The Rockets are going to retire the Dream's jersey on the 9th of November!!! http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bk/bkn/1635331 Nov. 9 looks like a night for a Dream By JONATHAN FEIGEN We always knew no one would ever wear No. 34 for the Rockets again. However the Rockets dress, wherever they play, if the word "Rockets" is on the front, No. 34 could never again be on the back. Houston seemed to know that the night Hakeem Olajuwon left. He was heading to free agency and eventually one dissatisfying season in Toronto. But just in case he was leaving the Compaq Center floor for the last time in that uniform, a sold-out crowd offered a touching salute. "There was a shot on the front page of the Chronicle, him walking off through the small (tunnel)," Rockets president George Postolos said. "The question was, `Final exit?' I remember it well because my son was sitting right there. That was a great game. He played so well. We sold out the evening. The focus was on him. "It was nice game to remember. And I remember the ovation he received last year. That was awesome. The community loves him. They love to express that. You need to give them opportunities to do that. There just is no reason to wait any period of time to retire his jersey." The Rockets could have waited. They could have chosen to honor him on the Nov. 9 occasion of his retirement, then to bring him back on another night to retire his jersey. But other players have their numbers retired. Clyde Drexler's No. 22 was retired after he stopped by for four seasons, including a championship year, at the end of his career. For Olajuwon, the greatest player in the history of the franchise, the right way, the best way, is to get that jersey in the rafters as soon as he is ready. Now, he's ready. The Rockets will retire No. 34 Nov. 9, when they play Golden State at Compaq Center. "Dream is the greatest player in the history of the Rockets," Postolos said. "His jersey belongs up there with the banners he helped win. "I think ... getting it up there now is great. It has the virtue of being sooner rather than later. It's nice we can celebrate his great career. You know fans want to come out and show appreciation for him, to find a way to express that on the occasion of his retirement. This is the best way to honor him. Certainly it's something he's earned." The jersey will of course be the red-and-yellow classic look Olajuwon wore for the bulk of his career and through the championship seasons. Plans are under way to come up with a guest list and a gift from the organization. But any hard feelings that developed with Olajuwon's harsh comments last season or with his passing on the Rockets' offer to stay in Houston are gone. The Rockets no longer fight the impossible comparisons to the Olajuwon era, having started a new era. They are ready to celebrate those glory days and will not wait any longer than they must. "We want to be measured against that standard in everything we do," Postolos said. "I think the same thing would be true of other great franchises. We want to be measured against that. "Sometimes it's hard. You don't have that kind of success you're striving for. That sort of highlights that you're not where you want to be. But you know where you're going." That is part of the Rockets' history, part of who they are. Compaq Center has not looked right without No. 34 in the building, and soon it will be properly attired. "We do intend," Postolos said, "to take the banners and the jerseys to the new arena."
Nothing would make me happier than for Moses Malone to be there to give a speech about Hakeem. Moses taught him the NBA. Moses should be there.
does anyone know if one day Hakeem will come and coach at all for the rockets. I dont think anyone could know better what Yao Ming is going through right and could help him.
That would be sweet ..I hope that anyone who feels any animosity would let it go...What he did for us greatly outweighs anything that happened the last year.
Awesome! They should've saved this for a night we play the Lakers to remind Shaq of his humbling in 1995. I hope these guys are there to pay homage/roast him; Moses- like HP said Guy Lewis- he's still alive, right? Clyde- for obvious reasons, but cut the mic off before he gets out of control Barkley- for roasting and '94-95 nostalgia from an opposing viewpoint
I am definitley going to that game. I must. Went to the Raptors game last year and that was UNBELIEVEABLE and this should be twice as nice. Really wished he stayed here last year and ended with us, but Fegan got in the way.
Which of the Rockets jerseys will they retire? I sure hope it's the classic red and yellow one!!! And I see that it is already answered -- maybe I should READ posts rather than just glance . . . Woohoo!!! Just got my tix!!!
so when will these ceremonies happen. are we talking all before the game or during halftime or what. and more importantly, if i have league pass and it's before the game is there any chance i see it. dammit i best get to see this. november 9 is a saturday and lord knows i have no life so i won't be doing anything else.
Now.... #22 #23 #24 #34 #45 Future.... #3 #5 #11 #33 Great to hear....now when is #50 going to the rafters??
Great news. But HP....please do not have Moses giving ANY speech. Just have him hand the jersey to him.... DaDakota
I thought about buying tickets to the 9th game last week when they announced the date change, but I'm still not sure if I can make it...
I think they will do it at halftime. That is when they did Drexlers, and the Rockets got a fine from the NBA because it went about 10 min too long.
I am hoping that when they retire his jersey, that they use the old colors instead of the new ones. Any word on that?
