Van Gundy Puts Stamp On Rockets by Trevor Mitchell, rockets.com October 3, 2003 - Following Thursday's Media Day the Rockets headed south to Galveston, where they officially opened training camp on Friday. The team will practice at Texas A&M-Galveston through Sunday before returning to Houston in preparation for their preseason opener Tuesday in Portland. With the exception of second-year center Yao Ming, new Houston Rockets Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy held his first practice with the entire squad today at Rockets training camp in Galveston, Texas. Van Gundy held a meeting with his new team Thursday night where he reportedly described his expectations and his vision of the team creating "one voice, one vision and one goal." Today Van Gundy began to put his plan into effect during Friday morning's workout, as the players worked up quite a sweat. "It was tough," said power forward Maurice Taylor. "He is going to work us hard. He told us that in the meeting, but he's not going to make us do anything that he doesn't feel we can do. Today was a training camp practice. We did some hard things and some learning things." One of the first things the veteran players noticed during their first practice was their coach's meticulous eye glued to their every move. "His attention to detail stood out today," Taylor said. "One time I was playing defense and I swore that I was in the right position and he came over and moved my toe over. Then he said, 'Now you're in the right position.' He pays a lot of attention to the little things and makes sure we're sharp. We ran with three different teams today and even when we're on the side, he wants you to pay attention and look at everything. So as long as we're going through it working hard, paying attention, and concentrating, he's pretty easy to live with." The Rockets feel Van Gundy's tight approach will be the difference in turning around a team that was high on talent, yet inconsistent throughout their 2002-03 campaign. "We ran detail for about the first hour and a half," said guard Steve Francis. "But with new sets and a new offense, I think you need to have a lot of detail." Taylor and Francis were not the only veteran players willing to comment on their first day of camp. Rockets guard Cuttino Mobley, who appears to be in excellent shape, was happy to lend his opinion as well. "We have to always be thinking," Mobley said. "He wants us to be one of the mentally strongest teams in the league because that will make the difference in the fourth quarter." The Rockets will work out again this evening, then try to get further along the learning curve during the weekend in Galveston. Van Gundy, who hasn't coached since 2001, is determined to get his team ready for its first preseason game on October 7, but most importantly the Rockets season opener on October 30. "I'm not going to take their temperature every day, but if I'm doing my job, somedays they'll love me and somedays they'll hate me," Van Gundy said. "I just have to find that balance between them liking me and hating me. I haven't made any decision about roles and shots, so I guess they're on the 'like me' side now."
man, the more i read about the offseason and the training camp, the more i get excited! i cant wait for the season to start! this will be one hell of a great season! plus, you can see mo and steve commenting on jvg's detailed instruction and they liked it! man, everything's going well with the rocs!
i like the part where he moves mo's toe over to get the perfect defensive position. that's attention.
... Next ... the guys won't be able to scratch themselves without Jeff telling them the right way to do it !
Rockets guard Cuttino Mobley, who appears to be in excellent shape, was happy to lend his opinion as well. How could he be in excellent shape? He wasn't working out at Westside with Van Gundy...how could this happen?
Cuttino Mobley has always come to camp in top shape. At the end of last season his goal was to improve his body with conditioning, Pilates / yoga, and running. I'm sure he will be ready to ball.
