<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"><u><font size="3">STEVE FRANCIS: UP AND DOWN SEASON</font></u> BY: MARTIN WU (TRIP) 17, 5, and 6. Those are Steve Francis? season averages for 2003-04. Compare that to 21, 6, and 6; his numbers a season ago. Then compare those to 19, 6 and 7; his career average. After you?ve done this, you?ll see how bad Steve Francis?s season has been. A year plagued by contempt, arguments with his coach, and a suspension told the story for the multi-talented point guard whom everyone loved before. Steve Francis is still loved though, as evidenced when he was voted in to start in the All-Star Game by the fans despite a horrible season. However, this love has evidently diminished in the city of Houston, as fans favored a newfound source of admiration - Yao Ming. Since being drafted first overall by the Rockets in 2002, Yao Ming shot straight into the NBA and the USA. After a successful season in which he finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, he helped the Rockets come one win short of a playoff spot. Steve Francis had another stellar season but was cast into shadows as Yao swept both the league and the fans away by storm. Talk arose that off-season about Francis having to be moved for Houston to be successful. ?Focus around the big man and you?ll win. Francis?s style does not fit with the scheme of things in the future,? people said. As Yao Ming was being featured on every magazine cover from Sports Illustrated to TIME, Steve Francis was overlooked and outspoken.</div> Read The Rest In The Exlcusives Forum
