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FoxSports: New-look Rockets ready for training camp

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by TheReasonSF3, Sep 30, 2002.

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  1. TheReasonSF3

    TheReasonSF3 Member

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    HOUSTON (AP) — Yao Ming impressed his teammates-to-be Monday, even if he was only in two dimensions.
    A life-sized poster of the 2.29-meter (7-foot-6) Chinese star was on the wall in a practice gym as the Houston Rockets posed for pictures, chatted with reporters and prepared to begin training camp in Austin on Tuesday.

    Everyone was there except Yao, who isn't expected in camp until later in October after fulfilling his commitment to China for the Asian Games. The poster was impressive enough for some.

    "Look at his legs. They're like tree trunks," coach Rudy Tomjanovich marveled, dismissing concerns the 133-kilogram (296-pound) Yao might get pushed around by physical NBA centers looking to school the No. 1 overall draft pick.

    Reserve guard and official team comedian Moochie Norris shadow-dribbled toward the poster and pretended to post up on his future teammate, a horrible mismatch if it ever happens in practice.

    While much of the talk centers on Yao, Tomjanovich says he's just glad to see several of his returning players back on their feet again. Houston, wracked by injuries last season, went 28-54.

    Forward Maurice Taylor was lost to a right Achilles' tendon injury before the season, then Glen Rice was out after just 20 games with a partial tendon tear in his right knee.

    On top of that, star point guard Steve Francis missed 25 games with left foot injury, a strained right shoulder and debilitating migraine headaches. Francis has healed from his injuries and is successfully treating the headaches, and says he's ready to start earning his new six-year contract that could pay him $90 million.

    "I just think it's time, it's time for us to be in the playoffs," said Francis, the No. 2 overall pick in the 1999 draft who never has tasted the postseason in three years as the Rockets rebuild.

    Team owner Les Alexander is a little more bullish, often calling it "one of the great teams ever assembled" in the last few weeks. He reiterated his belief Monday.

    "The intention (of hailing the team) was to send a message to the people of Houston and the nation," said Alexander, who lamented that the impending arrival of Yao and the last season at Compaq Center haven't sparked season ticket sales.

    An associate had advice for Alexander concerning the box office:

    "Players don't sell tickets, winning does," Alexander said.

    Yao isn't the only newcomer. The Rockets also are excited about Slovenian forward Bostjan Nachbar, another first-round pick, and also will give rookie guard Tito Maddox a shot to earn a job.

    Tomjanovich noted that all three are still college age - Yao and Nachbar would be seniors and Maddox would be a junior- and second-year high school draftee Eddie Griffin would be a sophomore.

    Mostly, Tomjanovich says he's anticipating being able to use the same lineup day in, day out, as long as the injury bug doesn't bite again.

    "What I'm really excited about is that thing called continuity," he said.

    The Rockets, NBA champions in 1994 and 1995, haven't been to the playoffs since a first-round loss to the Lakers in 1999. Taylor, who says he shed about 50 pounds and is feeling fit, says the owner's words are meaningless in October.

    "I know Les is excited about the talent we have," Taylor said. "But we have to prove it."
    I agree with Stevie. The Rockets have to make the playoffs this year.
     
    #1 TheReasonSF3, Sep 30, 2002
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2002
  2. RunninRaven

    RunninRaven Member
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    Your thread title has problems, dude.

    Edit: You still have a couple minutes to fix it.
     
    #2 RunninRaven, Sep 30, 2002
  3. TheReasonSF3

    TheReasonSF3 Member

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    lol thanks. I was working on something for school and copied and pasted it by mistake :D.
     
    #3 TheReasonSF3, Sep 30, 2002
  4. B-ball freak

    B-ball freak Member

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    Wow, I had no idea that we have an Eddie Griffin that was drafted out of High School. I know about the one that played one year of D1 ball. I am super pumped now! :rolleyes:
     
    #4 B-ball freak, Sep 30, 2002
  5. The Summit

    The Summit Member

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    Ticket sales arent higher this year? I was under the impression that the Rockets had been selling alot more. New team, some lower prices, last season at The Summit/Compaq Center.......I thought it would be much closer to capacity this year. :(
     
    #5 The Summit, Sep 30, 2002
  6. declan32001

    declan32001 Member

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    I'm not surprised about the season ticket sales being disappointing.

    1) The Rockets have seriously turned off casual fans simply because they haven't been winning. Those are the ones that thought not making the playoffs the season before last was inexcusable, even though it was good step forward.
    2) Last season a lot of the fans that regularly follow the Rockets and understood the injury plague had issues with our two best players, and thought Rudy was losing it when he made statements like "the players have to buy into playing defense" and "I can't force Steve to run" and equate those statements with the effort being shown by the players on the court.
    3) Most people haven't seen Yao Ming play and are still somewhat skeptical of what a 7'5 Chinese guy can do. I haven't seen Nachbar play. Most Houstonians have no idea how to pronounce the guys name and God knows how many know where Solvenia is.
    4) I certainly don't know, but if I were a Chinese businessman in Houston, I might have a reason to wait until Yao actually gets here to buy season tickets.
    5) Among my friends and family who are die-hard fans, everyone has a serious problem with either Mo, Steve or Cat and the names of Rice and Cato bring sneers. There's also a concensus Rudy just won't be tough enough on these kids to get results. That's just what I hear. I'm not nearly so negative and I'm really excited about this season, and that's why I came to this forum.
    The Rockets need a good start to whip up the enthusiasm the organization keeps bragging about. Of course, I think that's way too much to ask when I want Yao, E Griff and Nachbar to get serious minutes. But Yao's going to generate a heck of a lot more excitement once Houstonians see him play and the team is talented and deep enough to avoid a horrible start and ticket sales will be fine by mid-season. Les shouldn't be too disappointed about the early disinterest, I bet single ticket sales are going to make him feel a lot better in a couple of weeks. Since Van Chancellor is Les' employee it cracked me up near the end of the WNBA season when he said all this hoopla about the Texans was understandable but unfortunate because it detracted from the Comets - and the ladies were playing to 12,000 + crowds almost every night and the WNBA is not exactly huge, even here. Why? Because they win, hustle and often beat-up people. It's not too complicated.
     
    #6 declan32001, Sep 30, 2002
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