Ric Bucher NBA Fastbreak on ESPN2 6 Jan 2004 Here are the notes I got: Ric Bucher was interviewed by the studio about the Western Conference and they hit two Rockets points: Does Francis fit with JVG? To be seen. He's a high volume shooter, up and down, JVG asking him to play efficient, fundamental style. Steve trying best to do it, but question is if he's suited to play this game. Remains to be seen. At the end of the year they'll revisit roster -- not just Steve, other guys may not fit in. Is Yao learning the same thing Shaq did: the bigger you are, the more you get beat up? CD sent tape to David Stern today showing Yao getting whacked too much. JVG likes putting him on the block, and teams know he can be pushed around. Yao is hit as much as Shaq, he doesn't know how to move around... He needs to learn to throw some elbows to create space and move around more. If you do it once or twice to let guys know, it won't happen again. Greg Anthony interjects with: "That's not Yao's style. With Shaq, you know where it's from. Yao instead needs to get in the weight room." Ric: "Yeah, he's fighting his personality. He needs to fight without letting it wear himself down." ----------------------------- Nothing too amazing - but the tape being sent to the Commish. I don't know if anyone had heard or mentioned that.
i was waiting for that segment for awhile, and just gave up.... thanks for the recap. as for the tape...im surprised it has taken them this long... i would have tapes of each game and send it in, just like in the NFL.
It makes sense. David Stern needs to start canning refs who don't give Yao the calls he needs. However, I agree with Greg Anthony that Yao needs to get in the weight room pronto in the offseason. He won't fulfill his potential until he gets an NBA body which is strong enough to deal out punishment and take it.
I do think Steve is being put in a role that is much different from what Rudy T had him in. He was a freewheeling player during Rudy T's reign, but he's being told to be a controlled, discipline player now. The dramatic decrease in his numbers is almost unprecedented in recent history for a franchise player from one year to the next. Part of being Steve is being able to put up the numbers to satisfy his endorsers. This has got to be killing Steve on the inside. Steve almost never makes the ESPN highlights anymore. He made it yesterday when they showed his consecutive misses until he made a shot at the end of the game. That's not something that gets teenagers to buy your shoes.
Yao needs to suck it up and start kicking @$$. This goes with the territory when you move from international ball to the NBA. CD needs to show the tape to Yao and tell him: "You see that Yao. This guy just punked you. You like that? huh? HUH!? Kick his @$$!!!"
question is, there is no off season for yao. last year, he played all year through for rockets and chinese national team. this summer, he has to prepare for olympic games. next year, world champion ship ...
