Again with 'gettin it!'

Also, John Lucas is the coach at Westside who has been running all those "pick up games."

Thing we have to all remember about Steve Francis is that he had 6 different coaches in 6 yrs -- 2 different high schools, 2 different Jucos, Maryland, and the Rockets. Francis is somewhat a lost soul (allow me the dramatization) with no consistent father figure. Notice how he seems to reach out to many elders: Stern, Jordan, Lucas, Murphy . . . listens to Nellie, and seems to acknowledge Larry Brown (over the Langhi slam dunk) . . . we seem to always hear him discussing what other's have told him, and the opposite of that where "elders" discuss trying to talk to him (Barkley). There seems to be this league-wide acknowledgement that Steve Francis had no father or mother and needs some guidance.

imo, the very last thing he needs is a new coach. And the very last thing Yao needs is a new coach, as well. Rudy is perfect for Yao, in theory, if Rudy can get Francis to settle down, for once in his lifetime.

This contract is a good start to getting Steve to settle down. in my most strong opinion -- can I write IMMSO -- Steve getting absolutely waxed in the playoffs is the next step. That is why we *must* make the playoffs, at all costs.

I strongly believe that some players just have to have their asses handed to them before they settle down. Isiah Thomas had to have his ass handed to him by 5 yrs of futility. Getting waxed in the playoffs doesn't mean you have to fire coaches and trade half the team, though. Who thinks that Flip Saunders should be fired if he fails to make it to the 2nd round, or Minn should trade Garnett?

 

I like this notion that the Rockets (and Francis in particular) need to get stomped hard in the playoffs before they change their ways. It's not something I ever really thought about, but it makes perfect sense. I can see Francis trying to take over in the playoffs even moreso than he does now...and unless he is absolutely on fire like he was int he Lakers game, it is probably not going to be the best thing for our team. If that were to happen, I can only hope that Steve is smart enough to realize what went wrong. And if he doesn't, then I can only hope that Rudy/CD are smart enough to realize something needs to change.

 

Lol... I knew ZRB was a scumbag troll! Funny Stuff

 

I have simpathy for your point of view hp, but isn't that wishful thinking on your part that after we get routed and maybe sweeped in the playoffs suddenly Francis will discover that he can be a PG?

Shouldn't he be frustrated enough with missing the playoffs year after year?

Or we are going to stick with the argument that since we almost did it in Dream's last season it wasnt' like he needed to change anything about the way he plays?

I'm not sure if the francis "experiment" (you'll have to agree that's what it is) shouldn't be terminated and labeled a failure once and for all.

 

You don't sound too smart. Actually you kind of sound stupid.

 

Look Doc, I'm sorry about my outburst before. I'm just getting a bit tired of all the negativity and criticism surrounding this solid, 23-17 team. I know they could be a better team, and it frustrates me too (expecially considering that they could be 28-12, third in the west, if they had handled the Atlantas and Golden States of the league). But still, I think Steve has done a brilliant job this season. Sure, sometimes he has bad games, and the Rockets almost always lose them, but that is becoming increasingly rare for Steve.

I agree with Heypartner that the Rockets need a good dose of playoff brutility. I think that will take them to the next level.

 

Oh, the irony.

 

The Rockets were not 23-17, with a playoff spot, in any of the years I posted my negative stuff.

If they were 17-23, then you'd see a very critical ZRB.

But nice try, Mango. You're the man.

 

They didn't have the years in the league and experience back then either. Nor, a center with the capabilites of Yao. Injuries to key players were probably contributing factors also. No headache stories and haven't heard of Cat getting dental work in the training room. Taylor has played more this season than last year. Most observers on the bbs feel that Cato has a defined role that he lacked in the past. Also, Cato has been relatively injury-free. The SF has been by committee......but that seems the normal course of things at that position over the past several years. Carlos Rogers, Pig Miller, Two Sandwiches etc are not close to making the current roster, yet they were rotation players at times in the past.

As they have more years in the league, expectations should rise. You had high expectations when they were younger and in transition. The won/loss record is better, but they are making life too difficult for themselves.

What do you think the difference is between their current place in the standings and third place?

 

I feel that Francis is the former (seeing a teammate open and not passing to him), he's showed that he can pass if he wants to but it's not that he's selfish (because he has no reason to be selfish), sometimes it's just bad mentality/decision. And our only hope now is that Rudy can have more control over him and calm him down.

On the other hand, I feel that Mobley is the latter kind for the most part (not seeing a teammate when he is open). But that's less demagable because he's a SG not a PG anyway.

 

Old men fighting...I love it.

Sometimes, Steve Francis is great and gets it. Other times, he does not remember anything and tries too hard. He is inconsistent. He always scores, but he needs to pass. I think he will get it soon. He better get it soon. Finding an Eric Snow would be a good idea....but somebody better than Eric Snow.

 

Doc pissed somebody off!

Steve and the team is up and down this year. Where I disagree with a lot of people on the BBS is that I think that he is on his way to being the kind of player the Rockets need him to be.

 

Props to Gram!!!

I like Steve. Do not refer to me as an "apologist". I survived the Matt Maloney years. I weathered seeing Kenny Smith fade and Mad Max melt down.

I lived through all the resources we spent to try and get a point guard during the last gasp with Hakeem, Charles and Clyde in '97.

Brent Price, Brice Drew.....

If we trade Steve - I think we get short changed. Historically in the big trades - the team trading the big time player never gets equal value.

Do not trade Steve.

The dilemma is that Steve wants to be the point. Let him be that point and give him time.

Flame me - but get rid of Rice, Boki, and Moochie.......

Keep Steve.

Keep the faith Gram!

 

My fellow fans, as you sit there today, in front of your computers, distraught and arguing amongst yourselves, I ask you this: To dribble? Or not to dribble? That is the question.

 

aww just face it. the facts are facts. The trio of Steve, Mooch, Mobley dribble waaaaay too damn much, wasting precious time off the shot clock, which creates offensive stagnation, turnovers, and low percentage shots(bail outs). the facts are facts, so dont take it personal. watch the game and root for the team... and.. dont forget to tuck your Steve Francis bobblehead in tonight. nyuck nyuck nyuck

ask not what your teammates can do for you... but what "you" can do for your teammates?

to iso? or not to iso? that is the question?

 

I hope you ARE here posting, Doc. See if you can get Clutch to post as well... he used to do that much more and he's missed.

This is a great thread... now, if I could just find Clinton, Iowa on a map I would understand all.

 

OKAY. They do not spend time dribbling EVERY SINGLE TIME. It jsut seems worse when they do. But they should never do that anyway. We need someone like Steve Nash. He just runs around on the court and keeps on running around like a mouse and finally finds someone to score or somehow scores himself.

Steve Francis will get it! If he doesn't by next year, we should trade him.

 

Allow me to answer your post by changing a few words in yours. Not in a mocking manner, but just to illustrate how closely we think, yet so differently.

<i>I have sympathy for your point of view Thanos, but isn't that wishful thinking on your part that after we get routed and maybe sweeped in the playoffs then make a trade and suddenly Francis will "get it?"</i>

How will Francis "get it" from the SG position? It's not like Jordan's PG distributed the ball, or Dream's PG did. Francis is going to have to "get it" from the role that he is playing now, whether you want to call it PG or SG, doesn't matter. Moving Francis to SG is just transferring the problem until Francis "gets it."

How can you win if Dream or Jordan never "got it?" How can you win if Isiah kept jacking up 3s and driving wrecklessly in the lane at crucial points in games? You can't win the title until Francis "gets it." If you think Francis can't get it, don't you need to trade him, since if you disgruntle him you can do more harm keeping him?

Personally, I think my scenario will work just like it did for Isiah. Strong personalities will adjust their game when humbled.

 

So what do we mean by "gettin it"?

Is "gettin it" when Rudy says that Dallas was taking away our first option, that guys were not patient, and they did not go to the second and third options?

So is Francis not realizing what the defense is not going to give him?

Is he not listening to the coach?

Is Francis and Mobley trying to jam the first options down the defenses throat, even though its obvious that the defense is geared to stop the "first option"? If so, why? Is it that their teammates miss a few early shots, they lose trust, and the original gameplan is tossed out? Or is it that the team gets behind and they feel that its up to me, myself, and I to get the team back in the game? whats going on here.....so many questions....hope to be around to see if they can pull all this off...