hardcore fans do...freaks like me...but chicks dig the long ball...and so do 12 year old kids...and people with a passing interest in the game. and yes...the astros have outperformed the rockets over the past 5 seasons or so.
I have more fun at Astro games than Rocket games regardless of the score. It's just a better game night experience.
Most people I know feel the same way, but would prefer to watch basketball on television, even NBA. RM95's Girl has never been an NBA fan, but loves it now.
Team winning percentages the last three seasons Astros Rockets 2001 57.41 % 54.87% 2002 51.85% 34.15% 2003 53.70% 52.44% Besides 2002 when Steve Francis missed most of the season, the Astros haven't considerably outperformed the Rockets, while playing in the weakest division in Basketball, and the Rockets playing in one of the best in Basketball.
Over the past 3 years: W%: Stros - 54.3 Rox - 47.2 League Finish (since there's no direct comparison to the 2 leagues' playoff structures): Stros - 1st, 5th, 5th (out of 16 teams) Rox - 9th, 11th, 9th (14 teams) As to the "most people don't like 10-9, 4 hour slugfests", the B.U.S. is not even close to the "Ten Run Field" phooey that the wannabe comics on Sportscenter termed it. It plays as a middle of the pack offensive park ('03 avg. runs/game - 9.5, 16th out of 31 parks).
apples to oranges...i don't think that tells the whole story. basketball is a sport where more teams make the playoffs than don't...making the playoffs in baseball is a big deal...it's an after-thought in basketball for the good franchises. the astros have been competitive for division titles...the rockets have been competitive in hopes of getting the 8th spot in the playoffs...and, as you point out, 2002 was just awful. i don't think you can simply throw up winning percentages and say, "that's it." i think the greatest win percentage in baseball history is around .750...in basketball it's around .870 (the bulls 72 game season). you can't compare winning percentage among those two sports...they're entirely different games.
Today's secret word is "tangent" tan·gent adj. 1. Making contact at a single point or along a line; touching but not intersecting. 2. Irrelevant. n. 1. A line, curve, or surface touching but not intersecting another line, curve, or surface. 2. Abbr. tan Mathematics. The trigonometric function of an acute angle in a right triangle that is the ratio of the length of the side opposite the angle to the length of the side adjacent to the angle. 3. A sudden digression or change of course: went off on a tangent during the courtroom argument. 4. Music. An upright pin in a keyboard instrument, especially in a clavichord, that rises to sound a string when a key is depressed and stops the string at a preset length to set the pitch.
Nothing pisses me off more than some stupid white guy who thinks he is "ghetto" by what he sees on MTV. Sure that side of it looks appealing, but they just don't "get" it. I'm white, When I hang out with my friends (who happen to be black) Here's a short list of some of the things that go down. -You Get accused of stealing by a white lady in a 7-11 because You are carrying your wallet in your front pocket and she thinks you shoved something in there from the candy aisle. -You get pulled over by the police 3 different times and searched every time without a damn reason other than their own blatantly racist suspicious. -You are seen smoking a couple of cigars just for the hell of it and within a week your mother gets confronted by one of her friends to tell her how son has been doing drugs and is probably the biggest crackhead on the block. Would this happen if I dressed up in polo shirts and hung out with the computer nerds? Probably not, welcome to urban society whitey, you sure you want to convert now?
They don't have an Asian player either. Anyway, to my take. after reading all those posts, I forgot what I was going to say...
A "league mostly filled with blacks" doesn't seem to deter kids from everywhere else in the world from wanting to make it to the NBA.
"It's a simple ****ing game, you throw the ball, you hit the ball, you catch the ball." - Bull Durham '01-'03 League Rank: ERA - 10th, 8th, 5th Runs Scored - 2nd, 5th, 4th Fld% - 8th, 1st, 4th
The Astros (in comparison with the rest of the NL teams) were a very sound team last year. They were 4th in runs scored, 4th in fielding percentage and 3rd in fewest runs allowed. It doesn't matter if you single after bunting a guy to 2nd or hit a solo HR, the number of runs is more important than how you get them. Just because they don't bunt, steal or hit and run a lot, does not mean they are not fundamentally sound. They play to their strengths and do it well. The same in basketball. I don't care if you dunk, hit a three pointer or a mid range jumper - just put the ball in the basket when you have a scoring opportunity.
First of all, we know that the Astros have one of the worst defensive outfields in baseball, so that fielding percentage stat is meaningless. Its the most unimportant stat in sports. Second of all, if they didn't swing for the fences everytime, they may have made the playoffs in the worst division in baseball the last two seasons. Fact is, they are not a fundmentally sound team in its hurts their performance, but no one mentions their lack of DICIPLINE at the plate. They're just the niiiccceee Astros. How can you not like them.
what city do you live in?? people, like me, complain about their lack of discipline at the plate all the time. but that doesn't mean the rockets have had a better run over the last 4-5 years than the 'stros. they simply haven't.
Exactly, but people go see their games. I've even seen you write about the Rockets lack of fortitude turning you off about them, yet it seems not to bother you as much about the Astros.
I agree. I coach a predominantly white junior high basketball team, and half my kids worship Allen Iverson. The other half worships Paul Pierce. They don't see NBA stars as great black basketball players -- just great basketball players. But they are frustrated with the game -- they gripe about tickets being too expensive, and having to stay up past midnight to catch a Lakers game on cable. None of them, however, say "Man, I wish there were more good white guys."
I watch more basketball on TV than baseball (unless my favorite unnamed team only has 30 points by halftime ) usually. But you can't beat being AT a baseball game. There's nothing like it. Not to mention it's a cheaper ticket than basketball. I usually go to at least 1 game every homestand. You can't beat a night at MM Park IMO.
Two small points: 1. The Astros play in the summer when there is nothing else to do. 2. Defense may win championships but offense sells tickets. Basketball is entertaining when players are running fast, flying high, passing quickly and making shots. Basketball is dull when players are standing around, dribbling, fouling and turnining the ball over.
