So the true question is this.. Does Ryan Bowen play with heart?? I mean he isn't skilled at all yet somehow he hussles enough to be on an nba team, is that heart or what the hell is that category?
In regards to sports... To have heart is to never be satisfied with giving any less than your absolute best, regardless of situation. In the event that you allow yourself to lose focus and give less than your best effort, you a) realize it, b) take it to heart (no pun intended), and c) make up for it. Players like Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Steve Nash, Manu Ginobili, etc. will never or would never have been on the bench laughing and smiling while their team received a 4th quarter beat down (like Tracy has before). You notice most of those guys are champions, and all of them have at least been to their respective conference finals, which might be a clue. A guy either has it or he doesn't, and Tracy just doesn't.
In this league, the superstar player matters most. They are suppose to be the one that carries the team over the hump. T-Mac is supposed to be a superstar and so is Yao. And their performance mostly is gauged in the playoffs when the compeitition is the toughest. Again, both T-Mac and Yao have 0 success in the playoffs. Why you keep on talking about T-Mac, I didnt even mention T-Mac in my 1st reply? You can say 4th quarter collapses is an execution problem. But I would like to put it as how your players perform under pressure. Some players just dont perform well under pressure - like Alston, Head. That's why Phil Jackson or Jerry Sloan sometimes coach their teams play from behind. So their players will get use to play under pressure. And in the process, Jackson and Sloan can also sort out which player can perform under pressure. Both the Lakers and Jazz are good come back teams. Does T-Mac want to win? sure. Is T-Mac as committed as MJ or Kobe to win? No. We all know Yao is a hard worker. But T-Mac always goes by with his natural talents. A little example is T-Mac's FT. There is no way T-Mac is a below 80% FT shooter if he works on it. So, I really dont know. The Rockets problems can be a result of many things - from role players/coaching/management. A lack of heart, as we always refer to as lack of fight facing adversity is definitely one of the players' problems.
I think that is just hussle. I don't think it falls in the realm of this particular discussion. Unless some people associate hussle with having heart?
Hmmm, he didn't look like he was laughing in either Game 7 here in Houston when it matters most. Since when does someone's demeanor about an asswhoopin translate to heart? Some people reacti differently to it. Now, this definitely COULD mean he has no heart, but if you look at other situations, you would be lead to believe he does indeed have heart. He just was able to laugh during a regular season butt whoopin'. I get in trouble at work, of course I feel bad about it, but I also laugh about it. It's just how I deal with it. I guess I don't have any heart and don't put anything into my job. I don't like to watch the Rockets lose either, but b/c someone is laughing during a loss doesn't mean they simply don't care and don't have heart. Many times in the course of just a single game he'll fuss, be serious, and also laugh. Perhaps I take to it b/c my personality is very much the same way.
I use him as the main example b/c he's usually the target around here. I can use myself as an example to as I have in this thread. In regards to your point though, yeah I know, they shoulder the blame/glory. So just make it that. Tracy is a one and done guy. As I said before, call him one of many things he might be, but heartless...I just don't see it. That's why Phil Jackson or Jerry Sloan sometimes coach their teams play from behind. So their players will get use to play under pressure. And in the process, Jackson and Sloan can also sort out which player can perform under pressure. Both the Lakers and Jazz are good come back teams.[/quote] Yeah, I'm with you there. I've made some of the same comments. Not sure if it's here or in another thread. Part of execution is not panicking under pressure. Unfortunately, a lot of the Rocket players do indeed crack. Dude shoots FTs at practice. There's photos of it. I think he just goes through the motions though, like you are probably referring to. I would like to think he's working on other phases of his game. Guy has played well...you know it's coming...when he plays. haha If you knew the answer, you'd be a very wealthy man, my friend. I am with you and most of us around here that we are very frustrated with the team's inability to deal with pressure consistently. Plenty of teams lose leads. There's 82 games a season. It WILL happen. You will also hold leads, you will also come from behind to win. Just so happens, this season is not going as anticipated (they never do), and the frustration is building up for everyone. It comes out in all kinds of forms, and is pointing the finger at any possible thing. Ok, I'm getting off topic.
I don't agree with trading either as well but the over all factor is that they are not playing well together. Let me ask you this and see if you agree Tracy McGrady is by far one of the best creators when he attacks the basket agreed? Than my question to you is why so many jump shots? and the constant three pointers taken from 25ft out? also with Yao he has the biggest pick in the league ala Williams and Boozer and he doesn't use that enough. It all boils down to posessions and the higher percentage shots would be attacking the basket with Yao and McGrady. There is untapped potenial there but the ego is the issue in my opinion. He believes he is an all star on his own and his willingness to help the team for a team benefit doesn't outway his shoes and his endorsement deals. Look he has to be in the spot light to sale his shoes which require him to make espn everynight, do we honestly think he cares about assists & defense?
He's a jumpshooter, is the ony answer I got for ya. I think a common theme you see is as a player's body gets more and more worn, they resort to shooting outside more for a couple of reasons. I think the main one is to reserve their body for the post-season. Unfortunately for the Rockets and for Tracy and Yao. They have to play some outstanding ball from now on to even make the playoffs. So much for that saving the tank for then huh? :\ If you recall, at the beginning of the season, Yao came out high to set many pics or receive the ball up high. Many griped (even though we were 6-1 to begin with) that Yao doesn't need to be out that high. So what happened? They reverted to puttin him down low (where he can't set Tracy a pick), and went to the old school JVG give it to Yao offense. Then again we can't sit here and speak as if they only ran the team one way 100% of the time. They went in and out of post Yao, pick with Yao, etc. After 6-1, shots started clanking off the rim. Losing started to happen. Tracy gets hurt, tries to play, and hurts his team and himself trying to do so. He goes out, team starts hitting shots again. Winning comes back. Last couple games, shot selection and percentage drops again. Loses occur. On TMac, I don't know with him. I guess that's the gripe many have. One day he's "the man." The next he's on cruise control. I hoenstly do believe he cares about winning. And winning will get him the spotlight for his endorsements. He's been more than willing to pass if his teammates are hitting or if he's having a bad shooting night. Defense...we all know he'll only play D if he gets switched on to the other team's star, someone is trying to take the ball straight at him, or if the game is on the line. Hence, his team D sucks. If the guy with the ball isn't directly in front of him, he's not going to play D. it is a fault of his, one I wish were different. I wonder if he truly knows how good he could be if he tried on both ends as Yao does. He should be so glad he doesn't get treated like Yao does. I definitely agree with you on the untapped potential. And as you allude to, unfortauntely it really only matters in the postseason, but for whatever reason, our team can't pull through. Sucks!
You made a thread about something entirely subjective, which can't possibly be quantified or proven to be true or false, yet you're seemingly trying to counter everyone's opinion. Well, they could counter yours right back if they felt like posting as much as you have. Why ask people "how do YOU define heart" if all you're going to do is tell them they're (probably) wrong? That's childish.
If you cannot see the difference in T-mac compared to the players you just mentioned, there is no convincing you.....
T-Mac does that 1% of the time he's on the court, everyone else's game on this list is defined by what you wrote on the right of the names. Elie = Heart
Let's look at someone like Tim Duncan. He has almost the same laid-back, nonvocal, I'll-let-my-play-do-the-talking type approach to the game as Tmac. Does anyone question Duncan's heart? Of course not, even though he plays the most emotionless-looking game probably ever. Despite his personality, his trademark is his ability to win. So, having heart doesn't have to do with the fist-pumping, yelling, etc. You just gotta win games to have heart.
man, theres a quote from tmac a few years ago saying that he wanted to retire at 30 or something. thats BS. thats not heart. yea he'll get intense after a monster dunk or a clutch 3, but to me, heart is getting your ass kicked, going to the locker room and coming back out because you want to win that bad. getting stitches in the locker room and coming back at the half. for some reason, i think if tmac got knocked in the head and needed stitches, he'd call it a day and watch the rest of the game.
I think tinman posted it best with the championship pictures. In Houston, the standards are set, if you consider yourself a contender. Stevie & nem got a pass because they came after the Championship era, and they were considered rebuilding. Even so, Steve still was loved because he had the same heart, even though he lacked in bball IQ. I think Rudy-T said it best on one of the Clutch City videos. He said, and I'm paraphrasing. "You're going to have a time that you're going to be cornered (Phoenix Series down 2-0, 3-1). You can either punk out and give up (or laugh and joke about getting your ass beat by 30), or you can come out swinging and fighting. (Winning both series 4-3) IMO, that is where heart comes in.
Agreed bro he could be so much more.....he has the gift he just doesn't use it to benefit the team enough.
