Yup, you nailed it! 2001-2006.... I was in middle school when I started watching them and that's only because I had nothing to do on a Sunday (I think) and I had a cold. Flipping through the channels and The Houston Astros were on.... I was not big into sports and had no idea how baseball was played or the rules. But I clearly remember that game, it was Shane Reynolds vs The Mets? Maybe it was Dodgers.... But I know for a fact it was Shane Reynolds pitching. Oh it was the cubs! I remember the grass walls! Anyways, I was bored watching the game but felt cool thinking to myself "I'm watching the baseball game, I'm grown now" something special happened the next time they were on and I recognized some of the people I had seen in the first game. Bagwell and Biggio and HIDALGO!!!!!!! I was hooked and that led my interest into The Rockets (Sigh, the Mo Taylor and Steve Francis era) Been Watching Rockets ever since thou.... Don't think I've missed too many Rockets game....
Don't be a bandwagoner. If the Astros suck or don't, a fan sticks with the team. Unfortunately, too many Houstonians just don't get this.
The funny part is, you have more time to watch random sports and other things in college than any time in the future.
I am a big baseball fan so I've stuck with it. But in peoples defense, Baseball isn't exactly a riveting sport if your team is terrible. I could see how casual fans would split when times got tough. Basketball and Football are much more enertaining sports on a casual basis, but close games in a pennant chase are hard to top.
The best part about good seasons is remembering all the suck you had to endure to get there. Checking out during the down times and coming back to reep the reward is in no way "Hardcore." It is merely the pure definition of a band wagoner. That being said, the Astros need the bandwagoners to buy tickets too, because the Juice Box can really rock when there is a buzz about our Astros.
One of the big reasons I'm happy that I moved back to the area is the ability to take my sons to games. We've been to plenty of Round Rock Express games over the years and they loved it. Over the past 2 seasons, they actually sat down and watched the game and asked questions. Now, they'll get to see what it all meant there at RR. I'm already looking at the early season weekday day games so I can take them. It makes it even better that it's coming at a time when the Astros should be better and that will hopefully help them get hooked. My oldest is 9, turning 10 in Sept. I was just a year older in 1986 and I was hooked after that season.
I'm looking forward to this. The Astros were always pretty good through my boyhood, culminating in the 05 World Series team when I was a freshman in college. I stuck it out through the past 5 years going to ~5 games a season and dreaming on prospects. This is the first time I'm going to feel like I really have something invested in the success of these young guys.
This is really an important year for the front office and Crane. Expectations are pretty high compared to any year in a long time. If we see regression from guys like Dallas, Colin, Altuve, Carter and some of the new guys don't perform, and the team struggles to win 65 games, from a "fan" aspect it's gonna be ugly I don't see that happening, but for a team with no "real" playoffs expectations this is a pretty dang big year
I really hope they do well, there's nothing like having a good baseball team in town. If they get pretty good, and people stat riding the bandwagon, I can say, "I've had my gear since 2013!"
I am an Astros fan since i can remember. How big of a fan? Well, i am born and raise in Puerto Rico, and STILL and Astros fan. Only one time in the World Series, AND STILL an Astros fan. I've gone to Houston and watch the Astros 4 times. Gooooo Astrossss I love talking baseball, so guys, lets do it, lol
30+ year Astros fan. I have never paid more attention to the Astros minor league players than I have in the last several years. A lot of it is due to the excellent info posted in this forum (thanks Nick). Will be even cooler to watch them get to the big leagues, knowing where they came from.
I have to disagree. Baseball is one of the best sports to watch even if your team is doing poorly overall. This is the game where anyone can win any particular game. Even the best teams don't sweep all of the time. If you take every game for what it is, and don't try to make it about the whole season, it's plenty watchable. Football and basketball are the opposite of this. The better team will almost always win.