There was zero buzz surrounding this team in 1994 (the first championship season) until they reached the WCF. Hell, they didn't even sell out game 1 of the semi-final round that year... I mean seriously, to not sell out a playoff game is pretty awful. They were the #2 seed that year and starting with that round, since the Sonics were eliminated, they knew they had home-court advantage throughout the playoffs if they kept winning. After 20+ years of having teams that were either one/done, or just mediocre, its going to take at least another finals (if not championship) to really re-claim "buzz-factor" in this town. Its just the nature of Houston sports fans, combined with a league that is far from the most popular brand in town.
That 09 squad was unique because they were such underdogs. Generally speaking Houston will only really get buzzing for the Rockets if people feel they are a title threat, and after these first 2 games it certainly doesn't feel that way. Baseball has a much less predictable postseason so if your team is in the playoffs you can win it all, and of course this city is football crazy. The Rockets always have been fighting an uphill battle when you combine the difficulty in competing for an NBA title, and a fanbase that will only truly get behind a title threat.
I grew up through all the events the op mentioned and I get the feel (lack of) he his talking about. This plays a huge part in it. Even these people will jump on the bandwagon if they go to the Finals though. Going to a championship parade downtown leaves a lasting memory.
Local media always has treated the Rockets like sh-t, but it got much worse post-Texans, which is frankly not surprising given that their audience is predominantly older and white and the rockets audience skews younger nd not as white. If youre an AM radio producer or local TV News director, and your average audience member is over age 45 and white - and you run ads for reverse mortgages and truck-a-thons, who are you going to talk aobut, JJ Watt or James Harden?
Citywide buzz is not going to happen in the 2nd round of the playoffs in the NBA for Houston. This city is a major frontrunning city and the Rockets haven't been a title contender in over a decade. On top of that, apathy set in big time when the Rockets disappeared from tv all together. On top of THAT, the nature of the NBA playoffs makes it hard for "buzz" to generate in a frontrunning town; the playoffs are LONG. Each series is potentially 7 games, they are stretched out over weeks, etc. If this team is in the Western Conference Finals, buzz will start to pick up. If they make it to the finals, the buzz will be there for sure.
fwiw, I do see more people wearing Rockets gear outside the Toyota Center since the Playoffs started that alone, puts a smile in my face
There was absolutely buzz during the Mavericks series. The week off that just so happened to coincide with the Astros run really shifted the focus of the casual sports fan. The Rockets had a chance to reclaim it but laid an egg in Game 1. I think a win in LA could do the trick, but I also sense a "fool me once..." attitude in the city right now that may make it harder than usual.
I would disagree I think there is a lot of buzz for the Rockets this year..way more than the previous two
That is really interesting. I frankly can't remember. I was such a huge fan of the team and especially Hakeem, I was buzzed all the time so I may not have paid attention to any lack of support. I loved that team, and when they won it all, the buzz went over the top.
This is what I'm talking about. One of these will generate buzz for years. Sorry for the crappy picture. Couldn't find a digital copy.[/URL][/IMG]
I think a sports team would have to go much deeper into the playoffs. Back in the glorious days of 1995, there were grandpas proudly wearing Rockets apparel everywhere in the city. A special time, that's for sure.
Winning solves everything. As a native-born long-time Houston sports fan, I, along with all other die hard houston sports fans, have lived and suffered through many catastrophic meltdowns and letdowns. Combine that with the fact that this isnt a strong sports fan town (heavy bandwagoning) and that basketball is a distant second to football here and you get the current lack of buzz. Like i said, winning will solve this. The bandwagoners are still skeptical. Win this series, and they'll be piling on and proclaiming they are die hards. Then, and only then, will there be the buzz in the city about this team.
I was at that game. Walked up to the Summit ticket window the day before the game. It was against Phoenix and at the time was the biggest comeback in NBA history. *edit* Forgot to add you are guys are right...there was no buzz then which is why it was so easy to get tickets. The following year was different.
I think it absolutely has to do with the personality of the team. Its easier to get behind something when you see them giving everything they have. At least for me it helps to vindicate my own emotional investment in the team. Its why even when the Texans suck I'm partially Ok with it cause I see Watt busting his ass with a bloody nose til the final whistle blows.
/Thread Too many transplants who do not care. The others are Texans Fans waiting on September so that they can get wasted at 6am, tailgate and then brawl.
Big, spread-out city. People are busy having jobs here instead of many of the other fanatical cities for sports. Rockets haven't won a championship in a couple generations. Half the city didn't get to watch the Rockets until this year. The city's used to sports' failure by now, and the current Rockets' team isn't exactly screaming "CHAMPIONSHIP GUARANTEED." Basketball and baseball have been reduced in stature compared to football in the past 20 years. Houston is (and I'll say it) idiotically a diehard football town even though the football team has been the biggest source of disappointment over the years. Also, I'll just say this: the Rockets control their own destiny. They shouldn't need to rely on the crowd to motivate them to play well, so everybody blaming the crowd needs to back off. The Clippers and the Spurs won most of the games in their series on the road, because they're talented and focused teams. The Rockets need to be able to win games in the worst environment if they want to hold the description of being a good team. And they did win a lot of games on the road this year, so now's gut check time to see if they can do it in this playoff series.
