I hope all you Steve-only-fans go follow Steve to his new team, the Rockets will be better off without fans that care more for him than the Rockets. Steve is simply a player that will come and go in the thousands of players that will go through this league, but the Rockets 'TEAM' will be here much longer...hopefully you SOFs won't be. I love the Rockets, and I want what best for them, not whats best for Steve.
Why? Because we're showing loyalty to one of our players? And I never said I cared more for him than the Rockets. I feel that he is part of the Rockets, and if you get rid of the leader of this team, they're certainly not the same Rockets. I also don't want him to go, because Yao and T-Mac on the same team is an NBA marketing dream. I, for one, would not like us to sell our souls to become one of the NBA's sweethearts. As I said earlier, there's nothing I despise more than these people walking around with jerseys of teams and players, not because they support these teams or players, but because they're popular. You see the same thing with the Yankees or the Cowboys, and especially the Lakers. I fear the day when we become one of those teams. Right, because only the young and dumb can fathom the concept of loyalty. For all this talk about the NBA being a business, I think you might have a different mindset if the situation were slightly different. For instance, we certainly would have made the team better by trading Olajuwon and other players for Shaquille O'Neal when Hakeem was in the twilight of his career. But so many of you wanted Hakeem to retire here. Why? So many of you were upset when he opted for the Raptors and a chance at another ring over us. Why? It's just a business. Don't get so worked up over it. I'm not foolish enough to believe that Steve's contributions have been even remotely close to Hakeem's, but you can see where the issue of loyalty comes in. It's not just a business, or you wouldn't get so nostalgic thinking about the glory years of 93-94 and 94-95. Just those numbers alone stir something in you, don't they? Do you think the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies get all teary-eyed when they reminisce about the great profits they made a certain year? Do they buy old videotapes to relive the magic of their fourth quarter returns? No, they do not. Because they run businesses. We follow a team. A collection of individuals who bust their asses to entertain us, and to be away from their families for long periods of time to compete in basically meaningless competition, with the aim of bringing home a trophy that OUR city gets to rejoice in. Yet we have no problem with tossing them to the side because we're not completely happy with their shot selection or passing skills and a much more attractive option is open to us. You people only want to show loyalty for players that you like, so let's not kid ourselves anymore about this being a "business".
You wont get anymore championships to get "nostalgic" about if we don't make changes. There's something called "blind loyalty." And it will bring nothing but 1st round exits (if that) unless we move this team in a different direction. There are a lot of knowledgeable members here that know why Yao doesn't get more accurate passes. Why we mess up so many fast breaks. Why we are 28th in the league in team turnovers, and 28th in causing turnovers. Why we are 26th in the league in assist. Why our "best" player (SF) is one of the worst passers and to make matters worse, is our PG! I mean, frick! The guy has five years, with little improvement. Why can't you see this? Sorry, but there just too many cons (vs pros) to think that it will get better with SF. By the way, I never say it's a "business." I say it's about WINNING! P.S. Thanks for not comparing Francis to Hakeem. You scared me there.
Funny that "loyalty" normally only applies to the poster's favorite player only. When it comes to lesser player, more than often it's "we love u but it's business".
oh great. i seemed to remember reading that he was byc until august. i must remember wrong. thanks for clearing that up for me.
why when i read post about jvg I read he did a grea job?he did an ok job but made alot of stupid mves hisself.like in the last game in toyota center when he let jimmy jackson bring the ball up .I was yelling at the v before he even past up half court "why do he have the ball francis is killing there defense "and soon as i said that he threw the bal to kobe iI can go on and on about the mistakes gundy made
IMO that only happens if there is a Houston or nothing trade agenda, which in my greatest 'cup half full' scenario, is just not on the ouija board.
Actually, Clutch has August in one of his recent articles but I think he may have been using Francis' August signing date. IMHO, all indications are that BYC is for 1 year, begin when all contracts are updated (July 1), and initiate on July 1 of the extension season.
Now you're comparing loyalty to Francis with loyalty to Olajuwon, who won 2 championship rings for us almost singlehandedly. Kobe forced Charlotte to trade him to LA. Shaq stabbed Orlando in the back to go to L.A. . Malone ditched his team of 18 years to go to LA, and Payton signed for peanuts after spending most of his career with one team, and even though his role was SEVERELY reduced. While LA just advanced to the conference finals to collect its 4th ring in 5 years, we're sitting at home thinking of ways to get there. Go dwell on your loyalty. I'd rather have 4 rings.
You know this is really sad when we start falling deep emotionly with players more than the team. I am a HUGE Steve Francis fan even before the (GRIZZ) trade i've been a fan since he was at San Jacinto College through his years at Maryland. I was so so so happy we aquired him in that trade w/ the grizz, but i have been a rocket fan longer and the reason I was glad we got Francis had nothing to do with him being my favorite player but it was because I knew he could and would help our team. Steve Francis was always a guy who gave it his all, now with that said I would be sad to see my favorite player leave but i still will be a loyal fan of both Francis and the Rockets..It's sort of like the music industry if a artist you like was on a record company you like then the record company let the artist go or vise versa your not gonna have hate for any of the people you still be a fan for both of them thats how I'm looking at this with Steve and the Rockets, when he was drafted by the Grizzles I was so happy he was pick I was gonna be a fan of the Grizz(thats how much i like Francis) but if we can find a way to make the Rockets a better team I'm willing to let go of my emotional statuts with a player to better my favorite team... Do yall understand what I'm trying to say? I'm willing to do what it takes to make our team better. If JVG/CD/LES think this trade will make us better than it will happen if not than it will not happen. Who knows Francis might be here with Mcgrady and Yao! look Houston we have lost many players who had a emotinal attachment to the city and to our fans 1.Earl Campbell 2.Billy Wagner 3.Moses Malone 4.Robert Horry/Sam Cassell/Mario Elie 5.Moochie Norris 6.Rudy T Who could ever forget HAKEEM OLAJUWON so if we loose Francis we would just have to get over it
I am as emotionally attached as you can be, except I am most attached to my team. What will matter to me is not if we trade Steve or not, but do we do what is best for the Rockets. I'm for any move that makes this team better. We only go on opinion until it all plays out. On that draft night we passed up Rashard Lewis I was sick... On the draft night we traded for Eddie Griffin I was happy. Now I am sick of both deals. All I ask is don't give him away. Get something in return of value or pass and keep him. Who knows he may cut his turnovers by half next year and raise his shooting %. He could put it all together. (but I doubt that)
I DON'T GET IT!! FRANCIS makes mistakes and everyone jumps on him. Francis dribbles and people jumo on him. SO called "ROCKETS FANS" jump on him. It is as if they expect him to be KOBE or MJ. I don't understand this. EVen from commentators. Francis pulls up for a wide open jumoshot after a screen from Mo taylor and missed the shot. "BAD SHOT!" they say. Why is it a bad shot? However, when Steve Nash pulls up for a three and either misses or hits-it's a good shot. Would you people call Latrell's game stupid? I think he makes far worse decisions than Franchise. He shoots off balanced and rarely looks to pass. Now why aren't players such as Latrell, Nash, Cahuncey Billups regarded inthe same light as Franchise. I don't get it. Francis has done very much to set up other players and still gets criticized. If we learned one thing from the playoffs, it's franchise can lead this team and become a very good point guard. So get off his jock strap and let the man progress!!
1. The expectation for Francis are very high (and should be) 2. The Francis in the playoffs was not the Francis of the reg. season (would like the playoff version during the season) 3. My disappointment with Francis is that he has too many turnovers and he cannot carry the team offensively. If he cuts his turnovers down and shoots a higher fg % next season he will be worthy of his Franchise label. And he will move into the class of superstar.
I also said this: The point was that regardless of their contributions, if the NBA is a business, it shouldn't matter who stays and who goes. But the NBA is not just a business, and it does matter who stays and who goes. So you want us to become the Lakers? Malone and Payton are both cheap sellouts who care more about rings than loyalty to the team and the fans who supported their sorry asses for all those years. And that behavior is acceptable? Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't they widely criticized for moving to LA and ditching their teams? If it was just a business, it wouldn't matter, but I saw too many of you criticizing them as well to believe that you honestly think that it is just a business. Let Malone and Payton get all the rings they can. They weren't men enough to do it with their own teams, and the guys that busted their asses to get to that level. As for Shaq and Kobe, I've always hated both of these men, so it's not like I'm heartbroken by their behavior. I'm almost tempted to just let this go with BigRay's sentiment that we've lost players before when we were emotionally attached to them. The only difference is that, aside from Moochie Norris, all of those players had great achievements that made it a little easier for you to be attached to them. Steve can do this, if you give him more time with Yao. I see more loyalty for Jim Jackson, who has only been here a year, than for Steve Francis. Something is wrong with that. I love Jim Jackson, and I appreciate the hell out of the effort that he's given us this year, but Steve Francis has been here for what is practically his whole career. Keep Steve for one more year, and let him earn his "Franchise" label.
Quote by wireonfire Man, my heart goes out for you. It must feel so sad to be the absolute minority. ___________________________ You should read the last poll on this website. Based the trade SF or not trade SF results, it appears that you are in the minority, albeit a very vocal minority (50% wanted to keep SF vs. 39% wanted SF traded). http://www.clutchfans.net/poll_results.cfm?PollIDView=69 I do not agree with the sentiments of the group indicating loyalty at all costs, but I sympathize with their passion. I have been a Rockets fan since the late 70's, and I will be Rocket fan till I go, but Trading SF for TMac is a no brainer in my book because I think it would improve the team. I am not in the trade him for loose change crowd though. Like him or not, SF is a great player, and change for changes sake is overrated. I still believe that if we can't get TMac and wind up keeping SF assuming we make the right moves in trades, use of TE, and/or key free agent signings, we will still be a contender and possible even an NBA Champion with SF.
For the "absolute minority", I meant you calling "this is Francis's team, not Yao's" and "Yao has plenty time to become a flop". Why don't you make a poll out those comments to see how many agree with you? There was another poll, btw, after the trade talk for TMac started. 80% chose to trade for TMac at any cost except Yao.
