I didn't know that. I always thought Clutch got a bunch of the dotcom dough for giving up the domain name. People were paying crazy money for domain names back then.
I started lurking in late spring of 1999. ClutchFans was still ClutchCity.com. I found it surfing the web for Rockets info and man, did I find it! That was a great summer to read the site, because a hell of a lot was happening. There were a great group of people posting, some hilarious, and some frightening (Behad and Mango spring to mind). The scary ones kept me lurking, believe it or not, but honestly, there was so much to read that I wasn't sure if I could contribute enough to make joining worthwhile. Clutch did a lot more writing back then. We had a lot more inside scoops than we've had since Rudy T was pushed out by Alexander. It was the summer of The Mall Guy scoop and Popeye was on fire. Then the site disappeared. I thought maybe it was a practical joke. Then I thought it was gone forever, and that was depressing, since I felt like I'd discovered the BBS, only to have it vanish. Suddenly, it popped up again with the name change. What a relief! That's when I should have registered, but "what ifs" won't buy you a cup of java. It's hard to believe that the number of members has reached 40,000-plus! Clutch and the crew deserve more thanks than we could ever collectively manage to express.
My recollection is just what can be read through a search on the forum anyway. http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?p=151588&highlight=frank+swindle#post151588 http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?p=45059&highlight=frank+swindle#post45059 http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?p=230826&highlight=frank+swindle#post230826 http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?p=897059&highlight=frank+swindle#post897059
I worked with Charles Babbage on his Difference Engine in 1842 and one day me and Chuck were just sitting around shooting the **** and I was all like, "Yo Chuck, I don't know man, but this difference engine or whatever ... it makes me think of something more, I don't know, internet-like." And Chuck said, "thadeus, my dear fellow, whatever do you mean?" And I said, "Like, you know, something sort of internetty. Something where I can get news about the Houston Rockets simply by looking at a screen." Chuck replied, "Hmm ... yes, that is fascinating. I too would like something internettable that provides information and trade speculation concerning the Houston Rockets." But we didn't realize we were being spied on! Just outside the window, Clutch was using his giant ear-horn to eavesdrop on my brilliant ideas. He did an evil laugh and absconded! I pursued him, but did not reach him before he made an internettable news portal concerning the exploits of the Houston Rockets. I did consider signing up to be the first member, but I was so taken aback by Clutch's villainy that I just decided to go have sex with your mom instead.
All I remember is that the very first thing I posted was a comment on the salary cap and heypartner was the first poster to ever respond to me. It's been a long time ago but wasn't it on a Delphi Message board in the beginning?
My first thread I was getting waxed by the board: I was using pretty pretentious language. All I remember of the post was a used the phrase the good ship rocket. Clutch himself was the one who came to my rescue. It was a lot meaner, take-no-prisoners board, back then. Since then, it's gotten a lot less vindictive. Clutch has cleaned house a few times. But there was some drama back in the day.
Was just a reader back then, never registered. and when I finally did register, after reading this site for awhile, I never really posted till a year or so in.
Thanks for the post. That explains a lot. Again, I always assumed Clutch got some of that dot com. I guess I missed those posts.
but it isn't the number by itself....boomboom...selling as a name..is totally seiling higher than Behad. unless you add sumpin to the pot. and let's not talk about your Rockets2Ks get togethers with the "families"
I was here in '97, but I only read the front page and the articles and news there, I remember the clutchcity title with the barkely, drexler, and olajuwon as a babies, and I have it, but its in a floppy disk, and now I cant get the info from there . I didnt join the BBS, because I barely knew english, so I couldnt talk, now my english is not perfect, and may have few mistakes, but at least I can get my idea out there. :grin:
I found the site and lurked for a few months before registering. I think becoming rimrocker was the first non-passive thing I did on the Internet.
