report recently about tension in the locker room. The public dissension, with Artest and Alston criticizing McGrady in quotes to the media after games. 4) The Toronto game, where it sure looks to me and a lot of other people that T-Mac decided to NOT PLAY BALL even though he was on the court. 5) And now these statements to the press about his missed dunk, where he says he was hoping some other Rocket would be there so he could pass off the ball. That's crazy--if he was that uncertain maybe he should have just laid it in instead of trying to do a reverse dunk? I could care less if McGrady's hurt. Guys get hurt all the time. Look at Al Harrington, the latest in a slew of injuries in the NBA. The unforgivable issue with McGrady is his conduct.
Guys like that are the exception that proves the rule though. Thats why coaches like to have one or two Scola's or Hayes' type players that just play 150% all the time. Not EVERYONE in the NBA has that type of mindset.
This makes me sad, I just hope he finishes his career like Horry did... And no I don't meen by being a FA.
Robert Horry has never failed to make the 2nd round in his entire career. Tmac is about 7 championships behind Horry.
Come on tinman, you know counting up rings is not a good way to make a comparison. Although I can't really argue with that, if you are going to look at reports of hearsay and draw conclusions from it, then I can just as fairly say, well...we had much less drama around prior to this season's off season moves. We even had a greek guy sayin he was the Greek McGrady. Back then we had a coach that set people straight though. I miss that dude.
So he is not embarrassed about those lone 3 points he got in the entire game, and the fact when the wannabe Bucks whipped us hard, all he could do was those long range frugly jumpers off pnr.
Ok he missed it. But wait a minute. Doesn't he have time to jump off this leg during practice? Is he or the organization really DUMB? It is unbelivable.
but winning 7 of them does. Hitting clutch shots, who cares if he's not the 'main guy'. He's a hero. its about heroes. do we have any now? He's beloved by Spurs Fans, Laker Fans, and hopefully some Rockets fans still remember!
Thats what you get for showboating. Tmac was wide open and he attempted a reverse dunk off his left leg. He should have just attempted a run of the mill tomahawk dunk off his non-injured leg or just laid it up but no he wanted to be on ESPN.
