The common consensius is that Yao has in fact regressed from last year, and the only two possible reasons of why this is so must derive from either : JVG or Ewing. Since JVG is here for a while (btw whoever started that thread about Rudy T and JVG, real genius idea, I mean it, I was thinking it for a while) I say we get rid of EWing, buy his contract, run him out of town with some hicks and sticks on fire, or trade him (I heard the seventy sixers will give us a box of cracker jacks) just get rid of him! Dream is released from contract, why can't we bring him on as consultant? Even Mugsy Bouges (SP?) would have a more positive effect on Yao. Yao seems more emotional and less agressive, these are the trates of Ewing that i fear will linger in Yao's system. The truth of the matter is that no matter how good the NY Knicks were under JVG, they weren't good enough to win a championship, so what is the point in re-creating your "star" center (I use the word "star" sacrastically)? Answer, there is no point. The art of compromise is what is best. We have welcomed JVG's defense will open arms, now he needs to accept some traits of the Rockets he might have never understood before. Get rid of Ewing, and we will be fine with Yao, and if Yao is fine, everything is fine. Excuse my insane ramblings, pizzas fumes can do a lot to a tired person.
Ewing brings absoulutey nothing to the Rockets except for an oversized hollow mellon. How in the world can you even consider being a coach without people skills?
Yao has to take most of the blame for his actions and play. There are a few other posible explanations. 1. Yao doesn't like playing with his current team. 2. Yao doesn't like playing at all. 3. Yao ain't all that and never will be. One thing that I am sure of the Rockets don't seem to be having fun playing right now, and I really have to blame that on JVG. All the structure that he has brought which is what we all thought the team needed, may have taken the fun right out of playing. Watch the Nuggets play, they are having fun. Of course playing with no expectations makes it a little easier to have fun.
Yeah, so what? The same argument could be made for the leader of the Free World. Right? The only difference is that I love George W. Bush and I can't stand Ewing.
Totally wrong. Millions of people voted for Bush on face value. Everyone that voted for Ewing knew him personally.
Very true, but I think the people's vote holds a little more water than a bunch of uneducated basketball representatives.
Are you calling basketball players dumber than the voting electorate? Considering the ratio of African-American players, I'd say that was pretty racist. And at least Ewing had more than 50% of the votes.
Um, apparently not, judging from the results of that election. It was the electoral college vote, combined with the Supreme Court's vote, that held the water. 52% of the people voted *against* Dubya.
Sooooo Ewing sucks because Yao is not dominating, but not because Cato is having a career year?? HUH?? How can you evaluate Ewing's ability as a coach unless you've: A) been coached by him (NOPE) B) seen him coach players firsthand (DOUBT IT) Oh, well I guess you're going to point to Yao's shortcomings now as proof, but by that logic Rudy was an awful coach too. Nice. Kwame Brown? Hes like 19. C'mon now. And I distinctly remember alot of threads about trading for Washington's scrubs (Jahidi White and Brendon Haywood). At the end of the day, none of you have any clue how good or bad Ewing actually is. Heck, I don't either, just playing devil's advocate but I wouldn't expect him to magically transform our front line into rebounding machines his 2nd year of coaching ever. Can you say witch hunt? Ewing aint the problem.
I am not a big Patrick Ewing fan but I think its unfair to blame Yao's regression on him. Is he a good assistant coach? I don't think anyone besides the Rockets know the answer to that.
Anybody that can honestly blame an assistant coach for the Rockets poor play is in way too much denial for me to even comprehend...
I don't see Ewing mentoring Yao the way Hakeem or Moses would...I think Ewing is there because he knows JVG's system and is a yes man...I remember reading a post with Ewing saying he's ready to be a head coach in the NBA... Give me a break...
Maybe, just maybe, Yao's tired from playing non-stop basketball? Heck, even Shaq's gotten a rest the past few games. Maybe Yao needs to get a 'calf injury' and rest a few games.
Why do people assume that just because you're a great player it means you can coach. A great coach is someone who can teach a player to be great. A great player executes a coach's lesson. Just because someone worked with Ewing to develop his natural talent does not mean he has the ability to pass that onto others. Amare Stoudemire had great things to say about Suns' assistant Marc Iavaroni and Marc Iavaroni was a mediocre player. Someone should ask Yao the million dollar question: What has Patrick Ewing taught you?
"So Pat - what would you say ... you do here?" I already told you! - I deal with the goddamned customer so the coach doesn't have to! I have people skills!
