Following is the text of an interview done by Sports Weekly, a Chinese newspaper, that appeared on sina.com on 4/18: The huge earring on the left ear could not cover the bright and energetic exuberance on his face. That was from looking forward to the playoffs, and also from dreaming of a championship. The Rockets' season is finally at the end, Steve Francis talked openly before the reporter. There is disappointment and sadness, but what there is more of is hope for a better tomorrow for the Rockets --- Titan: Which game in this season gave you the deepest impression? Francis: Should be the road game against Dallas, Yao had 30 points and 18 boards, it's through that game that Yao let the entire NBA see clearly what kind of a center he is. His performance also encouraged and excited me, so that game remained imprinted in my mind. T: Talking about Yao, as a teammate, after a season, how do you feel you should accurately evaluate him? F: As the whole team's helmsman, I know we have a lot of young teammates, they all need to show their potential slowly, and Yao, I know his potential very well, in the future he definitely will become a superstar. T: Do you still remember the little details surrounding the first time you saw Yao? F: Of course I remember. The first time he came to training, there were so many cameras all around, he was a little nervous and a little shy, of course that was completely understandable because he was a new player just arriving at the NBA. And another thing was I saw how tall he really was. I had heard about his height from others before but never thought he would be that tall. T: Rumour is that since the season results are not good, there may be changes in the coaching staff next season, and if that's the case, you had indicated that you may choose to leave. Was what you said for real? F: I did say that, I think the reason we didn't get to the playoffs has nothing to do with the coaches, perhaps we could have changed some strategies but they have done an outstanding job. And I can never forget that they used 11 players to get me to this team, without a doubt I need to pay them back. Shaq said he would only be loyal to one coach, I also should be. T: But when there is a conflict between being loyal to a team organization and being loyal to a coach, what should be done? F: Being a member of a team, the team organization really should be more important, but I think everything can be balanced. Basically you just need to see how you can get it done. T: There is no question that you're the leader on the game floor but we know being the leader on the floor and being the leader in the locker room is completely different. Are you also the leader in the locker room? F: Since I'm the leader on the floor, then of course I should also be the leader in the locker room. Everyone on the Rockets' team has a different personality, I just want everyone to have team unity at all times. T: Do you want to be a Jason Kidd type of point guard or a Marbury type of point guard? F: I definitely choose to be Steve Francis. When I'm playing, I look at the situation at that particular time and then decide whether to shoot or to assist. I will choose to do whatever helps the team at that situation. T: When you first found out the Suns defeated Spurs and that you guys couldn't get into the playoffs, how do you feel? F: It was a very very difficult moment because as a sportsman, you have to think about your dignity, shame and a lot of other things but to this day I'm still not married, you see, I don't have any rings on my fingers... but I know I'll have rings on all ten of my fingers one day. T: After four seasons, what in your life made you continue to strive? F: when I was a little kid, I saw how my mom and my family struggled to survive, how they had to struggle to keep me in school. Ever since that time I told myself, one day when I'm grown up, I have to pay them back, I love them, I will take up the responsibility to support my family, I will make them proud of me. So that's the most important thing that has made me strive. T: What about the championship! F: Soon, really soon, that will happen very soon. People will see ten rings on my fingers very soon. T: What kind of vacation plans do you have after the season has ended? F: Some people recommend Panama but I still haven't decided. But no matter what, I hope I'll have an opportunity to visit Yao's hometown Shanghai. I heard that I now have some fans there. T: After leaving Compac Center, next season will be played at the new stadium, how do you feel about that? F: I won't forget the first game I played here, I won't forget the memories I have of the Compac Center. You know, changing a stadium is a little bit like changing girlfriends, everything is hard to forget. http://sports.sina.com.cn/k/2003-04-18/1023427336.shtml
Not sure how legitimate the article is, but it did sound like a straight intereview instead of something that's been made up and it does sound like something Steve Francis would say. Very very nice article. Question his abilities all you want, (Though 20 6 6 speaks for it self). Never question his desire to win. I think the ppl who thinks Francis is selfish really haven't follow this team for too long. Francis has always put competetion and winning above all else. Sure, he struggled a little bit this season when trying to redefine his role, but that happens when you're a POINT GUARD TRYING TO REDEFINE YOUR GAME IN MID SEASON. I don't think ppl realize how hard that really is. But don't denied the fact that he IS CHANGING HIS GAME in effort to be better and is doing all he can to win. It didn't happen, (though we had 2 winning season out of the last 3, depends on how u look at winning ).
The Head Coach should have set things straight at the start of the season so that he wouldnt have to start changing in the middle of the season!!
Yetti, no one expected Yao to become such an impact at the start of the season and I mean nobody. He was expected to be a 2-3 year project, and most considered him to be a bust, so it was only logical to assume that Francis should of been the main guy to run the offense off of, then all things changed in mid season. I could understand blaming the coaches if they knew what potential Ming had were he in summer training camp with the team, but he was a late arrival and no one could of expected him to be so successful early in the season.
You were here during the summer right? When everyone was saying Yao's gonna be a bust? Hell, I'm grateful for the fact that the Rox even drafted Yao Ming and went through the trouble of getting here. NO ONE thought he'd had the impact he had. We were expected to contend for the playoffs with out Ming. It turn out he was a really good player part of the way of through the season and eventually everyone said we should involve Yao more and change our strategy. Steve went from being the main and sometime the sole offensive threat to taking criticism from everyone about not sharing the ball enough. I still contend that if we didn't have Yao Ming and all the attention he brings we'd be in the playoffs this year. But I'm fine with this "losing season" because I see it as growing pains and beneficial for next year.
This article should be legit. The reporter has written quite a few articiles about Yao and the Rockets all thru the season. I think she is one of a few Chinese reporters sent to Houston to cover Yao throughout the entire season. She also wrote about saying goodbye to all the Rockets players after the last game. She said Steve gave her a goodbye hug and then said "in Chinese custom, can friends say goodbye like this?" Glen Rice was especially nice and wrote a long note alongside his autograph on her card and said "you guys brought me a lot of nice memories, really, I think I will miss you!" And Yao shook her hand and said "OK, this is goodbye, see you in China. I won't miss you!"
