[Chron]: Hakeem Olajuwon is conducting his first Big Man Camp

I think this is one of the things I miss about the Rudy Era
Seemed like everyone in the Org was a LIFER
Rockets for over 20 yrs etc
The Rockets almost seemed Family run . . . .
people just grew up and came up through the organization

now .. . not so much

Rocket River

 

Whom are you talking about? I never criticize Yao for going back to China and play for CNT. He can do whatever he wants in the off-season.

What I am saying is that if you really want to learn from someone, where and when the teacher works will never be a problem; you always find ways to be there. It is the desire. Just like Yao's desire to play for CNT, he will do whatever he could to do so.
Maybe Yao himself doesn't have that kind of passion to learn from Dream and he has other priorities in the off-season. Again, I have no problem with that.

 

Very confucian!

 

Well you haven't said anything to that effect, but I'm tired of hearing quotes like, "just when though is the bloody chinese association gonna give Ming the necessary free offseason time to do this?"

Okay, I get it. "If Mohammad won't go to the mountain, then the mountain must go to Mohammad." But then again, what if the mountain is hanging out in a perfectly nice spot for most of the year. In fact, it used to be Mohammad's old stomping grounds, so it seems like a perfect meeting place for some Mohammad/mountain action.

But Mohammad's got other priorities, and the mountain doesn't want to stick around all year long for a meeting that's just been some idle speculation and chatter from all these outside parties. So by the time Mohammad shows up at the generally accepted meeting place, the mountain is off chilling with his homies in his former mountain range.

Sure I know Mohammad's the Prophet and all that jazz, but would it kill him to vacation a couple months earlier or later. I'm just saying.

 

You do realize that the Rudy era was essentially only 5-6 years long (successful years)... 92-97. The rest of the years, the organization was either trying to recapture past glory with aging players, or they were rebuilding.

I know a lot of us became big fans during that time... so it seems like that's how the organization always was... when in reality, this organization has had a multitude of peaks and valleys. Honestly, I like the way its being run now... with a concious effort to evaluate talent, and not just throw big bucks to just simply anybody that puts up a decent game (Cato, Maloney, Norris, Taylor).

The biggest difference between these years and the Rudy years is Hakeem Olajuwon... end of story (and that will continue to be the limiting factor when you compare the two decades of Rockets teams... one had a top 25 all-time player, and the other one is still waiting for one to step up).

 

It is a FACT.

To use your words, Ewing has been "relegated".

And there are some Rocket insiders who could back it up with eyewitness accounts of the fact that Ewing is never seen working with Yao. Thibodeau (sorry for earlier missplelling) is his coach. Just go to the games early and watch Yao practice. They are out there before every game working on moves and shooting. Ewing is nowhere to be seen

When Yao had the infection, it was TT that commented in the paper about the plan for Yao.

TT has commented on numerous occassions about their work.

I don't know how to find specific articles. I'm not that computer literate (internet literate). Just do your homework. Check it out for yourself.

Ewing is only a figurehead.

 

if there is ever going to be a meaningful "meeting" (as if Dream could really transmit everything he knows in a single meeting) between the two, it has to be in the OFFSEASON. that would mean that Yao would have to extend his time in the States or Dream would have to go to China. with Yao being relatively comfortable in Houston, and Dream never having been to China or knowing very little about Chinese language and culture i really wonder which is more feasible.

i know Yao is in convenient Houston for 8-9 months of the year, but once training camp starts, there is no large block of time, even a single straight week, to devote to intense continuous training or to build and develop new skills. that's why attending the entire training camp is so important. once the season kicks off, about every other day there's a game to play with half of them being on the road. the extra day on home games is devoted to practice and preparation for the next game with even less time on the road due to traveling and lodging accomadations. sometimes there will be 2-3 day breaks, even 4 or 5 for the All-Star break, but with Yao a likely fixture for that event for the next 10 years, he won't likely be able to take advantage of the extra time. and those longer breaks are usually used to nurse minor injuries or to watch game film or some type of practice or preparation that players didn't have time to do previously.

so my conclusion is that if such a meeting is to take place, the onus has to fall on Yao. sure, he would like to enjoy what free time he has with good company in a familiar place, but if he is truly serious about getting to another level (and i think he is), and if Dream is really the one that can help him get there (i'm less sure about that), then it should be a no-brainer for Yao if he has no other commitments during the offseason. Yao is by far the greater beneficiary of such a meeting, and the sooner the better.

 

Yao is pretty relentless at training. According to the "rocket player at the barbar shop" thread he's constantly in the gym, after practice, after home games (and probably a lot before home games.) etc. If Dream was around for even a homestand, they would be able to log in a lot of hours. Or if Dream delayed his trip back until training camp. They would be able to get an enormous amount of work done.

And also Yao's just got a lot more commitments. Far be it for me to speculate on what Hakeem's got going on, but I can't imagine that it's more time consuming than an NBA season. So it's hard for me to put the onus to make time on the guy that's tries to play in at least 82 high-level basketball games a year.

Now if Dream is spending all that time in order to deepen his spirituality, then that's very commendable. I respect his dedication and commitment. I just think that Yao should also be respected for his dedication and commitment to his country, and shouldn't be expected to tailor his offseason based on what some fans think he should do with it.

 

you should have included this part


"I like to be able to be out on the court with the guys when I'm explaining," he said. "It's still easy for me to make the plays and hold my own on offense and defense. But I know that eventually time will catch up, and I'll have to do it all with words."

Before that time comes, Olajuwon would like to spend time working with one particular student. "Yao Ming, of course,"



when Yao came into the NBA.... Olajuwon should have been their to mentor Yao... why does the Rockets Organization seem so bush league...when it comes to no brainers stuff like this...


if the guy was willing to teach Shaq... then he would be willing to teach Yao especially if he was paid money...


i mean at worst case.... Yao gets to talk to someone who actually won a title...

 

thatd be cool too, i heard on abc or tnt last season that kareem offered but jvg "politely declined"


also is dream bald? not that its a big deal at al,but i would love it if he came during the season and worked with yao or if yao went that month he has off and work 2 days with hakeem,it can be done. dream can go sight seeingin china in the summer too

 

I agree....If Yao wanted to make the time to learn from the best center ever to play, he would....Hakeem is giving up his time to WHOMEVER wants to learn...and he is doing it FREEEEEEEEEE......how many players (past or current) give up their time at no charge to teach people their moves....If anyone is trying to make it seem like Hakeem is anything but a true Houstonian and a Rocket by saying he should be more accomodating, is assanine....Hakeem is putting his hand out there to the Rockets so they can rebuild the relationship they had....

As everyone knows, after Hakeem got traded (which was the stupidest move ever by the rockets), their relationship was strained and for awhile there wasn't much communication from either side...Can you blame Dream? The team he put on his back and the city he carried, traded him (i'm not going to get into the details of what happened, but I had a friend who worked with the rockets at the time in the front office and he said Hakeem got screwed over and the Rockets Organization made it seem like Hakeem wanted out). I'm not best freinds with Hakeem either but I have talked to him several times at our mosque, and the guy is the most loyal, upfront, and generous guy...I have known him as an acquaintnece over the past 15 years and he is as a nice of a guy as he seems on TV.

I've had converstaions with him about basketball but mostly other things and if you look past the fact that he was a superstar athlete, you can see he is just a humble guy who will help people if they need or want it. For example, my little sister(when in high shcool was throwing a fundraiser for her club at school and since I had knew Hakeem, I approached him and asked him if he would speak at the engagment). It was 2 days before the event, and even though he could not make it (he had to go out of town) he signed stuff to be auctioned off and also promised to double any donations made from his own pocket. That is just one example of his generosity and willingness to help.

I'm not trying to make this sound like my own personal biography of Hakeem but I want people to realize that he did everything for the Rockets. The Rockets need to repair that relationship now that Hakeem is back from Jordan. He was living in Jordan to study in a 2 year program but he will back more in Houston than before now that his studies have concluded. He wants to feel needed by the Rockets and I think it would be a great thing for this city and for the team to make that effort. Yao would greatly benefit from this too and so would we as fans (because it would make more Yao more dominatnt and lead to a rockets dynasty ).

 

Dude, you don't even know what you are talking about. If you are referring to Hakeem as Prophet Mohammad, then you are more out of line than I thought when I first read your idiotic post. If you are referring that Hakeem was vacationing, he is NOT vacationing. He as in Jordan studying in a 2 year class and he has a HOME over there.

I couldn't really tell from your post whether you were bashing Hakeem or not, but if you were, you won't find much support here i'm guessing. Also, if you are going to use a prophet's name, try to show a little more respect when using his name. It is offensive to some of us who are muslim on this board.

 

If I misunderstood your post, I apologize but thats what it sounded like. And if you were trying to talk trash about Hakeem or that everyone doesn't need to bend over backwards for his schedule, then you are out of line because you don't know what the hell you are talking about. Please clarify your statment.

 

I see your point about the fact that both must work together to meet but as mentioned by another poster, it is Yao who will benefit from this not Hakeem. So, Yao should be the one making the effort to move his schedule, not Hakeem. Last I checked, when I was in College I had to go to my Professor's classes at their time and place. Unfortunately, they did not come to my dorm to lecture me on the curriculum. Hence, it is up to Yao to make the trip, time, commmitment, etc....

I love Yao, don't get me wrong. He is probably my second favorite player after Hakeem. I know the guy works harder than probably anyone else in the league and i want to see him succeed. That is why I want him to work with Yao....I think it would really help him instead of that crap Ewing is teaching him everyday at practice...

 

I think this Dream helping Yao talk is overblown. Yao is very dedicated to improving himself. We all know that. A few hours of "training" with Dream during a week over the summer won't help him that much. Maybe when Yao was younger it could have helped him more, but at this point I don't think there is much to gain.

Yao is an extremely busy man with unreal demands on his time during the offseason. It's amazing he stays sane. I'm sure Dream's schedule is fairly busy also during the summer. The two of them barely know each other. The only thing they have in common is being overseas born star centers for the Rockets. It's no surprise to me they haven't hooked up. Whoop de do.

dreammvp, we probably need a new thread to discuss Hakeem's leaving the Rockets for Toronto. I'll just say the Rockets paid him a whole lot for a very little his last couple of seasons. Then Hakeem wanted more money than they were willing to give. So the Raptors made the same mistake with him except Hakeem had nothing left in the tank. It was sad. If they had to do it all over again, I think the Rockets would make the same, correct, decision. It was hardly "the stupidest move ever by the rockets".

When it came to contract negotiations, some people act differently than they do in other situations. For a few years in a row, Hakeem insisted the Rockets re-negotiate his contract each and every summer. The humble nice guy you know at the mosque wasn't the same way at the negotiating table. During his peak years before the championships, he was notoriously difficult to deal with, even by NBA player standards. Like many in the businessworld, I'm guessing Hakeem handled business one way and personal relationships differently.

 

Who's bashing Yao?

 

Well maybe not so much Yao, but every time something regarding the offseason or Chinese national team commitments come up, there are more than a couple of posts complaining about China not giving Yao a break, or that he should stay in Houston during the summer.

 

i completely agree with your post but dude hakeem top 25? he is top 10 easily. don't short-change the dream.

 

LOL you said ejaculated


Bye Patrick

 

Maybe you should just drop it