I wish Van Dummy would stop trying to be Parcells. He doesn't have the credibility that Parcells has and its not the same sport.
JVG does not seem to be too excited about V-SPAN. I really don't know what the correlation is for V-SPAN being a 2nd round pick 2 years ago, versus his skill and position on the team today. It will take an extraordinary situation to see him get significant minutes. why are coaches so pessimistic?
This is another example of what makes a 'JVG type'. Van Gundy will berate you in the public, tell you that you have no real shot, but if you prove him wrong, you will get playing time. Vassilis said that he plays every play and is a competitor. If that's true, he'll see the comments as a roadblock to overcome. If that's not true, he'll never be a good NBA player anyway. With that in mind, JVG's comments only have a negative effect on the organization in that he's not building excitement in the preseason. Which brings me to my next thought. A 'JVG type fan': We read his comments and react to them somehow. A 'JVG type fan' knows that even if Van Gundy berates a guy, that he is consistent about it. We know that if anyone on the team is not doing what they should, he'll tell them. He'll also be patient with anyone who is worth being patient with. Examples: Camby and Ming. Camby played in New York for 4 years. Every year his numbers went up and his playing time went up. I would guess that this is a 'JVG reward' for playing the game the right way(the JVG way). Yao Ming's numbers have gone up as well. Though, his minutes dropped in his 2nd JVG year because Deke minutes were very productive. One great thing about Van Gundy's leadership, is that he is consistent, he wants consistency and he builds consistency. He repeatedly said this in his first year with the team. He said that consistency builds winning. It builds championships. If a team gets behind him and plays Gundy-ball, they'll be at their best in the playoffs. So, a 'JVG type' likes consistency and honesty, whether you're a fan or player. Personally, I love em'. I think he's been the best addition to this team in the last 10 years. That includes Tmac and Yao. Tmac and Yao have become winners under Van Gundy. He even got the worst roster in basketball to win 2 games last year. I hope he doesn't read this forum. Compliments, in no way, help a JVG type coach. (Don't say anything about his success/failure so far with the Rockets. First season was with a Steve Francis led team against the Lakers. Second year would have been solid if he had a halfway decent PF for the playoffs. He probably could have won that series with just A power forward. Last year was overachieving to win as many games as they did. Red Aurbach would have won 15 fewer games with the same situation. Phil Jackson would have won 20 fewer games. Larry Brown would have quit midseason. Van Gundy's Injured-ckets had a chance to make the playoffs with 15 games remaining.)
Heh. Vintage JVG comments, vintage anti-JVG reactions from JVG-haters. Nothing to see here, move along.
I'm generally a JVG-type fan. I like the candor. But he's never mastered the art of phrasing the candor in terms that emphasize opportunity rather than condemnation. Instead of saying Spanoulis would never have gotten the opportunity if James had signed with us, just say the part about James' decision opening the door for this kid, and it's up to him to seize the opportunity. Same point, very different emphasis. JVG's downer way of phrasing everything, plus the permanent frown, gives the impression that nothing you do will ever please this guy. And that's completely counterproductive.
Lets not forget JVG that you were just a....oh that's right you couldn't ever make it to the NBA as a player. Sorry guys his negative Napoleon complex is running thin in my book. I do believe he's killing our free agent pool these last few years. Give this guy some clyde and cassell tapes CD, let him take it down the throat of the other team and hit some shots. The D will come in time. Does anyone remember was it Greece that Balki was from?(sad Rome take)
From JVG's point of view which would you have rather had - James' known production to the unknown production of Vspan. That would make me frown, but an open door is just that and Spanoulis has matured and excelled in the Euro league the last two years so it is not like he is only a raw second round pick. If he had enterd the draft this year with his Euro accolades he would have busted into the low first round. And they paid him accordingly with this contract IMO. Ditto, Will - He has a history of the the glass always being dirty and half empty.
Yo JVG......this kid was a 2nd round pick....a FEW YEARS AGO !!!!!! He is a much better player today, and probably would have gone in the first round in this years draft. Although, I think JVG is just trying to take some of the pressure and expectations off of him.......it just comes off wrong with him saying it. DD
Why is everyone calling Spanoulis 'Kill Bill' it sounds horrible and most disrespectful. I like nick names like the Dream, the Glove, The Jett etc they all have a charm about them and makes one fell good about the player/performer but 'killbill' sounds like something created by an evil spirit! VSpan was a more upbeat nick name!
I'm fairly certain that Rafer won't be playing 48 MPG this season. He played 38 MPG last year because there was no other option. JVG has stated that they need a backup PG for those nights when Rafer is off shooting. Considering Rafer shot 38% from the floor, there is a very good chance that the backup PG will be called upon more often than not. Also, considering the need for a bigger guard, I doubt Lucas (if he signs) will get the first nod. The only chance Spanoulis DOESN'T play this season is if Sura comes back reasonably healthy and stays that way. True, as a veteran and a starter Howard got starter minutes. However, Chuck played 13 MPG as a rookie third-string power forward. When he first came on after Swift's eye injury, he averaged 22.5 MPG in December. By the end of the year, in March, he was at 17.7 MPG, which is more than Swift's 16.6. Personally, I think signing Hayes and losing Swift is an upgrade at the backup power forward spot. Not to say they can't improve more through a trade.
Do you think being called "Kill Bill" will lower his enthusiasm for being a Rocket and his confidence on the court? Since we know these kind of comments tend to affect a player's development in the league and all.
I think that's what they call him in Greece. Maybe it doesn't translate quite as well in English. You do know that it's the name of a Tarantino movie, right?
That's exactly what I derived from his comments. He pretty much is trying to take the pressure of him and also under selling him in case it takes him a little longer to adjust which I think he will. I think with the rule changes in the last few years about the petty contact when driving to the bucket, V-Span will flourish in this league. Driving the ball to the rack is more of a state of mind than anything else and apparently this kid has that.
the 8th pick that was given away: <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yCso8qP_Mm4"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yCso8qP_Mm4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
Sorry you don't get to pick the kids nickname. His teammates from Greece gave him that name because of his attacking the basket attitude and he seems to be okay with it. So let it be. By the way what does Yetti stand for; Yet another irrational fundamentalist fanatic. Relax killbill is just another nickname. Would a rose by any other name still not be rose.
