I don't think the Rowdies are being made a scapegoat or turned on.... I and I'm sure others have said it was lame since day 1. It's a marketing gimic plain and simple. The people the Rowdies complain about "not getting out of their seats" are grown men and women who didn't come to the game to do some stupid chants or stand up the whole game.
I guess you get cool points for saying that? Criticism with no suggestions makes YOU worthless ...not the Rowdies. We're here and listening ...and that's all you got? Thanks for that. Random thought of the day: I wonder when it became cool to insult other people to make yourself look cool. I'm nearly 40 and it wasn't always like that. Before if you insulted somebody is was because you intentionally wanted to insult somebody. Now people throw insults simply to make themselves look cool and could care less how the other person takes it (either positive or negatively). It might be an interesting study about when this shift occured. We've turned into a very pessimistic society constantly bashing everything/everybody. I think it was Malcom X who made the analogy of a bucket of crabs that when one climbs to the top and nearly crawls out, another crab will grab it and pull it back in. Instead of celebrating the victory of an individual, everybody loses ...together. The media does it. It's rampant on the internet. But it seeps into daily conversations too. /ramble
Newsflash: The NBA is a marketing gimic ...yet you still watch. The Rowdies are simply everyday people ...NOT employed by the team ...who are true fans in the purest sense. The reason I continue to do it is because it is A LOT of fun. I like hanging out with my fellow Rowdy friends and having a few laughs ...which we always do. I've forged several friendships that I'd never have had otherwise. It is a crazy diverse group of people from all walks of life that often share only one comminality ...the Rockets. The Rockets give away tickets in exchange for us being loud. Their input is fairly minimal and we have nearly full freedom to do/say about whatever we want. Are the Rockets using me? Maybe ...but I could give a crap because I get a lot out of it too. If I didn't, i wouldn't be there. If you think that is a gimic (that has now lasted four years), fine. Suck it. GO ROCKETS!!!
I watch basketball because I like the sport of basketball. If that's what you like doing at games, more power to you. If others buy a ticket to watch the game in a less spastic manner than you do there's not a damn thing wrong with that. The Rowdies are obligated for getting paid via free tickets to act crazy at games. The paying customers are free to act civilized if they so choose to. Oh and save the holier than thou true fans in the purest sense since you are getting compensated to go to the games. Making a spectacle of yourself doesn't make you a better fan than anyone else in the building.
Although I wouldn't ever say that chant I'm not going to hate on the Rowdies for it. I'm not a Rowdie but see them as fans and appreciate that they are there supporting our team. Hell, I do and say things at games that not everyone does but it doesn't matter because that is how I support the Rockets. A lot of the stuff that is done during the games has been borrowed from other teams and sports. The music you hear in every arena, the shirt tosses, even the "D-Fense!"/"Let's Go Rockets!" chants. As fans, we should all just want the team to win. So Rowdies, keep doing your thing and keep supporting the Rockets!
just keep the chants simple. "lets go rockets" "im blind. im deaf...i wanna be a ref!" 3rd graders say that at YMCA and pop warner games
well its not like we can chant "EFF YOU REF" LOL there's something else we say but under our breath "get off your knees ref, you're blowing the game" but thats totally inappropriate haha there are kids next to us...we need to keep it clean otherwise people around us will get offended by the foul language.
I'm not suggesting the Rowdies are more of a fan than anybody else. I'm suggesting that the Rowdies are FANS ...and we are there because we want to be there ...not because we are obligated. If you watch the NBA, you are subjecting yourself to marketing "gimics". Where do you draw the line of which gimic is acceptible and which one isn't? Without marketing, the NBA goes away. So it's interesting why draw the line here. ...and paying customers can do whatever they want. But people go to games to have fun ...and clearly the Rowdies have added to the positive atmosphere otherwise the Rockets marketing machine wouldn't continue the program for four years running. So despite your opinion about what you feel is over-the-top, the people getting paid to make the decisions about the fate of the Rowdies feel differently than you. If enough people start agreeing with you, I'm sure the Rockets will disband the Rowdies. But you are entitled to your opinion. In the end, this is capitalistic country. If it works, we keep doing it. If it doesn't, we move on. Can't argue with results. ...and the results are in. The Rowdies continue to bring it.
Are you taking your life so seriously that acting in a harmless manor, albeit "childish" is so unacceptible? Lets keep this in context that you are watching a GAME. You are paying to see grown sweaty men jump up and down. Is it really that serious? Sometimes its ok to relax a little and have some fun. You'll live longer. One thing I've learned being a Rowdy (and I wouldn't expect you to understand this if you haven't done it) is that people respond and enjoy the fun that the Rowdies bring. Sorta like a comic. In the purest sense, we bring a little fun to people's lives. ...and I've come to appreciate that. Sure, not everybody likes the Rowdies ...and that's fine. But many people do and that part of why I like it. People CONSTANTLY give us positive feedback at games and it's kinda cool.
In the concessions to the right of the 113/114 entrance they sell the "Red Rowdy Chicken Sandwich", its foking good, no joke. You guys should try it.
do you actually light the pitchfork or do you light the torch and poke the rowdies with the pitchfork? .....or do you force the rowdies to read pitchfork media?
Hey all - let's go ahead and lock this thread up. I did NOT start it to have it turn into a session to bash the Rowdies. I'm not a football fan at all, but I flew to Chicago from Houston back in January of 2007 and I was surrounded by a bunch of bloated Saints fans in all their Saints gear and they were chanting "Who Dat" for a good portion of a 3 hour flight. It was awful. When I first started hearing it at Rockets games last year or the year before, I was mildly annoyed by it. With Saints fever taking over this year in Houston (ugh), it kind of reached a tipping point for me personally. That's why I started this thread. My gripe was a simple one and I think the message has been received. I appreciate what the Rowdies are trying to do at each game and I respect their dedication. Thanks to the Rowdies for considering my plea... and let's get back to all rooting for the Rockets.
The Rowdies might not have the best chants but at least they are making some noise, and can get a chant going! If crowd activity / participation / noise level wasn’t a problem then we wouldn’t need the Rowdies! I am not a Rowdy but I love the fact that they are a part of the Toyota center atmosphere. Too many “fans” show up late, play with there phones, and leave early. I am talking about the upper and lower sections. When you start yelling, "Go Rockets!" Or try to start a chant of "D-fense" going, people turn around and look at you! They don’t join in; they just sit there like medicated cows! It’s freaking horrible! The only time these people cheer is when t-shirts or free crap is being thrown at them! I get it, you don’t want some maniac standing in front of you the whole game yelling and screaming. You paid for the ticket you want to watch the game; not every game is that intense, you gotta go to work tomorrow..... etc. Ok that’s cool, but come on can’t we get a couple impromptu chants out you! Do you yell and screaming all day, does your throught hurt? Don’t you have any frustration to vent? I am not talking about standing up all game and yelling through the whole game; I am just talking about joining in with your fellow fans sitting around you and getting a chant going, and not just in the 4th quarter! Next time your at a game and some brave soul starts chanting "D-Fense", join in!
Funny….I thought there was an attendance obligation to be a Rowdy. At least that’s what’s been said in this very thread. Huh? I don’t go to NBA games because of gimics. I go because I like basketball at any level. I could care less one way or the other if the group is disbanded. It’s just lame, that’s all. I think you watched this movie 1 time to many… But yes…the Rowdies continue to bring lameness to the Toyota Center.
Nobody is holding a gun to my head. I can quit anytime. If you don't think you are influenced by marketing, well, nevermind. That's fine ...just realize you are not in the majority. ...as quoted from the guy sitting on his butt typing. Thanks for your input. I'll file that away in a special place. ...or you could subscribe to the "If I don't have anything nice to say" rule but then you wouldn't look so cool by calling someone else lame. This way, you get to maintain your big boy status.
You said you weren't obligated and I proved you were. Then never mind, because I wasn't. What majority? ok...... The guy who dresses/acts like a clown to get a free ticket and thinks the majority of the people in the Toyota Center give a damn about the Rowdies wants to call someone else out for trying to look cool. That's the silliest damn thing you've said so far.
Who's trying to look cool? I just think the Rowdies are annoying. Shut up and watch the game. I hope they don't travel to other arenas and embarrass us like this everywhere. Do we really want to be known for having the most annoying fans in the NBA?
Worthless? I beg to differ... I pay for my tickets to go to Rockets games. So im sure the Rockets as an organization wouldn't think that. The organization would swiftly do away with the Rowdies if they could fill up the arena night in and night out. Unfortunately, the Rockets need to pay people via free tickets to act like complete fools in order to get people "excited". Geez the Rowdies are a complete failer just like those silver guys with the drums. Does anyone remember those guys? Someone really needs to get fired for these horrible marketing ideas.
