Francis
Houston Rockets: Steve Francis will say that he's not feuding with head coach Jeff Van Gundy, but it sure does sound like it when he opens his mouth. "I don't feel like I let (the team) down," Francis said in the Houston Chronicle after being suspended for a game. "I missed the plane. That's it. That's what I was fined for. That's what I was suspended for. The plane left at 2 (p.m.), and I came at 2:15. So I was late, of course. I have my own (deal with a) charter service, and I was going to charter, and he told me, 'Don't come.' I could have been there way before everybody went to bed that night. So if he wanted to suspend me because that's what he felt, then hey, so be it." And Van Gundy wasn't about to back down, either. "I don't think you ever (just move on)," Van Gundy said. "Look, we totally disagree. I don't think there is any doubt about that. He's not backing down on what he thinks, and I'm not backing down on what I think. I'm not trying to minimize what Steve and I went through. The critical thing is ... what he told me on the phone, he has said that was not correct. He was trying to not let on about the personal problems. We both acknowledge that what he told me is what he told me, but now he's saying it was something else. The story changed a bit. Truly, I only know what he told me, and only he knows the truth."

JVG and a good point guard just don't mess. IMO Francis will be traded because they definitely won't trade Yao.

Playa,

Why you change your name?

JVG is doing the right thing. Coaches need to take charge of the team. The players should not run the show. Come and go when ever they please.

Great teams don't have those kind of problems. Rockets have underperformed for the last few years with a lack of diciplene.

Kicking a man down when he is faced with a problem is silly. They are going thru growing pains. Francis got his big money and wanted to go to the big game. No big deal, but IM sure the other 11 players wanted to go too. But there was a road trip to get on.

Good for Jeff! Takes a man of principle to stand up to his spoiled star. Francis got lots of love, and money when he went thru his headache thing. Not showing loyalty is not being a good team leader.

Posted by Nalod:

Playa,

Why you change your name?

JVG is doing the right thing. Coaches need to take charge of the team. The players should not run the show. Come and go when ever they please.

Great teams don't have those kind of problems. Rockets have underperformed for the last few years with a lack of diciplene.

Kicking a man down when he is faced with a problem is silly. They are going thru growing pains. Francis got his big money and wanted to go to the big game. No big deal, but IM sure the other 11 players wanted to go too. But there was a road trip to get on.

Good for Jeff! Takes a man of principle to stand up to his spoiled star. Francis got lots of love, and money when he went thru his headache thing. Not showing loyalty is not being a good team leader.

Well said. Francis has done NOTHING in this league. He is not a superstar and he ihas never even made the playoffs. He did the wrong thing and he will feel the sting.

The best thing for Houston would be to trade Francis for a good SF and a good PG and just build the team around Yao. Francis is a superstar so he should be enough to land solid starting SF and PG.

NYVECTOR, I see you never played under jeff vandummy before!

Posted by TheSage:

gogetit-playa????? hmmmmmm

No doubt.

Control freak is exactly what you call him. JVG went to the rockets because of ming. If ming can truly learn to be more aggressive he'll be the best center to have ever played this game. His skills and size for a 21 year old is remarkable in every sense of the word.

Getting Steve was a plus, but as we all know, JVG doesnt need an elite PG, because he ( JVG ) calls out every single play. hIs motive is to groom Ming into The best. If they can trade for a tough solid PF, prefably a VET, It's a wrap.

MY opion on Steve's disipline- You get paid way too much $ not to follow simple rules. You play ball follow the rules, and they pay you millions and millions of dollors, and your doing something you absolutely love doing, and taking care of your family and probably 3 other familys.

Whaaat in the hell could possibly more important??

lol! That is a good one. Yes 7 games above and they will get better. He has guys on the team that will help them.

Rockets win over the pigeons:

``It was about time,'' said Steve Francis, Mobley's backcourt partner. ``He wasn't doing anything else but playing defense, so we needed some offense from him late, and he really gave it to us.''

Franchise could've easily took over the game, instead he waits patiently for teammates to step up for the "W" in a one sided system. I can't believe franchise perpetrators say Stevie's not a team player in lack luster system...give me a break!

BTW, playa what gives with the change in names ?..is this moderator driven or what, LOL