Is there any doubt Steve is going to make the 2004 games?

They'll both be the the starting forwards. Brand P, and Fizer S. He's been losing a bit of weight to increase his mobility on defense...but doesn't see that as a problem. Check the Fizer quote:

"All the problems people say I'm going to have guarding a [small forward], those [small forwards] are going to have just as hard a time guarding me," Fizer said. "I'm looking forward to adapting a lot faster than people say."

and

"I come out to play basketball and play hard no matter what position people label me at. Nobody ever looked at Michael Jordan as a [shooting] guard. They looked at him as being a winner. That's what I'm looking forward to do."


http://www.chicagosports.com/bulls/content/story/0,1984,115257,00.html




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But Brand togather with Fizer, Crawford, and Artest will.

Hey...I'm not here to argue. I've been chatting it up with people around here the last few weeks with no problem. We see different...but you don't have to go on the attack because I'm a Bulls fan and I see differently from you. Our teams play each other only twice next year.

I don't hear the scoop on the West like I do on the east and thats why I pop up. To listen in and to share. I'll tangle a bit for fun...but lets be cool about it, eh?

Cool.


Is there a Dallas/Houston rivalry? How does everyone feel about Cuban?

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gettingbranded...

the Rockets had a great opportunity to be as bad as the Bulls...but we blew it. Maybe this year we will learn from our mistakes in April and not play team ball like you guys. Then we will win great draft picks and the dreams that come with them.


oh...and you do make this fun...cool
thx for the quote by Fizer...I had no idea you guys were serious about keeping him and he was serious about play SF.


What do you think about that DaDakota?

[This message has been edited by heypartner (edited October 03, 2000).]

 

To win in this league you've got to have three players who are top two or three at their position in the league...and a bunch of very good players surrounding them. For instance---Pip, MJ, Rodman/Grant or Magic-Worthy-Jabbar. We've got Brand, and are counting on Crawford being another. Fizer might just be the third...but if not we've got cash for the future to trade for a player or sign a FA. And some good players with potential to grow into on the roster...Artest, Drew, Mercer.

You've got one all-league type talent in Francis...and a lot of very good players. Where will the other two all-league talents come from?



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hmmmm...

Fancy dreaming...can I join you.

Francis and Cuttino are studs. One of either Anderson and Mo will be a star, the other a great role player. Cato I hear is top 10 center right now, and soon in the top 5.

and of course, Langhi is the steal of the draft.

Hey gettdreaming...I feel better now. Mabye we aren't as bad as you afterall.

 

>>To win in this league you've got to have three players who are top two or three at their position in the league<<

gettinbranded
If its not any trouble would you mind telling me who the three best at their position were in 94 and 95 when we won the championship.

thanks, ej

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Fizer and Jamal haven't stepped on the court yet. What was ARtest's fg % ? I think it is awfully bold to insinuate that your young players have more upside than ours. Cuttino is 25, Mo and Shandon are in their 20's. We aren't playing dinosaurs out there. IT's all subjective. We see our core is better, you see yours is. We'll have to wait and see.



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"Only Hakeem Olajuwon is a better athlete." Dick Versace, when referring to Antonio McDyess before the draft.

 

how about just explaining how Horace Grant was a "top 2 or 3 power forward"...

hmmmm....Malone, Barkley, should I stop, Kemp, Rodman....now.....Willis, Gugliotta...say when

 

Francis a stud...yes. Cuttino is a very good player...but he isn't in the Francis, Vince, Kobe league that I'm talking about when I say top two or three in the league.

Anderson and Mo are good players too...but you know as well as I do that they don't belong in that area either.

Yup...I'm projecting...but I think that Brand is a power forward on the same level that Kobe is a shooting guard and I think Crawford will end up there too.


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We'll have to wait and see is the thing. I'm looking forward to it.

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Weeeeeeeeeeeelllllllllllll. Thats a very good point. Two things though...Jordan was so otherworldly good that it threw the equation off in this case. He and Pip alone were enough to power the Bulls. The other thing is that Grant was just good enough not to be a liability. He had to be defended and he gave up nothing on defense.




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PF's better than Brand:
Duncan, Garnett, Webber, Wallace, Malone(cough, cough, gag!), McDyess.
Top 3, I don't think so.
guards better than Crawford:
Jones, Allen, Iverson, Francis, Anderson(Shandon not Nick), Hardaway, Bryant, Finley, etc.
Ditto for the top three spot in this position.
SF's better than Fizer:
Carter, 'Reef, Garnett, Robinson(Clifford and Glenn), Rose(Jalen)

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David Stern calls me now and says, 'I apologize for all the things I said to you in the past. Dennis is a lot worse than you are.' -- Charles Barkley

 

I won't argue your points about Fizer and Crawford...they are ROOKIES after all and have yet to play a single game. Can't predict the futre though...and thats when both of our teams have to look at being champions...cause it ain't happening for either of them this season and probably not next either!

But you err---Is KG a SF? He seems to play SF most of the time. Duncan is really a center, and McDyess is NOT better than Brand. Check the stats.

Thats leaves you with three true power forwards all of whom Brand matched lick for lick at some point during the season in his rookie season.

And none of them are in the East. He owns the East, at least as far as power forwards go.

Why do you think Kemp was so eager to return to the west?

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[This message has been edited by gettinbranded (edited October 04, 2000).]

 

I realize that gettinBranded isn't trying to provoke us, he is just trying to relay his viewpoint which is all well and good. But IMO it parallel's Rocket fans viewpoint about 15 years ago. Seriously take a look at it.

Drafted #1 in '84, Hakeem Olajuwon: a highly touted big man out of college, very humble and quiet, but to Houston fans the best thing since slice bread. (and he is too)

Drafted # 3 in '84: Michael Jordan, a prospect with outrageous athletic ability, a great winning attitude and very flashy.

Who lived in who's shadow? Obviously it is no secret that Dream has always been the second best player of his generation in most people's minds behind Jordan. But both are winners and both have the rings to prove it.

Now,

Drafted #1 in '99: Elton Brand, a highly touted big man out of college, not flashy, just consistent. A quiet winner.

Drafted #2 in '99: Steve Francis, a guard prospect with outrageous athletic ability, very flashy, but a winner.

(sound familiar)

Who will live in who's shadow? It remains to be seen, but my guess is that because Francis is the media darling compared with Brand, much like Jordan was compared with Dream, I'm guessing that it will be Brand and not Francis living in the shadow and Bulls fans will finally understand what it has felt like to be a Rocket fan the last 15 years. This isn't to say that they both won't be champions, because given the right circumstances both can be just that, but in my estimation Stevie will always be on top.

-Turbo

BTW, We really don't care what the Mavs do, until the two clubs start winning, we won't have a true rivalry.

 

Hey...great post and something I've thought long and hard about...and even feared a little. I'm a big Brand fan...but sometimes I wonder if we made a mistake...

I've said it often on the Bulls Espn board that I think that if Krause had had the chance to do that draft he too would have taken the big man.

Difference is...I really think Krause knows how to build a team. I think the Bulls would have had the same success with the Dream or with MJ there. Call me crazy...<shrug> but I really believe that.

It's nice to be understood though

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gettingbranded you said that all the palyers you named are gonna get beter, but all the players i named are young and will also probably get better. im sorry if i accused you of bragging, but francis in my opinion did deserve it. and hes the 3rd best in the conference behind the the best point guard of his era(payton) and the best playmaker since magic(kidd)while elton competes with christian laetner pj brown and and marcus camby. why dont you ask payton(a 3 time defensive player of the year) what he thought when steve burned him for 28? and brand is turnover prone for a power forward

 

and also what was it that you considered an error?

 

Most rookies are turnover prone...his Franchise included.


The rockets guy around the ESPN board calls him 'wink'. Where did that come from?



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From his days at Maryland. His teammates would "wink" and he'd be gone. Isn't there a Bulls fansite for you to hang out at?

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Watch...the Wizard is gonna work magic this year!

 

I was thinking, the bulls would've been so much more succesful if they had taken Francis, then Fizer this year....But then the Rockets would be doomed.....I guess what I'm saying is, they could've been like this

Francis
Mercer
(any SF signing)
Fizer
Mihm


They would've been pretty well rebuilt don't u think?

But I'm glad, cause I have a feeling Francis will have an edge over Brand....


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