I'll always remember Rudy coaching the Rockets to the first championship in 1994. Houston was always a bridesmaid and never a bride (until then). Rudy delivered for the entire city. Some will say that we won because of Hakeem, but the Knicks had Ewing and the Magic had Shaq and Rudy bested them both with Hakeem. I remember often thinking that we had a really great game plan against opposing teams. Rudy worked very hard and poured alot of heart and soul into being our coach. Thanks all the hard work, the great memories and the championships! Thanks for always seeking the higher ground and conducting yourself with such class. Rudy, I truly wish you the best! Swami
Rudy T is a Houston icon without any doubt. His image looms larger than any other Houston sports figure, with the possible exception of Dream. If I were to pick one thing about Rudy to praise over the years it wouldn't have anything to do with his coaching prowess. It would be his character. Rudy's class has been highly evident to Rockets fans throughout the years and is a prime reason, I would assume, that everyone wants to play for him. The one instance that exemplefies this class above any other, in my opinion, is Rudy's willingness to bring in a player during training camp that Kermit Washington had found. I know that I personally couldn't have done that and I can't imagine that anyone else could have put that anger behind them. But somehow Rudy did. Sometimes in sports there comes a time when change is necessary. It's unfortunate that it involves Rudy in this case. Best of luck to you personally and professionally Coach T.
May 24, 2003, 1:38AM Class act needs time off stage By FRAN BLINEBURY Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle He was the reluctant coach. They had to talk him into taking the job. He was the reluctant icon. The one who'll still bag his own groceries at the supermarket. To say it is surprising Rudy Tomjanovich stepped down as the man in charge of the Rockets is an understatement. Yet it is no less astonishing than how far he took that job, that franchise, this city in the first place. "Never underestimate the heart of a champion!" he told us. What they never tell us is the toll that climbing those roads to those championships takes on a heart, a mind and so many other fragile parts that make up the complex human body. On March 18, Tomjanovich was diagnosed with bladder cancer, and that was the beginning of the end. "The stress, the physical anguish that every game takes on me," he said, twisting his hands as if in a wringer. "It's so difficult to be constantly carrying the burden of everyone's dreams." That's what happens when you help make the dreams, when you raise the image of a basketball franchise and with it the image and self-esteem of an entire city. On Feb. 18, 1992, he was named interim head coach for the only team he's ever known in the NBA, and that was the beginning of the beginning, the liftoff to one amazing Rocket ride. Rudy T had been a standout high school player in his native Hamtramck, Mich., and covered himself in All-America glory at the University of Michigan. He'd been the second overall pick in the NBA draft and an All-Star as an NBA player. But none of that could ever have prepared him -- or us -- for any of what happened in a coaching life that he embraced and impressed with a working man's solid attitude and firm grip. He won two championships and became the face of the Rockets franchise, the symbol of Houston as much as Hakeem Olajuwon. For while it's a fact he never won a championship without Hakeem, the converse is just as true. They were made for each other. He broke down Friday at the news conference in front of the whirring TV cameras and scribbling pens when he talked about his coaching staff, his brothers in arms who shared the scars and really knew the man who was only glimpsed in public. "I know that through the years, a lot of people -- even friends of mine -- would say, `Why would you have a coach like Rudy?' " Tomjanovich said. "I know what they meant. I didn't bring an image of authority with me to the job. I was just trying to learn to do it, to be myself, to pass it on to my guys. I guess it worked." Guess so. Now they know his name on the streets and the playgrounds in Paris, Rome and Athens and all the other places where the game has spread like wildfire in global popularity. He coached the United States to a gold medal in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Just last year, when Tomjanovich was standing in an airport line upon arrival in Beijing to meet Yao Ming, a young female customs officer took one glance and with a smile said, "Coach Rudy!" That has been the reach of his celebrity that has grown with his accomplishments and also proof that the job provides few places to hide, to escape, to be the regular guy in any corner of the planet. It was on his way to a meeting Sunday with Rockets owner Leslie Alexander to discuss his plans that Tomjanovich drove past Minute Maid Park and saw fans strolling toward the Astros game. "That's the minute it hit me," he said. "I wanted to be one of them. I wanted to just go to a game and enjoy (and) not have everything hanging on the outcome." Since taking leave from the Rockets after a March 16 win over Phoenix and missing the last 17 games of the season, he had wrestled with his emotions, those honed instincts as an athlete, a competitor. "You know," he said. "That tough guy inside us that says, `Let me get back. I can beat anything. I'll just outwork it.' " But you don't beat cancer with sheer hustle, by giving up another hour or two of sleep to watch more videotape of a draft prospect. In fact, that's bad medicine. As much as the four years of missing the playoffs nagged at him, as much as the criticism that he may have lost something in his ability to get through to this younger group of players affected him, as much as he wanted to prove all of the doubters wrong, what he wants more is to be healthy, to regain the sense of equilibrium that is easily lost in the vicious coaching circle. Would Tomjanovich have been nudged out anyway if not for the health problems? Alexander says not. Would he have wanted to step aside if stress wasn't a known detriment to fighting cancer? Tomjanovich says maybe. At age 54, is he done with coaching for good? He wouldn't close that door. "Right now, though," he said, "I just think it's time to get off. "There's nothing sad about this. I've had more than 11 years. I've had my thrills, my joys. I've felt like I've been living in a blender. One hell of a ride." For Rudy T. For all of us who rode shotgun.
There is so many nice things u can say about the guy but my fave is when he said "Never underestimate the heart of a Champion". Rudy your truly are the best. God bless and take care of yourself
I was going to say the same thing, but I haven't scanned my photo yet. Rudy was so amazing at those camps. He used to stay late playing OUT (short version of HORSE) with whatever little kid wanted to play him. Wonder if Jeff and I were there is the same year(s)? '78-80? Hope you get some well-deserved rest now, Rudy. God-speed in your recovery.
good bye rudy.... it's hard to believe that it's happening, time flies...all of the sudden, i turn around and realize the championships were 8 years ago, you were named coach 10 years ago... you'll be in my heart at the top of other houston sports memories like the late seventies oilers, the 81 rockets, 82-83 cougars, 80's astros baseball, 86 rockets, warren moon-era oilers...but none of them brought us the championships like you did.... i will always remember the state of shock my friends and i were in when the seconds ticked down at the end of game 7 to the '94 championship...all of the frustrations, all of the heartbreak ('92 oilers in buffalo, choke city)...they were all exorcised....we were champions, for real...we were just silenced for about 20-30 seconds, before it sunk in...this is what it's like to win one of these darn things! how can i express the gratitude to the man responsible for making a city believe? ....and giving honor to the name 'rudy'javascript:smilie('') thanks, rudy t!
Rudy, you are the man. I'll never forget the two championships you brought to Houston and I wish you a speedy and full recovery.
Rudy: Thanks for the memories; thanks for the honor; thanks for the titles. You are a true gentleman. From one Yugoslav to another, God Bless. Have some "potica" and get well.
Its difficult to pick my favorite moment from all the wonderful years Rudy T gave to this franchise..."Don't ever underestimate the heart of a champion" still (and probably will always) bring a sentimental tear to my eye. Any fan of Houston sports should take a moment and give thanks to the man who helped rename "Choke City" to "Clutch City". We wish you the best of luck with whatever you do. Thanks for everything!
Rudy T. is and will always be symbolic of what I admire most about the Rockets. Here's to you Rudy. Thanks for all you gave to the Rockets and the fans!
One of my greatest Rudy memories was one of the first ones of him as the Rockets head coach. Rudy had taken the job with reservations because of his loyalty to Don Chaney. The Rockets lost their first game with him as coach in heartbreaking fashion at Portland, and were coming home to play the Golden State Warriors and Run-TMC (Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Chris Mullin). The Rockets came out the first half and got pummeled by the Warriors, and trailed by 22 at halftime. Rudy went into the locker room, and chewed on the team, saying the ONLY way they would ever be championship caliber was if they would make a commitment to defense. They came out in the 2nd half with fire in their eyes and came all the way back, winning on a Hakeem fallaway 18 foot jumper at the buzzer. Still the greatest game I have ever been too. Rudy was up and down out of his seat the WHOLE game, like a YMCA coach who had first discovered his love of coaching. I often pointed to this game as the time when those Rockets began to grow up. It was interesting years later to read that Rudy felt the same way, referencing this in his autobiography as THE turning point for the franchise. I had really felt like the first Laker game this year was the same kind of game for this recent edition of the Rockets, and it still may prove to be. Unfortunately, Rudy is the scapegoat for an underachieving team. I think, deep in his heart, he knew it was coming, but it is never easy when it actually happens. Thanks Rudy, for being the right coach at the right time and for your commitment to the Rockets franchise and the city of Houston. We will never forget you. P.S. - Go light on the sauce this week, OK? You will be able to write your own ticket whenever and wherever you want to...
The 1994 Sports Illustrated Rockets Championship issue which I still have has a great line by Rudy in which he ends the phone coversation with Slick Willie Clinton by saying, "Hey, call me anytime." I just think that's so cool.
There will be no truer Rocket than Rudy, from start to finish. I actually really got into the Rocks about 2 months before Rudy took ovewr so this week as really seemed like a weird milestone...I've never been a Rocket fan w/o Rudy so I don't know how I feel yet.... he is clearly the Rocket Moses...in fact we should change the name of the mascot "Clutch" to "Rudy"!
Thanks Rudy for always bringing pride & commitment to the Rockets: you've always made me proud to be a Rockets fan! Good Luck in your new position with the Rockets and with your health. It's obvious the city of Houston loves you, but so do all your Rockets fans from afar who have never been able to see or meet you: Thanks for all the great memories with the Rockets & for leading our USA team to victory. Thanks for being a ROCKET! We Love You!
