What is it with the national media and their predilection to disrespect the Rockets? The past two games which have both been GREAT wins have received no national buzz -- we are back to pre-ASB form and we still get nothing! I turn on SportsCenter after the Seattle game and once again last night and our highlights start with time ticking down in the 4th! Not even a MENTION last night (even on the statboard) of Yao's 27/22/5. WTF?!? I opened up nba.com right now and I get Atlanta over the Raptors?! What the hell is going on here?
Patience Rocket fan! After all, were in it to get a championship. We got all the pubicity and spot light with Barkley. We got no national buzz with the first championship. Which do you remember more fondly?
ESPN did have Yao headlining the NBA front page last night... and with all the NCAA madness going on right now, the NBA will have to take a predictable back-seat. That being said, I kinda like being under the radar... we don't want too many expectations being put on this team too fast. I like the fact that we're just going about proving the doubters wrong faster than a Mike James fast break. Also, to be fair to the national media, they're probably just waiting to see how "for real" this team really is... they jumped all over Cleveland two months ago, put them on the cover of every magazine, and now the Cavs are in a free-fall. Trust me... if we keep this level of ball up till the playoffs, nobody will doubt this team at all.
Hey Guys and Dolls... I have no doubt that our beloved Rox are getting more than enough attention from the ones who count: GM's, Coaches, and Scouts across the league... especially from the 1-5 seeds in the West. I can just imagine their nightmares right about now: "Yao another offensive board and put-back / T-Mac with another trey / If it's no Yao and T-Mac, it's Wesley, Barry or Mike James hitting big shots... / this team has NO weakness - AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! Don't sweat the media. All of that will come. I totally agree with Nick; the more we can operate without the circus around us, the better off we will be!!!
Yeah, that's true. ESPN also salivates for dunks and highlight material. That's why they follow the Cavs and Suns like a bunch of 15 year old groupies! In reality, we really haven't proven anything. Not yet. I remember a few years ago a guy named Paul Pierce was just another good 2-guard. After his Celtics reached the finals and he went off vs the Nets (48 PTS) he was like the ESPN darling. What happened to his popularity today? "What have you done for me lately?" The ESPN fan base is fickle. They have low attention spans. That's just the way it is. So, our goal is the play-offs, then the finals. As Kenny Smith always says, "You make your NAME in the regular season, you make your FAME in the play-offs." Beat the best, to be the best in the play-offs! Just like Billiups and Prince did (and the Spurs before them). No fanfare, just all business.
We have been fighting for publicity for the past 10-15 years. All we want is the championship. After we win a few in a row, we'll get the respect. Patience, kimosabe...
The only weakness i see on this team is at the power foward position so i wouldnt going so far saying we have no weakness
Nick has already pointed it out: It's March Madness time, the college game will get all of the headlines and focus, which it deserves. Once The Tournament is over, all eyes will focus on the NBA, and hopefully we'll still be rolling when that happens. Go Red Raiders.
and actually....on most nights...Howard doesnt get the respect he desrerves....he isnt the fastest or most athletic guy on the court....but normaly, he provides you with a decent scorer...a decent rebounder, and a guy that provides the veteran leadership and calm assurance that the team needs. He at least tries to play defense most of the time....he may nto be that great at it...but he doesnt just step aside and let folks walk in...he provides a big body fo rthem to have to go around..and does hi spart inthe defensive rotations. Coul ewe get better at that position??...god I hope so...but until then...J Howard isnt a bad guy to have there.
the la times wrote an article 9 years ago and it had a picture of rodney dangerfield wearing a home olajuwon (pajama-one) jersey. I've been looking for it forever to post here because it sums up soo much in one picture imma keep looking for it but no luck so far maybe one of the bbs guys here are expert internet sleuths but its a picture i wanted for my own collection
If you write or call the Times, they can probably hook you up with a bakc issue of the paper. That's if you, uh, REALLY want to find the picture.
Honestly, media attention can be seriously detrimental to a team. I have no doubt that all the SportsCenter hype and tabloid gossip about the Lakers most definitely contributed to the demise of that dynasty. T-Mac and Yao are both private men; I find it likely that their games (and relationships with the general public) would suffer if they were placed in the spotlight of a Kobe Bryant. Yao already has that kind of attention in China, and it's clear he's uncomfortable with it. He has been very careful not to cultivate a similar public persona in the states; he rarely does television interviews and topics such as his girlfriend are off-limits. The most media-friendly and savvy member of the Rockets is Jeff Van Gundy. I'm comfortable with having him speak for the team.
We DON'T need respect. We need to win the Championship. Then we give every national media the middle finger, show the trophy and say "you see this b****? Ain't no team in this league gettin' this."
Just like the Pistons last year. And plus, doin it this way is more fun...let all those crap media outlets dissrespect us, for we will have the last word
I personally prefer that we get no respect. It just makes it all the more sweeter when we prove all of those doubter / nonbelievers wrong. I do not know if we can win it all this year, but I bet we will make some noise and make some people raise a few eyebrows. I feel that this team has the potential to go further in the playoffs than last year's team. However, the one thing that really makes me consider that we can win it all is that we are able to beat teams, or stay close in games, versus teams that last year were damn near impossible for us to win.
Actually, they're SILK PAJAMAS... And the chick is HOT, too... I'll keep looking... "I'm doing this to help my marriage," he joked. "With my wife, I can't win. She won a trip to Vegas for two. She went twice."
