Deuce, Didn't know that about Bateer; thanks for pointing it out. Macbeth, Good post - I remember that story about Harris Barton/Montana/John Candy well. I never cared for Montana since I was an Elway fan, but I highly respect and admire Joe for what he was able to do. For him to be that calm and point out somebody in the crowd like that epitomizes his coolness under pressure.
O-dawg you dork, sometimes you need to separate your emtional attachment for a player (Steve) for what is best for the team. No player is above to the team, it wasn't for Hakeem, let alone Francis, who has done a whole lot less. Steve Francis, outstanding player, but a bad fit for the future Rockets IMO. If you can't live with alternative opinions and separate your emotions from reasonable debate, why bother with a BBS, join a cheerleading squad.
Consistent or not, Steve Francis is the leader of the team. Yao can become the leader, but he has yet to show that he wants to take that step. It's not just him being passive; Yao hasn't shown that he will step it up in crunch time. When it really matters, the ball is usually in Stevie's hands. Though detractors will say that the ball will probably be turned over in Steve's hands, the fact remains that he has become our vocal leader, our emotional leader, and basically the go-to guy on the court. The only thing he has yet to show is that he can be a floor general, and hopefully that will come in due time.
Chest bumps = leader. Interesting premise that you tried to phrase as coming from me. Of course there is an inherent problem with your analogy, of which I am sure you are already aware. In football, the quarterback position is the natural leader on the team. Players look to the quarterback automatically for leadership. So when Montana already had leadership of the team, it's not as if he has to be very active to encourage others to look to him. In basketball, there is no set leader position. There are simply 5 starters, and then bench players. To be a leader, players have to look to you to lead them in crunch time. Are you seriously suggesting that Yao can be this leader with his monotone expression and emotionless play? No. Football is a very different game than basketball. Steve's personality of a fiery guy that works hard and plays hard yet not abrasive is perfect for the role of team leader. Players will look to him for guidance when the game is on the line, not Yao who is busy meditating somewhere and playing with his arm band.
Problem is it's been five years already. Steve should be getting as good as he's gonna get by now. I know he's got Jordan-Iverson syndrome, but even those guys knew that they couldn't play the other teams alone. That said, I will go out on a limb and say that the Rockets turned the corner on Christmas. Minus any trade action by the deadline, I'm gonna say that the Rockets make the playoffs this year but are gone in the 1st (they do play in the West unfortunately). Next year though the Rockets are gonna tear up the league.
