“Yao has to be more aggressive, and he can’t let things just come to him,” said Ewing. “He has to take a proactive approach and go out there and dominate. He’s 7-6 and he has to use his height to his advantage. I told him that no one in this league should be able to play him one-on-one. He’s too big and he’s too good. And when teams double team him, then the other guys will have to make them pay.” Right on, Pat! Keep feeding him that, and he's just gonna start taking it to heart more and more.
who cares what ewing has to say. hes still the enemy in my eyes. sometimes i feel like the only reason why new yorkers are takling over all coaching positions because they want to ruin the rockets organization.
As Van Gundy has pointed out Ewing got where he is through effort and hard work. Shaq, D. Robinson, and especially Hakeem had freakish talent. If there is anyone that can teach Yao the nuances of keeping the ball above your head from pesky guards, the art of not fouling, and the positioning necessary to get rebounds before quick leapers do, it would be Ewing.
This isn't Rocket science. Yao has improved tremendously and please don't give Ewing the credit for that. He would have learned much more from Hakeem. I hate seeing Ewing on the bench. I hate it. He act like this is his team. It should be Hakeem or Moses. Hell it should still be Rudy. I am excited about this team but watching Ewing on the bench makes it a little less enjoyable. He never acknowledged how much Hakeem schooled him. He thought he was better, taller and smarter. Okay so he was taller but Hakeem was the smarter basketball player.
I don't care what JVG said. That is straight up bull. In college everyone thought ewing was the better player. Not smarter, better. Ewing is not a smart ball player by NBA standards. His basketball IQ has never been impressive. He was talent pure and simple. JVG just says that to cover his ass, so no one blames him for his lack of success with so much talent. Patrick Ewing was one of the most talented centers in the league and as he got older and his talent and skills diminished his productivity went to the toilet. Hakeem on the other hand lasted longer and was more effective than Patrick in there latter years because Hakeem played smarter. Willis reed was a smart player as who's diminishing talent didn't stop him from being effective. Ewing was just a force, the strongest player in the league until Shaq entered and he had a much better outside shot than almost any other big man. Also in their prime Hakeem out hustled everyone. The reason the Rockets beat the Knicks was not because we were better the Knicks we're clearly the more talented team but Rudy helped Hakeem and or group of rejects believe. He motivated to outplay those arrogant knicks. With Riley and JVG and Ewing. Man I hate seeing Ewing on the bench. How could Les allow that. He may own the team but he is not a true Rocket
Put the history aside and see how he does as a big-man coach before hating him, everybody's on the same side now! Give the man a chance to help the rockets.
Mosesv Malone offered to tutor Yao. No one responded to the inquiry. Moses did a great job with Hakeem at Fonde recreation center. Ewing is arrogant....
We're not comparing Ewing to Kevin Duckworth here... When Ewing is compared to other great big men, he is on the lower end of the talent spectrum. He is probably the slowest and least coordinated out of all of them...He also didn't possess Hakeem's offensive creativity, Shaq's passing, or D.Rob's lateral quickness... The most talented people don't always make the best teachers. This is true at institutions such as Harvard and MIT and also true in the coaching world. Now...the most talented do get respect, but that doesn't necessarily mean they can convey what made them so successful...
How long have the champ seasons? why do we still cling on to them like they were yesterday? when is it time to move on (the ewing hating.. etc.. trying to bring back anyone that looks like a cast member from then...)
Surprise, surprise Yao learnt from his mentor, Ewing; but Yao is already better than Ewing has ever been able to do, according to Randy Hill, as contrary to the quote from Inside the Huddle. http://www.foxsports.com/content/view?contentId=1789042 "Somebody notices that Houston center Yao Ming already is better playing with his back to the basket than tutor Patrick Ewing ever was. "
Thanks for the post. The truth shall set you free. Yao learned more from Rudy and Larry in one season than he will ever learn from Ewing ever. And this is not about the Rockets championships and the knicks it's about character. The Rockets were true champions they won with heart and character. Something Ewing has no comprehension of. He is arrogant and that is something I have seen in person. Yao plays hard and plays honorable and the only thing Ewing can teach him is were the best strip joints are.
Yes Hakeem was alot better than Ewing and Yao probally is already better than Ewing was. But could you imagine Hakeem and Yao caring on a conversation. This is now Ewings team and JVG team the past is over. What the Rockets have needed for years now is tuffness so if thats what JVG and Ewing are going to help with then great. If Griffin ever makes it back they can teach him how to play tuff and have some heart and to quit acting like a burnout pot head with no heart. This teams potential is already unlimited barring any major injurys. Yao changes everything, who can guard him?
Have you heard Ewing talk. Both Hakeem and Yao speaks better English than him. As for toughness Yao brought that himself with his stronger body. Take him away and we are a top ten lottery team. Take Jvg and Ewing away and we still make the playoffs without a doubt. Hell, I wouldn’t even bash the guy he would just SHUT THE F*$K UP! If he could just do his job in the background and help Yao improve what little bit he can. Then I could just sit back and okay maybe he has changed. But no, he is to be the CENTER of attention. You didn’t here Rudy vocalizing all the great advice he was giving Yao and trying to take credit for Yao’s skills; although after one season under Rudy’s wings and the great strides Yao made (of which Yao himself has accredited to Rudy) Rudy would be justified in doing so. But he didn’t, he wouldn’t. He has more character than that. He did as he always has give the credit to his players. Yet after a few weeks of preseason of which Yao came to camp amazingly improved. And Ewing is going to move the focus on himself. How his brilliant words of wisdom will be what makes Yao the star that he already is. Well sorry Patty, Yao is already better than you everwhere and already has more character than you ever had and plays smarter than you ever did. And Yao has more character than Ewing will ever have. Rudy said that he learned much from Yao. Perhaps if Ewing would shutup he could learn a lot from Yao. A lot more than he can teach him for sure.
