we have all been to basketball games here. We are after all Rockets fans. many of us are also fans of our alma matters, for me its URI, for many of you its U of H. no matter the school, or team, most of us have been to NCAA games either on the DI, II, or DIII lever. also almost all of us at one time have been to our old HS basketball games, and this had me thinking while i was driving home today. why is it not as much fun as it used to be. As fans we like the Pros begin to hone our skills at a young age. we go to games with our dads, or watch in front of a TV. we learn silly cheers in littleleague games, and feel the thrill of cheering for someone else as he strikes someone else out, hits a run, sinks a shot, wins a game, whatever. for we too share in their victry. we are part of the team. we willed mobleys first NBA shot into that hoop. hell i did. I won that game!! as we all headed toward HS, there were big srowds, there were cheerleaders, there was a cause. our school is better than yours. out team is better, our chicks are hotter, and somehow you are all poor ugly and stinky while wea re all smart popular and wonderfull after we win the game. In HS ball, we all chanted allong with the cheerleaders. we have half hearted attempts at Bull $hit chants toward the refs(because the assistant principal was near enough to give you detention) i personally was banned from 3 home games because of such an incident. In HS we truely hone our skills for being professional fans. there were no organs, or noise machines, just our voices. We loved the games, knew the team, and celebrated every game as though it were a war. The "air ball" chant is popular as is the "sha na na na" chant In college we finally get the chance to shine. we yell bull**** at the top of our lungs. the sha na na na chant rings in the rafters at games end. "aiiiiirrr Baaall" can be heard from outside the building. cheers are relentless. drinking is prevelent and voices are lost. notice how your voice heals just in time for the next game?? its a beutifull thing. but in college there are more chants and goings on. the "what keeps the cows in... D-fence D-fence" one, or chanting "the whole world is watching" while a player shoots free throws. waving baloons, and screaming during foulshots is commos as well as chants like"shamgod, shamgod, YOU SUCK are oft used" basicly in college anything is allowed. anything but the TP, or paper airplanes thrown on the court. thats a no no. but at URI, U of H, duke, or whatever you hone your skills to become a veign popping super freak of basketball madness. with your face paint on, and shirt off. you and your frat brothers with another mans name painted on your nekid chests screaming things you cant remember and you would never say infront of your mom into a crowd of 10,000 and for what??? to be part of Mobley scoring the game winner against Kansas?? sure, i willed it. i really did. we won the game we did it. so now we get drafted , now we go pro in the NBA, why dont we as an entire crowd chand "boink" when an opposing player dribbles?? why dont we chant "pass" when he passes, or "shot" when he shoots, "not" when he misses, and "$hit" when he hits???? I guess that was for college and HS, i guess we are grown ups now. but why?? sure we will do a BULL $HIT chant, or a airball, maybe a sha na na, but where is the fire now. where is the absolute lack of respect for the opponents that we so much loved. that we were in fact proud of. I miss HS and college games, they were amazing. sure the steaks were lower, the players were worse, but the games were more fun. winning was either living and dying. why dont we do this in the NBA come on houston, i want the new arena to sound like a college arena, i wish just one professional arena did. wheer is the love/stupidity/ferver that you alll enjoyed so much?? just one drunk mans rant, thanks for reading PEACE PS i am a "super fan" (Male) HS cheerleader(go indians) cheerleader for URI cheerleader for SUNY stonybrook founder of the stonybrook pep squad(fan club)aka "the pack"
Beautifully put. You, my friend, are truly The Voice of Reason. The new Houston Arena needs to sound like a North Carolina or Duke basketball game when the two rivals meet up. We have to sound like the rabid Kings fans...complete with enthusiastic booooos and cow bell clanks. We need to average better attendance. My only concern is, though, that the staunchy businessmen and their families always get the best seats after landing tickets from their work, and it pisses me off because half of them aren't even fans. The loudest fans should be in the lower promenade, where they can be heard, IMO.
I dont give a **** who is sitting next to me or what kind of look they give me. I AM THE LOUDEST FREAKIN PERSON I KNOW AT A ROCKETS GAME!!!!!!!!! Numerous times old people sitting close to me have gotten up and left because I annoy em. Well anyone who tells me to be quite can kiss my freakin ass for all I care. I cant afford seats in the business section of the rockets games, but one day when I can afford em I will still yell like crazy in front of those stuck up idiots. One thing that pisses the crap out of me is people leaving early when the game is close. I mean what the hell are they coming to the game for?!?!?! Its like going to watch a movie and leaving before the climax.
They probably have put up with the obnoxious loud fans with no respect for other people for as long as they can stand.
this isnt all about fans being quiet hell being loud is great, i know i am, but why do they gotta play stupid organ music they didnt have to in HS, or college i think pro teams should have pep bands!! that would rule and i want more chanting in pro arenas god i loved the URI PC games, cuz chanting "shamgod, shamgod, you suck" was soo satisfying. it has something to do with his name. and hating camby so much that i now love him, and root for him
I was a Rocket season ticket holder for 18 years. I gave the tix up before last season, for a variety of reasons, but probably the most important of which was that going to the games just didn't seem as fun anymore. This had much more to do with what wasn't going on in the stands (no spirit) that what was happening on the floor. My disappointment was further fueled by the fact that my family has had Comets' season tickets for four seasons, and the Comets' crowds rock. I have given some thought to the subject, and while some of the difference between the crowds undoubtedly stems from the disparity between the Comets' dominance and the Rockets' struggles over the past few years, I think the biggest factor is what finalsbound alluded to: the Comets tix cost about a third of the Rox tix. This results in dramatic differences in the crowds, compounded by the fact that the Comets are a big draw for gay and lesbian fans. Whatever the reason, there is no doubt that the Comets fans, of whatever age, race, gender, family status or sexual orientation, are much more spirited than the Rockets fans. Perhaps the Rockets crowds can get back some spirit, but as long as the tickets are so expensive, I doubt it. In the meantime, Voice of Reason, if you are looking for that spirit, give the Comets a shot, or a local high school or college team.
Become a soccer fan. They won't be beat as far as being loud, chanting, and showing the team spirit you're looking for.
I AM a soccer FAN i will be attending quite a few Stonybrooke soccer games this season, and hope to drag my buddies to a metrostars game next season. sure its not europe, but i love the sport cant wait till the world cup gets going.... back to basketball. the more your involved in the cheering the more fun the game is
PIPE, hehe i forgot to mention. i am a newyorker, i live far from the rockets. otherwise i would be there with season tickets, and try to organize a rockets pep club. with chants, cow bellls and all. one of you should do this statt the club, get seats together, and the rockets will help you. PEACE
Perhaps someone should start a clutchcity.net supporters group. Can the NBA handle a supporters group? Anyway, the game with the best atmosphere last seasone was the last home game when a group of people from cc.net got together at the game. Clutch seems to be in good graces with the Rockets organization, perhaps he could get groups of tickets together for certain games to sell to group members.
