Good Time To Be A Rocket Fan (No Kidding)

[CBrownFanClub]

Sure, everyone knows about our 1994 and 1995 championship teams. But who out there remembers the really bad years? Even worse, the really mediocre years?

Those were seasons where real Rocket fans paid their dues. Adversity only makes you stronger, separating the real fans from the riff-raff. I am talking about punching the name "Tim McCormick" on the all-star ballot. I am talking about rooting for Joe Barry Carroll. I am even talking about reading Wally Walker's bio in our program and thinking "oh, that is interesting." I am talking about waiting impatiently for Allen Leavell to get off the injured list. I am talking about bragging about our new star Dirk Minnefield.

This year is a rebuilding year, folks, an ugly one at that. Maybe it is time to realize this is going to be a really fun year to be a fan. Easy to sneak into the lower prom at games. Merchandise at reasonable prices. No basketball talk from bandwagoners. This year, it is time for the real deal to step forward.
Memo to the rest: Get outa here, rif-raffin' scrubs who demand wins! The real fans are ready to take the team back!!! SCRAM, SCRUB FANS, GO LISTEN TO BRITNEY SPEARS AND WATCH THE AEROS OR COMETS OR WHATEVER WINNING TEAM YOU CHOOSE! WE LOVE OUR ROCKETS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE CRAPPY!!!

Go Rockets

[thacabbage]

Rockets in 2001-2002, baby!

[CBrownFanClub]

or not, that is fine too!!! EITHER WAY!!!GO ROCKETS!

[popeye]

Chuckle,snicker. Sleepy Floyd!!! In disguise!!!

http://bbs.clutchcity.net/ubb/wink.gif

[Mulder]

Back in the day when I was young I'm not a kid anymore, but somedays I sit and wish I was a kid again... I can remember going to see the Rockets play Golden State in THE SUMMIT. Back when GS had Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullin, you know the days when Timmy had the commercial with Spike Lee sayin' "notice the ugly lack of spin and Timmy coming back with 'I got skills'. I remember that GS was killing us. Just smokin us at will. We were sitting right behind their (visitors) bench, so close we could touch them. We were begging Tim if he would let us score 100 pts for the Big mac attack. He just laughed at us. Those were the days. http://bbs.clutchcity.net/ubb/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by Mulder (edited November 22, 1999).]

[Rocket Freak]

If this is a rebuilding year why isn't Kenny Thomas getting ANY playing time at all.

If we are going to rebuild then let's get serious. I'd rather suck ass and get a lot of these young guys experience, than play Barkley and Dream all game.

What's the difference between being a lottery team and a team that barely misses the playoffs or being an 8th seed (and getting embarrassed in the first round for the third year in a row). If we don't have a shot at doing any damage in the playoffs let's scrap this whole thing and ensure an excellent pick next year.

[thacabbage]

The Houston Rockets finish up their regular season with a 2-80 record, almost assuring themselves of a Top-5 lottery pick....In another news, Chris Porter of the University of Auburn has decided to give up basketball and pursue a career in computer engineering...

Oh, the irony of it all.

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"Museum officials outside of Houston have reported an ancient artifact identified as "Rudy's Postup Plays - 1994" stolen, as of November 2, 1999...officials urge residents to contact...

[CBrownFanClub]

Trvia: When he was a Rocket, what was Mike Dunleavy's nickname and why?

[IA Rocket]

The Rockets will be back! It may not be this year but they will be back.

[thacabbage]

The Doctor. (?)

All I know is that the guy has a degree in psychology...

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"Museum officials outside of Houston have reported an ancient artifact identified as "Rudy's Postup Plays - 1994" stolen, as of November 2, 1999...officials urge residents to contact...

[CBrownFanClub]

Nope, sorry.

Damn cabbage, I was counting on you for that one.

Come on, old schoolers, this is a relatively easy one. . .

[GermanRocket]

Ok, I might be the only one, but for me, this is NOT a rebuilding year yet. As long as the season is not over and as long as there is any chance to reach the playoffs, a year is NOT a rebuilding year. Once we get to the playoffs, everything is possible. Everyone seems to have accepted it because our friend Cabbage and most others have kept repeating it over and over again, but for me, this is NOT a rebuilding year until the playoffs are out of sight.

GO ROCKETS!!!

[CBrownFanClub]

No no, look. A rebuilding year is not a lost year, nor a bad year. Bad years are what the Nuggets have, what the Clippers have, and what the Warriors have. Rebuilding years are what good teams have when they are in transition. And understand, you can still be an avid fan, an optimist, and enthusiastic and not expect the team to be competitive in the win column.

Sure, they may well get to the playoffs. But hang on, I do believe they are 2-10 right now. IT IS FINE. In fact, rebuilding is fun - you can watch something grow.

That is why those two championships were so utterly breathtaking. Unlike the Lakers of this era, or the Rockets of the past 3 years, we had not imported superstars and demanded rings. We developed. We jelled. We strategically jettisoned mediocre players and picked up flawed-but-effective role players. We watched people call Vernon a loser, then he drained the series clinching 3ptr in 94. Same with Kenny in 95. We watched Elie develop until his series clinching kiss o' death vs. phoenix. we watched sammy cassell grow up. We watched Hakeem refashion his game. We watched Robert Horry bounce back from the insult of being traded, only to raise his game. The losing that preceeded it was essential.

Those championship teams did not form in a day. They grew. Like plants except plants need Carbon Dioxide to survive, not Oxygen. The point is, the journey is 75% of the fun. Championships are no good if they fall from the sky.

That is why sitting around and blasting Rudy and Hakeem is such a waste of time. Watch, folks, we will win, but uccess is not to be measured only in one-year intervals. I would take a championship drive in 2003 over a few years near the bottom of the playoff pack (see 97 & 98). Forget the playoffs, the competition and the standings. Watch the team. Other people will have to accomodate to us, not vice versa.

CBrownFanClub

ps. Nice how I have posted like 50 responses to my own thread. Its like laughing at your own joke. Please keep in mind that the bad etiquette of the Chucky Brown FanClub in no way reflects the grasp of etiqutte of Chucky Brown himself.

[thacabbage]

Damn, that was a good post.

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"Museum officials outside of Houston have reported an ancient artifact identified as "Rudy's Postup Plays - 1994" stolen, as of November 2, 1999...officials urge residents to contact...

[GermanRocket]

I understand your point, Chucky Brown, good post. But...I guess there is nothing wrong with hoping that, while we are rebuilding, we can STILL get to the playoffs this season and once we are there, we have every chance of winning it all. I just still believe that...but I get your point.

[thedreamshake99]

I guess as fans expecting a team with Hakeem, Chuck, Francis, and Anderson to be better than 2-10 we are all bad fans for critiquing a team that has the capability to be undefeated right now.

Personally sitting through loses in the early 80's and then sitting through years of mediocrity through the late 80's and early 90's, wasn't a pinch in the ass, because realisticlly the Rox were either a bad team, or even with Hakeem, a mediocre one. But shame on us for expecting more effort.

I had the displeasure of watching the Rox trade away the best player in the world in Moses Malone. Then watch him lead a good, but not great team to the promised land, but I guess since I expect a team with Hak, Chuck, Anderson, and Francis to be better than 2-10 I am a bandwagoning, ship jumping, Lakers fan in disguise?

please quit with the shame on you routine just because someone else doesn't hold your same exact opinion.

[Stevie Wonder]

Let me ask everyone this question......Do you think the Rockets orginization will scrap this whole year for a draft pick? I don't believe they think they are rebuilding, the Rockets actually think they have a chance to win games and a championship. I guarantee you they do not approach everyday with the rebuilding process in mind, their approach is trade to get better, and competetive, That is how Les Alexander works. He wants to see results. Its useless to talk about Chris Porter or any other high draft choice because their ultimate goal is to be competetive.

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Stevie Wonder says "they call him FRANCHISE because his dunks are for sale at an arena near you."

[GermanRocket]

tds99, did anyone in this thread say "shame on you"?? Please don't make it a habit to put words in people's mouths.

[thedreamshake99]

"Get outa here, rif-raffin' scrubs who demand wins! The real fans are ready to take the team back!!! SCRAM, SCRUB FANS, GO LISTEN TO BRITNEY SPEARS AND WATCH THE AEROS OR COMETS OR WHATEVER WINNING TEAM YOU CHOOSE! WE LOVE OUR ROCKETS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE CRAPPY!!!

Well since I have stated overly that I expect that the Rox are capable of beating a Shaqless, Kobeless Lakers, The Orlando Ameachis, and the Dallas Mudricks. I suspect that some of his words are related to what I say.

Did you even read the post German???????

[kissofdeath]

Now this is a thread ......CBFC......nice post. The bad years, even the mediocre years, gave the two championship runs shape, dimension and meaning. You were preaching to the choir when you said it is all about the journey......I couldn't agree more.

We're not "America's team"...... we're not "Your Chicago Bulls"......we are underground.....and, I too, wanna keep it that way. The losing weeds out the fairweathers and I, for one, am sick of happy Hollywood endings or anything that Costas and Co. can fashion into a "story". 2-10 is even more of a reason to watch the Rockets.

Not that this matters, CBFC, but you have completely blurred the line between the optimists and the pessimists. You are one or the other -- I can't figure out which. You are either a cynical pessimist or one of the most candy-coating optimists to post here. In any event, you're hardcore, old-school, whatever...... If you're thinking of forming your own little faction -- sign me up.

[Bobby]

CBFanClub -
Mike Dunleavy was the "Chicken Man". At one point the Rockets offered free fried chicken to all fans present if the Rockets scored 135 points or more in a game. The Rockets did it three times that season, and Dunleavy made the shot that took them over the top all three times.

[Cohen]

CB,
No no, look. A rebuilding year is not a lost year, nor a bad year....

Excellent.

Altough I feel that I may have betrayed the fundamental precepts of the new CB Scram-Scrubs faction, I actually enjoyed some moments from the last game and had delusions in my head of our basketballs dancing into the playoffs.

[CBrownFanClub]

By the way, DS 99, the post was not written about you in particular, just a mindset which I think is perilously impatient.

Now I need to point out that anyone who brings up the <u>MAN</u> Moshe Malone wins big points with me. BUT, my good man, they did not trade him - he was the first free agent of some bargaining agreement or something to bolt. We did not trade him, he got the fudge out of dodge. The NBA gave us caldwell jones and some picks as compensation (charity). It was a blow, but you know, we rebuit very well. One god-awful season, one bad season, then the dream began. Then the dream punched Billy Paultz.

You're right, it was not a thrill from 1988-93, but that was an abberration of unprecedented proportions: we lost our three top guards to cocaine violations (kinda weird, actually, I would love to know the real story on that. . ). The mediocre years which followed were rough, but it was five years in which we were careful, patient, and just plain smart. The changes were not huge - we hired an assitant coach as our head coach, we pulled in some role players, and did stuff like ditch Buck "Sucks" Johnson in favor of Robert "BJ" Horry. We drafted sammy cassell. We were wise, and kept the big picture in perspective, not "we gotta get some asses in the summit seats and make the first round of the playoffs pronto." We chilled and constructed a real team around our superstar, Hakeem. The Jazz did it, the Bulls did it, and in yesteryear, so did the lakers celitcs and pistons. Itchy trigger fingers with your nucleus players get you the type of success enjoyed by all zero fans of the Golden State Warriors.

Go Rockets, it's all good; developing a new on court idenitity takes time, not impatience. Personally, given the track record of Rudy et, al, I do have faith in everything except the w/l record this year. Truth is, it does not matter.


CBrownFanClub


PS. Someone on this BBS has a heckuva lot of panache and charisma, and that person is. . .Bobby!

Nice work, you win the free wing and thigh from Grandys. Did you ever win the free chicken? Did you remember when Rick Barry (90%+ from the line) missed the free throw for chicken and the place went nuts booing him? Only Dunleavy could get the Chicken. Hence, the nickname.

[heypartner]

Best thread I've read.

Think about it everyone...the Lakers were handed Magic...the Celtics created a new NBA rule by selecting Bird a year before he graduated...the 76ers started a new era of free agency to grab Moses and go "fo fo fo" (almost).

Those teams expected to win always. Their fans were pissed at loses. The teams since who made the breakthrough all had long roads of building. Pistons, Bulls, Rockets, and Spurs. They/we all had glorious celebration, worthy of a whole lifetime of memories. Thanks for bringing some of them back to us Chucky.

Dirk Minnefield...I remember propping up Chevious.

The moment we got Francis, I bought season tickets and have sought out boards like this because THIS IS A NEW ERA. Last year with Pippen, I had a gut feeling that I wouldn't enjoy any championship from that gift nearly like the others. But this year...wow....Francis/Cato as a new nucleus to build from. I've got to be there...I can sit in my favorite seat when we are 2-10.

I can see Cato's fire, I can scream at Cato when he jumps too soon against a head fake; I can cringe at Mobley's mistakes but love his "Iso Coach, Iso" and jump out of my seat yelling Vernon when Cattino makes that "I don't believe it" reverse layup and does a high-stepping/fist pumping dance down the court; I can watch Francis see the court better, but forget to pick-up Lue and let the ball bounce up court, watch the defense fret over defending his J or drive, see which Rockets learn to fill the passing lanes best when Franchise has drawn the D., see Barkley say "I got your back" when he gets in his first fight; see all those new acquisitions play swarming D because it's the NBA, they want to play, and they're playing D with the Dream.

I can see them build an identity. from the 10th row!!! Now if I can just get my friends to pay face value for my other seat. That's the only problem with this team being 2-10. There are things to watch out there on the court. You've got to enjoy it all when we did it through solid team-building trades.

We'll be talking about Cato/Francis for a long time. Sit back, relax, and be glad we have a young PG/Center nucleus to build on. And route for wins...don't try to manufacture high lottery picks by unloaded Dream and your franchise integrity.


[This message has been edited by heypartner (edited March 29, 2000).]

[CBrownFanClub]

Thanks, mom.

[heypartner]

FROM THE ARCHIVES...

We were 2-10 in November when CBrownFanClub reminded us what a championship built from scratch feels like.

...read through this for some Rocket nostalgia from Rocket's Fans.

...even though it is March now and we are lottery bound as CBFanClub predicted...add some comments...let's remember what this season is all about.

(I particulary like my comments stressing defense and how Cato looks eager---hehe)

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The farther the Rockets move down the standings, the farther I move down the bleachers.

[BlastOff]

I think that our rebuilding has been going great, as painful as it is to watch sometimes. It's coming together albeit slowly. One thing's for sure: We'll be bah-k!

Oh yeah, YEA THE SLURS BEAT THE JAILBLAZERS! I'm going to love seeing them dropkicked out of the playoffs this year! Take that, Pimple. http://bbs.clutchcity.net/ubb/smile.gif


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5..4..3..2..1.....We have lift off! Go Rockets!

[3pointer]

This is one heck of a post ! all in all we all seem to agree that even though we are not going to make it to the playoffs we still have something rather special , we have the beginnings of a new era and sadly the end of another , the torch has been passed on from Mr. Hakeem to Mr. Francis , the beginning of something special has already started and we all get to see it from the beginning , we all get to see this baby grow and we all will enjoy it that much more when we win a championship . Our patience will be tested , true , but it will be worth it !

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Please give us an excuse to party on Richmond street once again!

[PhiSlammaJamma]

A lot of us are cringing when Mobley runs his iso play, I'm wondering what plays you used to cringe at with the old Rockets?


My Top Three:

Sampson leading the break - I used to close my eyes and pray. Yes. Pray to the Gods above.

Robert Horry posting up anyone - Please, just rattle in one of those shots.

Buck Johnson mid range jumper - Please, god, pass to Hakeem. Pass to Hakeem. Ughhh!






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humble, but hungry.

[CBrownFanClub]

thx HP, you the man.

PhiSlamma - are you out of your skull? Sampson leading the break was THE BEST. Sure, he turned it over 50% of the time, but he also used to take off from the free throw line with his one arm raised like 25 feet in the air and throw it down. how excellent. how dare you critique ralph at the point guard. He had, like Rober Reid and Allen Leavell flanking him and he just took it himself. Coast to coast. What a man.

Speaking of my man Raplph, quick little story - I was covering the Rox on opening media day 1997, i think - the year before pippen - maybe 1998. anyway, Hakeem walks in, and some scrub reporter runs up to him and says "hey hakeem, how are you changing your game this year?" Hakeem says - in his famous accent with a big grin - "this year, I am gonna be a jump shooter, that's all" and clyde sneaks up right behind him and mutters "oh - okay ralph" and they both doubled over laughing slapping high fives. none of the media folks caught it - they thought they were being laughed at.

anyway, i digress. PSJ, here are my top three horrific rocket plays to watch develop in the history of the team:

1. 1997-1999: Barkley squares up for a three
2. 199X: Major Jones lines up for a foul shot from the frigging corner of the stripe
3. 1979-80: Rick Barry sits down for an interview with Gene Peterson
Honorable mention - 2K: Matt Bullard shaking hands as team captian before tip off.

and HP - thanks for reviving this thread, i had forgotten about it. In retrospect, i think this year has been a success. Francis is clearly the deal, Mobley is clearly something else, and people are gowing fros. I am pretty much satisfied.

Go Spurs
CBrownFanClub

ps. just kidding, screw the spurs


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[Carlos Rogers]

Yeah it's a great time to be a Rockets fan......cuase we can laugh at Scottie Pippen when he misses all those bricks!!!!!! Just like the other night agianst San Antonio!!!!! lol

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Houston.....we have a problem!!!! Thomas Hamilton seems to be eating the Compaq Center......WE NEED A NEW ARENA GOD DAMN IT!!!!!!

[Mulder]

Phislamma: I know this will probably upset you but I always thought it was really hilarious when Hakeem would try to play point on a fast break. Running + Dribbling were not exactly Akeem's forte when he first came into the league. He would just kind of swat at the ball with a flat palm. We used to roll out of our chairs laughin... http://bbs.clutchcity.net/ubb/tongue.gif

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The truth is out there.

[Carlos Rogers]

I agree Hakeem did look very funny dribbling back in those days but he got his dribbling going and I recond he was the best dribbling Center in the league!

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Houston.....we have a problem!!!! Thomas Hamilton seems to be eating the Compaq Center......WE NEED A NEW ARENA GOD DAMN IT!!!!!!

[ChrisP]

I must have missed this thread the first time around. And the second time around for that matter. If it wasn't for a mysterious heypartner link in another thread, I'd never have gotten to take this little trip down memory lane (and revive it for a third time around).

I remember the lean years too and I think I appreciated the championship runs all the more becuase I'd watched the team grow together and earn their success through hard work and sheer determination. I felt like I really knew those guys. The Cardiac Kids turn Choke City into Clutch City! Wow, what a turning point but it took a lot of time to get there.

Thanks CBFC for your insightful take on the process of building a team. Kudos to you. Many on this board lately have been drooling over all the possible earth-shattering changes that could be coming this off-season. Meanwhile, I've been hoping that Rudy will take a more conservative approach this time and try to keep a core of guys together for a while so they can develop together and gel (I've actually been wishing that for the past couple of years, though I won't complain about picking up Francis). Yes, that makes for a boring summer on the BBS but should make for a more potent Rockets team down the road.

I think the success of the Drexler trade fooled a lot of people into thinking that we could continue to win championships by stocking the roster with all-stars (a tactic that requires giving up good role players). Heck, if not for all the injuries, that might actually have worked. However, when you think about it, championships are won by stellar team play and not by stellar players alone. And team play takes time to develop. I still think that if we'd never made the Barkley trade (and all the other roster shake-ups that followed), that core of players could have made it back to the top.

Anyway, I just wanted to chime in with my enthusiasm for watching the Rockets grow and develop into a champion again. Here's to hoping they quit overhauling the roster every year. Piece it together patiently Rudy and CD, I know you can do it. You've done it before.

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fan is short for fanatic - logic has little to do with it.

[moestavern19]

Hey I have been a Rocket Fan since the second round of the 1994 NBA Playoffs , I never really payed attention to Basketball before but there was something I liked about the Rockets . It was the Charisma , The Flair , It was Sam Cassell feeding Robert Horry for the Slam .it was Mario Elie hitting the big three ,Kenny Smith and his will to win and of course Hakeem in his prime taking every center in the NBA to school almost every night . Rockets Forever .

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Proud owner of 271 different Hakeem Olajuwon Basketball cards

[SmeggySmeg]

Originally posted by heypartner:
FROM THE ARCHIVES...

We were 2-10 in November when CBrownFanClub reminded us what a championship built from scratch feels like.

...read through this for some Rocket nostalgia from Rocket's Fans.



Love this classic thread and thought it deserved a comeback.

Thanks to CBFC for NOT reminding us what a championship built from scratch feels like, and thus allowing us a 9-6 record in November.




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"What is it with this girl, has she got beer flavoured nipples??"
- Heath Ledger in 10 things I hate about you

[Rockets R' Us]

What is it with you people and bringing back old threads????

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Francis out top, 9 seconds on the clock, he gives a no look pass to Cuttino Mobley, 4 seconds left, Mobley passes to an open Langhi in the corner with 1 second left! Langhi at the buzzer.......YES!!! How Sweet It Is!!

[heypartner]

what is it with you people and rehashing old threads....ie "Is it time for Rudy to go", "Mobley Sucked".

[ROXRAN]

What is it with you people reconfirming my past posts with recycled rehash? Such as: "this season is a rebuilding one and lets just have fun watching it and next year will be our time blah, blah, blah". I mean, c-o-o-o-ome on people. I mean, I understand that your posts are like the movies lately (bland, rehashed, and uninspiring). But C-o-o-o-ome on. Demmit find something to say about how MoT sucks, or Shannon just might not be worth the millions and millions he/both are due, but please just come on.

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Sometimes you gotta do the next best thing!

[Rockets2K]

Thanx for bringin this one back....I missed it thefrist and second times...

What is it with you people and bringing back old threads????

This thread is considerably better than 90% of the threads started these days it seems.
If you don't appreciate it...don't click it

It's that simple.

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Go Give Blood!!!!

[SmeggySmeg]

Originally posted by Rockets2K:
Thanx for bringin this one back....I missed it thefrist and second times...
This thread is considerably better than 90% of the threads started these days it seems.
If you don't appreciate it...don't click it
It's that simple.



Thanks R2K
Exactly why i brought it back



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"What is it with this girl, has she got beer flavoured nipples??"
- Heath Ledger in 10 things I hate about you

[IndianPlaya]

true that. it brings back the wonderful childhood memories, when i was in bombay and would order the rocket games through satellite...

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[ChrisP]

Just thought this great old thread needed another tour of duty.

Loyal Rocket fans have paid dues by watching, cheering and jeering the rebuilding effort and now many feel we've just turned the corner in a big way. It's the process of watching the team build to the championship level that makes the championship itself so special. I have been thoroughly enjoying watching this happen the past couple of years and I think we're going to be back to perennial playoff contenders in no time with this great nucleus of young talent.

It's a great time to be a basketball fan in Houston!! (that includes the league leading Comets, y'all!)

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