Mario Elie will be a free agent at season's end, and if he does not retire I say we sign him for about $1 mill and let him back up Cuttino. I think we could use another guard, and he'd be perfect to play alongside Moochie for all the penetrations. Not to mention his veteran leadership and his heart of a champion. Of course, he should not be our #1 option, but after we have gone through the big names we should give him a look. I'm sure he would not mind coming back to Houston for a season or two and finish his career where he had his best days. ------------------
Mario would add some much needed toughness to the Rockets. I would love to have him back on the team. ------------------ WIN NOW! The Protrolls.com message boards! Over one week old and still no posts! [This message has been edited by ZRB (edited April 29, 2001).]
That's a great idea. He would be a perfect elder statesman to have in the locker room. Mario is a great team guy with several rings to show the youngsters. Bring his old-ass on! ------------------ Kenny Thomas had a foul called on him in the Western Conference Finals.
No. Mario quit on the Rockets last time he was here. Let him go to the Heat, they have a lion he can tag-along with. ------------------ Founder and President of the Houston Homers Club(HHC) - Are you a homer? Join now! The Rockets will be NBA champions. Believe.
It is my understanding that Mario left here on bad terms and was a poor locker room presence towards the end of his tenure in Houston. Is this true? ------------------ Check out the Best Source for Draft Info Draftsource.net
Elie was mad about the Rockets giving up on the championship team after the Sonics swept us. He wasnt for the Barkley trade. I personally would love to have him back, about 10 games before he shattered his wrist he was playing like star, he outplayed Drexler for a while. I can still remember that tip in dunk against the Jazz to hold them off a few years back in the regular season. It took him leaving for me to realize how much I liked him. He is older though and Shandon is better in all aspects of basketball except leadership/toughness. ------------------
I thought that was Otis Thorpe. I thought Mario left because we just didn't want to pay him the money or waited too long to do so and he felt unwanted. ------------------ Yugo grills, Yugo mills, Check out the oil my Yugo spills...
I seem to remember that he started to sulk and pout after being included in the Damon Stoudamire non-trade. ------------------
I think most of it was toward Barkley. He didn't really like playing alongside Charles, and vice-versa. But, I'm sure he didn't have any problems w/ management, so I don't know why he would turn down an offer just b/c he left on bad terms. ------------------
I Would love to see Mario come home. He is second on my list of Rockets I want back (Sam "My Man" Cassell is first). And we all know clutch wants him back in houston. BTW. I thought OT left on good terms but I know Scotty Brooks Blasted Rudy T after he was traded. ------------------ ~John~ Help keep the obsessed thread alive post the reasons why you are an obsessed Rockets fan by clicking here [This message has been edited by Johny Rocket (edited April 29, 2001).]
SCOTTY BROOKS blasted Rudy?!? What an ingrate. That guy wouldn't even have seen the floor with any other (remotely sane) coach! ------------------
Brooks was a poor man's Scott Skiles. Check that, a homeless man's Scott Skiles. ------------------ "norm, would you like to buy an indian scalp ? This deal isn't gonna make or break me Norm, so don't jerk me around." Harry Carey "Norm, if I had a mohawk scalp, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you."
Elie was mad because the year before the Mighty Mouse deal, Elie resigned with the rockets for less money even though he was a pretty highly pursued free agent. I remember hearing him say this on a call in show. So when the media leaked the Mighty Mouse deal, Elie felt that the Rocks disrespected him by not telling him that he was being shopped. CB felt the same way about Phoenix. Elie felt that since he made a sacrifice to stay with the Rocks, the Rocks at least owed it to him to be up front. I don't think he had any huge problems with Barkley. Elie was never "happy" on the court. That's why we all loved him. He was THE JYD. I'm pretty sure the whole team was ok when they won 58 games.
I never heard of Scott Brooks blasting Rudy. In fact, I distinctively remember Rudy talking about the trade right afterwards. The Rockets treated him well. Scott was/is a big part of the Sunshine Kids program here in Houston. The Rockets made it a point to send him somewhere (Dallas) where 1) he would get reasonable playing time, and 2) he would still be close to the Sunshine Kids foundation. As for Mario, he did indeed start his sulking and bad attitude after the whole Stoudamire fiasco. He trashed us until he won another Championship. After that he seemed to lighten up on the organization. ------------------
Brooks did tear into the team after he was traded. Honest to god, I think I remember him crying about having to leave the family. As for Elie, that bridge was burned and then blasted with dynamite to make sure it could never be rebuilt. Mario will never again recommend the framed version. ------------------ I'm about to boldly go where many men have gone before.
Sam here is a little first hand info about Scott Brooks. While he was dissapionted in leaving Houston his only complaint was not getting a share of the play off and championship money that he felt he was entiteled to since he played for the Rockets most of that season. ------------------
I too remember this. Just last night I was talking to someone about it actually. I'm pretty sure I remember Scott Brooks crying and complaining. Mainly because he didnt' want to leave the sunshine kids i think. I do remember that it wasn't the best of terms.. but it may have been cleared up later. But at first reaction i remember him being upset.. ------------------ Shane "Save Our Rockets" "Life without basketball in Houston........without an arena that is what it will be"
BTW, what exactly did we get in return from the Brooks trade? I remember hearing the announcement the day of the game from Bill, and I think I remember him saying it was for future considerations. Did we get a pick from that trade or what? I cannot remember. ------------------
Mario was good for the community. Remember, he even had a little article in the Yo! section of the Chronicle (for kids)? Still, he probably harbors ill feelings towards the Rockets management, so I dunno if you'll ever see him again in a Rockets uniform. ------------------ Founding Father of the Refs Suck Club
