Okay here is the latest last night I was at this after hours club in Houston called The Palace and guess who walks in, Eddie Griffin… Yea it’s 5’oclock in the morning and I am thinking what the **** is this guy doing out this late. Hell what am I doing out this late for that matter… for the record he wasn’t drinking and he didn’t seem high and he looked in great shape. He definitely has bulked up. Anyway so he walks right in front of me and I say hey Eddie what’s up and he acknowledges me. And I say, “So Eddie or you signing with LA or what and he says. Nah, I am going to Miami with Shaq… and I say for real and he says yep and walks off. So now I am standing at the bar with my friend and he is sitting in the booth hanging out with this hot looking girl and some friends and my heads spinning… I know it won’t rest until I go over and talk to the man. So I walk over to his booth and say I don’t mean to bug you but are you really going to Miami and he says it looks that way. And so I say why man, “I thought you were going to LA” and he says “it’s Miami and Shaq” and I say Yeah but you got Rudy in LA you know he‘s got your back. Not like Van Gundy”. And he says yeah well it’s not 100%. And I say, "You mean there’s a chance you might sign with LA" and he says yeah… It’s at this point I start selling him LA. I tell him the Lakers got a young team and how he could be a part of that for years to come. If he signs a 1-year deal next year he could re-up for the MLE… I’m a little drunk so I’m going on and on saying why he needs to sign with LA and then he interrupts me… He says, "Guess who called me today". And I’m like who and He says, “Kobe”. And I say, “Yeah what did he say.. he says, “They could use me"… and I’m so stupid if I would have shut up I think he would have told me more but I interrupt him all excited and start saying “see man you got to go to LA Grant and Malone are on their way out. And then he says, “Malone’s not coming back”. And I’m like Wow, See you can’t go to Miami… and then he say’s, “it’s not definite, sixty forty”… and I say, “What 60 % Miami and 40% LA” and he says yeah. I wanted to talk to him more but at this time I see one of his friends who looks a little annoyed so I figured I’m over staying my welcome, although Eddie seemed like he was enjoying the conversation. So I said my goodbyes and wished him well. That’s my story, believe it or not.
Whats the obsession with eddie....he screwed us over and we still act like we care. Hope he does well where ever he goes but he's the enemy now!
I think it's more to do with the fact that we are keeping up with current and past rockets in this message board. that's why we can still talk about players like eddie.
I think the major problem was the Van Gundy going with the tough guy route alienated Griffin at the wrong time. While I like Van Gundy's coaching style, like Francis and Yao, it just didn't match at that time. Hence the fallout.
I feel bad for any team that Inks him.... still in bars, its only a matter of time b4 he is back to his old ways...
Why didn't you ask him to come back to Houston. BTW, I thought Eddie was on house arrest or something like that. I remember he had to get special permission to go to NJ.
I always thought the major problem was Griffin skipping team flights and practices and shooting at people. Seems to me he had his own "tough guy" issues.
Question. Why do you WANT Eddie to go to LA so bad? Just because Rudy's there? LA, or any team for that matter, is the enemy!
Great story, Old Man Rock. Thanks for sharing. It's wild how open these guys are sometimes about this kind of stuff.
what a perfect compliment to yao he would be. rebound and blocks better than cato, can shoot (when he is feeling it) ((please no gun jokes for that one)), can play the 5. he is everything we need at PF. i can't believe van gundy hung him out to dry like that
You never went through that "rebellious" times with your parents or authoritive figure? Doing stupid things just to spite them for holding the leash too tight? i'm not saying EG was blameless, but with the amount of college student going through personal issues that I know, some time the "tough love" can really push some one into the deep end.
Other than Yao, Van Gundy is purging the Rockets of all the guys the previous regime brought to the roster. Eddie Griffin and James Posey were part of that regime. I'm pretty sure Van Gundy has tried to unload Mo on someone too, but there are probably no takers. Eddie Griffin would have been gone anyway. The off-court problems just accelerated his departure. The fact is Van Gundy wants guys on the team who he BRINGS in. These are the guys who will have his back when it comes time for contract renewal. Yao wasn't brought in under JVG, but Yao is the reason why JVG went to Houston in the first place.
Yes, I did go through those times, as we all do. But did you ever pop off a few shots at someone? Get fired from your lucrative job because you stopped showing up? I didn't. But if I did, I sure as hell wouldn't have blamed my "misfortune" on the management team that fired me. I don't have anything against Eddie. I just don't think he can pass the blame for this off on Jeff Van Gundy. Or rather, his fans can't.
Man, Eddie was a club-hoppin' fool last night. http://bbs2.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=84267 More than where he was going, the best question would've been "Say Eddie, are you violating your parole by going to clubs?" I'm not saying he was... I'm just sayin' you should've asked, accepted the beatdown, and reported back to us...
No I'm pretty sure that it strictly has to do with the fact that we invested 3 first round picks in the guy and was expecting him to do great things in Houston. Many people on the board still harbor hopes that maybe EG can come back to the Rox and fulfill some of that untapped potential. Personally, I really don't want him back until he shows that he can play like a professional and control his actions. And that's on top of him developing into a decent NBA player. He STILL hasn't shown that he can be anything more than an above average weak-side shotblocker. Every other part of his game is just average or even below average (considering the quality of PFs around the league). He's burned too many bridges in Houston. The best thing he can do it to go somewhere fresh and remember to take his medication.
I don't begrudge Van Gundy for trying to build his own team according to his own vision. That's what all coaches are supposed to do. I ESPECIALLY don't begrudge him that because the team as he recieved it accomplished nothing. If you're going to have a new coach, it's only smart to build a team to his specifications in order to maximize his own strengths. You make it sound like Van Gundy is some sort of demon only looking to fleece Les Alexander for as long as possible before he's discovered.
