Houston's fan base has to be the most fickle in all of sports. The way some of you guys talk of McGrady, one would think he murdered your whole family and got away with it. And one season clouds up all of your memories and forgets what he has done for this franchise these past couple of seasons. I expect to hear the typical GARM response, "Yeah all he's done for the franchise, getting us past the first round...oh wait." Yeah that's one thing he hasn't done, but without him I'd bet nearly anything we wouldn't even have been in a situation to make the playoffs in 04-05, 06-07 and 08-09. But I'm sure here most would be content with being a lottery team for 3+ seasons, rather than winning 50+ games each season and getting ousted in the first round. - LeBron James - Dirk Nowitzki - Tim Duncan - Steve Nash - Kobe Bryant You know what that list represents? The only handful of players that have made 3 All-NBA Teams, and have finished in the Top 10 of MVP Voting three times in the past four seasons (excluding the 08-09, otherwise if it's not fair, then add Kevin Garnett and Dwyane Wade to the list as well). All are sure fire hall of famers, and aside from Nash to an extent considered all time greats at their positions. Hell Nash is one of the greatest PG's ever too. The point isn't to say McGrady is on their level, since he is NOT, but the point is, that's what he's done with the Rockets. For a player that's so heavily criticized for being past his prime, with the Rockets, he's been a 3 Time All-NBA player, and three times finished within the top 8 of MVP Voting. Without him we don't come close to sniffing the playoffs, let alone a first round exit. You want to know why we advanced this season? It was not because McGrady got injured, it's because we're much deeper, much more talented and got a favorable matchup. You know what the Blazers reminded me of when we faced them? A past Rockets a team, a team too heavily reliant on their star wing player, and a big man that can erupt for huge games, but also be on the tad bit inconsistent side. Then surrounding those two are role players incapable of doing anything outside of spotting up. And they are a team that don't even have a strong defensive core like we've had the past couple of seasons. The Blazers are a nice team with a bright future especially if Oden can develop, but in the current day, their a treadmill team that doesn't have a trademark for winning games. We HAD to advance, and we did. Not because McGrady WASN'T there, but because Scola established himself as one of the top PF's in the game, Brooks took his game to another level in the playoffs, a level none of our PG's have ever played at, a reliable backup PG in Lowry, and a guy like Wafer, as weird as it may sound a player we've never had before, a guy that brings athleticism and an instant spark off the bench. The fact remains for this team to truly win the championship, we need a healthy McGrady playing at a semi high level. Trade him, exile him, whatever, but don't pretend that he's done nothing for this franchise and been nothing but a hinderance. Trading McGrady for some of the r****ded packages in the Trades thread (ex. Dunleavy) would be r****ded since McGrady at even a 75% with his mind right is a much better player than Dunleavy. T-Mac of this season even had a triple double (20, 14, 10), and another near triple double (24, 10, 9), with other games showing glimpses of what we've seen these past couple of seasons (30, 8, 7 against the Blazers), (26 point game against Boston, 27 point game against Phoenix, 20 point game against the Wizards, 16 of them coming in the 4th quarter in come from behind victory), or the other 6, twenty plus point games he had. This was a McGrady that couldn't literally stay on the floor for more than 15 games, and after the first month, less than HALF of that. He was injured throughout and because of his injury, his play was inconsistent. If reports are true of him coming back early, and being in game shape, he'll do nothing more than help this team, as he's shown every year he's played over 60 games as a Rocket, whether you "What have you done for me now fans" want to admit it or not. Just remember, you are the same fans that chanted "MVP" three of the past five seasons for this guy, and now he's the face of the devil. That's true fickleness and irony at it's finest. It's the same thing with the Texans and their decision to draft Mario Williams over Vince Young, just the opposite. The thing is, I'm a Rockets fan, and Tracy McGrady is still a Rocket, so as long as he's a Rocket, I will support him and not forget what he's done for this franchise. I unlike all of you, want him to come back, stay a Houston Rocket and contribute to this teams success as we know he can. If not, he's a 21m dollar expiring contract, that either way saves us a large sum of money, or used as bait to acquire a more attractive chip. I'm glad guys like DD aren't our general managers, otherwise we'd be a homeless man's version of the Clippers. Instead of wishing the worst for a player when we've chanted MVP for him as early as last season, why not wish him the best and hope he can come back and contribute to this teams success. He didn't quit on this team, he was INJURED, and couldn't move. All the faking talk must have closed when the guy actually opts for microfracture surgery. And the double standard is hilarious, Yao is even more injured than Yao the past three seasons, including missing the playoffs, but he's a demi-god on this site (and I love Yao). Had we just had Rafer fricking Alston for Game 1 and Game 2, as well as Game 6 in the series against Utah last season, there's a legit possibility we would have advanced and faced the Lakers in the next round. I honestly doubt Yao's manhood would have been doubted to this extent. Again I love Yao, he's a much harder worker than T-Mac and thus deserves less flack, but at least be consistent with criticism.
I meant to say not make the playoffs in 04-05, 06-07, AND 07-08, not 08-09. Don't have an "edit" feature.
and it's unfortunate one bad season can erase what he did, despite his playoff failures. 3 all-nba teams like you said + top MVP finishes despite multiple injuries. but it is what it is. sports is what have you done for me lately. and tracy did jack last year.
I stopped reading after this. The reality is McGrady is the closest thing we've had to Scottie Pippen.
There is still time! Maybe you could start HelpVernonMaxwellPayChildSupport.org, or Self-RighteousFans.net, or something as a trial run and see what happens. There is an alternative way to look at the McGrady situation you know. I know the Manichean, us vs. them, good and evil worldview is your little thing, but it's still possible to be critical of McGrady as a player without demonizing him. I think there are plenty of reasons to trade him, but the groupthink about him promulgated by people like you makes rational discussion about him difficult. The idea that McGrady is some kind of irredeemable cancer is absurd. McGrady's value has certainly been reduced, but writing him off would be stupid. If Ron Artest can resurrect his career then anyone can.
Maxwell's lawyer is trying to adjust the child support payments to reflect that Max isn't an NBA player anymore. I would definitely donate money to help Max out since he made many Rocket fans believe in Clutch City. Ron Artest isn't getting paid 20 million a year. Someone provoked Ron to attack them in the stands. Nobody provoked Tmac to talk to SportsIllustrated, Stephen A Smith from ESPN and all those radio stations in CALIFORNIA.
Ok, a couple of thoughts: 1. You talk about Vernon Maxwell like toddlers babble about Santa Claus. I truly admire this about you. Vernon Maxwell could run up into the stands and hit a fan, get thrown off the Rockets and become a drug addict and you would still have his back...wait.. Stay golden, Ponyboy! 2. Ron Artest has to get by on $7 million a year. Hard times, man. That's probably what McGrady's worth right now. We shall see. 3. See, fans being jerks, even throwing drinks on you doesn't mean a player is justified in running up into the stands and punching people. Even the guilty ones. Artest did as much harm to the league as any player has since one of the cardinal rules about customer service is "Don't punch the paying customer." I think that's in the customer service top 5. 4. Are you telling me that Tracy McGrady talked to the media? Are you saying this guy has a large ego? Ok, I am *done* with this guy forever!
Right... and we got tons of garbage in return when we traded Pippen to Portland so shouldn't you be stoked that Mcgrady is at least increasing his trade value? For the betterment of our team?
you'll never change my mind about Maxwell. whatever he does, doesn't change what he did for the Rockets. I'm glad Kenny keeps repping him on TNT. Artest has a temper and the jerks were the fans in Detroit who did this. No other game in Ron's career has he done anything to a fan. I hope they banned that fan from every NBA game. Tracy McGrady has revealed his true colors. Don't act like its 3 or 4 people on the board who doesn't like his attitude.
So what if Maxwell killed somone in cold blood would that change your mind about him? The real reason Ron ran into the stands was because he was mad that Wallace pushed him so he wanted to take it out on someone a lot smaller. I'm pretty sure beer didn't make him that mad.
McGrady (based on his play this past season) is worth nowhere near $7 million/year. So if you go to a concert, get within throwing distance of the band, and start throwing things, you don't think you'll get forcibly removed from the venue? Or what if you go to a strip club and start throwing things at the strippers? Don't think you'll get forcibly removed? I really think you're overrating the "paying customer" point of view. That only applies if supply exceeds demand. It's like when I worked at Kroger during high school as a cashier. A customer criticized me for not asking how her day was and threatened to go to Randalls. I told her, "Ma'am, if you want to leave, that's fine. There are 5 people behind you in line, all waiting to take your spot."
Please, it's not even close. Pippen likely had MORE hype around him coming to Houston, and disappointed far more. In that ONE season Pippen played in, he managed to put career low numbers and shot the lowest FG% of his career. Some fool might mention he averaged 18/11 in the playoffs, but the Rockets only played 4 games and Pippen shot a pathetic 32% from the field. McGrady gets criticized for last years playoffs in which he averaged 28/8/7 on 42% from the field. That's only his on the court production, in where he really hurt the team was off the court. He called out his teammates individually, proven-ly quit on the team, and demanded trades during the season. And he wasn't injured like McGrady, he was healthy and greatly disappointed. There's even quotes of Barkley feeling disappointed Pippen only stayed for one season. Pippen was a class A jerk with a huge ego. Let's not forget the formal trade demands either. Pippen played one season in Houston, destroyed the teams locker room, demanded trades, called out players and to top it all off played like **** when it mattered the most. McGrady's situation doesn't come close.
