At 37 years old, I'm not sure if I want even Jordan. But that's not the point. Personally, I think Rudy is more of a veteran's coach than a young team's coach. He'd do so well with a team like the Raptors or Blazers. He could probably lead both their conference finals. But for a young, undisciplined team like ours, you have to have the Pat Riley or Jeff Van Gundy type. Work hard or don't play. Beyond that, the resposibility is on the coach. That's the style we need. Let me make this clear. I'm not saying Rudy is a bad coach. He's great. But IMO he's better suited to coaching veterans, rather than young players. Mobley's defense is not terrible. The good thing is that, we know he CAN do it, it's just a matter of if he does or not. With Ming and Griffin in the middle, us being in the playoffs, and so many scorers returning, I think we're going to see MUCH improved D from Mobley. He's going to be motivated, less under pressure, and will be allowed to gamble sometimes. Same goes for Francis. He has the physical tools, and I think he now KNOWS he has to play D if he wants to be the leader and win. So, like Cat, we will see improvement. I wouldn't worry until AFTER this season. To me, this is the season where everyone shows if they belong in our quest for more championships or not.
I remember when we were playing the Bulls. It was the first overtime and Jalen rose who is about 4 inches taller than mobley was guarding him. Cat busts a shot flat footed. Doesn't sound to athletic. There are a lot of people who are athletic in the league but can't shot worth a lick. Look at Cato. He could probably be better than J. O'neal if he tried and had the heart. So saying they rely on their athletic ability is true, but its no always the case
The patience that Rudy receives is ridiculous! You can love the Rockets and want to see them rise to the next level without Rudy. He doesn't have tenure. Rudy is the only coach in NBA history to have 3 of the Top 50 on the same team and not win a ring. Matter of fact, he did it twice, congrats Rudy. (Dream, Clyde, Charles) & (Dream, Charles,Scottie) Also the first time in NBA history that a Asst. Coach becomes the GM for the coach he works for! Rashard& Brooks,Maloney,Price on the same team is a cry for help! Rudy is on Lon Krueger's level. I've never heard anyone accuse of Rudy outcoaching a team in the last two minutes. Utah's Sloan thinks Rudy is a patsy. That's why the Jazz ended Charles career. Rudy always teaches to go under the pick and let Stockton shoot for the Game Winner. Rudy has never taken the blame for a loss. Rudy's playbook is written on his palm. He's drunk by half and forgets to look at his palm. Please lets run some screens and cuts to the basket. The Rockets always shoot with 3 secs on the shotclock. Bill Berry, the best assistant he's had, quit to work for the hapless Bulls! Why?! Thanks
Umm, yeah. When Charles arrived to the team, Dream and Clyde had already both gotten their rings, so it was expected Charles would provide the leadership and spark to to take the team to a 3rd championship (Dream provided it the 1st time around and Clyde the second). Unfortunately, for all his heart and determination, Charles just never seemed to provide the spark and drive the team needed. And as for Dream, Clyde and Pip....need we go there?!
Quite the contrary. We are HUGE Rockets fans who would prefer to see them WIN, not to not see the same old S%*T any longer. Be realistic and let go of the past. "Heart of a Champion" still rings in you head. A quick foot noe, its been 8 years now and the team has either struggled in or not gotten to the playoffs. Change is not always a bad thing. But if you are satisfied with the team as is just as long as Rudy is the coach, then YOU are not the Rockets fan!
There's no way Rudy will be let go! He has too much History with the Rockets and now just isn't the time.
Lets see, in that 8 years we were one torn barkley muscle away from the NBA finals and made it to the 2nd round as well. All while having aging vets and a very small talent pool. Rudy has rebuilt this team from the ground up and is poised to make a considerable amount of noise with it. Now that we have a good young team that only needs a little time to develop, you want to jump ship. Give this team at least 2 years and them lets see where we are. I would not presume to change your opinion ( no matter how wrong and misguided it may be). You obviously have not been paying very much attention to the team in those last 8 years you are refering to. Most likely you were riding the Bulls and the Laker's jockstrap.
So regardless of age, injury, etc, you are satisfied with ONE time in 8 years you are satisfied with POSSIBLY making it to just the conference finals IF there was not an injury? That is OK with you? The problem is not just Rudy as a coach its the pkg, Rudy as coach, and pairing with Carroll as GM. When has an assistant EVER gone from assistant for a head coach to being his GM? Maybe you are right... its not Rudy... ITS LES!! This team may be young in experience, but not in age. After that 2 years Mobley & Francis approaching 30 the following season. The youth in this team is in the front court yet everyone seems to feel the future is in the back court. Marbury is the exact same age as Francis but he has twice as much experience. In that 3-4 years that everyone is saying it will take to some around Mobley and Francis will then be the same age as Kenny Anderson now, they will not have too many more year left.
I am with you on that Brother, he is holding true to his belief! But, I do think that Rudy's leash has been given more than enough legnth, and its out up or shut up time. In 3 of the last 4 years, they got the player they thought was the best in the draft, if he can not get it done, him and Dawson should be re-assigned or fired. Dennis, opinions are like noses, everyone has one. Whether we agree or not, its just his opinion just as you have yours. How much longer do you suggest Rudy should stay knowing that in 3 of the last 4 years, they got the player they thought was the best in the draft? If he can not get it done, him and Dawson should be re-assigned or fired.
I feel Rudy should at least be given a chance to see if the team he has rebuilt can do the job. The facts are that Rudy has been the most successful coach the Rockets have ever had and has rebuilt this team with quality talent and I feel he needs a chance to show what he can do with this talent. Quite frankly, this may be the most talented team the Rocket have ever assembled. I am just saying is now that we have got the team together and rebuilt, give him a chance to show his worth before tossing him aside. They parlayed some players and draft picks to get the players they want. They got Cat, Steve, EG, MoT, KT, Boki, & Ming over the last 4 seasons or so. Considering that 2 of those 5 players are just rookies, that seems a bit premature to claim that they should step up and be world-beaters immediately. A coach and a GM 1st job is to build a team with the best chance of winning through draft, trade, and/or free agents. Just by looking at this team, a reasonable person can see that we have a very good chance of winning. Will we? Only time will tell, but lets focus on the positive and worry about coaches and GMs after the seeds of talent have blossomed.
If you are, say, nineteen years old, then I have been watching the Rocks since you were negative seven years old. Rudy is the best coach we've had with the exception maybe of Bill Fitch, but even Fitch brought us zero rings. Your attack with respect to 3 of the all-time 50 is really poor. That's like saying Doug Collins is the worst coach in the league because he didn't make the playoffs with Mike Jordan on his team last year. If players are past their prime (and completely overrated in Grippen's case), you can't hold the coach responsible. Geez, I remember Dream getting his shots mailed back by Osterflab during the playoffs in those years. Horrible. Not Rudy's fault. Let's just at least get into this season before we start ripping him. M'kay?
I can't remember who said it, but if not Rudy then who else? The bottom line is Rudy is a good coach. We have been able to bring in some of the top free agents available over the last few years because Rudy is known as a players coach. He runs his offense based on percentages. He ran the ISOs that many people hate because Steve and Cat are basically unguardable in a one on one situation. I remember an interview with an assistant coach regarding Cat and the coach said that Cat scored on something like 55% of his ISO plays. He went on to say the 50% was considered excellent. The new rules have basically taken away the ability to effectively run the ISO play therefore I think that they will be a thing of the past. They ran into trouble last year because EVERYONE WAS HURT! They lost all their shooters. Say what you want about Rice and Taylor, but both can flat out shoot the rock. Not having them hurt. Last year's team was simply lacking talent. EG was a 19 year old rookie, a year removed from HS. Ask your self, how many HS or a freshman college players come in and play extremely well - answer - NONE. KG and Kobe were not dominant in their first years at all. In fact Kobe sat on the bench. Steve missed numerous games as well. That left Cat and all our backups palying other teams first stringers, and their backups playing against our guys that would have been on IR with some mysterious low back problem or the dreaded shin splints. Rudy can coach, and the Rockets will have a big year. If they keep everyone reasonably healthy for a couple of seasons and they still haven't made the playoffs then I will entertain ideas of replacing Rudy. I can promise that it won't happen. This team will play extremely well. They will play more team ball, and they will win alot of games!
"HAS BEEN" is the key phrase, but this is a "what have you done for me lately league, and that is "not a lot"! They have made some good moves, but let's look at them as a whole and go back 5 years- DRAFT: 1997= Rod Rhodes (bust) 1998= Drew (bust) - Turkcan (never made it to US) ** 2000= Collier (GREAT PICK!!!!!! oh sorry, that too was a bust) **foot note, I do not think EVEN IN HINDSIGHT not taking Lewis was bad as you would have given an 18 yr old millions in his home town, I think not getting drafted here made him a better player and person FREE AGENTS: Mo= over paid, non post / non rebounding 4 AFTER drafting EG Moochie= CBA player who is not 3.5 mil better than Damon Jones, Tierre, or Tito (all 2nd rnd or un drafted players), if Dallas wants to over pay let them Shandon= is not 7.5 mil better than Oscar Torres or Tito, again a guy you get in the 2nd rnd or undrafted FA.. was a handshake deal (ie Joe Smith) with Rudy, no reason to take on 10 mil of a guy who had not played the better part of 1.5 yrs (now 2.5) then there was Cato= no need to waiste time talking about that one so I ask... "In rudy (& CD) you trust?????"
Fall is in the air, camp is less than a week away, and OF COURSE! It's time for another "Let's bash Rudy" thread. He's been bashed over and over on this site by people far better at it then most of you chumps, sometimes for good reason. Can't you wait until we lose some games or his dog pees on you leg or something? Look up some of the old threads if you want some REAL Rudy bashing. Some of you are amateurs.
Homers, Homers, Homers... you always refer to things as bashing. Is that the only response that you have to facts and obvious examples of what is and has happened? Hell I did not think of it in that much detail, but what HouTx lists right there should make you think about Rudy's competence at lest as a GM or player personnel individual. Take those duties away, let him concentrate on COACHING. He maybe spearding himself too thin and needs to focus on X's & O's. As some one else stated, in recent years he is regularly out coached in the 4th quater. Focus on coaching and let CD take the heat for the poor pesonnel decisions.
1. rudy's made his mistakes...that's for sure. 2. there are better nba coaches...that's for sure. 3. rudy's #1 draft choice just bought him at least 2 more years...that's for sure. rudy future with the rockets is directly tied to the entire yao ming experience. rudy will be a rocket as long as ming is...BET ME!!!
So are alot of other player who are drafted late in the 1st round...whats your point? Drew was a sharp shooting point who just did not pan out...no agruement there. At the time we had an inside-out offense that required shooters. A gamble I would have taken as well considering our roster at the time. Be aware that the Turkcan pick helped us get Steve via the trade of his rights for a draft pick which was sent to Vancover The Collier pick was also part of trade that netted us an additional draft pick which was parlayed into getting EG Although this has been covered many times before.... We had a team of veterans trying make one last run and did not need or have the time to cultivate a HS player who would have contributed at all. Also , Lewis was 4th on the depth chart and would have been picked if any of the other picks would have been taken. A young, good shooting big man who is coming into 5th season and ready to make an impact. You lock him into a long term deal that is not too bad on cap space and allow him to grow with your current group of young players. That doesn't sound too bad to me. Moochie is still better than any of those guards mentioned... for a backup, Mooch is not too shabby... 3 thing to understand about this deal... 1. Shandon was promised if he signed for less, he would be rewarded down the road....he was 2. NY will be paying the next 5 years of Shandon bloated contract. 3. Rice comes off the books after next year. Seems like we came out ahead of this one as well. Well...I guess my answer is a resounding... YES!!!! Thank you for playing " Bash Rudy" but next time come to class better prepared...
