This is basically my position. Fortunately Carl Herrerra put it much more eloquently, and much less combative, than I did. As a Rockets fan, I have always HOPED. Every year, I hoped. Each and every year since our championships. I hoped Barkley would push us over the edge with declining Clyde/Hakeem. I hoped Pippen would be the answer for one last push. I hoped Steve Francis was truly going to be the franchise. I hoped year after year with Yao/T-Mac we'd break out of their slump and make a big run. I hoped after each Yao's injury that it was a fluke and not a pattern. When Morey went after Bosh, I hoped against all hope he'd come here. And next year, I'll once again hope for next FA and that against all odds we'd land one of the big 3. But there's a difference between what I hope for and what I expect. I never expected a championship with any of those teams. Even with Barkley/Pippen, I felt Hakeem's age was at a point where he'd declined too far. I didn't expect great playoff results when T-Mac and Yao entered the playoffs with the likes of JHo, Padgett, Bowen, Jim Jackson, hobbled Sura, Alston, Head, Synder, etc. And I didn't expect a dominant Yao returning after injuries due to history. In the end, what frustrated me the most as a Rockets fan these past few years was that I KNEW we had little to no chance, but realized there was nothing anyone can do about it. And therefore I simply cannot blame Morey or Les or even CD to a certain extent for our mediocrity. Because I could not see a solution that's not incredibly unrealistic. The only thing I could do was hope that the Rockets buckle the trend for that 1% chance at everything aligning. And the stars almost aligned in 2009. Almost, but unfortunately not quite.
Someone will someday explain this "No free agent ever wants to come to Houston" thing to me someday. And this is ignoring what Morey says about free agency anyways. We wanted Ariza. He picked us over Toronto or Cleveland. We wanted Francis. He picked us over Miami or the Clippers. We wanted Miller. He picked us over Boston or Chicago. We got Swift, and from what I've read in the archives, we didn't expect he would pick us. We didn't get Bosh. There were six or seven team trying to get Bosh, and this of course ignores that totally-not-collaboration thing that he pulled. He never looked anywhere beyond Miami, and that has much to do with Miami being Miami and Houston being Houston. But is Bosh really the only example of Houston failing to get free agents?
FWIW, no one here is saying "it's championships every year or complete failure!!!!11" That's just the typical hyperbole the cheerleaders throw out at the fans who expect a little more than 1 playoff win every 14 years.
For the 99ers with championship caliber expectations, as opposed to of all the other sheep who merely live to suckle at Leslie's teet, what do you guys actually propose we do to get to championship caliber? What do you guys actually propose was our problem these last 17 years, preventing us from achieving championship caliber? You know, actual solutions, complaints, criticisms, suggestions. Instead of merely stating the fact that we haven't won a championship, turning a blind eye to the circumstances that got us here. I think that is the big divide here. Apparently it just takes too much darn effort for some people to actually look at things objectively. To actually figure out for themselves what is realistic and what is not. What is feasible and what is day dreaming. It's so much easier to complain just for the sake of complaining. You want a championship? No ****ing way! What a novel concept that clearly only the most elite of the seasoned Old and Grey bearded can conjure up. I'm sure Charlie the ****ing magical unicorn will be riding right across that rainbow to poop one out for you.
What????? 1. Here's the list of the NBA franchises that have won one or zero playoff series since 1997: Raptors Wizards Clippers Warriors Grizzlies Bobcats Rockets Spin that however you want to. That's not exactly the kind of company you want to be in...and it's a dramatic step down for this franchise from where it was from the 17 years prior (since 1980). 2. No one is suggesting we need to be the Lakers or Celtics. We're talking about a franchise that has won one playoff series since 1997 all while playing in a league that admits more teams into the playoffs than it excludes from the playoffs.
exactly. we're talking about making a playoff run...that's it. no one is saying you have to win rings to satisfy the fan base. a ring every now and then is great. but being reduced to a playoff series win every now and then is not great...it's not good. it's well below average, actually.
I'm not sure why I should be walk around right now upset at "1 playoff win every 14 years." I don't view NBA success only in terms of playoff series wins, and I don't view results in a vaccum. I don't see how this makes me a "cheerleader." Initially, to lump the last 14 years together is assinine given that the team has had 2 different regimes in charge of the front office over this time. The first part of the "14 years," the Francis Era, included plenty of mistakes one can blame management for (and I did). But Rudy T and CD are no longer in charge now, so I don't know why we should be upset at Morey's crew for these years-- or even at Les Alexander now since he did recognize the mistakes and changed direction. The second part of the 14 years were, objectively, better than the Francis era, but didn't have deep playoff runs because of bad injury luck particularly at the end of the season. The roster decisions were generally pretty good, even if insufficient to make up for the loss of two legitimate "max players." We could dwell on what could have been, or lump those years with the Francis era and get moan about "14 years of failure." I just don't see how it would be objectively fair or useful in any way.
Useful? We're fans of a basketball team, not paid consultants. If you believe your input or my input here is, in any way, important or meaningful beyond creating mere discussion then I think you're overvaluing it. We're fans sitting around talking about our favorite team...that's all. None of this is particularly, "useful." Why are 14 years meaningful?? Because I've been a fan all 14 of those years...and on the back end of 14 years I'm thinking it's been hella-long since we've really mattered on the NBA landscape. Personally, I think it sucks. You're free to think otherwise, obviously. 14 years is also relevant when the current administration is preaching patience. We'll be patient because we're fans and honestly, I'm stuck. This is my team. The end. But you're going to hear people complain about it.
We are actually closer on this than you think. My 17 year criticism is directed solely at the owner because it is he (Les) who has been content to allow his franchise drift into irrelevance. Say what you will about Mark Cuban but I just don't see him doing the same thing in Dallas that Les did here. Do you believe that Cuban will be content to sit by and wait for 17 years before the Mavs win another title? Or will he as Mavs owner will be doing everything in his power win another trophy? Now, can you honestly say the same thing about Les Alexander? That's the point I'm making: It all starts at the top. And I don't blame Morey for the TMac/Yao injuries (although I do hold the Artest deal against him) but I do not like how he continued following the flawed plan enacted by Les and CD even when faced with concrete evidence (Yao Ming's chronic injuries) that said plan was unworkable. Had Yao not finally retired, Morey would still be waiting for Yao to come back...again. My honest feeling here is that Morey simply doesn't know WHAT to do so he's decided to gamble (McHale) in a last attempt to swing for the fences. I would have preferred a more measured approach using a tried and true formula because in my view, it is because of years of gambling that the Rockets find themselves in their current predicament. Other than that, we basically agree except of course on the matter of luck. I believe that good organizations MAKE their own luck.
I hope Yao cracks a few jokes at his retirement announcement. Show off his trademark sense of humor for the last time.
I'm proud to have had Yao play for Houston. It was great for the city, team and brought exposure around the world. I'm glad I bought a Yao jersey and will still wear it...I'll miss the big guy... My favorite moment was when my son and I were in the tunnel and we saw Yao...my son was like, "wow, he's really tall"...Yao was nice enough to wave...
Not Sure if this is in here someplace but hardly seems worthy of a new thread topic. This is from Jonathan Feigan's Lockout Lunacy Blog today. Nice compliment to Yao. http://blog.chron.com/nba/2011/07/two-weeks-in-and-the-nbas-lockout-lunacy-reigns/ Shaquille O’Neal officially joined TNT this morning, offering a variety of samples of what he will bring when the lockout eventually adds and he is teamed with Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith. On Yao Ming’s retirement, he said: “Yao Ming is a first ballot Hall of Famer. He was a great player, a dominant player. The way his career ended was similar to how my career ended – by injury. If he wasn’t injury-plagued those last three years he would have put up more numbers. He’s always been a class act – number one player to come out of China. I’m also glad to call him my friend. Every time I go to China, his parents feed me and bring me gifts. He’s a great guy and I wish him well. “The beasts are now gone. The goliaths are now gone. That leaves Dwight Howard out there by himself. If he doesn’t get two or three championships, I’ll be disappointed because he has no competition out there anymore. None. Zero.”
O'Neal is a fat ignorant sheep who does'nt respect Rockets tradition and knows nothing about championship.
I have a piece of advice for you. In order to make yourself sound even more righteous, you should balance it out some by start calling out the idiots who casually throw out the YOF label.
