http://www.nypost.com/sports/6466.htm Steve Francis isn't looking to challenge Jeff Van Gundy's authority or be perceived as a rebel. He also doesn't want to give the impression he's second-guessing his strategy. Then, again . . . "In the five years I've been with the Rockets I think I've earned being the No. 1 option and I want to keep it that way," he stressed to me couple weeks ago while in New York to participate in The Wheelchair Classic. In other words, Francis plans to protect his nickname Stevie Franchise, which appears to be in direction conflict with Van Gundy's interests and that of the Rockets. Any Knick guard (Chris Childs, for instance) who didn't feed Patrick Ewing intravenously on a regular basis got strongly reprimanded and/or demoted. Van Gundy fussily expects Yao Ming to get the same preferential treatment. "Jeff has made it clear to me he wants the offense to be inside out," Francis said. That explains Ewing's hiring as an assistant; clearly, his mission will be to teach Yao not to pass it back under any circumstances once he receives it. "There's no doubt Yao gave it up too often," Francis agreed. "At the same time, he hasn't proven he's ready to take over a team. Before you can do that you've got to prove you can take care of Shaq and Duncan, etc., on a nightly basis. That's enough of a burden in itself. Given enough time I'm confident he'll be able to dominate the middle." In the meantime, Francis declares, "I'll do anything to win and make any sacrifice to make the playoffs." That is, as long as Van Gundy doesn't lose sight of who deserves to be fondling the leather goods when game-saving decisions need to be made.
The third episode of LOTR is about to unveil... and I'm afraid this time the midget is gonna win. (and the goblin is gonna lose )
Francis is right, Yao isn't ready to be the focus of the Rocket's offense yet; he is still a year or two away from that. I'm glad that Steve is willing to let go of the spot light so the Rockets can make the playoffs. I mean, how many people here can seriously say that they would be okay with letting someone else stealing your thunder? Maybe with that fear, Steve will start playing some great basketball. The same happened to Cato last year...
yao isn't ready and was too passive, he'll be dominant eventually, steve should still be #1 and he just wants to win. don't see anything wrong with that. and since when does chris childs compare to steve? i guess jvg would have michael jordan go inside out with bill cartwright by that logic.
I don't see how some of you can already assume Yao isn't ready to be the number one option this year. A lot of people last year assumed he wasn't ready to be a starter and look how that turned out. SF needs to shut his trap and do what the coach tells him to do.
Of course, this is also the New York Post we're talking about...Isn't that barely above the National Enquirer in terms of reliability?
Yao is clearly the 2nd best player at his position. Francis is AT BEST #3. Yao is simply closer to the basket. Yao makes more shots because he's closer to the basketball. Aside from this, Yao is more able to balance scoring and passing, he seems to have a knack for it. When talent is equal, you always pick bigger. In this case, Steve is more talented, however he's smaller. Best case scenario for Steve: overall they're equal (based in size/skill/smarts). But if they're equal, I'd still rather go to Ming, simply because it's a Big man's game. I really don't believe this stuff though. I'm pretty sure Vescey has taken those quotes out of context. Steve will do anything JVG he says, I believe that, and I do not believe Steve will sacrifice ANY wins just for the sake of satisfying his pride or ego.
Honestly, although I am of the opinion that we need to go inside-out as well, I have been totally supportive of Steve and dismissive of the criticism of many of his comments in the past. That said, there are things in this that concern me, especially the reasoning he uses to suggest Yao is not ready to take the ( his) role as focus of the offense.. For example, why does Yao have to be able to " take care of Shaq, Duncan etc." on a nightly basis in order to be the focus of the offence? For one thing, it's a good thing Steve said " etc." instead of another name, because that's about the extent of names we cannot say with confidence Yao can " take care of". So the thinking is that until he can take care of players on two teams...players who happen to be possibly two of the three or four ( or two) top players in the game we cannot make him the focus of the offense? How is that remotely logical? Can we turn around and say that Steve shouldn't be the focus of the offense until he can take care of Kidd, Marbury etc. on a nightly basis? The "etc." in question here would, of course, include the likes of Payton, Nash, Cassell and others who Steve has often had trouble taking care of...Of course, Steve might be switching to shooting guard, so based on his reasonong we shouldn't make Steve the focus until he can take care of Kobe, McGrady, Iverson, Carter, Allen, Pierce etc. on a nightly basis. The reasoning for Yao as the focus of the offense are legion, starting with the fact that the game works better that way, and that running it through the guards has already shown it's limitations...but ironically Steve inadvertantly puts his finger on possibly the biggest reason: the very fact that there is such a shortage of quality centers...that when you get to his " etc." you are talking lower quality than you would be at any other position..in itself is why, when you get a guy who can dominate the centers of all but 2 teams, you run the offense through him.
Duncan is not a C, and Nesterovic cannot play PF. So there is only one player whom Yao cannot handle at C, and that's Shaq. Steve has handled Kidd very well in the past. However, he's had so much trouble handling the likes of Nash, Parker, Payton, J-Will, and Baron Davis in the past. These 5 guys have ALWAYS been a problem to Steve, and unless he's planning on improving his defense, then I don't see how he can be more dominant at his position than Ming already is at his.
I think Steve lives by the "if I can't stop you...you're not going to stop me either" law. Steve does need to improve his defense more but yao needs to be more tough and aggressive at his position. I don't mind running the offense through yao though but he needs to quit getting pushed out so far.
Short memory there Sane. Yao hand is hands full with the likes of Shawn Bradley and Greg Ostertag at times last year. I believe Rasho even dropped 20 on him one game. There were a couple of other mediocre centers who had pretty good games against Yao, despite being undersized. Lets not give him credit for dominating his position just yet.
Man, even shawn "lanky and clumsy ass" bradley was pushing around yao....I mean shawn bradley, Damn! but i'm sure yao is going hold his own this time around.
After 4 years Francis still has the "pg/sg" question mark over him. Sorry Francis, find your IDENTITY first then talk about the direction of the franchise.
