Strong, silent type Asked about Yao Ming, coach Jeff Van Gundy offered more praise of Kelvin Cato, this time making sure to speak loud enough for Cato to hear. "I have one of the greatest backup centers of all time in Kelvin Cato," Van Gundy said. "Cato is a very motivated, highly skilled, well-trained ... "Cato, are you going to give me an amen? Answered Cato: "I told you, coach. I'm not going to give you nothing today." Said Van Gundy: "That's like every day on the practice court there, brother." ----------------------------------- Definetly some sarcasm there, but he is really laying on thick either way.
Cato was within earshot, so of course Van Gundy is not going to keep praising Yao continuously. Read the quotes below. It seems that everyone is constanly asking Van Gundy about Yao, so instead of repeating the same praise time and time again, sees Cato and decides to say Cato is one of the best backup centers of all time. "We need to surround our best two players, Yao and Steve, with dependable, reliable, tough-minded, good-shooting, smart players," Van Gundy said. "If we do that ... we'll have a heck of a year. "Those guys (Yao and Steve) are always going to attract attention and a lot of it." "If you're a perimeter player," Van Gundy said, "If you can't shoot, you can't play, especially on a team that has a player like Steve and a player like Yao."
we all know Cato has been under achiever in the past, so this may be his medicine that Cato needs and what will motivate him to play harder. I don't know how Cato got on with Rudy, but its clear JVG is having a positive influence on him. Add me to the Van Gundy fanclub.....
Clearly this is JVG trying to motivate Cato. Cato is very emotional and seems to work very well when positively motivated. JVG is doing all he can to create a positive atmosphere for Cato for him to succeed.
I'd say at least 50% of the board would say that CAto did a damn decent job last year...(when you are at the bottom, there aint nowhere to go but up) but it is obvious that VG is definitely going to make a big impact on Cato's development.
I love this about Van Gundy. The media loves to higlight JVG's negative comments, but he's very quick to give praise. I hate to do the whole Rudy comparison---(he has no bigger fan than me)--but when Gundy gives praise, you really believe him. It's kind of like that really, really tough English teacher that always demands more. When she pays you a compliment, it means a heck of a lot more than when you get that easy A in "Intro to Rock n' Roll"
Uhh... JVG is just kidding around with Cato during an interview. Whether that's motivational or "the right button to push" may be true, but more than anything it just says they have a good relationship. But, "Cato"... "highly skilled"... and "greatest... of all time" in the same sentence, no one took that seriously, right?
i love this about jeff. if anyone deserves some praise in the media it's cato bc he's been working hard and he' always been bashed n the past. i don't think its motivation but moreso positive reinforcement which is the most assertive way to teach anybody anything
Don't be silly. This is obviously Le$ rubbing off on Gundy - the backup center on the Greatest Team Ever Assembled is obviously one of the greatest backup c's of all-time.
