"If you can dream--and not make dreams your master, If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools: If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breath a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!" Rudyard Kipling wrote those words in his poem "If" and I can think of no words more fitting for the end of the Rockets 2008-2009 season. This is a season that started out with such high hopes of a championship but was fraught with turmoil and injuries. In the end the Rockets can walk away from this season with their heads held high and us fans proud of what the Rockets did. As fans we always expect the best of our team and while this might not be the end that we wanted how many of you thought we would be here when T-Mac ended his season or when Alston was traded? How many of you thought there would still be 3 more games including two blowout victories in these Rockets when Yao went down? As much as we believed we were always up against a great team and one that actually played like it today. Like Kipling wrote we can dream but not make dreams our master and this was always an uphill battle. Yet we as fans can bear to hear the truth that this team has spoken. A truth that teamwork, hustle, heart and that it aint over til its over still matter. No matter how many knaves on ESPN or TNT will twist it. The Lakers for all of their physical greatness proved that they are a team without class, are arrogant, prone to losing focus and dirty. While they still might win a championship for me I will take our Rockets and place my hopes on the broad shoulders of Chuck Hayes, the fleet feet of Aaron Brooks, the grit of Luis Scola, the competive fire of Shane Battier, the mind of Rick Adelman and yes even the wild fire of Ron Artest. Flaws and all one team showed character and ability beyond what could've been imagined. The other team merely played up to expectations. So while this was a season of "if" we have seen these Rockets force heart, nerve and sinew and held. While we there won't be another championship banner hanging in Toyoto Center that is something that we can all take from this season. GO ROCKETS!
Its not likely that either of those could've been avoided and none of that matters now. Lets applaud the Rockets who didn't give up even without those two.
I mean that 3rd game. According to himself, he wouldn't have had the hairline fracture had he taken himself out after the 2nd quarter. I think he said that because the doctor told me about it.
