Getting a ring by sitting on the bench is no fun. Ask Mitch Richmond. Hakeem is looking more and more like Ewing now. Isn't it ironic that these two centers played against each other in the NCAA Final and the NBA Finals, each beating the other once in their glory days, and now they are a pair sorry old men on the NBA landscape? edit: Maybe the NBA should learn from the PGA and feature a Senior Tournament.
I think I can tell you precisely when the dream ended. It was after the first half of Game 1 of the 1999 Playoffs against LA. Hakeem had 17 first half points, while consistantly hitting his fadeaway jumper. But in the 2nd half, and the other three games of that series, the whole 2000 season, the whole 2001 season, and last year...the consistancy of his point production and his overall game.....ended
If he retires or not is his business. Since last year, just about this time, it stopped having anything to do with the Rockets! (although I'm not going to claim "wrong forum") The only way I would care is if they did a Cato for "Olajuwon and scrub" trade, and even then primarily because that would free up that salary earlier...
Hakeem's delusions continue.... Great link to a very revealing article about Hakeem, Clutch... I just want to reiterate something. When Hakeem was traded, there were a lot of people on this board who criticized not only the Rockets organization, but Rudy T, for not using Hakeem to his fullest in his last year. On top of that, many posters jumped on me when I suggested that Hakeem was going to have an even more dismal season with the Raptors than with the Rockets, and that he was going to be rudely awakened to the fact that it was not Rudy T's or the Rockets' fault that he barely played two seasons ago. It was his own damned fault because he is about 10% of the player he used to be. Case in point (from http://waymoresports.thestar.com/NA...l_pageid=979619472127&call_pagepath=Home/Home): "League and team sources have said Olajuwon was bitterly disappointed with his injury-plagued first season in Toronto, when he averaged 7.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 22.6 minutes per game. A series of injuries to his legs, along with some conditioning failings at the start of the season, limited him to appearing in just 61 of the 82 regular season games and starting only 27 of them. "As well, sources say he grew frustrated with the way he was used by coach Lenny Wilkens, who relegated him to backup status late in the season, putting him behind late-season starter Eric Montross and the emerging Keon Clark as the Raptors made a late dash to the playoffs." Doesn't that sound familiar? He whined all throughout the 2000-2001 season about reduced minutes, not being in the game late in the 4th quarter. He tried to blame it on the Rockets organization, even talked trash about us when he left. So, look at what happened: 1. He didn't even start in Toronto. 2. His numbers dropped. 3. He was unhappy with his coach again. Except this time he's unhappy with a coach who is the winningest coach in NBA history and is already in the hall of fame. Hakeem - WAKE UP BROTHER!!! It is time to let this nightmare end. All you are doing is continuing to tarnish your legacy even more. End it now, you have two rings. You have noone to blame but yourself.
It would be just his business, if it wasn't for the fact that he keeps running to the media whining about his role on the team, the say thing he did his last year as a Rocket.
I think we should bring him back for a one-year contract and sign him for the minimum. Then he can tutor Ming up for the season and then he can retire and become an asst. coach w/ the Rockets.
what should happen is he retires and then at the end of the season we bust out a 10 day contract and let him finish his career as a rocket and have another celebration for the last home game. sounds good to me. no roster spaces, no cap room, just finishing as a rocket. of course i'm sure the CBA somehow doesn't allow that.
When did Hakeem "run to the media" in Toronto? Hint: "sources say" does not = "running to the media". If it did, Pete Vecsey's articles might have some merit.
We told you a hundred times -- we even made you swear to it with the secret handshake -- NEVER talk about the Lockerroom Forum! Now Kagy is going to cut off the first digit of your post count like he said he would at the induction ceremony if you ever dishonored the Circle. Clutch, make him bend over the barrel again!
This may not be the most popular train of thought among some on the BBS, but Hakeem's just a shadow of his former self. Like Patrick Ewing, he should've retired a couple of years ago. Yes, he can still bring it in flashes - but those flashes are becoming more and more infrequent with time and aren't enough to warrant his continuing to play in the NBA. He really should've retired as a Houston Rocket instead of leaving for Toronto.
It's more like the end of the Nightmare --- the Nightmare of seeing a player that I respected so much fade into oblivion without even so much as a whimper. I will always respect Dream for what he did, but it's sad to see his career end on such a down note. Especially when he announced his retirement three years ago and they were going to have a red-carpet retirement parade for him in arenas all over the league. Now, he's probably just going to fade away...
Man I hate to see Yao play around 15 years from now, some of you people would be his worst enemies. Alot of you complain about how your tired of hearing people still bash Yao after his performance against the USA team. Well I still remember all the great things Hakeem done and you bash him like he played for New York or worse Utah. Some of you had real points based on some fact but some of you sound like your just purely hating. Hakeem hasn't ran to the media whining about how coach Wilkins don't use him properly it came up in an interview. I watched every game of Hakeem last season and he had some good moments. Some of you probaly didn't watch one game and just want to hate because---who knows why. It seem like alot of you thats talking about Hakeem are just band wagon fans not true fans. A true fan will be their when your in your prime and when your down. Hakeem gave this organization more good times than he ever could bad. Half of you will say get rid of Yao if he have a string of bad games, yet he already said he have alot to learn. Furthermore I said all all along and still will say give Hakeem a team where he can be the main focal point, give him twenty shots a game, and he still will give you twenty plus on that team. Remember before you say yeah right Hakeem use to take more than twenty shots a game and average in the twentys, last season he took less than seven shots a game when he was healthy; not because he wanted to all the time but because that is how coach Wilkens wanted to use him in his own coaching way. So do the math. I know Hakeem is not where he used to be but his current status would be alot better than many of you would put him. I know some will hate on me now but oh well it had to be said by an Hakeem fan then, and a Hakeem fan now!
because, That is great you feel that way and you are definitely entitled to your opinion. However, I feel, as probably others, that you (talking about myself here) are a fan of the TEAM and not of individual players. Now that doesn't mean I wanted to see this happen to Hakeem. I doubt anyone would have wanted to see this. However, I along with others are glad that the Rockets didn't cater to his demands. It was just not good business sense to give him what he wanted when he has shown that he cannot stay healthy. Besides something inside of me tells me that he never had any intentions of coming back. I am not surprised with what happened in Toronto, and I hate to be someone who said I told you so but.... The fact remains that Hakeem is a very proud man with an enormous ego. He just can't come to terms that the Dream is over and like Old School said that dream ended 3 or 4 years ago.
It's very sad to see Hakeem struggling.He doesn't have the speed,stamina or strength to play in the league anymore. You're absolutely right Manny his ego is his biggest problem. He will always be a great champion.He should have retired as a Rocket.
