here is a link to the interview I have not listened to it yet http://houston.cbslocal.com/2017/02...e-a-better-leader-his-former-coach-chimes-in/
At this point, no one should care what this idiot has to say. He is just salty that he was rightly fired although a bit late and no other team in the NBA has given McFail a chance at becoming head coach. He was just a "clap clap" "play harder" cheer leader whose only play was:
He pretty much said it was a good idea to make Harden the point guard that he tried to make Harden play off the ball but Harden fought him on that. He thinks Harden needs to play better defense and run back after turning the ball over. Doesn't sound like he thinks Harden is a leader yet.
I can't disagree on anything he said. Harden has made big strides in leadership, but doesn't have the personality of traditional team-captain type guys.
http://houston.cbslocal.com/2017/02...e-a-better-leader-his-former-coach-chimes-in/ How surprising is what they've done so far this season? They've played well. D'Antoni has done a really good job. Giving James the ball on a steady basis, ... when I was there, he had it a lot but tried to get him running the wings, out & away from the ball because we knew the ball would end up in his hands. He fought that a little bit. D'Antoni said I'm not gonna fight it, I'm gonna give him the ball. That helped James relax. He doesn't have to run the wing, he stays in the back court, pushes it up, makes the play. Tremendous offensive player, can make all the passes. Getting Anderson & Gordon helped them. They can spread the court. They probably need one more play maker. They are reliant on Gordon, who has had health problems, staying healthy. The addition of those guys, spread the court, Capela has been getting better & better, he rolls hard, doesn't need the ball, Trevor is a great guy, great fit on any team, Pat will defend & make threes. They've done a nice job with that team & putting them in position what they do best. They need to get better defensively. They don't have a ton of guys who are known as great defenders. They can score the ball and in our league, that puts pressure on the other team. How far can they go with Harden being the epicenter of it all & the suspect defense? It'd be nice to have another play maker. They can score the ball. In a 7-game series, you can say against any team, they can get hot for 4 games and make 15-19 threes, they can make a ton & it's hard to overcome that. They'll keep scoring. James can get to the line. He can break down the defense, find people. They can beat anybody. They'll beat you with their offense. They're reliant on making shots & spacing but they're good at that. They'll have to make shots & play well offensively. Defensively, they gotta get better. If you want to become good defensively, go out & get good defensive players. They are built to score. They'll put pressure on the other team to score. If Houston is making shots & scoring & getting a little stretch on you, you get nervous but you gotta keep scoring. Offensive pressure is real. D'Antoni has always put offensive pressure on the other team he's coached against. That's what the Rockets do. From the outside looking in, has it looked like Harden has improved as a leader & team player? Uhhh I think he's trying. I really do. Again, James has to play better defense. There are times he'll turn it over & doesn't sprint back & puts his team in a 5 on 4 defensive situation. Offensively...when we got him from OKC, he was so much better than I thought he was. He's as good as it gets. Leadership, he's trying. Leadership is a strange thing. I think you're born with leadership. When things get really bad, I don't know what you say but you go out there with a resolve that people see. You turn the tide back. You might say "Hey, we gotta play better, everyone guard your own damn man" and then you walk out there & do it? The tide follows you. I don't know if you can teach it. That's in guys. James is trying. Everyone will follow him offensively. Look at the teams that win championships, your top guys gotta defend. He's getting better. That's a hard thing to put your finger on, why some are great leaders & why some aren't. I do think James is trying. After Dwight left, they had a crappy year last year. I think there was a lot of he has to improve and if they get better, it's because he got better, which he has improved.
I think McHale's comments about leadership, leadership potential, and leadership ability are pretty much dead on. again, hard to argue with much of this.
Some one sounds really bitter....... nice passive aggressive comments against Harden, D'Antoni, Beverley, Gordon and Morey.
Agree, he does sound bitter ,,, like it hurts his legacy that MDA came in and started winning so fast. "Oh, I tried to do something MDA didn't do (get Harden off ball), but he wouldn't let me...." ok, what's your point? (pun intended).
Do you know who was considered a poor leader when he played for the Celtics? Who had their work ethic and attitude questioned by their coach and GM? Who was often called out by the Celtics best player? I will give you a hint......... he walks with a limp and looks like he hasn't slept since the Reagan administration.
I don't blame McHale at all for being bitter and I don't think anyone here can deny Harden's effort level goes way down when the going gets tough. Still would want James on this team obviously. I like that McHale is being pretty candid.
people shouldnt be quick to dismiss Mchale, Those that do are a little blind. Harden is a super star but he needs to take another step up on D do be on the same level as LBJ as the MVP. Mchale's analysis is spot on.
I don't really even blame him for being upset, he got a really quick hook after going to the WCF the season before....... but if I am an NBA owner or GM, do I really want someone being my head coach if he cannot even realize he is coming across as bitter and biased. McHale, with his pettiness is exhibiting poor leadership qualities........ but maybe we shouldn't be too hard on McHale, like he said, leadership is something you are born with or without.
But Harden has to carry a huge offensive load. McHale is right. They need another playmaker(we've often said the same thing on here). Once there's less of a burden on Harden at that end of the floor, he can expend more energy defensively.
Harden may have ways to go as a leader perhaps but LMAO at McFail of all people being the judge on what makes a good leader. This puppet coach was one of the worst leaders ever as coach. He would let the players do whatever the F they wanted with no accountability. Remember last pre-season which led to the disastrous season? Yeah McFail was in charge of running that training camp. All he ever did was make excuses time and again, point fingers and make underhand comments. F whatever he says. There is very little honesty and genuineness in his comments regarding the Rockets after he got rightly canned. He comes off as one sorry loser with the petty attitude.