that we sorely lack a leader. Do you think MJ would put up with teammates getting in off-court trouble? I'm sure many of the Rockets players know who gets wired after games and such. But are they doing anything to prevent it? Does off the court "fun" outweigh putting in your all to succeed on the court, where your career is? OBviously no one on the Rockets could just babysit Eddie 24/7, but I have to wonder if any of his teammates noticed or said anything to him before this crap happened. We sorely need someone who brings discipline to the team. Smoking weed and spending time in jail is really the last thing that an underachieving team needs. I have to wonder how many Rockets actually do give a fu(k about winning.
Actually it doesnt mean anything other than the kid just made a mistake. and nobody on this team is getting - wired.
Last time I checked, MJ's team is about to not make the playoffs despite being in a wussy conference. So much for leadership.
Its tough to have a team leader when Yao buys weed for everyone and they sit around smoking up listening to Moochie try and do some standup.
This thread is so stupid. Have you ever heard of Dennis Rodman? The only thing Jordan didn't put up with was playing hard.
Jordan off the court was hardly a paragon of virtue himself, what with his adultery and gambling problems. But then this is just another thinly veiled dig at Francis.
The only thing that his off court troubles mean is that 1) He needs to get a radar detector 2) He needs to do a better job of hiding his stash...Geez, everybody knows you're supposed to put it underneath the spare tire in the trunk.
Adultery is immoral...not illegal. Gambling in many forms is legal. The Wizards with MJ at least made it interesting. Without him, they'd stink.
Exactly, the Wizards may or may not have the talent to be a playoff team but Houston does. We should be in the playoffs and if we don't make it questions have to be asked about the Character of this team. We have the talnet but somethign is very wrong, wheter it's youth, not playing D, or just being plain stupid there is no excuse for Phoenix to beat us out for the 8th spot.
This has got to be the dumbest post since LHultz left these parts. Right up there with "Get ridy Ruddy" ... Sheesh.
I thought Rodman, disappeared a few times to Vegas (missed practices?), that pissed Jordan, and others, off.
I thought Eddie got caught with weed, but now you're telling us that the rest of the team is railing lines of blow during halftime?
That's oversimplifying things a bit isn't it? I'll admit to smoking a blunt or two, or 50 in college; but I wasn't paid to be in the best physical and mental shape that I could possibly be in. Eddie Griffin is being paid very handsomely to compete at the absolute elite level of his sport. His possession and presumed use of mar1juana means much more than a simple failure to properly conceal evidence of use. Personally, I think this represents a fairly critical lapse, (though temporary, we hope; but past evidence suggests the opposite), in judgment. As an elite athlete, Griffin should not be poisoning his body with something that's an illegal substance. Granted, Charles Oakley thinks 90% of the NBA uses pot; that however, doesn't necessarily justify or excuse Griffin's actions... We all hope, however, that Griffin learns from his mistakes and spends his spare time bulking up, instead of figuring out new techniques in bong-making
Additionally, I don't think this means the Rockets lack leadership. No NBA player or coach is paid to babysit his peers. Ultimate responsibility for each player's actions falls on himself. A "leader" on the court's primary responsibility is to make sure every player is singularly-focused to winning while they're on the court; and encourage all of his teammates to prepare themselves to devote as much of themselves as possible toward that singular focus - winning. But a leader cannot, and should not, supervise his players at all times to make sure they're on the up and up...
