Damn, dude, how old are you? I remember the days of Trupiano, Breen, and Tom Franklin. Not sure who started that, but Gene's called him that for a while. Anyway, I have no idea why I became a Rockets fan, but I remember staying up late listening to the Rockets broadcast as an 8 or 9 year old back around 1978 or 1979. I pretended to be asleep while I listened to a small transistor radio under the covers. There were times I'd go into the bathroom to listen to the Rockets on the same transistor radio and wouldn't come out for about 2 hours. My mom often wondered if I had ummm... issues. Anyway, my earliest memory of the Rockets are with Murph, Mike Dunleavy (the Chicken Man!), Leavell, Billy Paultz (The Whopper!), etc. I remember Moses Malone was my favorite player back then because he was "the man". The day he left the Rockets was quite possibly the worst day for me as a Rockets fan.
It occurs to me that cetain people dont know what the definition of "homer" is. A homer is someone who doesnt care about any other team but theirs..is devoted only to that team...and will always be devoted to that team...no matter what players are on it...no matter how low in the standings they are...they are ALWAYS fans of their team. They cheer every player on their team no matter what. Some here call homers blind in their devotion...not necessarily true, though homers can be blind in some instances. I dont know where you get your defnition of homer from max...but you are WAAAAYYY off base. btw...I am a homer...but I can see problems, I just dont go out of my way to b**** all the time about them.
I had a little radio my grandfather used to listen to baseball kept under my pillow. I can still remember that it was this ugly orange thing about the size of a walkman.
Im about the same age as you. Tom Franklin was such an ass. I hated him especially when he did the Rockets post game shows. I had a radio too. The pre-HSN days when local games were blacked out.
Does it really matter as long as you root for the Rockets? There are fans who live and die for the team, like the soccer fans; there are others who like the team just because the team happens play in their city; still many others become the fans because they like one or more players in the team. Here is the definition for the "FAN" from the Webster, FAN: an enthusiastic devotee (as of a sport or a performing art) usually as a spectator. --daoshi
'Cause I live in Houston. When I lived in Po-dunk Louisiana, we'd pretty much get the Lakers and the Celtics on TV, so you either liked one or the other. I preferred the Lakers back then (for no particular reason). Then when my family moved to Houston, my dad took me to Rockets games, and I've been bleeding Rockets red ever since.
One of the best ever descriptions of the last four years! Remember, be diligent that a "root of bitterness does not spring up within you and defile many." I thought I was the only kid in the world that did the transister radio under the covers so my mother thought I was sleeping routine. Jeff and Dr. of Dunk, you don't know how refreshing it was for you two to admit it. Confession is good for the soul!
I became a rockets fan the first time I saw Hakeem play. Thats what drew me into the game and I've been following the team ever since.
i'm a homer...slap "houston" on it, and I'll root for it. without a team in houston, i lose interest quickly.
My ol' man played bball at Oklahoma State. He moved to Houston in the late 60's and had me. When the team moved here from San Diego, he was one of the first people to buy season tickets. He has them every year untill 1996 when Les priced him out. He used to take me to games at Hofeinz (before they built the Summit). I've been hooked ever since. BORN AND RAISED
1) IMHO Basketball is the most exciting professional sport, period. It's a great balance of individual talent with team play. It's not a slow game, and it's very strategic as well as having a lot of impromptu play. 2) I grew up liking the Rockets because of my dad. When I was a kid, he would come home from work, strip down to his underwear, turn on the TV to the Rockets game, turn down the TV, turn up the radio (Gene-o), and eat fried pork skins with Falstaff beer (or whatever was cheapest). It was a routine. A religion. Yeah, it was a f'ed up religion, but when I watched the games with him, it was the closest I'd ever been to him. It ain't fly fishing, but it's something. 3) I started really loving the Rockets in my twenties, when I realized how much our team strived to win championships. Even in years when we didn't have talented players, and we had struggling seasons, our management and owner would adjust as much as they could to try to turn things around and be a contender again. They're still like that today. -- droxford
I agree with you that there is definitely nothing wrong with someone rooting for the Rockets because of Yao and if he were to leave they would switch teams. I know there are people that would say they are "sick of it" and I agree thats wrong. I welcome all rox fans for whatever reason, and I hope that Yao will stay for the rest of his career and after he retires, we will have a lot of new fans that will be Rockets fans for life. I think some people just say that because they are frustrated with the bashing of everything other than that one player. If you love a team, for whatever reason, the last thing you want to hear is constant bashing of all your team from someone who only cares about one player. I would honestly say its a minority of people that are like that, but it is a vocal minority. Many fans of Yao, are just like Yao in that they want the team to win because they know that is what is best for Yao. I, myself, am(was) a homer. Now I am in San Diego, but still a die hard Rockets fan.
Amen! thats me to a "T". I even liked the Gamblers, Thunderbears, and Comets....just because they are Houston sports teams. RMJosh, well said, especially the last paragraph describing the frustration of the vocal *only-player fans*
I was born and spent the first 18 years of my life in Houston and am a die hard Rockets and Astros fans. I miss the Oilers but root for the Titans. I'm still warming up to the Texans. Even if I didn't grow up in Houston I would still like the Rox, particularly the 95-96 Rox. There was something really great about their attitude that put them above many other championship teams. Stay Humble Stay Hungry. Other than Hakeem and Clyde they didn't have the best talent and were frequently injured yet they always played tough and never got down on themselves. They carried themselves with dignity both on and off the court and respected the game and their opponents. They had qualities that I try to have in my own life. I coach a college martial arts team and I often uphold the Rox of the mid 90's as an example for my players.
