Frankly, it just gets annoying. I can't remember reading one post you've made without it involving your dislike of Van Gundy. In most cases, that type of obsession is very unhealthy. In yours, I guess it's therapeutic. The faucet's been dripping long enough.
edc, you know *I* understand the concept. I'm just trying to get your to say more it clearly, here.... For example, you talked about *the four years president* thing above. I understand. I didn't like Bush. I didn't want him to be Prez. Why? Because of his ***extreme*** views. If times goes by and he starts to bend a little (not is personality, but rather is methods), then I will accept him more. Also, it was never like I hated *everthing* he belived. Just most. As I'm sure for you, it's the same with JVG. You hate most of things JVG does. Hell, maybe you hate *all* the things does. But the question is this? What happens if JVG (keeps the same personality; mostly; and maybe smiles a time or two, ok, maybe a few giggles to the media...), but changes the team more so towards the direction you like it: Faster, more engergetc, better FG%, gets into the higher end of the 50 win spectrum, brings in some youth...etc...what then? Will it still be like the *four year president* that you just have to *put up with?* I haven't even metioned winning a title yet. Becase well all should know by now thats' the ultimate measurement of a coach...I'm just saying he makes the changes you *WANT.* I mean, how can you be disgruntled about a guy that actually makes those changes? If you *still* dislike the guy after all those changes (putting aside the title for second...), then it must be a personal issue with him (or mostly). Because if Bush changes his methods (what he does, and how he does it), then I will gladly support him more.
I really don't think you "get it." Before the season began, I told you what I "wanted" from Van Gundy's Rockets. More than 51 wins, deep into the second round, no 30-point halves, no 12-point quarters. You may call it unrealistic, but that was the standard I put out in September, and the standard I am sticking by. If Van Gundy cannot accomplish that, yes, he is simply someone to be "put up with." If he accomplishes the above, he earns his props. If he wins a championship in Houston or elsewhere, good for him. However, giving him his due doesn't necessarily change my personal opinion of him.
A few more things... Lets say that JVG "slow down offense" and "boring ball" is JVG's extreme side of things. And lets say that he brought that type of offense to Houston for 4 or 5 years. JVG possibly wanted this. Why? Well, I believe, that JVG believed that Yao would be better than he is today. The perception of a huge 7'6" being shoved around by 6'7" small-forwards wasn't believed to happen in Yao's third year. JVG probably (as did a lot of fans) expect that Yao would have been strong enough by now to push back. To dominate more. To manhandle his opponents. And JVG tried to place Yao in the same conditions that Hakeem and Ewing played in. IN THE POST. So, that purely post-half-court, slow down ball could have been the plan (and worked) IF Yao was more dominate at the start of the year. That would have allowed us to play the half-court/post game, and reap the benefits from it. But because Yao isn't physically capable to do those things. Our strength in the post isn't as strong as the coaching staff thought it would be. You can get away with not having a lot of speed or talent when your *stars * are sooooo dominate. Well, Yao isn't sooooo dominate. He dominate *sometimes.* This was a revelation to many fans and JVG. And once he realized this, we shifted the offense towards TMac, went into a mode of limited Yao's minutes and post touches, gave him more outside shots, and brought in some more athletic players. So, in a strange way, Yao's LACK of development has given us a shift in our offense (role players contributing). Either way could have worked. If Yao was more dominate and consistent. We'd have more half-court offense. Since we can't do that most of the time, we had to mix it up...Tmac, Sura, Barry, Wesley, Howard....we now get offense from those guys that normally would have been funneled into Yao. But because Yao isn't capable of that (right now), we had to go elsewhere. In the end, we'll benefit from this. One, Yao is getting valuable post experience that he needed (it was his weak points). And two, we are getting better players because of it. And that can never hurt. So, to recap... Boring post-half-court could have worked IF Yao was more dominate in the post. It's like Hakeem or Ewing. You throw the ball into the post, and 50% of the time, the ball goes in the hoop. With Yao, THROWING IN THE POST is a chore much less his 50% shooting percentage he gets AFTER he gets the ball. So, a pure half-court post offense CANT work! There's a double-wammy going on. Heck, for Yao, we need to invent not only a FG%, but a THROWING IN THE POST % (TP%). OR something! Because with Yao not being able to get open, pushed around, fronted, bobbling the ball, or not seeing the pass, sometimes I think it's amazing that even get the ball to him in the first place! Right now, we can't be post-half-court. Yao is not ready for that. And maybe he'll never be. That's one of the big criticism that JVG had. That he was trying to turn Yao into Ewing or Hakeem. Well, I'm sure he knows by now....that aint going to happen! Yao is Yao, and we'll have to deal with it. In the mean time, we can shift of offense to a more TMac oriented team. Bring in faster-athletic players, and reap the benefits from it: More up-tempo! Less centric.
Yes. I know what you told me at the start of the season...But look below. That's what I'm talking about. Your "standard you put out in September" is your laundry list that is fuled by your personal opinion of him. Your list is high not because you have patience with him or wish him sucesss. But because knowing the list is soooo hard to liveup to, it's sets him up for failure. Not that we cant' get 51 wins or go deep into the play offs. But the whole thing; with the no-12 pt quarters, and no 30-halfs (that happens sometimes to all teams). No one is perfect.
Game 1: 47-46 Rockets win Game 2: 52-50 Rockets win Game 3: 42-38 Rockets win Game 4: 56-16 Rockets win I don't care what style and demeanor that JVG brings to the table if these are the final scores of the championship series. Just win baby.
Sorry, it doesn't work that way. I listed what I expected from the Rockets. If Van Gundy cannot accomplish that, perhaps he is the wrong guy to be coaching the team. You are correct that all teams have off-games offensively, but JVG teams have (and continue to have) a prediliction for uglyball on a regular basis. Notice, despite a nice month (mid-Dec to mid-Jan), the scoring seems to have disappeared again. 82, 89, 92, 108, 74, 80, 73 = 85 ppg The Rockets are fortunate they've been winning, and Van Gundy gets his due for at least a couple of those victories (San Antonio and Orlando #2), but they *are* back to being hard to watch.
Does that scoring have anything to do with some guys not hitting their shots? Maybe a little bit? Also...And the main we are winning those low scoring games is precisely *because* we play a methodical offense and play good team defense. How many of those games would we have won under Rudy/Francis? Not many. Anytime we struggled to score back then, it was most surely a loss (regardless of the ppg for the year). Today, we have a team that addresses those past problems (while always trying to improve). A controlled tempo that isn't turnover prone. And two of the best players in the game that can manufacture points by themselves. This doesn't mean that we can't have more fast-breaks from a better PG or defense (steals or blocks). So, scoring will improve even more if we get a pure PG, some shot blockers or rebounders. This team is being setup to do very well in the play-offs. But we are not an elite team until we get some key talent. By the way, The last game was hard to watch because the team just came out with no intensity. But not all of them were hard to watch. Did you not like the Sprus game? Did you like the way each coach was making adjustments to every play? No one could get an edge (until the end, when we won!).
Originally posted by edc Sorry, it doesn't work that way. I listed what I expected from the Rockets. If Van Gundy cannot accomplish that, perhaps he is the wrong guy to be coaching the team. When you buy the Rockets, then your 'list' will be worth a damn. You are correct that all teams have off-games offensively, but JVG teams have (and continue to have) a prediliction for uglyball on a regular basis. Notice, despite a nice month (mid-Dec to mid-Jan), the scoring seems to have disappeared again. 82, 89, 92, 108, 74, 80, 73 = 85 ppg Convenient to work it so you can ignore the 124 and 116 pt games just before these. Sorry, but they're there, even if you try to ignore them. And the 73 point game (a big factor in your reduced ppg) ... a big win against the Spurs. What did we hold them to? 67?! No one else has even held them to below 80 pts this year! (But let's not let a good defense and wins get in the way of your 'list') The Rockets are fortunate they've been winning, and Van Gundy gets his due for at least a couple of those victories (San Antonio and Orlando #2), but they *are* back to being hard to watch. Teams aren't being 'fortunate' or 'lucky' when they win 8 of 10. Blaming all of a team's failures on the Coach and then not giving up similar credit for successes means you have lost all credibility.
(1) NOTHING ANY OF US SAYS ON THIS BBS IS WORTH A DAMN. Sheesh. (2) I also didn't include the 94 point-OT win over the Nets. (2a) Who is ignoring anything? With the exception of Orlando1, the offense went over the cliff after the Dallas victory. Dec 17 - Jan 12, the Rockets averaged 100PPG. I clearly said they had a nice month offensively. (2b) Take out the low and the high (which is valid statistically) over that range, and the average goes DOWN for the other five games.
this thread is a joke. People will b**** no matter if we win or not. EDC, how did you come up with a 50 win season and no low scoring quarters when the season started. NOBODY thought this team would be that good, when we trade 3 of our starters for basically one. Give this team a few years (to fill some more holes), and we will be a force in this league. I personally think that this team has turned into a GREAT surprise as of late, considering the age of our role players. AND WHO CARES what the final score is, if we win. San Antonio must suck, since they don't always score a lot of points. One personal note: I would rather have old role players, then our two stars being old! We can always pick up younger role players down the road, but 2 young stars is a blessing in this league.
That's revisionism. Lots of people thought the Rockets would be "in contention for the home court." In the West, that means at least 52 victories.
Exactly! Every single post by EDC translates to the same old crap to me: waaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh...I miss rudy....waaaaaaaaaaah...I hate JV Grumpy because he cannot coach offense and he is just a big meanie......waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh..... no new information, just all propoganda trying pursuade us all to be anti-JVG like he is. It doesn't work when we are winning so I suggest you to pray for a long losing streak to b**** and moan to find followers.
90, 99, 103, 128, 80, 101, 67. The Spurs are averaging 96PPG for the season, 96 PPG for the last seven games, and 80-odd point final scores are the exception, rather than the rule.
I have never heard of anybody claiming contention, except for sport writers around the country. Most people on cc.net, knew we had some holes to fill to be true contenders. I think you are confusing people claiming contention (in the future with McGrady&Yao), opposed to this year. Especially when we trade 3 of our starters away.
