What's the big deal. Shaq said exactly the same type of stuff on his way out of LA. He gets a free pass because he's the MDE. T-Mac isn't Shaq but he is a superstar and will go very far in helping the Rox win a championship. Superstars get a lot of leeway in every single sport. I don't care what Tracy says about the Magic as long as he brings him game to Houston.
The Francis situation and the McGrady situation are a bit different. Rockets management has dealt with the trade in a classy manner. Magic management has basically bashed McGrady by saying he wasn't the type of player to win a championship for them. I can't really blame McGrady for being pissed when he's getting bashed.
Well, judging from multiple reports, Weisbrod DID have something against him (which Weisbrod readily admitted), and McGrady did have to carry the load. And from other reports, the Magic are not that well-run of an organization. So, where's the news?
In all fairness, the Magic DON'T know how to run an organization. No competent organization could lose both Shaq AND T-Mac in their primes. Weisbrod also did bash T-Mac on his way out. I seem to recall him saying that T-Mac wasn't a franchise player, that he had bad work habits and was a poor leader. As if Weisbrod actually WANTED to trade him... laughable. This entire board hated the Magic front office in only the couple of weeks it took to back them down into the trade. T-Mac has several years of frustration to let out, and I'm perfectly happy to let him vent those feelings and come into training camp free and clear of that negativity. Remember, we've already gotten reports that T-Mac has been working out like a madman and plans on getting into the best shape of his life. What more should the Rockets (or rather, their fans) ask of the guy at this point?
While it is true that Orlando is not a good organization, I never like players or coaches bashing their former teams. I hope Jeff is correct that the tone has something to do with the venue. To be fair to pgabriel, he's not a T-Mac hater. He just hates the trade because he loves Francis. Just like some people appear to hate JVG because they love Rudy.
Before everyone here starts kicking dirt on the Magic because of what McGrady so ineloquently said, it's important to remember that the Rockets themselves aren't exactly a model franchise. In terms of player acquisition and evaluation, their history is just as checkered as that of the Magic. In fact the organizational structure in Houston is even MORE disjointed than that of Orlando - at least there's someone in charge in Orlando while here we have CD and the "mystery" committee. As for the tone of T-Mac's rant, I believe that as time passes on, more folks here will begin to see that maybe, just maybe, McGrady is not quite the "Superstar" in everything they had assumed. This will no doubt disappoint a good many here as they don't like their heroes to come with any warts.
Houston organization never badmouths any traded player, although their fans enjoy the blaming game I don't think TMac would blast the Magic if Weisbrod showed a little class after the trade.
I'll tell you something else different. McGrady forced his way out, and got traded to his number one choice. Yeah, those mean Orlando sons of b****es trading him where he wants to go, while Francis got shipped somewhere he didn't want to be out the clear blue. Yet McGrady bashes the team that yeilded to his wishes. Not only that, Orlando took a lessor cornerstone player in the process. What does McGrady have to be pissed about? He got what he wanted.
Does it really matter whether McGrady was right in his criticisms of Orlando? Even if he's completely on the money (which I don't think he is), it still isn't a classy thing to do. The Rockets have historically been a pretty classy organization, not badmouthing anyone in public; and that's from the top to the bottom of the organization. So, as a Rocket fan, I'm very unused to it and don't much appreciate it. I think it deserves some reproach. Why is it so many people want to be sure McGrady isn't criticized here anyway? There's no honeymoon; everyone gets criticized here. I don't see why a criticism should inspire questions about a poster's loyalties or agendas. No one thought themselves less of a Rockets fan when they were making up stupid BS about how Francis sucks.
Let's not get carried away here. The Magic went after the best offer they could get. The only reason TMac ended up in Houston is that he said he wouldn't re-up with other suitors; not because the Magic wanted to do something nice for him.
I think the best thing would be if someone from the organization had some serious words with McGrady in private, explaining this to him. I agree in general - it's just that if a lot of posts of certain posters go in the same direction, it makes you wonder if maybe they dislike a player so much because of, for instance, things like this, that they would not even cheer for them even though they are Rockets. I could imagine that if a player did something worse...e.g., I think I would have a hard time cheering for Sprewell or Malone if they ever became Rockets (God forbid).
You forget - McGrady is just a bit behind Francis. You see Francis was once shipped where he wanted to go, too. Or don't you remember?
He still got what he wanted. As far as will I root for the Rockets, of course. I don't hate McGrady, I just found what he was saying this morning fairly ridiculous. And I thought this was he place to post interviews and such. I guess not. But, I will always root for the Rockets. I'm really just waiting to see how this trade plays out. But if you question my loyalty to he Rockets, you should have seen me during the Barkley days. I was sick when he signed here. He was one of my least favorite players at the time, but I still managed to root for them. I find it funny that Rockets fans and McGrady tend to be acting the same way. Bashing whom they don't like, even after they got what they wanted.
