Thanks a lot, hsf09. And thanks to Clutch too. Reading that recap was the first thing that's made me want to watch basketball since the lockout began. Clutch's enthusiasm for this team is infectious. I hadn't even realized there was a game on tomorrow night. I have other plans but I'm setting it to record now and I know what I'm doing when I get home tomorrow night. Main thing I'm looking forward to: Finding out who the hell is even on our team anymore.
Thanks hsf. What are the odds we can get Clutch to team up with Clyde and Worrell? Let's talk to Le$.
Yes, Houston and Boston both were very interested in Gasol. Had the draft been 6 weeks earlier the Rockets would have had him. Rudy T had a good eye for talent, he also tried to get Amare, Nene, Garnett and Nash through the draft. Then again he also told me at a bar in Houston that Juan Dixon is who he would take #1 when Dixon was a senior.
davidnuno David Nuño [rQUOTEr]Houston Rockets Forward Jordan Hill is calling the Drive at 6:30pm, plus @clutchfans gives me is Rox analysis...[/rQUOTEr]
ask him what drives him because it sure the hell aint basketball. Is there freaking anything he is passionate about? If he could pretend the rim was a vagina would he maybe try a little harder and go for it? What if he pretended the ball was a nugget of mar1juana would he go for it then? What animal does he most think he is like ? a sloth or a turtle? has he ever wanted anything in his life ever? does he work for the gov't and believe in red tape and bureaucracy? is his favorite sport SLOW pitch softball? how fast does he drive through a school zone? how fast does his grandma crawl ( because she sure as hell is faster than him) some people wear their heart on their sleeve.. where does he wear his ?under his butt?
Coming up in ~5 minutes for anyone interested. 1560thegame.com or try: http://radio.securenetsystems.net/v4/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KGOW EDIT: (Talking about the Bill Ingram interview and agents against Morey): Maybe Carl Landry's agent but I don't believe that's the case at all. Morey is a smart GM. Agents recognize that. It could be that he leverages restricted FAs. It paid off for the Rockets though. I don't think agents are against Daryl. (If Carl Landry's agent was new agent): Couldn't tell you definitively but I believe so. They wanted to get money from the Rockets but the Rockets forced them to go get the money so they could match it. (How he would grade Daryl's overall tenure in Houston): To this point, pretty good. Made some excellent moves. Acquired Scola, Lowry for nothing. Now is the time when he'll be judged differently. He is taking a course of action that is a less likely route to get that star. They're still that bubble, .500 team. Hard to make that improvement in talent going that route. From now on, Morey will be judged. (Why FAs don't choose Houston): Rockets haven't cracked the top two or three of these big stars but were close. Talk of Carmelo being interested. Bosh, maybe some interest there but couldn't beat out Miami. They're close but that doesn't get you anything. They need to acquire that first star player and that's the most difficult step. They need what Amar'e did for the Knicks. (On the Pau Gasol trade that wasn't and Pau either attracting others here or combining him with others to get that blue chipper): That's been a topic of conversation. That was exactly the case. Right now, you're hearing LA won't trade Gasol/Bynum for Howard. Would the Rockets have traded Gasol and Nene for Howard? Had they gotten Pau and picked up Nene, they would have the assets to get Howard. (vs Milwaukee, no D and a rough night for Lowry): Lowry did have a terrible game. He took the loss on himself. Had a poor game. Defense deserves blame too. Completely fell apart. Eye opener for the Rockets. For playoff perspective, you couldn't afford to lose. (Reaction to 2009 class not getting extensions): It was pretty much expected. 3 of the guys weren't playing. Hill was up in the air. He has not made the strides they hoped for. Although just because they didn't pick up the extensions, doesn't mean they won't or can't be back. (Washington, could be a trap game): It could. Washington one of the worst teams in the league. They are a team that let go of Saunders. They won their last game, granted it was the Bobcats but when a new coach comes in, guys are on their toes, looking for PT. Hope the Rockets don't slip tonight. They can't afford to lose this one. (You lose this one, it makes that hard work of the 7 game win streak go out the window): Exactly right. As fans, we're watching this team, wondering what they have done to shed that .500 label. Hoping to see them make that jump. (You were one of the first to talk about Amar'e a few years ago. Chris Sheridan floated that idea out there. Thoughts on that now?): Fans, early polling results on the site are positive which surprises me. I was pro before but different now. A guy who's contract goes through 2015 and pays him 23 million dollars. Potentially looking at another McGrady situation there. His game was based on his athleticism. Not a great defensive player either. Taking a big risk taking him on and I think they should avoid it. (Rockets playing playoff basketball aka playing with a short bench. McHale's motivation for it?): Trying to find guys he can rely on. He's finding guys he can trust. Has played the starter minutes heavy as well. Maybe sticking with the guys he knows who can get it done. (When do we get the first big deal during the season?): Good question. Still seems it always goes down to the trade deadline. GMs make that last minute deal. In this season, it's what going to happen with Howard and Williams. Those are the dominoes that have to fall first. If Gasol is dealt for Howard, do the Rockets or any other teams get involved. Those dominoes have to fall first.
That Ingram interview was pretty interesting. I hope thats not the case either but we haven't had much luck w/ stars wanting to come here. Here's the interview. http://www.1560thegame.com/mp3/files/1-27%20Bill%20Ingram.mp3
Hey Dave. Hey, good Morning guys, how you doing? HOW DO YOU THINK HE'S DOING DAVE?! ... I felt the level of frustration in your tweets last night. Oh, definitely. There have been fans all year that have either wanted this team to lose for a better draft pick or wanted them to win. Now everyone is fairly unified in the fact that there is just plain frustration going on with this team. I could have seen them lose any of these last 5 games. To see them lose all 5 games at a very key time is disappointing. Where do you fall on the approach the Rockets need to take? Yeah, they need better players and a much better best player, do you fall into the strip it down for parts and start over or kinda hope you catch lightning in a bottle with a guy later on in the draft or make the trade? I really think they have to strip it down. I don't know what they really have built. Their strength is their depth. Solid role players, very good role players but no stars and have given themselves no avenue to get that. We've seen them, possibly not their fault, but have failed over and over again trying to get the star player. They seem to be 2nd, 3rd, 4th on that players list or not at all. The draft, you see them consistently land in the 13th-14th-15th range of picks and they aren't able to get an impact player there. Fans are seeing that. It's not Daryl Morey's decision there. That's a Les Alexander decision. Les is about winning and wants to continue to win. That's probably a philosophy has to be looked at. Time to move on from Daryl or keep him? I don't think anything needs to change there. I think Daryl has been doing what he has been asked to do. Daryl knows this is a tough approach --trying to become that team that rebuilds without having a losing season and as he said, hasn't really been done before. They're failing in that approach and why it hasn't been done before but one possible move or trade can shift them out of mediocrity treadmill that they're in right now but we've been waiting on that for about 2-3 years now. Fans are getting impatient. Something will have to change this off-season for sure. Lets say they did strip it down and lets pretend they landed in the top three. Hell, lets pretend they landed top one in this draft. Does that guy exist in this draft? Does Anthony Davis, is he that guy that you say we're ready to build around this guy and be a championship level team? Yeah. Right away, championship level team I don't believe so. Big difference between number one and two this year. Davis is the foundation piece. A D anchor in the middle. I think he'll be a defensive stud in the NBA. He is a foundation type of player. I look at, some people say you get into the top 3-5 and you still have misses there but I think Daryl Morey and his staff have been outstanding at analyzing talent in the draft. Last couple years, their targets in moving up have been DeMarcus Cousins and Jonas Valanciunas, those two big men who are possibly the best players in their respective draft. They've been able to identify the guys that could help them. They just don't have the assets and pick standing to get them. How do you account for these lapses against Phoenix, Dallas, Denver in the 2nd half, the 4th Q? What the hell has happened to this team on defense in crunch time? Its mystifying. I say that because of the 4 game winning streak before this. A complete reversal in this 5 game losing streak. A complete collapse really. Amazing any of these games were close because on the aggregate they've been getting killed. For better or worse and how much truth is ingrained in it, probably not much, but a poor reflection on McHale when they come out at half flat. Yeah it is. Some fans have vented at him as well. He definitely needs to be better prepared. They have been kinda taking what the D is giving them and aren't forcing the D to adjust. The D is just packing the paint and forcing the Rockets to take outside shots. I asked several players after the Denver game if that's how you stop the Rockets and that's what opponents are doing, they said sure enough that's what they're doing but once we start knocking down shots, they'll be forced to adjust. That's the scouting report on this team: force them to make outside shots and if they hit them and beat you, you tip your hat to 'em but right now, it's working handsomely for opponents here in the West. What happens with Martin these last 4 games? I would like to think he comes in and play. His trade value took a beating this year. I'd like to see him at least come back and show that he can play because he'll have one year left and would hate to see the Rockets have a player like Kevin Martin and it only be an expiring contract. I'd like to see him come back for that reason alone. These last 5 games, he could have had an impact. I do think that's hard to say because some of the games the Rockets won, they really won because Dragic and Lee stepped in and played big minutes and really changed the team defensively and played solid on both ends of the floor. We may hear about the Lowry/Martin injuries as reasons they possibly don't make the playoffs but the Rockets also found themselves --two players who are unfortunately free agents but really had an impact in big minutes. That's all he is Dave. An expiring contract. He killed himself. On the court and the way he handled things after the Gasol trade. Do you agree with that? I do. And how intertwined are those things? Which two things? How he handled the Gasol trade and his performance this year. It definitely had an impact. From day one, you could see it hurt him. Where as Scola took a completely different approach, he let it roll off his back and had a great attitude about it. It affected Martin. He's had some great games this year but also some total stinkers. It's surprising. I think it did hurt him. I [don't?] think they will trade him this offseason for sure but he certainly wouldn't re-sign here in a year, that's for sure. Which way are the winds blowing on clutchfans? Patience still with this organization or people want to blow it up? Most want to blow it up. Right now a lot of frustration. I think after the home loss to Denver, I don't think I've seen the fan base this angry in several years. It reminded me a little of the Battier-Gay trade. A lot of anger. Fans would like to see something happen because that 14th pick, just saying that, is a hot button for saying we're going nowhere. Not going South, not going North, not going anywhere. A lot of people felt that was predictable. That this was a .500 team, we're doing the same thing again and here we are. I haven't given up hope for the playoffs but they'll need help. I wouldn't say hopeless but doesn't look good. Overall, playoffs or not, fans want to see change. Who is taking the biggest hit? McHale certainly getting a lot of flack. I don't think there is one particular player taking the most abuse. People want to see something happen. Want to see them move up in the draft or make a trade. Something has to happen. They may pursue a Dwight rental again like we saw in the past. Something to that effect. The Rockets will have to make a shift out of this .500 realm. People want to see change in general, not so much one particular player moved. I think back to when the Astros were doing what the Rockets are doing...but looking at those empty seats at Toyota Center, what they're throwing out there is not compelling to the fans to come out to the arena. It has had an impact. The business side of the game has perhaps kept the Rockets from making that fundamental change. You look at what the Astros are doing in attendance and as many have pointed out to me, the Rockets aren't the Texans. They won't sell out games if they're putting out a 19-20 win product out on the floor. I understand that but pretty much not disputable at this point that the Rockets can get better by getting worse. By being up in those top 3-5 picks in the draft, it has a huge impact as opposed to being in the 14 range. You gotta give them big ups for not tanking or trying to lose to eventually win but..I don't know. Not sure it's the recipe. Recipe for mediocrity right now and that's all they've been. http://www.1560thegame.com/audio/da...he-level-of-frustration-for-rockets-fan-4678/ http://www.1560thegame.com/mp3/files/4-19 Dave Hardisty.mp3
so basically Martin is a butt hurt baby..what a terrible life being paid millions to play basketball.
I agree with all your points... and the lack of BS is refreshing. It is almost impossible to get a real true impact player when you are drafting outside of the top 5 (not to mention #14-15 every damn year). The Rockets have tried to get superstars through trade (Howard) and have even been willing to settle for an all star (Gasol), but this takes a lot of luck and timing... I am not a big believer in "luck", but the Rockets have had ROTTEN luck, from Yao and TMac, to the Gasol trade being blocked, to missing Martin and Lowry for long periods of time. It is time to tear this thing down and start over. Morey and his staff are very good at talent evaluation and managing contracts and collecting assets. In 3-4 years he could have the Rockets in the thick of things.... but he needs an owner that will admit we are not going anywhere.
Clutch nails it, he is just far more diplomatic that I.......but it is the same thing that we have been saying all year. I think Morey is in a tough spot. DD
I agree with everything Clutch said in the podcast. And thats coming from someone who has been labeled a Rockets "apologist." Just utter frustration. If they dont wipe the table in the last 4 games, and Phoenix/Utah dont loose games, the ownership of the Rockets needs to allow Morey to finally build this team the way he believes will work. I believe the moves that were made, were in the mold of a rebuilding team, but some of the smaller moves like the Dalembert signing were strickly calls made from ownership. Its time to take the cuffs off of Morey and allow the man to do his job. Its going to be an interesting Summer to say the least.
Delembert...still makes no sense....just not a difference maker at all....what a waste. I wonder if they will go after guys with upside hidden on others rosters, like Hassan Whiteside in Sacremento - he is buried behind Cousins....he may bust out, but he has a lot of skills and is an excellent shot blocking big. DD
hsf09, thank you again. I agree Morey has made mistakes. He hasn't sold high on talent when he should have, and hasn't taken enough risks. But overall, within the limitations that Les has forced on him, I think he's done a decent job. Truly, Les' short-sidedness and blind adherence to mediocrity in the form of "WIN NOW" is the reason why Houston has one 2nd round playoff appearance in 18 years. (yes ...that's actually true).
DD wanting Whiteside...hmm thats new. JK. The Dalembert signing was wierd, but I think it was great that Morey took that situation and turned it into a positive by making his contract a very nice trade asset come this summer. Its completely obvious that was the purpose of that contract. I think Morey said to Les, ok, Ill finally sign Dalembert, but I HAVE TO be able to get the right contract where I can use him as a trade asset next summer. Ill be shocked if he's a Rocket next year.
