<i>Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley looked around the Mavericks' vast new arena, checked out the locker room and talked about the day they will be in their own new home court. Eddie Griffin said he couldn't stop thinking about moving into a plush new home. Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said he thought back to the day the Rockets moved into The Summit. But with their first trip to the American Airlines Center, the Rockets said they could sense the excitement of a move to a new arena every bit as much as they might appreciate the luxury touches or training facilities. "That's what I was thinking when we came in," Griffin said. "We'll get our new arena soon. I kept thinking about that. It's exciting to be part of something new like this, to play in the first game. Every time something comes in new, even a new player, people start to get excited looking to the future. With something like a new arena, that would be big for us." The Rockets will move into their new arena for the 2003-2004 season. "I look at different things they have," Francis said. "Since this is the newest arena, it's improved from the last new arena. It's like Staples, but the fans are closer in. That's better for the fans. <b>"It will make a difference," Francis said of the mood when a team moves to a new arena, "that and if we got new uniforms. I think those are part of the reasons they're winning. They have a new arena, new uniforms. They feel a sense of newness and excitement. They're playing better. It's all exciting."</b> Tomjanovich said he remembered that feeling when the Rockets moved to the Compaq Center, then The Summit, in 1975. "Man was that a great feeling," Tomjanovich said. "I remember that first game. I had a good game. I loved the surroundings." Tomjanovich had 24 points and 14 rebounds in a 104-89 Rockets win.</i> Two interesting points: 1. Francis said "if we get new uniforms." No one has mentioned that at ALL, so maybe Franchise is pushing for them. He's said in the past that the Rockets have the ugliest one's in the league. 2. Francis said "we" meaning he expects to be in the new arena as a Rocket, which is a good sign considering it won't open until after the summer of his impending free agency.
I doubt Francis would be up on the uniform issue. From what I've heard it's almost a given that the uniforms will change when they move to the new arena. (Yet another question I guess Feigen forgot to ask Les in his article yesterday.) I guess I can handle one more year of the pinstripes knowing something (hopefully) better will follow soon. os
you have to apply to the league office for a uniform change about 1.5 years in advance of that change. i have a good source that tells me the rockets are working on it and there is no question of new uniforms. You do not get a new arena without new uniforms. It is natural economic order in the NBA. People coming to a new arena all fired up spend money and shelling out the buckadingdongs on a new Griffin or Franchise jersey for little Danny or little Missy is mandatory!!!
I'd be for that but I also wouldnt mind a complete color/style change. I'm thinking something bright yellow or orange to create that bright flaring color - fire, and then perhaps somekind of light gray, charcoal type color to resemble smoke. Just an idea...
That's actually not a bad idea. I can't stand the gold or orange or yellow. Those are such hideous colors. Red, for sure, but not gold.
I kinda like this idea. I think they would have to "modernize" the circular logo. Definitely get rid of the pinstripes!
Let's hope Stevie gets his way with the new uniforms just like he got his way in the draft, with Tmo. As soon as they get out of Compaq, they need to toss those ugly threads in a dumpster behind it and light it on fire.
I'm sure someone's going to post the ol' Red jersey with just "Rockets" on the front. I like it, but maybe we can come out with something original, that other teams haven't done? Different shorts? Any ideas?
play in g-strings...enjoy your visuals boys and girls... let me just add ostertag to your thoughts...
red, you awful human being. BTW, are teams allowed to change their colors? Like, if for some reason the Rockets wanted to, they decided they wanted to change to green and pink, are they allowed?
Have you seem the Rockets get interviewed latley? Pay close attention to their practice gear. They all have that old rockets style of lettering and they are using the new colors (blue, red). A good example is that Steve Francis commercial where theyre advertising his bobble head, look at his shirt. I think thats what theyre pushing for.
I think you're right Old School. I am 100% sure the Rockets are planning on new uniforms. When they plan on using new unis though I don't know yet (but it's a good bet to be 2003 when they get new uniforms)
Hey clutch if we get new uniforms with diffrent colors what will you do when you go retro? Will you back to the Old school red and yellow or will you go to what you have now? All this has me so confused
Clutch, I heard from somone who knows someone and they tell me the deadline to submit whatever for new uni's for the 2003-2004 season was Dec 31, 2001. The good news is it IS a flexible deadline, but not by much. They weren't 100% sure but they didn't think the Rockets had submitted anything. Again, that's not 100% cut and dried and maybe they still have some time left. We can only hope. os
