A Tale of Two Rockets

This is not the best time to be a fan of Houston sports. I am not exactly sure what we have done to the Sports Gods, but it is clear to me that we need to repent for some transgression.

I started the season quite disenchanted with the Houston Rockets. I was disappointed after the Game 7 loss to the Utah Jazz that probably cost us a shot at the Conference Finals. I happen to think that if those Rockets had gotten to the Western Conference Finals with a full head of steam, that we would have even had a chance to go for the NBA Finals. Oh, and I would have LOVED our chances against King James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

So I was generally apathetic about this team, particularly when they fell below .500, and appeared to be heading towards another year of unfulfilled promise. Enter a 12-game winning streak, 10 straight victories on the road and a pasting of the Western Conference’s #1 team on their court, and I was beginning to believe again. Damn these Rockets, hardly worthy of our adoration, but damn if they don’t make it difficult to ditch them altogether. No, they keep it juuuust interesting enough to keep you hanging around. That said, we should have seen Yao’s injury coming from a mile away.

I have to say that the announcement of Yao’s injury goes down as one of my most disappointing and painful moments as a Houston sports fans. For those scoring at home, that would make two body blows in less than year. Of course, I have no one to blame for this latest setback; it is just what happens to men Yao’s size who take up a professional sport. The human bone is a very powerful substance, but even it cannot hold up a 7′2” Chinaman in the low post.

There has been a lot of talk about whether Yao is capable of staying healthy over an 82-game season, and the Chinese made some all-too-quiet suggestions that the Rockets play him too hard. While I have not looked at the information, I doubt Yao plays any more or less than a player of his stature should for an NBA team. I do know that I have read nothing in the local or national sports press about him being overworked. Of course, he has been going year round for the last couple of years with his committments to the Chinese national team; a committment that most NBA players are not forced into. But that is neither here nor there.

What struck me most the afternoon and day after the announcement, was how far the disappointment spread across the nation. Fans in cities across the country were really looking forward to this year’s Western Conference playoffs. I mean, you have 8-10 teams that are separated by less than 9 games. The Rockets, currently in the 7 spot, are only 2.5 games out of the #1 seed! The parity is delicious, and we could truly have expected one of the greatest playoffs in NBA history. It was this parity that led me to start believing that these Rockets had a title shot. Why not? It’s a wide open race this year. There are no dominant teams to be found on either end.

But Yao is gone, and so are, seemingly, the Rockets chances at a title. I know I should believe this, but I have to think there is some hope left in this mess. The Rockets are still a very strong defensive team. Yes, Yao was a large part of that, but Dikembe Mutombo isn’t a slouch when it comes to defense. Yeah, he’s old in NBA years, 41, but I like the story that a rejuvenated Deke brings to the rockets. He’s done it before, and it also no stranger to orchestrating playoff upsets. It was, after all, the Mutombo-led Denver Nuggets that became the first #8 seed to defeat a #1 seed in the ‘94 playoffs. That same upset paved the way for the first of two Rockets championships.

As for Yao’s offensive contributions, those are easily replaceable for a supporting cast that has multiple options to step up night in and night out. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not easy and far from being a sure thing, but this team could surprise quite a few people. I just hope that whatever happens from here on out, that the Rockets use this adversity to launch them into a serious run at the title next year. The pieces are there, we’re just missing that small stroke of luck that any championship team needs to go with all the talent. Sadly, that is something we have been largely lacking these past few seasons.

From the Rockets to THE Rocket. I know I am not alone in saying that I am sick of the Roger Clemens steroid saga. After watching this play out over the past month or so, I have realized that there is really only one thing that you need to know about this issue.

Roger Clemens is an asshole.

There it is, boiled down to a nice bite-sized morsel of knowlege. Of course, we knew this over 10 years ago when he flirted with both the Astros and the Texas Rangers when he was looking for a new team to sign with after his stint with the Blue Jays. “I want to be closer to home,” he said. “It’s not about the money,” he said. He then signed with the New York Yankees for more money. Now, I do not begrudge his desire to sign for more money, or a better shot at a title. However, just say it in the beginning! Too many times, athletes are too cowardly to give it to fans straight. They want two things in their careers, money and championships. I know it, you know it, but they still feed us this line of bullshit in a weak attempt to engender themselves to the very people they know they are going to screw over.

Here’s another truth about this whole steroids mess. It’s just not that big a deal. Oh, but they cheated, right? Hmm, don’t you find it odd that they were never stopped? Ever wonder why the same sports writers that are crucifying these “dirty” players, were the same ones that were praising them during the most steroid-packed era in baseball history? The same writers that convieniently ignore a possibly bigger problem in the NFL? It’s like Nero asking for forgiveness after Rome burned down. Everyone knew what was going on, but it was better to take up the fiddle, than grab a bucket of water.

I am pretty confident that this will be my first and last post about Roger Clemens. I don’t feel like I need to waste my time talking about him really. I must say that I disagree with the Astros decision to honor their contract with him. Regardless of his guilt or innocence, he is a distraction, and brings a taint with him that I just don’t want on my favorite baseball team. I am trying my best to look beyond it to what I feel will be an exciting new Astros season, but I don’t like reading about him being at our training camp mentoring our young pitchers. Yes, he is a great teacher to have, but at what cost?

In the end, remember those magical words above, and you’ll be okay.