What was the major influence that caused you to become a Rockets' fan?

Because I was born and raised in Houston since 1970.

 

It was Yao that brought me to the clutchfans, as it was the best rocket bbs. However, now I just really like the rockets and clutchfans, even if Yao retires.

 

Moses Malone!

 

Definitely Dream.

I was a big MJ fan when I was young -- the first game I ever went to was the Bulls/Bullets, and MJ went off for 53 points iirc. It was incredible, he got louder cheers than our hometown players, and this was a close game. The next game I can remember seeing, on TV this time, was the infamous Cleveland game.

When Jordan retired, I got my first real look at the Rockets/Hakeem. It wasn't even until the Finals against the Knicks, who were all we ever saw over here if not the Bullets. I saw the series against the Suns and had seen the Rockets before then too, but I was all eastern conference back in those days. I was for sure the Knicks would win, Patrick Ewing was the only center in the league as far as I was concerned (mind you, I was barely 8). That changed. Hadn't seen a player like Hakeem before in my life, he did things that even MJ wasn't doing in a 7 foot frame. I loved the roll players too -- Cassell, Horry, Elie, Maxwell, Smith, Thorpe... just one hell of a team.

Haven't looked back. Rockets for life.

 

i was a casual fan up until 1986
i saw boston fan celebrating outside their arena chanting "houston sucks! houston sucks!"
after that i declared my allegiance

 

Hakeem the Dream Olajuwon

 

Well I wasn`t really a fan of any particular team for some time. A friend of mine was a huge knicks fan, so i was rooting for them in the finals. But in this 7 games i kinda started to like houston. But not too much actually... the next finals were kinda boring (except for the first game), but i was rooting for Houston then. But i didn`t really start being a real fan until the playoff series against Seattle. It was game 4, (losing the series 3-0 at that point) we were down something like 20 in the 4th quarter, when we started a great run, that Sam Cassell completed with a near buzzer beater 3 pointer for the overtime. The commentator was stating his line "Don`t EVER underestimate the heart of a champion". And at this point i was sold. And from this moment on Houston kinda had some bad karma. They still lost this game to Seattle and didn`t make it to the finals again...

 

Mine is similar to yours except I'm not from local area. But I was always like defensive-oriented team. Offensive teams play like art, like Ballie, but Defensive teams play like bloody sports. I become HR fans because of Yao's work ethic, because of JVG's work ethic and blue collars Hayes and S. B. Probably I like cindarilla and winning most.

 

Rafer Alston...I didn't know what I was missing until I started watching him play ball. It's akin to an out-of-body experience...

 

My fascination started back right before the championship years, around late 80's early 90's, when we still had Sleepy Floyd. Luckily for me the interest stayed because we just so happened to win and it coincided with the Dream era.

 

hakeem's heart in the 94 championship v. the knicks. i just came to america that yr and that was the first time i witness an NBA game. his style of play and how he carried himself attracted me to the rockets

 

Is it even necessary that I enter this poll? LOL

Though now that I am a Rockets fan, I can see myself ever not following the team. Unless they trade Chuck, Yao, Battier and Tmac. Somehow I don't see that happening.

 

I was a fair weather fan, but give me a break, I was only 9 years old. When I was young and impressionable the Rockets were winning their championships, while the Oilers were choking/moving and the Astros were not going anywhere in the playoffs/striking. Basketball became my first love. Now I stick by the Rockets through thick and thin, stick by the Astros through thick and less thick, and couldn't care less about the Texans, and football in general (actually, hockey is even less preferred).

 

WTF is the option for Clyde Drexler?!?!?!


I was a die-hard Blazer fan being as I'm from Portland and Drexler was my all-time favorite player. I hated the Rockets with a passion because Hakeem was so good (I actually wanted the Knicks to beat the Rockets in the 94 finals) and he always destroyed the Blazers. The day Drexler became a Rocket was the day I became a Rocket lover.

To this day... all my friends in Portland ask How the F are you a Rockets fan?

 

Because of Clyde

 

I grew up in Houston a bigger football fan because the Oilers and Earl Campbell where so awesome when I was a kid.

It wasn't until Phi Slamma Jamma that I started following basketball more closely and then I started paying attention to the Rockets also.

 

I started learning to play bball in 6th grade a long time ago and started watching bball for the first time. Prior to that all I knew about bball was Michael Jordan and the bulls (I lived in Asia before this). Then I started watching the NBA and fell in love with Hakeem. Damn what a beast!

 

Wow, Tmac is not getting much love. I thought he would have been voted at least into third. Even Stevie is blowing him away!

ANd where are all the JVG Lovers. I guess they've flown the coop. Thank God!

 

Because....

When I was a young kid, my dad had a gameday routine. He would stop by the store on his way home and buy a bag of fried pork skins, a pack of Benson & Hedges and the cheapest beer they had (frequently Falstaff or Olympia).

He'd come home and set the thermostat to about 65 degrees. He'd take off his pants and shirt and sit in his chair in his underwear. He'd turn on the Rockets game, turn down the volume on "those idiot announcers" and turn the am radio on to Gene Peterson. Then he'd smoke is cigs, eat his pork skins, drink his beer and watch the game.

Now.... My brothers and I had a choice. If we wanted to spend time with our father, we would need to sit down, shut up, and watch the game. Our alternative was to leave the room and go play somewhere. I frequently watched the game with him and learned to enjoy the Rockets and the sport of pro basketball.

And today, when I watch the Rockets games, I remember those times, and I think about how messed up that was... and I smile with fondness.

 

At the time the the Rockets moved to Texas in 71, they had Calvin, Rudy T, Mike Newlin and of course, Elvin Hayes. Even though their record stunk, they were instantly my team. Looooved Elvin, from his college days.

I got some free tickets to game 6 of the 81 playoffs against Larry and the Celtics.

I watched evey televised minute of Phi Slamma Jamma...in those days that wasn't that much. I was crushed when the desperation dunk went down.