Clutchfans.net headline: Francis chokes, Yao may be ugly duckling. ESPN March 3, 2005 The Houston Rockets continued toward another dismal season today, and Rudy Tomjanovich indicated too reporters this would be his last losing season in deed. "Cuttino and Steve are my guys" he said, I know Steve and Cuttino can succeed in this league, I dont know, maybe I cant coach in this era." Tomjanovich's statements offered no consolation to Rockets fans who watched their team fall 10 games under five hundred. Mobley and Francis turned the ball over 9 times and shot a dismal 4-26 from the field combined. Both commented after the game, "We play hard, its all about intensity, and it just didnt come together tonight. A couple of years, when Yao turns into Z, we will be alright." Mobley said. Francis echoed his sentiments, "we dont always play smart, but we play with our hearts, and that is what counts, sometimes that just doesnt work. Kelvin does a good job offensively, he can catch the oop with the best of them, and when Yao develops a bit more, we are gonna be deep. At this point in the season, some Rockets fans wonder if trading a package of Francis, Mobley and Cato, possibly for a top-tier player like Tracy Mcgrady (now a sun) or Ray allen (still a sonic) would have been a move. Fans of the team must be wondering the same thing. However, due to the Rockets lack of depth and Yao's slow but sure development, it was probably right to not gut the team. Carrol Dawson spoke on this earlier in the week, "when you gut a team for a superstar, you cant just have a few roleplayers, you need at least one other pillar to build around. Otherwise, your the Orlando Magic (sic)). The lone brightspot for the Rockets on this night, was the 7'6 project out of China. In playing backup to Kelvin Cato for the last 2 1/2 years, Yao has had his most consistent streak of his career, in his last 4 games, he is averaging 21 minutes with 8.1 points a game along with 6.1 rebounds. Tomjanovich commented on his centers play as of late, "any time you have a guy like Yao, a project from another country, you expect to wait a while, we didnt know what we were getting when we drafted him, but he is coming along. He is only 23 and has made some real progress, he is going to be a solid center in this league." The Rockets can only hope this comes sooner than later. Marc Stein is a columnist for ESPN and ESPN.com Now to the clutchfans bbs. Thread title...."Yao making real progress." Dadakota: Yao had some good plays tonight, he looks tired and doesnt have too much stamina, but if he is getting 8 and 6 in 23 minutes.....He could be a solid starting center in a year or two, of course its a bust, but at least he isnt Zan Taback and he may be more than Shawn Bradley in the long run. SamFisher: I agree DD, but the problem with hyperbolic statements like that, is you set the bar too high. Thread title...... "I hate Stevy Franchise." troll1732: I hate Steve, what an IDIOOOTTTT, he cant lead a team. Clutch: Thank you for stating the obvious sir, but sadly, it is all we have. Dadakota: I am glad that we have Mobley and Francis, they are 2 good players, If Yao had been good right away, maybe things could have been different, but as of now, its all we have. Troll1732: In china, the culture is different, we all have to understand this, Yao will be good maybe even 17/9 one day, if we allow him to grow into that. The culture barrier is a tough thing, no American understands this. Francis3422: I hope we get a top 5 pick so we can waste it. Like we did on Josh Childress, who serves only as Yaos Pillfro. __________________________________________ Well guys, frankly, the whole trip was weird, and I actually thought the bbs would be more hostile than that, but everyone had grown accustomed to losing. Seeing Dada, praising Francis dang near killed me. It was kind of like being Ebeneezer Scrooge for awhile.
Thanks CD We are now have hope and we can even win Spurs 2 times, win Mav and Wolves in their home. Most important is we are now play like a team. We can have hope and our roxers belive we can beat any team and all belive we will be a tough team to play in playoff. Great, thanks load we have a real team now.
Nice blast from past. I haven't been on board until recently when I became a fully converted Rox fan. Looks like some fans here should be generally pleased with Yao's development. He's definitely proved already that he's a 17/9 guy. I think even the biggest detractors would admit he's a "solid starting center." Setting the bar at Zan Tabak or Shawn Bradley was definitely not a reach. I don't think 23/11 is a reach either. Any true sportsfan has been wrong one time or another about a player (me-Ed O'Bannon) or team before. No shame in that.
*holds a pipe out* "if you could fill this for me with some of what you are having I'll be on my way..."
Franky 3422, you are kind of strange, but yet I love you more than Ye Li naked covered in rose petals. So I appreciate this very much.
It's simple people, it's a trip to the future in another dimension. It's what the Rockets could have been here, in this dimension. McGrady would have been a Sun (I got chills right there). Yao could have just been another project, and Cato would be the best center we had?!?!?! Yuck. I see the point, I'm glad we have what we have now.
