Sure the Barkley trade in the 90's letting go of half the championship team, the Scottie Pippen signing, the injuries of Yao and T Mac, only one playoff series win since 1997 but you know what the Rockets still contend year after year. Even after Yao retired we had flashes of young bright stars like Kyle Lowry, Chandler Parsons and Goran Dragic. The Houston Texans make me appreciate this team a lot more. An organization that pretty much has wasted potential with hall of famer, Andre Johnson. Bob McNair has gradually accepted with being mediocre for so long. 13 seasons, only 2 playoff berths to show for. Question his tactics but Daryl Morey does everything he humanly can do to get this team to the promiseland , I can't say the same thing about Rick Smith. The 2 worst things Morey has done, sign Lin to that poison pill contract, turned it into a TPE from the Lakers, Royce White? Traded him like nothing. I really hope all of Houston shifts their interest more in these Rockets. Get louder at the games, get there early and stay to cheer them on. This is a resilient group of scrappy guys who play for the others and have potential. Guys worth cheering for. GO ROCKETS!!!
I'm willing to bet that the majority of Houston sports fan would reverse the success of these teams in a heartbeat. Rockets will always just be the consolation prize when the football team isnisn'tgood enough.
Twill trade was probably the worst. Cost a 1st round pick. Either way I agree, I still can't believe the Texans didn't go all in for Peyton when they had a chance. Their weakest link was Schaub and every single person who watched the Texans knew that (and this was when Schaub was at his best). If Manning turned out to be a flop so be it, but it would have been worth the risk.
and yet they've gotten to the equivalent of the second round more times in this decade. i love all four of our teams but there is a lot off bad ju ju for three of the four.
Unsuccessful people/organizations look at successful people/organizations and make the claim that they are "luckier". Luck is just being prepared and taking advantage of the moment when it's right. You could say that the Rockets "lucked" into Harden but the Wizards actually had a shot at him before we did. Rick Smith had the chance to sign Peyton Manning or draft numerous players that would help this team but hasnt. Instead they give irrational contracts to aging vets. Morey releases and trades at will because he doesn't allow emotional attachment to guys. Lakers this year are a great example of that.
The thing I like about Les and Morey is that they are willing to take any measure in order to win. They don't care what the rest of the league thinks of them and their players. It's no secret that they are disliked around the league, and it's simply because they are doing anything it takes to win. The Texans on the other hand have to do things the "classy" way. McNair just wants to be liked by everyone and wants to have a choir boy franchise.
Agreed 100%. It's easy to retroactively pick at some of the decisions the Rockets have made, but the people doing so wouldn't have had the cojones to do what they did and make this franchise truly competitive.
Cleverly disguised Rick Smith criticism thread. Rick Smith at the Texans' draft preparation meeting: "Can we have chocolate microscopes?"
I'd much rather the Texans win the superbowl than the Rockets win a championship. I love the Rockets, but I love football more. 82 games a year wears me out.
5 star thread. Seriously. Living in SF, California makes me appreciate the Rockets in a way that defies fandom. Week after week I don my Watt jersey at local sports bars only to be mocked and ridiculed. It's all good, I say. My hometown team is really doing me proud. The ROCKETS franchise is ALWAYS competing to win. From the top to the bottom. It's all I can ask for. To hell with chef Curry and the Warriors. To hell with the 9ers. I will always bleed ROCKET red. Spoiler (message posted from SF athletic club, i.e. 9ers bar)
The Rockets have the best GM in NBA and possibly all of pro sports. The Texans have one of the worst. The Rockets have one of the top rosters in the NBA....the Texans are mediocre at best. And yet, turn in any local sports radio station and what do you hear? All about Texans this, Texans that.
