Rockets Legend Robert Reid on Flopping, Kobe vs LeBron and Crown Royal

All of those who were able to make it to the SB Nation Houston launch party at Champps Uptown last night got the chance to meet the community of SB Nation writers, Texans tight end James Casey and former Houston Rocket Robert Reid. They also got to meet lots of waitresses handing out Beer and Whiskey like it was going to go bad or something. It was a great time getting a chance to meet everybody and I am sure I speak for the rest of SBN Houston that we appreciate everyone who came out and it was our pleasure to meet you all.

So, lots of good debates and discussions took place last night, but the one that is sticking in my mind is one that me and Texans-Broncos from BRB had with Robert Reid. Now, I will admit that I did not know much about Robert Reid. I started following the Rockets from my Atlanta home more around '87 or '88 because I liked Hakeem Olajuwon so much. But, it wasn't as easy to follow an out of market team back then as it is now. So, I really only got to see the Rockets twice a year when they played the Hawks or the rare occasion that they were on a weekend national TV game. So, I really never saw Robert Reid play that much. But when he walked into Champps last night, it was pretty easy to pick him out, being 6'8" and all.

At first, us Battle Red Blog guys were still mobbing James Casey and trying to get him to come onto the site for an interview. But after things lightened up a bit and the drinks had everyone a little more loosey-goosey, Robert Reid made his way over to a Kobe vs LeBron debate some of the attendees were having. He quickly made his opinion known of which of the superstars he would rather have in a pickup game declaring that he would take Kobe because he knows how to win. Whereas LeBron loses and looks at his teammates and blames them. Not a bad argument, as it wasn't the first time those critiques of LeBron have been expressed. But, he was so passionate about it (he had a few choice things to say about everyones favorite former Rocket, Tracy McGrady, too) and was telling a lot of NBA war stories about him and Moses Malone that I just had to ask his opinion on a certain topic that is my biggest pet peeve in the NBA. And that would be flopping.

I've always said the past few years that I bet the NBA veterans of the 80's and before are probably disgusted with the way that flopping is taking over the NBA. Well, if Robert Reid's opinion is any indication of that, then I was pretty correct in that assumption. His exact words were this:

"Oh, let me tell you about that. Guys in the NBA in the 80's flopped. They did. But when they did it the referee would look down at them and say "man, get your ass up!" No, you had to earn it."

He also talked about how much tougher the league was back then. Guys were playing with broken bones and fresh stitches. Where, now, they sit out because they have a tummy-ache. I couldn't have agreed with him more.

Regardless that Robert had had his fair share of Crown and Coke's (we all had), he was a genuinely nice guy and extremely humorous and I have nothing but nice stuff to say about the guy. So, I want to thank Robert and James Casey for being there and thanks to SB Nation for putting together such a great event and bringing in the guests that they did (and paying for all of our drinks. That was an epic win, if I do say so myself). It was pretty terrific. And, again, I'm sure I speak with the entire SBN Houston staff in saying it was terrific meeting all of you that made it. Thanks for coming.