E.J., I guess you are talking about St. Louis? I don't know if Bill Laurie is as interested in having an NBA team as a tennant, rather than one that he owns. Nor am I sure that Les would like to just be a tennant when there are cities offering him arenas where he controls all the revenues. Baltimore may be it. New Orleans may be it. Nashville may be the place. Heck, even Anaheim may be it. Or even Louisville (despite being relatively tiny, it is a basketball mecca, and they are reportedly interested in building an arena.) As far as I am concerned, though, who cares where they might end up. If it isn't in Houston, then it sucks. And whenever we have the Save the Rockets rally (if need be), make sure to give me some notice so I can be there (and let's organize it a little better than the Save the Oilers rally that attracted six people and a dog.)
The arenas in New Orleans and Nashville certainly won't meet Alexander's wants and needs as they are. The Phillips Arena, Staples Center and Conseco Fieldhouse are what's "in" these days. The corporate suites and ajoining areas are incredible. I had a chance to check out the Hawks place a few weeks ago...amazing. Les would need a bucket to hold his drool. The new arena in New Orleans is a very low budget arena. I've been to a hockey game in Nashville. While it is beautiful from the outside the inside looks like it was built on the cheap (and it was) and would need some MAJOR improvements to the suites to satisfy the NBA. I'm not saying it wouldn't and couldn't be done...it probably will be at one of the mentioned cities. Don't you think the Washington Caps would be pissed if Les wanted to bring an NHL team to Baltimore along with the Rockets, Comets and, ugh, T-bears? Old School
I don't think he can bring the T-Bears because I thought Daniel Snyder's new Arena team was going to be playing in Maryland (rather than at MCI Center) somewhere. (Maybe I am wrong. I didn't pay that much attention to it.) But I would imagine that the Caps would be upset about having an NHL team so close, but I imagine Ted (who owns the Caps and part of the Wiz) and MJ and Abe would be upset about having an NBA team so close, too. I don't know how much of an effect that would have on where the team would end up. (Personally, I thought Lousiville was the front runner, but I don't know.) I haven't been to the New Orleans or Nashville arenas, so I'll take your word for it that they aren't as good as Philips (which is ugly from the outside) and all those other new ones. So, maybe those places are out, but whether it's Baltimore or Louisville or wherever, it would still suck. (I didn't think New Orleans was a real threat myself because the market is so poor, but since they get mentioned from time to time, I keep mentioning them as a possible just so it will look like I know what I am talking about if the actually ended up moving there. I like to cover my bases.)
All that I am saying is that a referendum would never fail if there is an ultimatum that the Rockets will leave for sure. It didn't lose for the Astros, Spurs, and some other teams. Les did a poor job in promoting the referendum to pass. The Rocket core of fans are deeply entrenched in Houston and all around the Country. People in houston are frickled about the organizations future, and that is deeply attributed to the low attendance at the Compact center. Houston hasn't gotten its fair shake. If for some reason the Rockets do leave, do not blame yourselves houston it wasn't your fault. Who studies for a test a year before the test will be given, nobody; so why would a lot of us go out and vote when the crucial time will be later. I'm a crammer and don't study before hand. Houston fans, I included, we are not to blame if the Rockets leave. This just means that there was a deal in place with Les and some other city before the Referendum. Talking about it really helps. I see all of your points and its clarified a lot.
