Rudy T must be vanguard of change By FRAN BLINEBURY Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle Something big, indeed. A monumental collapse. The Rockets came tumbling down with the same thud as all those Saddam Hussein statues, and from some angles, the rebuilding process appears just as daunting. Never mind the graphic that ran across the bottom of the TV screen the other night from Denver, which touted the Rockets' 43-39 record as a 15-win improvement over the previous season, the second-best bounce in the NBA. Last year was a disaster, an anomaly, due to injuries, the Rockets themselves claimed back then. Please, don't judge us by it, they said. So then, it's back to the spring of 2001, when a 45-37 record was celebrated as the best in league history not to qualify for the 16-team playoffs and a harbinger of great things. In the 24 months since, the Rockets have added Eddie Griffin and Yao Ming and lost two games in the standings, not to mention a great deal of momentum at the box office heading into the new downtown arena. There was nothing not to like about Yao, the most colorful and crackling Chinese import since gunpowder and fireworks. There was plenty not to like about the team, which once more showed a lack of cohesion, intelligence, commitment and just plain grit. The question hanging in the air concerns head coach Rudy Tomjanovich, sidelined since March 17 while undergoing treatment for bladder cancer. Rudy T says he is enthusiastic and ready to return. Club owner Leslie Alexander hasn't officially committed one way or the other, and that has caused the rumors to swirl like dust devils on a West Texas prairie. For Alexander to make a change would cost him roughly $12 million to pay off Tomjanovich's contract, a significant jolt. But to not make a change could see potential revenue seep out of the franchise if the fan base being asked to dig deeper at the new palace perceives that all of this running in place is deemed acceptable. For while it is true that few have ever bought tickets to watch a coach coach, a new face with a new philosophy is at least a symbol, if not always a sound reason, for hope. Even with all of his failures of late, would there be a buzz around town if that main seat on the bench were suddenly occupied by Pat Riley? Or Larry Brown? Or Mike Krzyzewski? Alexander knows the answer to that. So does Tomjanovich. The answer then, in order for the marriage to survive, is for Rudy T to change himself, to forswear this team as it is made up, acknowledge big errors have been made in evaluating the talent or implementing it, then coach it differently. Too much to ask for a tiger to change his stripes? Remember, this is not an ordinary cat. Tomjanovich has remade his lifestyle in recent years, first dealing with alcoholism. With the latest health crisis, he has given up nicotine and caffeine. Can he do it? Only if he wants to coach the Rockets beyond next season. The Rockets are regarded as the most disappointing, underachieving outfit in the NBA. Thus, more than their address and uniforms should change by the start of training camp. So should the "we're getting there" attitude that comes down from the man in charge. This is not a veteran team with Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler able to pull the wagon out of the ditch to win championships. It is a collection of players, except for Glen Rice, that never has achieved a thing in the NBA and needs to be held to a higher -- more stringent -- standard. The fact is, Tomjanovich has backed himself into this corner. He's given his players more than enough rope to hang him, mainly through overindulgence. It is a club that is soft -- if not rotten -- to the core of its professionalism. Nowhere is that more evident than in Griffin. Never mind the pot bust, it is his lack of work ethic that is criminal. The next person to say Cuttino Mobley, Mo Taylor, Moochie Norris or Kelvin Cato has the first clue about winning should be forced to sit through an endless loop of videotape from the losses to the Bulls, Hawks and Cavaliers. Only Yao and Steve Francis are untouchable. The Phoenix team that beat out the Rockets for the last playoff spot has as many or more young players in key roles. Dallas has grown from a lottery regular to a 60-win club. San Antonio won a title in 1999, rebuilt its roster around Tim Duncan and is back as a contender again. These are difficult times to be Rudy T. Battling cancer on one front, battling demons on another, battling to alter the public perception that you have become as much a part of the problem as part of the solution. This is, from every angle, his team, with his endorsement, his stamp. And that's not good, because it has repeatedly fallen down in similar fashion. So if he's coming back, it has to be with more than good intentions, more than more of the same. It has to be with changes. Not just something big. Something that works.
Glad to see that "Bandwagoner Fran" is back. Pat Riley? The only buzz that would generate is the sound of feet running away from the ticket office.
I'm all out of chances. I remember the radio/print voices last summer - if the rockets go into the lottery 4 straight years - Rudy's gone. They have to fire him. Now - those freelunch wusses won't admit it. They won't say it - they're afraid to lose the interview key to the locker room. Get it over with. Fire Rudy.
That's not why...it's because of his illness. That gave Rudy a "get out of jail free" card for the season, imo.
C'mon Fran, no more Pat Riley!!! Rudy may be too soft and Pat is way too tough. He is like torture his own player. Van Gundy is still my favorites, Why does nobody mention him. He is the coach player can really play for but can play as a team at the same time. Bring in Van Gundy this summer, otherwise he will probably coach another team next season.
I don't know why every one is so high on Van Gundy. He doesn't know how to incoporate a big man's game either. He had trouble incorporating Ewing into the run and gun game of Houston and Sprewell.
That and the fact that Les isn't likely to swallow $12 million just to have Rudy not coach for the next two seasons. Face it, Rudy's more than likely gonna be running the show next year and it has absolutely nothing to do with him being the right guy for the job. Which is why barring any major personnel moves or the hiring of quality assistant coaches, we're gonna be right back in the same position a year from now. Bet on it.
Hey Guys Les is a serious Businessman and I believe he knows what he wants and how to get it! Les is not going to throw $12 mil away by getting rid of Rudy, if he is well enough to coach! It will be better for him to make a dramatic improvement in the team by bringing us Brand from the Clippers in the form of a Trade. I means that in the future Les is going to spend more money than ever before but he is going to be a Championship Contender! Then next season! He will have a packed new Arena and the cash registers will be ringing. 'You have got to spend money to make money'.
Yetti, Im not wanting to argue or anything, I was just wondering who do you think we will trade to get Brand?
Very accurate article. Like my sig says, i like Phils right hand man Jimmy Cleamons. He's a no nonsense type of guy that all the players on the team respect and to a certain degree fear.Just what the doctor ordered.
Besides Francis or Yao, why would the Clippers take anyone else on our roster for one of the top power forwards in the league? Think about it, if you were the Clippers, would you trade Brand for Cat, Griffin, etc? The Clips don't need Griffen b/c they already have Wilcox and Ely (they drafted 2 power forwards last year and don't need to take on another under-achieving player). The Clips don't need Cat b/c they have enough shooters in Corey M. and Eric P. No way the Clippers would do this.
Bubba, Why do you say "besides francis or yao", isnt brand better than francis? Big guys are more valuable than small. Smart guys are better than dumb players. Ok ,my next statement might turn some heads,but I think (brand+moochie) is better than (francis+griffin). Go ahead and laugh.Im used to it.
Rockets remind me of the Pacers of a couple years back, especially the coaching criticism given to Thomas by having the Pacers play .500 ball. They were then the most underachieving team in the NBA and before the Artest situations this season they were the #1 team in the East. Both are two of the youngest teams in the league. Both are full of immense young talent, and are incredibly streaky. The 13 game skid by the Pacers is indicative of that even though they finished with a substantially better record then .500 . Point is, all those naysayers that were quick to judge Thomas are now riding his jockstrap because of the success of his team this season despite the Artest controversies. The same outcome will be said of Rudy next season, and I'll guarantee it. People here love to spout change with trade rumors and whatnot, but aren't realistic. Sure there are some players I'd like to see fall off the face of the earth while not wearing a Rockets jersey along the way, but this team's starting 5 didn't even have a half season of games to play together or a whole off season in training camp to practice together. We replaced 3 starting positions all in mid season, while having two coaching changes one by Rudy T with a changed philosophy in gradually feeding our big men the ball, and another coaching change when Larry Smith had to step in. This team simply didn't have enough time to play together on the same page with one another as a fluent, cohesive team should. Sure some blame should be placed on our coaches, and sure some should be placed on the players, but really all this team needs is time to gel, and a couple of minor roster changes to strengthen our bench and roleplayers. I'll say this. If the Rockets do bring in a new coach it'll only hinder this teams growth to play together as team because they'll have to change to a new coaching philosophy and that will take atleast another year for this team to get used to. Getting a new coach won't speed up the process.
Great article, and I think a lot of fans would love to see Pat Riley coach the Rockets next year. I know I would. Raven
I second Van Gundy...dont let his small frame and raccoon eyes fool you, i think he is a great coach...and he will know what to do with our offense
London Burning, I really like, agree with, and enjoy reading your posts. I think others may be missing your contributions due to your style. One suggestion: Use paragraph's to make your posts more readable.
