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FLORIDA TODAY: Houston a not-so perfect fit for T-Mac

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by WinknCatForever, Jun 30, 2004.

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  1. WinknCatForever

    WinknCatForever Member

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    http://www.floridatoday.com/!NEWSROOM/columnstoryS0630PETETE.htm

    Houston a not-so perfect fit for T-Mac

    BY PETER KERASOTIS
    FLORIDA TODAY



    I feel sorry for Yao Ming.

    Now he has to play basketball with Tracy McGrady and a bunch of guys that T-Mac said weren't good enough.

    It sort of makes you chuckle, doesn't it?

    So long, Tracy. We hope you find whatever it is you're looking for but were so unwilling to work hard for.

    I apologize for dangling a participle in that last sentence, but not for enjoying the laugh-out-loud irony in all of this. And let's not forget that Tracy now gets to live and play the prime years of his career in beautiful Houston.

    Beautiful Houston. Isn't that an oxymoron?

    Meanwhile, we'll soon see how good the Rockets will be with T-Mac and a handful of castoffs from the NBA's worst team.

    Yeah, I feel sorry for Yao.

    As expected, anticipated, rumored and reported, Orlando and Houston finally executed their blockbuster trade Tuesday night, with the Magic shipping a disgruntled and disinterested McGrady, as well as Juwan Howard, Tyronn Lue and Reece Gaines, to Houston for Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato.

    Essentially, the Magic traded McGrady for an All-Star point guard in Francis and a sharp-shooting two guard in Mobley. That's two starters for one. Not bad.

    The Magic also dumped a pair of point guards in Lue and Gaines. Since they now have Steve Francis and first-round pick Jameer Nelson, Lue's backup role was no longer needed. And Gaines has been a bust since he first stepped foot in Orlando.

    The Magic also dumped Juwan Howard's crippling salary. He's a nice player, and a nice guy, but slow and woefully inconsistent on short jumpers, which should normally be a power forward's bread and butter. Besides, Howard's best years, which were always fairly mediocre anyway, are behind him. Yeah, Howard could've helped this upcoming season. But if the other Howard, and that would be former prep sensation Dwight Howard, develops as quickly as the Magic say he will, then it's good for Orlando to get out from underneath Juwan's contract a year too soon, rather than a year too late.

    Boil it all down, and the Magic got an All-Star and two other starters for one superstar, one starter and two throw-in scrubs.

    Francis solves Orlando's glaring point guard problem and between him and Mobley, they'll more than make up for T-Mac's prodigious scoring output. Cato isn't the permanent answer at center, but he'll be the best the Magic have had in a while. Throw in a healthy Grant Hill, and I do think he'll be healthy, and you have a starting five of Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, Grant Hill, Dwight Howard and Kelvin Cato.

    Something tells me they'll win more than 21 games.

    Something also tells me that Magic general manager John Weisbrod isn't done yet.

    I won't belabor here why McGrady had to go. We've been there, done that and once upon a time bought into the hope and hype. But I will tell you that the reason why Weisbrod waited until the 11th hour to pull the trigger is because he kept exploring every possible trade. Just because McGrady limited the Magic to certain teams he would agree to in trade doesn't mean other teams and players couldn't have been involved.

    But what does it tell you that this was the best the Magic could get for the league's scoring champion the past two seasons? It should tell you that McGrady has a reputation around the league. The NBA is a small community. Word gets around.

    There are some wrinkles in Francis, too, specifically his missing a team flight to attend the Super Bowl. But Weisbrod believes that the team-first environment he is laying as the foundation for this franchise will iron out such wrinkles. Besides, the missed flight was more an aberration than the rule. This guy is a hard worker and dedicated teammate.

    In fact, everything you didn't like about Tracy you'll love about Francis. Where Tracy was soft and lazy, Francis is a tough guy and dedicated. Think of him as a taller and more talented Darrell Armstrong. And Mobley will give Orlando the sharp-shooting, three-point threat they haven't had in a while.

    Where T-Mac didn't have the respect of his teammates, Francis does.

    There is a story from last season when the Magic were playing Cleveland and Tracy took a hard foul that knocked him to the ground. During a timeout, Magic coach Johnny Davis told his players he wanted retaliation; he wanted to see LeBron James knocked on his backside.

    It never happened.

    When told the story, Weisbrod responded, "That tells you what Tracy's teammates thought of him."

    Maybe things will be different for T-Mac in Houston. He is arguably the NBA's most talented player. And he will have Yao Ming in the low post, providing the ying and yang of superstar center and guard that many think is necessary to win an NBA championship.

    The Magic, meanwhile, are gathering a group of guys that more resemble the Detroit Pistons, who just won the NBA championship.

    We'll see which philosophy works.

    What do I think?

    I think I feel sorry for Yao Ming.

    Contact Kerasotis at 242-3694 or HeyPeterK@aol.com. Listen to him Friday mornings from 8:30 to 9 on WMEL-AM 920
     
    #1 WinknCatForever, Jun 30, 2004
  2. Stack24

    Stack24 Contributing Member

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    They just trying to clean up the wounds of loosing a top 5 player in the league.

    They have to come out and say that becuase they are bitter and are going to make him look like a sell out and all this stuff. I'm glad Houston media is not bashing Steve for his actions and showing our journalists are credible not like the ones over there in Florida.

    Bitter, that's all they are.
     
    #2 Stack24, Jun 30, 2004
  3. blazer_ben

    blazer_ben Rookie

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    You can tell that there Rear end is still burning after losing T-MAC! HAHAHA suffer! :D :D
     
    #3 blazer_ben, Jun 30, 2004
  4. Rox225

    Rox225 Contributing Member

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    WoW, maybe Tracy ran over this guys cat, what do you guys think? I pick up a bitter tone :rolleyes:
     
    #4 Rox225, Jun 30, 2004
  5. Stack24

    Stack24 Contributing Member

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    Burning like they ate a bunch of jalepnos and are feeling the after effects....keep telling yourself that T-Mac is not somebody you wanted and your happy he's gone.

    Can't wait till he lights you up for 50 points and you can only sit there and remember when he was in Orlando.
     
    #5 Stack24, Jun 30, 2004
  6. JPM0016

    JPM0016 Contributing Member

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    moron
     
    #6 JPM0016, Jun 30, 2004
  7. couch_pot8o

    couch_pot8o Contributing Member

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    i feel sorry for peter kerasotis.. not only his last name soudns like a disease of some sort, but he showed his immaturity in this article. well, we'll see who's gonna feel sorry when we're on our way to the finals and once again, orlando waits for another draft class to save their @sses.
     
    #7 couch_pot8o, Jun 30, 2004
  8. Agent86

    Agent86 Contributing Member

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    someones been reading my post

     
    #8 Agent86, Jun 30, 2004
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2004
  9. haven

    haven Member

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    Ah, copy cat leagues.

    The Detroit Pistons won the NBA title last. Therefore, they are the Ideal to which all NBA teams should aspire.

    What a load of horse****.

    LA has won 3. Detroit 1. Tell me which wins more, talent or teamwork.
     
    #9 haven, Jun 30, 2004
  10. pippendagimp

    pippendagimp Member

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    This guy should interview for Fox News
     
    #10 pippendagimp, Jun 30, 2004
  11. NIKEstrad

    NIKEstrad Contributing Member
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    Yes Weisbrod. It doesn't reflect that they completely ignored a direct plea from their coach. :rolleyes:

    Except the Pistons had the 3rd best center in the NBA, depth on the frontline, and a team concept of defense. Any takers on what Francis' defense will look like when he no longer has JVG riding him 24/7? But, hey, he'll probably put up 22 ppg. Too bad TMac could put up 32 under those conditions.
     
    #11 NIKEstrad, Jun 30, 2004
  12. robbie380

    robbie380 ლ(▀̿Ĺ̯▀̿ ̿ლ)
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    well i guess we will see. i have already said my reservations about this trade and tmac. they are close to what the writer said but i am certainly more optimistic. jvg wont put up with tmac's crap. whether you guys want to admit it or not jvg did a lot for francis and francis became a better player because of jvg. jvg will challenge tmac and i think thats what he needs. i almost kind of wonder if tmac is one of those guys who is so talented that when he isnt challenged he just doesnt care as much...kind of like some geniuses who don't do well in school.

    i will miss what francis and mobley brought to the team and i hope jvg will bring out that sort of hustle and desire in tmac that he had before.
     
    #12 robbie380, Jun 30, 2004
  13. Barfo10

    Barfo10 Member

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    Don't these guys get tired of talking about how ugly Houston is.....I mean its not like we have a nuclear waste facility here or anything. The women are as hot or hotter her in Houston and the alcohol tastes the same. What else could anyone want?
     
    #13 Barfo10, Jun 30, 2004
  14. Hippieloser

    Hippieloser Contributing Member

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    I stopped reading at the "beautiful Houston" comment. Dumb ****.
     
    #14 Hippieloser, Jun 30, 2004
  15. yipengzhao

    yipengzhao Contributing Member

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    WOW!

    you can spin it anyway you want i guess!

    hahahaha!

    where's the cry baby picture?
     
    #15 yipengzhao, Jun 30, 2004
  16. gucci888

    gucci888 Contributing Member

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    One word: Bitter
     
    #16 gucci888, Jun 30, 2004
  17. RocksMillenium

    RocksMillenium Contributing Member

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    Here comes the Florida spin machine! Funny how McGrady was great, Orlando could do better then the Rockets offer, and McGrady is a franchise player. Now he is a cancerous malcontent and they're happy that he is gone and Francis is the greatest thing on earth! And they didn't defend McGrady. That sounds more like crappy chemistry and bad coaching then anything else. Funny how one of McGrady's teammates that allegedly hated him decided not to opt out when he was traded to Houston with Tracy. Here's a guy who single-handedly carried that organization to the playoffs basically every year after Grant Hill got hurt. They put a bad team around him last yer and suddenly its his fault that management is inept. And how about the article taking shots at Houston? Just bend over and take boys!
     
    #17 RocksMillenium, Jun 30, 2004
  18. reptilexcq

    reptilexcq Member

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    Yea that guy sound like he's really pissed that McGrady left Orlando. So piss that he had to write negative stuffs about him...I feel sorry for him not Yao. That writer needs help!
     
    #18 reptilexcq, Jun 30, 2004
  19. Williamson

    Williamson JOSH CHRISTOPHER ONLY FAN
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    hahaha! I wonder how much Weisbrod paid for that! hahahaha!
     
    #19 Williamson, Jun 30, 2004
  20. oniichan

    oniichan Member

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    too bad they don't know francis and cat have no basketball IQ on top of that are pure ball hogs. They are gonan love when they do bone head things like mess up a fast break, dribble the ball off there leg, or take bad shots in the final seconds because they are selfish black hole players. And babies who think there too good to be traded. On top of that i remember eddie griffin saying that houston was too cliquish and that a lot of the players were alienated because of the dynamic duo. Only person i feel sorry for is cato because he was the only one i saw improve for the past 5 years. From lazy bum to rock solid player.
     
    #20 oniichan, Jun 30, 2004
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