I thought this was the year. Sitting on my couch in far off New Jersey on June 27, 2001 I heard the news that the Rockets turned three eventual NBA journeymen (at best) into potential perennial all-star, Eddie Griffin. This was perfect. This guy can run with the best of them and all I could imagine was Stevie Franchise bouncing a behind the back pass to the Cat who in turn throws a backdoor pass to Eddie Griffin who gives a no-look dish to a lane-filling Chris We.....MO TAYLOR?????????? Are you kidding me? Why the heck did we clear all that caproom? To make nice to Mo Taylor and Shandon Anderson??? Gimmie a friggin break. This is the new NBA folks! One with salary cap restraints and luxury taxes up the wazoo! But also the one that gives a smaller market team like the Rockets the ability to compete with the likes of the Microsoft Trailblazers, the Cablevision Knicks, and the Broadcast.com Mavericks. One where the Rockets were set to compete against the likes of the Pistons (are they even still in the league), mano-a-mano, for the services of one of the games most complete players. Granted the Kings were also in the derby but for G-D sakes people, how about taking the guy out for dinner. Maybe show him plans for the new arena. Heck, we could even treat him to a round of golf at Lochinvar and show him that The Men's Club isn't an alternative lifestyle bar in San Francisco. I just don't see the reasoning as to why he wasn't even courted. Teams that had absolutely NO SHOT at him even gave him a call. What did we do? (mind you this is coming from Hakeem Olajuwon's biggest fan this side of the Mississippi...just ask my German Shephard who is named ater him). We decided to let Hakeem get us into a situation where we decided loyalty was more mportant than winning. We decided that one year of watching why Mo Taylor could barely start for the Clippers wasn't enough. We decided that we want to hear Shandon Anderson whine about not getting touches for 3 or 4 more years. And low and behold, why don't we just rename the team the Houston Olajuwons. For the 2nd time in about 3 or 4 years, we have let the big fella's (as much as I love him) feelings get in the way of winning again. Remember the draft day trade that wasnt when we could have had a couple of 1st rounders for Hakeem from Toronto? Well, now, Mr. We Pledge Our Loyalty, just might sign there anyway. Or better yet, force a sign and trade. Gee, maybe we can land Yogi Stewart and clear cap room for next year. Im not saying we would have had Chris Webber hands down. I just think that the Rockets should have made an effort instead of getting into the situation that they are in now. I just hope they are as loyal to Stevie Franchise when his contract is up... ------------------ [This message has been edited by NJRocket (edited July 23, 2001).]
On your keyboard, there a key in the middle to the very right. It might either say "Enter" or "Return" About every 100 letters or so, press that button. ------------------ "Where there is a will ... I want on it."
Good thing you didn't tell him that the enter key was above the shift key, or his next post might consist of half capital letters ------------------ Mein bratwurst has a first name, it's F-R-I-T-Z Mein bratwurst has a second name, it's S-C-H-N-A-C-K-E-N-P-F-E-F-F-E-R-H-A-U-S-E-N
You Hemingways just can't appreciate a Faulkner. Me, I'll be happy if Mantronix finds the comma and period keys.
Sorry NewbieJRocket, I didn't realize that was your first post. I apologize, but I couldn't resist And yes, that is better...I can now put my line reader away ------------------ "Where there is a will ... I want on it."
LOL Don't write off Jefferson or Collins. Jefferson could also turn out better than Eddie. You never know. ------------------
I STRONGLY DISAGREE. The Rockets were "on target" not to court Webber heavily. He wasn't coming here, or anywhere else beside Sacramento. It would have sent an even worse message to our FA's and even further confounded the situation. Having to deal with Hakeem PRIOR to signing our own or other FA's is problematic enough. Webber was simply enjoying the circuit and using competing bids as leverage.
I agree Dallas Rocket. I am hoping that is what Dream is doing as well (although the leverage part bothers me). I think he may have WANTED to go somewhere else in some ways (I think he would've preferred New York), but nowhere but Sacramento could get a deal done for the kind of money that he wanted. And a sign and trade with NY would've been difficult to accomplish. In all honesty, I'm happy that Webber went back to Sacramento. As much as it will suck playing them four times per season, the Kings finally got out of obscurity and mediocrity to being one of the best teams in the NBA -- that is ENTIRELY because of Chris Webber's arrival there. It is where he turned his career around, and I think he owed it to the Kings to stay. Anyhow, I'm getting offtopic here -- GO ROCKETS!! I think Griffin will be a 3, and MO T will be our PF of the future. I think the Rockets may have courted Webber, but it wasn't very publicised, and I think CD realized that we had no shot at him. And Rudy is a very loyal guy, and I think he wanted to keep MO T anyhow. ------------------ I'm looking for a job, so hire me "And I just have to smile and say 'well, I hope so' while I'm really thinking inside how I'd like to just strangle them and take their job."
Id have to agree with Flutie on not counting out Jefferson. Although, if he reaches his potential, he will be EXACTLY like Shandon Anderson, and defensive stopper, etc. Now I AM ready to write off Collins and Armstrong. ------------------ __ Ñ _ _ _ /_ ______ _ \ ÝÝÝÝl____| * |___ lÝÝÝÝ ¡,.-ñý¯Çi ¡,.-ñ~ñ~ñ-.,¡ `¯ýñ-.,
I realize that Jefferson could be a Pippen-like player and have a long NBA career. That wasn't my point. I just think (in response to Dallas Rocket), that the Rockets, like all of the other teams in the league, should stop worrying about loyalty and play the free agent game just like the players do. Everyone knows that the ONLY, and i mean ONLY motivating factor in a free agent's decision is $$$$$. (Unless you are talking about a veteran looking for a ring and willing to take a million dollar exeption a la Ewing). I just think the Rockets should have at least thrown their hat into the ring with C Web. Maybe a Mo T and Shandon for C Web sign and trade would have come out of it. We'll never know... You've only failed if you've failed to try!!!! ------------------
Don't forget that city lifestyle and market size are also factors in a free agent's decision. ------------------ "I look kind of dumpy. Look at my butt. And what kind of shoes do they have me wearing? At least they got the chinstrap beard right." -Kevin Garnett on the KG bobblehead dolls during KG bobblehead doll night at the Target Center
Yeah right. Griffin after one year of college is far superior to Richard Jefferson in skill level. ------------------ "Instruments are like women: After a while, you want to make love to another." - Nicolas Godin of the musical duo Air
