That's some crazy thoughts by Francis. In a team, you need the coach to be in control of the team and not the other way around. If he ain't controlling, the players are just going to do whatever the hell they want to do and that is getting you no where. See, Francis and Mobley aren't fundamental players...that's why they hate being under controlled...they want to play streetball and do whatever they want...but that ain't get you no where...that's why they were traded...now he's talking smack. He's like the little kid in school that can't stand the teacher telling him to sit down and listen up.
Who cares what knucklehead Francis said? Of course he isn't going to be happy when a coach doesn't let him play the way he wants to. I hope the rest of his coaches let him do whatever he wants, it'll be more wins for everyone else.
I don't recall anyone taking shots at Rudy T like this, even after being traded. Free agents wanted to play for Rudy T; I don't think the same will hold true for JVG, especially when we are competing with other players for middle-class exception players.
I like Stevie for who he is, but I think we all know that he's not going to grow up anytime soon. Grant might help him mature a little, or maybe a little on the court, but Stevie will revert back to who he is w/o much provocation. And Stevie will need to change his game a lot more than just his defense. He may have more physical talent that just about any other player, but so did Maxwell. Until Stevie cares more about the team 'working' than showboating, he won't be a champion. I don't see that changing anytime soon either.
Whatever Stevie. Man he was great but man read that thread in the NBA dish and they still have the same problems. I think they might beat us in Houston on Jan 17 or whatever..the day we played the Lakers last season or the season before that. They will beat us because they will try as hard as they can.
what, the coach had too big of an ego for a guy who refers to himself in the third person? I'm not buying that. Steve Francis, no coach is bigger than Steve Francis.
Okay, no matter who started it, TMac still bashed the entire Magic organization and players DURING and after the season. I love TMac, but Francis has the right to speak his mind, just like TMac did. Maybe JVG doesn't come straight out and bash his players but the way he presents himself and the way he words his comments sure makes it seem like it. Francis doesn't like JVG, big deal. Ya'll are acting like he is the first player ever to make comments like these. Go back and read the comments TMac said during last season, and tell me it's not worst than Steve's. But then again, I guess we're still blaming Stevie Franchise for all our problems right?
Well, Rudy did win 2 championships in his first three years of coaching... that kind of makes him immune from any sort of criticism, even though it was more Hakeem Olajuwon turning into a beast, rather than Rudy's coaching, as to why we won those championships.
Yeah buddy. Without Rudy.. the Shandon Andersons, Mo Taylors, Moochies, and Pig Millers of the basketball world won't come a runnin' to us. I guess we'll just have to make the best of it.
This so freakin crazy. I've seen some of the same guys criticizing Steve in this thread say the same thing about JVG. You guys are hillarious. I particularly remember Jeff saying he didn't like the way JVG treated his players. Now Steve is immature for saying the same thing.
Let's not forget that no one criticized T-Mac till he b****ed and moaned his way off that team. But's that neither here nor there. What's worse is that some of the people criticizing Steve in this thread have basically complained about the same thing about JVG. Its the Twilight Zone.
It does not matter now what Francis says. Van Gundy will ignore him. Van Gundy did carry the super bowl thing to the media and made a mountain out of a mole hill. Van Gundy brought this issue up time and again. I respect Van Gundy's defensive coaching and his basketball fundamentals. His player psych motivation-carry it to the media- does not work. Francis tried to change his game to adapt to Van Gundy. He played his heart out every nite. I respect Steve for that. Steve is not the smartest guy in the world. Let it go....
Guess what: Until you accomplish jack, the coach IS bigger than you. In fact -- and I know this may be hard to fathom -- that's why they call him the "coach."
Paradoxically, those who profess not to care about him at all tend to do so quite a bit if the number of threads/posts about him is any indication.
It's a players league, not a coaches league. Coaches are replaceable. Look at the NBA east last year. I found your book at the Houston Public Library. It didn't have enough pictures, so I didn't read it.
Who turned the beast loose? Hakeem was great before Rudy but Dream became a winner after Rudy set the stage.
Don't look now, but Houston and Orlando now have almost identical winning percentages. (.517 v. .516).
