If JVG is our new coach, lets all support him and our team.....

He has my unwavering support as long as he wins a championship by January. Nothing less is acceptable for the all time best team in NBA history. What a freaking loonie this Les guy is!

 

I stand behind Van Gundy 100% -- because if I stand in front of him, he might try to hump my leg like he did Zo's.

 

Although Brown was my first choice to succeed Rudy, how can we not all feel stoked about the EFFORT that Van Gundy will bring to the Rockets defense on every possession? The fact that our younger players will be coached by someone with the reputation as a teacher of the game is very refreshing, as is the increase in structure and fundamentals that this team badly needed.

Franchise and EG both left college very early and missed the additional coaching from the collegiate level (not JuCo) and Yao as well, needs to be coached with a fundamentally sound approach designed for the NBA, so there are lots of positives if JVG accepts the position and you have to give JVG the benefit of the doubt that he'll surround himself with coaches and consultants who are more familiar with the different style of the Western conference, and trust that as a consumate professional, JVG will adapt to the athleticism and talent of having a unique big man while coaching the Rockets.
I believe that JVG is well prepared for this job from an X's and O's standpoint, and will greatly enhance the Rockets' energy level, chemistry, defensive rotations, ball movement and shot selection and I most of all welcome his intensity which I believe will be a greater inspiration for Yao to become more aggressive down low in the paint.

I believe this team will play with heart and we should see more forced turnovers, offensive rebounds, and more importantly better perimeter defense because of JVG's emphasis on these areas and his higher expectation levels.

The question remains, how JVG will impact the team's lack of good ball movement leading to higher assists per game and also reduce the amount of turnovers resulting from poor ball movement. These issues should be more of a concern to most Rocket fans IMO than the perceived notion of a primarily half court offense. Good ball movement even within a half court offensive system (the Spurs) combined with high percentage perimeter shooters is not ugly basketball.

TURNOVERS resulting from bone head passes as well as idiot shot selection (Mobley) is ugly basketball IMO.....

Also, if the Rockets are more disciplined with their shot selection (using screens), why not include a healthy dose of isolation plays that give the team major mismatches when the matchups dictate it? Perhaps JVG can bring a MIXTURE of offensive approaches and schemes that take advantage of our strengths (Stevie and Yao) and matchups and minimize the team's tendancy to turn the ball over with a more disciplined and stuctured strategy?

This could actually work, ya know....

...and how can any fan say this possible hiring isn't an improvement over the undisciplined style of play from this past season. It's all GOOD when you really think about it.....

 

I couldn't have said that any better. That is exactly the way I feel!

 

I aint' crazy about it , 'cause its OUR team, he has the option to screw it all up & get out when it gets too ugly, THAT BEING SAID JVG, if you are our new coach, welcome to Houston, you have til All Star Break to prove something: POOP OR GET OFF THE POT!!!


p.s. you even think about EVER touching that '94 banner and your heads on a stick WORD!

 

**** Jeff Van Rushdie.

**** Judas Alexander.

I look forward to the day when Junior Varsity Gundy and Judas are no longer a part of the family I know as the Houston Rockets.

**** my prodigal team.

 

JVG will get a one-year bye from me. I don't expect (but would be willing to accept) the playoffs in the first year with a new coach, any new coach. The West is tough and the transition will be tough. But, JVG is my first choice (over Brown, Carlisle and everyone else besides Rudy T) and I think we will improve in the long run. I expect playoffs in his second year.

Munco has a pretty good idea with the sig. Someone in the anti-JVG camp should start a list in his sig to list all the people who think JVG is such a great choice.

 

Juan-
Your expectation level and logic is certainly reasonable. However, if the Rockets windup in the Lottery next summer, the PRC's and those on munco's list are going to turn this bbs upside down with their second guessing of RT's departure and JVG's coaching decisions.

If Van Gundy is the new coach, I am slightly more optimistic for the following reasoning.

The Rockets were 3-11 in games decided by 3 points or less. If Van Gundy does nothing more than conduct better practices (something alluded to in the Glen Rice comments which are circulating) and gets the Rox to uptempo from their last place in points of TO's and next to last in FB points, that IMHO is worth at least 3 wins. If we can't get to the po's with 46 wins, it's playing in the WC not JVG.


munco-
looks like you need to add chievous minniefield to your list.

 

Sorry for a little OT. But what do ''Buddhist monks'' and Dalai Lama have in common? I am not offended. Just sheer curiosity.

 

Speaking as 1 person on that list... I do/did believe it was time for Rudy to be moved. Even if we'd made the playoffs by the skin of our teeth, I didn't like the direction (or lack thereof) we were heading. I won't look back on that decision.

Obviously, I'm not a JVG fan. But I will give him 1.5 years before I conclude I was right (near 50% w/l record - no playoffs) or wrong (making playoffs and showing good direction).

I've admitted I've been wrong before and I'd love to do it again - but I didn't like the way the Knicks played under him - slow down iso type game. The players gave up on him before he gave up on them - that worries me that the players gave up on him. And the rules have changed since he's last coached - it's a gamble to say he's adjusted.

 

Thanks Juan. If anyone wants to put up all of the people that think Van Gundy will improve this team in their signature please put me down.

Yep, just added minnie to my signature. There were others, but I forget who.

 

I appreciate this post. You are right, let's get behind the team.

As we can clearly see now, there are a lot (not everyone, but quite a few) posters on this board who are going to be unhappy until they are the GM of the team and can make all the decisions. A lot of the same people who are dogging JVG were also dogging Rudy and calling for his head. Now, they got their wish (Rudy's gone) and they're not even willing to see how things go with a new coach before they're already complaining about him.

One thing's for sure -- Van Gundy won't put up with players freelancing all night long. He's going to make sure that the team develops a system and plays within it. Something that it seemed like Rudy was unable to accomplish with this squad.

 

ArtV -
Not that I claim to be the most authorative poster on the subject of JVG, but I'm curious why you say his players gave up on him? All of the links and reports I have read here point to Van Gundy being remembered postively by former players including the recent statement in the press by Glen Rice. Also, the NY & NJ posters appear to be almost 100% pro-JVG.

Assuming he's hired, IMVHO JVG is smart enough to tailor the Houston offense to the stregths of the players he will have on the roster. During the whole recent coaching carrosel thing, one newsaper reporter described a fundamental difference between RT and Larry Brown - Rudy gives the ball to his star player(s) early in the shot clock and let's them work from there. Brown creates ball and player movement to get his star player(s) the ball in good position to score at the end of the shot clock.

I think Van Gundy will end up being closer to Brown and I feel the related ball and player movement (getting everybody involved) will have a very positive effect on the teams' shooting %ages.

I guess we shall see!

 

Gator - I know - that is strange but if I remember correctly, the Knicks were stinking it up right out of the gate and again, if I remember correctly, the reason he left so abruptly was that his players gave up. I don't blame him for leaving, but I wonder why the players gave up.

Oh and I think the reason the media likes him can be summed up in 2 words - Don Chaney. Worst Rocket Coach Ever. How he still has that job baffles me. So I give that to the "remember when" syndrome

Like I said - I'll give it a year and a half and I'd be man enough (and would love to) admit I'm wrong and I promise not to gloat because I'll be as sad/mad as the rest if we still are not making progress after that.

I do believe that he will try to bring some much needed discipline to this team.

 

What's all this JVG ugly ball crap? In New York, Van Gundy featured a run and gun/ guard iso offense that eventually got him fired. What scares me about hiring JVG is it's like the Rockets are saying they want to keep their current offensive philosophy by hiring Van Gundy. Ugly ball? Who the hell started that rumor? Now Van Gundy will be given a chance by me if he's hired by the Rockets, but if the Rockets keep running the same kind of offense they've been running the last few seasons, this is a bad hire period.