Many people on this site criticize JVG about his actions and how he disciplines his players. We all learned last night that Snyder was in JVG's doghouse AGAIN and Bonzi has been in there several times as well. V-Span did a little time in there too. I'm one who is on JVG's side on this one. I'm tired of these thugs/punks/scrubs talking back and thinking they are bigger than the coach/boss. People tend to forget that JVG is the leader/boss of this team. Can any of you go to work and tell your boss to F#@! off and still keep your job? Even if you don't agree, you keep your mouth shut and do you job. These guys just get put on the inactive list for a few games and thats it. These players' egos are out of control and they think just because they make tons of money, they can get away with anything. JVG has a great relationship with Deke, Battier, Yao, Tracy, etc. Why? Because these guys do their jobs as they are supposed to. So why should JVG hold Snyder and Bonzi to lesser expectations and let them get away with whatever they want? Just becuase they mouth off? They are just hurting their own teams (which I don't think they really care about) but their careers as well. To me when guys like Kobe and AI talk, I give it a little more importance because they at least have proven they can play. But when these scrubs start acting up, i'm glad coaches like JVG can stand up and Biaattcchhh slap them back into place. I'm sure some team will always give these types of players a shot and thre are coaches out there that have no balls to stand up to these guys who will take it. I'm just glad JVG isn't one of those guys...... What do you all think?
how the hell did you get from kirk being in the doghouse and kirk being a punk? i'm pretty sure its just a little thing. not too big. jvg sound pretty calmed when he said that imo.
Exactly!! Having managed people for 10+ years, I know JVG has to do what he did. If you start letting the whiners and slackers get off, it will ruin the morale of the entire team. In the real world, the whiners and slackers can get fired. In the NBA, they can't, so the only recourse is the doghouse. I can also understand the players pushing the boundary a bit more, for their own career, they want their numbers to look good. Understandable. But eventually the coach has to make the right decision for the team, which may not be popular to everyone, but he has to make decision for the team that wins games. After all, the coach gets fired for not winning, while players don't. So hell ya.
I'm happy with the way JVG teaches, but every coach has a flaw. JVG's flaw is uncertain to me, maybe it's his trust for the starting lineup, i mean if i were him, id do the exact same thing,if you have a starting 5 so good, u wanna squeeze all the juice out as possible,which is why alston gets so many minutes and stuff. He'sa great coach.
We don't know exactly what Kirk said/did, so I don't want to call him a punk. From his interviews, he seemed like a genuinely hard-working guy who's trying to improve and just do whatever the coaches ask of him. But impressions from interviews can be off. He's had a shaky track record with past coach. If he was mouthing off to the coach and dogging it in practice, yes he should be deactivated. That's pretty standard. My worry right now is that JVG will stick with this 8-man rotation in the playoffs. Luther is so undersized at SG. I'd feel more comfortable with Kirk or Bonzi in that rotation. At the same time, it's true that when you look at which player combinations work well together in terms of point differential, we haven't played that great with Kirk on the floor. Our eyes tell us he's playing great because of all the athletic, high-energy plays he makes with the ball. But that can cover up a lot of mistakes a player makes with missed rotations/assigments and not being in the right spot on offense.
I think your pretty much wrong about how to be a coach in professional sports. The bottom line is you have a finite amount of talent, and you have to use all the pieces you got. The best coaches instill discipline, but are also flexible and command the respect of players by speaking to them and valuing them (Phil J is a great example, look what he got out of Rodman and Pippen and othe rhead cases like Bison Dele). Outside of this (good balanced coach) a "players coach" (Adelman) is better than a "disciplinarian" (countless guys who got fired) for the NBA. Heck, the disciplnarian and strong "my way ot the highway" schtick doesn't even work on college anymore, when was the last time Knight won anything while guys like Williams, Calhoun, K and Olsen have the elite programs.
I like Kirk as a player...i think he brings alot to the table and i wish to see him in the roation...but he needs to just shut up and play ball...how hard is that...do the other 6 or 7 guys not do that (tracy, yao, battier, etc.)?..even guys that don't play that much like Lucas, Novak, JAke don't b**** eventhough they aren't playing.... For those of you that say other coaches like Phil had players like Rodman etc. that handled egos is comparing apples and oranges...each player is different and personalities aer different...we have a good group of guys and if JVG feels one is ruining the morale chemistry of the team, then he should do what he feels is the best....JVG spends more time with these players than even their familes do....we don't know what they are like at practice...I mean its not like Kirk and Bouncy don't have track records of being slackers/whiners from their past.....don't get me wrong...I think Snyder will do well...I jsut wish these players would realize how good they have it....and wehen they don't realize it, I don't mind coaches like JVG showing putting them in their place....now if it was benching TMAC where we couldn't win without him, then i'd have to see there has to be some sacrifices from the Star Player and the coach becuase both are pretty important....but when the bench players start mouthing off, the coach has the trump card...... either way, most teams only use a 7 or 8 man roation in the playoffs....Jhoward, Head, and Deke are your guys..and maybe Bouncy if he can not finish that last doughnut and get himself in decent playoff shape.......Snyder would only play minimal minutes anyways in the playoffs.....
First of all let us not assume JVG is the BOSS. While I agree he is supposed to keep the team in tact and ready- maybe all the 3 guys who had issues are 'punks'- and maybe - just maybe, JVG needs to put the teams chances of winning above personal issues and work out a middle ground which is acceptable. To the gentlemen who claims he managed 10 people- I can bet these were not employees that were being paid 1Million+ and have options in life! I am not suggesting because they are highly paid they can act funny- but let us agree that chances of the team winning- should trump all these silly stuff that is going on. How can you justify Luther being on the court- when Kirk is clearly a better option on defense? Luther is just a good role player- with one aspect the team needs- 3 point shooting- but his size is a huge problem against some matchups. And Playoff's will be about Match ups.
Everyone saying "we have to use all of our pieces" obviously didn't check the scoreboard last night. We stomped the Nets without Kirk Snyder. And we won without Bonzi earlier this season, too. And we sure as hell win without V-Span. I see what you're saying, but I think you're wrong when you say it. Kirk Snyder is more than likely not going to be the difference in a playoff game. And if JVG doesn't think he's working hard enough in practice, then he'd better work harder.
ok lets take it one step furhter....since you think they deseve a free pass....what about Artest??.....if you watch the NFL, what about Pacman Jones?....these type of players are everywhere and I agree that this situation is not as bad as Artest's and Pacman's but someobody has to put a foot down with these players...
I agree. Also I only really critique Bonzi and Snyder against the Suns, Spurs and Mavericks. What scares me in JVG not playing these guys is Bonzi and Snyder are the rockets better slashers that can attack the basket against the elite teams. Both players bring alot of toughness as well. I really feel that the current eight man rotation JVG has on the court is pretty much perimeter oriented outside of T-Mac and Yao. In my opinion if the rockets are to advance in the playoffs against the elite teams they will have to have a balance of good perimeter shooting and the ability to attack the basket from the wing positions. They will need to put pressure on Manu Ginobli, Michael Finley, Josh Howard, Jerry Stackhouse, Raja Bell and Leandro Barbosa forcing them to play defense and alter there own rotations. I remember two seasons ago after the rockets lost to the Dallas Mavericks, JVG was quoted as saying something about the rockets needed more talent to advance against the elite teams. Well now he's got the talent, lets just see how he uses it.
I never suggested giving them a free pass. My point is we need to give the team the best chance to win- and egos ( does not matter if it is the player or coach) should change that. You are taking extreme examples and trying to generalise- that is not a fair argument. And if you think Ron Artest is a problem- what do you think about Dennis Rodman?
I agree to a certain point with what you are saying...JVG has to do what is best for the team and in his opinion he is doing just that buy playing only the guys that he thinks are trying harder and working hard in practice...If he feels a player isn't putting out the effot in practice and he sees it going that way in the game, then he has a right to hold that guy out...I'm a rockets fan and a season ticket holder for like 13 years and all I want is the rockets to win but at the same time I don't want these players to dictate and run the ship....you still haven't answered my question...why should players like Bonzi and Snyder be held to a different standard than other players?...if TMAC and Yao can do their jobs and get a long with JVG why can't the other 2 palyers?....... You keep saying that JVG needs to do whats best for the team..but why shouldn't the players also be held accountable and do whats best for the team..and that is WORK HARD...PRACTICE and PLAY...and SHUT UP.......i.e. see Battier, Yao , Tracy.....it can be done you know..... like the preivous guy said, Kirk is not going to make or break our playoffs..we are going to go as far as Yao and Tracy take us....I like rooting for guys like that..and if the light goes on in Snyder's head and he turns it around i'll root for him too....
this is the f**kin nets. come on. the nets also don't have richard jefferson. we're talking about future. you think hes is not going to be a difference in a playoff game? you realy think that? remember two years ago against dallas? who did stackhouse post up? WESLY. the undersized two guard who can shoot. reminds me of luther. and also, many people say we could have won if juawn howard was there, even though he is an old overpaid pf. everypiece counts. i'm still suprized that in the offseason jvg says: we need to get taller and more athletic. he even bashed luther because of his height!!! what was cd response? kirk snyder, and vspan. (vspan is 6'4 which is bigger than rafer, lucas, and luther) i can understand vspan, but saying that sntyder is not going to have a big impact? thats just cruel.
have you been watching the rockets season this year??!!!!!!! Luther gets alot of minutes and you think all of a sudden that is going to change in the playoffs and snyder will get those minutes...JVG Likes luther and if his shot is there, so do I ...if he can knock that 3 down with Yao in there, thats what we need....why would JVG all of a sudden drop Luther from the rotation when the playoffs start? if we play Dallas...we have JHoward back (unlike 2 years ago) and we have better outside shooting and a more powerful assertive Yao...I like our chances..and we can end up using Bouncy when needed....Snyder may get in there and get some minutes and I bet he does well but he won't get major minutes...not this season....
i love luther too. but luther and snyder are two completly different kind of players. luther is small, shooter. snyder is big, cutter, and a good defender. remember those moves where kirk pass to yao and yao passes right back to kirk and kirk dunks or gets fouled? we need to change our rotation depending on our openents. for example remember the playoff series on spurs vs nuggets. pop put manu off the bench for brent barry and they started playing better. anyway, we may have gotten better, but you dont' think dallas got better either? devin harris isn't a rookie, hes expiernce. josh howard got alot better. but i agree we do have a good chance against dallas but we gotta use everyone. i dont' remember that much, but against dallas didn't coach use alot of people trying to find some success? padget and bowen. you are probaly right though, jvg probaly wont' change the 8-man rotation.
The problem with JVG's strategy is that he is missing the carrot. There is nothing wrong with the stick as long as you have the carrot too. Eventually, nothing but Stick, stick, stick gets you tuned out........ JVG needs some vegetables. DD
yeah I like the athleticisim that Kirk brings to the team when he slahses...we need him to bring that every play, every minute...I think thats why JVG is questioning....he doesn't have a good outside shot so he needs to do all the otehr things (ie. battier)....if he can do that, then HELL YES he desierves more playing time...but some players just don't bring it all of the time..and slack off in practice....Practice...We're talking about Practice ... I guess JVG wants his players to work their tails off in practice to show they deserve time and Kirk only wants to play...I can understand Kirk being frustrated at not playing..its a tough situation but you can't go and mouth off to the coach...he has to be held acccountable for being that stupid...just when he started to get some minutes, he made thatmistake...any boss would get pissed.....
maybe thats why he lost his hair...no veggies..or too much stick....have you guys ever seen how the Toyota Center lights bounce off his head...that guy has the shiniest head I have ever seen .......its like he rubs oil on that thing...maybe to get out of the doghouse Snyder should rub it on his head for him before the Orlando game
