CNNSI just labeled Rudy T the "most overrated coach" in the league. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/news/2003/04/13/waag_0414/ Most Overrated Coach: Rudy Tomjanovich Tomjanovich just took a leave from the team in order to battle bladder cancer, so you might think I'm a horrible person for saying this, but the cruel truth is that no team was out to lunch on more nights this year than the Rockets, and that was the main reason a team with Steve Francis and Yao Ming goes into the final week needing to play well just to stay above .500. The press has given Rudy a free pass since he won back-to-back titles in the mid-90s, but his unique strategy of freezing out the 7-foot-5 guy is one of many reasons to think his work has slipped since then.
Cassell a slasher: I guess he wasn't the one who hit the big three in New York in game three of the Finals in 94. And as far as Chilcutt, and Brooks are concerned, they didn't play much during those playoffs so you are seriously overrating their contributions. Yes, he has taken some players and made them fit into his system, that's great. But this team needs talent development, something he is not good at.
Rudy is the Rockets and deserves the respect he has attained. He also must realize his limitations and his strengths. We all know Rudy is more inspirational versus x's and o's and he is not a real 'teacher' of the game. Whether in the Olympics, The Rockets championships or other times in Rudy's tenure, he simply managed the emotions and never really had to teach. I think the asset that we have in Rudy T is wonderful, players all over the league rave about him. But we need someone to teach the younger guys how to play the game. I think an assistant coach that really knows the fine details of basketball and is much more a playmaker/play caller needs to be brought in. One thing I have seen is that Calvin Murphy understands the game. He is a goofball and annoys me at times, but when you hear him speak about where they should be taking shots and who the ball should go to, he is almost always correct. I think he is a target, and maybe bringing in a college coach to help. I think the hardest part to coaching is managing the personalities something that Rudy, is excellent at. But we need a real basketball mind to help Rudy and the Rockets understand the game better otherwise we will never win.
If Rudy is not a good X's and O's guy, and has to go, can we make him the GM? Is CD really the GM, or does Rudy have a bigger say in personnel decisions? I think Rudy has done a generally good job on the personnel side (with the exception of overpaying a few players, but most teams have even worse contracts on their payroll), and is a good evaluator of talent (especially in the lower picks, where hopefully we will be picking in the future). How about making Rudy the GM, and CD the senior special advisor (a la a Bill Walsh)?
Surely you can remember Cassell going to the hoop at will his first two years, and seemingly never getting his shot blocked...drawing lots of fouls, etc. But you are hanging your hat on what type of player he was due to one three pointer....interesting. I am not overrating their contributions. When those guys played, they were very valuable. What did any of those guys do on any other team?
Well the experts agree with me. So I will leave my argument at that. The guy is a good motivator, talent evaluator, but not good at X's and O's and development. Cassell shot 88 threes his rookie year and 191 the next, both as a backup. You right, I'm basing my opinion on one three. Also interesting, he's on pace to shoot less this year than in the 94-95 season. Interesting.
True...he shoots much less from the arc than he used to. Again, I said he was a much smarter player than he was in his first few years. Cassell's staple is the midrange perimeter game now. You are telling me something I already know. Thanks. Because he shoots more threes now than in his first two years proves he was not a slasher? Really? How are they even related? I watched Cassell a lot back then, and with the wonderful technology of satellite television, I watch him a lot today. He's nowhere near the same player now that he was then....except for the running of his mouth. Are motivation, evaluation of talent, and making the guys fit the system not part of development? \De*vel"op*ment\, n. [Cf. F. d['e]veloppement.] [Written also developement.] 1. The act of developing or disclosing that which is unknown; a gradual unfolding process by which anything is developed, as a plan or method, or an image upon a photographic plate; gradual advancement or growth through a series of progressive changes; also, the result of developing, or a developed state.
Correction, Olajuwon is the one who built the new arena and got Rudy and every other staff member their contracts.
Dude, that is the most on point statement in this thread. This guy hasn't had a good season since Hakeem was playing well, particularly 96-97. 97-98, Hakeem averages 5 points less than previous year and Rockets start downhill spiral.
In every occupation in the world you are measured by your performance...Rudy's job is to develop his talent and lead them to results..he has no done so..it is time to pay the consequences..sorry it's just a fact!
I think that's pretty obvious, and you could say that about any coach. Notice how when Dirk stopped sucking that Don Nelson stopped sucking? Notice how Adelman sucked at GS but then stopped sucking in Sacramento when the players got better? Notice how Phil Jackson sucked this year when Shaq wasn't 100 percent? Notice how Van Gundy sucked so bad he decided to quit? Notice how George Karl sucks now but didn't suck when he had Payton and Kemp? Damn, you can go on and on. Your point is that you need good players to win. That's definitely true.
