Being in the west would not stop the Sixers from working hard in every single game. That is all I took out of the article, that the Rockets should bring a high level of intensity and hard work to every single contest. ------------------ Protrolls.com! RITQAIOCLHTPFOTFWBPTD
your right it would not keep the 76ers from working hard every single night but it would not make any difference in the outcome they would still be challanging for one of the final play off spots. Are you accusing the Rockets of laying down during the season? Because that is what it sounds like to me. There is exactly two games during the season that I thought the Rockets did not play with intensity and heart. The back to back against the Clippers and Heat at home. Thats it. They imeadiatly turned it around and had a great second half. So I also take out of that comment that you don't think Philly had any questionable games of heart this year. Well how about our game against them where we blew them out? Go ahead and claim greatness for the 76ers if you want but don't try to make a bad example out of the Rockets because they have to actually compete against NBA calliber teams to make the play-offs. ------------------
Francis is not quicker than Iverson. He is not an overall better talent than Iverson. What is that about? Francis is awesome, and awe inspiring, but....we're talking about The Answer here. How could you just watch a playoff run, in which a 150 pound player was his team's only scoring option and still managed to dominate despite being the sole target of the opposing teams defense, and think that steve could do anything like that? Not possible. Iverson was grabbing boards, dishing assists, getting hit, playing D, making steals and scoring oodles of points... Steve is a breakout point guard, and will dominate and hopefully put up MVP numbers soon....but Fran's being a bit too nice. Fran's a horrible writer and a mindless fool, so why even read this stuff? ------------------
I agree with some of the article,and I do think are time is coming soon and we should show whats to come this season with hopefully a 50+ win season and if that doesent get us in the playoffs then I give up!I still think the Rockets are a SF and a big man away from being real contenders but we may get those this season in the draft and free agency,IMO! I disagree with the whole 76ers argument,yes they have heart and play good defense but I think the good D they were playing made everyone overlook the obvious,they needed someone else to help Iverson score!When he wasent shooting well the sixers had to play there @ss off just to stay in the game and near the end they were all used up,so I dont think looking at the sixers ugly loss is are answer,HELL if we were in the East I think we would have been the #1 seed,MHO!!! ------------------ AKA Rendiggler Sam Clancy...Sam Clancy...Sam Clancy...Sam Clancy...Sam Clancy
I like Johnathan F's writing so much more. ------------------ When this guy started smoking 40 years ago, people had no idea it was bad for you. People had to guess based on the hacking cough, shortness of breath, and bloody phlegm girl you looks good won't you mock that draft up?!
Fromobile everything you said about Iverson Francis does every night! Look at the numbers,Francis is an all around player and will only get better. Unlike every other person in the world I hated watching Allen in the playoffs this season,I think he had too much freedom and was out of control frequently,they really needed a 2nd and possibly 3rd scoring option! This years finals was the worse Ive seen in my 22 years,I would much rather of seen the Bucks play the lakers,and the MVP for the Sixers to me was Mutumbo,all my opinions of course. ------------------ AKA Rendiggler Sam Clancy...Sam Clancy...Sam Clancy...Sam Clancy...Sam Clancy
Normally I really don't like Fran Blinebury's writing style (too dramatic and weird metaphors), but the two points he is making in this article (it takes heart to win and let's go for it now instead of planning too far ahead) are valid - because they should be self-explanatory.
Just curious how has Philly's lets go for it now attitude helped them win a championship? And the Rockets have tons of heart. Do you disagree? ------------------
The Rockets did not bring it every night. Sometimes there were games where they wouldn't show up until the fourth quarter, and by then it was too late. The Sixers could work hard and get a sixth seed in the west. These Rockets could work hard and get a fourth or fifth seed in the west, I really believe that. It's all about bringing the effort every night on BOTH ends of the court. It's all about having the right attitude, and I'd say that the Rockets brought that only half of the time last season. ------------------ Protrolls.com! RITQAIOCLHTPFOTFWBPTD
The problem with the Rockets all year against the West was simple. No one inside to compete with the big boys like Shaq, Duncan & Robinson, Webber, Rasheed and even Malone. When we played those teams they dominated the boards against us, not always in the firts three quarters but in the fourth when we needed a second shot and the game was close. Why do you think we were so succesfull against the East? Because no team in that conference has a truely powerfull front court. If we wan't to really compete and have a chance for the finals in the next four or five years then we must have someone that will make sure Duncan or Shaq does not grab ever important rebound in the fourth quarter and right now the only person available to us that is strong enough on the boards and plays great offense is Webber. And I am sorry but I saw damn near every single Rocket game this year and if you think the Rockets laid down about half the time then you don't know basketball! We lost a total of 12 games by double digits and of those: one was against Portland in a game that was very close (the game where steve hurt his ankle when we had the lead in the 4th) One was an overtime loss to Utah One was when we had no front court against LA. Remember KT starting against Shaq? That means of the teams 37 losses that 25 were single digit losses. And...of the 27 losses by less than 10 points 16 of those were by 5 points or less. The Blow Outs: Loss to Sac 109 - 125 on 3/20/01 do you remember this game? The one where Steve got kicked out of the game for looking at an oppossing player wrong. This was a game that the Rockets were not even allowed to be competitive in. Losses to Miami 85-103 and the Clippers 84-101 on Jan 30 and Feb 1 2002. Yeah I think these were games the Rockets did not show up in. This was the only time all year that I questioned their heart. The Lakers 101-114 Kenny Thomas starts against Shaq. Need I say more. Portland 88-111 The Blazers were hitting everything they threw up that night. Unbaleavable. No lack of effort on the Rockets part. The entire Blazer team was in a zone from the paremeter. The shot over 60% from the field. And that is it. Only five games all year that were not competitive in. Five! Yeah the Rockets brought it in only about half of their games. When you are grading the Rockets don't forget to factor in all the injuries they had during their season that left them with no front court for much of the season. After all you have no problem using that excuse as a crutch for Philly loosing to the Lakers. ------------------
Yes and no. Some Rockets don't have enough heart, as was pointed out here before (especially Cato, Walt). The attitude obviously did not help Philly win a championship (it got them to the Finals, though), but that is not what I was saying. What I was trying to say was that it seems obvious to me that in sports, 5-year plans do not make too much sense (see Krause's plan on how to rebuild the Bulls), but it makes more sense to always try everything to win NOW and to believe in it. Do you disagree?
Philly was 12-11 in the playoffs despite being the best east team and maybe the third best team in the NBA. Heart and Soul didn't win them many games...being the more talented team did. A weak cast of role players is what caused them to lose so many games. ------------------
Excuse me, but how can you accuse Walt of not having any heart? The three losses to the Clips, Nuggets, and the losses to the Celts and Nets were inexcusable. They lost those games because they forgot to show up. The losses to the Lakers and Blazers I don't mind, but there is no excuse for such a young team NOT to show up. Young teams make mistakes that cost games, but being young is not an excuse for not trying. By the way, if the Rockets had taken care of business against those teams, their record would have been 53-29. Looks pretty good to me. ------------------ Protrolls.com! RITQAIOCLHTPFOTFWBPTD
Great article. ------------------ "Instinctly u recognize things,now take advantage of what u just recognized!".. Hakeem..
pinetree.. Carlos Roger came to play everynight? Rudy just did not play him to much. ------------------ "Instinctly u recognize things,now take advantage of what u just recognized!".. Hakeem..
I find it ironic that you say the Rockets layed down in about half of their games and then make the comment that they were almost a fifty win team. ------------------
Where would the Rockets have fallen if we could have traded Cato and Walt for Mutombo [ok Ratliff is better than Cato but i put Toni as a walt like player] Philly's run was mainly on Mutombo who had a hell of a playoffs Philadelphia 56-26 40-14 [conference] That leaves them as 16-12 against the west Houston 45 37 20-32[conf] That leaves us as 25 - 5 AGAINST THE EAST!! NOW TELL ME WE WOULD NOT HAVE DONE AS WELL AS PHILLY IN THE THE F*CKING EAST Rocket River ------------------
Like this article or not (I'm with Valio! on the faulty analogies), Fran is not very bright about bball. In fact, he consistenly sucks. How can anyone read this article and make it past this line without laughing out loud: uhhh....I don't think there is one real bball journalist in the world who would say ANYONE is quicker than Iverson. I mean, I guess Marbury is too, then. Fran, please explain how you think Francis is even the quickest player on the Rockets, much less the world.
Alright, half the games was an exaggeration. But, against the crappy teams, the Rockets rarely brought their best effort. I don't see how anyone can argue with that. ------------------ Protrolls.com! RITQAIOCLHTPFOTFWBPTD
I'm not sure by your post what you are saying. I said we need players who have a hard edge, who hate to lose, and who come to play every night. I personally like Los and Walt, but neither has a hard edge or any D at all. Both are limited utility offensive weapons. Los is strictly a guy who can get a decent number of rebounds, cut to the basket, dunk, and get some tip ins. He can't sink a shot more than 5 feet from the basket, including free throws. Besides dunks and rebounds, he has no game. And he is injured a lot. Walt is streaky. Even when he hits the trey, his shot inside the arc is not there enough to justify his shooting the two. He can't guard anyone in the league, and I mean anyone. So, my comments directed at having a hard edge relate to defense and all the qualities good defensive players have. My "heart of a champion" comments relate to the commitment to defense which this team has not had, by virtue of its personnel, for several years. We are soft defensively because we do not have enough personnel who play defense well. So whether Los and Walt have big hearts, as individuals, is not the issue. Do they bring the heart of a champion? In my book, NO. I don't think Los can help this team contend for a top 4 seed. Walt might be able to, but his complete lack of defense makes him such a liability any time he is on the floor. We need someone at the three who can play defense as well as offense. And that is not Walt. Like I said, Walt and Carlos are both really likeable guys, but that does not make them good or desirable as team assets. And they take up $7 mil per year, which is about twice what they are worth. ------------------
