Questions after watching the "Clutch City" documentary

I remember the heartbreak in 86. I was 8 years old and I went down with the ship. That was the year my hate for the Celtics began even though I liked Larry Bird. It's funny I had always hated McHale right until the day he became our coach and even then I was hesitant to show him some love. I've since parted ways with those feelings.

Ahh the glory years....Our back to back championships is something that I feel very fortunate to have experienced. The celebrations on Richmond were nuts! I've been through so much with this team but I wouldn't have it any other way. We will be celebrating more championships soon.

 

I know I'm not the only one. But when I watch a video from the championship years, I get verklempt and teary. Just so great.
Also, how did I know it would be tinman to be the first to reply?

 

I remember my post-game-4-of-the-'95-title night in terms of the drive from the in-law's house in Mo City to my place in NW Houston- neighborhood street corners along the way held spontaneous celebrations with a handful of folks twirling brooms and whooping it up for passing traffic. On 610 through the Galleria it wasn't just limited to Richmond- the right 3 lanes of West Loop were pretty much a spontaneous parking lot celebration up to the Post Oak exit. Oh, the humanity that night... had I been single I would have stopped, parked and partied all night with an especially hot sign-waver in the back of a convertible, whose smiling eyes met mine as I rubbernecked my way towards my exit at TC Jester.
It's those memories that keep a lot of bad basketball since then from driving me towards the Spurs fanbase, like seemingly everyone else here in Cen-Tex. I'd love to see it again before I can see no more.

 

Remember when KRBE put together montages of audio highlights from the playoffs set to the music they introduced the team to. I had those recorded on a tape years ago...many of the announcer's comments from games are burned into my brain:

"Nuclear cockoaches...you can't kill 'em."

"Hakeem Olajuwon has gone now beyond All Star or even MVP status to rank among the greatest players to have ever played the game at any position."

"Mario!!! Mario my man!!!"

Pretty sure I'd tear up like a little girl if I heard those montages today.

 

I would like to know myself. Nice question, almost deserving of its own thread.

Scott Brooks for a little while had a season where he was designated "4th quarter closer". And was very good at it. Kinda similar role to when Patrick Beverley last year who'd finish out the games. Undersized not an explosive athlete but underdog go-getter spirit. Though a VERY good shooter, didnt turn the ball over. Except with no egos, no fan controversy. He was probably a little undervalued. He produced, but always seemed replaceable.

Carl Herrera, a UH Cougar so that was appeal. Not that super athletic not really "efficient" but played with energy, tough, like a version of Dejaun Blair maybe.

Earlier video posted. He might still look in the best playing shape of any former Rocket of that time.

(Really, the mystery man is Otis Thorpe.)

 

I remember the '94 championship t-shirts being totally ubiquitous. You couldn't go a day without seeing somebody wear one for about three years. Demand was very high for the shirts and hats; I remember going with my dad to some Hilton/Marriot/whatever small hotel's big conference room, where vendors had just set up huge piles of championship shirts and hats in every size and style imaginable. They were making some serious bank that day.

The bright yellow Chronicle "Clutch City" signs (they came inside the newspaper, and people ****ing LOVED them) were in literally every other car window for weeks. They were everywhere, and people would constantly smile when they saw them, giving thumbs up and honking their horns. I was too young to visit the Richmond Strip, but I remember my Dad and I celebrating after Game 7 in '94 by going to Jack in the Box for some tacos (WTF). People were definitely out partying.

One thing I really remember was that it felt like a real milestone for the city of Houston: Our first "real" sports championship. Really felt like the city was on the rise, which of course it was.

 

for the Question about Scott Brooks and Carl Herrera:

The best way to describe Brooks in a way you might understand was that he was the Chuck Hayes of point guards. Undersized, not as talented as most, but ton's of heart, hustle, and smarts. A guy you could always root for, Bill Worrells nickname for him coming into the game was the "Energizer Bunny".

He was important during the regular season until Sam Cassell started to shine. Sam brought another playmaking scorer to the team which was much needed in the playoffs since at the time Hakeem carried the entire team.

Carl Herrera, I remember him just being a solid back up. There was nothing special or too flashy about him he was just solid.

His greatest contribution to the team was that he was someone you could use in the post coming off the bench. He was able to use both his right and left hands for jump hook off the block. He had his moments were he stepped up for the team during the championship run.

The best comparison I can give to more recent player is probably Shane Battier. Although, Shane is probably better overall they are similar in that they just played a solid role on a champinship run.

Hope this helps

 

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How sweet it is

 

Man... Clutch City... Those were the days! You could find real Rockets fans everywhere back then... all over the city! It was a time where the city truly embraced the team and both fans and players rocked the The Summit game in game out.

 

I still remember it all. I was actually in Manchester, England visiting my uncles and would watch the games around 3AM in the morning on my uncles satellite. They didn't understand what I was doing and how much it meant to me.

The night we won the championship I gave out the biggest "whisper" Yell in my life. I was running around downstairs and couldn't sleep. I waited till the morning to call my parents and ask them what is going on in Houston. She said it was chaos on the streets.

Then she started telling me about the Sports Illustrated debacle and how everyone was so pissed off. I was one of those subscribers that felt duped.

 

Man anyone remember the first black and white champion hats and the champion shirt with the big basketball in the middle? Man I remember going to this hotel place to get both after they had won the first ring and it was PACKED. I still remember having goosebumps putting on the hat. It was like, "Man! Is this really happening? Are we really the freaking champions?"

 

For weeks after finals, you could look any Houstonian in the eye and smile and they knew what that smile was about...and smiled with you. It was glorious.

 

The summer heat didn't even bother us at the downtown parad--oh, wait--YES IT DID! It was hotttt that day!

 

Another valid question, where the **** is this magical Richmond Ave?

 

I was in NYC with Houston friends for the first championship.

The Rangers had just won the Cup and New York had already prepared for a ticker tape parade.

it was glorious.

remember driving around Humble after the '95 championship, have never seen so many cars honking and drivers waving at each other.

people were holding brooms out their cars, it was insane...

 

Parallel to Westheimer. In the 80s and 90s, that's where most of the clubs were- Xcess, Ocean Club, The Roxy, 6400, Confetti's, Yucatan Liquor Stand, etc. Downtown was NOTHING in the 90s- you had a few clubs like Power Tools and Red Square, but it was dead as....dead.

 

nice. good times.

Yeah if rockets were to ever win a championship where will all the apeshi**t partying be?

 

It started just outside the 610 loop and headed out west almost to Gessner--give or take a few blocks. nonstop cars and honking every night for about a week.