Here, at clutchfans, we're more about team, and winning, then we are about rooting for individual players. If the Rox can win a championship because Asik mans the bench--then let Asik man the bench. Asik is getting paid $8 this year, $15 million next year, he get's to play a sport and travel the country for a living: talk about unhappiness!
It's not any weirder to be a fan of players than a fan of a team. I mean what does it mean to still be a fan of a team when the entire roster turns over? It's literally a different team - what exactly are you a fan of? And most people pick a team to follow simply because they coincidentally happen to live in a particular city. Seems pretty arbitrary to me, has nothing to do with character or personality or good feeling.
Umm yeah it is weirder....if you're a LOF or a fan of Omer and not the Rockets and he has a good game but the Rockets lose by twenty what is the point? I'm a Houston Rockets fan....if a favorite Rocket gets traded I may still follow his career a bit but I didnt jump to the Raptors because Hakeem was there. It's not literally a different team...it's the Rockets. With your reasoning I shouldn't be a fan because we don't have the same roster we had in 1977 when I started following the team. We don't have the same roster we had in 2008 so everyone should just scatter and cherry pick a few players on different teams to follow. Stupid.
Lin generates excitement. His name is one of the most recognizable on the entire roster, both to fans and even the general public who don't follow basketball regularly. Like Tebow, he's one of America's golden boys and they share a similar following. Together with Dwight (and possibly Parsons, but just for the looks, no homo) the celebrity power and magnetism has reached 2012-13 Laker-esque proportions... and that's what Alexander wants to usher in the new season. Also, to answer your question, it's likely he thinks Lin is still reaching his potential and is curious to see how he plays with Howard.
You can be a fan of whatever you want. My point is that to be a sports fan/fanatic of any kind, is objectively ridiculous and arbitrary to begin with. You're just trying to draw a line in the sand to require that other people think the same way as you. For me, I stop being fans of a franchise once the team turns over, because the name on the front of a jersey is not what personally gets me into sports. It's rooting for a good group of guys that has a good story and plays the right way.
I hope he stays too, but not because I feel sorry for him. About a year ago, this guy was a bench player that only hardcore NBA fans knew about outside of Chicago. Now, he's 25 million richer...a contract no other team in the NBA...INCLUDING CHICAGO....was ready to offer him. He got a year as a starter on a playoff team. And now that team has DRASTICALLY improved to the point of being a true title contender. And he STILL gets to play quality minutes but maybe a few less than before. And he's upset about this? I can understand the competitive nature of a guy not wanting to lose a starting job...but this is DWIGHT HOWARD we're talking about. Its not like he lost the job to an unknown rookie or something.
Winning and a player succeeding isn't mutually exclusive. If Asik is playing for Rockets, I'd want Rockets to win and Asik do well at the same time. If Asik does well and the Rockets loses, it still gives me sour grapes because I want to see him succeed WITH his team. You can be a Houston Rockets fan all you want, but I don't live in the city so I have no pride for the city. If I have a team where I live, I'd root for it regardless of whose on my team. I'm only a fan of things I like, and it so happens to be these players in the Rockets. In fact I'll say it right now, I hate Dwight Howard, so as a result of the signing, I'm less fond of the Rockets. But I still like to see my guys (Harden, Asik, Lin, Parsons) succeed. So I'd still be rooting for them and the team because the good outweighs the bad. If it so happens that all my favourite guys are gone, I'd be out of this forum in no time. There's no shame in following players, it's part of sports. I play ball because these players inspire me, not because the organization inspired me. Therefore I don't see why I can't be a player fan.
Unless they can sign a better PG for less, there is no way Lin will be replaced. What is missing is the 4. If Parson is move to the 4, then will need someone will have to pick up parson spot. We all know PG is not the biggest concert, it is the PF. Do we need a stress 4 or someone who can nail down the 10 to 15 footer.
I couldn't care less what you cheer for but it has been my experience on this board and on others that "player-only' fans are unhappy when the Rockets win if their guy doesn't get the minutes or the adulation. Completely contrary to the notion of a team sport-winning and losing as a team.
Why stop at the "team" level? Why not a fan of the NBA? Or a fan of Basketball? Or a fan of All Sports? Or a fan of Everything in Life?? And why do you care whether others are happy? We just signed Howard. Let's be happy together for at least today
You can cheer all you want for whoever you want. But the majority of "player-only" fans are upset if their guy doesn't get the credit which is contrary to the notion of a team sport. This a Houston Rockets forum. The vast majority of the people here want to see wins by the Houston Rockets. They don't care if Asik or Lin or the leading scorer or rebounder. And the fact that you "hate" Dwight Howard, someone I'm pretty sure you've never met speaks volumes.
Speaks volumes on what? You're being ridiculous. I hate him because of his history in the NBA. I've never spoke to him, but doesn't mean I can't base my judgement on his history in the NBA. Are you saying I can't hate him in the NBA because I've never spoken to him? You make no sense. If someone was a serial murderer and it affected one of the people I care, I'm going to hate him. Dwight has affected one of my favourite player (Nash), and so I hate him.
Look at the title of the thread...Don't you (as presumably a Houston Rockets fan) get tired of this middle school made up drama? I'm very happy today. I like our team. If they trade Asik tomorrow I'll still be happy. I would prefer they keep him but if they don't then I would guess they think they can get good value for him and improve the Rockets. But "snubbed an e-mail"? It's like this whole board is populated by 13 year old girls and that is probably an insult to 13 year old girls.
Really and how did he affect Nash? Made him old and washed up? How do you feel about Robert Horry? This should be interesting..
I'm not going to go on essays about my personal feeling about Dwight and Nash, but you haven't answered me what it speaks volume of. At the very least I know why I'm rooting for my players and rooting against other players. If you live in Houston good for you to root for your team. If you think I can't hate and root for players and ask me to mindlessly follow an organization then no thanks on being a mindless drone.