It is extremely difficult to compare Francis and Pippen in their respective dissings. Francis could not choose which team would pick him. Pippen was the top free agent who had some power to choose his destination, and demand a certain amount of pay (max.) What Steve did to Vancouver really, really sucked bad. If I was a Grizz fan I would so be hating this kid for a long, long time. I mean, he dissed the entire city. I have several Canadian friends who are so bitter about being dissed, especially by Americans, and what Steve did and said just hit them right in that spot. But it still pales in comparison to Pippen's cowardice. Pippen demanded the max behind the scenes, and it took an incredible team of lawyers to get his contract done. He "looked forward to bringing a championship to Houston." He was the top free agent, finally getting his super-duper payday and his opportunity to start over in a new town without MJ and be The Man. He failed, utterly. I don't think he played poorly on purpose, I think he became flustered when he was asked to produce on offense the way Mobley and Francis do. He is not a go-to guy, he doesn't like to be the focal point of the offense, and when all eyes were focused on him to do so, he liked it even less. Honestly, his opportunities for scoring aren't that much different in Portland. You've got Smith, Sabonis, Rasheed, and Grant posting up. You have some screens on the perimiter now and then. He just didn't take his opportunities here in Houston. He couldn't be Jordan, he couldn't be Francis, Hell, he can't do what Mobley does now. He wanted to be considered The Man in word as well as $$, but couldn't deliver the goods. Instead of making up for his worst season ever, looking forward to a new season with Francis and Shandon making up for ANY woes in the backcourt, he fled. It wasn't just dissatisfaction, it was fear. He was a coward, and never took blame for playing poorly. He shirked his responsibility, he broke his promise. He betrayed us. Francis was petty, and perhaps childish for not wanting to play in Vancouver. But the two don't compare. ------------------ The ninth pick in the NBA 2000 draft goes to... The Cleveland Cavaliers....not.
Perhaps Chuck has forgiven him, but I doubt Les has. Neither have I. ------------------ http://www.gaffordstudios.cjb.net/
Barkley must have made it know to the Portland players he would be in attendance and would be packing heat The guy is still a f*cking loser til the day he and his huge, wicked witch looking nose are sent to the depths of hell!! ------------------ We need some meat in the post!
EJ Tucker, You said it before I could. There are just some people who will never understand the difference no matter how many times we talk about it here or otherwise. ------------------ I have a dream.........his name's Hakeem.
Pippen said he would not apologize at gunpoint first. Barkley said he would be carrying - joking of course. Pippen is a no class, spineless, imitator of Michael's personality outwardly whose real personality has been exposed. There is no comparison between Pippen and Elway and Francis. It's ridiculous to even try and compare it. Elway and Francis are up front and honest about their feelings while still "good guys". Pippen is a sulking, spoiled child with a very bad attitude. He only came to Houston cus he was too lazy to research the different teams and see where he felt he fitted in - he only let Charles Barkley talk him into coming here, unfortunately for us. It's strange cus I was very surprised that he came here, thinking he fit in better with a running team like Phoenix or L.A. Now I know he had no mind of his own, the skunk, and once he was here and figured out it wasn't for him, he just handled it wrong and handled Barkley wrong. PIPPEN WAS ALL WRONG. However, I no longer hate him. I like what we have and we did beat them this year - that took some sting out of it for me. I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE HE APOLOGIZED TO BARKLEY. IS THIS A POOR JOKE? I hope not. Barkley deserved much better than Pippen handed out. I don't blame Vancouver for hating Steve Francis but that's because they stink, and we have one of the potential great players of this league in Stevie. But they can't hate him for anything he did wrong. There are just some things a person can't accept - and where you have to live is a pretty big "thing". It's good that Pippen apologized to Barkley but I hope he isn't expecting any good vibes from Houston. ------------------
Whoever said Vancouver was a better sports city than Houston cus they "booed" louder at Francis than Houston did at Pippen - well I can't say what I think of that. Houston Rockets fans are a "class act", and we probably get that from our coach and our team - just following suit. I beg to differ though that they booed louder - it was pretty loud in the Compaq Center. We just weren't a bunch of hoodlums throwing things on the court. I consider our fans the better sports and therefore a better "sports city". So there. ------------------
hmm did he really make up with him or is this just scam so when pippen is beat up barkley isn't blamed. WAS IT PIPPEN WHO SAID HE WOULD NOT APOLOGIZE AT GUNPOINT FIRST OR WAS IT CHARLES WHO FIRST SAID I WILL MAKE HIM APOLOGIZE AT GUNPOINT? ------------------ Shane "Save Our Rockets" "Life without basketball in Houston........without an arena that is what it will be"
What Pippen did/said to Barkley is immaterial in the overall scheme of things. What Pippen did to the Rockets organization IS important. The year we signed Pippen, we had several choices of free agent, not the least of which was Antonio McDyess, who made it public that he wanted to play in Houston. By signing Pippen, to what we thought was a long term contract, we missed out on the opportunity to sign Mcdyess or any other free agent. Just to cap it off, Pippen makes the trade demand public, forcing the Rockets hand and drastically reducing his trade value. That, my friends, is irreversible damage. Forget about Charles and think about your team. I have no softening of feelings for Pippen. If the rockets were my organization I'd be sueing his ass. ------------------ http://rocketdavo.tripod.com
Davo, I agree with everything you said, except that McDyess wanted to play for us. He was interested in Houston for a time. But then he decided against us, partly because Barkley was playing his position and partly because of our weak backcourt. The reason we went for Pippen was because McDyess scratched us off his list. ------------------ http://www.gaffordstudios.cjb.net/
The situations aren't even close in comparison. Steve let Vancouver know months ahead of time that he did not want to play there. He did not even work out for them because they already had a point guard and made it clear that if he was drafted by them that he wanted to be traded. Vancouver was not put in an awkward position. They understood the consequences. They drafted the best player available and traded him to better their team(and got some good, young, contracted players). I can understand the bitter feelings of Vancouver fans, but they knew what they were doing. Pippen lied and deceived the Rockets organization, his teammates, his friend, and his fans. He f*cked us over royally because he put us in an awkward position where we pretty much has to trade him. By going public and, like Davo said, drastically reduced his trade value. Francis is a man for being true to himself. Pippen is a punk b**** that runs at the first sign of adversity. ------------------ We need some meat in the post!
