I had the opportunity to go to game 7 of the NBA playoffs of the Houston Rockets vs. Utah Jazz. It was a great experience, but we lost. I was disappointed with all of the other fans, but I learned that you will always face a negative feeling and the only thing that matters is what you do to improve the situation. Tracy McGrady has been the superstar on the team and has taken a lot of heat because of his promise and losing game 7, I don’t think it is his fault, but with a collective group of the team and coach. Here are a couple of quotes from Tracy McGrady.
-Frustration
“It’s disappointing, man. It really is, It’s a letdown for the fans, for the city, for this organization. Still a lot of hurt.”
“You have no idea. You really don’t. It’s been tough to deal with. I felt real good about our chances before the playoffs started. A lot of times in my situation, for the the sixth time, it hasn’t gone my way.”
We all become frustrated for things we can and can’t control. In the beginning it could feel that our lives are over, but as time goes on your attitude starts to change. However, many times we fall vicitim to not doing anything about the situation and continue to live in the state that got us there.
– Optimism
“There’s light at the end of the tunnel. My future’s bright. This organization’s future is bright. We’re close. We’re really close. As long as we can keep our core group together and just add to what we have, I’m real excited about our chances in the future.”
It is always good to be positive. I am not saying that this is all we need to go on in our lives, but it does help. I have witnessed the “be positive” attitude to be bullshit and it can’t be the only thing someone goes by to improve themselves.
-When “Talk the Talk, Walk the Walk” goes Wrong
“It’s all on me,”
“Yeah. I said that. I’m not shying away from that. Not at all. I’m not. I said that this team that we had in the playoffs was gonna go as far as I took us. And obviously, I couldn’t give them enough. Seven games is all it was.”
“You know what, for people that really don’t know how it feels, it’s tough. It really is. I’ve come to learn over the years, when you are the best player, when you are the franchise player, (when) you are so-called superstar, you get all the credit when you win. You get the blame when you lose. And that’s just what comes with the territory of being who I am. I accept that. I don’t shy away from it. And it is what it is. It’s not gonna break me by any means. I have thick skin. What people say, criticize, say I can’t get it done. I didn’t get it done. That doesn’t bother me.”
“I always say that, I always say, ‘If I could have made an extra play ….’ Maybe if I would have started off the game like I finished the game.”
Saying that you will do something and not coming through with it has to suck. It is like that you are lying or that you can’t do the work or have the skills that you said you have. When a person fails at something they said that they can do the best thing to do is learn and change what you could of the situation.
-Can’t do it Alone, it is All About the People that Make the Team
“I think we’ve got to add a couple pieces to our team, I think athleticism at the ‘4’ position. We need more size on the perimeter. We need a backup point guard.
“Just keep believing, it’s tough to win in this league. It really is. Obviously, we got beat by a better team. People don’t realize that Utah was the best team in this league until they had a couple of injuries. We got beat by a better team.”
Even though Tracy McGrady blamed himself on losing the first round series to Utah it wasn’t all his fault. He really didn’t have enough people that had that burning desire to continue to play playoff basketball. People want to have to play and if they don’t then it is time to get people who has the drive to actually want to be on a team that has the same goals in mind. I am really curious how next year will turn out for Tracy McGrady and the team. I am wondering how is mindset will determine his play on the court.