God, I am just sick and tired to listening to Rudy T. Unlike what others think, I actually believe that Rudy tells his team what they need to do, but they just don't listen to him. Why would any of his players respect what he has to say when they know he doesn't have the balls to discipline him if they defy him? When one of their players makes a bone-headed play, he needs to call a timeout and b**** at that player (most likely Cuttino Mobley) for twenty seconds. If that player does the same thing again, he should show them the end of the bench. If that doesn't work, you go to the media and publicly humiliate the player until he gets the point. That doesn't work, trade him. Once the other players see the consequences of defying the coach, they'll all get with the program. They may not like the coach, but it won't matter if they're winning. I hate to say it, but look at Bobby Knight. He's always managed to overacheive with mediocre players because he gets them to believe in the system. Unfortunately, I think Houston has gotten to the point that they need someone like that because some of their players can't get the picture otherwise. Right now, I guarantee Mobley and Francis just dismiss Rudy for what he is, just a glorified cheerleader. I don't think we're at the point we need to trade someone because we Mobley and Francis probably don't even realize they're something wrong because Rudy doesn't get in their face. If you tell Cuttino he's going to get traded to the Clippers if he doesn't get with the program, I guarantee he'll start passing the ball more.
<blockquote><hr>Originally posted by winwook I hate to say it, but look at Bobby Knight. He's always managed to overacheive with mediocre players because he gets them to believe in the system.<hr></blockquote> This is not really accurate. Knight recruited players who not only were right for his system, but who wanted to play it. Even still, Isiah feuded with Knight regarding Isiah's desire to dominate the ball in a motion offense. Comparing college coaching situations to NBA coaching situations has inherent flaws.
Funny how Indiana won their first Big 10 title in like 12 years the year after Knight left. Rick Pitino was a sorry NBA coach also. Maybe the Rockets should go after P.J. Carlesimo!! I'm sure he'll get in their face. Maybe they should get a hard-ass like Bill Fitch and have their players refuse to leave the bench to enter the game! Yeah, that's what we need.
I'm not sure about this. I mean, didn't we get rid Hamilton, Rhodes and Pippen because of their disrespectful attitudes toward Rudy and our system? Rudy might be a dumbass coach, but I don't think he's a b****.
It is inherent that when a player start making millions for what he has been doing off ability previously automatically goes to the head and makes it get BIG The majority of them know it all anyway and don't listen to most coaches.
Look, I don't think that all players would respond to a Bobby Knight style of coaching. I do know that some of the current Rockets players aren't responding to Rudy's positive cheerleader style, which isn't to say that it wouldn't work somewhere else, or that it didn't work in the past, or that it doesn't work with other players on the Rockets. It doesn't seem like Yao has a problem listening to Rudy, but Francis, Mobley and others clearly deviate from the gameplan all the time. Rudy needs to change his coaching style depending on his personel. He didn't need to scream when he had veterans like Hakeem. But the team is different now and he needs to start screaming his head off. Look at Phil Jackson. He used to constantly yell at Kobe Bryant when he played like a bonehead. Look at Kobe now. If Francis and Mobley got similar discipline, I suspect they would also greatly improve.
AstroRocket, Don't forget Vernon Maxwell getting kicked off the team. Didn't Mario Elie make a stink and get booted, too. Matt Maloney never saw the light of day after about 11 games in a playoff season. Something clearly happened to TMass, Carlos Rogers, and Cato (previous years) to land in an obvious (yet unrevealed) doghouse. To this day, I still believe Hakeem went into a luxury doghouse several times in his career.
Rudy has no problems riding on the back of role players, and he can't stand role players b**** about his coaching. Thomas Hamilton got booted simply because he said he felt he should've played in the end of a game. Zero tolerance for role players but a lot of room for the main guys. Rudy would bench Steve if he shot 1-12, but never when Francis plays out of system, repeating his isos for three times straight. It's not gonna happen. Rudy isn't up to having a confrontation with his main guys. It's not his personality.
You might be on to something. Seems like the Rudy thinks (knows) that the fans will always pick the teams "star player" over the coach, no matter who the player is, or who the coach is. Basically, the lesser evil of the two stays. And the lesser evil is usuually the "star player," not the coach. So, Rudy wont get into a dispute with Francis (or Hakeem), because he'd be putting his job on the line.
