Difference between JVG and RA is that JVG never allowed anything to be excuses - from injuries, to officiating, to schedules, to opponent matchups. He made the Rockets believe none of these mattered as long as they play to their strengths and with passion. And he always said Rockets win/lose together as a team. But this year, excuses flying in from everywhere. Officiating on Yao, tough schedules, opponents double/triple-teaming Yao (legal isn't it?), crowded backcourt, adjusting to new coach/system/players etc. JVG would never even have allowed one thought of this creep into the mind of his players. And now we get finger pointing from our two best players - TMac's "It's on You now", Yao's "We're soft" ... I think attitude change has been as big if not bigger reason to our woes this year than anything else.
Thanks for posting this.. now I know what happened to Erik Daniels... he was a victim on a struggling Sacramento team. I had wondered why he wasn't playing in the NBA.
JVG's passion for the game was infectious. It trickled down to his players and made them care much more than they would in a free-for-all system. That's the type of coach we need for easy-going, non-confrontational guys like Tracy and Yao. We need a leader to get them fired up on a daily basis. JVG did this all the time. He gave 200% and his players did the same because they felt they owed him that much. That's why you get guys from Jon Barry to Tmac saying he was the best coach they had ever played for, despite Gundy's "slave-driver" mentality. Rick Adelman doesn't do this at all, IMO.
Frustration abounds. (just figured I'd add to my post count so I can keep up with the rookies.) Check out my sig. I've never had one before.
Battier needs to be moved out of the starting line up and so does chuck hayes... Scola should be the 4 and should facilitate more of the high post offense and if they lag off of him hit the jumper move t-mac to the 3 and have bonzi at the 2... let shane play wit the 2nd unit as he's more willing to pass than attack/shoot at this point of time (i wish we still had rudy... we gave up gay then proceeded to get the meat whats the point???)... the 2nd unit plays more in the offense than the 1st unit and i dont know why a shake up in the starters is probably what this team needs
The "only reason"? So that guy Tracy McGrady had nothing to do with it? Because as you fail to point out, from what I saw, JVG and his brilliant coaching staff was never able to figure out a way to win without McGrady in the lineup, even if they could win without Yao. ... But with that said, I am starting to miss JVG a little. I never hated him like many of the people here, but his offense and some of his rotations were very frustrating to me. Still, I think he would have worked well with a lot of the talent we added this year (except for Bonzi), and I have little doubt we'd have a much better record right now (but by the end of the season, I don't know).
JVG also took over a team that was in the lottery the year before, and that had not made the playoffs in the 4 years prior to his hiring. In contrast Adelman has a team that is deeper and more talented than last year's 52-30 roster.
Remember Daryl Morey said with last years roster and Yao and Tracy playing 75/82 games together, we would have easily won 61 games (according to one of his crazy formulae). This is a 60 win team minus our additions, and with Scola, Wells, James, and Francis, this team should easily win 66 under JVG. "We're a better than 60 win team with Yao and Tracy healthy the whole season," Morey proclaimed after he took over as GM.
This just drives me nuts...he won ONE MORE FRICKEN game than Rudy T the year before.....ONE....not 4, not 5....ONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And this is with having Yao in his 2nd season...... JVG is dogmatic a good coach, not a championship coach..... Rick Adelman may not be either, but I am willing to give him time to find out....just like JVG. DD
I think Morey discounted the over achieving we did while Yao was out last year. We won ALOT more games than anyone expected during that stretch. Probably with in 2-3 games of what we could have expected had Yao stayed healthy.
Rudy had 6 years of not making it past the first round. We only missed the second round of the playoffs by ONE game. Not 4, not 5, ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what the hell is a "championship" coach. Is it just a coach who has won a championship? is so, then are you going to say that over the last 15 years or so there have only been 4 championship coaches to coach in the nba? or is it some philosophy? In which case, JVG is fairly typical. one more game is still one more game. no matter how you try to rationalize it or make an exception to avoid giving jvg any type of credit or respect...he got the rockets to the playoffs after a loooonnnngg hiatus. I know..."what did he do in the playoffs"? Unfortunately, his teams lost to better and more talented teams...which despite what you think (try to separate your fanhood), is an objective and factual statement.
i think as long as we can win 50 games, we are good for playoffs. once playoffs rolls around, think we are in better shape than JVG were coaching.
