5:00 p.m. • Thursday • Feb. 2, 2006 1st Half Hour - GM Carrol Dawson 2nd Half Hour - Broadcaster Jim Foley If someone can't record the interviews, I'll do the best I can to recap afterwards.
I think everyone who calls in should offer something to CD for Swift, like an old ping-pong table, a case of beer, coupon book, etc. If he accepts your offer, you can then deal Swift to the Bobcats for a ball autographed by Jake Voskuhl.
I'm okay with it if they're Zapp's or some other premium brand. But if they're just plain old Fritos, CD has to get something else thrown-in, like some dip. Salsa?
CD sounded like he was completely caught off-guard on the Rashard Lewis question. I think he went bigtime on the revisionist history in his response.
Just was asked to clear the air on what exactly happened with the draft and whether or not Rashard was assured they would take him.
The 610 guy told CD that the Rockets were playing the Sonics, and that they ALWAYS get 2 or 3 calls ripping the Rockets for not taking Rashard Lewis. He asked CD to set these people straight as to why the Rockets didn't take Lewis, or what happened with the promise that Lewis said the Rockets made to take him. It was basically an ass-kissing setup of "We know you're right CD... but could you clarify it". Maybe I need to hear it again ... but CD said the Rockets were trying to get to the Finals again, and were going to sign Pippen or McDyess, so they were going to have to deal that pick no matter what for cap room. He said that they were trying to win a championship again ... and that they did get back to the Western Conference Finals, but not the championship. That (1997) was before this draft (1998) though ... we haven't won a playoff series since that draft. To me it sounded like he was justifying the way they drafted b/c they did get back to the Western Conference Finals (this part I may need to hear again). He also said it didn't matter because they had to trade the pick ... but CD acted like they had one pick (#18) ... no mention of #14 (Dickerson) or #16 (Drew). I also do not think they initially intended to trade the pick ... it was only when it was clear the $$ it would take to get Pippen that they did. I still have .wav files of CD raving about Turkcan and how he would be a fan favorite in Houston after the draft, and how Rashard was good but was just #4 on his list. It all sounded like B.S. to me. I'm not even upset about that draft anymore to be honest... but come on man, just admit you missed on that one and you get some respect from me.
that's surprising, CD is usually a straight up guy. seems like after 8 years you would admit a mistake. or at least admit that trying to get back to a championship when age was finally catching up to you set this franchise back.
Well, for once we got a very revealing interview with Carroll Dawson. Very cool! I captured both interviews. Here they are: Carroll Dawson http://www.savefile.com/files/4590572 Jim Foley http://www.savefile.com/files/3700379
Thanks droxford. I took some notes on this, but this was extremely helpful. I just listened to the CD thing again ... and I'm even more convinced that he was either seriously confused or flat out misleading. "It's not that we didn't think [Rashard] could play ... he wasn't taken in the first round. He wasn't taken until the 30th, so I mean --" (610 talking head interrupts: "That's a good point - everyone passed him in the first round.") "I had seen him a number of times myself and you were going to have to wait a couple of years, and right at the time, we really felt that we had a shot to go back to the championship. We got close. I think if Charles hadn't of torn his biceps... if you remember at that time when Antoine Carr hit him, we could have beaten Utah and we would have been in the championship again." First, this is true CD ... we would have beaten Utah that year had Charles not gotten injured. Only a Jazz homer would say otherwise (2-1 series lead in a 5-game series, an 8-point lead at home in Game 4 ... Charles goes out and Utah goes on a 20-0 run). BUT ... 1) That was BEFORE the Rashard draft. 2) That was NOT the WCF of 1997... it was the first round of 1998.
Clutch, I think your taking this to seriously. To be a G.M. in the league, you have to have the memory of a cornerback in the NFL. You are going to miss on quite a few picks, and your going to hit on a few. If he were still thinking about how he screwed up the Rashard pick to this day, then he wouldn't be focusing on what he could do to help the team. He probably hasn't thought about Rashard in that way in quite awhile.
If they didn't miss on Rashard with the 3 picks, then they certainly missed by not trading Griffin for him > And... they missed on the picks. 3 times. 6 times, I guess, if you count griffin.
Clutch, Could it possibly be that he simply thinking that the way we were playing in those playoffs that had Charles not been hurt, not only would we have beaten Utah, but we would've gone onto the championship? I didn't hear it, but maybe you're taking it too literally when he meant it in a more figurative sense.
CD just dropped 100% in my eyes. Even his excuse sounds fake! It takes a big and honest man to admit to making mistakes in Professional Sport. possibly he was protecting Rudy T. The fans deserve to know the truth and CD should be hounded till he coughs up the true story.
CD really hasn't made very many good decisions for the Rockets. T-Mac practically forced himself onto the Rockets, so that was not CD's doing. CD should have done his homework on Swift. I've never been impressed with Wesley and we could have gotten more for JJ. A lot of other decisions are now hindsight decisions but other than Luther Head CD is a below average GM. Well that's my two cents
