If so, do you ever notice how the Rockets, as in many other media, don't really get the recognition that other teams do? For instance, unless I've missed it, there has been NO mention of Swift coming here. Now, some of you may say, as MattJ[ackson] did after the signing, that it isn't groundbreaking or earthshattering, and I agree with that. But.. It seems that other teams get a *nod* or *wink* in the media for doing much less. This has been a long time irritation of mine, the unbalanced support of the NBA for it's favorite teams, and their little eNEWSLETTER constantly throws salt on old wounds, created by the likes of Sports Illustrated (which I have refused to read since their failure to treat the Rockets and their fans to a national commemorative magazine etc. in 95-96) something they had done for other teams... and if I'm not mistaken, have done since... though since I don't read it... who knows really. I could make a list of examples of how we've been disrespected in the media over the years in comparison to other NBA teams, but what's the point... Mainly, I just wondered if anyone else ever got bothered by the NBA's own eNewsletters perpetuation of that sort of thing...or if this is me being a home-teamer and disecting the minutia (I know I'm a Rocket fan, but really, isn't Houston signing Stromile a bigger deal than, say, the Clippers signing "Singleton"?) Just my two cents, and since the NBA never responds (I have written them inquiring in the past when there were Rockets stories that didn't make the cut, and others that were of less importance (objectively) that did. They don't respond.
You know I think I figured it out. Houston the 4th Largest city in the US. Wide diversity of cultures. Very Sporty Atmosphere. Top 10 in the league in the past 3 NBA Seasons. I think what it is is that they are expecting much grater things from us. I mean there looking for that Lakeresque atmosphere. The hollywood style considering we are that big of a city. But hey thats just my 2 cents. Alot of other fans of other NBA teams dawg us only because of what we havent accomplished yet but they dont dawg us because were a sorry team. They know were good just not SUPER GREAT
The problem is that nobody outside of Texas (and maybe not even outside Houston), thinks of Houston as the 4th Largest city in the US. It's New York, LA, Chicago and then everyone else. And let's face it, because of the Cowboys and the tv show, Dallas has always overshadowed Houston in terms of attention. Houston just isn't known as being a "big fry" town.
I'm sure the NBA not responding has a lot to do with the fact that the NBA Daily (and it's parent publication Sports Business Daily) are produced, not by the NBA, but by Street & Smith's.
I think you might have missed a few days in there, CrazyDave. I know I've seen at least two mentions of the Swift deal in the NBA daily newsletter, inluding one in the last few days. And while I agree that the Rox don't get their due, especially in regards to the two championships, in the case of Swift I think that our expectations are higher than that of the general public. Remember, to most everyone else, Swift is a non-starter who has failed to live up to his promise. In other words, as free agents go, he's more of a Kwame Brown than a Shareef Abdur-Rahim. If he lives up to his potential, or even gives us 25% more than he gave the Grizzlies, Swift might end up being the jewel of this free-agent class. But right now, he's a sixth man who couldn't get more than the MLE in a market where 'Toine gets $9 million a year and even Mobley gets $7 mil per. In that light, you can't expect this acquisition to get the same ink that the bigger names are getting.
Hmmm... I have been checking since the sign... and haven't seen it. I will check again, but this is by no means the only example of my point that I have noticed. As to the other post about everyone else not seeing us as the 4th largest city... who cares? My precise point is that they play favoritism, and my point is not that we should get special treatment for being a large city, it's that we don't get equal considerations/recognition on many levels with ANY teams. As for the importance of Stromile's signing... yes, I agree, I don't expect the nation to regard it as a "coup" for Houston, but other signings by smaller cities and lesser teams seem to get immediate recognition, while we seem not to. Again, I'll check for a mention of ANYTHING Houston has done lately, but I have been looking, and haven't seen it. the point about a third party producing the newsletter is well taken, though my guess is that the NBA does have some control over it. I could be wrong. I know some don't like to comment on such *woe for our team* style of stuff, but this isn't to whine, it is to ask.... "Why?" NBA Daily Headlines since Swift signed on August 2.... Thursday, August 4, 2005 1. Pacers Keeping Cool After Heat's Big Trade 2. Re-Signing With Seattle 'No-Brainer' For Allen 3. Lakers' Brown Ready To Turn Page 4. Brown Moving Marbury To Shooting Guard? 5. Van Exel Headed Back To Mavericks? 6. Calderon Takes Point As Raptors Sign Spaniard 7. Waiting Game: GMs Discuss Unusual Summer 8. WNBA: Sting Name Bogues Head Coach Monday, August 8, 2005 1. Nets Reconsider Deal For Abdur-Rahim 2. Comfy Jasikevicius Ready For Pacers 3. Shock Top Liberty, Keep Playoff Hopes Alive 4. Nuggets Eyeing Free Agent Wilkins 5. Busy Cavaliers Searching For Playoff Magic 6. Inside Stuff 2005 Rewind Challenge Tuesday, August 9, 2005 1. Spurs' Repeat Run Features Rings, Rematch 2. Marquee Matchups: Games To Watch In 2005-06 3. Heat's Schedule Sight To Be Seen 4. Suns' Big Season Rewarded With National Exposure 5. Kobe, Shaq Get Together For Holiday 6. Rebuild or Contend? New-Look Lakers Start Fresh 7. Sixers' Green Preparing For Knee Surgery 8. NBA TV To Televise 96 Games In 2005-05 Thursday, August 11, 2005 1. Lakers, Kareem Discuss Tutor Job 2. Warriors Ink Ellis To Multiyear Deal 3. Christie Weighing Future With Mavericks 4. Grant Exits L.A., Could Rejoin Heat 5. Sixers Talk With Suns' Hunter 6. Clippers Sign Singleton, Work On Jaric 7. Suns.com Q&A with Amare Stoudemire ======== Ok, I don't think I "deleted any", so maybe I missed it, and maybe I'm pidgeonholing what I think is the issue to the example I am using to elaborate (swift's signing) but again, this is not the only example, and I was just wondering if anyone else who gets the digest is consistently irritated at the lack of attention that the rockets get there, in light of the other CRAP that they put in there.
Dont' forget this one: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 1. Nets Rescind Trade For Abdur-Rahim 2. Dumars, Pistons Quietly Agree To Extension 3. Duhon Offer Puts Pressure On Raptors' Alston 4. Lakers Decide To Cut Ties With Grant 5. Swift Rocket Booster: Houston Gets Stronger 6. Bobcats Close To Bringing Knight Back 7. NBA.com: Chat With Wizards' Jamison Thursday
*laughs* now that you mention it, my mail server went down...must have missed it. BAH... now my point, which is still very valid, has been thwarted by something I missed. Ok... there you have it... at least I started saying I may have missed it. I STILL don't like the coverage we get there, and elsewhere... and find myself frequently irritated by the things that ARE and ARE NOT included in the Digest. Nevertheless, I stand corrected... sort of.
Not really -- that was the ONLY Rockets reference I found in NBA Daily over the last month. The friggin' Suns are in there nearly every day.
THAT'S what I'm talking about... and that's nothing new... been going on since I got the digest. Sure we get mention here and there, what bothers me are the OTHER THINGS they DO mention, when I know we've got news that is more.... well... newsworthy... than the things they instead choose to mention. Ok... rant over.
Just for clarification, SI made a commemorative mag for the ROX's 93-94 season and for their 94-95 season(I'm not sure why they would have one for 95-96). However, I do agree with you that the rox don't get the national spotlight in the media for a city as big as this. I think thats because most of the major media outlets IE-FOX, NBC, CBS, ABC are based in NY or LA. I think being under the radar is the best thing. When you're not the team hyped to be great in the season and you do well its a real eye opener for the rest of the media. And if you suck it up you're not gonna get as much scrutiny as you would if you were Kobe in LA or Isiah Thomas in NY.
yes, pardon, 94-95, but those were not nationally distributed, as they have been for other champions... so only we saw that issue, unless you went out of your way...not exactly a nod to the rockets. anyway, not really the point, but one of the more blatant media slams to the rox in memory, at least I thought so. As I recall, they only released our "limited edition" mag because we all complained when we heard they weren't going to do one at all. Perhaps someone who remembers better can tell the story in greater detail... but... you get the point.
its so true. We dont get recognition cuz we are in texas. If we were in the northeast or LA like the media ouitlets we would naturally get more attention. the defending champs Spurs havent gotten much recogniution this offseason, then again they havent done much
I get the NBA daily and they almost never talk about the Rockets, right now the most related thing with Houston is the Comets score!
I know... and again, it's the things that ARE in there, when I'm EXPECTING some rockets pub and get none, that irritate me most. They do get mentioned once in a while, just not how I'd like, or even how I think other teams do. No big whoop, just wondered what others thought. On a contradictory note, ironically, here was today's NBA Daily list/digest... Friday, August 12, 2005 NBA Headlines Around the League 1. Mutombo, Barry Stick With Rockets 2. Nets Ink McInnis So Kidd Can Rest 3. Kings, Abdur-Rahim Talking Deal 4. Mavericks Agree To Deal With Christie 5. Sixers Snag Hunter With Five-Year Deal 6. Behind The Scenes: Rookie Photo Shoot
