Stronger
By urbanhoustonian at March 16, 2008 | 4:10 PM | Print
Work it harder, make it better
do it faster, makes us stronger
more than ever, hour after hour
work is never over
It is somewhat fitting that the Rockets have chosen Kanye West’s Stronger for their player introductions this season. I remember when I first saw the intros this season, that this season has been one in which they were living the spirit of this song. They entered this season with a lot of pressure. That’s what you get when you commit a(nother) choke job in the first round of the playoffs; particularly when said choke job costs you a spot in the conference finals. I made a decision after the Game 7 loss against the Jazz that this team was going to have to get past the first round of the 2008 playoffs before I was going hop on any bandwagon.
Then came a 6-1 start, that inevitably made me start to take notice. Then came a 6 game losing streak and the general malaise that resulted in a lackluster 15-17 record on Jannuary 2nd. I went from worrying about the second round to wondering whether these Rockets would even make the playoffs. Then came a 9-2 run that where they finally started to show some life. Then came their last loss this season on Sunday, January 27 against the Utah Jazz.
Work it harder, make it better
do it faster, makes us stronger
more than ever, hour after hour
work is never over
Then the Rockets rattled off 11 wins in a row; the highlight coming with a 100-80 trouncing of the then #1 Western Conference team, the New Orleans Hornets at home. Still, an 11-game winning streak didn’t do much more than elevate the team into the lower seeds of the Western Conference playoff seedings. Sure, we climbed out of the cellar, but we were a two-game losing streak away from falling back out. Then, on February 26th, the Rockets announced that Yao Ming was out for the season with a stress fracture in his left foot.
I was nauseous; felt like crawling into bed and curling up in the fetal position. And yes, crying seemed like a pretty good option. I mean, after finally getting back into a position to make this season something, our best player goes down? What?! Are you freakin’ kidding me? April Fools is still over a month away! Predictably, the consensus was that this team was going to have a hard time making the playoffs. With the tightest playoff race in NBA history coming down the pike in the Western Conference, there was no way this team could maintain their record.
n-n-now-th-that don’t kill me
Can only make me stronger
I need you to hurry up now
Cause I can’t wait much longer
I know I got to be right now
Cause I can’t get much wronger
Man I been waitin’ all night now
That’s how long I’ve been on ya
The thing is, no one told the Rockets that their season was over. Like the song says, that don’t kill me, can only make me stronger. Not just stronger, but harder, better and faster. And now, after another 10 wins to go with the 11, these Rockets own the second best winning streak in NBA history. An accomplishment that many are giving them ample credit for, but stopping short of calling this team a title contender. No, that is still a distinction reserved for San Antonio, Los Angeles, Boston and Detroit. Not the Yao-less Rockets. Are you kidding?
Let’s get lost tonight
You could be my black Kate Moss tonight
Play secretary, I’m the boss tonight.
And you don’t give a f**k what they all say, right?
Awesome, the Christian in Christian Dior
Damn they don’t make ‘em like this anymore
I ask, cause I’m not sure
Do anybody make real shit anymore?
In the VERY tight Western Conference, no one seems to be able to step up, and claim the front runner position. Sorry, but there isn’t a team in the this conference that I feel can or will run away with this conference. LA and San Antonio are the closest thing to favorites. Dallas and Phoenix traded their seasons away with Jason Kidd and Shaq. New Orleans is a wild card, but probably too young to surprise anyone. Utah isn’t scaring anyone, and Golden State is just there to add some color.
Houston has just as good a shot as anyone in the West this season, and today’s game will prove that. And no, don’t give me this crap about Pau being out. I heard the Dirk defense and the West defense, but if the Rockets can keep playing at a higher level after Yao went down, you better damn well hold these other teams to the same standard. Championships are not won by better teams, they are won by the teams that can overcome adversity. Teams that can play together as a team; united in their belief that they can beat the world. This Rockets teams has that in spades. Something I don’t think you see in many Western Conference teams this season.
Bow in the presence of greatness
Cause right now thou has forsaken us
You should be honored by my lateness
That I would even show up to this fake shit
Only two teams in NBA history have won 21 games in a row. One of them won an NBA title. And, regardless of strength of schedule, winning 21 in this league is no small task. Yes, there have been some lucky breaks, but that is also part of winning in this league. And I’ll take a team that believes in itself over any other team in a conference this evenly matched. Are there better teams in the west? Absolutely. Are their teams playing better basketball? Not so much.
So go ahead go nuts, go ape shit
Especially in my pastelle, all my bape shit
Act like you can’t tell who made this
New gospel homey take six, and take this, haters
You don’t need to believe, that our job. We’re just looking forward to shocking the world. You forget that Houston is a city that knows sports magic feels like. Remember those 2005 Astros? They messed around all season, then reeled off a 42-17 run that culminated in a berth in the World Series. This Rockets run has that same kind of feeling.
You know how long I’ve been on ya?
Since prince was on Apollonia
Since OJ had Isotoners
Don’t act like I never told ya
Remember OJ’s famous white Bronco ride? That was the year the Rockets won their first championship. Don’t act like I never told ya . . .
