Likes the new arena (because its wide open, like the Lakers arena). Likes JVG and Thibodeau and spent time talking to them (JVG uses languages like they use on the court... reckon he means he swears). Thinks he (Francis) will need to show leadership not just talk but on the court. The addition of Pike will mean less minutes at the guard spot and though all players want to be on the floor if it means the team is more successful then playing less isn't important. He has talked to Yao a few times and while he made a few rookie mistakes he was very mature. Thinks Yao will be stronger mentally next year and will better know the physical part of the game. Likes the unis better than last years (but kinda paused when asked about the unis...).
so i ges francis doesnt like the unis? I think they look awsome. is our arena going to have like colorful lights around the basketball court like dallas's
on the record label - isoh because on the basketball court it usually ends up in an isolation on offense or defense. he's also getting this started by himself without any major label help so he says it applies there. added the "H" at the end to make it look different. on the new arena - as newroxfan said, he compared the feel on the court to the staples center - more open. said he liked the last 4 years at westside but it's going to be alot better practicing at the arena. also mentioned how people will be able to look in and check in on the team. when asked about the on the uniforms - he said they were ok but alot better than the old ones. seemed a bit hesitant though. then charlie or whoever said something like at least it's an improvement then, and steve replied yeah i really think they're great. kind of changed his tone. on jvg - he was asked what's the main difference so far and steve replied that "coach talks like we do on the court and i'll leave it at that." said that van gundy went with him to some training camp in phoenix. on yao - talked to him a couple times. when he heard that he got cut on the head, said he had to call him up and check on him. asked about whether yao was more impressive last year then expected, steve responded that he made the usual rookie mistakes but handled all the pressure of being a #1 pick and in a new country real well. was very mature. on the rest of the west and playoffs - was asked if he kept up with the offseason moves of the nba and if he was maybe looking at the utah team and saying that's our spot now. responded with, he can't worry about what the media or people outside the team expect them to do. doesn't really matter what he thinks will happen, it only matters if the team shows up to play basketball every night. on what he wants to improve on - said longetivity, being more consistent night after night. also improving his leadership. said basketball is his focus and has been trying to improve his knowledge of the game over the summer. no rest at all. short interview but about what you'd expect 6 weeks from training. the thing with steve is we never hear about what he's doing but you absolutely know this guy will come into camp in mid-season shape and ready to go.
I really have a bad feeling about the stripes on the sholders... they should have been from under the arm to the bottom of the jersey instead...
Thank you. See..he was training! With the coach in Pheonix! But I don't know what the team and the coach using similar language is supposed to mean. I guess tougher? Or not laidback? Or more discipline?
Steve: "Hey, yo, coach, why the **** is my man ****ing knocking down three-balls. This is a bunch a ****. Why the **** wasn't this in the scouting report?" Rudy would say: "Now Steve, you know how I feel about those mean words..." JVG: "I ****in' don't know. I studied the ****in' tapes. He couldn't hit a horse's *ss last year. Now he's tearin' down the ****in' roof. You figure it the **** out."
