1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

(History) 1997 article on Les Alexander & business practices

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by LoneStarDawg, Jan 12, 2020.

  1. LoneStarDawg

    LoneStarDawg Member

    Joined:
    May 24, 2003
    Messages:
    157
    Likes Received:
    92
    Long, but enlightening read on the early years of Les Alexander's ownership of the Rockets. Interesting quote by Tilman at the end too. Wonder if Barkley's gripes about not getting paid fall in line with the rest of the stories in this article.

    https://www.houstonpress.com/news/greed-head-6571194
     
    #1 LoneStarDawg, Jan 12, 2020
    tinman, FrontRunner, DeBeards and 1 other person like this.
  2. macan

    macan Member

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2017
    Messages:
    6,878
    Likes Received:
    10,487
    Les > Til?
     
    #2 macan, Jan 12, 2020
  3. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 1999
    Messages:
    97,901
    Likes Received:
    40,511

    ‘If anyone doubts that Alexander would send the beloved Rockets to New Orleans, Nashville, San Jose or some other town willing to mortgage itself and enrich him, the history of the team's business dealings since he took over says otherwise. In that context, the stories of Chris Burkhalter and dozens of others should sound a clear warning both to fans and to Houston's elected officials.’


    Newbs today complaining about Tilman is perfectly fine

    However talking out of their butts and making up some dumb narrative that Les was so good
    Shows that they don’t care about Rockets history

    oh Yeah Barkley is 100% correct about Les shafting him


    Here's evidence that Barkley got screwed over.


    1. Peter Vecey :


    6:34 Vecey " There is a Wink Deal, that after this year, they (Rockets) will give him 14 million dollars "

    2.
    https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/barklch01.html

    Salaries

    1984-85 Philadelphia 76ers NBA $307,000
    1985-86 Philadelphia 76ers NBA $437,500
    1987-88 Philadelphia 76ers NBA $822,500
    1988-89 Philadelphia 76ers NBA $1,536,000
    1989-90 Philadelphia 76ers NBA $3,000,000
    1990-91 Philadelphia 76ers NBA $2,900,000
    1991-92 Philadelphia 76ers NBA $3,200,000
    1992-93 Phoenix Suns NBA $2,420,000
    1993-94 Phoenix Suns NBA $3,250,000
    1994-95 Phoenix Suns NBA $4,030,000
    1995-96 Phoenix Suns NBA $4,760,000
    1996-97 Houston Rockets NBA $4,695,000
    1997-98 Houston Rockets NBA $2,250,000
    1998-99 Houston Rockets NBA $1,000,000
    1999-00 Houston Rockets NBA $9,000,000
    Career     (may be incomplete) $43,608,000




    CASED CLOSED.
    @Air Yordan
     
    #3 tinman, Jan 12, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2020
    Lawlruschang, Air Yordan, RayRay10 and 1 other person like this.
  4. tycoonchip

    tycoonchip Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Dec 25, 1999
    Messages:
    7,114
    Likes Received:
    5,601
    Ya I would love to see the Rockets pay Charles. We have NeNe rotting on the bench when we could just give Charles 3 mil to not give us **** for a year.
     
    #4 tycoonchip, Jan 12, 2020
    Lawlruschang likes this.
  5. LoneStarDawg

    LoneStarDawg Member

    Joined:
    May 24, 2003
    Messages:
    157
    Likes Received:
    92
    Figured you'd enjoy the article. This part really stood out to me:

    "About a month after the 1994 championship series, Fred Cuellar got a call from John Thomas. Would Cuellar, the owner of Diamond Cutters International, a diamond and precious stone cutting house, be interested in bidding on the Rockets' championship rings? His firm didn't design or make finished jewelry, but Cuellar, a Rockets fanatic, jumped at the chance. "I said it would be an honor," he recalls.

    Cuellar called the NBA to find out how much the rings should cost, and was told that the league provided about $55,000 to the team for the first 20 rings (for the players, coaches and a few others), with the owner traditionally picking up the tab for additional rings (league spokesman Brian McIntyre confirmed that this is standard NBA procedure). Figuring $2,750 per ring, Cuellar designed an upscale specimen that was a little pricey at almost $5,000. He presented his proposal to the Rockets anyway. "They said, 'We'll get back to you on it,' " he said.

    The Rockets never called back, and Cuellar figured he'd priced himself out of the competition. Eventually he heard that a Canadian company, Intergold, had won the contract. End of story.

    That is, until a couple of the Rockets players came to him and complained that they were getting second-rate rings. Cuellar did some checking and learned that Intergold's bid was only $600 for each piece, less than a quarter of what the NBA had allotted. Apparently, Alexander's plan was to produce all the championship rings (more than 40), plus a lesser replica version and a cheap souvenir model, with the NBA's money. His tab: zero."
     
    #5 LoneStarDawg, Jan 12, 2020
    tycoonchip, Lawlruschang and tinman like this.
  6. Invisible Fan

    Invisible Fan Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2001
    Messages:
    43,343
    Likes Received:
    25,358
    With Les gone, Ferntits has the keys to bringing the NHL to Houston.

    ...

    ....
     
    #6 Invisible Fan, Jan 12, 2020
  7. DeBeards

    DeBeards Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2019
    Messages:
    15,116
    Likes Received:
    31,380
    Adorable chuckling chubby Charles kissing donkey ass
    (I gonna look through the article)
     
    #7 DeBeards, Jan 12, 2020
  8. dc rock

    dc rock Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2001
    Messages:
    7,087
    Likes Received:
    11,955
    What happens to the trophies after Mr. Alexander dies? Will his estate give them back to the city (at a price) or will he instruct that they are melted down to line his coffin or construct an urn? I'm fine with displaying Leslie's Larry O'Brien urn in the Toyota Center.

    Anyway, the league should've never allowed him to take the trophies. When you sell the franchise, you sell its history too.
     
    #8 dc rock, Jan 12, 2020
    tycoonchip, ChillyPete32, mikol13 and 2 others like this.
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)

Share This Page

Toggle Width
Style
ClutchFans Original

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Rockets Content

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now