Hey, I live in the Philippines, where former Rocket Torraye Braggs just finished his tour of duty here playing for a ballclub named Ginebra San Miguel. GSM was 0-5 before Braggs arrived and replaced two previous American imports. He led the team to an 8-5 record afterwards, booking them a ticket to the semifinals, where they beat the no.1 team. In the finals, they beat the no.2 team, which had the Best Import awardee. Here's an article after Ginebra won the championship. Incidentally, this is Braggs' first championship at any level. Cacophony of Old Dictums Posted: 2:25 AM (Manila Time) | Jul. 09, 2004 Inquirer News Service I TOLD friends days before the championship that Ginebra San Miguel would win the PBA Gran Matador Fiesta Conference crown for two reasons: Torraye Braggs and the crowd. Thus, when the Ginebra Kings finally nailed their first crown on Wednesday night via a 3 games to 1 conquest of Red Bull, in the process snapping a title drought of eight years, I wasn't surprised one bit. Never mind that Ginebra had a rookie coach in Siot Tanquingcen. In fact, I considered Siot's entry a boon to Ginebra as it actually augured well for the Kings. With Siot's surprise appointment early this year that almost defied logic as it's no joke being the head coach in the country's premiere basketball tournament, the so-called "balasa muna" dictum in sports proved fruitful once more. How many times has that Filipino psyche been adopted and produced wondrous, if not miraculous, results? It made Shell champion through Perry Ronquillo some time ago; it was reprised by Purefoods a while back through its appointment of the raw Ryan Gregorio as head coach. Like Ronquillo and Gregorio, Siot provided the fresh blood in the otherwise diluted, if not polluted, flow of playing patterns that had been pulling down Ginebra for years. Siot had somehow brought back the old sting of the country's most popular ball club. Add the fact that Siot had the luck of enlisting Braggs as his import for the series. To say that Braggs typified the perfect import for Ginebra is an understatement. Braggs blended well with Ginebra's gung-ho style of play that has been the club's trademark dating back to its glorious days under the tutelage of Robert Jaworski. Braggs, to use that worn-out cliché‚ was what the doctor ordered. Tough and hard working, not to mention that Braggs was indeed a maverick. Ginebra has always been a tough nut to crack once it makes it to a championship battle because of its never-say-die attitude. The way he played in the series, it was evident Braggs had taken that reputation to heart. Always fired-up, Braggs' intensity flowed out of his ears. If an import would dive for what looked like irretrievable loose balls, like what Braggs had exhibited consistently in the playoffs, then Ginebra had one arm locked on the championship trophy even before play could begin. At times, when he got slapped a foul he thought wasn't a foul, he'd react so intensely and passionately. Mostly, all to himself, though. A true mark of a pro. That was a sign he'd dump even his ambitions to play in the NBA if only to ensure a Ginebra victory. The fear of a career-ending injury never bothered him one bit. This no-tomorrow attitude each time he was fielded in rubbed off on his teammates. I have always believed that in every import-flavored conference, the fulcrum of every team is the import. You have a good foreign material, you are 50-percent sure of the title. Oh, yes, Victor Thomas is good. But, alas, the Red Bull import didn't have the size, the bulk-call it heft-of Torraye Braggs; they are qualities that are much needed especially when the game, if not the crown, is on the line. In any championship, the size and bulk of the import will always spell the difference. Braggs had both-and more. The crowd factor, which has always been Ginebra's main weapon since time immemorial, blended well with his playing style that, whether the Kings were ahead or not at any point, the Ginebra fans would always be screaming without letup-almost. No one had dared question the power of the crowd at The Palace when the Pistons beat the Lakers this year for the NBA crown. They say that if the import is 50 percent of the team, the crowd is 80 percent of any ball club. Here's a glass to Ginebra, the king returned to a throne through a cacophony of old dictums and a masterful stroke that unwittingly produced the league's newest tactician nicknamed, rather queerly, Siot. If one Siot can shoot down a major title on his first try, gosh, we could be in for more than a joy ride.
Braggs seems like a good option, but theres no room for him if we keep howard, taylor, spoon, and pagett. Unless we can deal one of these for a center, and badaine stays in germany, we wont see braggs on our team.
I think if the Rockets can somehow move Mo Taylor, then signing Braggs as a backup would be fine with me. I'm fine with Padgett backing up Yao to, even if he is on the small side. Braggs has a nive inside game, and Padgett can shot the lights out every now and then.
are ya'll serious? oooh yeah, Torraye Braggs. The answer to all of our dreams...get real...you people get to attached to scrubs
Gotta have scrubs that hustle and play smart and know their role. We can't all be the one sided all star Dallas Mavericks that can't get out of the second round.
I had been wondering where Torraye Braggs was. I really liked him last year. I think people forget that there have been players who came to the NBA in their late twenties to contribute on a high level. Anthony Mason and John Starks come to mind. The championship Rockets brought in players like Chucky Brown and I seem to recall that Mario Elie played in the CBA some? Am I wrong?
