I think its just natural to have rivalries but I agree I don't hate Francis or T-Mac and want both of them to play great, except when and if Francis plays against the Rockets.
So, what type of lunchbox does Francis carry while sitting on the bench for 3 seasons? I don't actually dislike Francis, but I wish people would do the math regarding T-Mac and Francis over the last 4 years. National media agree that we absolutely ROBBED the Magic in that trade. T-Mac has been an allstar the last 4 years and he has carried our team to the playoffs several times when Yao has been hurt. Francis HAS HARDLY EVEN PLAYED the last 4 years. What gives? Sentimentality is one thing, but this is ridiculous.
I agree T-Mac is a far better player than Francis now and was the far better player in 2004. What bothers me though about a lot of this though is there does seem to be a ridiculous amount of Francis hate at times and I think those of us who like Francis as a player and a person get annoyed by it.
Amazing people give TMac a pass on quitting in Orlando then come around and Dog Francis for playing with the same Orlando team/management [Which was d*mn good until WeisB*tch traded away a-league talent for d-league b*tch. . i.e. Mobley for Christie. . . they were storming into the playoffs before that trade] Put Tmac on the Marbury Knicks and see what he can do [people seems to clown the Marbury /Thomas knicks but expect Francis to flourish there . .. when no one else did] Rocket River hilarious
Let's see Mcgrady quit on Orlando but you still love him. Steve skipped a flight (not a game), for a road trip but he's the quitter. and let me ask this: How can you quit a job before you've agreed to work for them and never have even ever showed up to work? Sorry but you can't quit on a team that you never even played with, just as you can't quit a job you've never even showen up for. Given Tracy a free pass on being lazy and quitter with no passion is calling the kettle black. The last thing is a least everyone that watched a Rockets game while Steve was here never argues that he left it all on the court, the same CAN'T be said for Tracy.
No it has nothing to do with who was drafted before or after Steve. Im just saying anyone who gets picked 2nd overall should have high expectations. Steve has had a decent career, moreso early on then lately. My point is for the career he has had, it should not be considered overachieving since he was so highly drafted. For example, you can say Cat overachieved. His career far exceeded what should be expected of a second round pick. Steve's career has not exceeded what should be expected of the second overall pick so therefore he isnt an overachiever. Im not saying Mcgrady is an overachiever either. Being picked #9 he should have been expected to have a good career. I just think its ridiculous that so many people here overblow Mcgrady's flaws (injuries and lack of playoff success) yet overlook Francis' flaws (injureis and lack of playoff success)
So what do you say to the people who like Tmac. Shouldnt they get annoyed by ridiculous amount of Tmac hate. Seriously, look at this season. He was criticized for playing poorly and told he should sit out, then he sat out and was criticized for not playing. Then he was criticized for not being on the bench while injured, then criticized for being on the bench while injured and smiling during a loss. Then he was criticized for going on a road trip and called a distraction even though he played on that trip and nearly went for a triple double.
Refusing to play for the team that drafted you is quitting period. It's the equivalent to getting hired by a job and then refusing to work.
Francis' decline unfortunately was coincident with his Knicks tenure. The Knicks were not the sole cause of his struggles. There is a reason he has not been wanted on any other team. Certain players have managed to succeed individually on the Knicks despite the toxic environment. (See David Lee, Nate Robinson, or Jamal Crawford) IMO T-Mac would still have been a valued commodity around the league even if he had played for the Knicks. I agree that Francis was a remarkable player while on the Rockets, and I rooted hard for him to succeed. But there is no question that he is in a major decline and that T-Mac is and has been a much better player than Francis.
um, there has been a lot of guys who flourished in NY (david lee, nate robinson, qrich...). if francis had game, he would have played more there.
Getting hired for a job requires a agreement by two parties, If you tell someone that you won't work for them and they hire you anyways and you don't show up, can they expect to be upset? Frankly he told the guys up front that he wouldn't play for them, (before the draft) I call that being up front. I call being on a team with 12 other players, being a so called superstar having a whole city rooting for you to win and you admittly fake a injury and let your teamates down, your city down and not filling up to your end of a agreement is quitting. Tracy was rumored to be a lazy, unmotivated, and a soft player when he arrived here, and he's proved it to be right.
I bet he'd probably say this teams suxs, my back, legs, knees and shoulders hurt, I quit! or how about, I'm just saving myself for the playoffs. How about, the doctors say I'm fine but I think I have to sit for a few weeks. Either way my money would be on that not only would the team "NOT" get pass the first round, they still wouldn't even make the playoffs.
Please explain to me when did Kobe get drafted and refuse to go to that team? I don't remember hearing things Kobe saying he wouldn't go to Charlotte when they drafted him. I don't remember hearing him force them to trade him. I was only 8 then so I could be wrong.
The year that T-mac admitted he quit he averaged around 30 points that year, Steve Francis quit on a Franchise that drafted him, literally quit, told them he wasn't going to play for them. I don't care what logic you want to use if you're drafted by a team and say you're not going to go to them that is quitting and wrong. Same thing with Eli Manning it was wrong what he did. What T-mac did was wrong. What Francis did was wrong. Yet people are now trying to make legit excuses for Steve Francis not going to Vancouver. I guess it was something to do about Canada maybe T-mac should of refused to go to Toronto when they drafted him.
the reason fans love francis more is because tracy could have been michael jordan, but because of his lack of heart, hes a barely better version of vince carter
I don't believe Steve ever actually told the Grizz he wouldn't play for them. Its true, he was upset when he was drafted by them, but he said repeatedly afterwards that he would have played for them, but just didn't want to be a SG. He wanted to be a PG, and Bibby took that spot. And yes, he also mentioned he didn't know anything about the foreign country of Canada.
oh and quitting on the team you're on midseason is way worse than whatever either Kobe or Francis did.
