Some of the frustration is showing, but Rudy valiantly makes it through the hour. It sounds like he's got a touch of the flu that's going around. Fortunately the callers are a bit more tactful than the posters on here. Among the things covered are: The Dallas game (obviously). Glen Rice's status. The use of 'motivational speaking' on the team. Why use Yao in the high pick and roll? Why are the assist totals so low? How does the coach know when YM is tired? The coach's thoughts on 'pure shooters' throughout the ages. 28 MB, 1:01 http://homepage.mac.com/~echen/FileSharing3.html
Thanks for all your hard work, edc. I don't live in Texas, so I would not have the opportunity to listen to the Rudy T show otherwise. I look forward each week to your postings.
EDC Though I was able to listen to parts of his interview live, I must join in saying thanks for your dedication and effort. More power to ya!
Points Rudy made (or didn't make): 1 - Rudy was questioned directly about his innane and totally predictable pattern of subsitution and rather than answering in an intelligent and thoughtful manner, he made it be about semantics since the guy used the term "always". Never really addressed the guys question. 2 - He called the Rockets reaction to the Mav's rain of 3's a "competitive one...not a smart one, but a competitive one..." 3 - On "cracking the whip"...Rudy said "you only crack the whip when guys aren't playing hard", so he infers that he won't crack the whip for stupidity on the floor as long as players are playing with heart.... 4 - "What we needed to do was slow down and think, and that's what I tried to get them to do..." He never said how or what he did to try and get them to regain their composure!! Unfortunately, for those of us watching the game there appeared to be NO ADJUSTMENT for their ability to get open threes at will!! 5 - Rudy described the Mav's starting the 4th quarter with a 13 point lead as just "a bit of a lead". It was FAR MORE than just a "bit of a lead." He seems to mimimize the issues rather than "live in the solution." 6 - Used as an excuse that the zone defense is so completely foreign to the Rockets that when they see it in games they have no idea how to respond.... 7. Why Yao didn't get more shots in the second half...No real answer, but praised his passing, and failed to criticize the shooters for NOT taking open shots!! Did say he thught Yao was rebouding from the slump he was in.... 8. Said that Rice is not medically cleared to play yet...??? 9. Said that he advises players not to take 3's, especially when they are cold off the bench...Nobody asked him to specifically address Cat's lack of chemistry with Yao and others on the team!! 10. - Asked about bringing in a Motivational speaker, and said they have someone that helps to focus on muscle memory, and will predict responses to given situations.... 11. - Said that he thought Motivation was "overrated"!! 12 - When things were falling apart in the 3rd quarter, during timeouts, he said he talked about spacing, and that everyone was overanxious...wanted the team to "let things develop"...clearly whatever he said did not WORK AT ALL!! 13. - Said that Yao setting picks out high was a decoy, to get Yao the ball down low, and alluded that this is Yao's favorite play! 14. - On Rockets last in Assists: Basically made excuses saying that the lack of assists is due to HIS system... 15. - Talked about holding the Rox emotions in check in order to avoid foolish technicals, etc....and Rudy said that he has learned to keep his comments to himself where the refs are concerned! 16. - On Yao looking tired....said, "I thought his moves were off balance in the 2nd half", and then went on a tangent about missing Matt Bullard because of the need for pure shooters... Ultimately, nobody (including the hosts) confronted Rudy on how BAD the Rox are playing right now, and what he intends to do about it!!! We need someone from this Board to call in and read him the riot act!!!
Thanks Rox-R-Us. It sounds like rudy feels he's due for a nice pay raise and bonus this year. Hell, maybe he'll even win Coach of the Year!
I watched the T'Wolves attack Dallas zone tonight without a barrage of 3's. I also saw Minny pound it inside and use seal plays for their big men to be successful against the Dallas psuedo zone. T'Wolves have always been a team that shares the ball with each other which is why they normally kick our butt. Right now Flip is doing more with less, while rudy is doing his best Mike Dunleavy Sr job of doing less with more.
Lee, I watched - what a great game!! You're right, Wolves are beautifully coached, unselfish, make the extra pass, and don't "force" the ball. Only exception was Hudson and he was unconscious. They are missing some key players and just keep rolling along. I look at them, Sac and some others, and realize that the profound impact of the "system" and coaching. As I watched I was thinking to myself "what could Saunders do with the talent and depth we have? ...OK, it was just a rhetorical question. D R
Can anyone tell me that after this high pick and roll has been executed - how many times has Yao actually received the ball?? Our guards just use Yao to get free and either dribble more or jack up shots.
I was on hold from 7:30 (long distance from Austin no less) and didn't get on the show. I was going to rip Rudy a new one but didn't get the chance. Charlie and Rich pussied out by not asking the tough questions and so did the callers. I will be jamming the phone lines next week 30 minutes before the show starts to be sure to get on.
