Les Alexander comments on the state of the Rockets

barbourdg,

It is near the end of the 2nd page of this thread:

 

sounds like what we were saying about a year ago at this time.

the players can pay lip service and talk about playing better TEAM ball, but they just cant follow thru on the court.
its gonna take alot more than "a few adjustments". if some changes dont happen than why do you expect this bunch to get any better. they cant seem to get it thru their thick skullz and all their talk over the last few days only confirms that they need to pull their heads out of the sand and face reality. cato says "if we were in the east we would be in", cat says that there is no need for any changes, ect. rediculous!
after 4 years its safe to say that the steve we have now is how he is always going to be, which is a pretty good scorer, but really crappy point guard. we will never go anywhere with him. he is nothing more than a nicer, less-tattooed version of stephon marbury.

 

ummm, so if you contrast Clutch's "Larry" statement with Alexander's "stability" and "let's leave it at that" statements with Francis's "if he's gone, I'm gone" statement, then what do you get?!

 

Sounds like Larry Smith and Status Quo to me. Maybe Cuttino is gone, but I don't see much else happening.


Stability/Status Quo seems a little odd to me considering Hubie has the Grizz playing well and perhaps they are getting a good draft pick, GSW will be tough if Arenas stays and they get a solid pick and even more improvemement from Murphy, and the Sonics are playing well, have a spare center to send to the EC and a draft pick.

 

I just caught the "didn't say Smith" part. Maybe it will be an interesting summer.

 

Les needs to hold everyone accountable for their actions.

DD

 

if it takes firing rudy t to get rid of francis than sadly, im all for it. are we now seeing francis' true colors? he pulled this crap in vancouver and got his way. now he is going to try to dictate how his boss runs his buisness.
is anyone else bothered by the fact that our "franchise" player is trying to hold the rockets hostage, so to speak. he makes his money, he just needs to keep his mouth shut and learn to play team basketball. im liking steve less and less these days.

 

Excuse me, my Les is not so good, but I think I can translate the text of the interview into English.

"Rudy Tomjanovich has done more for this franchise than any other person, Hakeem included. You think I am going to fire him after he got diagnosed with cancer? No way. But do you think I am going to let him coach another year either? No way."

"So what am I gonna do? You really want to know? I'll tell you. I'm going to let Rudy know that he can do anything he wants next year other than coach. I'd let him play before I'd let him coach. But rather than looking like a total a-hole, I'll let him 'retire due to health a personal reasons,' like the drummer from REM. Really amicable parting-type situation. I'll give him a consultant job or something, maybe GM or director of Basketball Ops. It doesn't matter. I really don't care as long as he's not coaching. Or doing what he calls coaching."

"When we announce Jeff Van Gundy or Larry Brown or whoever, you can bet Rudy will be on the podium with him, and that Larry Van Brundy will be giving him props at the lectern, something about 'different styles but the same intensity and objectives and committment' and yadda yadda yadda."

"I learned my lesson with Hakeem. Sometimes you gotta move on."

"And P.S. I can't watch Cuttino either."

 

RICE was a stud, was supposed to be studly for Rox. Cato was heir-Hakeem apparent. MoT's signing was 'huge', as per Rudy. Three alleged starter/studs. Playing starring roles. Mooch was the 3rd guard supreme, playing a starring stirring bench role.

 

Very true, DaDakota. Les has ALWAYS listened to his "basketball men" when it comes to personal decisions (see Drexler, Pippen, Barkley, Francis, EG) and it hasn't gotten him anything except 4 years of lottery ball. I think he will evaluate everything, not just Rudys X's and O's skills.

Rudy, we love you, you're the best coach in Houston sports history, but all good things must come to an end. Nothing lasts forever.

 

LOL, nice translation! Probably not too far off from the turth.

 

Oh, and another PS: Whenever Steve Francis says "if X+Y happens, I am out of here," it is the surest sign that X+Y is about to happen. If they sign Yao, I am gone. If they draft Griffin, I am gone. If Rudy is not the coach next year...

 

Now that's funny!

 

maybe Van Chancellor will be the Rockets' coach. he may be out of a job by the end of this week.

but seriously, folks.

I am as staunch a Rudy-supporter as anyone. but if Les is going to make a move, I could live with Larry Brown.

the Jeff Van Gundy talk is just dribble.

 

thanks Manny!

My take is that he is talking about Larry Smith coaching next season, which Sucks!! I am not even a hugh Rudy fan, but NO WAY Larry Smith should be our coach (full time).

Larry might have the guts to bench players, but he also brought back some of our recent problems, that Rudy finally seemed to ditch: Giving Moochie more minutes, and bringing back that DAMN 3 guard line up.

Did anybody else notice, a few times, when Larry ran a 4 guard line up (if you count posey as a guard). He was playing without a PF several times, which really looked bad.

Rockets need something fresh, not something old!!

 

I believe JVG long before I believe Brown out of Philly with The Olympics and Iverson looming together. Brown might have gone to UNC or UCLA but not another NBA job, IMHO.

How about Mo, think he's turned his Cheeks often enough already in Po'land?

Is Jim Cleamons more ready now than years back?

Would Larry Bird make sense to himself or Rox? Probably only if he could bring Carlisle with him, as well as buy the team...now, there is an idea...

 

maybe Les meant "future stability". and at present, thats not something he can be assured of with Rudy's health condition.

 

If Rudy stays, he will b the first coach since Wes Unsel to survive 4 lotto seasons. I know he's won 2 rings almost 10 yrs ago, but damn.

 

Thats the way I read it as well

 

Please, someone correct me if I am wrong; but Rudy's condition -- though it is the big C, canker -- the prognosis for what Rudy has, considering where they caught it, is one hell of alot better than alot of conditions with less horrifying names.

The "Rudy's health" thing is a concern for those of us who love the guy, on a personal level, but I am not convinced that it means he is unstable. It means he's gonna quit smoking, which makes him more stable for cardiovascular stuff.

If Les is referring to that, he's forming a slightly suspect exit strategy for Rudy, using "health reasons," rather that "our team sucks" reasons, for moving him up.

I really do love Rudy, I gotta say. Since I was 4.

CBFC