Morey and Tad Brown on 1560 (Transcript)

Part 1 of 3:

Morey transcript joined in progress:

DM = Daryl Morey
TB - Tad Brown
H= host
H2 = 2nd host
JT = Jerome Taylor
NL = Nelson Luis

The thing with the greek teams, are they have unlimited money, sometimes they sign players just to keep them away from others. The Greek teams go 12-14 deep with NBA talent.

How is VSpan doing?

DM: He is doing great – he is a solid player, he just won the MVP of Euroleague, the only difference between Scola and VSPan was lack of patience…Scola worked his butt off, and VSpan was not willing to wait, was not ready to start, agreed with JVG and did not handle it well, really.

H: What has it been like with all the injuries etc, with Ticket sales, is it a surprise.

TB: Little surprised, but we have a great team in place, staff is working hard, but primarily we have a market and fan base that loves this team. Our fans know we are in it to win championships and give back to the community, but what DM and Les have been able to do is get us out of the cap commitment and put all star type of players around our stars, so our fans believe we will do the right things to be successful. The playoff run was great, but we will be able to build on that going forward.

H: The Rockets lost their fans after the championship, keep that window open, but it was really closed, the Astros have hung on too long….you guys have done that, and fans say “In DM we trust” ….fans understand that sometimes you have to take a step back and the Rockets are a great example of an organization earning the fans trust back.

H2: We are always working towards a championship right?

DM: Always working for a championship, feel Ariza fits and that he fits into a championship team…we crunched a lot of numbers to figure that out…LOL…..

H: How tough is it when you are playing with the best player in the game, how do you evaluate someones game? Joe Johnson was good but others not faired well without Nash?

DM: We believe Ariza has upside, but we are not counting on that, he is a midlevel player just based upon his production last year…does he fit with Battier? Not really…but when we get TMac back, everything fits…..given a good ML signing they pan out about 20% realistically, but we feel he will help us win a championship over the course of his contract.

TB: Trevor and Luis which looked like a steal, and AB, picking up Kyle which was a question mark but showed that he is a good complimentary piece…..they all add up.

H: We have not swung and miss

DM: we have had some misses but our misses have not impacted the future….Francis and Barry…..Barry could have panned out but Von outplayed him…..Chuck Hayes…..we signed him to a very long deal, and we felt like on a championship team , he has a role.

 

Part 2 of 3 - Extravaganza show - starbucks kicking in....

H: DM and TB in studio, it is 9:19 at 1560 the game, Jose is on the line he is a die hard, what do you think?

Jose: Got to go to baycity, good way to start a day, got to go down there.

H: You trying out for Red Rowdies on October 3rd, Rockets open practice...let me hear you sing.

Jose: I can't sing, but I have the Latino flavor as a dancer, I could be a Red Rowdy, could lose my voice though. I wanted to comment on the moves that DM has pulled off, just signed RMcants, just signed 45% and 40% from the 3, no one is talking about it, we got a true shooting guard here, and can pay big dividends in the season.....fits in with the run and gun.....this is the kind of thing that Deep Blue helps us make....we fans know we are in good hands with Morey....

H: Jose created Deep Blue

DM: thanks for the compliment; JTaylor is a SG too, don't sleep on him

Jose: But as far as NBA talent

DM: True, Shane played there but as an NBA SG, RM does fit there.

H: TAriza got there because of KB, what about at the top of the team, will TMac ever be healthy again, can he lead us to the championship, same questions for Yao, isn't that the key piece?

DM: Yes, you need a leader to go the distance, we expect him back next year, Tmac is an all star talent is motivated, and we are expecting big things...not right away, but in the future, he is only 30 years old.....

H: In dog years he is old because he came right out of HS.

DM: Kobe is the same, he played a lot.

H: Kobe is a warrior though.....you guys don't have to comment...genetically some guys are more durable than others.....because he works harder in the off season....the guys that figure out that if htey work harder in their 20s....they last longer...sometimes players that wait to long in their 30s are behind. Tmac has had a lot of statistical success.

DM: We will have elite players....either Tmac comes back or we use our trade assets to get that...top teams win with that...whether it is TMac and Yao coming back, or we get to it some other way.

H: Yao foot will we always deal with that?

DM: I don't think so think of big Z....Yao had his foot reshaped so the bone has less stress, so going forward......the doctors think he will be good.

H: A fan had to take the 1560 sign down in his suite, wants to keep it up.

TB: No signage in the suites....company policy......sorry but we appreicate the support.

DM: You guys into gorilla marketing?

H: What? Us? LOL.

H: October 3rd, Rocket open pracitce and select a suite and seat.

TB. Lots of ticket packages, Mini packages suites everything.

H: Red Nation is appropriate because we have a Russian owner in the NBA now.

TB. The Nyets? You guys saw how our fans created the tribal feel with the environment and make it interactive....so we created the Rocket red rowdies.

H: How does Red Rowdy work?

TB: Got to come every year and prove you are a Rowdy.....we even check them during the year......just like a player.....

H: Red Rowdies seats are payed for?

TB: Yes, you have to be there an hour before every game, walk the concourse, stay for the whole game.....be loud.....really helps the experience etc. In 2003 we had to get the atmosphere back in the building.

H: JVG paid for it right?

TB: JVG was part of it, but our marketing people came up with it.....and JVG loved it and said let's do it.

H: Sometimes there is a disconnect between passionate fans, they can't necessarily afford to go to the games....and it makes it easier for others to get in the games because it gets everyone into the games, rather than being the only one doing it...these guys make it ok to get into the game....Times when it was a little bit quite - but not now.....before you didn't want to be the only one standing up cheering, but the Rowdies do it all game so it makes it easier for other fans to get into it without everyone looking at them.

H2: Atmosphere has changed since you got here right DM?

DM: Absolutley the fans helped carry us to 20 point wins over the Lakers in the playoffs.

TB: We set the record these last 2 years over 30 home wins each year.

H: I do my part.

TB: Because you get free tickets....LOL.

H: Nelson what time do the doors open next Sat?

Nelson Luis: Doors open at noon

TB: gonna have the rookie hazing and dance contest etc....for the fans.....did you hear Dorsey sing.

DM: "We found out what Dorsey is good at".....

Everyone: WOAH...woah....LOL...that is harsh DM.

TB: That was the GM Joey not me......lol.

DM: Joey has been working very hard, led the summer league in rebounding etc....

End part 2.

DD

 

Final segmant - Part 3, fingers burning, must push through the pain....for us at Clutchfans....

Extravaganza - final Rockets segment - John and Lance 1560 the game.

H: Gonna be here at Nicks place all day long.....come hang out with Hoffy and Nuno and Shawn and John....got to have a rebuttal to Longhorn scott. Media day is Monday...October 3rd is open practice and Red Rowdy tryouts....national antem auditions, when were Power dancers auditions?

TB: Earlier

H: Who judged?

TB: Not you....lol.......I was in China did not get to judge?

H: Is this a good crop? Nelson is it a good group?

NL: Yes, good group.

H: Way to much material in their costumes....lol.....

H: Rockets red Rally Saturday October 3rd, Rockets open practice at noon....it is a great atmosphere.

TB: It is easy we have a great facility, great group of guys who love the fans....one of Les' objectives is to be open to the community and fans.

H: From 2004....JVG roving band of muts......Barry, Sura...etc.....too bad about Sura's knee....just a team that had no business from a talent stand point....fans loved watching them because they just played hard......easy to root for.

TB: Shane, Yao, Deke, Chuck....went to Bruce elementary, we had 5 guys...and Deke has been the ambassador around the world.

H: Are we missing deke?

DM: Yes, but want to say something about playing hard, becase we think that is a skill...Shane and Scola will set the tone, and that is one of the reasons we won 31 at home lsat year, people come in and if they don't come in and play hard we are going to blow them out.

H: What about the national TV lack of respect.

DM: It will change by mid year...

H: YOu really think you are a playoff team?

DM: Yes, we feel we are going to be in it all year and will make it, not the first spot in the playoffs but battling in the mix.

H: Love the David Anderson, but honestly filling the middle against NBA Centers?

DM: It is tough but we have other good bigs, Luis, Chuck and Carl....but Anderson plays hard he has won 7 straight titles in Europe, but he plays hard and can contribute., will have a bit of adjustment....but he will contribute this year.

H: What about Raheel? He doesn't play much D.....only plays one side of court.

DM: Loved Von Wafer for some reason.

Raheel: I locked down someone.....lol........hilarity ensues

H: Are we going to see the real RAdelman offense?

DM: Rick will take the talent and get the best out of them but if you are talking about posts that can run and pass, that is what we will do?

H: Who is the 2nd high post passer?

DM: Anderson is more of an offensive player than defense, Luis is giving him crash course experience as we speak.

H: We always compared Luis to driveway basketball .....has a million moves gonna get his shot off.....

DM: It is gonna be his right hand...lol, he is like the NBA YMCA player with 8000 moves...just got voted the least liked NBA Player......after the playoffs.....

DM Trevor said he thought Luis was a jerk, then found out that he is just a supreme competitor on the court....when fans and other players hate you means that you play hard......

H: Everyone we hated on the Jazz just played hard. Harpring..

DM: Looks like he is done....

H: Really?

DM: Yeah, it looks like he might be retiring....he is my most hated player...Matt Harpring.

H: Kobe is not dirty like MH?

H2: Really? Remember game 2 against the Lakers/

H2: Does Rick Adelman look British like he does to us....looks like he is on Monty Python...

DM: Really? You wait to ask this question now?

TB: No he is not British

DM: No he just leads teams to more than 50 wins every year...doesn't want Coach of the year because he says those guys get fired in a year or two.

H: Early when he got here...didn't seem that he fit....then by the end of the year the D was good.....

DM: 15 out of 18 years Rick has made playoffs.

TB: Media day Monday...gonna be a great year...ticket sales are gonna be good, this year we froze ticket prices and lowered them in 25% of the building...build with us as we go forward....be part of Red Nation.

DM: We are ahead of Ticket sales from last year.

TB: Yep, we are ahead......

H: Everyone is ranking everyone and we are like on the last team.

DM: No one has picked us to get to the playoffs or win 40 games.

H: That is reasonable.

TB: It is reasonable but we have a quiet confidence with how we are developing...

DM: We are the only team that took the world champions to 7 games and we are better this year than that team...so we feel better going into the season than people are giving us credit for.....

H: It is a challenge to market now?

TB: We are aware and we are fortunate to have a great corportate community and fan base.

DM: We are making it hard on Tad spending $6 million on draft picks...LOL....

TB: We are in draft room and DM says...we are going to get JT and it is going to cost us this much....lol.....I looked at Les and him and said........well.....ok.......lol.

End of the segments.

MY FINGERS ACHE....

DD