ESPN (and its audience) finally acknowledge the Rockets. Sort of.

by grungedave on Apr 20, 2009 9:34 AM CDT in Random Commentary

Four road teams won this weekend. The Rockets had the most convincing win of any of the road teams. ESPN, naturally... put up a poll.

Good to see the Rockets finally getting attention. Though I'm stunned that "only" 39% of the voters picked the Rockets here. I guess we'll just have to win the next game by 37 (in a row?). Maybe then we'll get a majority of the votes.

GO ROCKETS!

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No surprise with the west, east though

Those east teams are getting cocky. In the west it was something like a 5 game difference from 2nd to 8th.

by texasag on Apr 20, 2009 10:46 AM CDT reply actions

I've been watching ESPN, and it's frustrating

The only time I’ve heard anyone do anything more than mention the Rockets when listing off who won this weekend is when JVG went on Mike and Mike. They asked JVG which team had impressed him and he brought up the Rockets. Then Mike and Mike didn’t even acknowledge what he said. Argh.

Time to galvanize

by jack_ on Apr 20, 2009 11:56 AM CDT reply actions

I agree completely.

I thought the same thing while I was listening to the show on my way into work today.

It seems like Denver is getting more love for steam rolling the Hornets than we got for steam rolling the Blazer IN PORTLAND.

by Artest4Prez on Apr 20, 2009 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions

It may be

that it’s dismissed because the “young” blazer team had “playoff nerves”.

(quoted because i freaking hate both those taglines and hate even more that the blazers proved the prediction of it happening right.)

The goal is not to be better, the goal is to be the best.

by ratbastird on Apr 23, 2009 6:10 PM CDT up reply actions

We take care of Business

and we show them who has the best team. You have to will 4 to win the series. Let’s go out and win 3 more guys.

by Reeko_Htown on Apr 20, 2009 12:31 PM CDT reply actions

We're not that acknowledged though

as we’ll be stuck on NBATV tomorrow

by goingforthecorner on Apr 20, 2009 1:01 PM CDT reply actions

Still highest watched.

Don’t get all upset. The game will still be watched by more people than all the other games played this week combined.

by texasag on Apr 20, 2009 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions

how do you figure that

the reason our game is on nbatv is because the cavs are on early on espn and the lakers are on late on espn. more people will watch those games on espn than our game on nbatv, even though ours will prob be the best

Game 1 108-81 Rockets

Rockets lead series 1-0

by TexasHoosier on Apr 20, 2009 1:41 PM CDT up reply actions

sucks for you

The reason its not on in houston is because they suck in portland its on basic TV because portlands actuall a good team. GO BLAZERS!!!!!

by ripcityphan on Apr 21, 2009 8:07 PM CDT up reply actions

I am getting so tired

Of all of the little Kobe fanboys (JOHNNY LUDDEN) being all up on the nuts of the Lakers at all times and constantly praising them, about how incredible they are and how they’re “not playing as well as they could and everyone should be scared of them,”

I dare them to win against us when we play as well as we did on Saturday night. Stupid Fakers.

by UHoustonFan on Apr 20, 2009 1:18 PM CDT reply actions

mostly

I’m just tired of the pundits proclaiming a Lakers – Cavs finals before the first round is even done. Kobe is very, very good. Lebron is the best player in the league. But you have to win 12 games before you get to the finals.

by Only_A_Lad on Apr 20, 2009 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions

those proclamations are called predictions

and they are usually wrong, but since everyone picked cavs lakers this year it wont make the analysts look bad

Game 1 108-81 Rockets

Rockets lead series 1-0

by TexasHoosier on Apr 20, 2009 1:43 PM CDT up reply actions

Pundits are saying that this weekend made it clear that no one can challenge the Lakers?

Huh? We obliterated a good team in Portland, and Denver blew out a solid Hornets team. The Lakers beating the 8th seeded Jazz soundly (outside of Utah, nonetheless) doesn’t prove anything. What do we have to do to at least get consideration on that front? Beat Portland by 40? 50? (Note that the correct answer is “beat the Lakers.” duh.)

Time to galvanize

by jack_ on Apr 20, 2009 1:51 PM CDT up reply actions

If you guys play

as well as you did on Saturday, throughout the rest of the playoffs, I think you should start planning the parade now.

Not saying Saturday was a fluke or anything (although I hope it won’t be that easy the rest of the way!), more alluding to the fact that in the playoffs, I like the hottest team’s chances against the best team’s. Best in this case referring to seeding only, since it’s pretty subjective otherwise.

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21... I know...

by FibonacciSequence on Apr 20, 2009 1:51 PM CDT up reply actions

Sounds like a typical hater response.

Nowhere do I see “Lakes/Jazz” in the poll, and I don’t really know if you know this, but Johnny Ludden (sorry, no need for all caps here) works for Yahoo and not ESPN. And yes, he is a pretty biased writer. Does that make every other journalist unbiased? And despite all these Kobe fanboys being up on the nuts of the Lakers, not one ESPN analyst voted for Kobe to win the MVP this year. Even further, I’m confused by how you’ve managed to link ESPN to “Kobe fanboy,” seeing that the only press Kobe gets nowadays on that site is when they need someone to play anti-hero to Lebron James’s imminent MVP campaign. On top of that, they still have Skip Bayless (Makes Johnny Ludden look like a genius), and (Renowned Celtic fanboy) Bill Simmons on their payroll. Again, I don’t see the connection there either.

Bottom line, though, ESPN plays Cleveland and Los Angeles because they have the best records in the NBA and thus should have the easiest road to the finals. Most people pick the Lakers because it’s the most sensible decision, not so much the fact that they’re (the media) on Kobe’s nuts.

As far as your dare, the Lakers are 4-0 against Houston this year, so I’ll let that number speak for itself.

by brianfbb on Apr 21, 2009 4:01 AM CDT up reply actions

Rockets better as underdogs

As decisive a win as the rockets had over “everybodys” pick the Blazers, I think it’s a good thing we are not getting the press. All season long these rockets fair better when no one is giving them props. And I think the worst thing that could have happened to the blazers was being considered a favorite.

As for ESPN, simply pathetic. Enough about Lebron, enough about Kobe, let them get to the NBA finals first then we can hype it up. They are so into these guys that they are not giving love to a beatdown by the rockets, an upset by the Bulls and Iggy hitting a big shot stunning the Magic.

And if I have to hear that one eyed idiot Stuart Scott, blab about how Duncan and Shaq have been in every NBA final except for last year, I will go crazy. WE KNOW! SHUT UP! Geez!

by Pippreallysuxed on Apr 20, 2009 2:29 PM CDT reply actions

I seem to recall Shaq being in the '95 Finals as well...

and he got his arse SWEPT by another GREAT center from the ROX. Young Shaq couldn’t deal with the DREAM, old Shaq can’t deal with the DYNASTY. Giving props to Kobe and Lebron is one thing (and they are 2 of the best players in the game) but the bias towards them by all non-local journalists DISGUSTS me.

Nobody talks about how the last time Bron came to town he was held without an assist for the 1st time EVER. Kobe is Kobe, and I just hope Artest doesn’t say something to poke the bear. Just D him up RonRon, don’t try and get in his head because he will destroy you. Never underestimate the power of the DARK SIDE.

by bigalshouseoflove on Apr 20, 2009 4:49 PM CDT reply actions