SI.com has an ALL "Overated" article for this season. Guess who gets the coaching nod? Most Overrated Coach: Rudy Tomjanovich http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/news/2003/04/13/waag_0414/ Tomjanovich just took a leave from the team in order to battle bladder cancer, so you might think I'm a horrible person for saying this, but the cruel truth is that no team was out to lunch on more nights this year than the Rockets, and that was the main reason a team with Steve Francis and Yao Ming goes into the final week needing to play well just to stay above .500. The press has given Rudy a free pass since he won back-to-back titles in the mid-90s, but his unique strategy of freezing out the 7-foot-5 guy is one of many reasons to think his work has slipped since then.
It seems everyone outside the Rox Org see the problem except Rox itself. Furthermore, Larry Smith almost split the play time even for Yao and Cato. And of course SF and Mobley dont want any changes, cause they know they can continue their crazy dribbling, playing their street ball style until the end of their career with NO playoff experience.
*yawn* RT is not happy if Yao Ming doesn't get thirty touches in any given game. Its as simple as that.
So should Rudy get ANY props for the back-to-back Championships or did he have just too much talent in Dream and the role players? I believe Rudy is a good coach, but a coach of the past. The players on the championship teams were mature (except Maxwell). They listened to their coach and had respect believeing his words would take them to the promised land. Todays young players don't listen enough...don't respect their coaches. When Steve says he won't play for another coach, it's because he believes Rudy has the experience and knowledge to help them get to the next level..which he does. The problem is, Steve needs to listen to Rudy and Rudy needs to discipline players when they don't. Steve is afraid a new coach will bench him...and maybe he should be afraid of that. I dunno....maybe it is time to get some new coaching blood in here because Rudy has obviously lost control of the team.
IMO, it's Francis and Mobley who have destroyed this team. They have shown zero ability to follow ANY coaches' game plan. We saw Larry try a "tough love" approach these past few weeks, and what do we get...the 2 worst back to back games in franchise history. If these guys can't learn to be coached (no matter who it is), we'll just have to accept .500 ball.
So, how much time did this guy put into making that list. check out the first one: <blockquote><hr> <b>Most Overrated Guarantee: Atlanta Hawks</b> OK, that was low-hanging fruit, but I figured I'd start with something we can all agree on before I got to the controversial stuff.<hr></blockquote> He says that we can "all agree on this." Well, that must be the "Most Overrated Assumption" of the year. I guess he didn't read Les Alexander's "best team ever assembled" comment.
I think the Rockets marketing staff did everything they could to keep that quote by Les from reaching the national wires.
A coach is only as good as his players. Always has been, and always will be. 1.) You need a franchise player in order to win a championship. 2.) You need a group of players that understand their roles and how to play the game. We have neither. That simple. Now, if you don't have a franchise player you can be successful if you have a group of players that play hard as a team. Pistons, Kings, Blazers....when they're not in trouble.
Is he overrated for taking a bunch of college and CBA players to the world championships and winning a bronze, when George Karl finished 6th with some of the best NBA talent? Rudy is one of the most respected coaches in the NBA for a good reason I don't agree that is overrated in the least.
also from that same cnnsi article: (scroll down) BRICK: Houston Rockets The Rockets built themselves a seat at the lottery made entirely from brick. In a special double-dip, they set a franchise record by shooting 29.5 percent and scoring just 66 points against Portland on Tuesday, and then needed a garbage-time rally to avoid breaking the mark the next night in Utah.
Man, you mean he won the Bronze, against European players. BTW, a lot of people are starting to consider Karl to be overrated. His Olajuwon is turning out to be Payton if you notice.
I always thought that RT was overrated, but not for the reasons that the columnist gave (freezing out Yao). To me it was more of an overall inability of Rudy to incorporate a sophisticated offense. Over the last 10 years RT has used -- with the exception of this year, but still too ISO for my tastes -- a "Four guys standing around on the 3-point line, while one guy ISOs" offense. RT loves the simpleton offense. That's fine. But reeks predicability and lacks flexibility. Oh, and it's boring! Unless you have a young Jordan on your team!
Poor Poor Rudy... You gotta feel bad for him. I guess we will just have to see what will transpire from now and next season.
Ouch. It took three missed point blank looks in '93 to keep Seattle alive and keep the Rox from Back-to-Back-to-Back Championships. Same maybe to that as Denver's defeat of Sonics. The one that really hurt was how Rox let Seattle back into the '97 play-offs effectively cutting all margin for error againstStockton-to-Malone, bear hugs and all that Jazz... Those Rox coulda/woulda beat the MJers.
I love what Rudy has done for us, but he is overrated. I someitmes think he is to stuck on his iso, think about it. with dream it was an iso and the rest of the team would feed off of it. It worked great then, but not now. We need someone who will, teach fundamentals and team work. I hate to say it, but the rest of the team needs to catch up with Yao in this department.
