[ClutchFans] The Day T-Mac Lost the City of Houston

While it's obvious that McGrady was pouting that game, I'm still ambivalent about Mac, and yeah, I realize that my fierce McGrady support has made me at least a little biased. But still, hear me out:

It's not fair to just say that you can't count on him because McGrady didn't give up in one of our toughest seasons in recent history: 2007-2008. Yao goes down for the year in the midst of a red-hot run, Rockets fans everywhere are absolutely crushed, but McGrady continues to play his heart out, never missing a beat, and helping lead us to 10 straight wins to extend the streak to 22, and finishing (I believe) 19-6 without Yao. Then the playoffs roll around, and we're up against a heavily favored Utah Jazz team who quicky steals HCA away with a 2-0 lead, both games where McGrady played fairly well. Then McGrady has two great games in the next three, and leads us back into the series. He also tried his damnedest to get us the game 6 win with like 30 points in the first half, but the Jazz just got too hot in the second half. That was a season where it would have been a lot easier for him to give up. But he didn't. With all that adversity, that was really the birth of the fearless Rockets we know today, and it began with McGrady.

I think last year was more frustrating for him because of the injuries. I think it was a combination of multiple factors that made McGrady (at least temporarily) give up. I mean I'll admit that McGrady is a little unstable and emo, but anyone would be incredibly frustrated if they were in his position last season. Year after year, all these high expectations that got crushed, and usually not as a result of anything he did wrong, and year after year, some new injury found a way to bite him in the ass. Yes, he should have handled it better, but I don't think that makes him an undependable slacker. Now we know where his breaking point is.

 

and i never understood the people who take it so personally. Is he your best friend who cheated with you wife? Your mailman stealing your mail? Is he your brother who stole your girl? No, he's a basketball player. He plays basketball. He's not doing anything to you. And this last year has been the worst and most controversial he's probably EVER experienced. I'd like to see how he reacts to this before labeling him a lost cause.

 

what were the results of those performances?

he didn't win, and that's the bottom line. never even a single series. not one.

its all just empty stats if you don't win. ask any athlete and they'll tell you the same thing.

 

But how is that HIS problem?

 

After reading this post by Clutch, I can only suspect a trade is about to go down.

 

The scenario is that Hakeem Olajuwon, the Best Center on the Planet was thrown out of the game cause Riley send Mitch Kupchak to start a fight with him.

Ralph steps in and helps the Rockets fight back and defeat the defending champions in LA. He showed leadership and passion.


If we time warped Tracy McGrady, any version of him, back to that team.

The Lakers team would have beaten him like Rodney King.

 

Not to mention that green vaseline lotion is a team thing, if you watch the games, in the cart thing that has the water/gatorade, they keep that same bottle of lotion..

 

Reading the McGrady supporters post here is kind of funny. There are only a couple who even make points (Ronny and Lars8 come to mind). The rest of them just throw mindless tantrums.

I'm sorry this fantastic and well-supported article by Clutch hurt your feelings. But for those saying he deserves a second chance - are we pretending this is all he ever did? Are we pretending he didn't admit to the press he quit on Orlando? Are we pretending he didn't claim "It's all on me" before the playoffs and then blame his team mates when they lost? Are we pretending he didn't talk about early retirement? Are we pretending he didn't diss his team mates last year when he told the press he predicted the Lakers would beat the Rockets (yeah, most people believed the Lakers would win, but Tracy still shouldn't have said that to the press while our Rockets were fighting their hearts out)? Are we pretending that surgery debacle didn't happen last year? Or that the numerous incidents concerning his return didn't happen this year?

None of these things are isolated incidents. This is a pattern of behavior. He has made MANY bad decisions in his career as a Rocket. I was a huge McGrady fan and it saddens me that his career with us is going to end on a sour note. But this isn't unlike when a couple decide it isn't working. The marriage didn't work. And that isn't to say both parties can't move on to situations that work for both of them. Perhaps Tracy can find a situation that brings out the best in him.

I will wish Tracy well where ever he goes. I'll hope that he wins a championship somewhere despite the fact that will inevitably give all of you current blind McGrady supporters the ammo you need to scream "I TOLD YOU SO" to all of us who want to see him gone.

But this marriage? It just didn't work. And there isn't much point in going through the motions any longer.

 

Yes, but kindly note the cast of dickheads McGrady had to play with. Only Yao could be counted on to be a credible offensive performer. The remainder of the cast were so inconsistent. Rafer Alston, Juwon Howard, Ryan Bowen, Chuck Hayes, etc.

Let us also not forget the Utah Jazz nightmare matchup that worked to the detriment of Yao Ming.

 

Well Tracy McGrady isn't Ralph or Hakeem Olajuwon. It's the year 2009 tinman. I think it's time to move on.

 

is that really a question? of course its his problem. that's the entire point of his chosen vocation.

 

I dont get what is the big deal that he has never gotten out of the first round. Out of all those series he had, not one time was he the fav to win the series. Our team had a lot of problems. CD did a horrible job at creating the right role player around him and Yao. It wasnt like Yao step up big time in any of those series either.

 

somebody compared him to Ralph Sampson, if you actually read this thread.

yeah it is 2009, it's time to move on... for all the tmac fans

 

Fantastic piece.

Time has softened the effect for me, but re-watching it just now, WOW...Tmac didn't just burn a bridge, he doused it in gasoline and blew it up w/ a rocket launcher.

 

Im in a state of shock that DD has not taken over this thread.

 

I'm not referring to his first two years with the Rockets. I'm talking about the current McGrady that seems to shoot without a conscience from long range because he's too timid to make the aggressive plays of yore anymore. I have no issues with star players "heat checking" themselves but McGrady has changed his game to where he either:

1. Drives in and hopes to get bailed out by the officials without ever having the goal of finishing the play
2. Pump fake at the 3 to try and draw a foul that puts him, a declining free throw shooter (he's, what, 70% last time he played?), at the foul line
3. Chucks things up because can.

Of course I liked the thought of him making Swift better but no where has he said he was going to make anyone else better. I have yet to see or hear about anything from McGrady that said "I'm going to help Luther with his game and teach him how to drive to the basket" or "I think I can take Von Wafer to the side and teach him how to draw fouls" Of course we as fans will never hear that but if you're going to be THAT confident in YOUR own abilities to take Stromile Swift and make him into an All-Star (all this BEFORE you ever played with him, mind you), you better back up your statements because "It's on YOU"

The thing about McGrady is that he doesn't polish the skills he already has and that's a sad thing. I don't expect him to call up Dream and ask for post up tutelage but I do expect him to hone the skills he already has. The only things I ever see (from videos on the net) McGrady does in the offseason is:

1. Put on more muscle mass (during his first couple of seasons with the Rockets) at his own gym
2. Play baseball

Of course, a lot of players like to relax in the offseason but that's how you can separate the haves from the have nots.

 

Funny, I don't remember you ever contributing something on the board that did not involve you being on your period about Tracy McGrady. Piss off.

 

Even when Ariza is trying, still stats in the Tor game is still worse than Tmac. This show how talented Tmac really is. I would rather win then watch us lose because we choose to sit a talented player on the bench.

 

I don't remember the full context of the game, I don't blame him too much for the Moon dunk. It was a super weak attempt at defense, but I've seen many players do the same.

So for that play, and the ones following, I saw Rafer trying dribble all over the place. I was waiting for the play I remember of McGrady just passing off the ball. I was sitting here thinking, "man Rafer needs to stop playing iso ball and move it around or give it to someone who can play iso ball."

I am not excusing McGrady for quitting during that game. Not at all. I understand if what I saw was happening the whole game, I'd be pretty pissed as well. Doesn't mean I quit, but as Chris Rock says, "I understand."

At work, I commonly observe other coworkers I get frustrated with how someone else is handling their job. It DOES discourage me, b/c I know our team is only as strong as that weakest person. I don't quit though.

So Tracy...

I'm not saying you should have quit...but I understand (if what I saw was what was happening).

 

says the guy whose every_single_post_is_bitching_about_someone