I just saw channel 2 news where francis was saying just because we got ming doesnt mean that cato is out , he said cato was not just gonna let ming take his spot. I thought this was so funny. Any center in the league is better than cato.
Not true At all. Cato is better than half of the starting centers in the league. That's not saying much. Actually it is. It tells you how weak that position is. But that being said Cato should have the starting center spot until Yao beats him out and that won't happen right away. Also the competion between Cato and Yao is a perfect situation for both of them. Cato is one of the more physical centers in the league. You can argue that after Shaq, Cato is the next most physical center and Yao will get a quick lesson in the physical play of the NBA right in practice. Cato is going to help yao improve at a much faster pace than playing against Collier. Cato will definitely beat up on him at first. But I am confident Yao will learn and improve from it. So let them beat up on each other and may the best man win.
I agree, this motivation will make him better. Cato has talent, he is just lazy. Hopefully, the battles in practice will make Ming better and Cato will become better too. For whatever reason, if Ming doesn't work out, we need Cato to improve just in case. I think there are a lot of teams he could start for right now, so he'll be a good backup for us when Ming takes over.
The only times I can remember Cato scoring is when he is dunking and that is not very often. True his defensive skills are a little better than your average center but his lack of interest in bettering himself is evident. Cato is the biggest underachiever in the NBA and to be honest I think after Ming plays a couple fo Preseason games he will have won the starting job. I think he will be the starting center for the first game of the year and if he is not he will probably will have played more minutes than cato if he was coming off the bench.
You forget who are coach is. Rudy will not take the starting position away from Cato until Ming has truly earned it and even a little after that. That is his character in addition Yao is a Rookie and Rudy will bring him around slowly he has no intention of throwing him up against Shaq unprepared. Yao has a lot to learn about the Rockets and the Nba game and coming in late to camp is going delay that learning process. I would be surprised to see him take over the starting spot before midseason. And that would only be because he has shown great progress. Don't worry Yao will be a star. Just be patient.
It's not just about talent though. If Ming doesn't know the plays, then it will do more harm than good to have him on the floor. I know the Rockets will try to work with him before he gets here but players need to run through the plays on the court during practice. By the time he gets here, training camp will be over and those 2 weeks before the season is not enough time to be ready for the regular season.
Cato is a huge underachiever, and his offensive ability is limited to two hand dunks. These of course after Steve or someone else drives the lane and draws away Cato's man and dishes off to him. I have always been amazed at just how many of these passes Cato bobbles out of bounds. Hopefully the Rockets learned their lesson in Cato, in not signing players who have a strong preseason, immediately afterwards. Otherwise I'm not sorry we have the guy, I am sorry that we pay him so darn much.
I still can't believe that Francis is thinking that Cato is going to be better that Ming!! The guy is crazy. I hope Ming makes Francis eat his words from all this Draft crap when he helps this team win 50 games plus...
You guys are kidding, right? This is the Cato that didn't want the starting job away from Pig Miller! Steve must have been drunk when he said cato was not just gonna let ming take his spot. You know Cato's story. A smart, eccentric young man who was a dishwasher when he grew 7 inches in one year and decided that this could make him rich someday. He never played basketball as a kid, never liked the sport. He worked hard, and showed enough desire to get to the big contract. I don't really blame the guy, he's smart enough to have made himself millions of dollars. It's just that he's not into basketball. One day he may find his true calling, and he may be passionate about it.
He writes children's books as well. Still, with Ming, people say you can't teach size and the same goes for Cato. He is grossly overpaid, but it's in our best interest for him to play better and we should hope he does. He's the whipping boy of the Rockets, damn, you gotta wonder what goes through his head every time Fran rips him. At least he has the money. Hopefully, drafting Ming will light a fire under his butt and get him in the gym. Man, how much must Collier suck if he hasn't been able to get more minutes from him.
CATO was brought on board as a player with high expectations as a defensive Center. The Coach has tried to make him into an Offensive Player ( which he isn't ) neglecting his Shot Blocking and Rebounding. Its about time Kelvin Cato concentrated on Defence!!
Where did he say that? It sounds as if he said that Cato wouldn't just roll over and die just because we got Ming. Sounds like he may be trying to motivate Cato. Isn't that part of what all the Steve haters want him to be : a leader?
I was thinking the same thing. Steve must know Cato has a fragile ego and he trying make sure Cato picks up where he left off last season.
Try to remember that this comment came AFTER he praised the Rockets for taking Yao. He is sticking up for his teammate and trying to help boost his confidence. I don't have any problems with that.
Stevies was just saying Cato is a fighter. he's not gonna roll over and die. He will make Ming earns the starting job. Peace.
I know I'm in the minority and probably will be flamed.....but I had to come out of hiding to say.... Cato played pretty damn good last season, especially the second half. IMHO if he continues that kind of play, he easily is a top 10 center. (like said before, says more about the center position than Cato, but still...) No matter what Cato does, seems Rocket fans will always boo him, and always remember his previous years and the size of his wallet. After how many straight games with double doubles (legitimate dd's) and Rocket fans still boo. What ever happened to "what are you doing for me now?" From my perspective he did a hell of a job last season. He actually tried for Christ sake and he played big in many games. After his play last season how can you still say he's one of the worse centers. I agree, if he regresses to his "woe is me" mentality, fine, call him the lowest scum on earth. But right now, as it stands after last season, give the man his due. I'm glad Steve does. Who thinks Ming will come right off of the China team and dominate the NBA. Do we really expect him to know a good amount of our plays? Do we think he will be ready for the pace of the NBA at the start? I think having him come in the games off the bench for a good 15 to 20 minutes starting off would be very smart. Get him acclimated and see how he does. If Cato plays like he did last year (praying and hoping) then he deserves to be the starter while Ming learns the NBA game. (BTW, why is it that whenever Cato shoots a 15-10 foot jumper, he makes it, am I the only one noticing this??? Yes, that jumper definitely is never relied on, yet whenever he has had to take it, he makes it. Bread and butter and main course is the two handed dunk, yet the jumper has to say something about his potential.)
DLS, You may be in the minority but you are absolutely correct. Cato had a good second half of the season and he deserves to be our starting center... We were prepared to gointo this season with him as a starter. Reports from Doc Rocket was that Cato was not mentioned in trade talks or roster moves. They were prepared to go with him as there starting center. He would have been the weakest link in the starting five, but he would still be good enough to get them to the playoffs. But then this freak thing happened and the Rocket's won the Lottery and Ming was just to good to pass it up. And now Cato is not our future at the starting center spot. But it doesn't mean he all of sudden got worst. And he will start until Ming proves he can take the spot from him.
