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Is JJ WATT more popular now than Akeem (and others)

Discussion in 'Houston Texans' started by what, Oct 18, 2014.

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  1. Ziggy

    Ziggy QUEEN ANON

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    The NBA was in another place back then. NBA on ****ing NBC, bros. We lost football eventually. Hakeem had the UH connection. I'm not sure how you can compare Watt to Hakeem when the eras they played in were so different. The climate in the city was different. I think even Karl Lewis might have had the spotlight for a minute.
     
    #21 Ziggy, Oct 18, 2014
  2. rhino17

    rhino17 Member

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    Hakeem is the best and most popular athlete in the history of the city. JJ is the only person I can think of that can potentially dethrone him, but he has to win something
     
    #22 rhino17, Oct 18, 2014
  3. jdh008

    jdh008 Member

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    I'll agree with the original premise.

    Here's the key...I can't think of a Houston athlete in my lifetime that was so incredibly popular among casual sports fans in the city. Maybe it says more about people I know than it does about JJ, but I know people that weren't all that into the Texans (or sports in general) that know own JJ Watt jerseys and watch every game. My mind also goes to what I call the Facebook test. Basically any time he does anything positive on the field, my Facebook news feed is literally nothing but comments about what he just did. And when he scores touchdowns, forget it. It's another level.

    I can't imagine that being the case with any other Houston athlete in any sport.
     
    #23 jdh008, Oct 18, 2014
  4. arkoe

    arkoe (ง'̀-'́)ง

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    Cruz over Bagwell/Biggio? And as wrong as it is, they're so connected at the hip I would put them together in a list like this as one person.
     
    #24 arkoe, Oct 18, 2014
  5. rocketblaze

    rocketblaze Member

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    Popular locally or nationally?

    Locally given the football fanatics (personally not a big football fan), I'd say probably.

    However nationally, basketball players are generally a lot more recognizable then football players, I'm willing to bet James Harden and Dwight Howard are widely known then JJ Watt.
     
    #25 rocketblaze, Oct 18, 2014
  6. PDJACK7

    PDJACK7 Member

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    I agree with what most are saying. JJ is at a high right now, but no way is he ahead of Hakeem imo. Like one post said, just ask the age group of around 30-40 and Hakeem will trump JJ.
     
    #26 PDJACK7, Oct 18, 2014
  7. Ziggy

    Ziggy QUEEN ANON

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    In this city, VY had a moment too.
     
    #27 Ziggy, Oct 18, 2014
  8. Junkyard_Dog

    Junkyard_Dog Member

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    I'd say as far as national popularity it would go to Watt. We've probably never had a Houston player that was this well known in all 50 states during him prime.

    If we are talking just Houston and for me personally I'd say Dream will always be the most popular to me. JJ is well on his way though.
     
    #28 Junkyard_Dog, Oct 18, 2014
  9. J Sizzle

    J Sizzle Member

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    He's probably more popular, but The Dream is the greatest professional athlete we've had.
     
    #29 J Sizzle, Oct 18, 2014
  10. what

    what Member

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    Akeem never reached the high of popularity that Watt has. I think you, along with a few others, are misunderstanding the statement I made. Or else, you are coupling Akeem's greatness in the discussion. We are talking about pure popularity here, not greatness and not what Akeem brought to the city.

    And don't give me this crap about how this is a different time, because I remember Bum and the oilers selling out the astrodome in the 70s after the playoff lost to the steelers and you couldn't walk around in the city without seeing Luv Ya Blue everywhere. Hell, they made a Kenny Stabler cola, in houston, for gosh sakes. And while he wasn't particularly part of Luv Ya Blue era, it was a testament to what houston fans support.

    Also, and no matter what anybody wants to say about it, the houston rockets of the 80s (which included many of akeem's best years) languished in obscurity. The twin towers fizzled out so fast it made your head spin. After that, houston forget about the rockets till 93.
     
    #30 what, Oct 18, 2014
  11. Teen Wolf

    Teen Wolf Member

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    Justin briber is also very popular........
     
    #31 Teen Wolf, Oct 18, 2014
  12. solid

    solid Contributing Member

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    I am an old timer Houston sports fan, and I love JJ but I am on board with you. The Dream and Earl, pure greatness. JJ has to earn it. He is on his way, but really he is just beginning his career. The Dream and Earl are legends.
     
    #32 solid, Oct 18, 2014
    1 person likes this.
  13. Remii

    Remii Member

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    Didn't the Rockets make it to a championship in the 80's with Olajuwon :confused:

    Anyway, Olajuwon had arguably 2 of the best back-to-back years of any player in the color television era and capped both of those years off with a championship. You could feel the electricity flowing through the city because We Believed in the Heart Of A Champion... The name of the city was changed. Is there a site called WattFans...???

    You don't have to knock Dream to make your case for J.J.
     
    #33 Remii, Oct 18, 2014
  14. Voice of Aus

    Voice of Aus Contributing Member

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    I remember when you guys on clutchfans discussed who's more popular between watt and parsons
     
    #34 Voice of Aus, Oct 18, 2014
  15. what

    what Member

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    Yes, it was called the twin towers. And again, I am not equating the greatness of Akeem, but just the relative popularity of the two players.

    Also, for your information, I, along with most others who actually grew up watching the early 80s rockets but had little money to go to the games, watched sampson's miracle last second shot against the lakers on tape delay at midnight.

    What can you take from that? Mainly that, not only hakeem, but the entire nba, was second class citizens in the early 80s. It took a while before the nba grew to what you know it is today.

    Also, don't lose the fact that my #2: Bum Philips is also, in my opinion, ahead of dream.
     
    #35 what, Oct 18, 2014
  16. Air Langhi

    Air Langhi Contributing Member

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    Probably Yao Ming or JLin.
     
    #36 Air Langhi, Oct 18, 2014
  17. Dirt Road

    Dirt Road Member

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    This!! Hakeem was all my group of friends talked about and we were all football players. Cambell 2nd, then JJ. IMO. Sprinkler in Nolan, Bum, Andre, Bagwell, Biggio, Cruz behind them.
     
    #37 Dirt Road, Oct 18, 2014
  18. Dirt Road

    Dirt Road Member

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    Also you can't leave out Batty Bob
     
    #38 Dirt Road, Oct 18, 2014
  19. Remii

    Remii Member

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    I just said that Olajuwon went to a championship in the 80's when you said his years were wasted...

    And if you don't think Olajuwon was popular during the championship years... Ok.
     
    #39 Remii, Oct 18, 2014
  20. what

    what Member

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    I actually said that he languished in obscurity, far different.
     
    #40 what, Oct 18, 2014
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