OK, here's where I repeated myself the first time because my ISP went on the blink and I went through AOL and when I backspaced from the thread I had just posted in, AOL automatically resubmitted my post. [This message has been edited by Will (edited December 30, 1999).]
OK, here's where I repeated myself the second time because I did the same damn thing because again my post didn't show up after I submitted it and I hit the backspace not realizing that AOL was showing my post (and showing it twice) to everyone but me. I can't believe I just found an ISP worse than MSN. [This message has been edited by Will (edited December 30, 1999).]
Under some of the logic branded out here, every team who does not win championship or make to the playoffs should tank, since every disappointment can be regarded as player(s) away from winning it all. Who cares for coaching, discipline, and chemistry, etc? Take it easy until you get all the pieces. Be patient and do what Clippers, Mavs, and Warriors do, just tank! My question is, do these team really tank, or they just simply can't and forgot how to get back from the lottery, since they enjoy so many ping-pong balls every year at the draft.
Grummet, Don't forget them tanking at the end of the 2nd championship to drop to the 6th seed, a more favorable matchup in a short series. Hakeem and Mad Max out with Anemia at the same time...PUUUUHHHHLLLLLEEEAAAASSSEEE !!! Integrity - Is that when you stash non injured players on IR. DaDakota "Win at all costs, except for trading Hakeem"
Is there anyteam in the League that does not use the IR as a Bullpen? So you must to stay Competitive. [I don't like this practice] Integrity is NOT TANKING. If we did it to get Hakeem. . . . . I DON'T LIKE IT If we did it to win a championship . . . .I DON'T LIKE IT IF you have to rely on immoral means to win . . . [depending on the refs to give you JORDAN calls. . . .EWING CALLS . . .even HAKEEM Calls . . . . .] . . . .I Don't Like it I felt we got our championship through VERY HARD WORK and Mental Toughness. . . . Now It feels like everyone is trying to cheapen our past just to justify and very cheap suggested course of action. Rocket River
A franchise's short term goal is to win games and be entertaining. Long term goals are winning the Championship and creating a dynasty. I see this season as one big, long preseason. Teach your nucleus. Give them plays, structure, guidance and support. Work on D. Each game is a learning experience. W's are nice, but learning is more important at this stage. I'm not to sure about RT ability in this area but that's another thread. If you just concentrate on the short term, you'll be extremely luckly to make the long term. If you look to the long term the short term (I believe) will happen.
I agree ! Let the kids get the experience they need. Rudy is trying to teach these guys what it takes to WIN in the NBA. They will learn through Trial and ERROR !! DaDakota
Vandolet, Dakota, et al Mmmmmmmmm ...... let me see .... is that kinda like teaching your kids about sobriety but giving them all the alcohol they want to drink .... and say: " this is what I want you not to do next year,okay " .... then you mix another Vodka Martini in front of them and dream about the days when your family used to have a real winner's attitude ..... (MMmmmmmmm, maybe too much hyperbole and mixed metaphors, but you get the idea, right?)
There is never a good reason to tank. Attempting to lose for a draft pick institutionalizes the philosophy of losing. Teams that go down that route are buying more trouble than it is worth. We can't use another top flight rookie. He's gotta learn to play, learn to live with a few million in the bank, learn to deal with his new team. We're looking at a few years of learning by which time all the rockets will be gone. We need role players, guys that will still be available during the middle rounds. CD and Rudy are VERY good at finding them, I feel sure we'll have interesting additions come the summer. ------------------ Bring guns, drugs and lawyers, the s**t has hit the fan. -Aspen Gun Club Motto
Great takes Francis3, care to provide any insite of your own? That being said, why we are talking about tanking is ridiculous. Yea, in the end, with a few games to go and the difference between the 4th pick and the 9th pick, I would totally understand if they lost all of the games left. Would I agree with giving up, tanking, or basically cheating? HELL NO! Like I said in my first post in this topic, in this day and age its much harder to evaluate talent doming from the college ranks because of all the underclassmen coming out early. Clutch is right. The Rockets are players away. The players they have are good, but no where near what we need to be true contenders. We have a few good role players, one or two potential superstars and a quite a few players just collecting paychecks. They just don't have players that fit the system the coaching staff has designed. Basically what we've seen is the staff try and manipulate the system to fit the players, which in my opinion is harder to do than aquire players to fit a particular system. It's a shame that Hakeem has to play his remaining years while the Rockets attempt to rebuild on the fly. Can they rebuild on the fly? I seriously doubt it. Call me a pessimist or whatever, but the Rockets management has quickly painted themselves into a corner. They tried the quick fix a few too many times and this is the end result. Is it too late to repair the damage? Not necessarily. They have some good talent that fits the system....Cuttino Mobley, Carlos Rogers, Kelvin Cato, and Steve Francis. They have some good role players Matt Bullard and Kenny Thomas. But they need to realize they have alot of players that are lost in the Rockets system and could be used for other means. You may notice I didn't list Shandon Anderson. I'm having mixed feelings about him at this point. He shows signs of coming out of his shell at times, but other times just takes up space on the court. I'd probably call him a role player...he just needs to have his role defined. What do the Rockets need? They definitely need a PF. I still think giving up Othella may come back to haunt us, but to make the Francis deal work it had to be done. Mo Taylor anyone? He has already stated he wants out of LA. I still think they need someone that can play the 3 consistently. Jamison comes to mind, but I think the Rocks should go with experience at this position. Someone that can play hardnosed defense and not have to score alot. Someone that can contribute in his own way. Anderson can be this man, but still has yet to prove he can do it daily. ------------------ There is no offense without a good defense.
