Well, apparently, Steve never took a shot at one of his ex's, and DaDa seems to sympathize with those who have.
In my mind I've always wanted for Eddie to have success in his life, like I'm wishing for Stever. It's actually very sad to see him go to me. The talks all been about Tracy Mcgrady, to me however if he did come back that would be big news as well. I have to say one more thing though, I don't get how people can, "hate", athletes the way that some do without knowing the person, here's to Eddie's success in Houston.
Well, that's what you have to understand. They dislike the 'athlete', have a great displeasure with the 'player's' performance. By no means, do they hate the person, unless, it's someone like Karl Malone. You'll find posts from myself, where i supposedly "bash" Steve Francis on numerous occassions, but it's always towards his performance and the player. As a person, I'm quite fond of Steve, since we've drafted him, I liked his carefree attitude and his heartfilled effort. He really comes off like a nice guy, an emotional one, but a nice guy overall. And if Steve were a better player, atleast when it came to learning and conistency, I and many others would not be wanting him to leave the Rockets organization. But, yeah when you see people pointing out so many bad aspects of a player's game, and just begging for his absence in return of a better player. You gotta remember, it's the player, not the person they dislike. They want to improve their team, not trying to improve humanity with some elitist atittude or what have you. I'll never get why people take it so personal or take it wrongly when a fan points out a player's flaws as constant as he displays them, in a desire to seek improvement for the team he is a fan of. In such a competitive league and sport, you can't just be blindly loyal to any/every player you feel deserves it, due to starting his career on the team, giving you a few years of excitement with great athleticism, all the while producing mediocre results year after year after year after year that other teams around you are quickly doing away with. Getting rid their mediocrity and reaching to be the best or beat the best. It's just what you must do if you want to be competitive. Be reasonable with your loyalty, when you're embarked in such harsh, ever changing surroundings. Players, like Hakeem Olajuwon, or Jordan, are good examples of reasonable loyalty. They truely deserve it, and even if struggling on the decline of their careers, they really deserve to end their careers in their home. Because it is their home. They built it to what it is, and if not, they added strength to it's already built structure and made it stand for something, something special. But, please, let's not give that same loyalty so blindly. You have to be reasonable, if you want to be competitive.
I sorry but I find people here supporting EG is pretty SAD. I don't think many people will have the same supporting sympathy or opinion if he was just one of a screw up citizens who isn't popular or playing professional sport. This idiot who abused his girlfriend and maybe try to hurt or kill her with a gun. Oh yeah, give him another chance to screw up and maybe this time, he'll be successful of killing someone.
If everybody thinks like that, imagine how america will turnout to be soon............ if he's out there is because the court clear him or something like that's why he should be getting a 2nd chance (and because the rox lost too much in him )
You people must have short term memory loss. he is not looking for a "2nd Chance". He's way beyond that, let's take a look at his various second chances: 1. High School - expelled from one for fighting, he may have been kicked out of another too, I don't recall and it's too tedious to look itup. 2. College - beat up one of his teammates in the locker room, he got another chance after that. 3. NBA - showed next to nothing in 2 years with the Rockets on the court. Then started skipping practice and missing games. The Rox gave him a second chance, let him come back, then he skipped out again, (meanwhile, he's been busted for drug possession in between), then he brawls with his girlfriend and starts shooting at her, so after 3-4 "chances" with the Rockets, they finally buyout his contract and release him Then he goes to Jersy, for yet another "2nd chance". Flames out there, which culminates him drunkenly assaulting some guy in a hotel room. So the way I figure, old Eddie, who basically hasn't done crap on the court since his first 20 games at Seton Hall, is on about his 10th second chance in his young life. How many more does this guy need to get before you people realize that it's a waste?
We need to move on concerning Eggie. The rocks are still trying to recover from mistakes like Maloney, Roderick Rhodes,and on and on..................................
codell, It is different, I still believe that EG can fit on a team and play well, I do not feel that Steve has any clue how to play team basketball, and never will. So I say good riddance to Steve because TMac is coming....if not...I would not say it. Get it? Got it? Good. DD
Check out Sherlock's post about Griffin in his thread, DD. Just a great post. Hope your ankle gets better soon.
I knew nothing about EG when we aquired him, and the history of violence worried me. I thought he might turn out to be some sort of stubborn gangsta' type who would end up like JR Rider. After he got here, it became clear that that wasn't the case. It was clear that he was almost pathalogically shy in talking with the media, and he was always ill at ease. After all the stuff came out last year, it became even more clear to me that Eddie was not much more than a high school kid. In fact, he was a high school kid who was trying hard to be a happy adult but just wasn't mature enough, and didn't have a proper support system to develop maturity, but there was always the hint of a well meaning person when you looked at the details. (For instance his desire to be involved as a father of his child.) Caron Butler and Gary Trent, for instance, are both solid individuals (I seem to remember that Butler was arrested for having both a handgun and some cocaine at school when he was 14, but I may be wrong). While I'm sure that both of them are not perfect people, I think both are now widely thought of as solid citizens. In short, I don't blame Eddie completely for his problems, and I think that most of the people who do are blinded by their own personal frustration regarding his preformance for their favorite team. I would think it would be very appropriate, assuming that you still belive in his talent and you believe that he could develop a work ethic under the right circumstances, to bring him back. Furthermore, I think it would be a wise thing to do, if you can get him to agree to some specific unplesant details. In short, I would welcome him back but basically get him a "minder". Sort of a big brother figure who would stay with him on the road and help support him during the season so he doesn't sink back into a bad frame of mind or develop bad attitudes. Someone associated with John Lucas, perhaps. (I would think that Lucas would find it too focused, and would want more money than would be available). Futhermore, if he were to accept these conditions, it would seem to be evidence that he needed to realy change and wasn't just going through the motions to get back in the league. You could approach him with the proposition in as unassuming a way as possible, and give him a certan degree of flexablility as to how the process would work, and some flexability in choosing the individual. If you sign EG him for 1 year at the minimum, and drop $40-50 on the minder (plus room and road money) it really wouldn't be that bad of a deal, given the potential upside if he gets his act together. This sort of thing isn't completely unheard of, given the number of translators following NBA teams these days. If it didn't work the Rockets could spin it in the press, and come out smelling like roses. Remeber how much milage Rudy used to get for being a player's coach? The Rockets could us it to show how much they care about their people , etc. by trying to help EG get his life back together. Good PR milage. On the other hand, if it does work, and EG gets it back together one would think that he would feel a strong loyalty for the team that helped him get it back together.
Thank you DD. It was plenty for Clutch to say what he did about the guy providing more details about his source or locking the thread--that is the job of the moderator. But way too many other posters who take pride in their "Senior" status piled on the original poster for no reason but to try to show off. That is just as bad, or close to it, as making up stories as a troll. Like DD said, you take or leave such info based on the credibility of the source and story--that is each reader's call. But unless you have a pretty clear case the story is made up or the guy is purposely being a putz, you should take some humilty yourself about challenging the poster's honesty or intent. Challenging the facts, merits, interpretation of the story is a different matter, and less likely to leave you looking like an ass regardless of outcome. As for the EG issue. For the Rockets, sure I'd bring him back for non-guaranteed minimum contract. You are not going to find many 22 year olds who can block shots and rebound (EG was allright, better than people gave him credit for getting to balls a lot of guys would not). For EG however, I have a hard time thinking this is the best move for him. Just extra pressure with fans who will complain about every mistake, and more importantly, perhaps many of the same influences in the community. I never thought I would say this, but the Utah Jazz might be the best situation for him right now. Then again if he has positive influences here, what the heck (plus like Sherlock said with the "minder". The Rockets could use an extra shot blocker (assuming Cato is traded) and EG would be the most athletic guy over 6' 8" on the team. Just tell him to play defense and hustle (garbage points, maybe run the floor), ask nothing more for now. That would be a contribution.
I would love for the Rockets to give Eddie another shot at fulfilling his potential. He would be the perfect fit at PF for this team, and would benefit from playing with Yao. He could draw double teams away from the big fella as well as play some serious weak side defense. I think it is unfortunate what Eddie has gone through, but the he's still a kid. I think it is easy for someone like Eddie to come into the NBA so young, and get caught up in a self-destructive pattern. I know a lot of people think that he's had his share of "chances", but I think there is a difference between a bad person and a troubled person. The former is a lost cause where no amount of counseling or help will work, but the latter is salvageable. I don't think Eddie is the former. The fact that Eddie has made the effort to go to counseling and try and get his life back on track speaks for itself. This is indeed the turning point in Eddies life and any aspirations he has of becoming a legit NBA player. If the Rockets take another chance and sign him, and he blows up again then he is for sure done in this league. Then again, Eddie is only 22, so he still has a lot of time to figure things out. As for his earlier indiscretions in College, I don't think he had much mentoring. Tommy Amaker was a great coach at Seton Hall, but there were a lot of similar personalities on that Pirate team. To say the least, Eddie has not had the greatest influences in College or in Houston. The beating of his gf is of course not excusable, but if he is willing to excersize his demons then I'm willing to let him do it for the Rockets.
If Eddie deserves another chance in the NBA then I hope he gets it here. The JVG admin might be just what is in order in order for EG to succeed.
