I remember reading on either CNNSI or ESPN (I think) an interview with Charles Barkley where he said that he had wished that he had played for the Rockets from the beginning of his career. Well, naturally I'd agree because, hey, we are the coolest fans in the game. Besides that, what an incredible statement to make about a franchise! This from a guy who had his share of controversies while a Rocket. With endorsements like his (and our amazing track record to boot), no wonder Houston will always be a place that players would want to play. So.....why not Pippen? What was/is wrong with us? I know, he's history, we all hate him (at least I do) and we're doing just fine without his monkey butt. However, I'm asking because he is still somewhat a decent player (aint worth that kinda money though) and could have obviously helped us had he wanted to play for us. Was it really because he wanted to play in LA? Was it really Barkley? Was he really just lazy? Was it really something else? ------------------ 5..4..3..2..1.....We have lift off! Go Rockets! [This message has been edited by BlastOff (edited April 24, 2000).]
For all the people who said Pippen just didn't fit into our system, I say this: Quitten was (or so we thought) a superstar; superstars don't have to wait for their plays to get called. Superstars create on their own. Scottie Pippen is guilty of one thing: impersonating that superstar. Incidentally, his ass is gone and I couldn't be happier. ------------------ I need a new signature. 302
Dude, I agree with you that Pip is the most overrated superstar of our time. What I was saying about Pips defense is he does occasionally make plays, but In Chicago that is the way their entire team played defense, very aggresively. Here in Houston he tried his old aggressive defense and when he got burned no one rotated over to give him any help. Pip was a great sidekick for MJ but he was a terrible player for us, and for the most part a disappointing player for Portland. ------------------
"Far better is it to dare mighty thing's,to win glorious triumphs,even though checkered by failure,than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much,because they live in the gray twilight that know's not victory or defeat" I don't remember who said this,I want to say Eisenhower,but it reminds me of pip and the attitude he showed as a Rocket. "with the lockout and all I never really got the chance to fully shop my services and felt rushed when I signed with the Rockets" "I never really felt like I would ever have a chance to win with this team" pippen 99 ------------------
The quote sounds like Churchill. I think that the most disappointing thing about Pippen is that he believes he is great. He has continued his downward spiral in Portland yet his comments would have you believe that Jordan was lucky to share the court with him. "I could score 30ppg but I prefer to be a quiet leader and be a role model in the locker room. I concentrate on defense and getting the other players involved" I know this isn't the exact quote but I don't have the time to find the link. Do these type of comments sound the least bit wierd to anyone else. When you combine them with his other comments over the years it begins to show a pattern of mental problems. Is their a shrink on the BBS that could give an oppinion. ------------------
In essence, Pippen is not a go-to guy. I can find quotes from Dunleavy himself saying the same. You cannot give him the ball in the 4th quarter and tell him to go create something and win the game. He flounders. He hesitates. He pops threes, maybe hits some. He 'tries to get his teammates involved.' Facing his man one-on-one and dominating is not his game. Never was. You ask Cuttino Mobley to do the same thing and he says, "would you like that victory jumper-in-your-face style, or straight-to-the-rack-circus-reverse-AND-THE-FOUL style?" Pippen wanted recognition as The Man and a max contract to be The Man. The Rocks gave it to him, and found out he cannot be the man. Not even in lowercase. I used to blame Rudy's system at the time, but I can't anymore. Wathing Portland play Minn. last night, it's just clear Pippen isn't doing any more there than he could/would here. Portland offense has no more motion than the present Rockets offense does, and plenty of iso's. Isolations for Smith, Sabonis, Wallace, Grant, on and on. Pippen had just as many opportunities to drive to the hole last year in Houston as he does now. He doesn't play that way. He cannot, will not carry a team as a sole offensive threat to be reckoned with like Francis does, like Jordan did. More than anything, he wanted to play with Jackson again, especially in LA (which was his first choice over Houston anyway). Pippen was given the money and the opportunity to be The Man. Once give the opportunity, it became clear he couldn't. Perhaps he left becuase this fact could only grow larger in Houston, or perhaps it wouldn't be as noticeable in LA, or both. Frankly, he'd be a perfect fit in LA and everybody knows it. Instead of finding some behind the scenes way to get traded, he forced Houston's hand and with it their bargaining ability. ------------------
Were our expectations of Pippen too high? The concensus here seems to be that he wasn't as good as advertised and it was exposed for the world to see the year he played here. In contrast, Portland seems to view Pippen only as gravy on an already good team, not the missing piece to make it good, similar to his situation as a Rocket, so he essentially made a lateral move as far as teams go. ------------------ 5..4..3..2..1.....We have lift off! Go Rockets! [This message has been edited by BlastOff (edited April 24, 2000).]
honestly. . pippen is like the rest of Portland The best second bananas in the league. He is not a leader [I WAS A BIG PROPONENT OF HIS WHEN HE CAME] I've never been so disappointed. I must say .. . Playing next to MiKe gave him a lot of favorability with Refs Players and Coaches. Without it .. . HE IS A POOR MAN'S ROBERT HORRY Rocket River ------------------
Why not Pippen? How much time do you have? We have a player that puts up bigger and better numbers than Quitten...his name is Walt Williams. At a much lower price, how can you go wrong? ------------------ HOOP-T Hey Shaq, Acme called, and they want their bricks back!
This last playoff game aside, pippen just isnt a great player anymore. Everyone speaks of his defensive prowess, but how many times did he get lit up last year ? Getting burned by carter or kobe is ok, but he was consistently outplayed by sean elliot, bryon russel, and i believe even dirk nowitzki lit him up. I would rather have the walt williams of the last 20 games then scottie pippen. As for barkley, it is great that he compliments the Rockets , but I wonder why he is gonna go into the hall of fame in a philly uniform ? I hope he changes his mind. ------------------ "Don't they get cable in Canada ?" Keith olbermann, after watching hakeem block terry catledge's shot 5 times.
Pip benefitted from a system in Chicago thayt athletes excelled both offensively & defensively. He also had the benefit of playing along the greatest player of our time, who also received many favorable calls. He came to Houston where being an athlete was not good enough. Chicago defensive was an aggresive defensive where the other players rotated well. We in Houston were not very good at that last year. In years past Dream supplied the weak side defensive by himself, just with the threat of a block. Also with last years offense Pip was expected to fit in within the system, which he wasn't able to do. I absolutely despise Pip, and although he wasn't a good fit in Houston, it is amazing to me how much better Clyde did in our system than Pip. Frankly I think he was embarrased in Houston because he looked more like a chump than a franchise during his tenure here. He used CB as a way out, plain and simple. GR8-1- I think CB will go in as a sixer because Philly gave him his chance. It is not a salm against the Rockets, but it was just the fact that they took a chance on a short, fat PF, and within a 2-3 year period turned ther franchise over to him. ------------------
I never thought Pip was that good. I honestly just thought he was riding the coattails of Mike in Chicago. I couldnt understand why everyone kept saying he was great, when I thought it was obvious he sucked. But when he came here, I hoped I was wrong. Sadly, I wasnt. The guy is like Robert Horry. But pip is WAY more OVERRATED. Chuck was a GREAT star, Clyde was a GREAT STAR, and Dream was a GREAT star. Those three were PROVEN studs. When scottie had a chance to prove himself (When mike retired) I feel he failed miserably. Anyway, sorry to ramble on but I just think his talent was overrated and that is why he did so poorly. He played like he had his whole career, Everyone just thought he would be better. Makes me realize just how good Mike was. For Chuck not wearing a Rocket uni in the HOF, I know why. Sure, he said he wished he spent his whole career here. He said that at the ceremony after his last game. But, you cant ignore what type of impact he had in Philly. Therefore I think he should wear the Philly uni. I wonder which one Clyde will choose. I would love it to be a Rocket one, but how can he not choose a Blazer one after 12 yrs of leading them? ------------------
4Chuckie, as I was typing my last response you entered yours. So I didnt see it. I think this talk that Pippen was saying about the system is just crap. If a player is a GREAT star like he was supposed to be then he surely should fit into ANY system. Clyde came here with MUCH MUCH less ballyhoo than Pippen as far as the national press, and he performed, and excelled. Chuck came into a system that had TWO established stars in Clyde and Dream and Chuck excelled. Pippen is an average NBA player. Anyone who disagrees with me please answer this. Does not being able to fit into a NBA system on offense affect Defense? If not, then why was Pippen BURNED so many times last year? Shandon Anderson has done SOOOOOO much better on defense this year than Pippen, and at much less of price and fanfair from the national press. Funny thing is Pippen said FInley shouldnt be an Allstar because he was on a bad team. But had we sent Pippen to Dallas, he Surely would have sucked again. ------------------ [This message has been edited by DUDE (edited April 24, 2000).]
Pip, has no jumper, and he never really has. He was a good ball handler for a 3 (although who dropped the ball against kobe in game 1 last year ?). I think he got most of his points on the break or putbacks. As far as defense goes, ive already stated how bad that was last year. He is not the reason for portland's success, and i am glad we traded him. Plus that contract, 14 million ? are you kdding me ? ------------------ "Don't they get cable in Canada ?" Keith olbermann, after watching hakeem block terry catledge's shot 5 times.
We could get Rodman at a much lower price as well. He can still play the game better than most, and you wouldn't even have to buy him a practice uniform. Some things just aren't worth it. ------------------ Stay Cool...
