After reading a couple of great articles posted about JVG, I'm really excited by his taking over our team. What impressed me the most was his passion for winning and tireless work ethic. With the talent we have that has the ingredients for some great teams. But who on this current roster will be JVG kinda players? JVG Favorites: Yao, Steve, Cat & Posey; all of these guys are hard competitors who give it their all. I never thought I'd say this, but Cato could be added based on games I saw him play last year...missed have the year due to the war. JVG Project: #1-EG; needs to get this kid fired up. #2-MoT; combine offensive skill with 8+ boards and some defense...maybe we answer PF hole. JVG Underdawg: Boki; might be surprise player for new coach I wouldn't mess with roster much until JVG has a chance to mold team...maybe a PG, but Steve & Cat might work yet with JVG guidance. Can wait to see the intensity picked up next year...bring on the season!!!
The thing that stuck out for me, on reading some of the articles, was the overall positive response by many of those associated with Van Gundy. Basically, they all said he (JVG) was made for this situation.
I look at our individual players and see huge potential. It'll be up to JVG to make us a team. That's not gonna be easy initially, but if we can start winning...it gets contagious.
I like Boki and want to see him succeed, but I think it's funny that people are inclined to think he will be helped by Van Gundy's coming here. While there is granted little information about Boki, his skills, etc., I'd be inclined to think that with Van Gundy's emphasis on tough defense and Boki's rumored trouble playing defense, Boki would not be significantly more likely to see significant playing time and could even be traded if some team has interest.
Rel, The few glimpses I saw of Boki last year he seemed to work on defense and that combined with his athletic ability should please JVG. JVG want guys who are hungry and want to play/prove themselves. My sense is Boki is one of those guys.
JVG is our coach now and as a true Rocket fan I will support him. I do believe he is an intelligent enough coach and I also believe that perhaps the Rockets did need a change just for the sake of change. But when I hear people talk about things that impressed them the most about this guy, like work ethic and his passion for winning, and act like these are things the Rockets needed, well I just have a hard time swallowing that crap. No one had more passion and desire to win than Rudy and work ethic, forget about it, very few coaches in the league can come close to putting in the work that Rudy would to win. Okay so he is not our coach anymore and perhaps Van Gundy's discipline an coaching style is what the Rockets need now. But please don't act like he is the second coming and will be bringing more passion and harder work ethic than Rudy had because that is just BS.
Old Man R, This thread was not about Rudy. It was about getting on with our team. I have the utmost respect for what Rudy gave this team and this city, and this was not meant in any way to degrade his contributions. However, great coaches or great leaders for that matter adapt to the envirnoment, situation and talent. Rudy didn't adapt well. I believe JVG (Who I wasn't original a fan of) can do that. I could be wrong, but I'm trying to get excited about this transition. Please don't make this out like I'm bashing Rudy, because you brought him into the thread...not me.
