Rockets Fans Around the Globe: Brazil

by Tom Martin on Jul 15, 2009 8:31 PM CDT in Blogging stuff

I didn't think I would see any more of these pop up in my e-mail inbox. Luckily, I was wrong. Milton, from Brazil, was on the ball, and sent in a great description of Brazil. Send in your submissions to the global quest for Rockets fans. We'd like as many as possible in order to see where all of you guys are coming from. Send all submissions to tommartin@thedreamshake.com or tweet them here.

Name: Milton (nickname Chuck DeBruce)

Country: The finest Portuguese-speaking country in South America: Brazil (or Brasil).

"In our country, soccer is the most popular and the only sport that really matters. I became a basketball fan late in the 80's basically because I sucked on soccer, but also influenced by some of my best friends (that also sucked on soccer).

There were serious problems for the Brazilians who wanted to follow the NBA back then, let alone watch the games, so I took a few years before picking a team to root for. (I didn't want to end up a fan of the Clippers or the Jazz (thanks, lord), you know) And man, let me tell you, everyone I knew was in love with the Bulls!

I started rooting for the Rockets while watching the 1995 playoffs - a.k.a. the "heart of a champion" campaign. Actually, it's not that I started, it's that I just couldn't stop.

As of today, I know very few people that actually follow the NBA, let alone the Rockets. Let's hope someone shows up in the comments!

All the Rockets hardware I have date back to 1996, when my father travelled to America. Believe me, it's hard to get anything Rockets down here. I've tried."

Pictures:

"First, the 1996 Charles Barkley uniform (for the record, I asked for the Hakeem jersey)."

"And second, the Spalding Hakeem 34 "Finish Strong" sneakers (I found these pictures, but mine looked a lot more, ahem, "used" then this when I had to dump them - I kept the box until a few years ago)."

Props to Milton for sending this in. Keep it up, Rockets fans!

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I remember “Finish Strong” as Hakeem’s catchphrase. I remember seeing a big ol’ display of H2O (Hakeem’s brand of bottled water) in Kroger back in the day. I wonder if any of that stuff might still be floating around in a warehouse somewhere.

by DribbleHooper on Jul 15, 2009 8:52 PM CDT reply actions

Good to hear from you

Maybe we can work out a way to get you some Rockets stuff. Maybe an exchange for some Brasil futbol stuff?

"So do you keep open 3pt FG percentage?"
"Yeah, we'd have everything you'd want, Bill."
"I hate you."
Bill Simmons/Daryl Morey Podcast 5/8/09

by Xiane on Jul 15, 2009 11:28 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

I'm up for that!

www.TheDreamShake.com Co-Founder and Writer

by UofTOrange on Jul 16, 2009 6:41 AM CDT up reply actions

Yeah, sure.

I thought our soccer stuff was pretty easy to find anywhere, you know, being Nike stuff, but I guess it’s not.
I also heard that it works like a charm with the ladies in the US and Europe. True?

by Chuck DeBruce on Jul 16, 2009 12:07 PM CDT up reply actions

Well

It isn’t that hard to get national team stuff.

But the Nike gear is very expensive here for what you get. And it’s harder to get the “classic” Brasil uni now.

Also it might be good to get some club stuff from Brasil which isn’t around.

And now we know where you are we can whine at you for Brasil cruelly and rudely coming back to beat the USA in SA.

"So do you keep open 3pt FG percentage?"
"Yeah, we'd have everything you'd want, Bill."
"I hate you."
Bill Simmons/Daryl Morey Podcast 5/8/09

by Xiane on Jul 16, 2009 12:32 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

Despite not being myself a soccer fan

and even less a nationalist type, it’s hard to ignore our national soccer team. I watched that game and (I hope it makes you feel better) suffered the entire first half to the point of disgust. Of course, in the second we climbed from the 2×0 hole as the USA offense went (to use a popular word here os TDS) stagnant . Even the refs, who voided a legit goal, couldn’t help you.

About the uniforms and Nike gear, as the World Cup approaches, the prices skyrocket. I’ll do some research to get the exact numbers, but A-Division teams’ official shirts are around US$70. Not very cheap, you see.

by Chuck DeBruce on Jul 16, 2009 1:27 PM CDT up reply actions

Can you just send some of your women then?

That would clearly be worth the Rockets gear

www.TheDreamShake.com Co-Founder and Writer

by UofTOrange on Jul 17, 2009 8:39 AM CDT up reply actions

Those shoes.

Man i remember those shoes, i had like 10 pairs.
Those were my choice of shoe for going back to school when i was a kid.
They always got worn out pretty quick though

by TheRavenWarz on Jul 16, 2009 8:31 AM CDT reply actions