Unless Steve Francis learns to listen to a coach and do what he's told to do, rather than what he wants to do, he will be one of the biggest wastes of talent the NBA has ever seen. I don't know if he's too stubborn or too stupid to understand that--perhaps both.
I don't remember exactly what it was, but I seem to remember that some things seemed accurate. It's just that they were probably some rather minor things (if I remember correctly) more than a year ago, as Sherlock has also pointed out, when you had not yet joined. It seems like he has become more active since the ex-New Yorkers came to Houston.
We had this same record last year so the We a Winning team thing should have applied to Rudy as well This shows one thing about this BBS If you like JVG nothing will change that If u like Yao . .the same If U like SF . . . the same If you like this team .. u screwed cause everyone else here just wants to bash and trade
Yeah, I get tired of the skip-to-my-Lou, uh, however you spell it, I am tired of Steve. He has talent. But damn the kid is stubborn. It hasn't taken a good many other players so much time and trouble to pick up the NBA game. Why are we still asking if Steve Francis "gets it"? Isiah Thomas did what I thought he might, that is, trade for a flashy PG; unfortunately it wasn't the one I had in mind. I have found myself working out those Trades-That-Will-Not-Happen (maybe I never gave this up, but I have left it to Hottoddie to post his own and take the heat off ). While I have stated Cat is more likely to go than Steve, I don't wish it; and this team's play of late makes me wonder. Is it the unusual concentration placed on them? High expectations? Is it my imagination or are the two most inconsistent players on the team named Yao Ming and Steve Francis? Haven't the team's MVP's so far been (gasp) Cuttino Mobley (Denver game notwithstanding) and Kelvin Cato? Get me Shawn Marion, get me Elton Brand. Spend the max money on a player that earns it. Let Steve be happy taking a middling Eastern Conference team (hometown Wizards?) to the EC playoffs.
Texas Stoke, cato was the most unmotivated and undisciplined player on the team last year? he was 2nd in the league in rebounds per minute. he may be slightly improved this year, but he's mostly just playing more. giving jvg credit for his transformation isn't right considering he changed a year before jvg got here.
with what? motivation wasn't a problem for cato last year, right? he was an incredible rebounder and energy/toughness guy as soon as he entered every game. jvg didn't make that happen, b/c it had already happened. other facets of the game, like shooting way too many jumpers and hook shots , may go to jvg, but motivation was there last year no matter what cato quote you have.
I don't know about Francis, but Yao for sure will always respect his coach, whatever happens. Bad influence not-withstanding, from Yao's culture and background, he has learned to respect his senior, the elderly and being yelled at in a basketball team of NBA level (which is far superior to where he was) will not be considered a degrade. On-lookers may have a different feeling but Yao knows his place and his role, and that he will be the most disappointed by not playing well himself. Wonder why noone is posting what Yao wrote on his BBS lately? SS999
if you don't see the difference in Cato this year, then man I really don't know what to tell you. SJC is right, Cato is constantly giving credit to JVG. its been there from the beginning, the supposed sullen disintrested one of the bunch, is now flourishing under JVG, and not complained one bit. its the greatest story of the year, and you and all of the other 3 members of the JVG fan club hate it.
What is that a solution for, exactly? For the supposed drama that Rich made up? Let's see, Steve is taking fewer shots than ever in his career and passing more often. He is scoring less and not complaining. He is following JVG's demands. In short, he has completely bought into JVG's system. But we are supposed to believe he hates JVG and is trying to suck on purpose? Yeah right! Rich must have Steve confused with Stephon Marbury.
i know steve been changing. THe thing im worried about is will this guy ever get his shot back. It already i think a 1/3 of the way through the season and he is still in a slump and still getting turnover after turnover each game.
Please. Don't make it seem like Steve is playing well. He's shooting a career low FG%, and 3pt%. He's also averaging a career low asst/game and career low asst/to ratio. Dont' think he's ever averaged less rebounds either. Only two things have improved with Steve this year: Defense and effort. Other than that, everything is down. Eric Snow can give us what Steve is giving us, for half the price. Larry Hughes can do what Steve is doing, for less than half the price. If Steve is going to take LESS shots, and he's doing what JVG tells him, then he should AT LEAST be right around his career FG%. The offense isslowed down, so it's fine that he has less assists, but why haven't the TO's gone down? How long are we going to wait????????? It's over. This is it. How much more of a chance does he want? This is his 4th or 5th season I believe. PG's are supposed to "get it" after their third season. But Steve is still trying to figure out the right balance of scoring and PG play. Like I said, if he's leading this team to the playoffs, I can tolerate it. However, when we're paying him the MAX, his numbers are DOWN, and his numbers have never been WORTH the MAX, meaning we took a gamble on him improving, then who's the victim? Doesn't it bother you like hell that since he got his extension he's playing poorly? Steve needs to get his **** together, otherwise he needs to transform some other team into "eternally mediocre".
