First off major props goes out to DarkHorse. Great interview and you asked the two questions that most of us have wanted to know for some time. Eddie Griffins size and weight: 6’10” and 227lbs And what position will he play? Most of his time at power forward. I think we can all put to rest the myth that Eddie does not have the bulk to play the 4 spot. I think the real question is: with the rapid pace that his body seems to be growing (an inch and 20lbs in one year) how well will he adjust to it and will he have the stamina to battle inside for extended stretches this year in the post against NBA talent? Is it possible that we could see Mo at the 3 this year? My gut instinct tells me no because although Mo has a great outside shot his range does not extend to the arc and we all know that Rudy T likes his small forwards to be able to hit the three. Having said that there was considerable talk of Mo playing the 3 when we were still hot for C.Webb and I am not so sure that Eddie is all that great behind the NBA arc. To me Eddie just seems much more comfortable in the low post than he does away from the basket. Also as Crispee pointed out in another thread, you want your stopper and rebounder close to the basket so the offensive player can be funneled to him and also so he will be in position to rebound. With Griffins body changing and growing I am curious as to how it will effect things like his energy, stamina, balance and timing. I know you here about gymnasts having problems with this when their bodies begin to mature. If there is anyone with this type of info I would like to here your point of view on this. ------------------ Women can not fart, belch or burp...therefore they must b**** or they will explode.
Considering he doesn't even know what kind of role he'll have with this team next year, I really doubt he knows which position he'll log the most minutes at, not that the typical assigned position matters that much anymore though. Rudy T is quoted as saying Griffin is a 3 btw. ------------------
Rudy T is also quoted as saying that Griff will log some minutes at the 5. I have a hard time believing that Rudy T has not discussed (at least to some extent) with Eddie his vission for how his new star will be used. ------------------ Women can not fart, belch or burp...therefore they must b**** or they will explode.
Rudy T in the ESPN 2 interview said that Griffin is multidemsional, but is more of a 4 right now. I think that Rudy likes mismatches, and Griffin will play wherever he is needed. If I gaze into my crystal ball, I think that Griffin will play a small role this year but will be groomed to eventually replace MO T, and the Rockets will probably have to move MO T at some future point. I also think that KT is probably done with the Rockets. DaDakota ------------------ If you like RTS games, check out this one. www.frontierwars.com coming soon to a PC near you.
I don't think I'm going to cry too much if KT doesn't find much playing time... I do think that you're selling Griffin short if you think he won't play much this year. I'm not expecting 30 minutes per, but I think it's reasonable to suggest that he'll log around 25. Limited production is probably expectable, but not limited time! ------------------
Yet more proof that our "hallowed" leader conceded too soon... No, I'm not bitter or anything...really. ------------------ Well, I'm your man. I'm the bloody b*stard you wanted when you had me spawned. I'm your tool, and what difference does it make if I hate the part of me that you most need? What difference does it make that when the little serpents killed me in the game, I agreed with them, and was glad? -- Ender Wiggin
I think EG is best at the 4 but at this point in time I think the rockets will use him at the 3. I'm so glad we finally found out his height and weight. The first game I saw him I thought he was 6'9 but after the second game I was so sure he was 6'10(maybe 6'10 1/2, but I don't want to streach it) and I think he's 230(but definitely heavier than 220 as listed). I hope he does grow to 6'11 and 240-250 that would be awesome cause I think he could play some center in a couple of years. I could imagine Franchise 6'3, Cat 6'4, TRock 6'9, Mo 6'9, and EG 6'10-11? starting in two or three years, that would be on heck of an athletic team. Just my thoughts and dream. By the way I think Trock is going to fit perfect into the system after a year or two. He just seems like the perfect rocket SF player(Tall, 3point range, can handle the ball, likes to cut, looks to fastbreak, and works at defense). Just a great team player. Darkhorse, you are too awesome! You never gave up the plan to interview EG from the start and at the last moment you came through. You are the coolest! (Also goodluck with all your dates ) ------------------
EG seems like a less-scoring-more-shot-blocking Shareef Abdur-Rahim. Laconic 4/3 type player. Maybe he answers that he'll be more of a "4" because that's what Rudy told him; and maybe Rudy says "3" to the media so that Mo isn't scared off. Dunno. Anyway, I wouldn't be surprised if Mo is re-signed and traded along with Hakeem, say, to New York or Toronto. Yes, I've envisioned no-account dreamcasts before, but Mo looked into the Raptors and the Knicks last year (and they looked his way as well). Of course, such dreamcasting might place lightweight Marcus Camby or Keon Clark as our center, so, again, I dunno. ------------------ [This message has been edited by ROXTXIA (edited July 28, 2001).]
---------------------------------------- Posted by crash5179: I know you here about gymnasts having problems with this when their bodies begin to mature. If there is anyone with this type of info I would like to here your point of view on this. ----------------------------------------- I was a gymnast for 13 years... You can consider me a pretty good athlete. However, my body has been through much wear and tear. I have already had shoulder surgery(hurt while weight-lifting, but most likely caused in gymnastics). As far as my body maturing.. i havent had that many problems, the only thing would have to be my feet. When I quit gymnastics I was 5'3 feet tall and had size 13 shoes.. now im 5'10 and I wear a size 11. In my opinion though, a basketball player's body is totally different to that of a gymnast. A basketball player is long and solid, while a gymnast's is small and compact. EG should only get better as his body matures, he is already used to it changing.. but when it finally stabilizes out he will be more comfortable on the court. ------------------ BILL KENNEDY SUCKS!
Franchise2001, thinks for chiming in. Your opinion is just the type that I was looking for. I have no doubt that the more Eddies body matures the better he will be but what I really want to know is what kind of adjustments and how long it takes for one to adapt to a changing body? Just this time last year Eddie was 6'9" and 209lbs. Up to the Chicago camp a couple of months ago he had grown an extra inch and 20lbs no doubt he has probably added a couple of pounds since that camp. As a persons height and weight change so does their center of gravity, their legs have to adapt to carrying the extra weight. Is there a change in ones explessiveness and stamina while they are adapting to these changes? Someone had reported that Eddies knees had been bothering him the last week or so, how much of that is because the extra weight he has gained over the past year? If I was Rudy T I know I would hire a fitness expert and a nutrition expert to work with Eddie 24/7. At 19 years of age this is the time to address the natural changes that his body is going through to ensure it does not become a negative during the course of the year and to help ensure his stamina and strength during the basketball season. IMO now is the time to analyze every single aspect of Eddie’s growth and work out habits including his running style. Remember a few years ago when Dreams knees were so bad that he did not think he would make another season? One of his UH alum track athletes saw him trying to run one day and realized the way Dream was running was damaging to his knees. Remember he worked with Hakeem most of that summer trying to correct his running style to help strengthen and to try to preserve what was left of his knees. Imagine the benefit that Dreams knees would have received if this had been detected a decade earlier. This is just the kind of thing the Rockets need to work towards preventing now with Eddie particularly if his knees are sore now. Eddie Griffin is a multi million dollar investment and should be treated as such. Take care of Eddie and I think he will take care of us for the next couple of Decades. ------------------ Women can not fart, belch or burp...therefore they must b**** or they will explode. [This message has been edited by crash5179 (edited July 28, 2001).]
Now let's ask Rudy the very same questions: How tall is Griffin, and what position(s) will he play? btw: did Darkhorse ask Eddie if he had a nickname? If Mo Taylor performs well, I don't see Rudy ever letting an awesome shooter like that go, as long as Rudy has his eraser. Rudy will play them both; he'll find a way. And many people will yell about not have a prototypical player at every position.
One of the things I've wondered is will Eddie play more of a PF role on defense and more of a SF role on offense. As far as Mo I don't see his roll decreasing at all but I do see it being redefined. Mo has an awesome package on the offensive end and not to bad on defense IMO he just sucks at rebounding. I think Mo has great moves for a 4 or a 3. He faces the basket as well as anyone in the league and when he puts his mind to it he can back his man down in the low post. My questions for you are this: 1.Will Rudy let Mo work as a three even though he does not have 3pt range? IMO three-point range is all that Mo is lacking. 2.Do you think Mo would be a better defender than Eddie out on the floor guarding small forwards at this point? IMO even though Mo may have a little tougher time staying with the quicker small forwards in the league his defensive technique that far away from the basket is much better than Eddies. 3.What do you expect from Eddie and Mo and their roles on the team next year particularly with the new zone rules? ------------------ Women can not fart, belch or burp...therefore they must b**** or they will explode.
I think Mo should slide over to the 5 and put Eddie at the 4 when they're both on the floor at the same time. Granted Mo is not the defensive anchor in the middle that you would want, but he would have a HUGE mismatch on the offensive end against most centers. Can you imagine the avg. NBA center trying to guard him off the dribble?! ------------------
Funny you should say that since I seem to recall Rudy using Mo like that a few times last year. I am looking forward to seeing it again but with EG prowling the lane. ------------------ Houston Rockets Forever!! In Rudy We Trust [This message has been edited by Dennis2112 (edited July 28, 2001).]
My point has always been that you don't need a small forward, especially with zone. Teams without a "prototypical" small forward can play 3 guards, and they can play 2 power forwards. There are most definitely offensive systems designed for no small forwards. As for multiple power forwards, look at any team that Anthony Mason has played for. My point is saying who will play small forward is unnecessary. Rudy will call plays that suit the scorers. He will not make the scorers do things not suited to them. The role players are a different story. But the star scorers will play within their game, and there is no rule that says two power forwards cannot play with Hakeem. This is a tougher question. I can't really say. I do believe Rudy will experiment with keeping Griffin near the basket on defense, which obviously means Mo' is left to gaurd the arc, or whereever the opponent's SF is playing. The problem with Mo guarding shooters is not them driving around him; to me, it is more Mo' trying to chase them through picks. That is how the will exploit Mo', making him run through picks chasing a sleek shooter. Not all teams have those types of SFs. I doubt Mo' guards them. Griffin will have to. I honestly believe that Rudy will make a decision game-by-game, quarter-by-quarter who Griffin will cover, and base a lot of that decision on keeping Mo' out of foul trouble. Rudy will not be thinking as inflexibly as Dreamcaster, or other simplifying games (and bets) that restrict your assignments by positional number. In other words, I don't think Rudy will ever be thinking, "Damn, who is my 3 on defense." I expect the emphasis will be on making Mo a bigger offensive threat than last year. I do not think Rudy will place pressure on Griffin to be a playmaker or even as an entry to a play. We have 3 playmakers, and 4 with Dream. Griffin will not be a playmaker next year, as that screws with chemistry too much. I look for Mo to have a big year. I believe he will have the biggest offensive change, especially if we get Dream back. I look for Griffin to only play the role of opportunistic scorer and situational milking of a mismatch. Although, if that turnaround jumper is working out of the gate, we may very well make him a primary scorer when Mo sits down, much like how KT got to handle the rock early in his career. [This message has been edited by crispee (edited July 28, 2001).]
crispee: "There are most definitely offensive systems designed for no small forwards. As for multiple power forwards, look at any team that Anthony Mason has played for." This may be the best example of how Mo can or will be used next year that I have heard. I do agree that we are about to see a whole new evolution of forward here in Houston. I for one am excited. I also agree with crispee that Mo will and should be a bigger peice of the offense this year and Eddie will be a fourth option on offense at best in most situations. ------------------ Women can not fart, belch or burp...therefore they must b**** or they will explode.
