Sunday, April 18, 2010

The Return of The Dos

Loyal Followers of the Chuck Wagon:
It has been too long. I've been lost. Kyle Lowry's ankle injury against the Philadelphia 76ers put me in a tail spin. It turned our season around and obviously spun me into a free fall. After that injury, I had a very tough month or so. I lost the enjoyment that the Rockets gave me on a nightly basis. It was a grind. Every night when we took the floor, I felt pessimistic for the first time ever in regards to the Rockets. I didn't believe. And, make no mistake about it, I ALWAYS believed before. Something happened. I was angry. I was upset. I felt like some nights we took a game off. I felt that Rick Adelman was letting us down and not coaching us up like he did early in the season. I felt like Aaron Brooks grew a big head and an attitude problem. I felt like Battier was over the hill. I didn't see the light at the end of the tunnel- and shame on me for that. Shame on me. I was a disgraceful fan. I watched games sitting on my chair waiting for it to get over instead of standing up and willing a defensive stop, or a nice pass, or an important rebound. Looking back on this, I get embarrassed. I feel worthless. But- in the end I came back, and I promise you that I will never leave again.
When you put in so much to the grind that is the 82 game season in the NBA, it isn't unnatural to fall into a lull. It's not surprising that it happened. But, the rejuvenation was sweet. I can pin-point the exact moment that I got out of my funk and returned to Dos Mode. The night before I was flying to Las Vegas to celebrate my 23rd year on this planet it happened. February 17th-18th. The NBA trade deadline. I went to bed quite early on the 17th- around 9:30 if I recall correctly. I woke up at 2:14 AM on the 18th. I felt it in my bones that we made a move. I jumped out of bed and flipped on the computer and I was up for the rest of the night. Originally, it was said that we were moving Tracy McGrady, Carl Landry, and Joey Dorsey to Sacramento for Kevin Martin and co.. I knew immediately that this wasn't accurate. There was more to the story than what was first reported. I spent the rest of the day, work time included, trying to figure out what we were really doing. When I heard that we were also acquiring Jordan Hill, Jarred Jefferies, and a number one pick from the Knicks, I got down on my knees and I thanked Basketball Jesus for Daryl Morey.
He robbed the NBA. He got a new Carl Landry that is 3 inches taller. He acquired picks that are very valuable. He set us up perfectly to make a huge move this summer by way of trade- instead of free agency. We have a nucleus in tact with AB, Kevin Martin, and Trevor Ariza. That's a damn good young nucleus. Throw a healthy Yao Ming into the mix, as well as Luis Scola possibly, and you got a great team. I say possibly because I am predicting that we acquire Chris Bosh from the Raptors in a sign-and-trade that would send Luis Scola, Shane Battier, a young asset, and maybe a pick to Toronto. If your starting line-up consists of Aaron Brooks, Kevin Martin, Trevor Ariza, Chris Bosh, and Yao Ming, then you got the best team in the entire association. And we would still have a serviceable bench. The foresight that Daryl Morey shows is truly remarkable. He is the best executive in the league, and he has a chance to prove it this off-season by making a huge splash via trade.
The rest of the season was great- especially the final 11 games when we fought hard to finish the season and won 8 of the 11. The highlight of the actual basketball season (more to come later) was beating the Boston Celtics in Boston on the memorable Friday Night. I felt like we were playing for the Larry O'Brian Trophy that night. We got down early. We stormed back. We struggled to start the 4th quarter. AB steps up to the plate. Hits the 3 to send it into overtime. We start out slow in the overtime. We then go on a 10-0 run to end the overtime and steal the victory. I was like a little kid in the candy shop. I couldn't have been happier. I felt it in my heart once again. I shed a man tear. I realized then that it isn't a mistake to put all you got into something like The Rockets. The lows are extremely low, but the highs are incredibly high. The highs are worth banging your head against the wall when things aren't going your way. It's difficult to explain- the euphoria you feel when you win a game in March that means absolutely nothing and you go crazy and feel like your on top of the world. That's how I felt that night.
We saw Chase Budinger expand his game. We saw glimpses of what Jermaine Taylor can become. We saw how serviceable Jared Jefferies can actually be. We saw how rock-solid Chuck Hayes is on the defensive end- pun intended. We also saw how much The Wagon has improved on the offensive end. We saw glimpses of how great Trevor Ariza can be if he has a supporting cast around him and is not one of the top options on the offensive end. When he sets his feet, has his balance, and let's it fly he is an incredible asset to a good basketball team. He will be this next year. Just look at how he played on the Lakers last year in the postseason. I am truely excited to see how he grows next season as a player and as a leader. He can grow so much with this team because we don't have a Kobe Bryant. He was never going to grow in Las Angeles. But, even being the 3rd or 4th option next season, he can grow into a leader and maybe get into that role he talked about growing in to when he signed with us. We saw Aaron Brooks develop into a stud. Easily the most improved player in the league. We saw how dominant Luis Scola really is. We saw how bad our broadcasting team has become. We saw how important Kyle Lowry is to the team. I know I'm missing other things that we saw so please forgive me. In conclusion to this thought- we saw how bright the future is. We saw that this team is capable of competing with the big boys and bringing home some hardware. And for this, I am very thankful and God damned proud to call myself a Rocket fan.
I achieved my goal of watching 80 out of the 82 Rockets' games live. It was a grind. It took some sacrificing. It took me staying in some weekends on both nights because I had my priorities straight and needed to see the Rocks. It seemed like we played an incredible amount of back-to-backs to me. But, anyway, the grind was great. It was a success. I am not a fan of moral victories, but I feel like we won this year. I felt like I won as a fan. We finished 42-40 and faced a lot of adversity along the road. We beat teams that we shouldn't have beaten, but we lost to teams we shouldn't have lost to. It was a young and inexperienced team trying to find its way. And I really believe that we did find our way. Next year is going to be special. We are ready for the next step. With a little luck, and a little health there is no reason to believe that the NBA Finals is a pipe dream- it can become reality. I promise you.
Last Wednesday. April 14th, 2010. Last game of the season. A game that was more about showing appreciation to the guys for all their hard work more so than getting a victory. Obviously, I wanted to win, but on this night, I wanted to show the team appreciation for all that they have done over the last few months. I wanted to thank them for all the joy they really do bring me. When life is tough it is nice to have something to go to and know it will make everything better. The Rockets are this for me and last Wednesday was a special night. Thinking back on what happened really does make me cry. I know I am an overemotional fan. I put too much into the lows and too much into the highs. But that is the only way I know how to do it. I don't know how to be a casual fan. And for this, I am thankful.
We laid a dud against the Hornets on the final contest of the year. We didn't come ready to play. We got beat. The game ended and on the loud speaker they instructed the fans that had stayed until the end to stick around for the players coming back out to show appreciation and throw out prizes. I sit in section 119, row 10, seat 10 which is right behind the Rocket's bench. It is my spot. Chuck Hayes looks up every game and gives me a salute. And every time he does it, it becomes more special. He is, without a doubt, my favorite basketball player of all time- possibly my favorite athlete of all time.
So, when John Paul announced that the players would come back out, I struggled with the decision to stay in the seat that I love, or move down to maybe get to talk to a player or two. In the end, me and my boy Ricky, sneak down to the row right behind the Rockets' bench not having any expectations. And, one by one the players start to trickle out to applause by us true Rocket Fans. The first 8 players all have shoes in their hands and give them to fans that caught a shirt that night that has a coupon to come down to the floor to receive a pair of game worn autographed shoes. I am sitting there jealous as hell to everyone out on the floor. Then, The Wagon comes out. He walks right passed the group of kids/fans standing under the basket. He first takes a glance up section 119 right about row 10 and I am not there. He then glances down directly to where I am standing and he doesn't hesitate. He stays in his stride. As he is walking I know he is headed right for me. I am shaking. I don't know what to do. This moment is so big to me. It is what someone who loved LeBron James, or Kobe Bryant, or Michael Jordan would feel if they got to meet their hero. He came right up. He handed me his pair of size 14 Nike shoes. He grabbed my hand and we went in to the hug. I promise I have never had a hug like this one. I hugged Chuck Hayes so hard for 3 or 4 seconds. I told Chuck that "I love the Rockets, and you're my favorite player ever." And he responded with, "I really appreciate you, and I love your jerseys."
I almost fainted. I had a little tear as he walked away. I held on to those shoes like no one in this world has ever held on to a pair of shoes. It was the moment of a lifetime. It was easily one of the top moments of my life. I can't rank them, but that moment ranks up there with my first trip inside of Doak Campbell, being present at Bobby's last game in Jacksonville, playing golf with my Pop and 2 brothers, winning 22 in a row, taking the Lake Show to 7, going wire-to-wire in '99 and becoming a Nole Season Ticket Holder. Bottom line- it was an incredible moment- a top 5 moment- in my life. I met my hero, my idol. It proved to me once again that all hard work and diligence really does pay off. I thought numerous times that Chuck would never know how much he actually means to me and Rocket Nation. I was scared that I would never get to talk to him. I feared these things. All of this was erased last Wednesday. Chuck knows me. He really does. He cares about me. I know it in my heart.
I really can't describe it. My life is now different. My passion for The Rocks is stronger. I am going to have a really tough time making it to football season and then basketball season. I haven't watched a second of the NBA Playoffs because we aren't in it. In a nut shell- the Rocks and Noles are the 2 most important things in my life. They are my life line. They create every emotion possible. And, for that, I am lucky. I am special. I get to feel things that other people don't- things that other people are scared to feel. The true sports fan makes huge sacrifices. These sacrifices turn in to returns that are unimaginable. The pride of loving something more than you love yourself is an incredible feeling.
With all that being said I want to thank the Rockets for another amazing ride- another amazing grind. I will be back next October giving everything that I have into the season in search of the title that has missed up for 15 years. In closing I want to say two things.....Thy Noles. Thy Rocks.
God Bless.
Dos