Dang nag it, Rocks moving on up, out of the top ten picks

a top pick would be sweet... but there are too many reasons to end the season on a good note.

1) pride within the organization.

a) If Shandon, Cuttino, Kenny or Steve think for a second that we'd tank this year to get a pick... then either 3 or all of them are gone in a few years. Now that we're starting to play well, I wonder if the mgmt. is questioning not having traded it (the pick) before the deadline to solidify the team's outlook (no reason not to win) and to take advantage of a vulturous team somewhere.

b) wins are just good period for a team's confidence level. you can't expect a team to lose for the rest of the year and have them just mysteriously know that they'll be playoff bound next year. What if the pick still stinks? What if you don't get a top free agent? Is the team supposed to somehow magically know they're really good?

2) The Clippers. Right now there's a subtle difference between the Clippers and the Bulls. The Bulls will pay to get better next year and think tanking right now is acceptable (it is if they truly want to disgust every intelligent free agent out there... (intelligent==!(motaylor)))

For most of us the season doesn't end w/ the playoffs... we'll watch the free-agent hunt and listen to what's happening at camp. There are some of us (just like I've done every season past) that will wonder if the Rockets can get playerX... (the Rockets somehow always get playerX) because of sheer disgust the Rockets will have the Clippers' chance at playerX this year if they tank. Their chances at playerX if they just play hard are suprisingly good.

3) Because Les is trying to make money. If the Rockets cannot put on a good show for the rest of the year... the community will become increasingly disconnected from the team... that is not a good thing. Believe it or not, only the zealots pay attention to the draft pick and offseason. The Rockets need the "independent's" money to survive and be profitable. You know, the people that tell you they're not going to a game b/c the team is doing bad... and have no idea there's a 3 game winning streak at hand. The independents go to see games when the aura is good.

[This message has been edited by Achebe (edited March 05, 2000).]

 

Achebe- great post.

You cannot help but love this team when they hustle for the win. Cuttino, Anderson, Francis, Thomas, Cato- these guys are winners; they want to win. This attitude must be fostered and allowed to grow. You can indeed have a bad 'aura' on a team, and losing habits can grow on you. Fight hard for the win, and keep on learning what it takes to dominate in the 4th- keep building those winning habits. Keep going for the win, even if we win half of our remaining games and pick at #10 instead of #5.

 

If there is one thing I've learned about winnning teams is that you NEVER ask them to suck. Being bad, like being a winner, is mental. If you get it in your head, it is VERY hard to shake it off.

Lottery picks are dubious at best. The Rockets have a history of making bold moves to get who they want, so don't be shocked if they get the 7th or 8th pick and do something to move higher of get a free agent. It would surprise me more if they did nothing than if they did something crazy.

------------------
"Society always honors its live conformists and its dead non-conformistis."

 

I am so proudn of you guys...... (Dickerson, Achebe, Nolan, Jeff) that I feel like running up and down the court yelling their names in reverence.

Thank you Red Rocket Bloods.



[This message has been edited by popeye (edited March 05, 2000).]

 

Vince,

Malone was the #13 pick in 1985.

Mango

 

don't worry guys.

if we pick 12th-15 or so, we will have achieved a winning attitude to close out the year, and we will still get our man...

marcus fizer

He will drop down just like K Thomas did. And as a better K Thomas, Rudy will snap him up in a second as the best player available. Tweeners always get passed over. This one is a steal below 12th slot. With the outside shot, the speed/dribbling and the power, Rudy will definitely fly him in for a look.

 

Rain Cloud,

I was hoping that they would get a solid 3 and a backup 5 before they go looking at more Power forwards.

Mango

 

Chris Porter has already suffered enough. If the Rockets pick him up at 10-13 they're getting him for a steal and (as the pick would indicate) they're ending the season on a good note.

Mind you, for every place I wrote 'they' or 'the Rockets' there used to be a 'we'. Pretty scary.

 

i don´t wanna see the rockets loosing most of their games, only to get (maybe) a high lottery pick - we aren´t the bulls!!!!!

i think, every true rocket fan wanna see them fighting for the victory in every single game of the remaining season...

i can´t understand why people start thinking: "the best chance to get better next year is too loose all the games this year..."

so fight rockets, fight for your proud fans!!!!



------------------
bring dickie back!!!!!

 

Its quite simple. Winning is good, losing sucks! I pay good money to see most every Rockets game and if I thought they were tanking I'd be disgusted. The bulls can afford to tank because they sell out every game anyway. On Saturday vs the Nets, the arena was half empty. Imagine if they start not putting up a fight?

Losing is a bad habit to break, just ask the Clippers.

 

All these anti-tanking points are great; they are pretty much the same things I'd been arguing since the new year. But I'm tired of it. I'm tired of the mediocrity and tired of the five game winning streaks followed by five game losing streaks. On a game to game basis sure it's interesting, but on the macro level I am getting bored. We're not going to make the playoffs, obviously. But we're also not even going to barely miss the playoffs. There'd be something entertaining in winning the ninth seed or picking 13th in the lottery -- that says something about your team. But picking 10th is boring. I'd rather suck and look forward to draft day than play mediocre and pick 10th. Is it the best thing for the team? Maybe, maybe not. But I want a little excitement in this season.

 

JuanValdez:
Please do not take offense.

But you stated in your last reply:
"But I want a little excitement in this season."

How do you propose that the season will be exciting if the Rockets just keep losing for the remainder of the season?

------------------
"There is Francis backpedaling at full speed to guard Seattle All-Star Gary Payton on a fast break and then leaping as if off a springboard to make a spectacular fingertip block on what appeared to be a sure layup."

 

Who do you think the Rockets are? The Spurs of 1996? Come on now. Get your head together.

 

Sounds kinda silly to say losing games will make the season exciting, doesn't it. I think for most people, it wouldn't be the case. However, I'm in a special predicament.

I got my free cable cut back in January and the Rockets have no more games on NBC. I don't live in Texas so I won't have another opportunity to watch the team this year. My fanship is completely web-based at this point. So the ordinary excitement most fans currently enjoy, I do not. That forces me enjoy the season on a more macro level and in a more abstract fashion. In these regards, .500 ball is extremely dull. However, as the Ls pile up, I can get more and more eager about the draft. Likewise, a big heap of Ws would be great because than I can say, "Man, we'd be killing Utah in the rankings if only the season started 2/28/00 instead of 11/1/99!" But .500 ball makes it a long, long season.

 

maybe you should just get a job so that you could afford cable?!

 

Sorry, I am not a purist except when it comes to the effort of the 5 guys on the court. Winning against the good teams is OK because it builds character, but wining against our draft competition fodder like NJ in overtime just sucks. We don't play a good game, and then top it off by losing a 2 game switch in the draft race. I think the difference of a 6 pick from a 12 pick is huge. Given our draft history with mid first rounders, I would really, really like our chances for plucking a gem with a mid-lottery pick. Since we are not going to have a chance at the championship (not going to be in the playoffs), we should do everything we can to lose without ever trying to lose. (I don't want guys not to try hard, but I want a combination of guys not likely to win, and I want to try things where we might make mistakes now but will learn things that will help us for years to come). Surely, at least when we are mathematically eliminated from the championship race, even the most hard core of you should agree that this is in the best interest (increases our chances for a future ring, which is what matters).



[This message has been edited by sir scarvajal (edited March 06, 2000).]

 

TANKING IS NOT FAIR TO THE FANS

If I only see one Rocket game in my life
and they TANKED I'd be hella pissed

Rocket River

 

Great article by Jonathan Feigen on Tanking (as well as a great comment by Francis to clarify the Rockets' position) http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bk/bkn/511672

Look around at the players that are obviously on tanking teams (Hawks, Clippers, Bulls). Do you think that any of their players that have self respect will stay on those teams? Do you want players that would?

------------------