DaDakota: thank you for the definitive answer. seriously. as for the pippen situation...you do realize that you're saying that one play in a playoff series is the reason we lost? one play...albeit an incredibly stupid one, should never cost you a 5 game series...
there's no "if" for the playoffs next year, a-train because we'll still be a "young" team. according to some people that automatically disqualifies us from contention. i guess we have to wait until the average age is 35 or something.
You must be joking bringing this up, as if it was the coach's fault a team with Dickerson and Mobley as starters along with the over-the-hill gang couldn't beat Shaq. Rudy gets to stay as long as he wants. That's the reward for delivering championships -- going out on your own terms. It's called respect. There may come a time when I would hope that he chooses to move on - like I hoped Hakeem would do after the '98-'99 season - but I don't know that you ever forget how to coach. Maybe if he's 80 or something and still won't leave, we could think about that. This doesn't mean that I'm opposed to change, all it means is that I'd get rid of ANY player before I'd get rid of the true Rocket, Rudy T. At what price Francis? At what price Ming?
Good pigeonholing. I like it! a) is exactly my question. Can any coach do that? b) is probably what most coaches will end up doing. I totally agree that it's easier to make Yao adjust to Francis than the other way around. By now, I am pretty much resigned to the fact that changing Francis' style is next to impossible. But do we want that (changing Yao to fit Francis)? Hell, no! If the assessment of the opposite style of our two star players is correct, the better solution, to me, is to get rid of one of them and find one that fits better with the other star. The chances of solving our problem by changing the coach without changing the star players seems to be pretty slim.
Sentimentally I'm pro-Rudy T, but that said, I don't think my sentimental attachment is what makes me believe Rudy T shouldn't remain head coach of the Rockets. I just don't believe there's a head coach out there who would improve the team. Yes, I believe Jeff Van Gundy is a good head coach. But guess what ... he lost to Rudy T's team in the finals back in '94. And don't even suggest that the Rockets had more talent than the Knicks.
OK, at first I read "c" and laughed because I thought it was a joke (and a funny one at that), but your subsequent analysis is pretty good in that the offense was disjoointed. However, it can certainly be argued that this year was yet another exception because the Rockets did not know what they had in Yao until well into the season. The limited preseason did nothing and Yao was a bit slow to get a feel for everything once the season began. Yao then got better and Rudy, at the behest of Yao's talent and public sentiment had to guarantee Yao touches. The easy way to do this is "Yao gets position, Yao gets the ball" or through pick and roll. I don't really know any coach/team that would immediately develop a new offense mid-season. So, yes, there are the three roads the Rockets can take that you mentioned...but also with the added variable of fire/keep Rudy. All three can end badly and the first two can end well...it remains to be seen. What also remains to be seen is whether bringing in a new coach in either scenario "a" or "b" will be more beneficial. Actually, a fourth option needs to be brought up and seems to be one that many here favor: c. (move your "c" to "d") Keep Yao and Francis, but adjust surrounding players that will work to help ease one (or both) of their transitions to a new system (again, with or whitout Rudy being a variable). I personally think that Rudy deserves at least one more year to work something out - he now at least knows with what he is dealing. Oh yeah, now there is a PRC that both sides can despise: Yao-only fans: "the PRC (Pro Rudy Crowd) and its mentality will keep Yao from developing." Mos general Rockets fans/Americans: "The PRC (People's Republic of China) and its mentality will keep Yao from developing." Or something like that...
TheFreak: ok, so i'll mark you down as "rudy for life". that's cool. i just want to know if any of the pro-rudy crowd would even consider firing him ever, and if so, at what cost. Easy: i considered that, as well (trading one for the benefit of the others). but one altruism in sports is that it's easier to fire the coach than to fire the player(s). especially when it's a star player. Toast: so does this mean that the price for Rudy is basically whenever a better option is available? hmm. when and how would that be possible? i mean, if you listed the top 5 coaches in the nba, they are all entrenched in their jobs because of the successes they have recently had. if they haven't had any recent success, people will b**** about them being "washed up" (see: pat riley). if they have had recent successes, but get ousted anyway, people will say to "be careful" or "avoid him" because he's "damaged goods" or "has some kind of issues" (see: larry brown). and if they haven't won at all...well, you might get crucified for that (see: mo cheeks, avery johnson, rick carlisle, etc.) when looking at "who is the better replacement" you have to look at their track record with the players they had - specifically with the performance of their star players and the system that was run. of course there are other issues such as personalities, etc. however, that would be my starting point. if that coach was inexperienced, i'd look at their playing career, insofar as how intelligent of a player they were.
ok, let me call some people out: Rockets2K chievous minniefield rockbox Deckard zzhiggins r-fan-since-81 RocketGuy3 at what price Rudy???
WHAT?? How long have you been a Rockets fan? Did you even see that NBA finals?? Because if you did you would know that Pat Riley was the coach back then NOT VAN GUNDY! Any rocket fan who actually saw that final series should remember that.
If we don't improve on this year's record barring serious injuries to SF or YM, then Rudy should be let go. People use our season 2 years ago as a benchmark on our progress. I don't think that is fair because that year, there was no zone defense and Dream was playing very well. I would even argue Dream was better that year than Yao was this year. I would also argue that if it wasn't for the zone defense, we would be in the playoffs. Unfortunately, the zone is here to stay so Rudy needs to adjust. Rudy should have one more year to do something with this club. Any improvement at all would mean the playoffs for us. Although we have missed the playoffs 4 straight years, we have had only two losing season and those seasons were because of injuries. We would have been in the playoffs twice if we were in the East. This next season for me is do or die. So I'll make my position even clearer. If Rudy doesn't have the rockets in the playoff picture by the all-star break, then he should be let go for someone not on our current coaching staff. My picks would be Jeff Van Gundy or Larry Brown.
verse - earlier this season, after the Rox bungled an opportunity to foul a three point shooter at the end of the game (as I recall the Rox were up by three and the game went into overtime), you accused Rudy of lying about instructing the players to foul. Subsequently, no media or players backed up your contention, and Stevie even mentioned that another player failed to follow Rudy's instructions. But you never retracted your accusation. When you accuse a coach with a long-standing reputation for integrity of lying and blaming his players to cover up a coaching blunder, you have made your feelings about Rudy crystal clear. I take it you would be in favor of firing such a low down person, even if he were to lead his team to a championship. Right verse? To answer your question (as I doubt you will answer mine), if the Rox make as little progress next year as they did this (and I am speaking holistically, not just won loss record), I would strongly consider letting Rudy go. Without knowing all of the particulars, however, it is an impossible question to answer. I do know that if I thought Rudy would do the thing you accused him of, he should be fired on the spot.
Yeah, but he does make a good point. For example I wouldn't say that Larry Smith was a better coach than Van Gundy. I just don't see how this team could benefit by giving Rudy the axe. Twice we've been "the best team to not make the playoffs." That tells me we're pretty good but not good enough. We just need that boost to get us over the hump. Experience? Well, yeah, but we need more. All I know is that it's a sad day when Houston fans are calling for Rudy's job while San Antonio fans are celebrating Popovich's Coach of the Year award. What the ...?
Pipe, i still do not retract those statements/accusations. sorry, but i believe it, still. it may be hard for you to believe, but that does not hold great weight in my current criticisms of rudy. hell, people lie. it happens...especially in large organizations. shoot, at my job we lie all the damn time, sometimes to regulating bodies. it's just the way life is.
Sorry, I mostly just remember the cuts to OJ's white bronco during that series But consider this. The Knicks team that we beat went on to release a respectable coach in Pat Riley & replace him with Van Gundy. Did that improve the team at all? Have they done better than take the Rockets to 7 games in the final since then?
Since you asked, this is assuming Rudy has control over adding assistants and a large measure of control over offseason moves... - if we don't make a significant move in the offseason to address weaknesses with the team, such as the lack of a reliable outside shooter who can be at least OK on defense. A PF who plays like one. These don't have to be stars (although Brand would be groovy), just solid role players with experience. A backup point who's nickname isn't Moochie would be great (although we're most likely stuck with him), one who plays consistantly enough to reduce Francis's minutes. If Francis gets moved to the 2, then put a new point under SG and PF (Alvin Williams or someone who can cover up Steve's inability to guard the opposing 2)... solid, experienced role players. - if we don't add at least one guy to the coaching staff who has head coaching experience and can take over if needed. Wouldn't hurt to have a John Lucas (for Francis, etc) on the staff if we're continuing the Francis-at-point experiment. I would like someone not on the current staff to spend time tutoring Yao, Taylor and Griffin on how to play in the post- assuming we still have Taylor and Griffin. With Yao on the other side of the world for who knows how long, that may be difficult, but I hope something is done there. (that's just a wish on my part- I wouldn't fire Rudy over it) - if we don't play consistantly within a system that produces wins and/or shows great improvement playing unselfish, team-oriented ball... making the best use out of the talent we have... by the second half of the season, then I'll probably be calling for RT's head on a plate. I might hold off 'til the end of the season. That's assuming no major injuries with our key players, whoever that end's up being. I'm sure I left something out or didn't express it well, but I hope you get the idea. At least SOME shakeup of player personnel, a major addition to the staff, and clear improvement by the team by the break. Wins would be nice, too, but not as important as how the team plays. Otherwise, kick Rudy upstairs, if he'll go.
If Rudy was our coach the whole season.....then we would definitely have made the playoffs. We were lookin good.....until MR. MEAN took over. UGH. Anyways. I don't want Rudy to be fired. But yeah. He better come up with a better offensive system that utilizes everyone's strengths and has everybody involved... And has more ball movement and passing. And more wins would be nice...especially against the crappy teams of the NBA. We are one level above the crappy teams.
And that's what has to be the final analysis on the job being done by Rudy T. All of us have deep, sincere love for Rudy the man, the player and the coach. I, myself, remember watching him play in pickup games at the Wheeler Avenue YMCA. This is truly a nice guy and a great Houstonian. However, the time has finally come to discuss the issue raised by Charlie Palillo: Has time run out for the Rudy T era? The answer may just be yes. If you look at the team's performance over the past 9 years, certain disturbing facts come to mind. Despite a complete revamp of the roster, the Rockets have fallen into a rut of mediocrity highlighted by their missing the playoffs for 4 consecutive seasons. This puts them in the company of teams the like of Cleveland, Golden State, Denver and Memphis. During this time the Rockets have been "passed" by first Dallas and now Phoenix with Seattle waiting in the wings. Even SA has recharged its roster with good young players while the Rockets efforts at doing so have floundered. This has occurred despite the best efforts of Rudy, Carrol and the rest of the Rocket organization. Even landing the number 1 pick and Yao Ming did not change the outcome. The one constant during this time has been Rudy as coach. He's a great coach but his style of coaching does not appear to work with today's talent-rich fundamentally-poor NBA athletes or in today's league. This team is loaded to the gills with players who can run like deer, dunk like fools and jump right out of the gym. They can do everything but play winning team basketball. Rudy's system provides neither the structure nor impetus for melding these guys into a cohesive winning team. Under Rudy, the Rockets are not a team that poses problems to their opponents - no one "fears" the Rockets. They are not a defensive "monster" that can shut you down. Nor can the Rockets be described as a fearsome offensive force ala Dallas, LA & Sac. In fact, the BEST that can be said about them is that they exhibit occasional flashes of brilliance which is the hallmark of a mediocre team. How many times this year did anyone hear the Rockets described as a"well-coached" and "smart" basketball team? The reason (or blame) must rest with the head coach and his system. I realize that this is not fair but it's the nature of the beast. To be a champion means paying the high price demanded of champions - doing the things necessary to improve and win. Other teams have realized this and accepted the challenge. Other teams, perhaps, but not the Rockets and Rudy. He appears to be playing out the string and appears to have become weary of the chase. This team feeds off that which is why they are so very good at providing "excuses" and justifications for their shortcomings. If Rudy is to be let go, it has to be due to this situation more than anything else. This is a team going nowhere with a coach who is helpless to prevent them from racking up a 5th straight year out of the playoffs.
