Dreamshake-It's mainly the way it's presented, IMO. I'm not sure this is a playoff team, yet. I can't see us sneaking in any higher than 7th if we stay as we are. It's not because we aren't a good team, we have tons of potential. It's because the West is loaded with great veteran teams. In the East, the tune would be different, but it'll take a little more in the West. IF we are to get Mo, which is very possible, and he proves his poor rebounding and D was Clipperphobia, and brings them up to average, I can see us getting up to 6th, or with a healthy Olajuwon, possibly higher. But, IMO, this team isn't a playoff lock. Then again, I thought last year's team was a playoff lock. ------------------ The Serious Police are watching. Follow the rules or be assimilated. Shandon is underrated.
Da Man -- Like Rudy and Carroll say, the Rockets are "doing it the right way". Stockpiling young talent is not the key to building a winner. Otherwise all the teams you mentioned would've had rings by now with all the lottery picks they've had. Lots of people are taking the team as it was last year, figuring no additions, and assuming they will perform the same as the year before. That is ludicrous. Chemistry is everything. If the teams you mentioned knew anything about chemistry, and actually had a plan, they might've gotten somewhere. How many of the teams you mentioned actually had a coach with a plan, and the players actually believed in what he was telling them? Or how many of the teams you mentioned had a player with best-player-in-the-league potential? If you're losing 50 games a year, and adding a new guy every year that thinks he's "the man", you're not going to get very far. ------------------ "All these white guys running onstage making believe they're in gangs...Gangs would chew 'em up and spit them out. They'd put peas and carrots alongside them. 'Yo wussup! My name is Eminem.' Really? I'd like to see you walk down the streets alone in Harlem at night and see where that Eminem stuff gets you." - Gene Simmons Metal Sludge
I don't know what you guys are thinking, Vince is definitely right - if a team doesn't make changes then it can't make the playoffs. That's why the clippers are specials to make the playoffs this season, they have made a lot of changes and are now guaranteed a spot! To be serious, we made changes before last season and the tip was for the Rockets to finish as 4th seed in the West - we didn't make the playoffs... that didn't happen... changes don't always make a team better, it's about players learning to play together and by making a lot of changes every year that won't really happen. Tb-Cain said the team was coming up to only their 2nd training camp together - in fact some of the players on our roster were added AFTER training camp last year - makes it a bit hard to gel as a unit. Give them a chance! If nothing much happens this season, maybe then we need to start thinking about making changes..... ------------------
Freak--- If the teams you mentioned knew anything about chemistry, and actually had a plan, they might've gotten somewhere. What exactly is our plan anyway? Just curious. Da Man--- Sacramento looked like they were going to make some serious progress after the 1999 season. They were a young and exciting that actually made it to the playoffs in their first season together. But hell they actually played worse during the 1999-2000 season. One of the reasons the Kings looked so much on the upside is Jason Williams, but he really screwed up the past year. I guess you can say one of the reasons that the Rox might be better is becuz of Francis's upside, but I dont think that Francis will ever end up like J-Will... Francis is on another level. The Washington Wizards had a nice collection of young talent in the 1996-1997 season. It was the first full season in which Webber, Strickland, and Howard played together. Well, Webber kept on gettin in trouble off the court, and Howard kinda turned out to be a bust. The New Jersey Nets looked like the real deal in the 1997-1998 season. But they had Jason Williams dint they? The Clippers made the playoffs in the 1996-1997 season with a very young team, and we all know what happened to them. Knowing the Clippers management, I'm sure they did something wrong in the offseason to screw themselves over. MY POINT... Each of these teams kinda screwed it up some way. We might do the same thing... who knows? But barring any major freak injuries(ie jason williams), I think we'll really get somewhere. This team has a lotta talent(esp with Mo Taylor), but we also have something these other teams dint have: the HEART to win. And also, having one of the top 5 players in the league next year in Francis will help. ------------------ president of the dan langhi fan club. [This message has been edited by alaskansnowman (edited August 20, 2000).]
Hey not my Partner of this thread what the heck do you mean, how the material was presented? 2000 plus post and still can't take anything negative (which I may add I said nothing negative only a fact) about the Rockets. However, facts are facts. Carol and Rudy are on record of saying and implying that they wanted a free agent this summer. They were seriously looking to make a couple of moves in the off season. They went after Croshere, moving up in the draft, and who knows what other free agents. I don't blame them for not making any of the moves because likley they'd of gotten rapped if they had done some of those moves. But, uhmmmmmm. Cato all of you selective memory posters all of this last season wanted him out of town. Wizard was as welcomed as the flu. Look if any trade does not involve francis, Mobley, or Anderson; I say do it. Do a combination to land you another corner of the puzzle. Cato played uninspired and just because I hear Carol say he is inspired will not change my mind. I've got to see him play with heart. Wizard looks so one dimensional on the court it is not even comical. Drew only looked decent when he started. Miller is nothing more than a 10 minute guy on a decent NBA team. Bullard should not log more than 10 minutes too. Kenny Thomas is 2 seasons away from being a solid BACKUP. Look, I don't like this bickering. Other than with the Partner, 2000 plus posts and I make him my arch nemisis!!!!! WOW, I definatley pushed somebody's button hahahahahahahahahaha Face it, this team is hurting. And for some reason some of you take SEVERE OFFENSE from me to say that if this team stays the same they are headed down the same path of last year. ------------------
That's exactly what he means by the way the material was presented. You think of your own personal opinions as fact and that they cannot be wrong, and that the opinions of all other posters here are wrong. I say that we are a playoff team and I presented my reasons why. If what you said can be considered a fact, than I guess mine can too. You still haven't shown me how or why your opinions are so much more valid than the rest of us here at ClutchCity. If you maintain the sentiment that what you say is "fact" and that all of these posters are wrong and you are right, expect to get this kind of treatment. ------------------ Looking for next year's Dan Langhi? Draftsource.net Sign Mo Taylor. Bench Kenny Thomas.
Contradicting statements if I ever saw one. ------------------ In order to be a success in life, you need 2 things: 1. Don't tell everything you know. [This message has been edited by BobFinn* (edited August 20, 2000).]
Vince, "rapped"? Mango ------------------ 1. Put new topics in the proper forum 2. Use clear wording for new threads 3. No duplicate threads 4. Conduct yourself as an adult The Serious Police are watching Donate Blood or be assimilated!
Its like in Madden 2001. After every season, the old guys get a little worse, and the young guys get better, depending on their potential. See, if Francis was in Madden 2001, his potential would be like 100. And Mobley and Shandon Anderson would be like 94 or something. So this year, they will all be a lot better. So will Cato. So if all these people get better, why wont the team get better. That doesnt make any sense. ------------------ Starting at shortstop, for the Houston Astros, Nomar Garciaparra.
And dreamcasting remains strong going into the new season!!!....giving out Madden 2001 ratings to make a point about real players. the line between virtual reality and reality gets fuzzier and fuzzier.
Vince, You're making assumptions about Collier and Langhi.....and from your words about the "sorry summer league" which you "HEARD" about.....meaning you did not watch them gives you no reason to bash Collier or give props to Langhi...... Secondly, "And once a year like that is repeated too often, sequels aren't produced. Get it!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Damn it Vince, every team goes through a re-building process......it's one frigg'in year...ONE frigg'in year...................and looking at the Rockets from that prospective of re-building i have to say they have done an excellent job....... Personally i think, the Rockets will make it to the playoffs .....based from the streak they had last year.... they played some damn good teams and rebuilding teams don't beat contenders(meaning more than one elite team).....also that streak happened to be damn long for a pretender. Sorry, Vince i respect your OPINION ............actually no i don't ......but, we're going to have to wait till the season to start for anyone to say they are a "BOTTOM DWELLING TEAM"(personally i think the Clippers & Vancouver get that title, not the Rockets)......or a playoff team because there are too many X-factors which have to be right for the Rockets to make the playoffs. The team is too young, with too many players who may improve over a summer. ------------------ $$ out $$
Vince: People make negative comments all the time on this board. Most of them don't get slammed. I think your arrogance, more than anything else, was annoying. I mean, I can at least *understand* blind faith that one's team will win... but you seem to have some sort of blind faith that they will fail. You also haven't responded to many of the arguments put forth against you. Your *assertion* that the end of last season was a fluke has been controverted... what is your response? As for our not acquiring a free agent... so what? Of course Houston wanted one. Every team wanted oen. Do you expect CD to claim he *didn't* want one? It's another thing to think that not having a free agent dooms this team. Do you honestly think that Francis, Mobley, Shandon, Cato, and Thomas will remain stagnant? What if the end of last year *wasn't* a fluke? The ROckets played above .500 then. Any chance there might be an improvement? I agree with Nikestrad: it's extremely unlikely that Houston will do better than the 7th seed without an improvement... ------------------ The lottery sucks. Playoffs 2001.
Going into the offseason we needed to improve at 2 or maybe 3 positions. We needed a PF, a SF and a consistent C. The PF questions was not answered. KT is a decent player but there are so many great PF in the West that we still need an upgrade their. SF may eventually be answered by Langhi or by playing Shandon more at the 3. I don't feel too bad about this position, but we are still a little weak here until Langhi develops or until we findanother Guard (if Shandon does indeed play more at the 3 then I think we need another guard, although this could be Moochie of Francis can slide to the 2 occasionally or Drew if he improves). Many ion this board, myself not included, believes Cato is the answer at C. I do not believe this, but if Dream can come back and play at 75% of where he was 2 years ago thern we still have a nice center combo. I honestly don't see us as a playoff team next year, unless Dream has an unbelievable season. Francis will be better, as will Cat & Shandon, but we need some big post players that can be effectively offensively & defensively. The reason I say offensively is because we need someone to get the other teams stars in foul trouble or to at least make them work defensively. ------------------
On the terms of the last part of the season being a fluke. NO, not with the comptition being presented. Teams overlooked the Rockets just as the Rockets used to overlook the mediocre teams in their glory days. Let down are common for human nature. If that's all we have to base this next season on; I say I can't accept that argument. Yes Francis was stellar, too was Mobley, Wizard hit his shots, Cato looked inspired, Anderson became a good offensive player for a while. But can they hold that up the entire season. I don't think they can; well not Wizard, Cato, and the Offensive Anderson. Francis and Mobley can. Here let me put it this way. Either the Rockets will blow the league away and get seeded in the top 5 or they don't even make the playoffs. The Rockets just don't have the horse power to sustain long losing streaks. So all you beleivers, once you see that first long losing streak get repeated over and over, it's time to enjoy the game for what it is. The game I enjoy to watch. Well, guys speaking the mind is the only ways to imprison others with your own toughts. ------------------
You can say that about any damn team in the NBA that isn't a contender! That's such a pile of garbage. Wins are wins, and don't try to pass them off as other teams having a let down. In fact, almost ALL of those teams were playing for home court advantage in the playoffs. You can't tell me that they didn't care about the games and that the Rockets won because of a "let down." ------------------ Looking for next year's Dan Langhi? Draftsource.net Assimilate David Falk!!
Vince: Why didn't other teams with losing records win in the same situation then? Even if they *did* overlook Houston, that would imply that we were better than our record. You're contradicting yourself . I'm not saying Houston will make hte playoffs, but that they have a distinct possibility of doing so. Especially if Ewing goes down . ------------------ The lottery sucks. Playoffs 2001.
