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Tomjanovich steps asideJonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle is reporting that Rockets head coach Rudy Tomjanovich will be taking a leave of absence from the team while he undergoes treatment for bladder cancer. "After having about a week or so to process all the things that have happened, talking to the doctors, talking to Les (Alexander, the Rockets' owner), we're all in agreement that the best thing for me personally is to take a leave of absence," Tomjanovich said. "The way I feel about that too, I believe it's the best thing for the team. "At this critical part of the season, this team, any team, needs a coach who has got to give 100 percent of his thoughts to helping the team win. As much as I love this team and as much as I would love to give 100 percent, I know that my thoughts would be on some other things. I'm not ashamed of that. I think that's a human thing. I think most of us would react the same way. "I have high hopes of getting through this thing and really look forward to being a coach again." While the team would love to have the face of it's franchise on the bench in their final stretch towards the playoffs, they understand his health is first. "He just thought it would be a distraction to come back part-time," acting head coach Larry Smith said. "He decided it is in the best interests of the team to separate himself from us for a while, get this thing started, and stay focused on the job at hand. We know now every game is important to us. It's a playoff run. "It's tough. Coach is my mentor. I love the guy. I'm just happy he's going to be OK. That's the most important thing." Seeing Tomjanovich happy and laughing again was something the players needed to see. "It was very emotional," forward Glen Rice said. "Any time you're dealing with a situation such as his ... it's hard to deal with. One of the things to try to do and make it easier is to talk about it and be there for one another. That's what we've got to do. "To see him up and around and his gleeful self once again and understanding what he has to go through helps us a great deal as well." Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Shaq vs. Ming downplayedTim Brown of the Los Angeles Times reports: Tonight at 8:30pm U.S. eastern time when the Los Angeles Lakers square off against the Houston Rockets at the Compaq Center, it will make the second meeting between Lakers center Shaquille O"Neal and Rockets rookie sensation Yao Ming. Still, it's just another game to Shaq. "Just another game for me," he said. Shaq compares the two in his own way. "I'm the M.D.," O'Neal said during a pass through the visitors' locker room here. "I'll be the M.D. for 10 years." "M.D." stands for most dominant. As for Yao, Shaq calls him "G.C.". "G.C." stands for good center. Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Rudy-T, Rockets to address futureWhile many will be anticipating the second matchup tonight between Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming, the Houston Rockets will have other things on their mind according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. The Rockets, who are in a tight race with Phoenix for the 8th and final playoff spot in the West, are more concerned with their coach Rudy Tomjanovich. Today Tomjanovich is going to meet with the team for the first time since before their 5-game road trip and will hold a press conference. "We haven't seen him in like nine days," guard Steve Francis said. "It will be good just to say, `What's up?' to the captain. We know he's watching all our games, watching our progress, watching what we're doing and how we're doing it. We want to be able to just see him and talk to him." It is presumed that Tomjanovich will address his immediate future with the team at the press conference and at the team meeting. He is scheduled to start the topical treatment on the cancer that is lining his bladder next week, which coincides with a 6-game Rockets road trip. "It will be good just to see him and hear what he has to say and take whatever (news) he has to give us," forward Maurice Taylor said. "This is the longest that we haven't seen him. If he needs to be out for the rest of the year, he will have to do whatever he can for his health, and we'll have to do what we can about these last games. "We're definitely thinking about it. But we're not thinking about him as a coach. We're thinking about him as a person. Basketball is secondary. We want to make sure he's all right. Getting back to the team is secondary, as long as he is all right." Tomjanovich seems alright and seems to have come to grips with the reality of what has happened. "The next step is formalizing his treatment schedule," Rockets team physician Dr. Jim Muntz said. "He sounds relaxed and in a good mood. He sounds optimistic. He sounds really good. He sounds positive." Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Rockets Mar 2003 Archive
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