Apparently Ian Thomsen of SI.com thinks we're further along in the "rebuilding" process than some people on this very board: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/ian_thomsen/news/2003/07/18/thomsen_insider/ Not much by way of talking about the Rockets, save for the first paragraph... ...but I like Stojakovic's attitude towards the fakers.
Hmmm. Maybe that writer is a NY/JVG fan. I hope he's right, but I think we're still a year or 2 away myself. BUT...we're on the right track.
Agreed. It was just the first prominent writer that I've come across that had us "contending" verses still "adding the pieces," etc.
American players complain about such obligations, but Stojakovic says he gets enough rest. "We finished the NBA season two months ago, and training camp doesn't start until two months more," Stojakovic said. "So that's a long time without basketball, and it would be boring. I always have a lot of fun playing for the national team. It's the dream of every Yugoslavian player." Now I understood why Yao went back to his NT for no money.
Hes only able to make such a statement based upon the fact that the Team is now being coached by JVG. One hopes and expects JVG to iron out the obvious promlems of last season .
Uh, I think he might have been making a tongue-in-cheek joke about "conventional wisdom." You know, setting up a straw man to burn. Note soon after the Rockets mention... "It is a silly, emotional reaction to dismiss the Kings as favorites for the title."
Dude, we've been "challenging from the outside" for freaking years now. Potential doesn't count for jack in the real world. It is quite evident now that: 1. We lack a true PF who can crash the boards. 2. Moochie Norris sucks as a backup PG. 3. Steve Francis is better suited at the 2. 4. We have a morass at SF. 5. Our SG has never seen a shot he did not like. 6. This team does not listen to instruction well (harp on Rudy all you want but it's not his fault that EG's skull is so thick, or so smoke filled, that instead of crashing the boards as told, he jackas up 3's). 7. CD's bad habit of handing out huge multi-year contracts to marginal talent has hamstrung this team's ability to pursue significant FA talent/ Some of you can continue to march in lockstep, listening to the crap spewing out of Greenway about how this "is the greatest Rocket team ever," and we have "the most exciting backcourt in the league," but some of us see through this BS. Just b/c we "dissent" doesn't mean we are not true fans. JVG gives me hope, Yao Ming gives me hope. I'll be at every game I can yelling at the top of my lungs. I will not however listen to some Si hack, or the Rockets marketing machine, when they tell me that this is a championship, or deep playoff even, contending roster. True fans want to see their teams improve, not sit on their asses w/ the same half-ass lineup year after year...
It seems as if the board is more pessimistic than the hoops analysts. I'm still predicting we get somewhere bet. the 6th - 8th seed in the West. I believe a lot will depend on Yao's growth though. Stojakovic's story and what said was really refreshing compared to the usual stuff you hear. Too many people are conceding the championship to the Fakers. They are immensely talented now, but that doesn't mean they can't be taken down!
Well said RB! I like ur analysis, I'm hoping that the ROXS can improve on most or all of these areas that u listed!!
Right on, Burrito. I wish I'd see more of this analysis in the media (especially Houston media). I'm sure JVG sees these problems just as clearly as those ardent supporters of change. But, as you say, the current contracts will limit actual change, likely for a number of years.
This team has some problems that needs to be addressed either with free agency or trades. This team cannot compete against the Lakers.(Give me a break, that guy must be JVG old gay college room mate or something). This team will get bruised by the Lakers. This team won't be in the top 6. They might slip past the sonics for the 8th spot. Truth is our team is afraid to dip into the luxury tax and get some real good players for the fans. We signed big money contracts to no name players who either get hurt for half a season or just fake injuries cause they know they suck, and want to act hurt so they dont make the rockets know they wasted so much money on these fake players. Maurice Taylor?Kelvin Cato? Old man Rice, Norris OMG With that contract(i mean guys from and1 can hoop better than him and could play for 400,000 a year) these dudes making big money and hasn't done jack. The rockets deserve what they get. Dont get me wrong i like this team, but Yao,Posey,Cat,Francis was the whole team last year......
poor guy,how you have been washed -brain by usa goverment and media and movies for ten years(since you just finished college)! which course did you study? are you ready to take a lesson about china now or this summer? let us begin at the years you and yao was just borned . do you know deng xiao ping?this guy went to usa at the first day of 1979 and the relationship of two countries was begun. he dicided to change china to the BIG,BAD CAPITALISTS as soon as he took the power in 1978. i guess he would liked to do it in 1960 if he could. just mean his thoughts. so you and yao growed basicly under the same BIG,BAD CAPITALISTS. the key which you are rocketabc and yao are Ò¦Ã÷ is you are america and yao and i are chinese. don't say anything like that any more,or you could find a job in china if your chinese is as good as the engnish of yao ming and mine.
totally, i couldnt agree more, he's giving away all his money instead of keeping it for himself and buying rims for his fourth hummer. and no, he isnt doing it because his government is saying he has to.
the chinese government was just doing business with nba about yao's case. that proved they were BAD, BIG CAPITALIST.
