I dunno. The injury bug has hit us again and we haven't developed any strong chemistry and our ball movement is sometimes atrocious. In the back of my mind, those things that I realize aren't happening is why I think we won't win any title in the Tmac/Yao era. It's a sad realization for me but I"m not disillusioned to the point of losing my fandom for my Rockets. I think I've entered that fandom stage where I root for my team despite their usual shortcomings. Even be proud to stick with the Rockets while bandwagoners get off then back on depending on the team's current status. Sorta like Cubs fans and Red Sox Nation before they won their recent WS, I kinda admire their fans sticking with their team even when they stink, nevermind they span a tradition going back to the early 1900's. I admit I didn't follow the Rockets much during the ISO era, but that was terrible basketball. Seemed like that era was just a hazy blur of overrated overpaid players running around playing Clippers/loser basketball and Rudy T not knowing what he was doing anymore. Criticize the current team all you want, but it's way better then trying to follow that ISO era team. In closing, Go Rockets.
All it would take to respark my interest in the rockets is 5 to 8 wins in a row... a few blowouts and a few gutsy hard-fought wins. However, I honestly don't feel like the rox have it in them. It doesn't help that I feel like the nba is a little bit fixed. I don't think the bigwigs that call the shots would give up hundreds and hundreds of millions in revenue by letting the big teams (and big players) lose. I am still suspicious of the trade that sent Pau Gasol to the Lakers.
I don't know why you guys think that the players don't seem to care. T-Mac I understand. But the other guys are trying. Can't you see that? Why would Battier try to play through the injury when he wasn't completely healed? Why would Artest play on a bad ankle? Again, these bunch of players showed character after Yao went down last season. Why are you doubting them now? The problem is not the Rockets. It's the NBA. Stern has been leading it to a wrong direction. And the damage is gradually showing.
And for any other team's fans, there are Shaquilles, Carmelos, Joe Johnsons, Redds, Carters, Marburys, Iversons, Boshes.. You would be surprised that some fans get that effect even at Wades, Kobes.
I've also lost interest. First of all, Clyde Drexler is the worst announcer we've ever been forced to endure as long as I've been a fan. Maybe only Mike Newlin drove me to sleep as much as Clyde. Clyde isn't just terrible, he's grating on the mind. The stupid cliches, the kooky laughs at weird places during the games. The complete lack of insight to anything that's happening on the floor. The constant sucking up to Les Alexander. It is unbearable. Please bring back Calvin. We've suffered long enough. Second of all, it's become more and more clear that the TMac/Yao combination just can't get it done on a championship level in this league. TMac is amazingly used up and has always had a questionable desire to win. Yao is a very flawed player. He's never going to be the dominant center we'd hoped and even though he's better than a Rik Smits, he is too flawed a player to be a 1st option player on a championship team unless you surround him with an MVP caliber player like a LeBron or Kobe. He's too slow, he's too unathletic, and he just has too many limitations on how he can be used. The word is getting out now that if you front him, he's just unable to impact the game since he's not a great rebounder or defender. Pick and roll teams like the Jazz are going to continue to exploit Yao's lack of quickness as they should. Yao needs to be able to impact the game when he's ineffective on offense and he just can't. It gets tiresome to watch guards block his shots and small forwards take rebounds away from him and the leagues no name brigade dunking on him like he's a strawman. I'm tired of waiting around on Yao to develop a mean streak or even the type of aggressiveness that great players need to win in this league. Not only that, any time Yao hits the floor (and he falls down more than rain) we're all holding our breath to see if he's broken something again. Our season is on the line every time he falls down, that's what it comes down to and that's just a frightening deal right there. I can only pray that TMac finds the fountain of youth and that Yao is finally traded to a team that can send us solid, veteran talent in return. Golden State loves Yao, maybe they'd give us Stephen Jackson, Biedrins, and Randolph. Save us Nellie!! I can't take many more years of Les riding the Yao money train as we continue to get b**** slapped in the first round by our most hated rivals. That is just not acceptable.
It's no surprise why many people are beginning to lose interest in watching this team. This quarter was a prime example. It feels like this team always comes out flat, scoring in the mid teens to low twenties for the majority of the first quarters. Bill said the Rockets were shooting 38% for the first quarter, and I was surprised it was that high. Two airballs this quarters from guards...pretty much epitomizes our focus and intensity.
It's tough to watch this team right now. No doubt. I'm not excited in the least at watching this team underperform. I will start watching and have to turn it. Then, be lucky if I flip back at all versus just scoreboard watch. I realize we have a good team that can be a lot better...but I don't see them competing for a championship this season. Maybe get out of the first round and put up a fight in the second. I guess anything can happen. But, especially, without Tmac scoring like he used to and becoming more of an assist man...that alone has taken some excitement out of watching this team. I didn't think when we picked up Artest...that Tmac would be this much less of a factor. But, due to injury or whatever...that's the way it is. The three musketeers...one for all...all for one...nah. They are more like the three blind mice. That is why Deke has to come in and light a fire under this team's ass.
Yes. This team is exciting on paper, but distressingly underachieving in reality. Every time I think they're about to start living up to their promise, they lose to the Wizards... or struggle to beat the Bucks... or get curbstomped by the Raptors. This team has no fire, no hunger, no killer instinct. They promise so much, and deliver so little. I keep hoping for a breakthrough, but then, so does Charlie Brown.
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