Splotch of Hodge Podge

If that doesn't soak your denim cornfed britches even a little bit, than I would rather not check your vegetative pulse. Haters may dub that cheesy Hawkeye propaganda, but true-blue Iowans will feel more than a twinge of pride and a waterfall of tears just watching the first two minutes of that. Big props go to Scothawk there. As you can tell, Iowa football can't come soon enough of me. Long nights of aimless boredom inevitably lead to me watching a treasure chest full of nostalgic Hawkeye successes, and my daily bouts of "living the dream" usually just consist of me imagining myself planted among a sea of gold next fall. Though my loyal readers may be wavering in their interest, and the summertime has just begin, I think some Hawkeye football chatter is in definite order.

Besides Hawkeye football being on the cusp of possessing my brain, it is the NBA offseason for my Houston Rockets, and there are 5 main concerns that immediately spring to my mind for Daryl Morey and his brainiac crew to tackle.

1) Keep T-Mac on board (for now)- He likely won't be healthy and ready to play until January, so it's not like he'll screw up team chemistry for the 1st half of the season, when the Rockets will be defining their team and style of play. The ideal scenario would be for Houston to get off to a solid start to next year, developing a core and a foundation, so that McGrady's return would be a seamless one and the Rockets would gain that closing time scorer that they so desperately lack at this point. Next year is the final year of Tracy's massive bust of a contract, and with only half of a year in his creaky knees I don't see the benefit in trading him unless the other players absolutely abhor him. I realize my ideal scenario is highly unlikely, as anyone who watched a hobbled T-Mac limp around, hogging the ball and stalling any semblance of offensive movement or consistency, last season can attest that McGrady wasn't good for team chemistry. But saying that Houston is better without him is absurd. When healthy, he brings the explosive offensive force from the perimeter that could have pushed Houston over L.A. in the playoffs this year. I just don't see the big risk in giving him one last chance to prove himself in the last half of a contract year, when he'll likely be much more motivated than he was to start this season.

2) Keep Yao Ming- Yes, his foot injuries have been as routine as massive dumps after eating at a Chinese buffet, but the guy is Houston's rock and cornerstone. Houston is the only American home he has ever known, so besides being rash and illogical, getting rid of Yao because of his injury woes would also be unethical! I can't picture Mr. Ming getting around so easy in a place like New York. The value of a true, dominate big man cannot be stressed enough, and though there are many Rockets fans who argue that Houston is a better offensive team without Yao because they can push the ball and run the fastbreak, that is utter bullshit. Just watch the L.A. series when the shots weren't falling from three, and tell me that with a straight face. Just look at Dwight Howard and the Magic. It's such a rarity to have a large guy who you can just throw the ball into and expect a layup or free throws everytime, and Yao can be that guy when healthy. His size, his greatest asset, is also his biggest problem, however, as a man of his stature and weight (360 pounds) cannot support those quick feet of his. He only has one year left anyway, so I say Houston keeps the plan to build around the Great Wall unless another foot injury decimates next season. Then it's time to seriously look at getting rid of him, or find the Yao Ming voodoo doll sitting in Greg Popovich's office.

3) Keep Aaron Brooks!! At all costs- There have been minor rumblings of Houston looking at Steve Nash. I have one word for that-NO. Brooks is Houston's most exciting young player, and the future at the point guard position. He may be the lightest player in the league, but his scintallating range and 1st step are both rare in this league and traits that the Rockets need to embrace. Getting a washed up veteran like Nash would keep Houston competitive and competing for a spot in the Western finals, but it would heavily stunt their growth for the future and leave Houston in a similar position as Dallas is now with Kidd, stuck in an expensive rutt going nowhere. Who knows what effect it would have on Brooks, if he was still on the
team at all, and the chemistry of this team. I think they showed their heart and unity in the playoffs this year, pushing the much better Lakers to the brink and playing with reckless intensity every night. There are those who would argue that a stoic, pinpoint passer like Nash would be an instant energy boost for Houston and supercharge the other players, but either way, Houston needs Brooks!

4)Get another big man...ASAP- Houston's lack of any post depth was horrifically exposed in this year's playoffs, when 40something year old backup center Dikembe Mutombo went down with a career-ending knee injury and Yao was forced to be overworked, lacking any legitimately tall backup, and play the majority of the game. Not good for a guy his size. When Yao went down, it became like some surreal nightmare, with 6 foot 6 Chuck Hayes starting at center. I love Houston's guys at power forward (Luis Scola, Carl Landry, and Hayes), but a backup for Yao is a necessity, and I don't know how they will get one without trading some of their valuable assets. I would love a Jason Maxiell from Detroit, but I don't know how much of a center he is or what it would take to get him, as he appears to be an integral part of their future. I would even take an effective, skilled stiff like Brad Miller, though his price might be too hefty. I'll leave that up to Morey and Rick Adelman, but it's stunningly apparent that Yao needs a big man. With T-Mac not coming back 'til January, I don't see too many tradeable folks. I would consider Shane Battier an untradeable player because of his defense and value to team chemistry, as well as Aaron Brooks and Ming (obviously), maybe even Lowry because he's the only point guard backup, but other than that everyone should be looked at as a trade option for a good backup.

5) Ron Artest? Von Wafer?- Artest was only signed to a one-year deal, as Houston was hoping for a "all cards on the table" moment with the Big Three healthy and a title in the future, but with all the injuries and problems with defining chemistry and a consistent playing style, that plan obviously didn't work out. Artest was a leader all season, and a fantastic, hard-nosed defensive player who gave Houston a physical presence they had lacked before, but his offensive game and shooting were horribly inconsistent. In the playoffs, he would go from 25 points one game to 8 the next, usually with a 4-16 shooting percentage. Every player goes through cold spells and brickfests, but Artest's problem was that he didn't know when to quit shooting and just take it the basket. There were none of those infamous attitude problems or mental breakdowns he had been known for, but is it worth it to re-sign him again? I think it's a must to nab him again for another couple years, at least for next year because Houston will really lack offensive weapons until T-Mac comes back. I would beopen to not re-signing him if they could get a better offensive player, as Shane Battier can occupy the defender's role, but I haven't heard of any players yet. Stay tuned. As for Von Wafer, he may become expendable with McGrady back, but his offense off the bench was a surprising spark for the Rockets. His venomous athleticism and deadeye three point shooting were invaluable for stretches during the regular season when Houston was undermanned, and he provided a force off the bench, but he often found himself in verbal sparring matches with Adelman over playing time and his reckless, shoot-first pass-later playing style. He's a fringe player and I could easily see him leaving or getting traded, but he may have earned a spot with his instant offense. I see him being used as trade bait, but in all honesty I'd rather see him stay. I love watching him play. Stay tuned, guys...

My next blog posts will all be centered around my upcoming trip to Europe, stocked with pictures, comments, observations, and hopefully witty, entertaining stories. Enjoy!