I don't blame this on Nolan, from what I remember McMullen rubbed him the wrong way and thats why he left the astros. It's like saying u hate Rudy T, b/c technically he is still a scout for the Lakers or was even the coach of that team. I dont' think it's a big deal. He is a local boy from Alvin and he had some success here in Houston, why not celebrate his success. Don't the Ryans also own our AA team?
to me the more awkward thing about him throwing out the first pitch was that Crane was the other group teamed up with Mark Cuban trying to beat out Nolan's bid for the rangers.. now Crane owns the Stros and has a Nolan night and throwing out the first pitch..
Yes, it bothers me. I'm glad I'm not the only one. It feels like the Astros are the road team in this series. This guy needs to keep posting.
You are an idiot. If I remember correctly, I think McMullen wanted for Nolan to take a pay cut to stay with the Astros. It was a slap in the face of one of the greatest baseball players of all time, a local boy who became the greatest strikeout pitcher we have ever seen, and a player who was still a very solid pitcher. And then Ryan goes on and wins another 51 games as a Ranger, including two more no-hitters. The Astros made one of the biggest blunders in sports history by not making Nolan an Astro for life. Ryan would probably be owning and leading the Astros right now if the Astro organization hadn't been so incredibly stupid.
It bothers me. I can't imagine rooting for another team though. Are you from Houston? Are you seriously going to root for that other team when they come to Houston to play the Astros? No way I could root against teams from Houston. Feels too contrived. A team called the Astros (in all likelihood wearing orange and blue) is going to play 81 games representing the City of Houston at Minute Maid Park next season. All that's changing at this point is their opponents. I HATE the move...but I hate the idea that people are going to stop rooting for the team because of it.
Nolan: How does SBS change next year? It'll take awhile to get adjusted in that they're in the AL and West Division. I think of them as a NL club. It will take awhile. ... I believe it will be good for baseball and the State of Texas when they're competing for the division title. How far off are the Astros? The way I look at their ball club, it depends on young pitching and the arms in their system. They'll be probably making a better presentation but it will come down to starting pitching and when they feel they can be competitive.
I am more bothered by the first pitch than the bobblehead. The head is representative of his No-Hitter as an Astro they are doing one for Mike Scott's too. that is more of a 50 years great moment thing. But I definitely didn't like him throwing out the pitch.
Relax *******, that post was made half in jest (but only half). He helped screw Houston out of our baseball team's heritage, and he stole the Express from us Austinauts. I don't care how he was originally wronged, the guilty parties are no longer associated with the team, but somehow we keep getting it up the butt from your Houston icon.
#1 is debatable. That said, he had all the DNA to become THE greatest Astros player ever, being from Alvin, etc. #2 the organization may have screwed him over, but the fans didn't. The fans have been loyal to Nolan through everything, we've all loved the guy. If he really only sees his relationship with different clubs as a business relationship and not a relationship with the fan base, the kids that look up to them, etc., then I probably think even less of the guy than I do now. #3 couldn't agree more, the only thing worse than getting screwed over is getting screwed over and not trying to do something about it.
It's more than just the move. It's a bunch of games against west coast opponents that we have no connection to. And worst of all, it's moving to the AL and adopting the DH. We've been a NL franchise for 50 years, but our management is ditching all of that tradition, that legacy, because our ownership is too incompetent to do anything to fight it. And don't give me this b.s. that Crane couldn't do anything. That guy could've walked the party line and kissed Selig's ass all the way up to the final signature, and then before signing, turned the entire deal upside down and raised holy hell over this AL switch and rallied the 4th largest city into a frenzy against bud selig and his b.s. That said, I know it's crazy, it feels crazy to me to think about leaving the Astros. I'm not saying I'm going to do it. Who am I going to switch to? Geographically, there's nobody that makes sense. Colorado? Arizona? I refuse to root for anyone in the AL, sorry, it's just not my thing, and it's hard to find any connection anywhere else. I dunno, I feel like I'm in baseball purgatory right now, and I care too much to just walk away from this mess or embrace another option. But I love baseball, and sticking with the Astros after watching the stuff our management has allowed to happen would be like staying married to a girl after finding out she's been banging all your best friends for the last 10 years.
Astros are already on the rebound as a franchise. 5 years ago the rangers were the bad franchise with no minor league system. In 2007 the rangers the Rangers lost 87 games, and only had one prospect in the top 100. From 2000-2008, the rangers only had one winning season, and never made the playoffs. During that same stretch, the Astros had 7 winning seasons and 3 playoff appearances, it's cyclical. I have no respect for fans who jump ship when it gets tough. And as for Nolan Ryan, I have no problem with it. He's a Texas icon who only left the Astros after they snubbed him. First McMullen asked him to take a pay cut, and then Drayton refused to offer him any more than a figurehead job in the organization. It's similar to why I always cheer Lance Berkman.
I understand you're pissed about it. I was too. But I think the analogy is awful. I'd use that to compare to a team moving out of town....but our team is still going to be right here. Every night. Playing baseball at MMP as the HOUSTON ASTROS. Rivalries? Baseball has just a few rivalries at all. Aside from Cubs/Cards and Yanks/Red Sox, what meaningful rivalries are there? Do you think the Cards see us as a rival? I grew up with the Astros in the NL West. The Astros truest rival ever was the Dodgers...when we got moved to the NL Central, we lost all of those rivalries. Those teams come to town once a season. Ultimately I think we're all going to end up hating the Rangers worse than any franchise we've ever hated before. That's going to end up cooking into a rivalry. And trading out the A's, Angels and Mariners for the Pirates, Reds and Brewers isn't that big of a stretch frankly. I was furious about all this when it went down...I was even angrier at the mere suggestion of a franchise name change in the midst and context of all that. But I think this organization will roll out blue and orange next year in an effort to connect with its longtime fans as they move to the AL. Bottom line....I still want to see the HOUSTON ASTROS beat who ever they are playing every night. I don't see that ever changing.
It's to remind Rangers fans that Nolan Ryan was first an Astros great. Can't tell you how many of these new Rangers fans didn't even know that. I was listening to Ben and Skin on ESPN Dallas, and they said: "Nolan Ryan's best years were not even in Texas!". Short pause and then after break they read my text I sent the show. "Ryan best years were in HOUSTON..in Texas. signed, future Houston ALstros fan".
Doesn't really bother me. Ryan is still a Houston icon and a big part of the Houston Astros. Also the fact that the Rangers aren't a big rival yet. It would be like if McHale led the Rockets to a championship. I think Boston would still honor him. But I already hate the Rangers with all their stupid bandwagon fans showing up to Minute Maid.
