Is it time to draw a line? Do you root for the Rockets only when they win?

I waffle back and forth between loyalist and manic. We scream at the games, and scream at home . It makes the wins glorious, but the losses equally painful.

However, there are still fun things to watch. A Kenny drive, someone trying to post up on Griffin and getting blocked, the two fast breaks in the last game. I love the Rockets win or lose - but I like them more when they win.

 

when you look at fans in chicago vs. fans in houston...big difference.

chicago fans still cheer no matter how ****ty their team is doing.

houston fans mostly cheer if the team does well.

 

It's obvious you jumped on the bandwagon after we won our championships...

Some of us have been fans since long before the Rocks won the first ring and will be around as fans until we take our last breath...A true fan takes the good with the bad.

you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen

 

Great Post. BK is my hero for a week, if he will allow me to call him that.

 

I've always rooted for the home town teams. I've watched & rooted for the Oilers during the two consecutive 1-13 seasons, the Astros, the Rockets, both UH & Rice, & even for the Aeros when Gordie & his sons were here.

Last night's loss was inexcusable. I don't like for my teams to lose, but as long as they are trying to win, I don't have a problem with the losses, because I know that the team can & will be improved upon by adding or subtracting different players.

However, last night they didn't even seem to be trying. They all played like Cato's been playing for the majority of his tenure as a Rocket & I absolutely detest slackers. This team has one major problem that will continue to come back & haunt us, until we deal with it. We don't have a co-leader that'll step up & assume the role during those times when Francis is out. When we acquired Willis, I thought that he was the one to fill that spot. But, he's apparently not done that yet, or we wouldn't have lost last night's game & definitely wouldn't have lost by 28 points. Torres showed some fire at the end of the game, maybe he'll step up & take the position.

When the Rockets lost Dream for the first time several years ago, the rest of the guys stepped up their games & we won without him. Willis was a part of that team & knows what it takes to win when you lose your franchise player. He needs to step up NOW!

We desperately need a starting center. Cato's not the answer & Willis (at this point in his career) is better suited to be a solid backup off the bench. I really hope that the Rockets deal with this issue, before it gets too late in the season.

In my opinion, 3 players have stepped up their games during Francis's absence (Griffin/Torres/Brown) & should get significantly more playing time. I know we shouldn't abandon the game plan yet, but during Francis's absence, I really believe that Griffin should be inserted into the starting lineup & let him take his knocks. He's definitely shown the maturity to handle it psychologically & he's got enough size to handle some of the punishment down low. Maybe a lineup of:

C: Willis
PF: Griffin
SF: KT
SG: Torres until Mobley is completely healed.
PG: Brown

We're struggling right now, so we don't have anything to lose by doing it. Our SF position has been really weak & maybe KT can offer some punch at that position. He's quick enough to handle it. After Mobley returns to full strength, then move Torres to the SF position, KT back to PF, & Griffin to center. Griffin's a little light to be playing the center position, but so is Ratliff, Nazr Mohammed, Camby, Lorenzen Wright & Keon Clark, but they're thriving at the center position. They are also, only 6'10"- 6'11" & weigh from 220 - 240 lbs. Griffin is 6'10" & 220 lbs. & according to Bill Worrell in one of the last two games, he's grown a full inch since he was drafted. I say start him.

 

i love us and it hurts when we lose

 

call me a MANIAC fan then!

 

Loyalist here.

 

My brother was in Houston for all of 4 years. He brought us Rockets gear. I fell in love with the nemuber 34 jersey that he brought. Now, I'm old enough to know we need a uniform change, my brother moved back to Houston, and we traded THE DREAM. Sometimes, I wonder if I'm only a Rockets fan anymore because no other team has a fansite like this one, lol..Where do I support my team if not from the net (I'm obviously not in Houston)?


Interesting point you guys have brought up.


I think a more interesting question is, would you change the team you support after being frustrated to the top, and to which team would you change?


Lemme hear what you guys have to say...


P.S. Another reason I became a Houston/Olajuwan fan was because he's muslim (like me)...We don't have any of THOSE either.


Comments and answers please...

 

Like Gutter Snipe I am between a loyalist and manic. This is tough-I watch games where I am apprehesive that the Rockets have no chance - SA, Sacro, and LA for example- all were close-LA to overtime- these were excellent as we played competitively. The loss last nite was very difficult. I really do not understand. We should have at least given them a game. Clutch BBS is great.

 

I started off as a Houston Cougar fan didn't even care about the Rockets. Didn't even know if they existed Nor the NBA but I loved Willie Somerset and the Houston Mavericks. My dad use to get us free tickets and take the whole family. All eleven of us. Sometimes it seemed like we were half the crowd but I loved it. All of us sitting watching the lousy Mavericks.

So when the Mavericks folded I was upset. But then we got the Rockets and the Cougar's Big E I was ecstatic. We sucked mostly but I rooted for my team and prayed for them. I got the Big E's autograph and I was a fan for life. In the beginning I was happy just to see them play. And when Moses Malone took us to the finals against Bird. I was overjoyed.

I married a Yankee and moved to New york. I went to every Rocket game against the Knicks and the Nets. Some how following them made me feel back home a little. ( I wish clutchcity was around back then) I followed them and rooted for them win or lose.

I remember sitting in a sports bar in Manhattan with my brother who was visiting from Texas, and Mark Gastineau, Pete Axthelm and Kevin Loughery were there. And Ralph Sampson makes that miraculous turn around Jumper and the Rockets beat the lakers and make it to the finals. I was high fiving my brother and Axthelm. I was proud to be a Rocket fan that night. And after the Rockets won there championships I wanted to name my child Hakeem but my wife wouldn't have it. And actually Allysse does sound better for my daughter.

I am divorced now and a bit older and a bit more critical of life, women and the Rockets. I still am I diehard fan but I don't automatically agree with every decision Rudy makes. I do however think for the most part he is doing a good job and while he is not infallible I can't think of anyone else I would want coaching the rockets. I also think they suck today but I am excited about tomorrow.

 

I paid 160$ for League Pass realizing that the Rockets are not a favorite to make the playoffs.

That should give you the answer to that question.

 

You can call me a bandwagoner if you wish. I DID live in Houston for several years, so there was some city loyalty involved. Let me remind you that I hardly knew what basketball was when the Rockets were winning titles. I had absolutely no appreciation of sports in those days. My becoming a fan of the Rockets coincided with their titles. It's not like I was looking for a winning team to cheer for. I lived in New York for a while, but I didn't root for the Knicks.

 

Ok...

This is my first post here, and I don't know if anyone will ever see it because it is buried so deep. However, I just had to get something off of my chest. I LOVE Houston sports. I am a ripe 19, but I can't imagine my life if I had grown up anywhere else. Even as in impressionable youngster, I have never cheered for a team with anything more than a passive interest who was not from Houston. I was lucky enough to have season tickets for the Oilers up until the moved. I go to Rockets and Astros games whenever I have the money or the chance. Hell, I even went to every UH football and basketball game since I was one. When my friends wanted to go do other things, I would turn any of them down for a chance to go to a game. Furthermore, I wouldn't even go somewhere unless I knew I could catch the game if I didn't have a ticket.

Then, a terrible terrible thing happend. . . I had to go to college in NEW YORK CITY. I can't tell you anything I hate more than Knicks and Yankees fans. The people here don't know what it is like to be a true fan. Due to these franchises unimaginable resources, they are able to buy a contender every year. It makes me sick. I was lucky enough to go the Knicks-Rockets game this monday, and I pitied the fans that started to boo the Knicks when they got down buy a few (long before the 17). Sure, the place was racous during the comeback, but that just shows how fair weathered they are.

What shows a true fan is to support your guys during rebuilding. To shake your head when they lose or blow a game, but to still show up excited to the one. When the "franchise" goes down, to know its going to be tough few weeks. I admit i have been disappointed at times with the resiliancy (sp?) of the team, but this lack of support makes me ill. I envy you guys getting to go to Compaq (and pity those who don't show up), who get to watch the game and listen to Bill (and, yes, even Calvin). Know that I, and other true Rockets fans, will still be supporting. I will be sitting at my computer listening to the game (thanks to the wonderful people at ClutchCity.net) or at some lonely establishment when the games are televised here, the only Rockets fan in the joint. Cherish what we have had and still have in Houston, because although I never slighted it while I was in Houston, I am going out of my mind here in NYC.

I never have given up hope, or left a game early...even when we are down by double digits. Take some pride in our teams even when they might not be incredibly deserving. Or else just show your true colors and go jump on a bandwagon. When you want to come back to the Rockets one when we are back on top, the rest of us who have and been on it, will still be here.

PS....Lay off Rudy....The guy has known nothing else than to be a Rocket, he bleeds Rockets colors. We should all aspire to show such dedication and loyalty....He is what is right in a world of sports where so much has gone wrong and is centered around moving to the best situation and where the most money is. Plus, he is one hell of a coach (even the "wonderful New Yorkers" acknowledge this)

That is my piece,

MIchael

 

...good first post btw.

I always root for the Rockets...just show the effort!

 

I don't quite understand the "I don't mind them losing, but I do mind when they don't show any effort" argument.

Hypothetically speaking then, these fans would also criticise the team should they ever start to win without exerting much effort(ala Lakers now). Right?? Wrong. Basically it all seems to boil down to whether they win or lose for some fans, whether they like to admit it or not.

I may be totally off base but that's what it appears like from this side of the pond.

 

I root for the Rockets, I cheer for the Rockets every chance I get. I'm interested in winning it all, but I also watch for the love of the game, and the support of my home team.

 

Welcome Michael. You are not "buried in a heap." Many of us here *always* read first posts. We looked for them.

Question about Rudy for ya': Isn't it great that he does not have an ego like Riley and Jackson, playing mind games in the media. I hate that crap. Rudy is just a Houston boy with little artificial concerns of national attention. Can you imagine had Rudy went into the lockerroom at halftime of the Bulls game to give them a pep talk about commitment by sticking his head in a bucket of ice water for 2 minutes.

Riley did that. Yeah Pat, that is soooo inspirational. I'll follow you into battle any day.

 

put me in the BELIEVER catagory.

I will always be a die-hard, no matter what, Rockets Fan!



rH

 

I am a sleep-deprived West Coast road trip watching, blow out enduring, gut-wrenching, toe tapping, fist slamming, explicitive yelling die hard MF'N Rockets Fan 4 Life.

GOD I miss Franchise!!!