I'm the last person to say the sky is falling. I sympathize with the apologists that will point to Sura's injury, our tough opening schedule, our heavy offseason turnover, and all the other seemingly valid reasons why our season is off to such a horrendous start. But for the first time in over 10 years, my interest in the Rockets is waning. It's kind of a hollow feeling. Maybe it's Jeff Van Gundy. I was never a big fan of his, and I found myself trying to justify wanting him here. His hardnose style was supposed to come in and teach our kids discipline. I could respect that. But it never happened. He just traded our kids away. Fine. Steve Francis needed to go. This team was never going to win big with him at the helm. Tracy McGrady was a once in a decade acquisition. You take that trade and run. (of course you run, don't you coach? this team was built to run) Maybe it's the lack of winning, but I don't think that's it. I followed every single game that led up to the Yao Ming pick. The day we won the lottery, I danced a jig and called everyone I knew. Maybe it's because there are so many new faces. There's no one I can relate to on this team. Where's my Mario Elie, my Matt Bullard, my Charles Jones for crying out loud? Boki's become the fan favorite du jour, but he hasn't really lived up to expectations, and frankly, I'm getting tired of waiting for him to come around. Maybe it's our "leaders". Yao seems to be picking up right where he left off last season - underacheiving. And despite everyone TMac has brought to the table, it's starting to look a lot more like we got exactly what Orlando was trying to get rid of - a guy that will get his and then throw his hands up in frustration when the rest of the team doesn't come through. Can I blame him? I don't see how I can. But he doesn't seem to be making the players around him any better, and it's gotten very, very ugly. And that's what we have. An ugly, boring, uninspiring team. And for the first time in my adult life, I don't think I really care. but I want to...
I'll bleed Rockets Red forever...but that doesn't mean I can't be critical of the team. I'm not a blind homer who's going to go on and on about how this is our championship year. I will voice my opinion...it's not being a bandwagoner, it's being discontent with MY team, THE team. I'm losing interest, but I'll still follow them and hope and root....even if it means hoping for the #1 pick in the lottery (Godforbid it should come to that again....).
I love the Rockets, and have since Rudy, Calvin, and Mike Newlin were wearing the short pants. This season has been the single most difficult to stomach, worse than the season that brought Yao, even worse than the season that brought Ralph Sampson. The main reason is Jeff Van Gundy. Not only did he find a way to do the impossible, and make his so-called-offense even more difficult to watch, Yao and T-Mac both seem completely lost. However, there are plenty of threads to continue that b****, so I'll leave it at "I'm still following the Rox, but I'm not going to Toyota Center until JVG is gone, and I'm spending much more time with them as background on the radio than sitting watching every possesion intently on the TV."
My interest in the Rockets has simmered a little bit... but its not because of the losing... I can take that... its the fact I just don't know who this team is anymore.... This team has changed so much and so fast beginning from Rudy's departure... and all the new faces (aside from T-Mac) just don't seem to stand out or have any character. Its just hard to get excited about a team you don't know.
More and more, that's becoming me. I was just thinking today how happy I am that I didn't splurge and get the NBA League Pass like I was tempted to before the season started. Make no mistake, there's no chance I'll be rooting for another basketball team - ever! But it's looks like it'll be a lot more box score checking and clutch chat lurking than anything else...
In, as that's about all I do now...Van as a voice on the TV also has something to do with that. I seriously about came out of my skin listening to him call play by play the other night when Bill was late back to the mic. It was simply HORRIBLE! This Van Gundy offense is unwatchable. Their overall team play is uninspiring...and damnit, I miss Rudy ball; AND although Franchise loved to dribble the ball off his foot/heal/elbow/head, I miss the energy he brought to the game and the way he pumped up the crowd. This season so far is just blah. If I see Lue brick another last second shot while our guys sit around the perimeter picking their shorts outa their butts I'm gonna go crazy... I'm not giving up on my guys, I'm just bored with what I see game after game. They're A LOT more fun to watch when I control 'em on my Xbox, without a doubt. 140 points a game pwns!
I bleed rocket red, however, lately I've been noticing that I'd prefer play video games and listen to the rockets. sometimes I fall asleep while watching the rockets. They're boring! I hate to say it, but it has got to be JVG's style. I'm bored out of my mind here. I'll keep watching, but I don't enjoy it as much.
You're right about ROX not having a face. There's no personality just a bunch of nobodies and 2 stars. It's sad but true. I was really depressed when Chise and Cat left because I knew we'd suck. Chise was not just a player he had heart, enthusiasm, energy, personality. We has personality and we threw it away for one man. I still don't get it. I agree with you in that I don't really care much for this team anymore until new front office people and a new coach gets in there. The Rox and JVG broke my heart this summer and I choose not to support the team but I'l always be a fan-- you bet.
This team is so boring that I found myself constantly switching between the Rockets and The Real Giligans Island. When I'm torn between crappy reality TV and the Rockets something is seriously wrong. The Rockets have some serious problems and they are looking like one of the worse teams in the NBA.
Man, this team is just boring. JVG preaching his defense agenda when he came to this town....and now, that's gone. The offense is nowhere to be seen. 20 freaking TOs? This team just doesn't have it. No true PF. Yao is such a marshmellow at 7-10. Even on a jump ball, he lost it. That's crazy. Watching these other teams muscle him over really says a lot about this coaching staff. What the hell are they doing to him? Has he developed any body mass since he arrived as a Rocket? So many questions, but none have been answered. Please bring some FA PF to do some banging underneath for us. Yao, Juwan, and MoT aren't the answers.
Did anyone watch the Knicks/Hawks game? That was actually interesting to watch. Two teams hustling and playing their hearts out. Even though Walker sucks w/ the Hawks, he still scored 35. Where the hell was T-Mac? I know it's the Pistons, their the World Champs, blah blah blah. But we are the Rockets. Bonafide Yao, slashing and dashing T-Mac, JJ the swingman, etc. etc. Where was all that? It's so damn frustrating to see this squad not give it their all when they are on the court. Just pathetic.
After tonight, I'm not going to watch for a while. If I continue to watch, my television won't survive another week. This team, from the coach on down is an absolute embarassment to the city of Houston. I never thought I'd say I'm not going to watch my television when five vaginas would guaranteed to be on my screen, but I am.
I just finished saying the same thing in the game thread. I dont think i can take this anymore im gona go crazzy! Ill have to take a break tell we make som changes
I watched that game. That game was a blast, especially the last few minutes. Jamal Crawford's 3 pointer shot and Marbury's spinmove were just sick. hey, I know. I felt bad having so much fun watching Knick's games. But, what do you wanna me do? since I live in NYC, and I can't stand watching Rox.
