I know the ROY topic has been done to death but I Just finished watching a repeat of the Phoenix/Portland game and found it interesting that Amare played 30 minutes (second most next to Joe Johnson's 34) and was still in the game very late in the 4th Q with Portland leading by around 20. I think he ended up with about 8 points in the 4th and even attempted a 3 pointer which he made. One of announcers commented that this was probably the Sun's attempt to boost Amare's chances at winning the ROY by getting his stats up in the last few games and he ended up with 18 points and 7 rebounds. If the Suns are, in fact, giving Amare lots of minutes in the last few meaningless games to make a final impression on voters, it looks like the Rockets are taking the opposite approach by reducing Yao's minutes and making him "disappear" for whole quarters at a time by benching him in favor of Cato. It is hard to fathom why the Rockets wouldn't also pull for Yao to make a strong closing statement with the chance to play some extra minutes. After all, the ROY is one of the few awards that the Rockets have a shot at and winning it would reflect well not only on Yao but on the entire Rockets organization.
Larry does not believe in Yao Ming? Well then, that means that the whole Assistant Coaching Staff needs to go if they can't get on board with the entire Marketing Strategy that the Rockets organization was promoting this season.
He probably doesnt give a crap about the ROY award. He isnt going to get anything out of it. He wanted to help bring this team a post season, now He just wants his vacation to come.
I couldn't agree more. WTF LARRY!?!?!? I've been shouting that every game since he took over. I don't understand why he takes Yao out for the whole 2nd and 4th quarters a lot of the time. Isn't your best player at each position supposed to end the game? Last night, Yao played 21 min. to Cato's 27... I just don't understand and I cannot fathom any logical explanation.. What are we saving Yao for? Why aren't we giving him 40 min. a night to help him seal the ROY award? The only reason I can think of is that Larry Smith is just not that enamored with him...
Larry Smith is out of his depth. This is not news anymore. It is not just about this ROY race. Larry Smith is simply disgusting as far as I am concerned and RudyT who made us believe that his "assistants are capable hands" is just as bad. Larry IQ must be < 0. He talks the good talk (just like almost every other Rocket) but he is up there with worst I have seen in all sports. He is one of the reason I also want Rudy gone so that his behind will not be on our pine come 2003/2004 season. Larry scares me - he is "synonymous" to a ticking time bomb.
nobody should give a crap about the ROY. it's an individual award. basketball is a team sport. stupid awards isn't what the game is about.
Actually it is Steve Francis' fault. He is so egotistical that he feels like he should be the only player on the team with ROY award. He went to Mr. Mean and said I'll give you a good reccomendation after I get Rudy fired if you'll bench Ming.
Not so fast. It is an individual award (literarily) but ultimate it is a team one especially if we are talking about Yao Ming. I cared about it back in 1999 (and I was mad that Steve shared it with Elton) and I still care about it now. I was also not happy that Eddy did not make the Got Milk? Rookie Challenge last. Rocketfat, please feel free and become apathetic to the ROY race but never tell someone else what to do.
If individual awards are stupid then are they even there? Face it, people do give a crap about individual awards. However it IS fact that Mr. Mean doesn't give a crap about the ROY. Well it's not hard to see that he just doesn't give a crap about Yao.
True, he was so concerned with winning the game that he had to play his best center, Cato that is, over the ROY candidate in a garbage game.
