I've been a Rockets fan since the 1970's. Seen many squads come and go. Got really spoiled with our championship teams... the heart, chemistry and beautiful basketball were a sight to behold and those playoff runs were truly a life experience. Since then, our squads have paled in comparison. And I don't mean just wrt basketball performance. I mean the personality, heart, chemistry, excitement, and attitude. I see something special developing in this team. I think the pieces are there and falling into place. And the players are all guys that I want to root for, like the Hakeem era (but pre-Charles ). When was the last time we had 3 players like Hayes, VSpan and Novak... 3 non-All Stars yet you just can't wait for them to get court time to watch what they can do. Yao has become a mighty force and remaining naysayers look more and more foolish after each game. TMac is still jaw-dropping... whether he's shooting or passing, Battier is a workhorse, Luther's returned after a rough second-half to his rookie season to shoot the lights out, Deke along with most others on the team are model citizens and are simply likeable.... Now mix in just a little more pit bull into the 4th quarters ... This could be a very very enjoyable and memorable season. Let's try to enjoy the ride.
Well stated. And, oh yeah, the Dream era was the mad max era, too. But it is true, too true, that there has been too little to love since that $^())#@ Stockton shot in June '97. Does this have enough for a June run? Probably not. But there is reason (and are reasons - roll role guys, roll!) to be there thru this whole ride!
Sit back, relax and enjoy the games. As long as the continue to hustle, it's sports entertainment. Go Rox!
Per Cohen: "I've been a Rockets fan since the 1970's. Seen many squads come and go. Got really spoiled with our championship teams... the heart, chemistry and beautiful basketball were a sight to behold and those playoff runs were truly a life experience. Since then, our squads have paled in comparison. And I don't mean just wrt basketball performance. I mean the personality, heart, chemistry, excitement, and attitude. I see something special developing in this team. I think the pieces are there and falling into place. And the players are all guys that I want to root for, like the Hakeem era (but pre-Charles ). When was the last time we had 3 players like Hayes, VSpan and Novak... 3 non-All Stars yet you just can't wait for them to get court time to watch what they can do. Yao has become a mighty force and remaining naysayers look more and more foolish after each game. TMac is still jaw-dropping... whether he's shooting or passing, Battier is a workhorse, Luther's returned after a rough second-half to his rookie season to shoot the lights out, Deke along with most others on the team are model citizens and are simply likeable.... Now mix in just a little more pit bull into the 4th quarters ... This could be a very very enjoyable and memorable season. Let's try to enjoy the ride." ____________________________________________ Thanks for the post. Good outlook. This team is special.... __________________ HOOK'EM \m/
Just like 'The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh'. Side note...I'm somewhat glad that T-Mac is taking a lesser role right now on offense. I think the wear-and-tear will be less and hopefully he'll have more saved up energy for the end of the season and playoffs. And I really like Rafer running the point. I cannot remember any Rockets team within the last 15 or so years that had someone actually consistently push the ball up the court on offense. Rafer is not the best...but I think he's what is needed on this team. Push the ball...start the offense with 19/20 seconds on the shot clock rather than 13/14 seconds when Steve Francis ran the show. Nice post...I share your optimism Cohen!!!
I was talking about this last night, when thinking about Mike James vs Rafer. Even though Mike james may have slightly better stats, Rafer is so much more likeable. And so many of this team is very likeable people.
no team is perfect. every championship team had a flaw. i get the feeling sometimes that as fans we nit pick about everything. the truth is, this team can beat any other team in the league on any given night. now, if we want to be able to win a series against any team we need one more scorer off the bench to prevent those collapses! bonzi can be that guy, but if he never plays for us again then at least we could trade him for someone that will help. i feel like this team is one or two players, and maybe a few playoff battles away from being a championship team.
You know, I was thinking about this same sort of thing last night too. Remember these guys being added to the team? Rafer, Hayes, and, to a lesser extent, Snyder? Rafer came here carrying a lot of 'perceived baggage'. He was regarded, rightly or wrongly, as a hot-head, a problem child, lots of negative stuff said and written about him, especially since he was unexpectedly given to us as a replacement for our 'beloved' MJ. But has he even one time been anything other than completely pleasant, hard-working, and everything you could ask for in a 'model citizen'? And Hayes. I still don't know the details, but he came here following some actual legal troubles involving some kind of alleged criminal activity in college..? Can any of you picture that kid doing anything like that? Now Snyder, well, we know first-hand what he had done, in a game against oru own Rockets. And granted, he has only been here through the offseason and the first part of this year, but I have seen no indication from him that he is now nothing but a hard-working beast of a man, good attitude, and a ton of potential. It's unfortunate he got injured - hopefully he does not turn into our version of DA (injured and then gone without ever being able to show what he is truly capable of). All three of these guys have shown, on the surface at least, that they are truly committed to this team, and whatever issues they may have had in the past seem to be behind them. They just seem like 'good guys'. Maybe we're being fooled, I don't know. But maybe this city, this organization, this coach, maybe all that somehow allows these guys to rid themselves of whatever demons they may have had. Would be nice to think so, because.. Then there's Bonzi. On the one hand, it appears that the dude is confirming everyone's worst fear about him, all without ever doing a dang thing, negative or positive. It's tempting to have thoughts of trading the guy away, of thinking he's a waste, a bust in a Rox uni, that every bad thing anyone ever said about him is true. But maybe he's just still recovering from a rather serious injury, maybe he really will come around and become one of the guys, a part of this team, maybe the same effect that has happened to Rafer, Hayes and Snyder will also happen to Wells. Or maybe the guy is just a big turdbird, and the sooner we are rid of him, the better. Personally, I won't she dany tears if we send him on his way, preferably in some kind of trade that nets us something good in return. I just thought it was interesting to remember that several of these guys came here with clouds over their heads, and we seem to be doing a pretty good job on their reformation.
Well said, Cohen. This is the best team we've had since the championship years, and I expect great things from them this year.
I can give you way more details on this one than you want to know, but the gist of it was the woman lied. And no, no one could imagine it.
So far as a team we are taking care of business, beating the teams we should beat. Now if we can start beating the good teams consistently, closing out 4th quarters, have TMAC play on a high caliber level, and have Yao continue doing what he is doing, this team would be AMAZING. I am excited about what this season holds.
I love all of our young guys, I really do. But I also acknowledge the need for patience until they develop and earn a major role on this team. I love Snyder and his toughness, I love Novak and his sharp shooting, I love V-Span (aka Baklava) and think he has the most potential out of all of our young players and can honestly become one of the better players at his position, and I love Chuck Hayes and his toughness and how much he's contributing to this team already; all he needed was a chance (can't say I didn't tell you so : http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.php?p=2527715&postcount=17 )
Well I don't know about the glowing praise about our past championship teams... indeed I would agree that they had heart and chemistry, but the negatives were there... in alot of games various individual players mysteriously had terrible games... also there'd always inevitably be a stretch of the game where we'd mysteriously fall apart on offense - passes thrown out of bounds, dribbling balls off feet, and it was just turnover city for a stretch... this kind of slump even happened over weeks, such as in the '95 season, where we had to trade for Drexler coz things we so bad... But ofcourse, the team's greatness was demonstrated through its legendary clutchness, culminating in two championships. So many times we seemed doomed, yet was able to miraculously pull out the win - with a little luck on the way it must be said, but in any case it was the stuff of dreams...
