<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'></p> For the second time in as many days, the Rockets lacked the fortitude to handle a tough stretch. And for a second consecutive game, Yao Ming lamented what had become of the Rockets.</p> "When you are soft yourself, everything will feel tough," Yao said. "It's not because they are so tough. It's because of how soft we are.</p> "It's weird that we changed that quick. I never had that feeling. I feel like they traded me to another team, a new team I've never been on before."</div></p> Source: Houston Chronicle</p>
Re: Yao: Don't see why you'd call out Francis, especially when the issue at hand is toughness. Francis is the only one on the team who would really stand up for his teammates. He plays hard, fouls hard, and gets Yao's back when he's bullied. What more do you want?</p>
Re: Yao: [quote name='Locke']</p> Don't see why you'd call out Francis, especially when the issue at hand is toughness. Francis is the only one on the team who would really stand up for his teammates. He plays hard, fouls hard, and gets Yao's back when he's bullied. What more do you want?</p> I absolutely agree with you. Love SF3. Alston is a dumb-xxx</p>
Re: Yao: Maybe the team just needs more time with Adleman? I dunno, but at this point JVG seemed to have a better style. I guess Hindsight is 20/20.</p>
Re: Yao: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> Francis isn't Channing Frye soft, but he is mentally weak and has a false bravado.</p> </div></p> Care to elaborate on that and give some examples? I've been a Francis fan throughout his career but this is the first time I've heard someone call him soft.</p> </p>
Re: Yao: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Locke)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> Francis isn't Channing Frye soft, but he is mentally weak and has a false bravado.</p> </div></p> Care to elaborate on that and give some examples? I've been a Francis fan throughout his career but this is the first time I've heard someone call him soft.</p> </p> </div></p> Seems like a reach to call Steve soft, I've watched this guy play since he was at St. Jac and even back then he was playing his heart out. If anything I think Steve needs to go into attack mode. He's very tentative and is really not looking to shoot or attack the basket, maybe trying too hard not to step on some toes. Hopefully we can get something going tomorrow.</p>
Re: Yao: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Blurr#7)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Locke)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> Francis isn't Channing Frye soft, but he is mentally weak and has a false bravado.</p> </div></p> Care to elaborate on that and give some examples? I've been a Francis fan throughout his career but this is the first time I've heard someone call him soft.</p> </p> </div></p> Seems like a reach to call Steve soft, I've watched this guy play since he was at St. Jac and even back then he was playing his heart out. If anything I think Steve needs to go into attack mode. He's very tentative and is really not looking to shoot or attack the basket, maybe trying too hard not to step on some toes. Hopefully we can get something going tomorrow.</p> </div></p> I've observed that too. He seems too tentative at times and passed up several shots in the past two games, ones that he should have taken. Whether it's because of Adelman's influence or his own insecurity with his shot remains to be seen, but some encouragement should go Steve's way from Adelman so that he can play without as short a leash and attack the basket with more abandon.</p> </p>
Re: Yao: I don't know why someone would called Francis soft. I can see someone not liking him, but he's not a soft player.</p>
Re: Yao: I'm talking about the Francis of today, not the Francis of old that you guys are remembering. The trade from Orlando to New York impacted him mentally and it has shown in his game. He is a shell of his former self and shows occasional flashes of his old self, but generally plays weak and passively.</p>
Re: Yao: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> I'm talking about the Francis of today, not the Francis of old that you guys are remembering. The trade from Orlando to New York impacted him mentally and it has shown in his game. He is a shell of his former self and shows occasional flashes of his old self, but generally plays weak and passively.</p> </div></p> Well as I've said before I think it seems more like it's because of the system and the short leash that he has from Adelman this season that is causing his tentativeness. He can't be the focal point anymore and is expected to play in such a systemized manner that he even passes up open shots that he should take. This should improve as Adelman and himself get more confident in his game. He still attacks the basket most of the time and alongside TMac, are the only players who can take it to the basket at will and finish.</p> </p>
Re: Yao: Francis is far from being soft.....despite his bone headed turnovers during his first trip in Houston, one thing I never questioned was dudes heart.....he'd go out and give it his all every night and he was never afraid to take the big shot or drive it to the basket and be put on his ass.........me and my dad always thought that he and A.I. were the hardest working guys in the NBA....so small, but so much heart............the reason why we're soft is because Tmac is soft....I've been saying this since last season.....your leaders reflect your team and our leaders are "soft" guys....Yao puts in the effort, but there are times when he still allows opponents to push him around too much....Tmac just doesn't bring it every night......when he has brought "it" on occassions the guy is possibly the best player in the league.....for all those living in Houston you should tune into the Calvin Murphy show on 97.5 FM.......an all time hall of famer can even recognize that the guy just doesn't play with the sameenthusiasm every night...Oscar Robertson has called him out on it also......Tmac has a losers mentality and the rockets will continue to be losers as long as that guy is here........we should trade him why Yao is still young....Tmac was traded here to be the "closer" for this team and all he has to show is "13 points in 30 seconds" and the game winner in game 2 over the mavs.....get him out of Houston.</p>
Re: Yao: The way you describe TMac reminds me of Lamar Odom in LA.</p> I discussed this in the Jason Kidd trade rumors in the NJ Nets forum. Would you swap TMac for Kidd as the main pieces in a trade?</p>
Re: Yao: yes......I know kidd is older, but this team is going nowhere with tmac.....I'd take Kidd and someone else for him ina heart beat......the rockets really killed themselves by trading Rudy Gay.......imagine this team with Kidd, Gay, and Yao...along with Bonzi, James, Scola, etc........</p>
Re: Yao: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (THE DREAM)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> yes......I know kidd is older, but this team is going nowhere with tmac.....I'd take Kidd and someone else for him ina heart beat......the rockets really killed themselves by trading Rudy Gay.......imagine this team with Kidd, Gay, and Yao...along with Bonzi, James, Scola, etc........</p> </div></p> If we want a champion ring, T-mac MUST BE traded. Kidd is a good fit</p>
