Alexander's reputation as great community guy is BS

He supports animal rights, and that's all I need to make him my favorite owner in the league!

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Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon is the greatest player in the history of basketball. If you disagree, you are not a Rocket fan.

 

He's saving it for Webber.

 

Where did you get that number? I thought it was into a few hundred thousands or even a few millions. I could be wrong of course. Anyways he doesnt really have to donate the money himself. Everyone know the Rockets raise it through fund raisers, etc.

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It was in the paper this morning. Fannie Mae put in more money than the Rockets for this Home Team thing. I have to agree with JR, it makes him look like a tightwad. As for the animal rights, well, I'd rather he helped people. It's his money though and I guess he'll do as he pleases. There may be a ton of other things he contributes money to that we don't even know about -- though I doubt it.

It was my impression though that, in terms of community involvement and charity, the Rockets had a very bad program while, at the other end of the spectrum, the Trailblazers did a very good job.

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Juan/JR:

The number you have is completely incorrect. Yes, they have put in $91,000 into Fannie Mae, but that doesn't account for all their other charity work.

The Clutch City Foundation has donated/raised over $5 million since its inception 6 years ago.

I don't think the Rockets ever singled out one charitable contribution as their shining example of work in the community. Fannie Mae is one of the organizations that the Rockets help.

As for animal rights, the Rockets give very little money to animal rights organizations. They did help develop the Spay and Neuter Assistance Program in Houston which is now a model for the rest of the country. It is a mobile spay and neuter clinic for people in disadvantaged areas providing spay and neuter for their pets.

The animal rights angle gets publicity because it runs contrary to what most people feel is an important community contribution (especially in rodeo country), but it makes up the smallest percentage of their contributions compared to things like Kim's Place and Casa de Esperanza.

[This message has been edited by Jeff (edited April 05, 2001).]

 

Im suprised you actually thought he was a good guy. That dude dosen't care about "every day people" He just want you to
buy those overpriced seats so he can take it to the bank.



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President of the Steve Francis, Jamal Crawford,Larry Hughes, and Charles Woodson fan club.

 

And what exactly does this have to do with Rockets Game Action and Roster Moves? Besides being in the wrong forum I think you are speaking from an uninformed position.

The Fannie Mae foundation is just one of the many charities that the Rockets and Les Alexander contribute to. So what if he doesn't contribute out of his own pocket (which he probably does anyway). Exactly what "mileage" is Les getting out of it. Fannie Mae gets free advertising during Rockets games - is that "mileage" for Les? I'm not aware of Les or anyone else claiming that he a social saviour, but maybe I missed it.

Checkout this link

http://www1.nba.com/rockets/community/charitygala.html?nav=ArticleList

Here's an excerpt from it.

The Tux & Tennies Charity Gala is the premier fundraising event of the Clutch City Foundation. Established in 1995 by Rockets owner Leslie Alexander, the Clutch City Foundation provides help, hope and inspiration to those in Houston who might otherwise be forgotten. In four years, Tux & Tennies has raised more than $1.5 million for Houston charities.

Maybe you know more about this than you posted originally - if so, share it.


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..as a man danced so the drums were beaten for him.
Current Rocket's Salary & Contract Info

[This message has been edited by davo (edited April 05, 2001).]

 

This is probably the sentence that has provoked this response. I don't think JR was talking about Les' charity work in general; he was talking about this work with Fannie Mae. $91,100 over 6 years compared to Fannie Mae's $455,000 is a bit insulting, to use JR's term. This is Fannie Mae's gig more than it is the Rockets'. As for the free advertising, that can be valued at $91,100, which is how much that advertising brought in.

Anyway, I don't think you need to get too defensive for Les. JR was bashing him for getting credit as a humanitarian for a particular act that took next to no investment from him to do. I didn't see anything he wrote that is any sort of blanket statement regarding Les' charity.

As for my sentence above, which is more provocative, I did not mean to imply that the $91,100 of other people's money was the extent of Les' charity. I meant simply that I wouldn't expect him to keep quiet about any charity he does engage in and miss out on the resulting mileage. I know he probably has given plenty of money to charity and I salute and thank him for it. I can only hope I'd do the same. (BTW, the $1.5 million for the Tux & Tennies is also mostly other people's money.)

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Actually JuanValdez I was responding to JR, not you. His was kind of a baseless argument. I really don't know how charitable Les is, I just don't think he is claiming to be, or getting undue "mileage" out of what he does do.

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..as a man danced so the drums were beaten for him.
Current Rocket's Salary & Contract Info

 

La Casa de Esperanza? Is that some kind of school for hispanic kids who don't speak English? Or does it mean something like house of hope?

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[This message has been edited by tacoma park legend (edited April 05, 2001).]

 

Ok, scratch incorrect. How about "misleading?" He is not obligated to give anything and whatever press he gets from it comes from the press. He doesn't choose what stories are run by the Chronicle or on TV.

And where exactly are you reading all this press on the "heavily promoted home team" project? That is the first story I've seen on the Rockets charity since last season other than tux and tennies. Two stories per season? Wow, that's serious press. If you are referring to all the ads during games, well those are given to Fannie Mae for free and Fannie Mae writes them, not the Rockets.

I don't think anyone would suggest that Les is some great humanitarian, but he has facilitated the contribution of millions to local charities. Who cares whether he gave it or arranged to have it raised? I don't hear the charities complaining.

And what difference does it make if he gave $9 or $91,000 to Fannie Mae? I guarantee you if you call Fannie Mae, they would have nothing but great things to say about the Rockets. I'm sure that if you gave or raised $91,000 for them, they'd say great things about you as well.

The Casa de Esperanza is a home for abused and negleted children.



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And then, depression set in...