Man......what a great day for Big Yao. Hope he's finally got it there into his head: 'You are the biggest player on the court. You need to go in and change the game. You need to be dominant.'
Man, I am so pumped up about this. Yao sounds so inspired, it's almost like Dream is "shocking" Yaozilla into a new reality: "You're dominant, no one can stop you, start acting like it!" seems to be the theme here, it's what Dream is trying to pound into Yao's head. This almost, just ALMOST makes up for the Jazz series loss. I get chills whenever I hear "Dream" and "Yao" in the same breath. I don't know if the organization had anything to do with this 1-on-1 training session they're having, but this is far and away the best PR the Rockets organization could hope for following yet another short-lived postseason. Intended or not, it will probably buy the organization some 'goodwill' from its fans long enough for them to figure out what the heck they need to do next.
It's inspiring. I hope Yao can really get what he lacks from Olajuwon. I also wish that Rox can hire Olajuwon as an assistant coach next season, then Yao can get more and more of his instructions and be a real dominatior on the court.
On the night of the loss to Utah Jazz in Game 7, Yao Ming met Hakeem “the Dream” Olajuwon (who had traveled afar to Houston) in the changing room. The legendary Rockets super star tried to comfort the Rockets #11, and the 2 agreed on their next appointment. “For this summer, (you need to) continue to work on your footwork and train assiduously.” Hakeem “the Dream” Olajuwon earnestly told Yao Ming. “I did not get my championship ring until the 10th season in my professional career. Therefore you must continue to work hard, and improve yourself every summer. (You need to) continue to develop and continue to strive hard.” But Dream did take them to the NBA Finals in his 2nd year. Leaving the legendary Lakers in the dust.
Yes I was. And am. You picture JVG as Dream's head coach in '85-'86. Do you think they would have gotten along? Do you want to guess what JVG would have said when Dream was developing a double-spin move (with an assistant coach) to set up a fall-away shot? Do you think Dream wouldn't have demanded a trade, or that he would have done all he could to get JVG fired? Look, I recognize JVG's talent, but he's always been honest about what he considers to be disciplined basketball. He measures player efficiency against what he's asked a player to do publically. If some of these Chinese media quotes from Yao are accurate it doesn't sound like Yao took the criticism "lying down". But Dream, when he was Yao's age, would have been a bigger pain in the neck even than he was. Of course in '85-'86 Ralph would have probably been the one to get JVG fired. Yesterday, Dream reiterated his mantra (roughly reiterated from my memory and his book) "You're the center, the game is about you. This is your team". That may be outdated to some people around here, but can you imagine JVG choking down that concept? Get real. Yao's improving every year, people can knock him all they want but we've got someone who may be special enough to get us a ring or two in the next seven years. If Les/Morey don't look at it that way then I think we're screwed. In all fairness JVG never had the luxury of that thought, but I (betcha' Dream too) firmly believe Yao needed a different coach two years ago. So now, as Bill Russell would snarl: "Come on big man, show me."
You're greasing my wheels, man. No one I knew (even U of H alums), or myself, or in the NBA thought Dream was the best player on that team and for good reason. Watching that Lakers series and seeing what Dream was doing, it was completely WTF? He'd always done spectacular things since he first set foot in Houston, but his performance was transcendant. IF ESPN had been as prominent then there wouldn't have been a fan outside of Chicago that would have thought MJ could hold Dream's jock. What really has got me juiced about Dream's time with Yao. Anything Dream believes, I believe. And I've always believed in Yao.
I've said it before... probably the best Rockets series I've seen outside of the championship runs. I wish they'd remaster that Lakers series from '86 and put it on DVD. You could freeze one scene where Riles is addressing the team just prior to one of the games and he's got one thing written on his blackboard. "Contain Akeem!!!" The kid from UH had morphed into a beast.
