Chron: Francis slow to accept change, still bitter about leaving Rockets

Terrible article!

 

i always wondered why i had you on my ignore list since i couldn't remember any reason and now since you were defending francis. but now i think i remember it being some big cat bashing thread where i put about 7 guys on the list and you were one of them. not that you care, but you're now off.

 

Well I definetely criticized SF, because he made his share of mistakes. But the guy came to play every night, and he wore his emotions on his sleeve, you knew he cared about the game, and wasn't just doing it so he can get better stats like some peopel have admitted to doing. had he been moved to SG and we got a big PG like Antonio Daniels to man the PG spot (trade Cat for one of those PGs), I guarantee SF would be destroying the league right now.

I'm just shocked as hell as to how people can be so hostile towards a guy who WANTED to play for them. It's like he robbed some of you or something.

 

I like the T-mac trade and regardless of records at this point wouldn't go back and change it, but Francis was/is a class act. I met him at the Summit where the players used to drive down beneath the Summit. He stopped and signed a basketball for me before a game. I met Grant Hill at the Galleria and the same could not be said for him, "I signed yesterday" is all he said to me.

The bottom line is - I believe Francis gave his all while he was here. I don't believe he was the best fit for Houston but why slam him for liking it here? He clearly adapted his style to fit JVG's system and it didn't work like any of us wanted, but he made the sacrifice - for the "betterment of the team" and we "threw him out like an old bag of moldy tangerines."

I won't be at the game Monday as I live out of town, but I hope H-town has a lot more class than the sack of sh** town Orlando. If you go to the game and don't like Francis please for the class of the city don't boo him. I'd applaud him. Hell, I'd give him a standing ovation, but even if you don't like him - show a little class and just keep your mouth shut. Sure, Franchise made mistakes while he was here, but no one ever accused him of not giving his all every night.