Proven guilty? What are you talking about? I'm talking about his not showing up for practice, then for a game, then for another practice. What does that have to do with guilt? I'm talking about a woman being beaten and shot at at his home. Whether he's guilty of that or not, it's a fact that it happened at his home and that's damn disturbing. And let's not forget clocking his teammate at Seton Hall. It all adds up to LOSER. I don't want to convict him or punish him - I just want to cut him because he won't help the team win.
but you are convienently ignoring the question... What is in it for the Rockets by cutting him now? By leaving him to rot on the suspended list, they dont have to pay him..which is a punishment of sorts for screwing the team over. by cutting him, we still have to pay him his guaranteed contract. how is that a punishment for his (alleged)misdeeds? and why is that a positive for the Rockets? you say dignity..... how would Eddie's actions take away from the team's dignity? they didnt make him do any of the things he has been accused of and we know he has done(ie...skipping practice, games, etc..) and if he was a wasted pick(or 3), how does that take away from their dignity? every team makes bad picks.......repeat after me.. every team makes bad picks sometimes...
You lose dignity when you tolerate someone's bs. Send a message. Say that, as an organization, you won't tolerate a loser like this. Set a tone. Lots of you want to hang on to Eddie because you still think he's an asset of some kind, either as a player in the future or as trade bait. I don't share that view at all, but you guys are, of course, entitled to your opinion. But I ask you to consider the fact that sometimes you can add by subtraction - sometimes you can improve a situation by removing the weakest link.
Eddie and his agent are not stupid enough to let him rot on the suspended list all season, they would probably demand his release so he can make money, or else show up just to get paid and be a huge distraction.
firstly... they sent a message that is in direct correlation to his current provable offenses. they suspended him....no pay.... the message: you screwup, we dont pay you. secondly... find me a post I have made since I gave up on Eddie that calls for keeping him because of either perceived future development or as trade bait....don't bother...you wont find either one I no longer believe he will do anything worth a damn on-court for the Rockets. I also do not believe we could trade him if we wanted to...he has ZERO TRADE VALUE. I have consistently been a proponant of the "let him rot on the suspended list until his contract has expired and let him walk" school of thought since he refused to show for the special practice session to help him get back into management's good graces.. he finally showed me he cares nothing for my team, and deserves no further support from me. period.
Sorry Sam.... they are not in any position to be demanding anything right now. I'm no CBA expert, but when you break the team's rules in the manner that he has...no-show to practice or games or the special session just for him....there has to be something in his contract that says they can suspend him for whatever length of time they need to... but, I could be wrong...and will cheerfully admit to such as soon as someone can show me clear facts that state otherwise.
Not right now, but eventually. I don't need to know anything about the CBA to know that neither Eddie nor his agent is going to tolerate being put on the suspended list without pay and lose all 3 million to which he would otherwise be entitled. You thiink whwen he gets out of rehab or counseling he is not going to demand to be placed on the injured list at the very least? Whether their remedy lies within the CBA or without doesn't make a difference; leaving Eddie on the Suspended list for a whole season and Les pocketing the difference is just not a situation that is going to be tolerated or end well for anybody involved.
I know this will look like I am waffling on this, but the previous posts I have made are not made from a homer's perspective....they are made from a pissed off fan's perspective...so...let me clarify what the homer in me wants.. as a fan, I really, really hope it doesnt come to conflict between Eddie and the team..I hope they dont have to leave him on suspend list.. I would love nothing more than to see Eddie make a full comeback and show he is at least a decent role-player...I really do.. Im just not holding my breath. My phrases about keeping him on the suspend list are a product of my currect feelings of betrayal..I supported him, I supported him when most everyone else in here was labelling him a bust and lamenting the loss of 3 picks.. and he does this to me? I are pissed. The biggest reason why I hope you are right about his possible actions after rehab/counseling.... that would mean that he has shown himself to be rededicated to the team....I believe that is the only way VG takes him off the suspend list. and even then...he should be kept in the IR till he is fully shown himself to be ready to run the coaches schemes, and do whatever the team asks from him. Without question or comment. He is going to have to work real damn hard to regain whatever respect the fans had for him..we deserve nothing less.
So we send a message by saying if you mess up and we will cut you and have to pay you money, and allow you to sign with another team at our expense. I can see how that's so much better than you mess up, you don't get paid, you can't go to another team and you can't come back to ours until you clean up your act. Yeah I can see how the second option is just too far inferior than the frst. Yeah I mean, by sending a "message", Eddie is shaking in his boots and totally regretting his action as we pay him over 2 million this year while he's prolly gonna get atleast an extra $250k to a team that wouldn't mind taking a chance a young player for atleast one season and possibily another place to showcase himself. But by not sending a "message", he is enjoying the kindness of the Rockets not paying him and not letting him play for anybody and no chance of showcasing any talent ever on any team during a contract year. I can see how we would be rewarding for him by suspending him instead of cutting him.
I voted to cut him although I am ok with with keeping him suspended if we don`t have to pay him. People complain about the 3 # 1`s we gave up for him but I don`t really see that as a really big deal (- minus not having Rashard) because we have J.J. , Poki., Griffin - they all could be first rounders and now we pick up Padgett who also was a first rounder. I don`t think it all that big of a deal because we get to choose which 1st rounders we get who compliment the team and who are priced right. It was a good gamble at the time and I would do it again for the chance to have one of the best ever- chances(?) - but I don`t really sweat it. Management showed some real gonads to trade for him and Francis for that matter..... Eddie could have been the # 1 pick overall. I hope the guy stills proves the trade to be good although I don`t really care who he does it with. Through free agency and trades ( a lucky ping pong ball here and there every now and then) you can have what-ever team you want.
Oh ok I guess the Lakers were stupid for getting those two losers Payton and Malone. I also guess the Phoenix Suns and Rockets should have cut Charles Barkley and never aquired Drexler... Weak. Name me one individual that has ever won a championship on a team sport. I'll make it easy for you not even one.
