Somebody has probably posted this already, but why are we so obsessed with the idea of Olajuwon coming back to tutor Yao? Hakeem has never been the teacher type. Too introverted, too moody, bad language skills. And hey, I love Ming's game, but whatever it is, it ain't Hakeem's. We've got a young center who needs to bulk up, establish good habits, learn to bang, and figure out how to succeed in the NBA with short arms. We brought in Willis in part to mentor Cato, but Cato is ineducable. Yao is highly educable. I rest my case.
Actually, Cato turned around in the second half of the season. I'm all for bring Willis back at a Vet Minimum. We can keep Collier on IR. I don't know if Willis would want to come back to ride the pine.
Wow, I just responded to a gettinbranded post about the same thang. Olajuwon was never a take-em-under-his-wing and share-a-box-of-Post-Grape-Nuts cereal with the younger players. Yao has a brain and a feel for the game, from all reports. So he'll be fine under the tutelage of CD and, uhm, that big tall older brother on the Rockets' payroll (whatshisname?)
Are you suggesting that Yao learn from Cato? What's Cato going to teach him? How to beat a murder rap? What colors to paint his car? Or how to collect the most money with the least work? Great suggestion.
According to someone who spoke to him at a charity basketball game in Atlanta, Willis is talking to the Hawks about returning there next year.
I think he's talking about Larry Smith...When did Cato ever murder anybody? Yo <b>Will</b>...ineducable? Damn, I didn't even know that was a word...Where were you when I was playing Scrabble last night?
Will:- I agree with your post with one exception I dont see Yao becoming a Banger but rather a finesse player! I think the Banger in the middle is becoming obsolete with the 3 second rule. The old way of guarding a center*( with the exception of Shaq, who is still playing the old way) ( Akeem was the first of the multi-positional finesse Centers )* has become very limited. IMHO keep all these older players away from Yao, they either don't have anything to offer or they don't know how to impart their experience. The Franchise/Dynasty will grow together, their Youth will become experience in Rox Team Basketball.
Yao must be kept away from Cato, when they are not playing a game. He has nothing in common with Yao, he has only habits of low esteem. He has nothing to offer which would uplift Yao to a higher plain of experience, American or otherwise. IMHO ( based all on hearsay)
if anybody is going to teach yao how to play it's going to yao. cato can't do it. and for willis i'd bring him back if we got rid of collier and langhi
How come nobody seems to remember that Langhi isn't on the team anymore? Also, Willis isn't coming back either. Even though he is as old as dirt, he can still play. He won't come back here to sit on the bench for another season when he doesn't have many left... As for Yao, he will learn plenty from Rudy and CD. That is who helped make Hakeem the legend that he his...Granted, Hakeem had plenty of natural ability, but CD and Rudy refined it. I'm sure they can do the same for Big Ming.
OK, lets not get all technical here. The original post was merely a suggestion that anything Cato had to teach someone would be totally unrelated to basketball. Get it? Try to keep up people.
The houston coaching staff can teach Yao how to play. They taught Hakeem his dream shake, jump hook and all his other badass moves, i think. If Yao can come close to mastering any moves like Hakeem did he will be awesome. The Difference i see is that Dream was a finese player that could bang inside, Yao just looks like an all finese player. Whats IMO?
