The Best Houston Sports Arguments

THE

BEST

N O T S U O HSPORT ARGUMENTS

100

THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL,DEBATABLE

QUESTIONS FOR

DIE-HARD FANS JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ

BEST N O T S OU HSPORTS

THE

ARGUMENTS

100

THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL, DEBATABLE

QUESTIONS FOR DIE-HARD

FANS JOSE

DE

JESUS ORTIZ

© 2007 by Jose de Jesus Ortiz Cover and internal design © 2007 by Sourcebooks, Inc. Photograph on page 305 courtesy of the Houston Chronicle Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc. All team names, brand names, and product names used in this book are trademarks, registered trademarks, or trade names of their respective holders. Sourcebooks, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor in this book. Published by Sourcebooks, Inc. P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567-4410 (630) 961-3900 Fax: (630) 961-2168 www.sourcebooks.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Ortiz, Jose de Jesus. The best Houston sports arguments : the 100 most controversial, debatable questions for die-hard Houston fans / Jose de Jesus Ortiz. p. cm. Includes index. 1. Sports—Texas—Houston—Miscellanea. I. Title. GV584.5.H68O78 2007 796’.097641411—dc22 2007031725

Printed and bound in the United States of America. CH 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To Megan, Kathleen Maria, and Maya Shea, the ladies who own my heart and spirit

CONTENTS Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xi

AROUND TOWN 1. Is Houston a Football Town or a Baseball Town? . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 2. Best Place to Watch a Game in Houston? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 3. Greatest Public Relations Gimmick in Houston Sports History? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 4. Worst Public Relations Gimmick in Houston Sports History? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 5. Which Houston Sports Franchise Scores Best for the Community? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 6. Whose Phone Rings More from the Houston Sports Community: Rusty Hardin’s or Mattress Mac’s? . . . . . . . . . . . .13

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE NEWSWORTHY 7. Who Belongs on the Mount Rushmore of Houston Sports? . . . .18 8. Who Belongs on the Mount Rushmore of Houston Sports Voices? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 9. If You Could Go to Any Game in Houston History, Which Would You Pick? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 10. Greatest Moment in Houston Sports History? . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 11. Most Magical Performance in Houston Sports History? . . . . . .30 12. Who Has Made the Bigger Impact: Rockets Owner Leslie Alexander or Texans Owner Bob McNair? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 13. Which Woman Has Had a Bigger Impact on Houston’s Sports Community: Pam Gardner or Sheryl Swoopes? . . . . . .40 14. Are There More Powerful Agents in Houston Than the Hendricks Brothers, Randy and Alan? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS 15. Who Are the Most Important Houston Sports Figures You Should Know but Probably Don’t? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 16. Who’s the Most Influential Houston Sports Figure: Yao Ming, Drayton McLane, or Roger Clemens? . . . . . . . . . . . .47 17. Most Overhyped Moment in Houston Sports History? . . . . . . .51 18. Worst Time in History to Be a Houston Sports Fan? . . . . . . . . .54 19. What Was Houston’s Greatest Might-Have-Been Powerhouse? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 20. Greatest Draft Pick in Houston Sports History? . . . . . . . . . . . .61 21. Worst Draft Pick in Houston Sports History? . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 22. Worst Owner in Houston Sports History? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 23. Which General Manager Had More to Overcome: the Astros’ Tim Purpura or the Texans’ Rick Smith? . . . . . . . . .68

BASEBALL The All-Time Astros All-Star Team 24. Who Makes Up the All-Time Astros Infield? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 25. Who Makes Up the All-Time Astros Outfield? . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 26. Who Makes Up the All-Time Astros Pitching Staff? . . . . . . . . .78

27. Roger Clemens: Savior or Traitor? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 28. Did the Astros Players Have a Problem with Roger Clemens’s Freedom Clause? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 29. Carlos Beltran: Really a Villain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 30. The Astrodome: Turn It Into a Parking Lot or Name It a Historical Site? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 31. What Is the Biggest Postseason Home Run in Astros History: Billy Hatcher’s in 1986 or Chris Burke’s in 2005? . . . .92 32. What Happened to Brad Lidge? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 33. Which Astros Player Had the Most Unique Career After Hanging Them Up? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

34. Worst Move Made by an Astros General Manager? . . . . . . . .100 35. Greatest Manager in Astros History? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 36. Should Wayne Graham Be Considered to Manage the Astros? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 37. Biggio or Bagwell? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107 38. Craig Biggio: Has Anybody Provided More Smiles and Goodwill for Houston Fans? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110 39. Did Craig Biggio’s March to 3,000 Hurt the Team? . . . . . . . . .113 40. What’s More Impressive: Throwing Seven No-Hitters or Winning Seven Cy Youngs? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116 41. Who’s the Greatest Pitcher to Come Out of Houston: Roger Clemens or Nolan Ryan? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 42. Best Pitcher in Astros History? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121 43. Do the Astros Have Too Many Retired Jerseys? . . . . . . . . . . .124 44. Lance Berkman: Will He Finish His Career as the Greatest Astros Player Ever? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127 45. Milo or Gene? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131 46. What Was Milo Hamilton’s Greatest Feat? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133

FOOTBALL 47. Did the Texans Fail David Carr or Did Carr Fail the Texans? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139 48. Worst Move Made by an Oilers or Texans General Manager? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143 49. Biggest Loss in the Texans’ Brief Franchise History? . . . . . . .145 50. Biggest Victory in the Texans’ Franchise History? . . . . . . . . .147 51. Biggest Public Relations Nightmare for the Texans? . . . . . . .150 52. Was Drafting Mario Williams the Biggest Mistake the Texans Will Ever Make? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152 53. Did DeMeco Ryans Save the Texans’ 2006 Draft? . . . . . . . . . .155 54. Will Texans Coach Gary Kubiak Lead His Team to the Super Bowl? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS BASKETBALL 55. Are the Rockets the Most Underappreciated Franchise in the City? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162 56. Most Underappreciated Rockets Player Ever? . . . . . . . . . . . .164 57. Best Rockets Coach? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166 58. Who Were the Two Greatest Rockets Players? . . . . . . . . . . . .169 59. Worst Move Made by a Rockets General Manager? . . . . . . . .172 60. Can Yao Be as Great as Hakeem? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174 61. Can Yao Lead the Rockets to a Title? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176 62. What Are the Top Five Names in Rockets History? . . . . . . . . .178 63. Can Tracy McGrady Lead the Rockets to Playoff Glory? . . . .181 64. What Rockets Player Had the Most Unique Career After Hanging Them Up? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184 65. Who Are the Top Five Basketball Players to Come Out of Houston? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186

COLLEGE/HIGH SCHOOLS 66. Who’s the Most Powerful Baylor Alum in Houston: Drayton McLane or John McClain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191 67. Greatest UH Sports Moment? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194 68. Worst UH Sports Moment? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196 69. Who’s on the Mount Rushmore of University of Houston Athletes? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199 70. Are the 1982–83 University of Houston Cougars the Greatest Team to Never Win a Title? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203 71. How Did UH Let the 1979 Cotton Bowl Slip Away? . . . . . . . . .206 72. Does UH Have the Greatest Golf Program of All Time? . . . . .208 73. What Was the Greatest Year in UH Sports History? . . . . . . . .211 74. Why Didn’t UH Get to Join the Big 12? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213 75. Why Isn’t Guy Lewis in the Hall of Fame? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216 76. Greatest UH Quarterback of All Time? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219

77. Who Has the Best Sports History: Rice or UH? . . . . . . . . . . . .221 78. Which Fans Should Have More Bragging Rights: Rice or UH? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224 79. Was Rice Involved in the Most Infamous Play in College Football History? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .227 80. Who’s on the Mount Rushmore of Rice Athletics? . . . . . . . . . .229 81. What’s the Biggest Sports Upset That No One Has Heard About?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232

The All-Time Best Rice Baseball Team 82. Who Are the All-Time Best Rice Position Players? . . . . . . . . .235 83. Who Are the All-Time Best Rice Pitchers? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238

84. Did Rice Football Coach Todd Graham Do the Program a Favor? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239 85. How Viable Are Rice Sports in the Division I-A Landscape? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241 86. Biggest Football Win in Rice History? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .244 87. How Did Wayne Graham Work His Magic? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246 88. Best Houston-Area Prep Team of the Last 50 Years? . . . . . . . .248

OUTDOORS 89. Is Houston a Premier Golf Community? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .252 90. What Are the Three Best Golf Courses in the City? . . . . . . . .254 91. Best Spots to Go Fishing in Houston? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256

OTHER SPORTS 92. Juan Diaz: Is He the Most Underappreciated Great Athlete in Houston? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .259 93. Who Are Some of the Top Tennis Figures in Houston? . . . . . .261 94. Can the Dynamo Survive in Houston? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS 95. Is Mexico’s National Soccer Team Houston’s Other “Home” Team? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267 96. Best Houston Olympian Not Named Carl Lewis? . . . . . . . . . .270 97. Best Gymnast Who Trained in Houston? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .274 98. Best Schoolboy Athlete to Come Out of Houston? . . . . . . . . .276 99. Who Are the Next Great Stars of Houston? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279

THE BUZZER BEATER 100. Is Houston a Great Sports City? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .284

Index by Subject . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .287 Index by Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .295 About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .305

INTRODUCTION If it weren’t for sports arguments and the passion fans feel when they’re wronged, the late Dr. John McMullen might not be such a vilified person in the city of Houston almost 20 years after he pushed the legendary Nolan Ryan to Arlington, of all places. Sports fans love to argue. They love to pick sides. In Houston, you either hate Carlos Beltran or you really hate Carlos Beltran. You believe the Dynamo will survive, you just don’t care, or you’re supportive of the team in public because you have family working for the team. Even if there isn’t a rivalry, fans will make one. They’ll ask, Biggio or Bagwell? When the parties really don’t like each other it just adds to the spice: Gene Elston or Milo Hamilton, anyone? All just for the sake of arguing. For as long as sports have pitted one side against the other, folks have been forced to choose sides, to pick a villain and a victim. You wouldn’t keep score if you didn’t want a winner, and fans take it a step further by using their logic—or lack thereof—to argue years after the fact: father against daughter, brother against brother, sister against sister, mother against father, priest against priest. Sports writers do it in press boxes all the time, and on

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

occasion they’ll take their little spats into print or onto the airwaves. If Houstonians didn’t love to argue about their sports so much, there wouldn’t be three all-sports radio stations on the scene and another that will prominently cater to sports arguments. The sports section is the one part of the newspaper where fans go to verify what they already saw and think. But it’s not that easy. If 40,000 folks saw a game, there are 40,000 versions of what happened, leading to years of sports arguments. Mix in the different sports—baseball, basketball, football, tennis, soccer—and you have the potential for hundreds of great Houston sports arguments. We’ve put together a list of the 100 best arguments in Houston, the ones you’ve had with your father, brother, sister, mother, and best friends. You’ve been picking sides at home and in your neighborhood all your life. Through these pages you’ll find even more chances to tell your buddies at the sports bar why they’re stupid, why they don’t know nearly as much about sports as you do, and why you’re the one who gets it. In these pages, you’ll smile appreciatively and shake your head in disgust. At times, you might even get pissed off at the conclusions. And that’s great because sports do that: They make you argue. More than anything, though, you’ll be taken down a trip through Houston sports’ memory lane. You’ll relive the good, the bad, and the ugly that have transpired in Houston sports.

xii

Who’s the Best Pitcher in Astros history? Easy, you say. It’s either Nolan Ryan, J.R. Richard, or Roger Clemens. But what if it’s not? Would that get your juices flowing and objections flying? Who Belongs on the Mount Rushmore of Houston Sports? What if we told you that Earl Campbell didn’t make the cut? Campbell was a heck of a runner, but he couldn’t run Houston to the Super Bowl title. Heck, he couldn’t even lead them to the game. Does that make you mad? Or do you see where we’re coming from? For several months, I have depended on some of the most opinionated sports historians in Houston for guidance. These men and one woman have chronicled the city’s most glorious sports moments, from the Battle of the Sexes to the Rockets’ titles, from the Luv Ya Blue Oilers to Vince Young’s Texans. Oops. They didn’t pick Young, did they? Talk about a reason to argue. Special thanks go out to Daniel Cunningham, John McClain, Brian McTaggart, Fran Blinebury, Megan Ortiz, and Barry Warner. Nobody knows more about the University of Houston and Rice sports than McTaggart, and he’s also become one of the best baseball writers in America. Blinebury is Texas’s foremost authority in basketball. McClain is one of the premier NFL writers in America, and Megan Ortiz, my lovely wife, has been one of McClain’s top protégés as the Texans’ beat writer for the Houston Chronicle. Nobody argues more than Warner, who has been one of the

xiii

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

premier sports radio personalities in Houston for almost 40 years. Cunningham, the Houston Chronicle’s deputy managing editor, has guided the sports coverage for most of the city’s great sports moments. He is the reason the Chronicle’s sports section is so respected nationally. Special thanks also go out to John Lopez, Dale Robertson, David Barron, Michael Murphy, Jerome Solomon, Steve Schaeffer, Doug Pike, Steve Campbell, Bernardo Fallas, and Richard Justice. All of these folks filled out my countless questionnaires, and some literally carried entire sections with their expertise. Combined, they have spent over 200 years either covering sports in Houston or living in Houston following the city’s sports franchises. I’d also like to thank book editor Shana Drehs, who held my hand and prodded me through this project. This book could not have been finished without Shana’s brilliance. My bosses at the Houston Chronicle—Fred Faour, Carlton Thompson, and Joe Conway—also have provided guidance throughout the year. Within these pages, you’ll see that even the so-called experts disagreed. We expect you to do the same. Now you don’t have to visit a sports bar to argue. Just sit with this book and let yourself go. Smile and join the debate. This is your city, and these are your arguments. Whack away. —Jose de Jesus Ortiz August 1, 2007, Kingwood, Texas

xiv

AROUND TOWN

IS HOUSTON A FOOTBALL TOWN OR A BASEBALL TOWN?

1

Heading into the 2007 season, the Astros had drawn over 3 million fans in two of their previous three seasons, building a buzz for baseball in

the city unlike anything Houston had felt since the Rockets won their two championships in the mid–1990s. They created all the energy thanks to Roy Oswalt, Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, and Lance Berkman leading the organization to its first postseason series victory in 2004 and its first World Series appearance the next season. By comparison, the Texans have hardly won on the field. They have even drawn the ire of their fans by blowing the first overall pick in the 2006 draft—at least in the court of public opinion. Yet, despite all the losing, Reliant Stadium has been completely sold out since the first day of the Texans’ inaugural 2002 season. Football is king in Texas, and it appears football—even losing football—has been a treat for a city that is undoubtedly grateful Texans owner Bob McNair brought the NFL back with his hefty wallet. “Houston currently is a baseball town because the Astros have been on a roll with winning seasons, big-name

stars, and a World Series,” said Daniel Cunningham, Houston Chronicle deputy managing editor. “But Houston would be a football town if it ever had a football team worth getting excited about.” The Astros lost a bit of traction with a mediocre 2006 season and then the departure of national names like Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte, but Craig Biggio’s march to 3,000 hits kept the fans interested in 2007. Wayne Graham’s powerful Rice Owls also have kept baseball in the limelight in Houston. But it became clear by watching the University of Houston win the 2006 Conference USA championship that the city is much more impressed by football titles. Advantage, gridiron. Come on, it’s Texas.

BEST PLACE TO WATCH A GAME IN HOUSTON?

2

When you have three state-of-the-art stadiums in Houston, there are plenty of great seats to watch professional sports. The Astros’ Minute Maid

Park, which opened downtown as Enron Field in 2000, is the oldest of the three. Reliant Stadium came along right next door to the old Astrodome in 2002, and in 2003 the Rockets opened Toyota Center downtown, not far from Minute Maid Park.

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Toyota Center isn’t bad, but it’s almost embarrassingly overloaded with Toyota merchandise. It’s not a basketball arena as much as it is a giant showroom. The seats are decent, although many folks in the luxury boxes hardly appear to be watching the games. On the other end of the spectrum, Rice’s Reckling Park is a quaint college baseball field that coach Wayne Graham has turned into one of the most popular destinations to watch college baseball. In that park, there’s no denying that every seat provides a great view. But it’s not the best place in town. Minute Maid Park and Reliant Stadium battle it out for that honor. Minute Maid and Reliant both have retractable roofs. The latter was actually the first retractable roof, airconditioned, natural grass football stadium in the country. And just because they can open the roof doesn’t mean they’ll leave it open. The Texans have set a policy so that their fans won’t have an uncomfortable experience if it gets too hot in Houston. The team learned its lesson in September 2005 when it left the roof open on a relatively oppressive Sunday afternoon. They heard about it that day and for most of the week, prompting the club to draft a standard policy on when to close the roof: “Beginning with the 2006 season, we will open the roof when the game time temperature is projected to be between 50 and 80 degrees,” the Texans informed their

4

fans on their website. “Our goal for implementing the ‘50–80 Rule’ is to provide the most comfortable environment possible to enjoy Houston Texans games. Please note that the threat of rain will influence this decision, and when there is a good chance of rain during a game, the roof will be closed. Also, our parameters for late afternoon and evening games may shift slightly because of the absence of direct sunlight. However, we plan to use the general parameters established with your input to make the roof position decision for each game. Our research clearly demonstrated that we cannot please everyone, every time with our roof position decision. However, we are hopeful that this note helps to point out that our approach is thoughtful, deliberate and focused on creating the best environment possible for the majority of our fans to enjoy games at Reliant Stadium.” After consulting with weather experts, the Texans found that “direct sunlight adds 15 degrees to the heat index and the high temperature,” and then planned accordingly. Although the Texans have sold out every seat to every one of their games, team owner Bob McNair didn’t take the fans for granted. He listened to their input and made changes right away. You can rest easy at Reliant Stadium knowing that Bob McNair’s folks won’t let you suffer through the heat. The same cannot be said at Minute Maid Park. Even in light of complaints, the Astros still didn’t set a policy. This is why

5

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

it’s not unusual for fans to leave after three or four innings when the Astros leave the roof open on afternoon games in May, June, July, or August, like the one that drove even some of the players’ relatives and close friends from a game in 2007. If the roof is closed, however, there is not a better place in America to watch a baseball game. If there is a bad seat at Minute Maid Park, there aren’t many of them. Having spent most of my evenings at Minute Maid Park, it’s no surprise that I’ve walked the stadium. The views are great throughout, whether in Suite 1 on the corner along the left field line, in a suite behind home plate, on the Diamond Level behind home plate, or even in the press box. The seats are comfortable. And as long as they don’t leave the roof open for afternoon games, you can take your children knowing they will be entertained. The veterans agree. “The best place to watch a game in Houston is Minute Maid Park, the best park in the big leagues,” said Houston Chronicle reporter John McClain, who has season tickets to all three major sports franchises in Houston. “Great stadium, old-time feel, close to the action, great background. Plus, the Astros are good most of the time.” Need we say more?

6

GREATEST PUBLIC RELATIONS GIMMICK IN HOUSTON SPORTS HISTORY?

3

After drawing 1,561,136 fans in the strikeshortened 1994 season, the Astros were just like every other team in the majors, begging some

fans to return to the game. What to do? Marketing savvy spinmaster Drayton McLane came up with the idea of giving all the seats away for the May 12, 1995, Astros game against the Philadelphia Phillies at the Astrodome. It was a gesture of apology for the fans still upset about the work stoppage. Although the official attendance for the game was “zero”—the smallest official crowd in franchise history— the promotion was a hit as folks from throughout the city helped pack the stadium. As fans throughout Houston found out soon enough, McLane is all about business. He doesn’t exactly give anything away. That promotion was merely an attempt to buy goodwill at a time when fans had little patience for what they deemed as greedy billionaires fighting with greedy millionaires. Besides, on the gimmick front it’s hard to compete with

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Luv Ya Blue, the craze that took over the Houston Oilers’ fan base from 1978 through the early 1980s. It all started with a relatively unimaginative giveaway promotion. As fans headed into the Astrodome for a 1978 Monday Night Football game against the Miami Dolphins, they were given blue and white pom-poms to wave to show their Oilers pride before a national television audience. With rookie sensation Earl Campbell leading the way for Bum Phillips’s team, the world was introduced to the Luv Ya Blue Oilers. Indeed, Luv Ya Blue became a city-wide phenomenon, drawing folks together behind Campbell, quarterback Dan Pastorini, and Coach Phillips. The Oilers of the Luv Ya Blue era certainly didn’t have much of a problem attracting fans. Heck, a crowd estimated at 70,000 showed up at the Astrodome for a mere Luv Ya Blue rally to show support after the Oilers lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 27–13 in the 1979 AFC championship game. By contrast, the Astros used to resort to “Nickel Beer Nights” at the Astrodome to lure in the crowds. As the great Earl Campbell once said, Luv Ya Blue was for the entire city of Houston. It had the lasting value of creating civic pride for years, and that’s why it gets the nod here. Years later, even adults cry in their beers remembering the good ol’ days of the Luv Ya Blue Oilers.

8

WORST PUBLIC RELATIONS GIMMICK IN HOUSTON SPORTS HISTORY?

4

Long before it became chic to say women loved the long ball, the Astros decided that they loved the long ball, too. So much so that they traded

the future of the franchise to get it—and hopefully, to get more fans. The cavernous Astrodome was a pitchers’ park. From its first game in 1965 until the last one in 1999, not a lot of balls left the yard, despite multiple times in which management brought the outfield fences in closer. But the Astros wanted home runs—lots of them. They decided they loved the long ball so much they were willing to do away with a player who became one of the greatest second basemen of all time and a cog in the Cincinnati Reds dynasty. That’s right, the Astros traded Joe Morgan to the Reds for Lee May on November 29, 1971, because they thought May could launch a few. May played three seasons in Houston, driving in 98 runs in 1972, 105 in 1973, and 85 in 1974. A year after hitting a career high 29 home runs for the Reds, he joined the Astros and hit 29 in 1972. He hit 28 home runs the next season, and only 24 in his final season in Houston.

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

That’s not exactly what you expect when you give up a future Hall of Famer. The Astros thought the trade would spice up the offense and help create more interest with home runs from May. It didn’t. Not only was it the worst public relations gimmick in Houston sports history, it’s still one of the worst moments in Astros baseball history.

WHICH HOUSTON SPORTS FRANCHISE SCORES BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY?

5

The Astros have the Astros in Action Foundation, the Rockets have the Clutch City Foundation, and the Texans have the Houston Texans

Foundation and Touchdown in the Community. Together, the organizations have raised millions for local charities. But in a city where the Astros, Rockets, and Texans have really embraced their responsibilities as community leaders, Bob McNair’s Texans stand out just a bit higher in terms of giving back. In 2006 alone, the Texans made donations to more than 2,000 nonprofit groups in the community, contributing to many educational, professional, religious, youth, and military

groups. They raised $187,621 in net revenue at their 2006 charity golf classic, $85,866 at the team luncheon, $45,363 at the Pancakes and Pigskins Rookie Breakfast, and $32,414 from game-day auctions. While the world focused on the evacuees seeking refuge at the Astrodome after Hurricane Katrina, Bob and Janice McNair quietly led the charge in the sports community before challenging the entire Texans fan base to stand up and raise funds for the Katrina victims. With McNair vowing to match all contributions up to $1 million, he and the Texans’ television and radio partners— ABC-13, Sports Radio 610, and 100.3 KILT—raised over $2.5 million for Katrina victims. During a five-hour broadcast/telethon of a Texans/ Buccaneers preseason game on September 1, 2005, the Texans helped raise that $2.5 million. Although preseason football games tend to lack luster, this particular game may have been the most important Thursday night football event ever in terms of civic responsibility. Bob and Janice McNair were the biggest contributors. Reliant Energy donated $500,000, Philip Burguieres pitched in with $250,000, and New Process Steel gave $100,000 to the Texans Care Campaign. Those were the big contributors, but over 2,900 individuals donated as well. All the funds went straight to the Red Cross. At a time when most of the city stepped up, McNair’s organization didn’t look the other way. Texans players were often

11

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

seen visiting the evacuees at the Astrodome, providing a kind word or a toy to the children living temporarily at the old stadium. The Texans have been active in the community since their inaugural 2002 season, and their reach is broad, tackling issues such as childhood obesity. Easily the most diverse sports franchise in the area, they even hold a free public event labeled Football Fiesta that features live Latino music and interactive games. And through the Texans and the Bob and Janice McNair Foundation, over 13,000 area students and teachers received the Goalpost Geography program so children could practice skills in geography, language arts, history, and math while following the Texans and other NFL teams during the season. McNair’s example trickled down to his players. All-Pro receiver Andre Johnson, through his Andre Johnson Celebrity Weekend, brought in players from around the NFL to raise awareness—as well as over $10,000—for the Houston Area Women’s Center. The Rockets and Astros may have their charities, but no team does more than the Texans.

12

WHOSE PHONE RINGS MORE FROM THE HOUSTON SPORTS COMMUNITY: Rusty Hardin’s or Mattress Mac’s?

6

If you want somebody to sponsor a rally towel giveaway at Minute Maid Park, Reliant Stadium, or Toyota Center, you’re likely going to call

Mattress Mac, Jim McIngvale. Mattress Mac fronts at least one promotion a year with the top three professional teams in town, and he even advertises on all four of the sports radio stations. In 2006, Mattress Mac’s Gallery Furniture was the business that sponsored a giveaway night so all the fans could receive replicas of the 2005 National League championship rings the Astros received. That event went so well that he offered the giveaway again later in the season. The official furniture sponsor of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, McIngvale has some preferences, including the association he had with the NBA champion Rockets in 1994 and 1995. He also sponsored a fundraising basketball game with NBA players during the 1999 lockout. “My favorites were the two times we did the Rocket

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

celebration at the Astrodome, two of them back-to-back,” he said. “Those were huge.” All the marketing directors of the top teams in Houston make a pilgrimage to Gallery Furniture to see if McIngvale will sponsor a giveaway. But if an Astro, Texan, or Rocket runs into some trouble with the law, attorney Rusty Hardin is the man. He’s the one athletes would likely want representing them in court. “If a Houston athlete gets in trouble, it’s Hardin who usually gets the phone call. Once he helped Rudy Tomjanovich beat his DWI the summer after the Rockets’ first NBA championship he became the go-to guy,” Houston Chronicle writer Dale Robertson said. “High-profile non-sports cases such as his defense of Arthur Anderson for its role in the Enron debacle and, of course, taking on Anna Nicole Smith on behalf of E. Pierce Marshall made the former assistant district attorney even more of a household name. “The list of athletes with legal problems he has defended, almost always successfully, reads like a who’s who— Tomjanovich,Warren Moon,Wade Boggs, and Scottie Pippen, to name just a few,” Robertson continued. “But the consequences of his efforts on behalf of Calvin Murphy against molestation charges by five of his daughters dwarfed all the other cases. The popular ex-Rocket could have faced a life sentence if Hardin hadn’t won his acquittal. “As a basketball player in high school in his native North Carolina, [Hardin] concedes ‘I was a great practice player

14

who didn’t do as well when the screaming and yelling started.’ Put him in front of a jury, however, and he turns into his profession’s equivalent of the stars he represents.” McIngvale also has made his mark on the court—the tennis courts. “Against all odds, he brought the men’s season-ending tennis championships to Houston for two years,” said Robertson, one of the most decorated tennis writers to ever come out of Houston. “Roger Federer’s victory in the first Houston’s Masters Cup in 2003 effectively announced his ascendancy to the pinnacle of the sport, where he remains today. “The man we call ‘Mattress Mac’ doesn’t go by the book on anything, and he’s not afraid to open his checkbook, even if it’s to beg the Texans via two full pages in the Houston Chronicle to draft Vince Young. And just try to find a major sporting event or venue here that doesn’t have a Gallery Furniture ad attached to it. The aforementioned Masters Cups wound up costing him close to $20 million by the time he built a suitable stadium to house the event. In the early 21st century, nobody in the U.S. has done more to promote tennis. Although he’s about out of momentum as far as the pro game is concerned, with the U.S. Men’s Clay Courts ending a sevenyear run here in April, McIngvale has put the Gallery Furniture name on the local Houston Open, the country’s largest amateur event.” Because Houston professional athletes, for the most part,

15

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

aren’t prone to get in legal troubles, Mattress Mac is likely to get more calls from the sports community than Hardin.

16

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE NEWSWORTHY

WHO BELONGS ON THE MOUNT RUSHMORE OF HOUSTON SPORTS?

7

Any Mount Rushmore of Houston sports would have to start with Carl Lewis, the former University of Houston track star who captured

the world’s attention at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and kept dazzling the world with his athleticism. “If the category is ‘athlete’ it’s not even a contest: Carl Lewis,” said popular sports talk radio host John Lopez, who has covered nine Olympics. “Multiple Olympic wins over multiple games, appearances, running, jumping, setting world records, and going down as the greatest relay anchor, ever.” With nine Olympic Gold Medals and one Silver one, you could even make the argument that Lewis is the greatest Olympic athlete of all time. Sticking to our Rushmore argument, though, Lewis’s place is assured. But then it becomes tricky. How about Alvin’s Nolan Ryan? Or Roger Clemens? Or Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon, the only superstar to lead a Houston sports franchise to a major sports championship? His great UH basketball teams never brought an NCAA title to Houston, but he gave us some great memories as a collegian before finally putting a hungry city on the championship level.

“The Dream” truly completed the city’s dream, winning the 1994 and 1995 NBA titles. How about Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young, the Madison High graduate who led the University of Texas to the national championship? There are just enough Longhorns in Houston who’ll say Young belongs right up there with any of the greatest athletes who ever came out of the city. And heck, we haven’t even named the two greatest players in Astros franchise history, Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio. Some might argue that Earl Campbell, the Heisman Trophy winner from the University of Texas, deserves a place for his greatness rushing the ball for the old Oilers. Campbell helped inspire the Luv Ya Blue era, but he and his teams were never in the Super Bowl, and it’s difficult to put a non-championship winner among the greats who have titles on their resumes. It’s all a matter of how you choose your greatest athletes for that mountain. “Depends what you want here,” said the Chronicle’s Daniel Cunningham. “If you want the greatest athlete who played the majority of his career in Houston, it’s Hakeem Olajuwon. But if you want the greatest athlete from Houston, I’d have to go with Roger Clemens or Carl Lewis.” “The greatest athlete would be Carl Lewis. The greatest player would be Earl Campbell, Hakeem Olajuwon, Nolan Ryan, Craig Biggio, or Roger Clemens,” said the legendary

19

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

John McClain, perhaps the most nationally acclaimed sports journalist in Houston. Lewis and Olajuwon brought Houston prominence after landing at UH. Roger Clemens and Nolan Ryan, two of the winningest pitchers in major league history, set major league records and won titles after starring at local high schools. That makes them the only other Houston athletes to bring the city consistent national acclaim. Ryan, who now co-owns the Astros’ Class AAA Round Rock Express and Class AA Corpus Christi Hooks, collected MLB records like few men. In all, he shared or solely owned 53 MLB records. Yes, 53. It’s doubtful anyone will ever match Ryan’s 5,714 strikeouts, and it will be amazing if anybody can ever match the seven no-hitters Ryan threw over his major league record 27-year career. Just how valuable was Nolan Ryan? Three different teams have retired his No. 34: the Houston Astros, the Texas Rangers, and the California Angels. He’s so good, both Texas franchises claim him as their own. The Hall of Fame right-hander was 324–292 in his career, placing him 13th on the all-time victories list. Yet, for all Ryan accomplished during his great career, he never won a Cy Young award from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Nonetheless, that same group voted him to the Hall of Fame on 98.79 percent of the ballots, the second-highest percentage of votes in the history of Hall of Fame balloting.

20

In contrast, Clemens has won a record seven Cy Young awards, claiming the last one in 2004 in the first of his three seasons with the Astros. Clemens, who had 348 victories heading into the 2007 season, won Cy Young awards with the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, and the Astros. He won the award in the American League six times and then picked up another one in his first season in the National League. All the while, he kept putting his adopted hometown of Houston in the national headlines. With all that in mind, the Mount Rushmore of Houston is only complete with Carl Lewis, Hakeem Olajuwon, Nolan Ryan, and Roger Clemens, men who won on the greatest stages or set records that will never be broken. Campbell might have earned a place on this Mount Rushmore because he performed for a local team, but Olajuwon is the only person on this mountain to have led a Houston franchise to a title. That gives Olajuwon the edge over Campbell.

21

WHO BELONGS ON THE MOUNT RUSHMORE OF HOUSTON SPORTS VOICES?

8

For a relatively young city in terms of professional sports, Houston has had some legendary sports voices.

Not surprisingly, the city’s oldest professional franchise, the Astros, offers the most candidates for the Mount Rushmore of Houston sports voices. We could start with Loel Passe, who partnered with Gene Elston for years. Passe still has a legion of fans of the work he delivered in his 15 years with Elston, but it’s hard to keep him in this discussion for long when we’ve got legends waiting on deck. Elston, who spent 25 years with the Astros, was the franchise’s first voice, but on a national level he will likely never equal Milo Hamilton, the current “Voice of the Astros.” Hamilton’s reputation was such that he reached the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992 without much lobbying from the community. Conversely, Elston’s fans had to work on his candidacy for years, start a website, and harass the media in hopes of getting him into Cooperstown. Fourteen years after Hamilton earned the Ford Frick Award, Elston got his and joined Hamilton as a Hall of

Famer. An interesting side note: It’s fair to say that Elston and Hamilton aren’t friends, and some would flat out say the men don’t like each other. Some folks in town have even taken sides, which is sad considering Houstonians associate both voices with so many wonderful moments. There is no such rivalry a few blocks away from Minute Maid Park at Toyota Center. Rockets fans have learned to appreciate hearing their greatest moments from the brilliant tandem of Gene Peterson and Jim Foley, who both announced in June that they will retire after the 2007–08 campaign, their 33rd season together. Peterson has held the title of “Voice of the Rockets” since he became the team’s play-by-play announcer in 1975. That year, Foley was doing only home games as an analyst, but he joined Peterson for all games starting in 1987. Local legend Bill Worrell, a UH graduate who has covered the Houston market for 33 years, could say his voice is as tied to the Rockets as Peterson and Foley’s. The “Television Voice of the Rockets” for 23 years, Worrell also called Astros games on television from 1985 through 2005, as well as Oilers games, the Super Bowl, the Indianapolis 500, the Kentucky Derby, and MLB playoff games. If Peterson/Foley are the “Voices of the Rockets” and Hamilton and/or Elston are the “Voices of the Astros,” then Worrell should be the “Versatile Voice of Houston Sports.” Fiercely loyal, Worrell also has the wonderful gift of being one of the few great broadcasters who is confident enough

23

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

to spread praise on his colleagues, which he did after Foley and Peterson announced their joint retirement. “These two guys [Foley and Peterson] have given their lives to the Houston Rockets organization,” Worrell told the Houston Chronicle’s sports media critic David Barron. “Coaches and general managers come and go, but Gene and Jim have been the one constant this organization has had in terms of reaching the fans, and that has been important. They’ve been the one thing that people could count on year in and year out.” The steady Bill Brown is the Astros’ equivalent of Worrell. Brown just finished his 21st season as the Astros’ primary television play-by-play man. Depending on how much longer Hamilton lasts in the radio booth, Brown may ultimately end up as the longest tenured Astros broadcaster in history. In time, Brown also probably will join Elston and Hamilton in Cooperstown, N.Y., because he seems on pace to earn the Ford Frick Award. At a time when more folks follow their Astros on television than radio, Brown and his partner Jim Deshaies probably have a bigger following of young Astros fans than anybody. Deshaies is by far the wittiest broadcaster of Houston sports, although Astros radio broadcaster (and Hamilton’s partner) Dave Raymond can elicit some laughs as well. A member of the 1986 National League West champion Astros, Deshaies just finished his 11th season providing color commentary for the Astros. He is so insightful that

24

some fans even long for him to take over as manager. If he ever got the chance, he’d follow in the footsteps of another one of the greatest voices in Houston sports—Larry Dierker. Dierker, who was plucked from the broadcast booth to take over the manager’s position in 1997, still remains one of the most beloved figures in Astros history. If it’s local television sports news, ABC-13’s Bob Allen is the voice that delivers sports news to most television viewers in Houston. The good looking and classy Allen’s ratings consistently top the charts in Houston, where his name and voice are the most associated with Houston sports news. What about colleges? Long before professional sports arrived in Houston, former Houston Chronicle reporter, columnist, and sports editor Kern Tips was known as the leading “Voice of the Southwest Conference.” His career in broadcasting took off shortly after he joined local radio station KPRC as general manager in 1935. In a state where football is king, Tips delivered the greatest games of the old Southwest Conference for folks throughout the state as Humble Oil and Refining Company’s “Southwest Conference Highlights.” He was the voice of the Southwest Conference for 33 years, holding that title at least in spirit long after he died in 1967. So where does that leave us? Houston has had many brilliant sports voices, but only four folks can fit on this Mount Rushmore.

25

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

“Gene Elston and Milo Hamilton both belong on the Mount Rushmore of Houston sports broadcasters, but they should be situated at opposite ends on either side of Jim Foley and Gene Peterson,” Barron said. “The seismic consequences of placing them side by side would be considerable. Of course, all four probably take a back seat, in terms of their historical importance, to Kern Tips. Maybe Kern should have his own mountain.” Maybe so, but this is one mountain for four men, and only Hamilton, Tips, Peterson, and Foley have secured their place. Elston was great, but we’ll have to keep him out of this mountain because, as in their relationship, he and Milo just don’t belong anywhere together for very long.

IF YOU COULD GO TO ANY GAME IN HOUSTON HISTORY, WHICH WOULD YOU PICK?

9

There are so many choices. Let’s start with baseball. The Mets didn’t want to play a winner-take-all

Game 7 in the 1986 National League championship series, not with Astros’ Cy Young winner Mike Scott waiting to start that contest. For 16 innings of Game 6, the Astros and Mets went at it

for what was billed as “The Greatest Game Ever Played” in the title of a book by renowned Newark Star-Ledger columnist Jerry Izenberg. The Mets eventually won to earn the pennant and marched to their World Series title over the Boston Red Sox, but Astros fans will never forget Game 6. “The Astros’ loss to the Mets in 1986, the most exciting, excruciating game in Houston sports history, so exceptional that books were written about it,” John McClain said. That’s not the only baseball game to consider, though. The gut-wrenching Game 3 of the 2005 World Series, the first World Series game in the state of Texas, also will go down in the town’s sports history. And then you have to throw in some basketball: You can’t forget the Rockets’ victory over the New York Knicks in 1994 to claim the city’s first major sports title. “Close call between Game 3 of the 2005 World Series or Game 7 of the Rockets–Knicks NBA Finals when Houston won its first pro sports championship,” the Chronicle’s Daniel Cunningham said. “Being a baseball guy, I vote for the World Series, even though the Astros lost.” There have been some emotional games in Houston’s sports history—all of the previously mentioned contests among them—but none were more exciting than the showcase at the Astrodome on January 20, 1968. On that night, the University of Houston men’s basketball team upset the defending national champion UCLA Bruins. Ranked No. 2 at the time, Elvin Hayes led Guy V.

27

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Lewis’s team over a UCLA team featuring Lew Alcindor, who would later change his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. In between two semifinal losses to the powerful Bruins in the 1967 and 1968 NCAA Tournaments, Hayes powered the Cougars to an emotional victory over the top-ranked Bruins before a crowd of 52,693. “That’s the game people always want to talk about, not any of the Final Fours,” Lewis told the Houston Chronicle in 1995. “Every time [wife] Dena and I walk in there, we both get a special feeling.” Not surprisingly, Houston Chronicle columnist John P. Lopez, an AAU coach for several years who has seen the (recent) renaissance of the local basketball scene, would have loved to have attended that game. “I’ve been to most of the great ones, fortunately, so I’d have to say the Game of the Century, UCLA–Houston, which came before my time here and [was one] I was not privileged to cover,” Lopez said. That contest is still known as the “Game of the Century” for the entire country, and that’s why it’s the game every Houston sports fans should have been blessed to see in person.

28

GREATEST MOMENT IN HOUSTON SPORTS HISTORY? Unfortunately for Houston’s sports fans, there

10

haven’t been many great moments to celebrate. The Oilers never reached the Super Bowl, and the Astros didn’t reach the World

Series until their 44th season. The University of Houston’s basketball program was one of the most feared in the early 1980s, but hype and talent weren’t enough to bring an NCAA championship home. Fortunately for the city, the 1993–94 Rockets came through with Houston’s first major championship by beating the New York Knicks in an exciting seven-game series. Trailing the best-of-seven series 3–2, Olajuwon scored 30 points in Game 6 at The Summit to stave off elimination with an 86–84 victory on June 19. Three days later, Olajuwon popped 25 points on the Knicks to win the title with a 90–84 victory. With that victory, the Rockets atoned for the finals losses Moses Malone’s Rockets suffered against Larry Bird’s Boston Celtics in 1981, and the finals misery the Olajuwon–Ralph Sampson Rockets of 1986 suffered against the Celtics. Considering the mystique of a winner-take-all Game 7

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

and the misery the New York Mets heaped on the Astros in the emotional 1986 National League championship series, the Rockets’ victory over the Knicks proved especially sweet for Houston fans. Even better, they repeated the next season, making it look easy by sweeping the Orlando Magic in four games. When you think about the fact that—until the Rockets won their titles in 1994 and 1995—they were the only professional team in Houston to have reached its league’s championship game, it’s appropriate that the Rockets produced the best sports moment in Houston history.

MOST MAGICAL PERFORMANCE IN HOUSTON SPORTS HISTORY? There have been many spectacular individual

11

moments in Houston sports history, but which one is the most magical? Let’s take a look at the contenders:

• Elvin Hayes’s performance to lead the University of Houston men’s basketball team over Lew Alcindor’s defending national champion UCLA Bruins on January 20, 1968, will remain one of the top performances in Houston sports.

• Hakeem Olajuwon’s 30 points against the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the 1994 NBA finals at The Summit will go down as one of the most clutch performances in Houston sports, helping the Rockets stave off elimination and then win the city’s first professional championship in the next game. With those two performances, Olajuwon almost single-handedly removed the “Choke City” tag off Houston and replaced it with “Clutch City.” • Just because the World Series had never before been played in Texas, Game 3 of the 2005 World Series will always be a unique memory. Former President George Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush joined Attorney General Al Gonzales and other dignitaries to watch, and although the Astros lost that game, that night will always be special. • For a franchise that has thrown 10 no-hitters, perhaps the most memorable of those great moments happened on September 25, 1986. Needing a victory to win the National League West, Mike Scott threw a no-hitter at the Astrodome to beat the San Francisco Giants 2–0 and clinch the division for the Astros’ second postseason berth and first since 1980. • Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan threw only one of his record seven no-hitters for the Astros, but he set the major league record when he threw the fifth of his career on September 26, 1981, to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers

31

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

5–0. With that no-hitter he broke the previous record of four career no-hitters, which the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers’ Sandy Koufax had set. • In terms of national attention and franchise prestige, the Astros’ historic six-pitcher no-hitter on June 11, 2003, at Yankee Stadium might very well be the best combined performance in Houston sports history. On that night, ace Roy Oswalt pulled a groin muscle and exited after a scoreless first inning. Pete Munro, Kirk Saarloos, Brad Lidge, Octavio Dotel, and Billy Wagner took care of the next eight innings to complete the nohitter and beat the Yankees 8–0, putting a tremendous ending to only the second game the Astros ever played at historic Yankee Stadium. It was only the seventh no-hitter ever suffered by the glorious Yankees, who had not been held without a hit since Hall of Fame knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm of the Baltimore

Orioles

accomplished

the

feat

on

September 20, 1958. The 6,980 games the Yankees played between Wilhelm’s gem and the Astros’ combined no-hitter was the longest current streak a team had been held without a hit. • Game 4 of the 2005 division series between the Astros and Atlanta Braves also has to stand out, considering future Hall of Famer Roger Clemens, who hadn’t pitched in relief since 1984, threw three scoreless innings of relief to earn the victory. Before a sellout

32

crowd at Minute Maid Park, Lance Berkman hit a grand slam in the eighth and Brad Ausmus hit a solo home run in the ninth to tie the score. Nine innings later, Chris Burke hit a home run to left field to send the Astros to the National League championship series with an 18-inning victory in what remains the longest postseason game in history. • Throughout their first 44 years in franchise history, the Astros had never had a pitcher deliver a clutch performance to push them over the postseason hump. And some in the city of Houston had started to worry after the St. Louis Cardinals’ Albert Pujols drilled a game-winning three-run home run off Brad Lidge at Minute Maid Park in Game 5 of the 2005 NLCS. Only one out away from clinching the franchise’s first World Series berth, Lidge couldn’t close the door. Suddenly, Astros fans began to think about the heartbreak of 1980 in the NLCS against the Phillies, of 1986 in the NLCS against the Mets, and of 2004 in the NLCS against the Cardinals. Oswalt put an end to all the miserable luck in Game 6 of the NLCS, dominating the Cardinals to earn the NLCS MVP award and send the Astros to their first World Series berth. On that night at old Busch Stadium, Oswalt delivered the most clutch pitching performance in Astros history. • In football, Earl Campbell had one of the best Monday

33

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Night Football performances in history when he rushed for 199 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Oilers to a 35–30 victory over the Miami Dolphins on November 5, 1979, at the Astrodome. And we pick…something else. That’s right, we’re going with Craig Biggio’s 3,000th-hit night. Rarely does a night live up to expectations and hype, but Biggio carried out one of the most exciting evenings in Houston professional sports on June 28, 2007. In the 20th year of his career, he joined the immortals, becoming the 27th man in history to collect 3,000 career hits. With Minute Maid Park rocking with a playoff quality atmosphere in the first game after the Astros completed a horrendous 2–7 trip, it was clear the fans were there to see Biggio first and foremost. “BIG-GI-O! BIG-GI-O! BIG-GI-O!” they chanted from the moment he was introduced until the moment Carlos Lee hit a walk-off grand slam in the 11th inning to give the Astros the victory over the Colorado Rockies. But the main event occurred in the seventh inning, with the sellout crowd on its feet and Biggio at the plate. He stepped out of the batter’s box and called a brief time-out to clear his mind. Once he settled back in, he ripped an RBI single to center field for his third hit of the night, sending the crowd of 42,537 into a five-minute ovation unlike anything seen in

34

Houston outside the 2005 World Series and the Rockets’ 1994 and 1995 NBA titles. His sons Conor and Cavan sprinted out to second base, where he had just been thrown out to end the inning while trying to stretch the single into a double. Once there, Conor jumped into his father’s arms and pumped his fist to the crowd as his father lifted him. Biggio’s wife Patty and daughter Quinn were among the dozens of friends and relatives in attendance. “Today was a special day,” he said. “I know my teammates enjoyed it. I know my family enjoyed it, and I really think that fans really made it what it was today. And that is a nice appreciation.” Almost immediately after Biggio’s hit, a banner was unfurled from the roof above the Crawford Boxes, displaying Biggio’s likeness at the plate and the number 3,000 going down from his chest through his right leg. His teammates rushed out of the dugout and bullpen to surround him and his family between first and second. As hard as they tried, Patty and Craig Biggio could not stop the tears as they hugged on the field. “It was just so emotional,” Patty Biggio said. “I was trying not to cry. I was so happy for him. He’s worked really hard. He’s been very committed to the city of Houston. I think it was really special for our family to be here with our family and friends.” After he lifted and hugged Patty and Quinn, he took his

35

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

teammates’ hugs as the crowd continued chanting his name: “BIG-GI-O! BIG-GI-O! BIG-GI-O!” As the crowd began to quiet, Jeff Bagwell came up the dugout steps to congratulate Biggio. The roar grew once again, however, as Biggio dragged Bagwell out of the dugout and brought him back toward the first base line. The two played together for 15 years, and Biggio wanted his good friend to get a chance to get the crowd’s love. Together, they bowed to the crowd as Bagwell raised Biggio’s arm. Together, they walked back toward the dugout, hands raised high. “That just goes to show you what kind of guy he is,” Bagwell said. “He was kind of thinking about a whole different bunch of things. When you play with somebody for 15 years, there’s a lot of emotions and all kinds of stuff. This is all about Craig. He deserves everything he’s getting. It was special to him to do that. Obviously I didn’t want to do that, but it was his night. So whatever he wants, he gets.” About five minutes after the 3,000th hit, the game resumed. With his team one out away from defeat in the 11th inning, Biggio hit an infield single to short off lefthander Brian Fuentes to tie his career high with his first five-hit game since April 3, 2001. He ran out that infield single just as he had as a rookie in 1988, churning those 41-year-old legs as though he were in his first season, not in his 20th. Hunter Pence followed with a double up the

36

middle. Lance Berkman was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Lee followed with a walk-off grand slam to cap Biggio’s magical night with an 8–5 victory. “The right thing happened,” Biggio said. “God knows I’ve only had one five-hit game before in my life. And that was when I came back from 2001 from a knee surgery. So you get five hits on the day you get 3,000 hits, five singles again too. That’s hard to do.” Hard to do, and pure magic.

WHO HAS MADE THE BIGGER IMPACT: Rockets Owner Leslie Alexander or Texans Owner Bob McNair? One brought Houston the Super Bowl, albeit

12

with the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers playing and that wild Janet Jackson girl having a mental (oops, wardrobe) malfunc-

tion at halftime. The other brought Houston two titles almost instantly after he bought the team. But there was little else in terms of postseason excitement for the next decade. Let’s take the Rockets first. Leslie Alexander was still in

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

his second year as owner when his Rockets sent Houstonians on their first major professional championship ride in 1994. And then Alexander’s Rockets did it again the next season. “Although Alexander may have stumbled into those first two titles with most of the ground work having been laid on Charlie Thomas’ watch, he has run his franchise with a steady hand ever since,” the Chronicle’s Dale Robertson said.“A huge fan, Alexander has suffered with the Rockets’ lack of success in recent years, but he has stayed patient in his decision-making.” In contrast, Bob McNair hasn’t provided much of a winner since his Texans played their inaugural season in 2002. And his team’s draft day choices haven’t helped matters. The Texans had two opportunities to take the overall first pick in the NFL draft. One (David Carr) has been proven a mistake and the other one (Mario Williams) was a public relations disaster in a city longing for native son Vince Young or Heisman Trophy-winning running back Reggie Bush. Nonetheless, the fans should be grateful that McNair returned the NFL to Houston at all. “Starting with impossibly bad odds, McNair never let the NFL’s absurdly rising price tag deter him from claiming the league’s 32nd franchise for Houston, sweet salve for the sting of the Oilers’ abandonment of the city,” said Robertson. “He brought a Super Bowl to town to boot.

38

“The NFL is the King Daddy among American pro sports, and its owners all bask in the prestige. Theirs is an exclusive club and McNair, although still a junior member, already ranks among the most respected.” Moreover, McNair’s story can serve as a perfect example of what Houston children can accomplish if they work hard. “He went belly up in the trucking business back in the early 1980s, only to rebound by co-founding Cogen Technologies, which grew into the largest privately held power company in the country,” Robertson said. “He sold Cogen to Enron at the peak of that company’s might for $1.5 billion in cash and stock, then deftly dumped the shares before they turned worthless. With a billion-dollar war chest McNair gave, the NFL had no choice but to let him past the velvet ropes, leaving Los Angeles out in the cold. The next step, of course, is to prove he can build a winner on the field. That task has proven even more challenging.” So who gets our vote, Alexander or McNair? In an international city that doesn’t get the national respect it deserves, being without an NFL team was a tremendous black eye. McNair brought the NFL back to a football town in a football-crazed state, so his impact has been bigger overall for the self-esteem of the entire Houston area.

39

WHICH WOMAN HAS HAD A BIGGER IMPACT ON HOUSTON’S SPORTS COMMUNITY: Pam Gardner or Sheryl Swoopes? Sheryl Swoopes has been one of the WNBA’s

13

brightest stars, helping the Houston Comets win title after title. And don’t forget that she led Texas Tech to a national championship before the

Comets’ four-year WNBA dynasty (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000). A three-time Olympic Gold Medalist, three-time WNBA MVP, and three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Swoopes helped put women’s basketball in America’s consciousness. Considered by many the female Michael Jordan of her era, she was the first woman to have her name on one of Nike’s shoes. And socially, Swoopes also set a trail for the lesbian and gay community in 2005 when she publicly revealed that she is a lesbian. But in terms of power, Gardner, 50, dunks all over Swoopes. Gardner, the Astros’ president of business operations, is quite simply the most powerful woman in Houston sports. She also is the highest ranking female executive

in baseball, excluding the women who are married to the owners. In Houston Chronicle writer Dale Robertson’s unscientific poll of area sports media professionals, Gardner was ranked as the ninth most powerful person in Houston sports, one spot behind club icon Craig Biggio, one spot ahead of Texans coach Gary Kubiak and two spots ahead of former Astros general manager Tim Purpura, the person she helped promote to replace Gerry Hunsicker. Gardner worked her way up the front office ladder after being hired in 1989 as communications director. After a brief move to New York with her ex-husband, Gardner returned to the Astros and was promoted in August 2001 to president of business operations, making her the highestranking and most influential woman executive in Houston sports history. Gardner, a Green Bay, Wisconsin, native, also has received national acclaim. In 2005, Street and Smith’s Business Journal ranked her among the 20 most influential women in sports. If that doesn’t earn you some props among the town’s sports heavyweights, nothing will. “The consummate quiet, behind-the-scenes operator, Gardner oversees all revenue areas and financial operations, supervises customer services, and keeps a watchful eye on stadium operations as well,” Robertson says of the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame member. “It’s a big job for

41

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

which she receives minimal applause or media attention, but she has played an essential role in the franchise’s recent successes.” Advantage, Gardner.

ARE THERE MORE POWERFUL AGENTS IN HOUSTON THAN THE HENDRICKS BROTHERS, RANDY AND ALAN? The

14

longtime

representatives

of

Roger

Clemens and Andy Pettitte, the Hendricks brothers have been both praised and vilified in the city they have learned to call home.

Randy, a graduate of the University of Houston’s Law School, is usually the spokesman. Alan doesn’t speak as much, but he has helped Randy build Hendricks Sports Management into one of the premier boutique agencies. They were commended when they helped land Andy Pettitte and the legendary Roger Clemens with the hometown Houston Astros for the 2004 season, but local fans weren’t as pleased with them when Pettitte bolted back to the Yankees in December 2006, and Clemens followed him back the following May. Nonetheless, nobody denies the Hendricks brothers carry tremendous clout in baseball.

After Clemens led the world to believe he had retired from the Yankees following the 2003 World Series, Randy and Alan helped facilitate the deal that placed Clemens with the hometown Astros in 2004 for a steep “hometown discount” of $5 million. The Hendricks brothers then got Clemens a franchise record $18,000,022 in 2005 and a $22 million deal for essentially three months in 2006 that prorated out to the largest contract ever for a pitcher. The largest contract, that is, until the brothers got Clemens a prorated deal of $28 million (about $4.5 million a month) from the Yankees on May 6, 2007. Long before their latest Clemens record, however, the Hendricks had helped secure the skyrocketing contracts major league players now take for granted. “Tapping into riches of the onset of baseball free agency, the brothers built a firm that became the reference standard for their industry and arguably the most dominant player, at least in baseball,” Dale Robertson said. “In its second incarnation—they profitably sold the original business to SFX in 1999—Hendricks Sports Management is a much smaller entity than the original, but it’s still a major player in baseball’s marketplace, representing 11 of the first 98 players taken in the 2006 amateur draft. “Randy is the lawyer, Alan the agent. They’re a formidable team, having won a higher percentage of arbitration cases than any of their peers over the years. They have routinely been ranked among the most powerful people in sports.”

43

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

And they certainly get top billing here in Houston—so much so that it’s not even worth mentioning any other contenders for most powerful agent. As always, they’re setting new standards for competition.

WHO ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT HOUSTON SPORTS FIGURES YOU SHOULD KNOW BUT PROBABLY DON’T? Charles Hurwitz, Dave Maggard, and Jackie

15

Burke are three faces in the crowd every Houston sports fan should know but likely couldn’t pick out of a lineup.

• Charles Hurwitz is the CEO of MAXXAM Inc., which owns Sam Houston Race Park. Hurwitz worked closely with the late Texas governor John Connally to bring pari-mutuel betting to Texas, and in 1993 he stepped in and purchased the racing license for Sam Houston Race Park. “Although Hurwitz is certainly no friend of environmentalists, who have ferociously battled him over the survival of old-growth stands of redwoods MAXXAM

owns in California, Texan horsemen love him,” the Houston Chronicle’s Dave Robertson said. “It’s possible Houston’s stylish Class-1 track wouldn’t still be in business today without his determination from the outset to see it succeed. Nobody lobbies harder for the Sport of Kings than he does. “The sport hasn’t established as strong a foothold in the state as backers would have originally hoped, but Sam Houston is more than holding its own these days, giving the city a track complex worthy of its other sporting venues. Hurwitz may be oft-vilified for MAXXAM’s forestry policies, but many Houstonians know him for his local philanthropy in addition to his love of horse racing.” • Dave Maggard is the University of Houston’s athletics director. Maggard has helped bring Cougar sports back to prominence, especially the football program, which won the 2006 Conference USA title under a Maggard hire, coach Art Briles. “As a young man, it was either carrying the Olympic flag in Mexico City or becoming the youngest AD at a major university when Cal, his alma mater, hired him at 32,” Robertson said. “He’ll tell you his biggest moment at UH is still ahead of him, but the Cougars’ winning the Conference USA football championship [in 2006] before a full house at Robertson Stadium was a significant step en route to where he wants his

45

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

athletic program to be. Hiring Tom Penders as basketball coach was a deft move, too. “When Maggard arrived after Chet Gladchuk’s under-the-cover-of-darkness exodus, he inherited a sick, if not quite terminal, patient. Vowing to ‘awaken the sleeping giant’ of Cougar athletics, he has made major progress on almost every front. Has he made enough? Many alums would say no, of course, but that’s the nature of this beast.” • The aging Jackie Burke was the owner of Champions Golf Club at the writing of this book. Burke, who came back from eight strokes on the last day to win the 1956 Masters, is one of the legendary names of Houston golf. He also won the 1956 PGA title. Winner of 17 PGA Tour titles in all, Burke has the credentials to validate his place in golf lore. “He’s Mr. Golf in one of America’s greatest golf towns, and the man who, in partnership with his swashbuckling sidekick Jimmy Demaret, most famously gave us Champions, a golf course good enough to have hosted the U.S. Open, a Ryder Cup, and five Tour Championships,” Robertson said. “The Hall of Famer Burke is the consummate golfer’s golfer, so committed to the purity of his sport that money alone can no longer buy you a Champions membership. More than 200 of its members have single-digit handicaps. And

46

15-plus handicappers no longer need apply. Many pros still seek both technical guidance and inspiration from Burke. Luminaries like Gary Player, Phil Mickelson, Hal Sutton, Ben Crenshaw, and Steve Elkington have sought his counsel. He’s as with it today as he was 50 years ago.”

WHO’S THE MOST INFLUENTIAL HOUSTON SPORTS FIGURE: Yao Ming, Drayton McLane, or Roger Clemens? In a poll conducted by veteran Houston

16

Chronicle reporter Dale Robertson, Rockets center Yao was rated as Houston’s most influential sports figure. Astros owner McLane was a

close second. But in terms of national reach, Roger Clemens is a tremendously larger figure in America’s sports culture. So who’s the most influential? “In Yao’s case, two billion Chinese do care,” Dale Robertson surmises. “He has positioned himself to become the most influential athlete not just in Houston but on the entire planet. And he’s far from being the oversized

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

oddity some might have expected when he arrived on these shores.” If Yao wasn’t greeted with complete excitement by the Rockets’ fans when he was taken with the first overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft, he started earning their affection soon after. The 7-foot-6 center from China secured Houston love when he excelled in his first internationally hyped confrontation with then–Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O’Neal. Although many basketball fans expected the larger O’Neal to have his way with the lanky Yao, the Chinese center held his own and even rejected several of O’Neal’s shots. However, the Rockets haven’t moved beyond the first round of the playoffs with Yao. In contrast, Clemens and McLane, together with their Astros, gave Houstonians the World Series berth they had sought since the 1962 Colt .45s played their inaugural season. Clemens was rated fifth in Robertson’s poll, but it’s hard to believe Clemens isn’t among the top three most influential Houston sports figures. “Baseball is a game of numbers, and Clemens’s are almost the stuff of fiction,” Robertson says.“Seven Cy Young awards, the last one won at the age of 42. In a hitter’s era, he had won 348 games and posted a 3.10 ERA and struck out more batters than anyone except Nolan Ryan (heading into his 2007 tour with the Yankees). “You can make a case for him being the greatest

48

right-handed pitcher ever, which is how he got a $22 million contract to work half a season in 2006. Clemens is, without question, the highest-profile athlete in the city, even if he spots Yao about a foot. His newest venture, a partnership with Memorial Hermann Hospital to develop the largest, most comprehensive medically based sports medicine program in the Southwest, will keep him in the spotlight long after he retires.” McLane turned the Astros into winners again, led the charge that helped give Houston three of the premier sports venues in America, and subsequently gave Houston the first World Series in the state of Texas. McLane, 70, has accomplished what seemed impossible in this football-crazed town. He made Houston a baseball town, lifting the Astros into one of the most successful MLB franchises after buying it in late 1992 from the muchdespised Dr. John McMullen. Unhappy with the Astrodome, McLane put his charm and lobbying efforts to work as he persuaded Harris County voters to approve funding for the great retractable-roof stadium now known as Minute Maid Park. Starting with McLane’s beautiful stadium at Texas and Crawford, the citizens of Houston also built state-of-the-art facilities for the NFL’s Texans and NBA’s Rockets that are viewed as among the best in their prospective leagues. If the referendum for the Astros’ new stadium had failed and the Astros would not have moved downtown in 2000, it

49

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

likely would have been impossible for Houstonians to secure the funding needed so the Texans could get Reliant Stadium and the Rockets could get Toyota Center. And without Minute Maid Park and Reliant Stadium, the 2004 Super Bowl, 2004 MLB All-Star Game, 2004 NLCS, and 2005 NLCS and World Series would likely not have been played in Houston. Heading into his 14th season in 2007, McLane had led the Astros to six playoff berths, two National League championship series, one NL pennant, and one World Series appearance. He also has opened up his wallet to keep franchise icons Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell in Houston their entire careers and to give free agent slugger Carlos Lee a sixyear, $100 million contract, one of the richest in baseball. He also gave young ace Roy Oswalt a five-year, $73 million contract on August 29, 2006, a franchise record for a pitcher. And although Clemens bolted back to the New York Yankees, it was McLane who first made the future Hall of Famer come out of his retirement in 2003. Yao may have put Houston into the consciousness of the large Chinese market, Clemens may have made an indelible mark on baseball history, and McLane’s legacy should live throughout the Houston landscape for decades. In the end, though, Clemens gets the nod here because he’s the one folks around the country really know and will consider one of the greatest pitchers of all time.

50

MOST OVERHYPED MOMENT IN HOUSTON SPORTS HISTORY? Perhaps no sports event in the history of

17

Houston had more bells and whistles—yet less actual substance—than the so-called Battle of the Sexes, pitting a self-described Male Pig

against a crusading women’s activist who didn’t actually pick this event to advance her gender’s causes. Billie Jean King, the perennial Wimbledon champion, had hoped Margaret Court would take care of the obnoxious Bobby Riggs on Mother’s Day in 1973, but Court fell against Riggs, who wasted little time declaring his desire to further prove his superiority against King. At first, the 29-year-old King saw the match as a complete no-win situation against the 55-year-old Riggs. She was lured into the spectacle nonetheless, and the Astrodome welcomed the Battle of the Sexes on September 20, 1973, pitting an aging but marketing-savvy former tennis champion against the poster woman for the advancement of women in sports. The Astrodome was abuzz with excitement with a crowd of 30,472. Around the country, men and women tuned in to watch the primetime

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

telecast live; some have estimated that 50 million folks tuned in to the Battle of the Sexes. “The Battle of the Sexes in ’73 was a trip—and a treat for me,” said longtime Houston sports radio personality Barry Warner, who had a front-row seat at the event and a friendship with broadcaster Howard Cosell, who called the event. “One of my mentors and idols, the late Sidney Shlenker, ran the Houston Sports Authority and Dome while the Judge [Roy Hofheinz] was recovering from both his stroke and bankruptcy. Sidney co-promoted the tennis match with the genius of Hispanic media Jerry Perenchio, who was a close friend of Riggs. It was meant to be part sports, part Barnum and Bailey, part Vegas without the tables and most of all a ‘Happening.’ It was like a Tyson fight without brothers, sisters, and the obligatory blonde bimbos. They did not disappoint. “Billie Jean was all biz. This was life and death to her both personally with her Women’s Lib involvement as well as professionally. She practiced for three days inside a large plastic ‘bubble’ erected in the Astrodome parking lot.” Ultimately, though, the event was more reality television than an actual contest worthy of the matches the famed King played and won throughout her Hall of Fame career. King had her way with Riggs, making her sexist opponent look like an unconditioned old man. And in terms of delivering a blow for women, the Battle of the Sexes rates low: King made more strides through her lobbying for equal

52

rights and Title IX legislation that has demanded equal access for women in public schools and universities. While many folks admit that the Battle of the Sexes was the most overhyped sporting moment in Houston sports history, Houston Chronicle columnist John P. Lopez would argue that no moment has been more overhyped than Mike Renfro’s nullified catch in the 1980 AFC championship game between the Oilers and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Oilers trailed by only seven points as the third quarter was about to end when quarterback Dan Pastorini sent a pass to Renfro, who made the catch at the back of the end zone in the days well before the NFL instituted instant replay. Some folks in Houston still claim Renfro made the catch with both feet inbounds, which would have helped the Oilers tie the score at 17 with the extra point. The zebras didn’t view it that way, ruling the pass incomplete and saying that Renfro did not have complete control of the ball before going out of bounds. Although the Oilers protested, and replays would later show that it was inconclusive, they had to settle for a 23-yard field goal at the start of the fourth quarter. The Steelers stole the momentum after holding the Oilers to that field goal and cruised to a 27–13 victory, adding 10 more points in the fourth quarter. Houston fans who are still waiting for their team to reach the Super Bowl must wonder if their best shot was ruined on that Renfro call. Lopez doesn’t buy the hype.

53

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

“Yeah, they blew the call and it was big in doing the most to institute instant replay in the NFL,” Lopez said. “But the Oilers lost 27–13! Who cares if they would have scored there? They still would have lost and still never would have kicked in that sumbitch door against one of the NFL’s alltime greatest teams.” Compared to what King accomplished, Renfro’s nullified catch in the 1980 AFC championship gets our vote as the most overhyped moment.

WORST TIME IN HISTORY TO BE A HOUSTON SPORTS FAN? When the Houston Comets are the most accom-

18

plished professional sports team in town and Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo owns more titles than the Astros, Oilers, and Texans

combined, it’s easy to realize why there are several eras that can be considered the worst for a Houston sports fan. For the younger generation that has been spoiled by the Rockets’ two NBA titles in the 1990s or the Astros’ consistent winning from 1997 until 2005, it may be difficult to fathom all the heartbreak of the 1970s and 1980s. For the men who have seen the greatest and worst moments in the

city’s sports history, they know there have been some very lean years in Houston. From their inaugural 1962 season through 1968, the Astros averaged 94 losses a season and never won more than 72 games or finished closer than 23 games from first place. The Rockets struggled in the 1970s except for the firstplace finish in the Central Division for the 1976–77 season. They were two games under .500 in 1970–71, 14 games under the next season, 16 games under .500 a year later, and 18 games under in 1973–74 before having a .500 record in 1974–75 and 40–42 the next year. Even then, the Rockets drew only 8,486 fans a game that season at The Summit. Following a great run from 1960–62, the Oilers also struggled. The Oilers won three consecutive American Football League Eastern Division titles. But after that they didn’t win 10 games in a season again until 1975, a season in which they only drew 48,000 fans a game at the spacious Astrodome. Until Bum Phillips was named head coach in 1975 and led the Oilers to a 10–4 record, their best record had come in 1962 (11–3). So considering how bad the Rockets, Astros, and Oilers were in the mid-1970s, a strong argument can be made that was the worst era to be a Houston sports fan. Heck, it got so bad that some fans preferred to watch the minor league hockey Houston Aeros.

55

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

“The Oilers were terrible until 1978 when Earl Campbell arrived,” said longtime Houston Chronicle NFL writer John McClain. “The Rockets were outdrawn by the Aeros. The Rockets played home games around Texas, including Waco. The Astros spent more time trading popular players than winning.” If you think that’s bad, though, try the 1980s. The heartbreak didn’t end, starting with the Astros’ failure in the extremely close 1980 National League championship series against the Philadelphia Phillies and again in the exciting 1986 National League championship series against the New York Mets. As if those postseason struggles weren’t bad enough, after the 1988 season former Astros owner John McMullen pushed local legend Nolan Ryan to the Texas Rangers, the team he represents in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Even worse, the Rockets won only 14 games in the 1982–83 season for Del Harris and only 29 for Bill Fitch the next season to finish in sixth place in the Midwest Division for the second consecutive season. The Oilers were strong throughout parts of the 1980s, but they couldn’t capitalize when it mattered in the playoffs. “The early 1980s were pretty dismal,” said the Houston Chronicle’s Dan Cunningham. “The Astros were consistently mediocre, the Oilers were consistently awful, and the Rockets were consistently in the lottery. You also had the troika of Bud Adams, John McMullen, and Charlie Thomas

56

as the owners of the three pro sports franchises in those days. But the worst single moment to be a Houston sports fan was when the Oilers choked away a 32-point lead in the Buffalo playoff game.” The Oilers appeared set to cruise to victory over the Buffalo Bills in the 1993 AFC wild card game on January 3, 1993. Only a week after crushing the Bills 27–3 in the final game of the 1992 regular season, the Oilers led 35–3 at halftime of the wild card game. The folks in Houston had reason for optimism because the Bills were playing with their backup quarterback Frank Reich. Well, the Oilers scored only 3 points the rest of the game while watching Reich become a legend with a 41–38 victory in overtime. Those Oilers were ranked No. 8 on ESPN.com’s list of worst choke jobs. Five spots higher on that list? Yeah, the 1982–84 University of Houston “Phi Slama Jama” basketball team that featured Akeem (now known as Hakeem) Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler but never won a national title. And that’s what we’re going with here—that sad time known as the 1980s.

57

WHAT WAS HOUSTON’S GREATEST MIGHT-HAVEBEEN POWERHOUSE? “Lots of contenders for this one,” said the

19

Chronicle’s Daniel Cunningham. “You have the UH Cougars of the early 1980s, the Luv Ya Blue Oilers of the late ’70s, the Warren Moon/Run

and Shoot Oilers of the Epic Buffalo collapse, or the Astros of the late 1990s–early 2000s who lost four straight playoff series in the first round.” The UH Cougars of the early 1980s with Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, and the rest of Phi Slama Jama had enough talent to win the NCAA title, but they couldn’t bring the honor home. With two future NBA Hall of Famers, those UH teams could have been true powerhouses if they had earned a title or two. The Luv Ya Blue era with Earl Campbell had plenty of promise, and few teams in the city’s history captured the national attention quite like those Oilers. But there’s neither a title nor even a Super Bowl berth claimed by those teams. The 1997 Astros were just pleased to be in the playoffs for the first time since 1986, and didn’t seem to mind an

early exit after the Division Series. But in 1998, the Astros had what was considered the best team in the National League. The lineup was stacked with Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, Moises Alou, and Richard Hidalgo, and the starting rotation was too, with left-hander Randy Johnson leading the way after he was acquired at the July 31 trading deadline. But they were bounced in the 1998 Division Series, too (as were the 1999 Astros). If ever the Astros seemed destined to win a World Series and atone for the failures of 1980 and 1986, the 1998 team seemed to have the chance. Then, the Astros fizzled in the Division Series against Kevin Brown’s San Diego Padres, and it turned out that all the great pitching and hyped offense couldn’t even win a postseason series. That powerhouse never really played like one. How about the Twin Towers? The Rockets won two titles in the mid-1990s, but none with Hakeem Olajuown and Ralph Sampson together on the team. With the Twin Towers of the early 1980s, they appeared to have had the potential to win more. Those Rockets could have been a special powerhouse if Sampson had stayed healthy and the backcourt had stayed off drugs. And don’t forget the Run and Shoot Oilers. Jack Pardee’s teams were special, especially the 1993 version, with future Hall of Famer Warren Moon at quarterback leading the Run and Shoot, passing for 3,485 yards on 520 attempts. With Haywood Jeffires and Webster Slaughter at

59

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

wide receivers and Ernest Givins at tight end, Moon had plenty of targets and quite a comfortable atmosphere with future Hall of Famers Mike Munchak and Bruce Matthews leading the offensive line. “The 1993 Oilers won their last 11 games to finish 12–4 and earn a first-round bye, only to lose in the divisional round at the Dome to Joe Montana’s last miracle for the Chiefs,” longtime Houston Chronicle football writer John McClain said. “Buddy Ryan was the defensive coordinator, and 11 starting quarterbacks failed to finish against them.” They were hot. They were good. They were rested. And they lost anyway . . . another powerhouse that wasn’t. So which team is the greatest might-have-been? “I’ll go with the Oilers of the Run and Shoot era,” said Cunningham. “Seven straight trips to the playoffs without once reaching even the AFC Championship Game is a particularly gut-wrenching streak of futility.” The Oilers were the city’s might-have-been powerhouse, and then they finally reached the Super Bowl after moving to Tennessee and changing their name to the Titans. For Houston fans who still resent the Titans for leaving, they could at least be satisfied that the Titans lost Super Bowl XXXIV 23–16 against the St. Louis Rams. Oh, what might have been.

60

GREATEST DRAFT PICK IN HOUSTON SPORTS HISTORY? Twenty-eight years before Heisman Trophy

20

winner Reggie Bush and University of Texas star Vince Young were snubbed by the Texans, the Oilers traded up in the draft to take a

Heisman Trophy-winning running back. He was from the University of Texas no less. In fact, by marketing standards he was a bit of Young and Bush. Earl Campbell, the Tyler Rose, didn’t exactly grow up in the Greater Houston area, but he was a local legend just like the hometown Young, who led the University of Texas to the national championship over Bush’s USC before entering the draft. The Young–Bush debate may ultimately make the Texans look like the idiots who picked Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan in the 1984 NBA draft—a draft that also comes into play as the launching pad for another candidate for the greatest draft pick in Houston history. The Rockets had the first overall pick that year, and they too bypassed Michael Jordan, but they got Hakeem Olajuwon, the University of Houston star who in 1994 and 1995 led the Rockets to Houston’s only two championships

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

in the three major sports, the titles between Jordan’s six with the Chicago Bulls. Olajuwon hadn’t even arrived at the University of Houston when Earl Campbell was taken in the first round of the 1978 draft by the Oilers. Campbell was a workhorse, leading the Oilers through the Luv Ya Blue era. But the Hall of Fame running back and his Oilers never won or even appeared in a Super Bowl. It’s that simple. No championship hardware, no title of best draft pick. For that reason, he’ll have to take a back seat behind Olajuwon in this argument.

WORST DRAFT PICK IN HOUSTON SPORTS HISTORY? Long before the Texans upset the city by taking

21

Mario Williams with the first overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft, Houston’s sports franchises wasted quite a few other draft picks.

Anybody remember Eddie Griffin in the 2001 NBA draft? The Rockets craved Griffin so much they gave up three first round picks for him after the troubled Seton Hall star was taken seventh overall by the New Jersey Nets. The Rockets acquired the draft rights to Griffin for the draft

rights to Richard Jefferson, the 13th pick; Jason Collins, the 18th pick; and Brandon Armstrong, the 23rd pick. The 6-foot-10 forward was expected to provide a boost, but Griffin had a series of problems off the court, and on October 16, 2003, he was suspended by the team. Two months later, the Rockets released Griffin after he missed a team plane and some practices. Quite simply, he had become too much of a headache. He made more headlines for being arrested or fighting substance abuse than he ever did for living up to the hefty expectations the Rockets had when they gave up three draft picks for him. Conversely, the stable Richard Jefferson has had a solid career with the New Jersey Nets and is the franchise’s all-time leader in postseason games. Through his first six seasons the 6-foot-7 forward-guard has averaged 16.3 points per game. Jason Collins has averaged only 4.7 points per game as a forward-center, but at least he’s remained in the NBA. Armstrong hasn’t had much of an NBA career, and he was with the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Developmental League last season. Still, he’s the third player in that trade, which New Jersey clearly got the better end of. The Rockets also had a chance to make a killing with two selections in the first round of the 1983 draft, and they made the right choice by taking Virginia center Ralph Sampson with the first pick. Ray Patterson and coach Bill Fitch blew the next one, though, by taking Louisville’s

63

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Rodney McCray instead of local product Clyde Drexler, a future Hall of Famer. In football, it’s quite obvious the Texans failed at their first draft, using the first overall pick in 2002 on Fresno State quarterback David Carr, who was released after the 2006 season. But before the awful Carr pick and then controversial Williams pick in 2006, there was the 1985 draft. In 1985, the Oilers had three picks in the first round. They traded one of those, and used the second to take a legendary figure in Texas, A&M defensive end Ray Childress, with the third overall pick. Not so bad. But then they used the 11th overall pick on the forgettable cornerback Richard Johnson, bypassing a future Hall of Famer named Jerry Rice. Ouch. The Oilers also messed up in 1973. That year, they wasted their second pick of the first round on Iowa State running back George Amundson with the 14th overall pick in that draft, passing on Isaac Curtis, Billy Joe Dupree, Ray Guy, Greg Pruitt, Ron Jaworski, Harvey Martin, and Terry Metcalf. In other words, they blew the call on Amundson, who was gone from the team after the 1974 season. As for the Astros, they have also had some monumental mistakes in the draft, especially in terms of missing on Houston-area kids. It’s not quite as simple to judge the Astros’ drafts because it’s much easier to miss in baseball than in the top rounds of the NFL and NBA drafts. Nonetheless, Al Rosen blew it in 1983 when he chose

64

catcher Robbie Wine with the ninth pick in the first round instead of a guy named Roger Clemens, who won over 350 games in the majors and arguably became the best pitcher of his era. In recent years, the Astros have also had some miscues: They should forever be ashamed for picking outfielder Michael Rosamond in the first round of the 1999 draft instead of Davis High graduate Carl Crawford, who was one of the premier high school athletes in baseball. Instead, Crawford fell out of the first round and was taken with the first pick in the second round by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who have seen him become a two-time All-Star left fielder and one of the brightest young stars in baseball. With all that said, we can’t overlook the obvious. It’s still impossible to believe the Texans went with Door No. 3 in 2006 by snubbing Vince Young and Reggie Bush. By not selecting Texas Ex and national champion Vince Young or national championship game runner-up Reggie Bush and going with Mario Williams instead, the Texans earn our top honors for worst draft pick.

65

WORST OWNER IN HOUSTON SPORTS HISTORY? For a long time, it was impossible to find some-

22

body who didn’t think Dr. John McMullen was the

worst

professional

sports

owner

in

Houston. He, after all, was the man who pushed the legendary Nolan Ryan to the Texas Rangers after the 1988 season. McMullen had the gall to want to cut Ryan’s salary, and he was crushed by the community for letting Ryan walk. Letting Ryan go was just one of McMullen’s failures. He receives poor marks for firing general manager Tal Smith after the Astros lost the 1980 NLCS against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Astros didn’t reach the playoffs again until 1986. He drew more public criticism when he pushed out general manager Dick Wagner, legendary Astros broadcaster Gene Elston, and quality broadcaster Jerry Trupiano. McMullen “didn’t care about Houston or the Dome, just his ego and making money,” said longtime Houston Chronicle reporter John McClain. But McMullen’s had some competition in recent years.

McMullen’s running off of Ryan wasn’t much different than Drayton McLane’s stance toward Roger Clemens in 2007. McLane offered Clemens a huge pay cut, then acted like a victim after Clemens bolted back to the New York Yankees. McLane had done this kind of thing before: After the 2004 season, he turned down the club’s option on Jeff Kent and then offered a contract that pushed Kent to Los Angeles. The 2005 Astros could have used Kent’s powerful and clutch bat on the road to the 2005 World Series, where the pitching finally couldn’t prop up the anemic offense anymore. McLane’s sins seem grave, and some would argue that Billy Wagner was right when he said McLane was more committed to competing and making money than to winning it all. But the fact remains that the Astros have consistently won and achieved the greatest feats in franchise history under his guidance. Moreover, at least McLane kept the Astros in Houston after threatening to move the team. Luckily, Harris County voters just barely approved the funds to build the stadium that is now known as Minute Maid Park. The same cannot be said for Bud Adams, the owner who moved the Oilers to Tennessee in 1997, and another candidate for worst owner. Although Adams has been a quality citizen of Houston, many fans around town can’t overlook his moving the Oilers. Now that Bob McNair has brought the NFL back to Houston, the hatred for Adams has died down a bit.

67

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

The late McMullen, however, will likely never be forgiven for pushing Ryan to the Texas Rangers. If McMullen had not been so thrifty with the legend, the Ryan Express would have finished his career in Houston and landed in the Hall of Fame in an Astros’ cap instead of the Rangers’. McLane and Adams can’t top that. Because of that blunder, McMullen was the worst owner in Houston sports history.

WHICH GENERAL MANAGER HAD MORE TO OVERCOME: the Astros’ Tim Purpura or the Texans’ Rick Smith? Let’s first talk about Purpura. The Oaklawn,

23

Illinois, native had to deal with the shadow left by the popular and charismatic Gerry Hunsicker, a media darling who was as good at putting

together a roster as he was at getting his message out. Unfortunately for Purpura, he didn’t last three years as general manager and never became quite the fan favorite that Hunsicker was. Only hours after he was booed tremendously by a sellout crowd during the ceremony to retire Jeff

Bagwell’s jersey, Purpura was fired by Astros owner Drayton McLane, who also fired Phil Garner the next day. Hunsicker gifted Purpura with a great team in November 2004, although Purpura did help build the Astros’ club that won the 2005 National League pennant to make the franchise’s first World Series berth. Before he replaced Hunsicker, Purpura had been with the Astros for 11 seasons, most of that time as assistant general manager in charge of player development. Roy Oswalt, Lance Berkman, Morgan Ensberg, and Brad Lidge are just four All-Stars who were developed when Purpura ran the farm system and benefited after David Lakey drafted those players. “It’s said timing and location are everything in life; but, the fact is, the Astros advanced to the World Series for the first time in [Purpura’s] first season as general manager,” Dale Robertson said. “No other general manager in Houston sports history can claim such a lofty achievement. But the off-season Carlos Lee signing—the biggest one dollar-wise in franchise history—marks the official start of his legacy building. Previously, he hadn’t had sufficient opportunities to put his own stamp on the team.” Nonetheless he was fired because the 2007 Astros failed miserably and were fighting the Pittsburgh Pirates for last place in the NL Central instead of competing with the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers for the division pennant. Rick Smith, on the other hand, had to deal with the mess

69

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Charley Casserly left. Smith, who was 36 when he started as the Texans’ general manager, was hired just a few weeks after Casserly and head coach Gary Kubiak snubbed Vince Young and Reggie Bush by picking defensive end Mario Williams with the first overall pick in the draft. When Bob McNair hired him away from the Denver Broncos, Smith became just the second African American to carry the title of general manager in the NFL. At that point, he also became the second youngest personnel chief in the NFL behind San Francisco 49ers vice president of player personnel Scott McCloughan, who was 34 at the time. Smith got off to a nice start with free-agent acquisitions on both sides of the ball that helped the Texans improve from 2–14 to 6–10 in Kubiak’s first season. In the first draft in which he had the final say (2007), Smith was praised for choosing University of Louisville defensive tackle Amobe Okeye with the 10th overall selection. With Kubiak having a strong say as well, Smith also showed that he’s not afraid to reach and go with his instincts when he took wide receiver Jacoby Jones out of tiny Division II Lane College with the third round pick, the only other pick the Texans had in the first day of the draft. Smith wasn’t able to get anything for David Carr, whom the team eventually released because they couldn’t trade him. But Carr was Casserly’s mistake, not Smith’s. Smith will ultimately be judged by how quarterback Matt Schaub performs. The Texans gave the Atlanta Falcons their

70

second-round picks in the 2007 and 2008 drafts in March 2007 to acquire Schaub, who was Michael Vick’s backup. So who’s come the farthest? Ultimately, Smith had more to overcome, but that’s partly because Purpura had helped build the foundation for the 2005 World Series teams and the previous five playoff teams since 1997. Unfortunately for Purpura, his Astros have started tumbling over the last two years while Smith’s Texans have started improving. Smith is the choice here.

71

BASEBALL

THE ALL-TIME ASTROS ALL-STAR TEAM Although not quite like the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox, the Astros could put together a decent little alltime club. Here it is.

WHO MAKES UP THE ALL-TIME ASTROS INFIELD?

24

FIRST BASE: JEFF BAGWELL Jeff Bagwell stands above everybody else in franchise history with the club’s all-time home

run record (448). If he had not played the final four seasons of his career with a bum right shoulder, there’s no denying Bagwell could have finished with more than 500 home runs. Still, the 1991 National League Rookie of the Year and 1994 National League MVP is easily our pick. Over the Astros’ first 11 seasons, they had 10 different starting first basemen on opening day and only the same starting first baseman on consecutive opening days for the franchise’s 1962 and 1963 seasons. Bob Watson, who also played in the outfield, started at first base on opening day from 1976 to 1979. But Bagwell’s 15 opening day starts at first base are easily the most at one position for a player in franchise history.

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

SECOND BASE: CRAIG BIGGIO At second base, it’s also a no-brainer. We have to honor Craig Biggio, who played most of his 20 seasons at second base after breaking into the majors as a catcher and having a brief outfield stint in 2003 and 2004. At the 2007 All-Star break, Biggio already owned most of the Astros’ offensive records that Bagwell doesn’t own, including doubles (661), hits (3,013), hit-by-pitch (285, a modern-era major league record), and games played (2,789). Hall of Famer Joe Morgan might have challenged Biggio for this spot, and some might argue that Morgan’s career was better because he actually won championships. But Morgan claimed his titles with the powerful Cincinnati Reds because he was traded away from the Astros in his prime. Biggio also has been named to a franchise record seven All-Star teams.

THIRD BASE: DOUG RADER At third base it finally starts getting interesting. Do you want Ken Caminiti or Doug Rader? How about Enos Cabell or Vinny Castilla? Despite the demons that cost him his life, Caminiti has to be the Astros’ all-time third baseman if you focus on offense. But Rader definitely was the better defensive third baseman: Rader owned the National League’s Gold Gloves at third base from 1970 through 1974. Younger fans might side with Caminiti, but the older fans would likely go with Rader. Overall, it’s fair to say that Rader edges Caminiti by an eyelash.

74

SHORTSTOP: ADAM EVERETT Adam Everett has been billed as the best defensive shortstop in baseball over the last two years. Because he isn’t among the top hitting shortstops in the National League, he doesn’t get quite the recognition that he deserves. Nonetheless, no player in franchise history has been able to pick grounders as well as Everett.

CATCHER: BRAD AUSMUS Alan Ashby was on the Astros’ All-Astrodome team, but he never won a Gold Glove and probably edged Brad Ausmus for the Astrodome honor because Ausmus played most of his games with the Astros after 2000. Ausmus, who helped Roy Oswalt ascend to prominence in the majors, is credited with his ability to help call games and guide young pitchers through the perils of facing major league hitters for the first time. Moreover, he drew plenty of praise from Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte when those veterans moved over after a career in the American League and leaned on Ausmus’ knowledge. He pulled the only three Gold Gloves won by an Astros catcher, winning his first Gold Glove in 2001, another in 2002, and another in 2006. Dartmouth educated, Ausmus also was one of the true team leaders. Only Jeff Bagwell had more pull in the Astros’ clubhouse during his time with the team. Ashby was a great catcher, but Ausmus would catch the spot for this team.

75

WHO MAKES UP THE ALL-TIME ASTROS OUTFIELD?

25

OUTFIELD: CARLOS BELTRAN, JOSE CRUZ, AND LANCE BERKMAN We’d have to go with these three. Beltran didn’t

even play a whole season with the Astros, and the regular season months he spent in town after his June 2004 arrival via trade weren’t that great. But he proved to be the most clutch postseason player in Astros history, almost singlehandedly leading the club to Game 7 of the National League championship series in 2004. In 12 postseason games, Beltran broke several postseason career records for the franchise, including the one for batting average (.435), on-base percentage (.536), slugging percentage (.1022), and home runs (8). If he weren’t so great, Astros fans wouldn’t still whine about his departure and boo him whenever he appears in Houston. Jose Cruz is probably one of the Astros’ best ambassadors, a true gem of a man. From 1975 to 1987, Cruz skipped his way into left field with that unusual gait. He’s the only coach or player who has been involved with all nine of the Astros’ postseason berths, playing in 1980,

1981, and 1986 and coaching for the 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, and 2005 clubs. Long before another Puerto Rican became the Astros’ all-time clutch postseason hero, Cruz proved his worth by hitting .400 (6-for-15) in the heartwrenching five-game 1980 National League championship series against the Philadelphia Phillies. A two-time All-Star, Cruz once owned the franchise records for games played, at-bats, total bases, and hits. But it’s doubtful anybody will ever tie or break the franchise record he set with 80 triples. If he weren’t committed to staying in Houston, where he raised his two sons and daughter, Cruz might have a chance to work his way up to the manager’s position some day and continue the success he has shown managing in the Puerto Rican Winter League. Lance Berkman now starts at first base, but he has played most of his career in the outfield. And if not for Carlos Beltran’s amazing 2004 postseason, Berkman would be considered the franchise’s most clutch postseason player. Despite a horrible start to the 2007 season, he also appears on his way toward breaking many of Jeff Bagwell’s franchise records. What about Cesar Cedeno and Jimmy Wynn? Both had decent careers for the Astros. Cedeno was superb defensively, but his overall career doesn’t stack up against Cruz or Berkman and he couldn’t bounce Beltran’s postseason heroics from this list.Wynn had plenty of power, but he was a .250 career hitter. He may very well be the only .250 hitter whose jersey is retired by a major league team.

77

WHO MAKES UP THE ALL-TIME ASTROS PITCHING STAFF?

26

STARTING PITCHER: ROY OSWALT As far as starting pitching goes, Roy Oswalt would be the ace of the staff. Barring injury,

he’s going to crush the franchise’s all-time victories record. J.R. Richard would be a great No. 2 starter, followed by Nolan Ryan, Larry Dierker, and Mike Scott. Why Oswalt as the ace? Oswalt collected his 106th victory on July 8, 2007, midway through his seventh season. By the same token, Ryan needed nine seasons in Houston to win that many games. Oswalt has pitched in Houston in his prime, and some might say Ryan’s best seasons were away from Houston. The Astros have had great pitchers, so it’s almost silly that current all-time wins leader Joe Niekro would likely not earn a starting nod on the team’s all-time list. Even with the heavily right-handed rotation, the right-handed Niekro might get the nod because he would offer a different look with his knuckleball.

RELIEF PITCHER: BILLY WAGNER There’s no doubt Billy Wagner has been the franchise’s best closer, and he even had the added plus of speaking his mind and railing against ownership by saying what the rest of his teammates felt but weren’t willing to say— that enough money wasn’t being spent to win. Whatever the case, he owns the franchise’s single-season record for saves (44 in 2003) and the team’s career record for saves (225).

ROGER CLEMENS: Savior or Traitor? Roger Clemens gave the Astros what franchise

27

icons Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio couldn’t. The moment Clemens signed with the Astros in January 2004, he automatically made them a

national brand. He made Drayton McLane’s organization relevant on a national level, putting them on the cover of Sports Illustrated, keeping them on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight, and bumping them to the covers of the back pages of the New York tabloids like never before. But with the same intensity that he was greeted as a civic treasure when he signed in 2004, some accused him of being a traitor in 2007, when he bolted back to the New York Yankees after the Astros said they only wanted him for

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

three months while the Yankees offered four months for a record prorated deal of $28,000,022. “More power to him,” popular Houston Chronicle football columnist John McClain said of Clemens. “He gave the Astros their two best seasons in history, and he was among baseball’s best during his three seasons here. Who could blame him for wanting to play in the brightest of lights for the highest-scoring team in baseball? Astros fans who rip him for not being loyal should be embarrassed.” In 2004, Clemens turned a wonderful regional story into a national sensation. Whether greeted positively or negatively, Clemens’s celebrity made the Astros matter. Even as he waited to decide which team he’d pick, the Astros got more national headlines than they did when they made the great decision to give ace right-hander Roy Oswalt $73 million on August 29, 2006, or when they signed free agent slugger Carlos Lee to a franchise record $100 million deal in November 2006. As Clemens has admitted, from 2004 on Oswalt was the ace on the staff, ahead of Clemens and Andy Pettitte. But Clemens was the one who folks around the country wanted to know about. Moreover, Clemens helped polish the reputation of club owner Drayton McLane. Before Pettitte’s signing in December 2003 helped lure Clemens out of retirement in January 2004, some fans around Houston had started to lament McLane’s ownership. For all the great players who donned Houston’s uniform, first as the Colt

80

.45s and then as the Astros starting in 1965, until Clemens traded his Yankee pinstripes for Astro pinstripes in 2004, the Astros had never won a postseason series. Before Clemens signed with his hometown team, former Astros closer Billy Wagner charged that the Astros had not won because Drayton McLane was more interested in just competing than he was in actually winning. On the final day of the 2003 season, Wagner stood by his locker inside the clubhouse at Minute Maid Park and predicted doom. He knew the Astros would trade him to dump his $9 million salary. It was an open secret that McLane wanted to trim the payroll. On that day,Wagner pointed out how Cardinals starting pitcher Woody Williams practically begged to play in Houston and would have made the difference that season if McLane had been willing to give the Astros the extra starting pitcher they needed. Partially because Wagner spoke up with what many of the team leaders in that clubhouse felt, he was dispatched to Philadelphia Phillies hell, as Wagner viewed his difficult two years in Philadelphia. But Wagner’s comments rallied the community, creating a dialogue and enough of an uproar to prompt McLane to spend more. Because fans spoke up, it was clear that Minute Maid Park would be much emptier unless McLane proved Wagner wrong. McLane made his move by signing Pettitte, a coup, especially because it helped reel in Roger Clemens. Not one person in this town complained when

81

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Clemens—the greatest pitcher of his generation—put off retirement and gave McLane a hometown discount with a $5 million one-year contract. Once the former Yankees came to Minute Maid Park, Pettitte and Clemens helped transform the club’s mindset. With Clemens in the fold, the Astros won a postseason series for the first time in 2004, barely missing a trip to the World Series after they lost a winner-take-all Game 7 of the National League championship series against the St. Louis Cardinals. The next year, Clemens re-signed with the Astros and helped Oswalt and Pettitte lead the Astros to the franchise’s first World Series berth. “Savior,” Daniel Cunningham of the Houston Chronicle said of Clemens. “Roger did what they brought him here to do, which is lead the team past the first round of the playoffs and into the World Series. He also gave the franchise a national identity for the first time.” Clemens’s 2007 departure might have been more acceptable in Houston if McLane had not insinuated that the club was tired of Clemens leaving the team high and dry. At that point, McLane made it seem as though Clemens was holding up the Astros. In fact, the Astros were the ones telling Clemens they wanted to pay him $8 million for only three months, an amount that could be considered insulting. Not surprisingly, Clemens’s gritty agent, Randy Hendricks, didn’t appreciate McLane’s comments.

82

“I actually proposed to the Astros late in the season [in 2006] that they make a proposal for the ‘07 season so that if Roger decided to play that we would have something knocked out and it might be automatic,” Hendricks said. “I was told that the problem with that would be that the owner would react and say if they did that they wouldn’t have any money to sign any free agents and that they needed hitters so, ‘Could I please wait and let that all play out.’ So, I said, ‘Whatever you want to do. I can’t make your decisions for you.’ After that was done Roger became a free agent and we never received an offer from the Astros. So it’s sort of strange that they would say they were left high and dry when in fact they never made an offer until April 23, which they characterized as a discussion on parameters.” Whatever the issues behind the negotiations, there’s no denying that as an Astro, Clemens was a godsend in terms of box office appeal and national relevance. Oh, and he also made McLane a lot of money, which was the bonus to go with the postseason excellence and World Series berth that the Astros accomplished once Clemens got to Houston. For that reason, Clemens was a savior, not a traitor.

83

DID THE ASTROS PLAYERS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ROGER CLEMENS’S FREEDOM CLAUSE? Much was made of the freedom clause in Roger

28

Clemens’s Astros contract after he bolted the Astros and returned to the New York Yankees in May 2007, as the Yankees were considering

offering Clemens a similar deal. Some wondered how Astros players coped with the knowledge that Clemens could leave the team when he wasn’t pitching so he could spend time with his family or wherever else he wanted. It was as though folks forgot that the Astros were the first party to bring up the freedom clause as a way to entice Clemens out of retirement in 2004. At that point, Clemens was done. He had said as much while having a goodbye tour with the New York Yankees in 2003. But Drayton McLane insisted. Folks throughout the city lobbied Clemens to return to baseball in 2004, too. They thought they had a good shot, since Clemens lived in Houston and could be at home for half the season. Because his two eldest sons, Koby and Kory, were close

to finishing high school, Clemens preferred to stick close to home. He signed off on a return to baseball—with the Astros—only after meeting privately with team leaders Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio, both of whom assured him that the team wouldn’t have a problem if he missed some games or trips to be with his family. True to Bagwell and Biggio’s word, the Astros never seemed to mind when Clemens was gone. Actually, some of them wished all the starting pitchers didn’t have to be around when they weren’t starting. “I think it ought to be mandatory that all five starters only show up when they pitch,” ace Roy Oswalt said. But the clause picked up some controversy in May 2007 after Clemens snubbed the Astros and returned to the Yankees. As national media wondered how Clemens’s Yankees teammates would cope with the freedom clause, a mini controversy erupted when manager Phil Garner made a crack on ESPN Radio’s Mike and Mike in the Morning show during a long interview that was otherwise complimentary. “What sort of happened was we’d turn on the TV, and he’s playing a golf tournament, so it evolved to be more than just seeing family,” Garner said. Those comments didn’t sit well with Clemens, who also had to read or hear about former Yankees teammate David Wells taking a swipe at the freedom clause. “When this all started way back three years ago when they asked me to come here and play, I told them I couldn’t

85

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

do it for the situation I was in with Koby and Kory being in high school,” Clemens said in May 2007. “Actually it’s a little bit easier right now because I’ve got one off on his career. The other one’s getting ready to go to the University of Texas. I’ve got a little break with my 12- and 10-year-old. So balancing me and my schedule, the big balancing I’ve talked about is a little less stressful on me as far as being accountable as a father. The guys that are most close to me and close to my heart there, I talked to them firsthand before I even thought about doing it.” Even if he weren’t working, the fact remains that Clemens’s Astros teammates had no problem with his freedom clause, despite Garner’s comments.

CARLOS BELTRAN: Really a Villain? If ever a player deserved more appreciation

29

for his actions, it was Carlos Beltran, who returned to Minute Maid Park in 2005 as a member of the New York Mets. But instead, the

greatest postseason performer in Astros franchise history was treated as a bum upon his return. Fans could not forgive him for choosing the Mets over the Astros. They really wanted to jeer his powerful agent, Scott Boras, but Boras was not the one standing in center

field. Even by New York standards, the venom Astros fans felt for Beltran was fierce. It was as though he had never hit those eight postseason home runs in 2004, easily the franchise career postseason record. Heck, those eight postseason home runs tied the single postseason record Barry Bonds set in 2002. Quite simply, Beltran sparked the Astros in the 2004 postseason. He played splendid defense while monitoring center field. He stole bases at will and he crushed home runs with impunity. On a national stage in the October before he hit the free agent market, Beltran drew the praise of the entire baseball world. In a city that had grown to expect its baseball sluggers to struggle in the playoffs, Beltran actually lifted his performance—made more impressive by the fact that he had a sluggish September. But he was a rental. Beltran never once said he wanted to return to Houston, and even many of his teammates assumed he’d depart via free agency. Moreover, he had been in Houston only since June, arriving from the Kansas City Royals via a three-team trade. He had been developed through the Kansas City Royals’ farm system, and he had no ties or obligation to return to the Astros. He also would have been stupid to tip his hand to savvy billionaire Drayton McLane, who definitely would have left him without a team to raise the price if he knew Beltran wanted to land in New York. Beltran needed the Astros

87

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

involved in the negotiations to keep the bidding war going. If McLane had been willing to pick up Jeff Kent’s option after the 2004 season, Beltran’s bargaining power may not have been as great because the Astros would already have had one run producer re-signed. Once they let Kent go, they put all their off-season plans on Beltran, whose agent realized the Astros were desperate to re-sign him because every other quality run-producer on the market was unavailable. Having already been traded once in his career, Beltran wanted a no-trade clause. McLane would not give him one. Although McLane has given such clauses to Lance Berkman, Jeff Bagwell, and Craig Biggio, he tried to hold the line with Beltran. He refused to add a no-trade clause, and he learned from that mistake. When Roy Oswalt (on August 29, 2006) and Carlos Lee (November 2006) requested no-trade clauses, McLane obliged. But his Beltran decision cost him, pushing Beltran away from the Astros even more. In the end, he wanted to play in New York. Even now, there is the strong belief that Beltran wanted to play with the Yankees, but the Yankees wouldn’t take him at the time for $95 million. The Mets offered $119 million and a notrade clause, and that was more than enough for Beltran. Beltran owed the Astros no loyalty. He’s not a villain.

88

THE ASTRODOME: Turn It Into a Parking Lot or Name It a Historical Site? The Astrodome was once referred to as the

30

Eighth Wonder of the World, a beautiful domed stadium that served as a testament to Houston’s major league ambitions when it opened in

April 1965. Now it’s just an eyesore, appearing even worse because it is right next to beautiful Reliant Stadium, the state-of-the-art home of the Houston Texans. Former Astros owner Judge Roy Hofheinz, who helped push the development, would probably roll in his grave if he knew that his beloved Astrodome now sits like a broken-down trailer park next to an expensive classy mansion. Mickey Mantle, for goodness sake, hit the first home run at the Astrodome during an exhibition game between his New York Yankees and the Astros on April 12, 1965. And eight years after it opened, folks around the world focused on the Astrodome for the infamous Battle of the Sexes, when women’s tennis legend Billie Jean King beat proud sexist Bobby Riggs. The regular tenants were the city’s football and baseball teams. The Oilers moved in three years later in 1968, eventually filling the place to its 60,000 capacity during the

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

height of the Luv Ya Blue days. The Astros stayed for 35 seasons, bolting for Minute Maid Park after the 1999 season. Not all the memories were good, though. The Astros and Oilers had suffered some monumental defeats over the years at the Astrodome, which is probably why the place doesn’t elicit much sympathy from some folks in the community. The Oilers and Astros may not have won championships at the Astrodome, but countless high school kids won state titles or crucial games there. Moreover, one of the greatest college basketball games was played at the Dome on January 20, 1968. In the first nationally televised nonNCAA Tournament college basketball game, Elvin Hayes and the University of Houston Cougars beat Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and the rest of the defending national champion UCLA Bruins. Avenging a 73–58 loss in the previous year’s NCAA semifinals, the No. 2-ranked Cougars snapped No.1-ranked UCLA’s 47-game winning streak with a 71–69 victory before a crowd of 52,693. That game came to be known as the “Game of the Century.” (Unfortunately for Guy V. Lewis’s Cougars, the No. 1–ranked Cougars lost to John Wooden’s Bruins 101–69 a few weeks later in the semifinals of the 1968 NCAA Tournament.) The Astrodome also played host to some of the most interesting concerts in America over the years. Elvis

90

Presley played the Dome, and so did the Rolling Stones. Selena, the famed Tejano music star, packed the place twice in the biggest concerts she gave before she was murdered in 1995. And who can forget its humanitarian use: In 2005, six years after the Astros played their last game at the place, Oprah and some of the greatest stars in America made a pilgrimage to the Astrodome to offer comfort to the thousands of Hurricane Katrina evacuees who sought and received shelter, medical care, and support at the Dome. So what can be done with the Astrodome? “They should convert it into a museum dedicated to space travel to celebrate Houston’s NASA heritage,” the Houston Chronicle’s Daniel Cunningham said. “The Astrodome should be turned into a museum dedicated to every event that took place there,” said John McClain. “Astros, Oilers, fights, basketball games, tennis matches, movies, videos, etc. It should be one of Texas’s top tourist destinations, open every day but Christmas.” “How ’bout a National Historical Monument, sort of like Vicksburg ... site of some of the ugliest moments in Astros and Oilers history and where more than a few careers went to die,” Houston Chronicle columnist John Lopez offered. Ouch. All good runs come to an end, and it’s clear the Astrodome would be a perfect museum for some of

91

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Houston’s lost dreams in sports and great successes in NASA. There’s no need to raze the Astrodome and make it into a parking lot, though. Many dreams have already been parked there.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST POSTSEASON HOME RUN IN ASTROS HISTORY: Billy Hatcher’s in 1986 or Chris Burke’s in 2005? Billy Hatcher will always have a special place

31

in Astros lore for the home run he ripped near the left field pole at the Astrodome in the 14th inning of Game 6 of the 1986 National League

championship series on October 15, 1986. The game, after all, is remembered as one of the best games in postseason history, and Hatcher’s home run helped to temporarily stave off defeat. Needing a win to force a winner-take-all Game 7, the Astros fell behind 4–3 after Aurelio Lopez gave up a run to the New York Mets in the top of the 14th, sending the raucous crowd of 45,178 at the Astrodome into despair. At that point, the Mets and their fans had every reason to

believe they were headed to the World Series. Hatcher, who broke into the majors only two years earlier with the Chicago Cubs, had collected only eight home runs in his career heading into the 1986 postseason, six of those over his 416 at-bats with the Astros. It would be an understatement to say Hatcher wasn’t a home run hitter. After all, he hit only 54 home runs over 12 seasons and never hit more than 11 in a season. Moreover, before that fateful moment in the 1986 NLCS, he had only one run batted in and no extra-base hits in the series. But he hit one that game, to tie the score. Unfortunately for the Astros, the Mets scored three runs in the 16th inning to win the National League pennant 7–6. If the Astros had won what is still the longest game in NLCS history, many people believed the powerful Mike Scott would have dominated the Mets once again in Game 7 and pushed Houston to the World Series for the first time. After all, he had already won two games in the NLCS against the Mets, throwing a shutout in one game and then holding the Mets to one run over nine innings in Game 4. Scott was such a dominant presence in the 1986 NLCS that he won the NLCS MVP trophy that year, becoming the first NL pitcher to win that award for a losing team. We’ll never know if he had won a Game 7, though. The only thing we know is that Hatcher’s home run doesn’t get as much attention because the club eventually lost anyway after four hours, 44 minutes of action.

93

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

The Astros didn’t play such an emotional and crucial game again until October 17, 2005, when they won the longest postseason game in the history of baseball. Leading the best-of-five Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, the wild card-winning Astros entered Game 4 with a 2–1 lead in the series. The Braves had eliminated the Astros from the postseason in 1997, 1999, and 2001 before the Astros atoned by beating Atlanta in 2004. The Braves weren’t quite ready to concede the 2005 Division Series, but this time the Astros were the ones hitting in the clutch. Just as it appeared the Astros might lose and be forced to return to Atlanta for a winner-takeall Game 5, Lance Berkman hit a grand slam in the eighth inning to get the Astros within 6–5 in the eighth inning. With perhaps the most underrated clutch hit in franchise history, light-hitting Brad Ausmus homered in the ninth inning to tie the score at 6 and force extra innings. “If you ever needed proof that God exists,” Berkman jokes, “you just have to point to Ausmus’s home run.” After combining for a dozen runs over the first nine innings, the clubs played nine more before scoring again. Starting right-hander Roger Clemens, who had lost Game 1 and hadn’t pitched in relief in 21 years, pitched the final three innings for the Astros in one of the most memorable relief stints in the franchise’s postseason history. Five hours and 50 minutes after the game’s first pitch, Clemens was rewarded for his relief effort in the bottom of

94

the 18th inning by Burke, the Astros’ first round pick out of the University of Tennessee in 2001. Burke, who had hit only five home runs in the majors since his debut in 2004, deposited Joey Devine’s pitch over the wall in left field at Minute Maid Park to end the contest and send the exhausted sellout crowd of 43,413 into a roar and celebration that lasted over 30 minutes. Burke’s home run earned the Astros a berth in the National League championship, which is why some fans rate it higher than Hatcher’s shot in 1986. Burke’s home run was the most impressive if for no other reason than it won the game, and the same cannot be said for Hatcher’s.

WHAT HAPPENED TO BRAD LIDGE? As Brad Lidge took the Minute Maid Park

32

mound in Game 5 of the 2005 National League championship series, he was in line to become the NLCS MVP. He had dominated the St. Louis

Cardinals throughout the series, and the select group of media who vote for the award had already unanimously chosen Lidge. Only months after dominating the American League and earning rave reviews at Detroit’s Comerica Park in 2005 at his first All-Star Game, Lidge had proved to be the most impressive Astro in the 2005 NLCS.

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Until disaster struck. Only one out away from securing the Astros’ first World Series berth, Lidge faced Albert Pujols. In the Astros’ dugout, Astros official Charles Hepp stood ready to rush the mound and secure Lidge so he could be given the NLCS MVP trophy. Of course, that didn’t happen. Lidge gave up Pujols’s game-winning three-run home run, the most devastating home run ever given up by the Astros in the postseason. Almost immediately after Lidge surrendered the home run, folks around Houston and throughout the baseball community wondered if Lidge would ever regain his mojo. Manager Phil Garner was so concerned that the home run would take on a life of its own, he tried to institute a gag order on Lidge once the right-hander discussed it in spring training the next year. Well, that gag order may have had the opposite effect, sending the message that the home run was too great to discuss. Garner had cause for concern. Lidge struggled the next season and lost his closer’s role three times in 2006. Dan Wheeler finished off that year as the Astros’ closer, although Lidge did appear in the World Series against the Chicago White Sox—where he floundered. Garner did reinstate Lidge as the closer heading into 2007, but it took only one week before Garner stripped Lidge of the role and gave it back to Wheeler. Lidge regained the role in June of that season.

96

So what happened to Lidge? “Albert Pujols happened to Brad Lidge. Over and over,” said Daniel Cunningham, who was guiding coverage of that game for the Houston Chronicle. “Like David Carr, he lost his confidence, which caused his mechanics to break down,” said John McClain, the Houston Chronicle’s NFL writer. The pundits have even used his temporary fall from grace as a verb. “He got Pujols-ed,” Houston Chronicle columnist John Lopez offered. For more than a year, Garner refused to say Lidge had been derailed by Pujols in Game 5 of the National League championship series. He changed his tune on April 16, 2007. “He’s conscientious,” Garner said of Lidge. “As I had said earlier, I think it’s time for him to say to a few of you folks, ‘I’ve talked about this enough. I have work to do.’ You got to follow a story, but you can’t keep answering the thing from Pujols. And most of this stems from that moment and what’s carried on. He didn’t have a bad year last year. He had a bad year by his standards or he had an off year by his standards of the year before, but it wasn’t a bad year. It wasn’t a bad year. My concern with it is that everybody is talking like it was a bad year. And that stuff begins to wear on you.” Lidge has never bought into that amateur psychology. As far as he’s concerned, his problems in 2006 stemmed

97

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

from poor mechanics, which he never fixed after joining Team USA at the World Baseball Classic that spring. “People are going to believe what they want,” Lidge said. “The biggest thing is that 2006 was a battle for mechanics. “To me it’s not much of a debate.” Maybe so, but the majority of folks disagree. Nonetheless, we’ll take Lidge’s side here. Pujols didn’t happen to Lidge as much as Lidge’s poor mechanics happened to Lidge.

WHICH ASTROS PLAYER HAD THE MOST UNIQUE CAREER AFTER HANGING THEM UP? Several Astros players have had fairly interest-

33

ing second careers. Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan is one of the premier cattlemen in Texas, and he also co-

owns the Astros’ Class AAA Round Rock Express and Class AA Corpus Christi Hooks (with Houston businessman Don Sanders). Charlie Kerfeld, who would have never been considered a serious type during his playing career, has landed as a scout.“Who would have thought the spacey Astros’ conehead

would become a respected big-league scout?” asked Houston Chronicle columnist John Lopez. Rusty Staub was always good in the pinch, and he’s made quite a life for himself as a restaurateur and wine collector. When the outspoken Enos Cabell hasn’t been devoting his time to perfecting his golf game, he has been seen giving his opinion as a special assistant to the Astros’ general manager. He also had a car dealership in town. Alan Ashby caught quite a few no-hitters and even specialized catching knuckleballs, so it’s no surprise he adjusted easily to life’s dips. Released so the Astros could call up a kid named Craig Biggio in 1988, Ashby always found a way to succeed. When Astros owner Drayton McLane threw him a knuckleball and dismissed him right around Christmas 2005, he sat out the 2006 season and then returned in 2007 as a broadcaster for the Toronto Blue Jays, another of his former teams. Jose Cruz stopped playing, but he hasn’t been far from the Astros. The only player or coach who has been a part of all of the Astros’ postseason appearances, Cruz’s presence is all over Minute Maid Park. His retired jersey is prominently displayed with the rest of the retired jerseys, and he can be found daily coaching first base for the Astros. Larry Dierker has them all beat, though. He’s had the most interesting career after baseball. The former child

99

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

phenom out of Los Angeles went from a sensational pitching career to a job in the Astros’ ticket office and then the Astros’ broadcast booth before being called upon to manage the club through its most productive run of division titles. From 1997 through 2001, he led the club to four division titles and postseason berths, only missing out on the playoffs in 2000 after his ace left-hander Mike Hampton was traded to the New York Mets the previous winter. After he was released from his managerial duties, he became a prolific writer, even authoring two books.

WORST MOVE MADE BY AN ASTROS GENERAL MANAGER? Some folks would argue that Bill Wood made

34

the worst general manager move by lowballing Nolan Ryan and practically pushing the Hall of Famer to the Texas Rangers, but that

Scarlet Letter belongs mostly to the owner, the late John McMullen. Like Wood, former Astros general manager Tom Purpura cannot carry all the blame for some of the Astros’ decisions, because Drayton McLane is an extremely active baseball owner. That includes the colossal mistake of

giving up Willy Taveras, Jason Hirsh, and Taylor Buchholz to the Colorado Rockies for right-hander Jason Jennings, a contender to win this argument. But in the end, it’s not really a contest. Spec Richardson made it practically impossible for any future Astros general manager to supplant his moves as the worst in franchise history. Richardson was probably the single worst general manger the city of Houston ever had in a front office of any professional sport. That’s how lousy he was. Dear ol’ Spec Richardson was the man who traded Joe Morgan to the Cincinnati Reds. With Morgan still in his prime, Richardson sent him, Jack Billingham, Cesar Geronimo, and Denis Menke to the Reds for Lee May, Tommy Helms, and Jimmy Stewart. It was November 29, 1971, one of the darkest days in Astros history. Morgan won two National League MVP awards after leaving the Astros and was a cornerstone of the Big Red Machine dynasty. As for May? Well, let’s just say that deal didn’t work out quite as well for the Astros. He only played three seasons with the team. Morgan played eight seasons with the Reds before returning to the Astros in 1980. A twotime All-Star with the Astros, Morgan was an All-Star in all eight seasons with the Reds. The Morgan trade wasn’t Richardson’s only bad deal. On January 22, 1969, he sent Rusty Staub to the Montreal Expos for Donn Clendenon and Jesus Alou. When Clendenon

101

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

refused to report on April 8, 1969, the Expos sent the Astros Jack Billingham and Skip Guinn and $100,000. (Ironically, Billingham was part of both of these trades, two of the worst moves in Astros history.) Staub had a stellar career, and the Astros would have been wise to void the trade after Clendenon refused to report. But losing Staub wasn’t as monumental of a blunder as losing Morgan. If Morgan had stuck around with the club that signed him as an undrafted free agent, he likely would have been the first Astros player in the Hall of Fame. Instead, he entered the Hall of Fame as a Cincinnati Red, and most baseball fans will always associate him with the Reds. You can thank Spec Richardson for that.

GREATEST MANAGER IN ASTROS HISTORY? The Astros have been led by an interesting

35

variety of managers over the years, ranging from Harry Craft with the original Colt .45s to Phil Garner.

There was the famed Leo Durocher, who made a brief appearance in 1972 and 1973, compiling a 98–95 record for a .508 winning percentage. Hal Lanier was also an exciting manager, leading Mike Scott’s 1986 Astros through perhaps the most exciting National League

championship series in history, falling in six games to the eventual World Series champion Mets. Despite having Scott and Nolan Ryan leading his rotation, Lanier was 254–232 and was bounced after the 1988 season. But more impressive was the homegrown Larry Dierker, the former Astros pitcher. Dierker stepped down from the broadcast booth to manage the club through its more consistent winning years from 1997 through 2001. Dierker posted a .553 winning percentage, which was the second highest winning percentage for a manager heading into the 2007 season. Considering he led the club to the postseason in four of his five seasons, Dierker probably doesn’t get the respect he deserves. First there was 1997, when Dierker took Houston to the playoffs for the first time since 1986, although they fell in the first round. The next year he led the club to a 102-win season. Again, they bombed in the first round of the playoffs. His 1999 Astros were eliminated in the playoffs again. The 2000 club was a mess and had no chance of reaching the playoffs, but he turned it around in 2001 and won the National League Central title before being eliminated in the first round yet one more time. Dierker was let go after the 2001 season. He appeared even more qualified after he was replaced by Jimy Williams, who was supposedly hired to take the club to the the next level in the playoffs. Well, Williams never even reached the playoffs with the

103

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Astros. His 2004 club appeared dead at the All-Star break, and he was canned a day after being booed mightily by the hometown fans at the All-Star Game. Despite tremendous talent in the pitching staff and in the lineup from 2002 through July 12, 2004, Williams was 215–197 in parts of the three seasons he managed in Houston. The Astros didn’t look outside of Houston for their next manager, and it paid off. Kingwood resident Garner pushed all the right buttons in the second half of 2004, leading the club to a magical 36–10 run to win the National League wild card. From there, they eliminated the Atlanta Braves in the Division Series to finally win a postseason series. With Roy Oswalt, Roger Clemens, and Brandon Backe leading the starting rotation and Carlos Beltran, Lance Berkman, and Jeff Kent leading the offense, Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio finally won a postseason series. The Astros went all the way to Game 7 of the National League championship series against the St. Louis Cardinals before they were eliminated. The next season the Astros also looked dead early, falling to 15–30. But they turned it around, becoming the first team since the 1914 Boston Braves to go from 15 games under .500 to the World Series in the same season. With Oswalt, Clemens, and Andy Pettitte leading the starting rotation, the Astros brought the World Series to Texas for the first time. Unfortunately for Garner, the team’s lack of offense caught up with them in the World Series. Nonetheless, Garner took them there, and no one else can say that.

104

So who’s the best? Unfortunately for Dierker, he never had the clutch offensive performers that Phil Garner inherited when Jimy Williams was fired. If Beltran, Berkman, and Kent had been Dierker’s anchors, he might have very well won a World Series for the Astros. We’ll never know, but his consistent winning over a five-year span likely gives him a slight edge over Garner here, despite the fact that Garner reached the World Series.

SHOULD WAYNE GRAHAM BE CONSIDERED TO MANAGE THE ASTROS? Astros All-Star Lance Berkman still swears by

36

his Rice coach Wayne Graham, a tough disciplinarian who has made Rice one of the baseball superpowers in the NCAA.

Even today, Berkman is adamant that Graham has been the best coach or manager he has had, which is saying something considering Berkman played for two of the greatest managers in Astros history, Larry Dierker and Phil Garner. Graham has succeeded everywhere he’s coached, from the high school level to community college at San Jacinto College to the NCAA with Rice. At every level he has won and won big.

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

“A tiny private university with the reputation built upon academics isn’t supposed to go winning NCAA championships, but Graham coached the Owls to one in 2004,” Dale Robertson said. “Consider this, before he arrived at Rice in 1992, the school had never even advanced to the postseason in baseball. With him the Owls have gone to the College World Series six times. As the only intercollegiate coach in the history of Houston to lead a team to a national title in football, baseball, or basketball, he occupies a special niche in our pantheon of sports figures. And he was winning prolifically before he took over the Owls’ sad-sack program, having been named junior college ‘Coach of the Century’ for his five national titles in 11 seasons at San Jacinto North College, where he coached both Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte. “There’s nothing flukish about any of this. The best high school players in Texas, a most fertile recruiting ground, all give Graham consideration because of his reputation. You could field a major league lineup with players who have passed through his programs. And no fewer than 25 former Owls were playing pro ball in 2006.” Graham appears at peace at Rice, which is why he didn’t waste much energy when the Texas A&M Aggies came courting after the 2005 season. The Aggies definitely made the right hire in Rob Childress, who has lifted the program back to prominence. Nonetheless, it’s a great sign

106

of what Graham has accomplished at tiny Rice that a powerful Big 12 institution would go after him. If he were younger, Graham might have been more willing to leave his comfort zone. At 70, he’s not easily overwhelmed by a little flirtation from the bigger universities in the state. Not that he needed it to prove his worth, but he secured his standing among the great coaches in college by winning the 2003 College World Series. With that kind of resumé, it’s a shame that Graham has never had a chance to manage in the majors. He would have been a great fit after Drayton McLane let Dierker go after the 2001 season. And if not a perfect fit, he would have definitely worked out much better than Jimy Williams, although that’s not really saying much. If the opportunity arises again, he should at least be interviewed. He’s been a winner at every stop. Why not at Minute Maid Park?

BIGGIO OR BAGWELL? They’re almost interchangeable: Jeff Bagwell

37

and Craig Biggio, Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell. Even in stores or around town they are often confused for each other, although they

look nothing alike. But it’s almost appropriate since the

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Astros’ organization has been essentially Biggio and Bagwell since Bagwell’s debut in 1991. Bagwell, the 1991 National League Rookie of the Year and 1994 NL MVP, was the hammer as the all-time franchise leader in home runs and RBIs. Biggio, who broke in as a rookie in 1988, was the boyish good looks of the organization, the pesky leadoff man who holds the franchise record for hits, runs, games, hit-by-pitch, and several other categories. “He is an icon in our city,” Bagwell said of Biggio. “He is synonymous with the Houston Astros. He’s a guy who has made sacrifices to be with our ballclub for as long as he’s been. He’s been a free agent a few times, as I give him credit and the organization credit. We’ve talked about it before; you have to have loyalty on all sides.” Not surprisingly, Biggio says the same thing about Bagwell, whose career was derailed by an arthritic right shoulder condition and finally ended in spring training 2006, when he realized his shoulder wouldn’t let him play anymore. He officially retired on December 15, 2006, after his guaranteed contract elapsed, but his career was essentially done that spring. “Obviously he’s done so much for the city and organization,” Biggio said. “Just so many different ways that he’s touched a lot of people here.” Although Biggio proved to have more longevity, in the clubhouse Bagwell was viewed more as a leader.

108

“It’s hard to really put into words everything that Jeff has meant to the city and the fans and really every player that’s in this clubhouse,” Lance Berkman said. “If you’ve ever played with Jeff Bagwell you know what I’m talking about. He has a way of influencing the people that he’s around. All the great players have the ability to make people around them better. And, yes, you can certainly say that about Jeff. Many, many people will say that very thing. For me the thing that I appreciate the most about him is just the impact that he’s had on my career. He’s kind of a calming influence. You always feel that you got a chance if Jeff is on the team. He’s somebody who has a presence in this clubhouse that I miss greatly and I know that [a] lot of people miss Jeff as well.” Bagwell’s old No. 5 was retired in August 2007, and Biggio’s No. 7 will surely be retired soon. “He and Craig [Biggio] have been the face of the organization not only for the time they played. But I think they’ll be the face of the organization period, past and the present,” said Astros catcher Brad Ausmus, one of Bagwell’s best friends. “There’s been a lot of Jeff Bagwell honoring going around these days. I think it’s deserved. I wouldn’t mind if he was sitting down next to me. I enjoy the banter and the discussion that we had after the locker room emptied.” Biggio wasn’t as much about banter with his teammates, but for the fans he and Bagwell were interchangeable. Even for argument’s sake, it’s hard to pick one

109

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

or the other. In the clubhouse, Bagwell was probably better received. In the community, Biggio’s longevity was probably more appreciated. As Biggio proved on the night he collected his 3,000th hit when he dragged his good friend out to soak in the ovation, Biggio outlasted Bagwell and every other player in franchise history. He is the Astros, and no player has worn that uniform longer than he has in franchise history. For that reason, he gets a small nod over Bagwell.

CRAIG BIGGIO: Has Anybody Provided More Smiles and Goodwill for Houston Fans? Hakeem Olajuwon delivered a title, and for that

38

he will be loved in Houston forever. Earl Campbell and Bum Phillips delivered the Luv Ya Blue Oilers, and that’s why they’ll be

beloved figures around here, too. Nolan Ryan was a hometown boy who threw heat and bravado worthy of legendary Texan status. Roger Clemens sent Houston fans into a frenzy when he signed, causing phone lines to be knocked down as folks rushed to buy tickets. Jose Lima gave fans reasons to smile with his clown act. Jeff Bagwell and Jose Cruz also prompted good moods with their demeanor.

Yet, no professional athlete has played more seasons in Houston than Craig Biggio. During his 20 seasons with the Astros he didn’t just play; for most of his tenure, he excelled. He also gave back to the community. With the help of his wife Patty, Biggio has raised over $2 million for the Sunshine Kids Organization, which helps children who are fighting cancer. Long after his career is over, even his great athletic numbers will pale to the charitable contributions he has made. For most of his 20-year career, Biggio has had to share the limelight with Jeff Bagwell, the beloved team leader and slugger in the era when chicks loved the long ball. And by the time the Astros retired Bagwell’s jersey in 2007, Lance Berkman, Roy Oswalt, Carlos Lee, and Hunter Pence were the stalwarts of the team’s offense. Nonetheless, in 2007 Biggio was the reason folks kept showing up to watch a lousy baseball team, as he became the 27th player in history to collect 3,000 hits. He was the reason folks still cared. He was the face of Houston sports, the man who everybody watched grow up since he arrived full of energy and boyish good looks out of Seton Hall University with the Astros’ first round pick in 1987. He broke into the majors the next season as a catcher. By the time he chased after 3,000 hits in 2007, he had made four position changes: catcher, second base, center field in 2003, left field in 2004 when Carlos Beltran was acquired, and then back to second base in 2005 after Jeff Kent exited via free agency.

111

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

He holds many Astros’ records, including hits, doubles, hit-by-pitch, games played, and seasons. He is in the top 20 in games played in major league history, the top five in doubles, and top 12 in at-bats. He also is the Astros’ franchise leader in extra-base hits. “Considering the length of Biggio’s quest, nothing else that he has accomplished—and he’s accomplished plenty—can top his reaching the World Series in 2005,” said the Houston Chronicle’s Dale Robertson. “It was his 18th season and he contributed by smacking a career-high 26 home runs at the age of 39. However, his surpassing 3,000 hits this season would be a bookend feat, because he’s Mr. Astro, the longesttenured professional athlete in the city’s history. And, besides the longevity title, the likely Hall of Famer is also the most malleable athlete ever to pass our way. He morphed from an All-Star catcher into an All-Star second baseman into an adequate, for-the-good-of-the-team outfielder as the Astros enjoyed their most successful run in franchise history. Today, having returned to second base, Biggio is a clubhouse icon, a throwback star in every way imaginable. Forget his age. It’s still usually his uniform that’s the dirtiest when the game ends. Off the diamond, his work with the Sunshine Kids has earned him status as a Hall of Fame-caliber human being.” The man who has fought for the Sunshine Kids truly has provided more sunshine for Houston fans than anybody else.

112

DID CRAIG BIGGIO’S MARCH TO 3,000 HURT THE TEAM? While the Astros struggled through June 2007,

39

some fans and media wondered quite loudly whether Craig Biggio’s quest for 3,000 hits was hurting the team. He should sit, some said. At

41, Biggio had lost a step and there was no doubt some folks wanted to see less of him and more of Chris Burke. Never mind that Burke had yet to establish himself in the majors. Never mind that since 1988, Biggio had become the face of the Astros and a leading citizen in the community. There were folks throughout the city and around the country who wanted to see Biggio become just the 27th player in major league history to collect 3,000 hits. Some of his own teammates thought it was too much. They wouldn’t say it publicly, but quite a few of them wondered why he played so much. Some thought that Phil Garner was sacrificing the team to help Biggio achieve a personal goal, especially as Garner insisted on batting Biggio in the leadoff spot. So did Biggio’s march to 3,000 hurt the Astros? Not really.

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

They wouldn’t have been good anyway at that time, as several players got off to slow starts and the bullpen faltered. If anything, Biggio’s milestone saved the season in terms of keeping fans interested, because he gave crowds something to cheer about during a transitional time. Since he broke in with the Astros in 1988, Biggio has been one of the most important players on the club for most of his tenure in Houston. By 2007, however, Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman were expected to carry the load. Morgan Ensberg was expected to pick up some of the run production, and Burke was expected to shine and produce runs after they cleared out center field for him. Well, Ensberg struggled and was eventually designated for assignment two days before he was traded to the San Diego Padres on July 31. Burke struggled, too, eventually landing in the minors so Hunter Pence could come up and excel. Even worse, Berkman got off to the most disappointing start of his career. Adam Everett was a sensational glove, but he and catcher Brad Ausmus weren’t much of an impact on offense. If Ensberg, Burke, and Berkman had played up to the team’s and their expectations over the first three months of the season, then one could ask whether Biggio’s march to 3,000 really hurt the club. But as it happened, Biggio’s march didn’t hurt. The slow starts at the plate by Berkman, Burke, Ensberg, Everett, and Jason Lane hurt. It’s impossible to create much of an attack when there are so many consistent outs in one lineup.

114

Fortunately for the Astros, Biggio stuck around long enough to make the 2007 season a historic and interesting one. “When I think of 3,000 hits I think of all the Hall of Famers that have gotten it,” said Biggio’s former teammate Jeff Bagwell. “I think it’s a tremendous accomplishment for someone’s career. It’s an accomplishment being able to get that many hits. It’s an accomplishment of playing that long to be able to get that many hits. It is an amazing feat obviously by the amount of people that have done it. There haven’t been that many. He is an icon in our city. He is synonymous with the Houston Astros. He’s a guy who has made sacrifices to be with our ballclub for as long as he’s been. He’s been a free agent a few times. It was really important for Craig to stay with the Houston Astros. To get all 3,000 hits in one uniform, that is something that both Craig and the Astros should be proud.” “It’s such a small list,” Biggio said. “To be able to have the fans of Houston be able to say, ‘Hey, we have one of those guys’ that’s a lot of motivation that I’m using to get it going and give back to the fans. I couldn’t think of anything better than to give back to them that.” Biggio can hold his head high—with his wife Patty and their three children, Conor, Cavan, and Quinn, along for the ride—knowing that the goodwill his march toward 3,000 brought to the Astros from the city enhanced—not endangered—the franchise.

115

WHAT’S MORE IMPRESSIVE: Throwing Seven No-Hitters or Winning Seven Cy Youngs? Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan hears the question

40

and just laughs. His chuckles reveal that he has heard the question before and that he’s too modest to brag about himself even if he would

think throwing seven no-hitters is more impressive than winning seven Cy Young awards. Ryan, who pitched nine of his major league record 27 seasons with the Astros, threw seven no-hitters in his career, set the all-time strikeout record, and collected 324 victories over his legendary career. Yet, he never got a single Cy Young award. Conversely, Roger Clemens collected 348 career victories before signing with the New York Yankees in May 2007, but he had never thrown a no-hitter heading into his 2007 season opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates, whom he beat for his 349th victory. Clemens is arguably the best pitcher of his era and the person with the most victories among the living, but he has never tasted that beautiful feeling of walking off the mound victorious after throwing a no-hitter. Not in high school. Not

in college. Not in the minors. Even his son Koby Clemens, who gave up pitching when he signed as a third base prospect in 2005 with the Astros, teased Roger Clemens because Koby collected a few no-hitters at Memorial High. Which makes you wonder, which is more impressive, the seven no-hitters or the seven Cy Young awards? “I wouldn’t know,” Ryan said. “I think anybody who’s been in position to have done any one of those, it’s outstanding. I think one thing the seven Cy Youngs represent is how consistent Roger’s been [throughout the season] consistently with his career.” Either way you slice it, only a select group of men can claim either one. “To me it’s hard to compare the two,” said Astros righthander Woody Williams, who played with Clemens in Toronto. “Seven Cy Youngs means you’re dominating the league for that year. At the same time to throw no-hitters seven times is pretty impressive. But to win seven Cy Youngs, it’s about longevity and being on top of the league. It’s hard to do.” Astros pitching coach Dave Wallace is a very close friend of former Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers great Sandy Koufax, the Hall of Famer who won three Cy Young awards and also threw four no-hitters, including a precious perfect game. Only Ryan threw more no-hitters than Koufax, whose Cy Young count is even more impressive considering he was a unanimous selection at a time when

117

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

there was only one Cy Young award handed out for both leagues. In Clemens’s era, a Cy Young award was given per league, so it can be argued that in some seasons another pitcher from the National League might have claimed the award over Clemens. Nonetheless, Wallace is more impressed by the seven Cy Young awards “because you have to do it over the course of the season,” Wallace said. “Seven no-hitters, you have to be kidding me. That’s unbelievable too, but seven Cy Young awards?” Astros ace Roy Oswalt has been one of the best pitchers in the majors since his debut in 2001, and he can appreciate just how difficult it is to win the Cy Young award because he wasn’t rewarded with the award one year after leading the league in victories or another year after leading the league in earned run average. He does have one no-hitter under his belt, although he shared it with five relievers when the Astros threw the first six-pitcher no-hitter in baseball history. As far as Oswalt is concerned, throwing seven no-hitters is just as impressive as winning seven Cy Young awards—or vice versa. “Both are very good,” Oswalt said. “One shows that you had great stuff the whole year. One shows that you had some of the best stuff and most dominant stuff of your life seven different times.” With that said, seven Cy Young awards has to stand out over seven no-hitters . . . just barely.

118

WHO’S THE GREATEST PITCHER TO COME OUT OF HOUSTON: Roger Clemens or Nolan Ryan? Roy Oswalt, an impressive pitcher in his own right,

41

has never hesitated.When asked to pick between the legendary Nolan Ryan and the amazing Roger Clemens, he always goes with Ryan.

This comes from a man who appreciates Clemens dearly and considers him a good friend. But one must wonder if he’s right. Which one, Ryan or Clemens, is the greatest pitcher to come out of the Houston area? On the longevity meter, both men excelled at a high level for a long time. Ryan pitched for 27 seasons, more than anybody in the major leagues, spending time with the New York Mets, California Angels, Astros, and Texas Rangers. Clemens might very well equal Ryan’s 27 years, but he’s got some ground to gain. In 2007, he pitched in his 23rd season. But he played only partial seasons in 2006 with the Astros and 2007 with the New York Yankees. So Ryan wins on years, but Roger’s got him beat on wins.

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Even before he began pitching partial seasons, Clemens had eclipsed Ryan’s amazing 324 victories. Clemens, who has more victories than anybody alive, had 348 before joining the Yankees in 2007. This stat is a little misleading, though—so much of a team’s success is tied to the team’s offense, not just its starting pitching. Both men were chosen to Baseball’s All-Century Team in national balloting in 1999. Then there’s the big records: Ryan has seven no-hitters. Clemens has none. Clemens owns seven Cy Young awards. Ryan has none. So far the scales seem even, but let’s look at a few more categories: Ryan threw an amazing 222 complete games and 61 shutouts. At the end of the 2006 season, Clemens had 118 complete games and 46 shutouts. Ryan holds the all-time record for strikeouts with 5,714, and it’s doubtful anybody will ever catch that mark. Clemens is second behind him, but with 4,604 strikeouts heading into 2007, there’s no way to overtake Ryan. It’s leaning toward Ryan, and then we need to factor in the idea that Ryan might have had better numbers if he had pitched with the support that Clemens received in Boston and New York. Oswalt says he’d pick Ryan over Clemens. We’d pick him too.

120

BEST PITCHER IN ASTROS HISTORY? The Astros have had quite an impressive list of

42

pitchers, including one Hall of Famer (Nolan Ryan) and one certain future Hall of Famer (Roger Clemens). Those two also belong to the

elite group who have collected at least 300 victories in the majors, along with former Astro Don Sutton. True, Clemens joined the Astros after claiming his 300th victory. And Ryan and Sutton claimed their 300th victory away from Houston. But there’s no denying the Astros have a rich pitching history. Besides Ryan, the all-time leader in strikeouts and nohitters, and Clemens, the owner of the most victories of any man alive, the Astros claim Andy Pettitte (the lefthander with the most postseason victories in history), J.R. Richard (one of the most feared right-handers of his era), and Randy Johnson, Mike Hampton, Joe Niekro, Mike Scott, and Larry Dierker. But the man who gets our vote for best pitcher in Astros history is none of those. It’s Roy Oswalt. Of pitchers who had a minimum of 140 decisions for the Astros, Oswalt’s winning percentage is easily the best in franchise history: .676 going into 2007. Richard’s .601

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

winning percentage was second, followed by Mike Scott (.576), Joe Niekro (.554), and Shane Reynolds (.545). But Oswalt is not just the best of the Astros: The New York Mets’ great Pedro Martinez was the only active pitcher who had a better winning percentage than Oswalt heading into 2007. “Before all is said and done, Roy Oswalt is going to be considered the Astros’ greatest pitcher,” said the Houston Chronicle’s Daniel Cunningham. Clemens was 38–18 with one Cy Young award over three seasons with the Astros, but he admits that Oswalt was the ace of the staff ahead of him and Andy Pettitte from 2004 through 2006. In that time, the Astros made franchise history and reached their greatest moments. They won a postseason berth for the first time in franchise history in 2004, when Oswalt won Game 5 of the Division Series against the Atlanta Braves. They reached the World Series the next year with Oswalt winning the crucial Game 6 of the National League championship series against the St. Louis Cardinals. In that time, Clemens received most of the national attention. He got the Sports Illustrated cover and all the endorsements. Oswalt got most of the victories and pitched the most innings, though. On perhaps the greatest staff in the history of a franchise that has had some of the greatest staffs, Oswalt was the unquestioned ace in the clubhouse. “Roy’s always been the No. 1 guy as far as I’m concerned,” said Clemens, the 11-time All-Star, seven-time

122

Cy Young award winner, and 348-game winner heading into 2007. “Roy, he’s a special kid. He’s got electric stuff. And I think every year he learns more. He makes more adjustments. And that’s what’s going to allow him, if he wants, to pitch 15–20 years. He’s going to be able to do that because he’s learning more.” Oswalt had a pair of 20-win seasons with Clemens and Pettitte on the staff, joining Niekro (1979 and 1980) as the only Astros pitcher to claim consecutive 20-win seasons. The 6-foot right-hander from Weir, Mississippi, celebrated his 29th birthday on August 29, 2006, by signing a fiveyear, $73 million contract, the richest deal the Astros ever gave a pitcher. It took only a few months before the rest of the baseball world realized just how much of a bargain that deal was. He’s also managed to stay humble, a trait that helped earn him a spot on ESPN.com’s list of most underrated players in baseball in May 2007. No greater authority than the legendary Ryan agrees on Oswalt, a pitcher he first lobbied for after the right-hander was sent up to Class AA Round Rock with a round-trip ticket back to Class A until Ryan made sure he remained at Class AA. “I think he stands a very good chance of [being remembered as the best Astros pitcher] with the start that he has, the stuff that he has, and his competitiveness,” Ryan said of Oswalt. “If he’s fortunate enough to stay away from any crippling-type injury I think Roy very well could go down

123

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

and be the most successful pitcher in the Astros’ franchise history. I think Roy is a very gifted athlete, and he understands pitching. And I think that’s a plus for him. And I think he came up in an organization that puts a value on pitching and has tried to build this organization on pitching. I think he represents that real well as a product of this organization.”

DO THE ASTROS HAVE TOO MANY RETIRED JERSEYS? Although the franchise has only been playing

43

since 1962, the Astros have more retired jerseys than many baseball clubs who have played twice as long.

Contrast the Astros with the Houston Rockets. Houston’s NBA club has retired only five jerseys, and four of the players who wore those numbers are in or will be in the Hall of Fame. When you notice that Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Calvin Murphy, Moses Malone, and Rudy Tomjanovich’s numbers have been retired, you can understand why—those players are among the greatest who have ever played. Anywhere. Well, the same can’t quite be said for the Astros, when you look up and see that the great Jeff Bagwell, Jose Cruz, and Nolan Ryan are joined up there by Jim Umbricht, Don

Wilson, Mike Scott, Larry Dierker, and Jimmy Wynn. Bagwell, Cruz, Ryan, and Dierker had storied careers in Houston, and Scott definitely belongs up there. The others aren’t quite legendary names in baseball. Jose Cruz was the Astros’ MVP and a two-time All-Star, and he can still be found in the top 10 in most of the Astros’ offensive categories. He was one of the most feared Astros hitters throughout his career, just as Bagwell was in his. Jeff Bagwell became the first Astros Rookie of the Year in 1991 and the team’s first National League MVP in 1994. The franchise’s all-time leader in home runs, he was the club leader through the 1990s until he finally stopped playing in the spring of 2006. Nolan Ryan played nine of his major league record 27 seasons in Houston, winning 106 games through his career. He was in line to become the first player inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown as an Astro, until owner Dr. John McMullen practically pushed him to the Texas Rangers after the 1988 season. Although he played fewer years in Arlington, he wears a Rangers cap on his plaque in Cooperstown. Larry Dierker was a two-time All-Star, a popular Astros broadcaster, and one of the team’s best managers, leading the club to four playoff berths in his five seasons. No previous manager in Astros history had carried the club to more than one postseason berth. Dierker led them to the playoffs four times, in 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2001.

125

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Mike Scott was one of the Astros’ most feared pitchers, finishing 110–81 in his career in Houston. The 1986 Cy Young award winner was the MVP of the 1986 National League championship series even though the Astros lost. Now, for the rest… Jim Umbricht was one of the top relievers in baseball on the inaugural 1962 Colt .45s, going 4–0 with a 2.01 ERA that season. He recovered from a cancer operation before the 1963 season and finished that year with a 4–3 record and 2.61 ERA, but he died on April 8, 1964. His No. 32 was retired a year later, even though his stats just weren’t good enough. Don Wilson, who threw two no-hitters with the Astros before suffering a mysterious death on January 15, 1975, was 103–92 in nine seasons in Houston. He never won more than 16 games in a season. His No. 40 was retired three months after his death. Jimmy Wynn was known as the Toy Cannon for his ability to hit home runs. Nonetheless, he drove in more than 100 runs in only one of his seasons in Houston from 1963 through 1973. Heck, in Houston he drove more than 90 runs in only one season. A career .250 hitter, he hit over .270 only twice in Houston. Of all these men only Ryan is in the Hall of Fame. Moreover, the Astros’ retired jerseys appear to be even more of a farce to a segment of the population because the legendary J.R. Richard has been ignored. Throughout Houston, folks who saw Richard in his prime still argue that

126

he is the greatest Astros pitcher ever. They claim Houston has never had a pitcher who was as feared as Richard was in his prime. The glaring omission of Richard seems even worse considering the Astros standards for retiring jerseys. Compared to the likes of the Yankees’ retired jerseys— those worn by Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, and Lou Gehrig—it seems quite humbling to look at the list of men who have had their jerseys retired by the Astros. There’s just too many of them.

LANCE BERKMAN: Will He Finish His Career as the Greatest Astros Player Ever? Despite a terrible start to the 2007 season,

44

Lance Berkman might very well be the best position player in Astros history. Why?

HE’S CLUTCH. Berkman’s postseason success completely eclipses franchise icons Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio, who struggled early on with more powerful Astros teams that seemed on the verge of playoff glory. Take a look at Berkman’s postseason numbers. In 2004, he hit .409 with one home run

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

and three RBIs as the Astros beat the Atlanta Braves in the Division Series to win a postseason series for the first time in franchise history. In the 2004 NLCS, he hit .292 with three home runs and nine RBIs in the seven-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals. When the competition was pitching around him the next postseason, he hit .357 with one home run and five RBIs against the Braves in the Division Series. Then he hit .286 with one home run and three RBIs in the NLCS against the Cardinals as the Astros clinched a World Series berth for the first time. Although the Chicago White Sox pitched around him throughout the World Series, he still hit .385 with two doubles and six RBIs. He has had some clutch home runs as well: In Game 4 of the 2005 Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, the Astros seemed doomed until he hit a grand slam in the eighth inning to get the Astros within one run. Brad Ausmus homered in the ninth inning to tie the score, and the Astros eventually won that historic game in 18 innings to advance to the National League championship series.

HE’S GOT POWER. The former Rice University star is threatening to eclipse Bagwell’s home run numbers. Bagwell hit 445 home runs from 1991 through 2005, and Berkman had 225 home runs through eight seasons heading into the 2007 season. In time, he will be considered ahead of Bagwell as the franchise’s

128

top slugger, when you factor in that Berkman has contributed in the regular season and excelled in the postseason, too. And as a threat, Berkman has been the most feared Astros slugger since 2001. Moreover, since 2001 he has been one of the premier switch-hitters: From 2001 through 2006, his 200 home runs were the most by a switch-hitter in the majors.

HE’S VERSATILE. Much like Biggio, Berkman also has played out of position at times to help the team. A first baseman/outfielder in college, he learned to play the outfield because Bagwell was already at first base. He moved to first base in 2005, but he has returned to the outfield from time to time to help get better bats in the lineup.

HE’S FROM TEXAS. Long before he started hitting home runs for the Astros, he helped Wayne Graham build a dynasty at Rice University. “Coming to Houston from New Braunfels, he first led the Rice Owls to the College World Series, then, good fortune had it, he was the Astros’ first draft pick,” said the Chronicle’s Dale Robertson. “After eight seasons, his value on all fronts is now such that he could be another Biggio, a permanent Astro. With Jeff Bagwell retired and Biggio presumably in his last season, the popular first baseman is about to become the face of the franchise.”

129

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

HE’S GOT CONVICTION. Off the diamond, he’s also a media darling because he doesn’t hold back. He’s witty and honest, unafraid to give a candid critique of his team when they’re struggling. Throughout the community, he has also developed a reputation as a committed advocate for young men to live a Christian lifestyle. At a time when political correctness often gets in the way of folks trying to preach their mind, Berkman embraces the opportunity to express his views and preach his gospel. As he says, God gave him a gift to play baseball, and he will use that platform to help affect change around the city. Still not convinced? Berkman had his best season in 2006, when he finished third behind Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols in the National League MVP balloting after hitting .315 with 45 homers and a club-record 136 runs batted in. He and Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle are the only switch-hitters to have multiple 40-home run seasons. And he’s only 31 years old. Craig Biggio has all the Astros beat in terms of longevity and hits, and Bagwell is considered the greatest slugger in franchise history. As great as they were, however, the team didn’t win in the postseason until Berkman carried the load. Berkman’s brilliance stood out above all else when it mattered most.

130

MILO OR GENE? For generations of Astros fans, baseball sounds

45

funny if Milo Hamilton isn’t calling the game. But for the older generation of Astros fans, the voice of the Astros will always be Gene Elston,

who was with the organization before the team ever played a game and hung around for 25 years. Elston left the Astros after the 1986 season, but his legion of fans have never left him. His support throughout Houston was such that a website was formed to help land him in the Hall of Fame. It finally paid off when he was given the Ford Frick Award and a place in Cooperstown in 2006. With Loel Passe at his side for 15 years, Elston helped bring Major League Baseball to Houston and most of Texas on the inaugural opener of the 1962 Colt .45s, who eventually became the Astros. Six years after he left the Astros, the Fort Dodge, Iowa, native was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992. That same year, Milo Hamilton, the ultimate Iowa Hawkeye, earned his place in Cooperstown, capping a broadcasting career that started as a student at the University of Iowa. Hamilton landed in Houston in 1985 after leaving the Pittsburgh Pirates.

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

The 2007 season was Hamilton’s 23rd with the Astros, his 55th broadcasting Major League Baseball, and his 62nd in broadcasting. Although Elston may have called the early years of the organization, Hamilton has been the voice for the great years, including his brilliant calling of the Astros’ first World Series in 2005 against the Chicago White Sox. On the air Elston was a bit more reserved than Hamilton, who drips with emotion and love for the game. In addition to the Baseball Hall of Fame and Texas Baseball Hall of Fame, Hamilton’s flair for the dramatic has been rewarded with a place in two more Halls of Fame, including the prestigious Radio Hall of Fame in 2000. While Elston is more of a regional voice, Hamilton also made a name for himself in St. Louis, Chicago (with the Cubs and White Sox), and Atlanta. While in Atlanta, he called Hank Aaron’s legendary 715th home run, which broke Babe Ruth’s alltime home run mark in 1974. Hamilton also broadcast Roger Maris’s 61st home run, which broke Ruth’s single-season record in 1961. Elston, who now writes an online column for the fan website Astrosdaily.com, was behind the microphone when Nolan Ryan broke Walter Johnson’s strikeout record. He also called the longest shutout game in baseball history on April 15, 1968, when the Astros beat the Mets 1–0. “Gene Elston’s soothing voice and knowledgeable broadcasts helped educate and entertain generations of

132

budding fans as baseball headed south,” Hall of Fame President Dale Petroskey said when Elston’s induction was announced. “Today, the Houston area is one of the real baseball hotbeds in the country, and Gene’s influence for a quarter of a century is largely responsible.” Hamilton was on the committee that elected Elston for the Ford Frick Award, and both men will always be known as the voices of the Astros. But in the age of the Internet and the greatest moments in Astros history, Hamilton’s voice has delivered baseball to Astros fans. He is—and will be for decades—the true voice of the Astros.

WHAT WAS MILO HAMILTON’S GREATEST FEAT? Milo Hamilton, the legendary voice of the

46

Astros, has inspired generations to say, “Holy Toledo” after each home run. He is in four Halls of Fame, including the prestigious one in

Cooperstown. He was on the microphone for the Atlanta Braves when Hank Aaron surpassed Babe Ruth to set the all-time home run mark. He’s called 11 no-hitters and authored his own book. Just like Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens were credited

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

for their longevity, Hamilton draws raves from peers for joining the legendary Vin Scully among the great baseball voices that have combined longevity with their brilliant talents. Hamilton has been around, and his past visits to so many ballparks give him an insight that today’s young broadcasters just cannot offer. Over his career in baseball, Hamilton worked for the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Browns, Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Astros. Other than the four Hall of Fame inductions, there is perhaps no greater testament to Hamilton’s longevity than the 54 stadiums from which he has broadcast games. He literally has outlived stadiums. He’s gone from Washington’s Griffiths Stadium, Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium, Philadelphia’s Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium, St. Louis’s Sportsman’s

Park, Cincinnati’s

Crosley

Field, and

Chicago’s Comiskey Park all the way to RFK Memorial Stadium, Kaufman Stadium, Citizens Bank Park, and old and new Busch Stadium to Great American Ball Park and U.S. Cellular Field. Taking a look at a recent road trip of Hamilton’s stops helps put it in perspective. Hamilton, 80, walked into Angel Stadium on June 18, 2007, when the Astros opened an interleague series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. When Hamilton last visited the site with the White Sox in 1965 he had no idea he wouldn’t return for the stadium’s opening season in 1966. At that time, the Milwaukee Braves

134

had not yet called him to ask if he’d move to Atlanta with the team the next season. He took the offer in Atlanta and then devoted the rest of his career to the National League, moving to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the late 1970s and then the Astros. (Pittsburgh, by the way, went from Three Rivers to PNC Park since Hamilton left there.) “I saw this park when they were building it,” Hamilton said of Angel Stadium. “The last year I was with the White Sox was 1965, and of course we were staying downtown [Los Angeles] and we were playing in Chavez Ravine with the Angels.” When informed that the Angels would offer the White Sox a bus trip to the new stadium, Hamilton tagged along. “There was a stake in the ground where home plate was going to be and they had cleared a lot of the ground where the stands were going to be,” Hamilton said. “That’s 42 years ago, 1965. Coming in here it really kind of dawned on me as I was walking in the passage way that it was just being built last time I saw the ground. And here it is a 41year-old park and I’m just seeing it.” It had been so long since he was there that on his last visit, the club that now bills itself as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim actually played in Los Angeles’s Dodger Stadium, which they called Chavez Ravine for Angels games. Since then, the Angels have gone from being called the Los Angeles Angels to the California Angels to the Anaheim Angels and now the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

135

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Since that visit in 1965, the Astros have played in two home stadiums under three names, the Astrodome, Enron Field, and Minute Maid Park. Hamilton’s old White Sox have had Comiskey and U.S. Cellular Field. The Atlanta Braves, the team that hired Hamilton away from the White Sox in 1966, went from playing in Milwaukee in 1965 to Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium in 1966 to eventually Turner Field. Hamilton, who has been calling Major League Baseball since 1953, stopped traveling full-time in 2006. He makes select trips to stadiums he has not visited, which is why he traveled with the Astros for the start of the interleague series against the Angels. But Angel Stadium doesn’t rank among the top stadiums Hamilton has visited. He ranks Wrigley Field, Fenway Park, Minute Maid Park, Baltimore’s Camden Yards, Pittsburgh’s PNC Park, San Francisco’s AT&T Park, and Dodger Stadium among his favorites. As a boy growing up in Iowa, he always saw Chicago as the greatest city in the world. Calling games at Wrigley Field like he did when he worked for the Cubs will always be seen as the biggest treat while calling a game because that stadium is still his favorite. Hamilton’s

second-year

broadcast

partner

Dave

Raymond, who takes turns with road partner Brett Dolan sharing the home duties as Hamilton’s partner, has a tremendous appreciation for Hamilton’s tenure. “Fifty-four stadiums, I think that just takes a whole lot,”

136

Raymond said. “It’s got to be the confluence of a lot of things: good luck, good health, and a good career. I think I can get lucky. I think I can be healthy, but 54 is an awful big number, an awful big number. Fifty-four is a big number for any broadcaster, legend or no. It’s just another layer on the onion. There are a lot of things about Milo that have created the iconic stature and this is one of them. He’s called 11 no-hitters. He’s called some of the more significant moments in baseball history in the last 50 years. And you think about it, his career has outlasted ballparks. It’s outlasted, I don’t want to say franchises, but if you think the Montreal Expos came and went during Milo’s tenure. This is just another page, another chapter in the book.” “Fifty-four,” Hamilton said, “ain’t bad.”

137

FOOTBALL

DID THE TEXANS FAIL DAVID CARR OR DID CARR FAIL THE TEXANS? David Carr arrived in Houston out of Fresno

47

State as the first overall pick in the NFL’s 2002 draft, bringing good looks and plenty of national hype as the first draft choice of the

expansion Texans. He landed in a city that wanted to love him, a city that had longed for football ever since Bud Adams took the beloved Oilers to Tennessee in 1997, where they actually won the Super Bowl they could never reach in Houston. Yes, the city of Houston desperately wanted Carr and the Texans to succeed. In a city that politely gives its sports heroes their private space, Carr was the closest thing to a matinee idol. His long dark locks were front page news and fodder for television. He was even deemed worthy of sharing the endorsement stage for a local grocery store with Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte. Unfortunately, the commercial was right: Like every quarterback, Carr hated sacks. And sacks were what the poor young man got over and over again in his five seasons. “War for Texas” screamed the headline over Carr’s face on the August 19, 2002, issue of Sports Illustrated.

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

National news, and a huge deal. By the time of his release in 2007, Carr’s status had sunk so far that the move was essentially relegated to agate type outside of Houston. Charley Casserly, the general manager who put together the inaugural Texans, was pushed out of town about 10 months before Carr got his walking papers. If Casserly had made better choices in the expansion draft, the Texans might be able to say that Carr failed them more than they failed him. But the truth is that there was plenty of blame to go around in the Carr saga. “The Texans failed Carr by throwing him to the wolves as an expansion team quarterback, then changing his offensive line coach four times, his offensive coordinator three times, and his quarterbacks coach three times in his five seasons,” said legendary Houston Chronicle NFL writer John McClain. “He was sacked 249 times. Ultimately, he became like the dog that expected to get hit, and he needed a new zip code. The Texans did him a terrible disservice in his first three seasons, but he contributed mightily to their problems the last two seasons.” It’s difficult to argue with McClain, who has covered more Oilers and Texans football than any Houston sports journalist. Carr’s 6-foot-3, 216-pound body absorbed plenty of punishment over his five seasons with the Texans. Nonetheless, Carr must accept some of the blame for his

140

failures while never leading the Texans to more than seven victories in a season. He never emerged as a team leader, and that’s a tremendous indictment for a man in the most important leadership position in football. He never developed a reputation as a hard worker who would stay late and arrive early. He didn’t earn any points in the locker room over his first three seasons, a time when he usually exited the field after practices with his father. That type of thing is nice in Pop Warner football or even high school football, but it’s rare to see such a constant—if not obsessive—presence by a father once stars reach college, let alone the NFL. The Oilers may have abandoned Houston in 1997, but Houston fans know what to expect from a quarterback. The great Dan Pastorini and Hall of Famer Warren Moon showed the city how a great quarterback can lead. And, quite honestly, Carr wouldn’t even have been worthy of serving as a valet for Pastorini or Moon, neither of whom was shocked Carr was released after five mediocre seasons. “I’m surprised it took them as long as it did,” Pastorini told the Houston Chronicle. “I was really pulling for Carr, but it’s a sad reality of the game. He’s a great kid, but you have to deliver in the NFL. A lot of what happened to him was his fault. He struggled with his mechanics and not picking things up. He has that sidearm delivery, and he had more balls batted down than any quarterback I’ve seen.…Leadership is the most important thing in the

141

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

world. The quarterback has to go out of his way to build camaraderie with his teammates. He has to make an effort, to sacrifice, to find out what they want and what they need. The quarterback has to spend time with them after practice in the regular season and after practice in training camp. He’s got to know that when he steps into the huddle there are 11 minds thinking the same thing.” Carr’s mind might have been clearer if he would not have been sacked 249 times over five seasons, easily the most in the NFL during that time span. In that regard, Casserly should be blamed because Carr didn’t pick his offensive line. Carr didn’t waste the first overall pick in the expansion draft on left tackle bust Tony Bosselli, who never played a down for the Texans. “The Texans failed David Carr first, but in the end he failed them as well,” said the Houston Chronicle’s Daniel Cunningham. “He never became the team leader that the quarterback needs to be, especially on an expansion team.” Houston Chronicle columnist John Lopez agreed. “There was responsibility on the Texans’ part to surround Carr with adequate tools,” Lopez said. “But at some point great players find a way. A back-up quarterback found a way in brief moments replacing Carr. If I had to choose just one of those options, though, it would be Carr failing the Texans. When you are the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, you have to prove to be great. He wasn’t even close.”

142

In our minds, though, it’s the other way around. Carr didn’t fail the Texans as much as they failed him by not getting him a better offensive line. But there’s no denying he played some part in his failure, too.

WORST MOVE MADE BY AN OILERS OR TEXANS GENERAL MANAGER? It’s easy to pick on the Texans for missing out

48

on Vince Young and Reggie Bush when they spent the first overall pick in the 2006 draft on defensive end Mario Williams. Former Texans

general manager Charley Casserly will have to carry that burden on his resume for years to come—or at least until Young and Bush fail and Williams becomes a perennial member of the Pro Bowl. But that wasn’t the only Casserly mistake. If Casserly had gone with Julius Peppers instead of Carr with the first pick in 2002, the Texans’ history might be a little brighter. However, the Oilers made an even worse move. The NFL may have never left Houston if Oilers general manager Ladd Herzeg had not made the mistake of firing Bum Phillips after the 1980 season. Phillips was Houston through and through, and he likely

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

would have stuck around long enough to get the franchise through the playoff hump they never mastered in Houston before finally landing in the Super Bowl as the Tennessee Titans. With his cowboy hat and boots, he rallied the city like no one else save the Rockets’ Rudy Tomjanovich during the Rockets’ two NBA titles in the 1990s. Long before the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately mentality truly took over professional sports, Ladd Herzeg got rid of a coach that owned the city and embodied goodwill throughout. Before he was fired, Phillips had taken the Oilers to the playoffs for three consecutive years, losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion each time. In other words, they were eliminated only by the very best. If anybody could have gotten the Oilers a new stadium, it likely would have been Bum Phillips. But he was long gone by the time Bud Adams moved the Oilers to Tennessee in 1997. If Bum Phillips had not been let go, he surely would have pushed the franchise to a Super Bowl or two, and it’s doubtful fans remembering such civic pride would have let the team leave town. Sure, the Oilers had some success after Phillips left, but to what heights could they have gone? Letting Bum Phillips go is still the worst move by a Texans or Oilers general manager.

144

BIGGEST LOSS IN THE TEXANS’ BRIEF FRANCHISE HISTORY? There are plenty of losses to choose from. After

49

all, the Texans learned how to lose in interesting fashion during the early seasons. In 2002, they lost by 35 points to the Cincinnati Bengals. In

2004, they lost by the same margin to the Indianapolis Colts. The Texans’ worst loss had nothing to do with the margin of defeat, though. In fact, they only lost by eight points, but the loss to the Cleveland Browns during the last game of the 2004 season sent the Texans in a downward spiral that eventually ended a year later with Dom Capers being fired. The Texans entered the game with high hopes as their best season in franchise history wound down. Quarterback David Carr was playing great, and it appeared a given that the Texans were going to finish .500 for the first time ever. They were coming off a stunning 21–0 victory over their AFC South rival the Jacksonville Jaguars, which essentially ended Jacksonville’s hopes of reaching the playoffs. That excitement soon ended on January 2, 2005, when the Texans did everything wrong against the lowly Browns, who were 10-point underdogs after losing nine consecutive games prior to arriving at Reliant Stadium.

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

The boos started in the first half, right after cornerback Demarcus Faggins gave the offense tremendous field position at Cleveland’s 32-yard line. Carr picked up one first down, but was then sacked. He got back up, threw an incompletion, and then scrambled on the final play for a 1-yard loss. At the start of the second half, Browns quarterback Kelly Holcomb threw an interception, but the Texans failed to take advantage. They went three-and-out. That was basically the story of the game: The Texans ended up with their second-worst offensive game of the season, picking up just 238 total yards. Carr was slow to make decisions in the pocket and was sacked six times. The Texans were booed off the field. “I’d boo, too,” Carr said afterward. “It was embarrassing.” The loss sent the Texans into a tailspin. Coach Dom Capers decided that despite their best season in franchise history, he wanted the offense overhauled. He wanted to change everything to keep Carr on his feet. He wanted the seven-step drops that Carr was most comfortable with cut to just three steps. He wanted the ball out of Carr’s hands quicker. The Texans worked on the changes all off-season, but when it came time to play in the preseason, offensive coordinator Chris Palmer went back to what worked in the past. Carr used seven-step drops. Without much practice the offense looked disjointed. He went back to the three-step drops in the regular season. After two early losses—one at Buffalo and one at home to Pittsburgh—Capers decided to

146

fire Palmer. The damage had already been done months earlier, though, and the tailspin continued. The Texans were still reeling when the Browns returned to Reliant Stadium in 2005. They were 0–6 at the time, and the Browns were 2–4. “Our problems did start against Cleveland,” Texans owner McNair told the Houston Chronicle prior to the Browns’ return. “I certainly remember it and I’d like to think our players do, too. I hope everybody’s motivated. They should be. I never expected for us to be where we are right now. I thought we’d be better.” The Texans ended their losing streak against the Browns but went on to win only one more game in 2005. Capers was fired the day after the 2–14 season ended.

BIGGEST VICTORY IN THE TEXANS’ FRANCHISE HISTORY? For almost five seasons, the Texans had to go

50

back to their infancy to find a victory that mattered. Their most improbable victory was their first one. It was a primetime game on

national television and the Texans were playing the mighty Dallas Cowboys in Reliant Stadium.

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

With tons of Cowboys fans in Houston, Texans fans just hoped their team would not be humiliated. Instead, the Texans shocked “America’s Team” with a 19–10 victory in front of 69,604 fans. That victory remained atop the list until 2006, when the Texans entered another contest looking almost as hopeless and hapless. They had just been defeated by Vince Young and his Tennessee Titans 26–20 in overtime on their home field and then humiliated by the New England Patriots 40–7. With a 4–10 record, the Texans were set to meet Peyton Manning on Christmas Eve. Few expected the present they were about to receive. In nine games, the Texans had never defeated their AFC South rivals. But that all changed when kicker Kris Brown nailed a 48-yard field goal through the uprights to seal a 27–24 victory. Of course, the Colts would go on to win the Super Bowl that season, and the Texans would merely finish 6–10, but it was still a huge feat for a team that was in desperate need of a sign that their hard work in coach Gary Kubiak’s first season was paying off. “I was almost in tears,” linebacker DaShon Polk said. “It was so emotional. I feel happy for [owner Bob] McNair and Kubiak. McNair saw me and came and just hugged me. I was like, ‘Whoa. This is big time.’” It was a rare game in which the Texans executed to near perfection. Carr was focused and crisp on the field as he

148

rebounded from a four-interception performance the week before by completing 16 of 23 passes for 163 yards. He threw one 3-yard touchdown pass to fullback Vonta Leach. Ron Dayne put together the best performance of his upand-down pro career. He rushed for 153 yards on 32 carries and scored two touchdowns, becoming the driving force behind an offense that was tied with the Colts at 24 with two seconds remaining. Kubiak called a time-out and Brown did his job from there. “This was a true Christmas miracle,” center Steve McKinney said after the victory over his former team. “After losing to those guys nine times, nothing could be sweeter than this.” The victory was key for Kubiak, who played and coached in seven Super Bowls, winning three. He spent all season trying to develop a winning mentality in the locker room, but he understood that it wasn’t going to really work until the Texans experienced what it was like to win something big. After the victory over the Colts, Kubiak hoped the feeling of elation was something the young players wouldn’t forget. “I’ve been fortunate to experience winning in my career, and I want these guys to be able to feel it, too,” Kubiak said. “They’ve worked so hard. They’ve overcome so much. This is just an emotion I wanted them to feel, and I’m not just talking about the players, either. I’m talking

149

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

about everyone in the organization and our fans, too. There’s nothing like it. “We probably couldn’t have played any better, and we barely got out of there with our lives.”

BIGGEST PUBLIC RELATIONS NIGHTMARE FOR THE TEXANS? The Texans had a chance to spin the worst

51

season in franchise history, when they finished 2–14 in 2005, into a winner. Fans back in Houston actually cheered when they lost their finale,

ensuring them the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft. The franchise seemed destined to draft the exciting young running back out of USC, Reggie Bush. Fans were thrilled. But then Vince Young threw everyone a curve when he orchestrated one of the greatest victories in college football history by leading the Texas Longhorns to the national championship. He played his best game on the biggest stage, and he represented something all Texans fans wanted to see added to their team: a winner. Gary Kubiak was hired soon after Young’s Rose Bowl victory and in his introductory press conference he was hit with questions of Young vs. David Carr. It only got worse.

Early in February 2006, the Texans announced that they would exercise the three-year, $8 million option on Carr’s contract. Management was clinging to the hope that their biggest decision in franchise history—drafting Carr with the No. 1 overall pick in 2002—wasn’t a mistake. They wanted Kubiak to fix him. That decision spelled doom for the franchise. They still visited with Young and watched him at his Pro Day, but they didn’t intend to draft him. It was a decision that haunted them during Young’s entire first season when he defeated the Texans twice and went on to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Charley Casserly, who had resigned as general manager soon after the 2006 draft, was part of CBS’s The NFL Today in 2006. Even as Young almost led the Titans to a playoff berth, Casserly didn’t acknowledge there was anything special about him—further infuriating fans in Houston. When asked to give a list of the top young quarterbacks in the NFL, he left Young off. Whether or not there was any guilt being felt by Casserly, plenty of others were willing to make it clear what a mistake the Texans made. TV personalities went crazy in December 2006 when Young ran 39 yards for the game-winning touchdown to defeat the Texans 26–20 in overtime in Reliant Stadium. “The mistake was they thought [David] Carr was the guy, and Carr is not the guy,” Jimmy Johnson said on Fox NFL

151

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Sunday. “They should have Vince Young playing in Houston.” It was an amazing game to be at. There were more Vince Young jerseys in the crowd than David Carr jerseys. And fans were torn about who to cheer for. If the Texans made a big play, they cheered. When Young made a big play, they cheered. In the end, they gave Young a standing ovation as their own team walked off the field embarrassed. Less than three months after that game, Carr was released.

WAS DRAFTING MARIO WILLIAMS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE THE TEXANS WILL EVER MAKE? If you’re asking whether the Texans made a

52

mistake when they chose Mario Williams with the first overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft, it’s not much of an argument. It’s universally

accepted that they did. But was it the biggest mistake they’ll ever make? Here’s another error to consider: If the Texans had taken Julius Peppers instead of David Carr in the 2002 draft, the franchise might have been better off because Carr obviously didn’t pan out. But even with Carr, they could have possibly

saved the team, if only they had not wasted the first pick in the expansion draft on Tony Bosselli. With a healthy left tackle, the Texans’ offensive line might have been good enough to protect Carr. Drafting Carr and missing on Bosselli completely is a combination the Texans never quite recovered from. Bosselli was supposed to anchor the offensive line, but he never played a down for the team. Let’s look more closely at the 2006 draft to compare the other options on the board at the time the Texans picked: University of Texas star quarterback Vince Young, the Houston Madison High standout who had just led the Longhorns to the national championship, and Reggie Bush, the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner out of the University of Southern California. But the Texans went after Williams, a guy whom some didn’t even consider the top defensive player on his team at North Carolina State. At 6-foot-61⁄2 and 292 pounds, Williams impressed the Texans with his potential and the fact that some compared him favorably to Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor and Peppers, the guy they should have taken first overall in the 2002 draft. “Not drafting Vince Young is the biggest mistake the Texans will ever make,” said Houston Chronicle NFL writer John McClain. “It wouldn’t have mattered who they drafted, Mario, Reggie Bush, anyone. They can survive and thrive without Bush, but they’re going to regret not drafting Young for a decade or more.”

153

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

McClain has already been honored at the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, for his long and meritorious coverage of the NFL, so it’s difficult to argue with him when it comes to the NFL or the Texans. And it appears as if everyone agrees with him anyway. “Yes,” John Lopez says when asked if drafting Williams will be the biggest mistake the Texans will ever make. “They passed on two franchise players for a decent end that doesn’t make a lot of game-changing plays.” The Houston Chronicle’s Fran Blinebury, one of the best columnists in the history of Texas, was even poetic when discussing the Texans’ mistake. “As long as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, as long as the Brazos runs muddy, as long as jalapenos are hot and beer is cold and margaritas are salty on the rim, it will always be the worst decision that any Houston sports franchise has ever made,” Blinebury said. “Vince Young, Reggie Bush. They didn’t get it wrong once. They got it wrong twice. Double the sheer audacity and total arrogance and utter stupidity.”

154

DID DEMECO RYANS SAVE THE TEXANS’ 2006 DRAFT? Linebacker DeMeco Ryans, the first pick of

53

the second round of the 2006 draft, didn’t end the Vince Young/Reggie Bush/Mario Williams talk, but he did give the Texans

something to celebrate from their often-criticized 2006 rookie class. Thirty-two players, including five linebackers, were chosen ahead of DeMeco Ryans in the draft, but the rookie out of Alabama proved to be a true gem for the Texans. In his rookie season, Ryans collected 156 tackles—the most of any NFL rookie in two decades. He also finished the season with a league-leading 126 solo tackles and 31⁄2 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. “This guy has all the characteristics—what he stands for on and off the field, his mental approach to the game,” Texans linebackers coach Johnny Holland said after the 2006 season. “He’s been the best I’ve ever coached.” In the end, the Texans landed exactly what they had hoped on draft day—the 2006 Defensive Rookie of the Year. It just didn’t happen to come from their No. 1 pick.

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

When Young earned the Offensive Rookie of the Year honor the same day as Ryans took the defensive award, some fans criticized the Texans, saying that they could have had the two best rookies in the entire draft on their team. However, it likely wouldn’t have unfolded that way had the Texans drafted Young. Since the Texans were looking desperately for a pass-rusher, if they had taken Young they likely would have bypassed Ryans in the second round to pick a pass-rushing defensive end. While so much talk was made about defensive end Williams all season, it was the quiet Ryans who ended up being the player the team rallied around from his linebacker’s position. “Thanks to all the teams that passed on him,” cornerback Dunta Robinson said. “I wondered why you had, like, five minutes in the second round to get your pick in and we only wasted, like, 30 seconds to come out and grab him. I guess we knew all along that if this guy falls, we were going to snatch him up. And that’s what we did.” Ryans also showed how comfortable he was becoming one of the faces of the franchise. He was eager to do things in the community. When the Texans gave away bicycles to underprivileged children right before Christmas, the entire team was supposed to walk through and say hi to the children. Some passed without so much as a wave. A few stopped to shake hands. Ryans had to literally be pulled away from the kids. He wanted to make sure there wasn’t one he missed. He took pictures with them. He let

156

them wear his helmet. He sat and talked to them. He was bombarded with hugs. All season, he demonstrated on and off the field exactly what the Texans went into the draft wanting—an instantimpact, defensive rookie with the ability to become a leader. While Williams struggled all season amidst the spotlight, Ryans shined. He was a relentless worker, often the last to leave the stadium every day. He also became impossible to get off the field. He participated in every play on defense until the fourth quarter of a 40–7 blowout against New England in Week 14. Defensive coordinator Richard Smith thought it was a good time for Ryans to rest and he sent in a replacement. At first, Ryans refused to leave the field. “The only reason he left is because we made him,” coach Gary Kubiak said after the game. “He’s been banged up, and he was hobbling around. He wouldn’t leave when we sent in another player. DeMeco sent him back to the sidelines.” Just another reason the Texans cannot ever call the 2006 draft a complete mistake.

157

WILL TEXANS COACH GARY KUBIAK LEAD HIS TEAM TO THE SUPER BOWL? When Texans owner Bob McNair looked to

54

make his first major change in the franchise, replacing head coach Dom Capers, he brought in a slew of coaches to interview: some with a

little experience, others more green. It was clear one stood out above the others, though. It was Gary Kubiak’s second try at a job he had wanted ever since he was told Houston would have its own franchise again in 2002. His interview the first time around didn’t go so well, though, and the Texans chose Dom Capers, who was also the first coach of the expansion Carolina Panthers from 1995 through the 1998 season. When Kubiak didn’t get the Texans job, he went back to work with the Broncos as the offensive coordinator. While he interviewed for other jobs before re-applying in 2006, nothing panned out. Still, when the Texans job opened up Kubiak had no doubt he was ready to try again. Kubiak’s second interview left the Texans with no doubt that he was the man for them. He enter ed the interview process confident and prepared. He wowed them, and this time around the Texans were more willing to take somebody

without previous head coaching experience. After all, Kubiak represented everything with which the Texans wanted to be associated. Winning, most importantly. He had already participated as a player or coach in six Super Bowls and won three of them. He knew what it took to win, because he had been there before. And that is why Kubiak will lead the Texans to the Super Bowl during his tenure with the team. In his 23 years as an NFL player and assistant coach— including two years at Texas A&M as a running backs coach—Kubiak was part of only two losing seasons. He has studied under two of the most respected coaches in the league—Dan Reeves and Mike Shanahan. “After we had completed the interview process, we sat back and reviewed all the candidates for two or three days and determined that he really was the right fit,” Texans owner Bob McNair said soon after the hire. “They were all very impressive, but Gary was the guy that stood out.” One of the biggest positives was how Kubiak was able to get players to rally around him and his plan. He was a major part of the glue that held the locker room together in Denver. He is regarded as a players’ coach, and when the Texans hired him at age 44, he had plenty of experience to draw on as he started to lead his own team. The key for Kubiak in Houston is getting the talent around him and then getting the players to believe they can win. Broncos wide receiver Rod Smith told a story

159

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

about Kubiak soon after he was hired by the Texans. “One time late in the season, a ball bounced off my hands and was intercepted,” Smith told John McClain in the Houston Chronicle. “I got hit pretty hard on the play, but I was able to get up and make it back to the bench. When I got there, someone told me Kubes wanted me on the phone. Before I got on the phone with him, I felt terrible because I’d let him down. The only thing he asked me was, ‘Hey, buddy, are you all right? You took a good shot on that one.’ I told him I was OK, but man, I felt even guiltier. But do you know what? I went back out and caught a touchdown pass. And one of the reasons I did was for Kubes. That’s the kind of coach he is.” In Kubiak, the Texans have a coach they can rally around, and ultimately he’ll likely lead them to the Super Bowl.

160

BASKETBALL

161

ARE THE ROCKETS THE MOST UNDERAPPRECIATED FRANCHISE IN THE CITY? Hardly anybody asks if Houston is a basketball

55

city anymore. In the days when Hakeem Olajuwon was leading the Rockets to prominence, the city couldn’t get enough of the

Rockets. They were front and center on the cover of the Houston Chronicle and the old Houston Post and everybody in the city wanted a piece of them. But now, it seems as if the Rockets get more attention in Yao Ming’s native China than in Houston. Since Yao’s first season in 2002, the ink and chatter devoted to the Rockets stateside appears to have dropped considerably. And considering how much the franchise has actually accomplished, it would seem that the Rockets should be given more credit. So, are the Rockets the most underappreciated franchise in the city? “Yes and no,” said the Houston Chronicle’s Michael Murphy, who has covered basketball in Houston since 1993. “They’re underappreciated mostly because they went to an absolutely unwatchable style of play under Jeff Van Gundy. Getting Van Gundy an offensive talent like

Tracy [McGrady] was like handing a caveman a nuclear weapon. He may have some vague notion that it’s dangerous, but he has no idea how to make it work. And the Rockets proved time and again that they had no idea how to rebuild the franchise in the post-Hakeem era, which led to tragic experiments that landed them me-first knotheads like Eddie Griffin, Maurice Taylor, Stromile Swift, and— most recently—Bonzi Wells. And it didn’t help that McGrady, while a fabulous offensive player, is a first-class [softy] who wants to be treated like The Man, but won’t pay the necessary price on the court.” In a city that prides itself on its strong workman-like approach to life, the Rockets don’t seem to have a player who can draw some of the mystique—a guy like Roger Clemens, who played with the Astros from 2004 through 2006. The Rockets likely weren’t helped during the Jeff Van Gundy era from 2003 through the end of the 2006–07 season. Van Gundy was a media darling, but he probably was too honest when he discussed the failings of his players. True fans understood that Van Gundy preferred not to sugar coat or offer false praise, but casual fans were turned off by hearing the coach explain just how lousy the team was. And after the Rockets were eliminated in the first round of the 2007 playoffs, Van Gundy was relieved of his duties. Some might even argue that the media in the town doesn’t give the Rockets the same attention teams like the

163

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Texans or Astros get, but remember that 1. Houston is a football town and 2. the Astros have been consistently successful. If the Rockets could put together a run through the playoffs like they did in 1994 and 1995, the city might change its tune. Until then, they will probably remain the most underappreciated sports franchise in Houston.

MOST UNDERAPPRECIATED ROCKETS PLAYER EVER? When the best Rockets players are mentioned,

56

who gets left off the list? You’ve got to talk about Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon, Calvin Murphy, Elvin Hayes, and Clyde

Drexler. Even sweet Charles Barkley, who had his better years elsewhere, is probably discussed. Why isn’t Rudy Tomjanovich’s name mentioned more prominently? Tomjanovich, the second overall pick in the 1970 NBA draft, was a truly special talent as a player long before he became one of the best coaches in franchise history. He scored 13,383 points in his career and collected 6,198 rebounds, ranking third in career points and fourth in career rebounds in franchise history. As a smooth small forward, he was part of the first Rockets team to win a division championship, in the

1976–77 season. With an average of 17.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game over 768 games, Tomjanovich was always a top scoring threat for the Rockets. If he had not been punched in the face by the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kermit Washington on December 9, 1977, suffering a dangerous facial fracture, Tomjanovich’s career might be remembered for his nice scoring touch and rebounding instead of “The Punch.” “Everyone forgets that he was an All-Star talent during his playing days, one of the best scoring, rebounding small forwards in the league,” said Houston Chronicle NBA reporter Michael Murphy. “All anyone remembers now is that he almost died when he was punched by Kermit Washington. Because that image is fixed in everyone’s memory, Rudy’s entire career was basically erased.” If Tomjanovich isn’t the most underappreciated player in Rockets history, Ralph Sampson might be. The 7-foot-4 star arrived from the University of Virginia with plenty of hype as the first pick in the 1983 draft, and it wasn’t long after Olajuwon was taken in the 1984 draft that they were dubbed the Twin Towers. Because of injuries, though, Sampson only played five seasons with the Rockets and only nine overall in the NBA. He averaged 19.7 points per game for the Rockets, but he never quite lived up to the expectations for some fans who may not have realized just how truly valuable he was. “He was everything he was hyped to be and more, a

165

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

20–10 guy, an All-Star Game MVP, a 7-4 center who could shoot the jumper, run like a gazelle, rebound, and throw the outlet pass,” said the Houston Chronicle’s Fran Blinebury. “Then his knees went and everybody has since called him a dog. That’s also because they didn’t like his personality, which could be prickly. Probably why I liked him.” If Sampson hadn’t been the first overall selection in the 1983 draft, it might be easier to say he was not appreciated enough for his contributions. A player chosen that high, however, probably should be expected to contribute more. The 6-foot-8 Tomjanovich spent 11 years as a Rockets player, and he still is one of the most prolific scorers in franchise history. He is remembered more for “The Punch” and his coaching success with the team, which is why he gets the nod here.

BEST ROCKETS COACH? Some illustrious—and not so illustrious—

57

coaches have paced the sidelines for the Rockets. Don Chaney gave it a try, and so did Jeff Van Gundy. Bill Fitch took some very young

teams and made them respectable in his five years, and Rudy Tomjanovich taught the world that you should never doubt the heart of a champion.

Where to start? Let’s start at the beginning. Appropriately, perhaps, because of the state where the Rockets play, Tex Winter was the Rockets’ first coach when they moved from San Diego to Houston. However, he never made it out of his second season. John Egan took over for Winter and coached the Rockets through 1976, never finishing above second in the Central Division. Tom Nissalke only coached the Rockets for three years, but he finished first in the Central Division in his first season with a 49–33 record. The Rockets dropped to 28–54 and sixth in the division the next season. Nissalke and the Rockets rebounded to finish second in the Central in the 1978–79 season, but that didn’t help him keep his job. Del Harris led the Rockets to second in the division in each of his first three seasons, but his most amazing coaching performance may have taken place after they finished 40–42 for second place in the Midwest Division in 1980–81. Despite a losing record for that season, the Rockets beat the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the bestof-three first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Moses Malone practically willed his Rockets over Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Lakers a year after Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar led Los Angeles to the title. With Calvin Murphy dropping 42 points on San Antonio to beat the Spurs 105–100 in the winner-take-all Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals, the Rockets passed another hurdle before winning four of five against Kansas

167

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

City to earn the franchise’s first berth in the NBA finals. The ride stopped there, though—Robert Reid, Malone, Murphy, and Mike Dunleavy fell against Larry Bird and Cedric Maxwell’s Celtics 4–2 in the best-of-seven finals. Nonetheless, Harris was promptly let go after finishing sixth in the Midwest Division in his fourth season. The young Rockets finished sixth again in 1983–84, Bill Fitch’s first season. But by Fitch’s third season they finished first in the division with a 51–31 record. Thanks to the Twin Towers of Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson, Fitch’s Rockets rolled through the 1986 playoffs after winning the division. They swept Sacramento, took four of six against Denver, and then won four of five against Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals. The Rockets lost in the finals against Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish’s Boston Celtics in six games, losing the first two at the Boston Garden before taking two of three at The Summit to at least stave off elimination at home. Although the Celtics crushed the Rockets 114–97 in Game 6 to win the championship, Fitch had secured his legacy in Houston by taking the Rockets to their second finals appearance. The Rockets didn’t reach the NBA finals again until Tomjanovich’s 1994 club won the title in seven games against the New York Knicks and then repeated in 1995 with a sweep over the Orlando Magic.

168

Tomjanovich led the Rockets to Houston’s only two major sports titles, so it’s hard to argue against him being the best coach in Rockets’ history. But Bill Fitch also ranks up there with Rudy T. Fitch was one of the best tacticians of his time, and some say he was a better coach than Tomjanovich. “Planning, tactician, game situations, adjusting on the fly, he belongs in the Hall of Fame,” said Houston Chronicle sports writer Fran Blinebury, one of the foremost authorities on the Rockets. Still, Fitch takes a back seat to Tomjanovich in the record books. Rudy T’s 503 career regular season victories and .559 winning percentage in the regular season are still tops in the franchise’s history. Fitch is second on the franchise’s all-time coaching victories list with 216, and he’s second to Tomjanovich in our argument here.

WHO WERE THE TWO GREATEST ROCKETS PLAYERS? Some of the true legendary figures in the history

58

of the NBA have played for the Rockets, including six Naismith Hall of Famers. Elvin Hayes was perhaps the first superstar to play for the

Rockets, but he was let go in his prime and had his greatest

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

moments elsewhere. The other Hall of Famers? It’s quite a list: Moses Malone, Calvin Murphy, Rick Barry, Clyde Drexler, and Charles Barkley. And it’s only a matter of time before Hakeem Olajuwon is inducted into the Hall of Fame when he’s eligible in September 2008. Scottie Pippen also played for the Rockets, but he wasn’t around long enough to even consider him anything other than a Chicago Bull, Robin to Michael Jordan’s Batman. It’s not easy to choose the top two players to have ever worn a Rockets uniform. Like most sports arguments, the age of the person choosing will likely hold sway when deciding. Folks from one era might appreciate Olajuwon more than Malone. Others might think Tracy McGrady, even though he’s not a Hall of Famer, always belongs in the conversation ahead of Murphy or Drexler or Barkley, who actually may not have played long enough in Houston to merit consideration. Let’s take franchise icon Calvin Murphy. He is second all-time in points in Rockets franchise history, and he was the franchise’s first player to land in the Hall of Fame after playing his entire career in Houston. Murphy has ranked in the Top 10 in four statistical categories in one season, something only one other Rocket (Olajuwon) can claim. He accomplished that feat in 1973–74, when he was second in assists per game, fourth in field goal percentage, sixth in free throw percentage, and ninth in steals. Even at 5-foot-9 Murphy was one of the most feared men in the game, because he quite simply refused to be

170

denied. With a determination beyond reproach, he joins Avery Johnson as the only players under 6 feet to have played at least 1,000 NBA games. He didn’t just play. He got 17,949 points in his career, averaging 17.9 points and 4.4 assists over 1,002 games, all with the Rockets. So does he make our cut? No. Why? Let’s ask Rockets authority Fran Blinebury. As far as he’s concerned, there really isn’t much of an argument when considering the top two. “Hakeem Olajuwon, Moses Malone,” he said. “Nobody else is close. Moses was always the hardest working man in show business, relentless on the boards, and a very underrated scorer. He was the master who took Hakeem under his wing and schooled him with nothing but hard work. The pupil became greater than the master.” Malone was a 12-time All-Star and three-time league MVP. Only four men have scored more points or grabbed more rebounds than Malone in the history of the NBA. He claimed two of his NBA MVP trophies with the Rockets, leading Houston to the NBA finals twice. “The Dream,” as Hakeem was called, proved to be very much worth the Rockets’ decision to take him with the first overall selection in the 1984 draft, even if they passed on Michael Jordan. Like his mentor Malone, Olajuwon was a 12-time All-Star. Nobody in NBA history has blocked more shots than Olajuwon, who finished his career with an impressive 3,800 blocks.

171

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Murphy is a legend in Houston, but Malone and Olajuwon stand above him and everybody else as the two greatest players in Rockets franchise history.

WORST MOVE MADE BY A ROCKETS GENERAL MANAGER? Clyde Drexler’s No. 22 has been retired by the

59

Rockets, so the franchise at least atoned for its passing on him in the 1983 draft. Yet, you won’t find Elvin Hayes’s jersey on

the rafters at Toyota Center. Hayes played five seasons with the Rockets, beginning with three years on the San Diego Rockets and then the franchise’s first season in Houston in 1971. But he spent the next nine years in Baltimore and Washington before playing his final season with the Rockets. The Rockets sure could have used the Big E in those nine years. Less than two months after Ray Patterson was named president and general manager of the Rockets in 1972, he made the stupid decision to trade Hayes to the Bullets for Jack Marin. With that move, Patterson got rid of the player who became the NBA’s sixth all-time leading scorer and fourth all-time leading rebounder. Patterson was the NBA’s

Executive of the Year in 1977, an honor that some Rockets fans wouldn’t quite agree with because they would never let him live down getting rid of a local legend, dating back to Hayes’s storied career with the University of Houston. Patterson earned his 1977 Executive of the Year award in part for the October 25, 1976, trade in which he gave the Rockets’ 1977 and 1978 first round picks to Buffalo for Moses Malone, the NBA’s fifth-leading scorer and fifthleading rebounder of all time. Although Malone was the MVP in the NBA twice, it wasn’t enough for Patterson to keep him after the 1982 season. In another boneheaded move, Patterson sent Malone to the Philadelphia 76ers on September 15, 1982, for Caldwell Jones and Philadelphia’s first round pick in 1983. Speaking of that pick, dear ol’ Mr. Patterson ruined that one, too. Instead of taking Drexler after using the first pick on Ralph Sampson, Patterson chose Rodney McCray. Picking McCray instead of Drexler was definitely a dumb move, but it looks even worse considering that pick was part of the compensation they got for giving up Moses Malone. It’s not as though Patterson didn’t know what Malone could do. In 1981, he had led the Rockets to the NBA finals, where they lost to the Boston Celtics. In 1982, Malone stepped up even more and averaged 31.1 points and 14.7 points per game to win his second NBA MVP trophy. The 12-time All-Star won the regular season MVP trophy and finals MVP trophy in his first season with the

173

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

76ers while leading Philadelphia to the 1983 NBA title. Moses Malone’s No. 24 has been retired by the Rockets, but it’s only a reminder of what could have been. It’s fair to say that trading Malone was the worst move ever by a Rockets general manager.

CAN YAO BE AS GREAT AS HAKEEM? Eighteen years after the Rockets went across

60

town to the University of Houston to grab Hakeem (then known as Akeem) Olajuwon with the first overall pick in the 1984 draft, the

Rockets looked all the way to China to secure Yao Ming with the first overall pick in 2002. Not long after Yao was chosen, the comparisons to Olajuwon began. At 7-foot-6 Yao is one of the few men in the world who is actually taller than the 7-foot Olajuwon, but the Shanghai native still has a long way to go before he can overcome the long shadow Olajuwon has left for all the future centers in the organization. Yao doesn’t move with the ease Olajuwon displayed on the court. At 7-foot-6, Yao is definitely a threat to block shots, but Hakeem finished his career as the NBA’s alltime leading blocker. Yao might already be the best center in the NBA, but he has had no success in the

playoffs despite playing with Tracy McGrady. Hakeem brought Houston two titles. Quite simply, it doesn’t appear that Yao will be as great as Olajuwon, but that’s no knock on him. Very few players in the history of the game have been as great as Olajuwon. Over his first five seasons in the NBA, Olajuwon never averaged fewer than 20.6 points per game, which was his average as a rookie. He averaged 23.5 points the next season, 23.4 points in his third season, 22.8 points in his fourth, and 24.8 in his fifth season. Conversely, Yao didn’t average more than 18.3 points a game until his fourth season, when he averaged 22.3. As a rookie, he averaged 13.5 points a game, lifting that average the next year to 17.5 points before averaging 18.3 points per game in his third season. Some would argue that Yao will never match Olajuwon because he lacks Hakeem’s athleticism and innate sense of the game. “That’s not to say Yao can’t be very, very good, a perennial All-Star,” said the Houston Chronicle’s Fran Blinebury. “But the more you move away from Hakeem and what he did, the more impressive it becomes. People thought he was opening a new door for big men in the league with his athleticism and speed and moves. But he’s gone and there is not anyone doing what he did. As much acclaim as he received, I think he’s underrated. Yao can be the linear descendant of Hakeem and Moses. I don’t think he’ll catch them.”

175

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Upon closer examination it seems almost unfair to ask whether Yao will equal Olajuwon’s greatness. At this point it doesn’t appear likely.

CAN YAO LEAD THE ROCKETS TO A TITLE? Hakeem Olajuwon could take control of a

61

playoff series, and so could Moses Malone. Rockets fans are used to watching their big men dominate in the postseason, so the stan-

dard has been set for Yao Ming. The 7-foot-6 center from China had folks wondering if he could lead the Rockets to the playoffs since the day he was taken with the first overall selection in the 2002 draft. Five seasons later, fans are still wondering if Yao has what it takes. Can he be as good and as dominant as Olajuwon and Malone were? Can he help lead the organization to a title or two? “Yes, but they have to build a team around his specific talents,” says Michael Murphy, the Houston Chronicle sports writer. “He’s much like Bill Walton during his first few years in Portland, when they had a ton of All-Star caliber offensive players—Sidney Wicks, Geoff Petrie—but they didn’t really fit what Walton did best, passing in the half court, triggering

the break with his rebounding and outlets. So they gutted the team prior to the 1976–77 season and rebuilt, with every acquisition designed to complement Walton’s style of play. Portland won the title that year and was cruising to a second straight when Walton broke his foot in the 1978 playoffs, the year he was MVP. Go back and read about it. Everything people are saying and writing about Yao is precisely what was pinned on Walton back then.” The difference? Walton had a track record as a winner. He was an important part of John Wooden’s UCLA dynasty. Yao arrived in America straight from China, and he has yet to prove capable of leading his team to playoff glory. Our verdict is that Yao will get there, though. His supporting cast is another question. So can he lead the Rockets to a title? Yes. “Anybody who says otherwise is an idiot,” said the Houston Chronicle’s Fran Blinebury. “Yao is a 25 [points], 9 [rebound] guy who has made incredible strides in five seasons. If you want the guy who isn’t up to the challenge, it’s [Tracy] McGrady.” McGrady may be a concern. Olajuwon didn’t do it alone with the Rockets, and neither did Malone on the way to the finals. For Yao to be successful enough to carry the Rockets to a championship or at least the finals, he’s going to need another star to help carry the load. McGrady should be it, but it’s clear some fans and media doubt if he can help Yao.

177

WHAT ARE THE TOP FIVE NAMES IN ROCKETS HISTORY? The Rockets have had some pretty interesting

62

names stitched across the back of their jerseys. For example: Granville Waiters would have been a perfect

name for a point guard, but the 6-foot-11 Waiters served only eight assists throughout his entire season with the Rockets. The name Otto Moore definitely inspires confidence, but that center didn’t provide much more than other backup centers around the NBA. One must wonder if guards Sleepy Floyd, Buck Johnson, Pig Miller, Reece Gaines, Chris Jent, and Sam Mack lived up to their names with the ladies. Rafer Alston’s name would have fit in well in the days when some of the Rockets’ guards were having their problems with drugs, but he was way too young for that era. Mark Acres didn’t cover much ground in his six games with the Rockets, averaging one point per game. At that rate, Acres could be seen as a very unproductive piece of real estate. Steve Francis’s name is pretty standard, but his nickname

“Stevie Franchise” could not have been more appropriate. After all, he’s bounced around enough franchises to know. In June 2004, the Rockets dealt him to the Orlando Magic in the deal that brought Tracy McGrady to Houston. After one season there, he was traded to the New York Knicks. Then after the 2006–2007 season he was dealt to the Portland Trail Blazers, who gave him a buyout on the $30 million left on his contract. Then, he re-signed with the Rockets, the team that acquired him after the Vancouver Grizzlies took him with the second overall pick in the 1999 draft. But all those names are relatively easy to spell. Throughout the years, the Rockets have put together some challenging roster spellings. Torraye Braggs would seem to have the perfect last name for the NBA or professional sports in general, but it’s hard to brag a lot when you averaged 4.4 points per game over four seasons with the Rockets. In the 1971–72 season, Rudy Tomjanovich and guard Larry Siegfried surely had their names misspelled across the country, and it couldn’t have been much easier when Zaid Abdul-Aziz (Don Smith) showed up. Hakeem Olajuwon, known as Akeem early on, took a while to remember how to spell. But in Houston he was a household name, as famous as Smith or Jones, because of his days at the University of Houston. In this century, forward Bostjan Nachbar, Yao Ming, and Dikembe Mutombo have the all-world roster covered.

179

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Nachbar didn’t make much of a dent, but Mutombo was a household name by the time he reached the Rockets, and Yao is one of the most famous athletes in the world. He is easily the most famous Chinese basketball player in the NBA, and his ascent in America has helped to educate fans around the country. In terms of names, though,Yao is one of the easiest to spell or understand in the history of the Rockets. But who makes the list of best Rockets names? Here you go:

NO. 5: JOHN BLOCK If ever there was a name for a basketball player, center/forward John Block definitely fit the bill. There’s nothing like a center who can block. Sadly, Block didn’t have a single block credited to him with the San Diego Rockets.

NO. 4: JOHN Q. TRAPP If you’re a coach who puts a premium on defensive traps, what better name than John Q. Trapp for forcing steals? Block and Trapp must have formed a perfect duo, trapping and blocking their way across the court. Well, not really. Trapp was a forward, and he never got one steal for the Rockets.

NO. 3: PURVIS SHORT Height is important in the NBA, but it’s not a problem if you’re short. Well, if you’re Purvis Short, a name you don’t expect to see in the NBA; on the Astros, perhaps, but not in the NBA.

180

NO. 2: KENNARD WINCHESTER Shooting is crucial in the NBA, so why wouldn’t you want a Winchester? Well, you’d want the shooter to hit consistently. Kennard Winchester wasn’t much of a shooter over three seasons, averaging only 3.7 points per game in his first stint with the Rockets and 3.4 points per game in his second.

NO. 1: SEDALE THREATT Threatt had a decent 14-year career, but he wasn’t much of a threat to score during the 21 games he played with the Rockets.

CAN TRACY MCGRADY LEAD THE ROCKETS TO PLAYOFF GLORY? There’s no doubt McGrady is one of the best

63

talents in basketball. He’s a special player with skills that seem magical at times. He hasn’t, however, done anything to push his team to

excellence in the postseason. Heck, he’s been with three teams and failed to take any of them beyond the first round of the playoffs. He has long been surpassed by the likes of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James in the quest to be the next Michael

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Jordan. And now some folks are questioning whether he’s tough enough to be the player to help Yao Ming bring a championship to Houston one day. He headed into the 2007 playoffs averaging nearly 30 points a game in the playoffs, but he and Yao couldn’t lead Jeff Van Gundy’s club past the first round. “If you want the guy who isn’t up to the challenge, it’s [Tracy] McGrady,” said longtime Houston Chronicle reporter Fran Blinebury. One issue is his back. McGrady has been plagued by back problems, which have forced him to miss stretches of games. Some folks in Houston don’t think McGrady has the inner strength or even the ability to overcome his back problems to carry the Rockets to a title. And he has already been traded twice since he was drafted as an 18-year-old by the Toronto Raptors with the ninth overall pick in the 1997 draft. Sure, it’s not unusual for teams to unload franchise players. Heck, the Rockets got rid of both Elvin Hayes and Moses Malone. Nonetheless, it’s rare for two teams to trade a franchise player, which makes one wonder if McGrady would have been traded if he were actually a player who could lead a team to a title. That’s not to say McGrady, or T-Mac as he is known by some fans, hasn’t had some special moments already in Houston. In a span of only 35 seconds at the end of a game against the San Antonio Spurs in December 2004, the 6-foot-8 forward/guard dropped 13 points, including four

182

consecutive three-pointers. He was fouled on one of those three-pointers, and he converted the free throw for a fourpoint play. In one of those moments that will live on forever in Houston sports lore, he hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to pull off the come-from-behind 81–80 victory over the Spurs. He is a prolific scorer, and on March 3, 2005, he collected his 12,000th point to become the second-youngest player behind Bryant to reach 12,000 points. That same season, he became the first player in Rockets history to collect at least 2,000 points, 400 rebounds, and 400 assists in the same season. Not bad for a franchise that has had the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon and Hall of Famers Calvin Murphy, Clyde Drexler, and Moses Malone. “He had evolved into a score-from-anywhere-againstanybody kind of player by his fourth season,” said the Houston Chronicle’s Dale Robertson, who rates McGrady among the top 10 most important sports figures in Houston. “In his sixth, he became the youngest player to lead the league in scoring since the NBA–ABA merger. He arrived in Houston via a seven-player trade with Orlando after winning consecutive scoring titles, but his selfless commitment to sharing the big-dog role with Yao Ming is what makes him so valuable to the franchise today.” He is consistently displaying his gifts, and there’s something to be said for joining Olajuwon, Malone, and Elvin Hayes as the only players in franchise history to have five consecutive 30-point games, as he did during the 2005–06 season.

183

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

So what’s the verdict? His back might be the only thing that can stall his march to greatness. If the back problems don’t derail him, he will help Yao make a title run in Houston.

WHAT ROCKETS PLAYER HAD THE MOST UNIQUE CAREER AFTER HANGING THEM UP? Former Rockets center Otto Moore, easily

64

seven feet tall, became a doorman at a downtown hotel. Not crazy enough for you? Try Clyde the Glide.

Clyde Drexler always kept his reputation splendidly manicured, hiding from the public any little personality pimples some of the media discussed privately. Drexler was a darling of the NBA, praised for his abilities on the court during a Hall of Fame career. On the court, he knew his shooting range. He wasn’t quite so smooth on the dance floor, though. Drexler took an ill-advised shot at Dancing with the Stars, becoming the first professional athlete to really bomb on the show. After NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice

earned raves from the judges and admiration from the national audience, all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith grabbed the nation’s attention in 2006 and beat actor Mario Lopez for the TV show’s title. After Rice and Smith’s success, the folks at Dancing with the Stars issued an invitation to Drexler. He accepted, and boy was that a bad idea. The judges crushed Drexler on a weekly basis until he was eliminated, at which point he and the rest of the country watching him were finally put out of their misery. He returned to his color commentary duties with the Rockets. Ultimately, though, Hakeem Olajuwon has had the most unique career path since retiring, making headlines in the New York Times for his astute business dealings in the real estate market. A devout Muslim, Olajuwon made his commitment to his beliefs clear in 1994 when he bought a historic bank building in downtown Houston and converted it into a Mosque. Under the headline “A Slam Dunk in Houston Real Estate,” the New York Times’s business section declared that Olajuwon had become as “celebrated in the city’s real estate circles as he was on the basketball court.” With the same determination he had while becoming the NBA’s greatest shot blocker, Olajuwon became a master at making money in Houston real estate. “Hakeem Olajuwon, the soft-spoken Nigerian émigré who led his team to two N.B.A. championships, has also done

185

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

extremely well flipping real estate in his adopted hometown,” the New York Times declared on December 6, 2006. “Following an unorthodox yet disciplined strategy, he has managed to make as much in real estate in the last 10 years as he did in his 17 seasons playing professional basketball.” The Nigerian is among the most business savvy athletes in America. “He buys high and sells higher,” David L. Cook, executive vice president with the commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield, told the New York Times.

WHO ARE THE TOP FIVE BASKETBALL PLAYERS TO COME OUT OF HOUSTON? Although some might say that the seedy AAU

65

scene has become a scourge on the game, countless young stars continually come out of Houston to follow in the steps of Hall of Famer

Clyde Drexler, Dwight Jones, Darrell Hardy, Jimmy Turner, Ricky Winslow, Daniel Gibson, and Emeka Okafor. The Houston Hoops AAU program, which counts Houston Chronicle sports columnist John Lopez among its volunteer

coaches, is making sure that the city of Houston continues to fill the college ranks. And several major programs, including the University of Houston, the University of Florida, the University of Texas, the University of Arizona, the resurgent Texas A&M basketball program, and Texas Tech have or recently had players from Houston. “Clearly the best has been the Houston Hoops team, particularly when it’s been coached by a certain columnist,” Lopez said jokingly. “Seriously, though, the Houston Hoops program is by far the best in the city, consistently drawing supreme talent, and among the best in the nation. Among the players the Hoops have produced include Rashard Lewis, T. J. Ford, Stephen Jackson, Nic Wise, Jerrod Johnson, Pierre Beasley, Gary Johnson, Mike Singletary, and Jai Lucas.” So who’s in the top five?

CLYDE DREXLER Drexler is one of the 50 greatest NBA players of all time. Need we say more?

HAKEEM OLAJUWON Although Olajuwon wasn’t born in Houston, he’s a product of the University of Houston, and he gets the nod here. Just like Elvin Hayes, Olajuwon will always be identified with Houston basketball.

187

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

ELVIN HAYES Hayes is a Hall of Famer and the man who led UH to a victory over UCLA in the “Game of the Century” at the Astrodome. Hayes played five seasons with the Rockets, beginning with three years on the San Diego Rockets and then the franchise’s first season in Houston in 1971. He is the NBA’s sixth all-time leading scorer and the fourth alltime leading rebounder.

EMEKA OKAFOR The 6-foot-10 Okafor, a center-forward with the Charlotte Bobcats who averaged 14.4 points and 11.3 rebounds per game in the 2006–07 season, is one of the bright young Houstonians in the NBA.

RASHARD LEWIS Lewis is one player the Rockets wish they had drafted when they had the chance. As an 18-year-old trying to make the jump from Alief Elsik High School to the NBA in the 1998 draft, the 6-foot-10 forward fell completely out of the first round. He wasn’t taken until the 32nd overall pick, but he made the Seattle Sonics look good for taking that chance. A member of the Sonics’ 40th anniversary team, he was an NBA All-Star in 2005. And after the 2007 season, the Rockets tried to sign him. Well, he picked the Orlando Magic instead. With a shooting touch for a big man that is even more impressive when you consider he’s the Sonics’

188

all-time leader in three-pointers, he is among the Sonics’ top five all-time leaders in points and minutes. He averaged 22.4 points in his last season with the Sonics. Any list of the top basketball players produced in Houston would start with these five.

189

COLLEGE/HIGH SCHOOLS

WHO’S THE MOST POWERFUL BAYLOR ALUM IN HOUSTON: Drayton McLane or John McClain? John McClain, the Houston Chronicle’s leg-

66

endary NFL writer and popular sports radio fixture in Tennessee and Houston, won’t be found on the Forbes’ list of the richest men in

the world, in America, or even in Houston. On the other hand, Drayton McLane, the billionaire owner of the Astros, definitely would be. McLane has also been an active part of the community, even serving as a character witness for the late Ken Lay of Enron infamy. But there’s a reason John McClain is known around town as the General. On 610 Radio or through his popular blog on chron.com, McClain is easily the Chronicle’s most recognized sports face. He’s powerful and perhaps the best thing for Houston sports ever. Whether it’s Major League Soccer’s Dynamo, the Astros, the Rockets, or minor league hockey Aeros, McClain promotes Houston sports to the rest of the country.

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Straight out of central casting, he is what you’d expect a Texas sports writer to look and sound like, which is why sports journalism personalities from Houston and around the country go out of their way to perfect their John McClain drawl imitations. The media relations directors of the top three Houston sports franchises have McClain’s number on speed dial, and there’s no reporter or columnist who serves as a better ambassador for the city. While some media personalities around town try to promote themselves, McClain is admired because he promotes the city, its fans, its sports teams, and the Houston Chronicle. The Baylor graduate arrived at the Houston Chronicle in 1976 to cover the World Hockey Association’s Aeros. A year later, he was at his first training camp with the Oilers as a backup beat writer. By 1980, he was the Chronicle’s lead Oilers’ beat writer and has covered the NFL ever since. Sure, he’s covered the Olympics and helped out on other events, but he is Mr. Football, Mr. NFL. “If Drayton dispensed money the way the General dispenses verbiage, whether in print or on the radio, the Astros would either be champions or Drayton would be broke, or both,” said David Barron, the Houston Chronicle’s sports media critic. “The General’s secret is that he has an opinion on everything, but he’s never rude or venal and he’s always willing to laugh at himself or to consider the validity of someone else’s opinion. Drayton, though, is the more powerful alumnus. He can influence the hiring and

192

firing of university presidents. I don’t think the General is quite at that level just yet.” Maybe not, but McClain is the only sports writer in America regularly invited to share McLane’s box at Osceola County Stadium for spring training. When McLane wants the pulse of the Houston fan base, guess who he calls? That’s right, McClain. “When John first went to Baylor, he told everyone that he knew more about sports ‘than anyone in Waco.’ I’m sure that came as a surprise to [former Baylor football coach] Grant Teaff,” said Fort Worth Star-Telegram NFL writer Charean Williams. “These days, I think he knows more about sports ‘than anyone in Houston.’” McClain also is a powerful member of the elite committee that elects members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Dallas Cowboys may have more Super Bowl trophies than the Oilers and Texans combined, but they don’t have more Hall of Famers than the Oilers. If McClain weren’t on that committee, it’s doubtful that the former Oilers would get the thorough consideration they do. He presents a Houston voice and makes sure the accomplishments of old Oilers aren’t overlooked. He may not be as rich as McLane, but McClain’s impact may be greater for the entire city’s sports teams.

193

GREATEST UH SPORTS MOMENT? Picking the greatest moment in the history of

67

University of Houston sports is certainly not as easy as picking the worst, which we’ll debate in the next argument. UH fans have been

treated to many terrific and unforgettable moments in the school’s storied athletic past, which includes 16 NCAA golf national titles, a Heisman Trophy winner, five Final Fours, and Cotton Bowl wins over Nebraska and Maryland. Ask different UH fans about their favorite moment and you’re likely to get different answers. The old guard may point to the 1968 game in the Astrodome between the Cougars and John Wooden’s top-ranked UCLA Bruins, a game that put college basketball on the primetime national television map in the regular season. Younger fans may point to the Final Four win over Louisville in 1983 or the day quarterback Andre Ware won the Heisman Trophy only minutes after leading the Cougars to a season-ending 64–0 win over Rice. As the decades marched on and the Southwest Conference disintegrated in the mid-1990s, the memory of another great UH football game slowly faded. Only a few years after legendary UH coach Bill Yeoman took over in 1962, the Cougars were on their way, finishing 19th in the national rankings in 1966. When the Cougars destroyed

Michigan State 37–7 on the road in the second game of the 1967 season, the nation finally started to take notice of UH. The Cougars were pretty much a fixture in the national rankings the next 10 seasons. In 1976, after years competing as an independent, UH earned an invitation to join the Southwest Conference. The Cougars were 5–2 heading into their November 6 showdown against the University of Texas, which had finished No. 6 in the nation the year before. It was only the third meeting between the teams in their storied histories. Legendary Longhorns coach Darrell Royal had been instrumental in helping UH get into the old SWC, though he probably regretted it on this day. UH dominated the Longhorns and won 30–0 before a record crowd of 77,809 at Memorial Stadium in Austin. The Cougars, led by Lombardi Award winner Wilson Whitley, held the Longhorns to 24 yards rushing. “It was the most memorable [win] to me,” former UH trainer Tom Wilson, who was with the Cougars from 1953–93, told the Houston Chronicle, “because it was our first year to compete for the [SWC] championship. I’d primed those seniors as carefully as I could for that year.” The Cougars won the SWC in their first season and beat Maryland 30–21 in the Cotton Bowl. They finished fourth in the SWC in 1977, but won league titles in 1978 and 1979, beating Nebraska 17–14 in the 1980 Cotton Bowl. Not long after the Cougars beat the Longhorns in 1976, Royal was out the door at Texas. And there was a new power in Texas

195

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

football, residing in Houston. There are some who believe that UH’s three consecutive whippings of the Longhorns— 60–40 in 1987, 66–15 in 1988, and 47–9 in 1989—were perhaps more enjoyable moments for the Cougars, but the Cougars’ 1967 win over the Longhorns put UH on the national football map.

WORST UH SPORTS MOMENT? If you’re a fan of the University of Houston, you

68

probably know better than to turn on the television to watch ESPN Classic. For a school with so many heartbreaking sports moments,

there’s nothing worse than having to relive those gutwrenching events on the sports channel, which seems to take pride in showing Cougars chokes of years gone by. There was the 1979 Cotton Bowl, in which Notre Dame’s Joe Montana, battling flu-like symptoms in frigid temperatures in Dallas, led the Fighting Irish back from 20 points down in the fourth quarter for an improbable victory. There was the 1984 NCAA men’s basketball championship game, in which the Cougars jumped out to an eight-point lead, only to watch the Patrick Ewing-led Georgetown Hoyas run away for an 84–75 victory and the title. But the one moment that most UH fans would consider

the most difficult to swallow is the 1983 NCAA men’s basketball championship game. If you followed sports for any time at all, you know how it ended. “I think if you ask any UH fan about the 1983 title game, they’d tell you it’s easily the worst moment in the school’s sports history,” said longtime Houston Chronicle reporter Brian McTaggart, a UH graduate. “Those two teams play 100 times and UH wins 99 of them. N.C. State just got the first one.” The Cougars, led by the high-flying Phi Slama Jama fraternity that included Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, had been ranked No. 1 for much of the season and carried a 26-game winning streak into the title game to face North Carolina State. UH was a huge favorite against the Wolf Pack, who had to pull off a few upsets to win the Atlantic Coast Conference just to make the NCAA Tournament. Many figured the Cougars would destroy North Carolina State, especially after UH beat No. 2 Louisville and the Doctors of Dunk 94–81 in the semifinals in an electric game that was billed as the real championship. North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano played the role of underdog perfectly, even joking with reporters that his mother was picking the Cougars. All the while, Valvano had drawn up a brilliant game plan to slow the pace down and derail the fast-breaking Cougars offense. The Wolf Pack shocked the national TV audience and those watching the game in Albuquerque, New Mexico, by

197

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

jumping to a 33–25 lead at the half. But the Cougars exploded in the second half, going on a 17–2 run to take a 42–35 lead and seemingly taking control of the game. Then legendary UH coach Guy Lewis decided to slow the game down, playing right into the Wolf Pack’s hands. Lewis thought his team could get some easy layups, but N.C. State sent UH to the line repeatedly and watched the Cougars brick free throws. They hit just 10 of 19 in the game. “I felt that we should have kept playing the way we were playing,” Houston forward Larry Micheaux told reporters. “Our game is to get up and down the floor and dunk the ball.” Somehow, someway, the game was tied at 52 in the final minute, and the Cougars had the ball. Cougars freshman guard Alvin Franklin missed the front end of a one-andone that could have given UH a two-point lead, and N.C. State got the rebound and the final shot. The Cougars trapped and nearly forced several turnovers, including Benny Anders tipping the ball away from Dereck Whittenburg near mid-court. Had Anders tipped the ball a few more inches, he would have had a clear path to the basket for a title-clinching dunk that would be replayed for years. Instead,Whittenburg got control of the ball and threw up a 30-foot prayer as time was winding down. The ball fell a few inches short of the rim, but teammate Lorenzo Charles was there to dunk it home with one second left and give the Wolf Pack an improbable national title.

198

UH players were stunned, falling to the floor, some even pounding on the court in disbelief. Meanwhile,Valvano ran around the court looking for someone to hug—a teammate, a coach, anyone—in an iconic moment that every sports fan has watched. Although the Cougars returned to the NCAA title game the following year, the program was never the same. Entering the 2007–08 season, UH hadn’t won an NCAA Tournament game since beating Virginia in the 1984 Final Four and had lost its luster as one of the best programs in the nation. Thanks to an errant shot and an unforgettable dunk.

WHO’S ON THE MOUNT RUSHMORE OF UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON ATHLETES? Not many universities can boast of producing

69

three of the NBA’s 50 greatest players, a Masters champion, a nine-time Olympic Gold Medalist, an NBA MVP, a Heisman Trophy

winner, and a Cy Young award winner. In fact, the only school that can make such a claim is the University of Houston. So if you were to carve out a Mount Rushmore of the greatest athletes ever to play at UH, there would be quite a pool to choose from.

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

How do you include Hakeem Olajuwon and leave out Elvin Hayes? Should Carl Lewis, whose greatest accomplishments came after he left UH, be on the list ahead of Andre Ware, who won the 1989 Heisman but did little as a pro? Where does 1990 Cy Young winner Doug Drabek, who pitched at the University of Houston from 1981–83, fit in the picture? Or how about Masters champion Fred Couples and perennial NBA All-Star Clyde Drexler? Any list of the greatest UH athletes of all time must include Olajuwon, who came to Cullen Boulevard from Nigeria and helped the Cougars reach three consecutive Final Fours, including national championship game appearances in 1983 and 1984. Olajuwon, along with Drexler, was a charter member of Phi Slama Jama, the name slapped on the high-flying Cougars in 1982 by Houston Post sports writer Tommy Bonk for their explosive and above-the-rim style of play. Olajuwon, the No. 1 overall pick of the 1984 NBA draft, played 18 years in the league, helping the Rockets win backto-back titles. He’s considered one of the five greatest centers to ever play the game, along with Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Shaquille O’Neal. He averaged 21.8 points and 11.1 rebounds in his 18year career—all but one spent with Houston—and finished as the league’s career leader in blocked shots. Alongside Olajuwon on the UH Mount Rushmore would have to be Carl Lewis, who retired with 10 Olympic

200

medals, including nine Gold Medals, as a sprinter and long-jumper. He dominated the sport in the early 1980s and was named Sportsman of the Century by the IOC and Olympian of the Century by Sports Illustrated. Lewis grew up in New Jersey and became a standout track and field athlete in high school. He enrolled at UH and worked with legendary coach Tom Tellez, who coached Lewis throughout his career. When meeting Tellez for the first time after arriving at UH in the fall of 1979, Lewis reportedly told Tellez:“I want to be a millionaire and I don’t ever want a real job.” Lewis, whose biggest successes came away from UH, blossomed into the best long-jumper and sprinter in the world. He won four Gold Medals in the 1984 Olympics (long jump, 100 meters, 200 meters, 400-meter relay), two Golds in 1988 (long jump, 100 meters), two Golds in 1992 (long jump, 400 relay), and one in 1996 (long jump). He won the Silver in the 200 meters in 1988. Joining Olajuwon and Lewis atop the UH sports mountain is Hayes, who was one of the most dominant power forwards in NBA history. But prior to his NBA success, Hayes helped create a powerhouse basketball program at UH. Hayes, one of the first black players at UH (Don Chaney was the other), led the Cougars in scoring in 1966 (27.2 points per game), 1967 (28.4), and 1968 (36.8). He averaged 31 points and 17.2 rebounds per game in his illustrious career.

201

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

But Hayes’s crowning achievement came on January 20, 1968, when the second-ranked Cougars took on mighty top-ranked UCLA, which was riding a 47-game winning streak behind Lew Alcindor (Abdul-Jabbar). The game was played before 52,693 people at the Astrodome and a national television audience, a first for college basketball. The Cougars were heavy underdogs, but Hayes hit two free throws with 28 seconds left to win the game 71–69. He outscored Alcindor 39–15 and outrebounded him 15–12 en route to being named College Player of the Year. Drafted by the San Diego Rockets, Hayes was an AllStar his first 12 seasons in the NBA and is 12th on the alltime list in games (1,303), third in minutes (50,000), sixth in points (27,313), and fourth in rebounding (16,279). He led the Washington Bullets to three NBA finals, including the 1978 NBA title, and finished his career in Houston with the Rockets. Rounding out the UH Mount Rushmore is Ware, who won the Heisman Trophy for the Cougars in 1989. The feat is even more remarkable considering UH was on probation and didn’t have any of its games televised. But the stats speak for themselves. Despite playing in a little less than the first half of most of the Cougars’ blowout wins, Ware completed 365 of 578 passes for 4,699 yards and 46 touchdowns to lead UH to a 9–2 season and a No. 14 national ranking. Ware won the award on the day the Cougars blasted Rice 64–0 at Rice Stadium to

202

finish the regular season. He set 26 NCAA records and 15 Southwest Conference passing records in 1989. A consensus first-team All-American, Ware left UH following his junior season to enter the NFL draft. He was picked seventh overall by the Detroit Lions, but his career fizzled. He played in the Canadian Football League before retiring and beginning a successful career as a football announcer in Houston. Why does Ware snag the final spot? In football-mad Houston, Ware’s Heisman trumps what Drexler, Drabek, and Couples did for the school.

ARE THE 1982–83 UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON COUGARS THE GREATEST TEAM TO NEVER WIN A TITLE? They were flashy, talented, and brash. They

70

took pride in not only outscoring their opponents, but doing it with a high-flying, wildly entertaining style that captivated the nation

and earned an unforgettable nickname. Phi Slama Jama.

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

The 1982–83 University of Houston men’s basketball team had it all, including three future first-round draft picks in the NBA, two of whom—Akeem Olajuwon (as he was known at the time) and Clyde Drexler—went on to become NBA superstars. Coming off a season in which they lost to Michael Jordan’s North Carolina Tar Heels in the 1982 Final Four, the Cougars entered the 1982–83 season ranked No. 11 and huge favorites to win the old Southwest Conference. The Cougars were ranked in the Top 5 by February and No. 1 in the national rankings on March 1 in the midst of a 26-game winning streak. They blew through the SWC (16–0) and clobbered Maryland, Memphis State, and Villanova on their way to the Final Four. And the city loved it, embracing their Phi Slama Jama. The 1983 national semifinal between the Cougars and No. 2 Louisville was thought by many to be the national championship game. Clearly they were the two best teams with the best talent, and UH was the best of the two. The Cougars beat the Cardinals 94–81 in one of the greatest games ever played, pushing the Cougars into their first title game. “The greatest game I’ve ever been a part of,” said Louisville forward Rodney McCray, who was later selected in the NBA draft by the Houston Rockets. Awaiting the Cougars was an upstart North Carolina State team that had to win nine consecutive elimination

204

games to reach the final. The Wolf Pack stunned the mighty Cougars 54–52, winning the game on an unforgettable slam dunk by Lorenzo Charles at the buzzer. The Cougars finished the year 32–3 and are still considered by many— including us—to be the greatest team to never win a championship. To get an idea of how good the Cougars were, just ask the Louisville Cardinals. “That might be the best and deepest team I’ve ever seen,” former Cardinals guard Jeff Hall told the Houston Chronicle. “Really, the only team I ever saw that could compare to them was our team that year. We had some tremendous athletes as well, but it was one of those things where we didn’t have their depth. They just kept bringing athlete after athlete into the game. It was unbelievable.” Olajuwon,

Clyde

Drexler,

Benny

Anders,

Larry

Micheaux, Michael Young, and Reid Gettys were just some of the names on the roster. The Cougars, along with perhaps the Fab Five teams at Michigan in the early 1990s, are considered to be the best teams never to win a championship—not just in college basketball, but in any sport. If you look at the sheer talent on the roster of the Cougars, their experience, their track record, and their style of playing, there’s no way they should have lost in the 1983 title game. But then the Wolf Pack believed all along.

205

HOW DID UH LET THE 1979 COTTON BOWL SLIP AWAY? The only good thing to come out of the

71

University of Houston’s heartbreaking loss to North Carolina State in the 1983 NCAA men’s basketball title game was that it helped erase the

memories of another terrible loss only a few years earlier. It was a different sport in a different decade with different players, and even though the national championship wasn’t on the line, the sting was still the same. We’re talking about the 1979 Cotton Bowl, still considered one of the greatest college football bowl games. Except if you’re a Houston fan. The Cougars came into the game having won their second Southwest Conference title in three years and having won 9 of their previous 10 games, with the only loss coming by one point to Texas Tech on the road. The game was played in frigid conditions in Dallas with a wind chill of –6°F. Joe Montana, suffering from the flu, led Notre Dame to a 12–0 lead before having to leave the game. He ate chicken soup at halftime to get his body temperature up, leading to the game’s eventual nickname as “The Chicken Soup Game.” UH scored 34 points to take a 22-point lead and give

Cougars fans everywhere false hope. But Notre Dame somehow managed to get Montana back on the field in the fourth quarter and the Irish were glad they did. The comeback begins. And a legend is born. A blocked punt return and two-point conversion got the Irish within 34–20 with 7:25 remaining in the fourth quarter. Montana capped another drive with a touchdown run and a two-point conversion, and it’s 34–28 with 4:15 left. The Cougars recovered a Montana fumble at the UH 20 with only 1:50 to play and appeared on their way to sealing the game. That didn’t happen, but it still seemed like the game was in hand: On the ensuing Cougars punt from their own 24 on fourth-and-six Notre Dame was offsides. UH had a fourth-and-one, but decided to go for it after a long discussion. Had the Cougars decided to punt, things probably would have turned out differently. But the Irish stuffed the Cougars, and Notre Dame recovered at the UH 29. Then, with the time having expired during the play, Montana rolled to his right and found Kris Haines in the end zone for an 8-yard TD pass. The extra point finished off the Cougars, 35–34. Twenty-three unanswered fourth-quarter points. Ouch. “I still remember watching the game on TV and feeling so dejected when Montana threw that TD pass to win the game with no time left,” said longtime Houston Chronicle

207

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

sports writer Brian McTaggart, a UH graduate. “I was young, but realized the significance of the game. And I’m still not over it nearly 30 years later.” Longtime UH coach Bill Yeoman once said he “froze” the game out of his mind, choosing his words wisely. If he had to do it again, he probably wouldn’t have rested as many starters as he did late in the game. He probably would have kept his foot on the gas pedal. And perhaps he would have punted on fourth-and-one. Any of those might have kept this from becoming a loss the Cougars still feel.

DOES UH HAVE THE GREATEST GOLF PROGRAM OF ALL TIME? Considering the University of Houston has won

72

16 national championships—the most by any school since 1939—and produced players who have combined for dozens of PGA Tour wins,

including five majors, it’s not surprising the Cougars’ men’s golf team is ranked among the best of all time. In fact, you can make a strong case that the Cougars have the No. 1 college golf program in history. Dave Shedloski of Affluent Golfer magazine seems to think so. Shedloski, in 2002, ranked the Houston golf program

No. 1 all-time in college, ahead of Wake Forest, which produced the legendary Arnold Palmer, Curtis Strange, Lanny Wadkins, Jay Haas, and Scott Hoch; Ohio State, which produced the legendary Jack Nicklaus, Tom Weiskopf, John Cook, Ed Sneed, and Joey Sindelar; Stanford, which produced a guy named Tiger Woods and Tom Watson; and the University of Texas, which produced the likes of Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite, and Justin Leonard. The list of accomplished golfers to come through UH can stack up with anybody: Fred Couples, Steve Elkington, Fuzzy Zoeller, John Mahaffey, Dave Marr, Bruce Lietze, Blaine McCallister, and Billy Ray Brown, just to name a few. Oh, and don’t forget Jim Nantz, the CBS broadcaster who was a teammate of Couples at UH and announced Couples winning the 1992 Masters, just like the two students had envisioned when they were on Cullen Boulevard. Nick Faldo also attended UH for 10 weeks in 1976, though we’re not including his major and PGA Tour championships in the overall haul for the Cougars. Faldo left UH because he didn’t think he got enough time to practice his game and turned pro in 1976. But the case for UH remains strong on two fronts. Not only did the players achieve great feats while they were at UH, but many of them went on to terrific careers in the pros, led by Elkington and Couples. Couples (1977–80 at UH) has won 15 PGA Tour events, including the 1992 Masters, and earned more than $19

209

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

million in prize money through 2006. Elkington, who led UH to the 1984 and 1985 NCAA titles, has won 10 PGA events, including the 1995 PGA championship, and has nearly $12 million in winnings. Zoeller won the 1979 Masters and 1984 U.S. Open, and Mahaffey won 10 PGA Events. Marr can claim the 1965 PGA championship among his three victories. Other Cougars to win PGA events include Lietzke (13), McCallister (five), Brown (three), Ed Fiori (four), Kermit Zarley (two), and Keith Fergus (three). The Cougars’ 16 NCAA golf national championships rank second all time behind 20 by Yale, all of which came prior to 1943. UH won its 16 titles from 1956–85, including 12 in 15 years from 1956–70. “It’s nice to have been part of a dynasty,” Mahaffey told the Houston Chronicle. The architect of the program was Dave Williams, who died in 1999 at the age of 80. Williams became known as “The Father of College Golf” because of the changes he brought to the game. In 1955, he started using stroke play instead of the match-play format in the All-America Intercollegiate Invitational. The stroke play method is now common in college golf. Williams coached NCAA champions in four decades— the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s—during a time when there were no limits on the amounts of scholarship that could be given.

210

“He won in the beginning, in the middle, and at the end,” Elkington told the Houston Chronicle. “Most of the great coaches go out on a low note. Not Dave. He brought the goods at the start, in the middle, and at the last.” And he made the UH program the greatest golf program of all time.

WHAT WAS THE GREATEST YEAR IN UH SPORTS HISTORY? One of the most unforgettable years in the

73

history of University of Houston sports was 1984, when the football team made an unlikely run to the Southwest Conference championship

by beating Texas 29–15 in Austin. That was the same year the men’s basketball team returned to the Final Four for the third year in a row and the NCAA title game for the second year in a row, only to lose to Georgetown. UH also won its 15th of 16 NCAA golf national championships that year. As gratifying as 1984 was for UH fans, it had nothing on 1967. It might have featured the Summer of Love on the West Coast, but deep in the heart of Texas 1967 was definitely the year of the Cougars.

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Coming off a pair of trips to the NCAA Sweet 16, the men’s basketball team put itself on the map with its first of five trips to the Final Four under legendary coach Guy V. Lewis. The Cougars, led by All-American Elvin Hayes, went 27–4 and lost to a juggernaut UCLA team in the semifinals before beating North Carolina in the thirdplace game. UH’s only other losses in the 1966–67 season were at Michigan, Washington, and Notre Dame. Hayes ranked fourth in the nation at 28.4 points per game and sixth in rebounding at 15.7 per game, and led UH to a 28–0 start the next season, with many of those wins coming in 1967. On the football field, coach Bill Yeoman’s Cougars were starting to make some national noise of their own. After three consecutive losing seasons, UH went 8–2 in 1966 and finished 7–3 in 1967, including a 37–7 win at Michigan State before 75,833 fans in East Lansing, Michigan. The Cougars, whose losses were to North Carolina State by 10 points, Mississippi by one point, and Tulsa by nine points, finished the season 16th in the Associated Press Top 25. It was the first time in school history they finished in the Top 20 in the AP poll, something they would do the next four years and six of the next seven. The 1967 team was led by All-American guard Rich Stotter, linebacker Greg Brezina, fullback Paul Gipson, receiver Ken Hebert, and running back Warren McVea,

212

who was the first African American to play football at UH. Meanwhile, the UH baseball team, led by future major leaguer Tom Paciorek, advanced to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, for the first time. Under the direction of coach Lovette Hill, the Cougars made it to the CWS as an independent and rolled all the way to the NCAA title game with wins over Ohio State, Boston College, and Arizona State. Unfortunately for the Cougars, the Sun Devils came back two days later and beat UH 11–2 in the championship to win the national title. Of course, there was golf. The most storied golf program in the history of the NCAA, the Cougars won their 10th national championship that year behind Doug Olson, Hal Underwood, Bob Barbarossa, and Tom Wright. When you tally ’em all up, it makes for the best year ever in UH sports.

WHY DIDN’T UH GET TO JOIN THE BIG 12? Perhaps the worst moment in the history of the

74

University of Houston athletic program didn’t take place on a field, on a court, or in a ballpark. It happened in 1995, when the University of

Texas Board of Regents, in an emergency meeting, voted unanimously to leave the Southwest Conference and join

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

the Big 8 (now the Big 12), beginning in the 1996–97 school year. Baylor, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech followed, and the SWC was no more. This was also a sad moment in the history of Texas, which had taken pride in the close-knit SWC since it was formed in 1914. The league was made up of eight Texas schools when it folded (Arkansas had bolted for the Southeastern Conference a few years earlier): Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Baylor, Houston, Rice, TCU, and SMU. But the late 1980s and early 1990s were an unsteady period in the history of the SWC, with several schools spending time on NCAA probation for various infractions, including SMU getting the death penalty. Only Baylor and Rice didn’t get put on probation at some point. With several football programs struggling, the leaders of the football powers Texas and Texas A&M decided to look to greener pastures. The Big 8 had 18 percent of the nation’s television audience, while the SWC had only 6.7 percent. TV contracts took a hit, as did attendance. Texas Tech quickly joined the fray. “The Big 8 gives us an opportunity . . . to move in a variety of ways and increase in some degrees some of our academic ties,” Texas Tech president Robert Lawless told reporters at the time. “It enables us in the athletic vein to move into an established conference with a documented history of success. From an emotional standpoint, I don’t think anyone would have liked to separate.”

214

There were originally talks about merging the SWC and Big 8, but the Big 8 decided it wanted only the four strongest football members, which at the time were Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Houston, which had won four league titles since joining the SWC in 1976. (Texas had won five in this same span.) It’s also fair to note that UH has an overall winning percentage against Texas Tech in football, men’s basketball, and baseball. Whether it’s a myth or the truth is unclear, but former Texas Governor Ann Richards supposedly politicked against the Cougars joining the Big 8 in favor of Baylor, her alma mater. But former Texas chancellor William Cunningham told the Dallas Morning News it came down to Baylor and TCU after Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech. “Baylor had much better attendance at football games, and Baylor’s overall statistical profile was much more positive,” Cunningham said. “When we looked at it and tried to say which one was the logical choice, Baylor appeared to be the more logical choice.” While UH scrambled to help put together Conference USA, SMU, TCU, and Rice joined the far-reaching Western Athletic Conference. Great in-state rivalries were gone, and the Cougars struggled to attract fans and recruits with games against Southern Mississippi, East Carolina, Louisville, and Memphis. Meanwhile, Baylor was routinely pounded on the football

215

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

field in the Big 8 and later was forced to all but start its basketball program from scratch after a Bears player allegedly killed his roommate. Nobody knows how UH would have done in the Big 8 (now the Big 12), but it’s hard to believe the Cougars would have fared any worse than Baylor. Unfortunately for UH, Baylor and Tech had the political muscle. The nerds who couldn’t compete on the field stepped up for Baylor and Tech to bully UH and the other three political weaklings out of any chance of landing in the eventual Big 12.

WHY ISN’T GUY LEWIS IN THE HALL OF FAME? One of the biggest travesties in the history of

75

Houston’s sports scene is legendary University of Houston coach Guy V. Lewis’s absence from the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Talk to any coach who went against him, any player he’s guided or any other life he’s touched, and they’ll list the reasons why Lewis deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Or you could just look at his resume, which includes 592 wins, five trips to the Final Four, and 15 All-Americans. Lewis, 75, led the program to 27 consecutive winning seasons and 14 seasons with 20 or more wins, including 14 trips to the NCAA Tournament and consecutive appearances

in the championship game in 1983 and 1984. He’s the only college coach to coach three of the 50 greatest players in NBA history—Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, and Elvin Hayes. And he beat mighty UCLA and Lew Alcindor before more than 52,000 fans in the Astrodome in the “Game of the Century” in 1968, a game that put college basketball on the map. Did we mention that Lewis was a major force in the racial integration of college athletics in the south during the 1960s when he became one of the first major college coaches to recruit black players? So why isn’t Lewis in the Hall of Fame? Many will point to the events of April 4, 1983, when the top-ranked Cougars rolled into the NCAA title game as huge favorites over North Carolina State, which had to win its conference tournament just to reach the tournament As previously mentioned, the Cougars lost the game 54–52 on a last-second slam dunk by Lorenzo Charles in one of the greatest upsets in sports history. It’s generally believed Lewis was outcoached by North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano because the Cougars slowed down their frantic running pace in the second half, which played into the Wolf Pack’s hands. Still, punishing a man who has done so much for college basketball over one game is a travesty—and even more so when you consider some of the people that are already in the Hall of Fame ahead of Lewis.

217

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

While not even mentioning the countless foreign entrants that many in the United States have never heard of, let’s focus on Temple University coach John Chaney, who retired in 2006. Chaney has an impressive resume that includes five Atlantic 10 tournament championships and eight regularseason championships, 18 trips to the NCAA Tournament, and 724 career wins, making him the only AfricanAmerican basketball coach to win that many games. What’s missing from Chaney’s list of accomplishments is the Final Four. Not once in his 30 postseason berths did Chaney lead a team to the Final Four, something Lewis did five times in two different eras in college basketball. Not to say that Chaney isn’t a Hall of Fame coach, but to have him in the Hall ahead of Lewis isn’t fair. Perhaps one day the selection committee for the Hall of Fame will open its eyes and put aside what happened during one game in Lewis’s tremendous career. Who knows how Chaney would have done if he had led his team to a Final Four? At least Lewis was able to say he got there.

218

GREATEST UH QUARTERBACK OF ALL TIME? For many University of Houston fans, it’s the

76

equivalent of asking them to pick their favorite child. But oh, what an argument it makes. Just who is the greatest quarterback in

Cougars history? While some universities may not have a problem coming up with a name or two, UH’s long history of producing record-setting college quarterbacks opens up quite an argument. A glance at the eye-popping statistics will lead you to the names of David Klingler, Andre Ware, and Kevin Kolb, all of whom put up incredible numbers.You probably won’t find Danny Davis, who led the UH football renaissance in the late 1970s, because the other guys made more national news with Heisman runs. “Ware has to be considered the greatest UH quarterback of all time for no other reason than he won the Heisman Trophy,” said Brian McTaggart, longtime Houston Chronicle sports writer and UH graduate. “Klingler broke his records and did some amazing things with the football, but he fizzled out in some big games. Kolb did it longer

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

than any of the other guys, but winning the Heisman carries serious clout.” Ware became the only Cougar—and the fifth Southwest Conference player—to win the Heisman in 1989. Despite playing a little more than the first half of most of the Cougars’ blowout wins, he completed 365 of 578 passes for 4,699 yards and 46 touchdowns to lead UH to a 9–2 record. He was followed in 1990 by Klingler, who appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated prior to the 1991 season as the favorite for the Heisman. Klingler threw for a schoolrecord 5,140 yards and an NCAA-record 54 touchdowns in 1990, but slumped to 3,388 yards and 29 touchdowns in 1991 after returning for his senior season. Klingler was the school leader in total offense (9,327 yards) before Kolb came along. Starting in the wide-open offense of coach Art Briles since his freshman season, Kolb threw for a school-record 12,964 yards and rushed for 751 yards. He holds school records for pass completions (964) and attempts (1,565). Kolb threw for 3,845 yards as a senior and led the Cougars to the Conference USA championship in 2006 before being picked in the second round of the 2007 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. The original measuring stick of great UH quarterbacks was Danny Davis, who ran coach Bill Yeoman’s veer in the glory days of the Southwest Conference. Davis led the team in passing in 1976—the year UH joined the SWC and

220

won the league title—and in 1978 in the running offense. Davis led UH to a win over Maryland in the 1977 Cotton Bowl and nearly to an upset win over Notre Dame in the 1979 Cotton Bowl, a game the Cougars lost 35–34 on the last play of the game. And no list of great UH quarterbacks would be complete without mention of Terry Elston, who led UH to a 17–14 victory over Nebraska in the 1980 Cotton Bowl by throwing a 6-yard touchdown pass to Eric Herring with 12 seconds left. The Cougars finished 11–1 that season and ranked No. 5 in the nation. Something a Cougars quarterback has yet to be able to do is have success at the pro level. Ware and Klingler were both NFL busts after being drafted in the first round. But the next great UH NFL hope is Kolb, and that’s why he gets our vote here.

WHO HAS THE BEST SPORTS HISTORY: Rice or UH? Sure, it sounds like a trick question. There’s no

77

way Rice University could have a better sports history than the University of Houston, which has been a national power in basketball, a

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

national dynasty in men’s golf, and has enjoyed a 20-year run of success in football. Surely the Cougars have a better history than the Owls. Well, Rice’s history isn’t as boring as you may think. Rice’s crowning achievement in athletics is its baseball team, which beginning in 1995 became a national power under coach Wayne Graham. The Owls made the College World Series in 1997, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2006, and 2007, winning the school’s only national championship in any team sport in 2003 with a 14–2 win over Stanford. “It’s an accomplishment that will be remembered forever by Owls fans,” said longtime Rice athletic director Bobby May on the Owls’ championship. The baseball program has produced numerous major leaguers, including Astros slugger Lance Berkman, Jose Cruz Jr., and pitcher David Aardsma, who was the closer for the 2003 team. Rice began playing football in 1912 and won its first Southwest Conference title in 1934. The Owls beat Tennessee in the Orange Bowl following the 1946 seasons and North Carolina in the Cotton Bowl three years later, going 10–1 in 1949 behind Froggy Williams. The Owls finished sixth in the nation in 1953 after beating Alabama in the Cotton Bowl and seventh in 1957, but didn’t have much success between 1961 and 1991. Rice began playing men’s basketball in 1952, but has made only four trips to the NCAA Tournament: 1940, 1942,

222

1954, and 1970, going 2–5. Ricky Pierce, who averaged 26.8 points per game for Rice in 1982, was selected in the first round of the NBA draft that season and had a productive career, twice being named the league’s Sixth Man of the Year while with the Milwaukee Bucks. What about UH? UH didn’t begin playing football and basketball until 1946 as members of the Lone Star Conference and it wasn’t until the 1960s (basketball) and 1970s (football) that the Cougars gained much national notoriety. The UH men’s basketball team made 18 NCAA Tournaments, including five trips to the Final Four, and produced three of the greatest players in NBA history in Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, and Elvin Hayes. The football team rose to prominence in the 1970s and won the Southwest Conference three of the first four years it was in the league, beating Maryland and Nebraska in the Cotton Bowl. The Cougars won 28 games in three seasons between 1988–1990 and were ranked as high as 10th in the nation in 1990. While the women’s basketball program hasn’t enjoyed any significant success and the baseball team can boast of an NCAA second-place finish in 1967, the men’s golf team won an unprecedented 16 golf national championships, the final one coming in 1985. In this case, the obvious choice is the right one. While Rice can brag about having the best baseball program on

223

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

the Houston college sports scene, UH’s success in football and men’s basketball helps it lay claim to the best college sports program of the two rivals.

WHICH FANS SHOULD HAVE MORE BRAGGING RIGHTS: Rice or UH? There are dozens of great college rivalries

78

throughout the U.S., such as Texas–Texas A&M, Ohio State–Michigan, Auburn–Alabama, and Florida–Florida State. Houston–Rice won’t

register anywhere close on the scale of those rivalries as far as national attention, but the Cougars and Owls do have something few other rivals can boast: They’re in the same city. In fact, Houston is only one of two cities with two Division I-A schools within in the same city limits, joining Los Angeles (UCLA and USC). The Cougars and Owls have played pretty much every year in football and basketball since 1946, and their rivalry is a good one. The Cougars have thoroughly dominated the Owls in football and basketball over the years, but that hasn’t stopped Rice fans from defending their honor. They’re passionate about the Owls, though they seldom show it at the turnstiles. Rice fans take great pride in their university,

especially for the classroom. Rice is the smallest Division I-A school in the nation and has some of the highest academic standards in the country. For the most part, their athletes are held to the same high standards as the rest of the students, which is unlike most state schools. Rice players are smart, just like their fans. So when things are going poorly on the football field, Rice will always have its brains to fall back on. “I remember when I started covering Rice football in 2001 and I asked sports information director Bill Cousins which players were the best talkers,” said longtime Chronicle sports writer Brian McTaggart, who graduated from UH but covered Rice from 2001–04. “I’ll never forget Cousins’s response. He smiled and said, ‘All of them.’” True, Rice athletes are well-spoken and articulate like their fans, but don’t sell UH athletes and fans short. The Cougars too often receive a bad rap for not having the same academic standards as Rice, but that doesn’t mean UH fans aren’t sharp. Or passionate. While the 1990s saw both UH and Rice fail to support their teams in big numbers as far as attendance is concerned, both schools had tremendous support earlier in the century. Rice packed Rice Stadium in the 1950s, before there were any professional sports in Houston. The Owls were Houston’s team. Once the Oilers came on the scene in 1960 and the Astros followed as the Colt .45s in 1962, the Owls became an afterthought.

225

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

UH rose to prominence in the 1960s in both men’s basketball and football and had great support, further pushing Rice to the background in the city’s college sports scene. The Cougars packed the Astrodome for football games, and their basketball team helped put more than 52,000 into the Astrodome for the “Game of the Century” in 1968. The Owls and Cougars were in the Southwest Conference together from 1977 until 1995, which caused the rivalry to flourish. The rivalry lived on even after the SWC broke up in 1995. Rice went to the far-reaching Western Athletic Conference and UH went to Conference USA. Now that the Cougars and Owls are back together in the C-USA, there could be better days ahead for their fans. Nowadays, the crowds are small even as the passion remains high. On UH and Rice message boards on the Internet, fans routinely take shots at each other. While Rice fans try to throw their academic prowess in the face of UH fans, Cougars fans usually can point to the scoreboard. Rice is best at baseball, but football is king in Houston. Given the University of Houston’s football program, combined with its basketball program, strong golf history, and stronger all-around program, the Cougars get the nod over the Owls.

226

WAS RICE INVOLVED IN THE MOST INFAMOUS PLAY IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL HISTORY? Long before Cal players were running through

79

the Stanford band in 1982 and long before Doug Flutie threw a Hail Mary pass to beat Miami two years later, there was Dicky Maegle.

The year was 1954, and the most infamous play in the history of college football took place when the Rice Owls faced the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Rice’s 1953 team was perhaps the most talented team the Owls had ever had. Coached by Jess Neely and led by All-Americans Kosse Johnson and John Hudson, the Owls won the Southwest Conference and carried an 8–2 record into the Cotton Bowl. The Owls fell behind 6–0 on a 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter by Alabama’s Tommy Lewis—remember that name—before Maegle broke free for a 79-yard run that put Rice ahead 7–6 in the second quarter. Rice soon got the ball back and was a facing a first-and15 from its own 5-yard line. Maegle took a handoff from

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

quarterback Leroy Fenstemaker and went around the right end. A block by Blois Bridges allowed Maegle to turn the corner, and Maegle was soon racing down the sideline. As Maegle approached midfield, Lewis jumped off the Alabama bench, stepped around a couple of teammates, and ran down the sideline before coming onto the field to tackle Maegle at the 42-yard line. The referees awarded Maegle the remainder of the distance to the end zone, giving him a 95-yard run that’s the longest in Cotton Bowl history. Rice went on to win the game 28–6. Lewis explained his tackle by saying he was “being just too full of Alabama.” “I’m reminded of the play frequently,” Lewis told the San Antonio Express-News years ago. “But anyone who knows me, and all my old teammates, would never dare bring it up. They know that play devastated me, and I have to live with it. I can’t take it away.” That one memorable play overshadowed the best onegame rushing performance in Rice history as Maegle ran for 265 yards on just 11 carries, an average of 24.1 yards per carry. Rice finished the season 9–2 and ranked sixth in the national polls after winning its fourth consecutive bowl game. Both players were invited to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show, with Maegle later saying that Sullivan treated Lewis like a hero. “Heck, I was the one who scored the touchdown!” he said. As legend goes, Maegle saw Lewis coming off the bench

228

and noticed he wasn’t wearing a helmet, so Maegle took a step to his left to lessen the collision with Lewis. “The only reason I gave him the benefit of the doubt that the tackle was spontaneous was that he didn’t have time to strap on his headgear,” Maegle told reporters. “I could have accidentally kicked him in the head while I was running wide open, and he would have gotten the worst of the deal.” Lewis ran up to Maegle at halftime and put his arm around him and apologized. But the legend of the play lives on. Other plays may be deemed funky or exciting achievements, but this one is associated only with poor sportsmanship. It’s always replayed when some sort of negative sideline event happens in college or professional football, and for that reason alone it is probably the most infamous play.

WHO’S ON THE MOUNT RUSHMORE OF RICE ATHLETICS? It’s taken generations to mold the Mount

80

Rushmore of Rice athletics, and the debate over which four faces should represent the four greatest athletes in the history of Rice sports

could go on for more generations. Rice’s great football teams of the 1950s and 1960s

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

churned out All-Americans, while the baseball team of the late 1990s and early 2000s became a factory for professional players, as well as champions in 2003. Along the way there were great individual athletes in other sports, such as Ricky Pierce in basketball. But for now, Pierce takes a backseat to his football and baseball counterparts. Let’s take them one at a time.

JAMES “FROGGY” WILLIAMS Williams, an end from Waco who became Rice’s all-time leading scorer, was captain of the 1949 team that won the Southwest Conference championship and beat North Carolina in the Cotton Bowl. The Owls’ only loss that season was a 14–7 setback to LSU in the second game of the season. Williams, who earned his nickname for being slippery as an amphibian, scored 156 points in his career on 13 touchdowns, 75 extra points, and one field goal. He was a consensus All-American choice in the 1949 season. The only field goal Williams ever made helped beat Texas 17–15 that season. Williams was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1965 after a stellar career at Rice.

DICKY MAEGLE Maegle is best known for the infamous play in the 1954 Cotton Bowl, when Alabama’s Tommy Lewis came off the

230

bench to tackle him during a 95-yard touchdown run, but his accomplishments outside that game were solid. Maegle set 26 records at Rice, including 22 touchdowns and 72 points in one season. He also played defense and led the conference in interceptions one season, intercepting three passes in a game against Baylor in 1953. He was a consensus All-American in 1953 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1979.

WHELDON HUMBLE Humble, who died in 1998 at the age of 76, was an offensive lineman who anchored the Rice team that beat Tennessee in the 1947 Orange Bowl. He played at Rice from 1941–43 before serving in the Korean War. He played eight seasons with the Cleveland Browns of the NFL and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1961.

LANCE BERKMAN The only contemporary athlete on the list, Berkman helped mold Rice baseball into the national power it is today. Berkman played at Rice from 1995–97 and blasted a school-record 47 homers in 1997 to lead Rice to its first College World Series appearance. Berkman owns single season and career records in runs, homers, RBIs, total bases, and slugging percentage and is second all-time in batting average. He hit .431 as a junior in 1997, earned National Player of the Year honors, and was

231

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

a consensus All-American before being selected in the first round (16th overall) of the draft by the Houston Astros. Not bad for a guy who proudly says he majored in eligibility at the prestigious academic institution.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST SPORTS UPSET THAT NO ONE HAS HEARD ABOUT? Because it was college baseball, the event

81

didn’t register on the national scale the way it would have had it taken place in the revenuegenerating sports of football or basketball.

It wasn’t the lead story on ESPN, and only those who follow college baseball closely would have been able to realize the significance of Texas Southern University’s 4–3 victory over Rice in the 2004 NCAA Regionals at Reckling Park. It was a monumental upset in the sport—a small school in the NCAA Tournament for the first time beating the mighty defending national champions at their own stadium. This was the equivalent of Appalachian State beating Michigan in football, or Sam Houston State taking down Duke in basketball in the NCAA Tournament. And not only did the Tigers beat the defending national

champion Rice squad, they beat the Owls’ best pitcher— Philip Humber, who pitched a complete game against Stanford in the College World Series title game the year before. Humber was picked high in the first round of the draft that season by the New York Mets, one of three Rice pitchers to go in the first round. The Tigers had to wait out a 67-minute lightning delay in the eighth inning and another weather delay of nearly 21⁄2 hours in the ninth to clinch the upset. The Tigers entered with an 18–33 record after starting the season 1–17, while Rice was 43–12 entering the game. Did we tell you how big of an upset this was? “I always tell my kids that we don’t have everything that Rice or Houston has,” TSU coach Candy Robinson told the Houston Chronicle following the game. “But we do have determination and the drive to give that 110 percent and win.” TSU pitcher Isaac Daniels called it the biggest win in school history. “This is one I’m never going to forget,” Daniels said. The Owls weren’t able to shake off the loss and wound up getting eliminated by Texas A&M in the regional final, and therefore were denied a chance to return to Omaha and defend their championship. “I thought our approach was good, but it just didn’t work out for us,” legendary Rice coach Wayne Graham told the Chronicle.“Certainly you learn from these things. But there

233

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

are some things you just can’t control. Sometimes you just get beat.” Once the weather cleared, and with the Owls trailing 4–3 in the ninth, Rice had the bases loaded with two outs, but Brandon Stricklen got Josh Rodriguez to hit a weak grounder to second base to end the game and finish the monumental upset. “After the first rain delay, I was mad,” Stricklen, who picked up the save, told the Chronicle. “Then when we went into the second rain delay, I didn’t think I was going to be able to go out again because I had stiffened up. “But I just went out there and loosened up again. I guess it was the adrenaline.” Herman Coachmen hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning off Humber to erase a 3–1 deficit. “That we were going to beat Rice,” said Coachmen, when asked what he thought when the ball cleared the fence. “That’s what I was thinking.” It would have been the shot heard around the world— had the world been paying attention to college baseball.

234

THE ALL-TIME BEST RICE BASEBALL TEAM Considering the Rice baseball program has produced countless All-Americans since 1997 and placed numerous players in the majors, selecting an all-Rice team from among the Owls’ greatest players figures to be a challenge. We’ll try anyway.

WHO ARE THE ALLTIME BEST RICE POSITION PLAYERS?

82

FIRST BASE: JOE SAVERY While Vincent Sinisi was a standout first baseman and made the final out to clinch the

championship game in the 2003 College World Series, Joe Savery led Rice to back-to-back trips to Omaha in 2006 and 2007. He went 10–1 with a 2.78 ERA as a junior in 2007 and hit .360 with four homers and 54 RBIs. Lance Berkman, the All-Star slugger of the Astros, played first base and the outfield at Rice. He surely would be the top first baseman here if he weren’t on this team’s outfield.

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

SECOND BASE: JASON RICHARDS Second baseman Jason Richards transferred to Rice from Texas A&M and played for the Owls from 1996–98, helping them reach the College World Series in 1997. He ranks second all-time in runs scored behind Berkman with 223 and eighth in doubles. Jose Enrique Cruz, the son of Astros icon Jose Cruz and younger brother of former Rice AllAmerican Jose Cruz Jr., would be another solid candidate for this spot. But he finishes behind Richards.

THIRD BASE: ERIC ARNOLD Third baseman Eric Arnold was a four-year letterman at Rice from 1999–2002 and ranks second all-time behind Austin Davis in games played (234), at-bats (891), and hits (291). He’s third in RBIs with 217 behind Lance Berkman and Bubba Crosby. Craig Stansberry played a solid third base for the national champions in 2003, but he probably wouldn’t have started in front of Arnold.

SHORTSTOP: DAMON THAMES When it comes to shortstops, you could pick from either the defensive wizardry of Paul Janish, who started on the 2003 championship team, or the bat of Damon Thames, who put up big numbers in 1998 and 1999. Thames set the school record with 120 hits in 1998 and is also second with 118 hits in 1999, while ranking second and third behind Berkman in the most runs scored in a

236

season with 88 in 1998 and 86 in 1999. He drove in 115 runs in 1998, one season after Berkman set a school record with 134 RBIs. They are the only Rice players to top 100 RBIs in a season. Based on those stats, Thames earns the nod ahead of Janish even though Janish was on the national championship squad.

CATCHER: JIM FOX The best Owls player didn’t come from the era that led the charge to Omaha, but from the early 1960s. That’s when Jim Fox became an all-Southwest Conference selection. He was later inducted into the Rice Hall of Fame. Justin Ruchti, the starting catcher for the national championship team, deserves an honorable mention as catcher for this team.

OUTFIELD: LANCE BERKMAN, JOSE CRUZ JR., BUBBA CROSBY Rice’s all-time outfield is stacked. Berkman, who set school single-season and career records for homers and RBIs, also played first base, but winds up in the outfield for this debate. Jose Cruz Jr., who hit more than 200 homers in the majors, and former Yankees and Dodgers outfielder Crosby round out the outfield. A career .216 after his first four seasons in the majors, Crosby only played 65 games with the Yankees in 2006. Unlike Berkman and Cruz, Crosby hasn’t made much of an impact in the majors.

237

WHO ARE THE ALLTIME BEST RICE PITCHERS?

83

JEFF NIEMANN, WADE TOWNSEND, PHILLIP HUMBER There are too many terrific Rice pitchers to

name just one, but the 2003 rotation of Jeff Niemann, Wade Townsend, and Philip Humber—all three of whom were drafted high in the first round in 2004—could be the best college baseball rotation ever. All three had great seasons in 2003 when Rice won the College World Series. David Aardsma, another firstround draft pick who was Rice’s closer in 2003, also deserves special mention, along with Kenny Baugh, Jeff Nichols, Mario Ramos, Norm Charlton, Steven Herce, and Eddie Degerman.

BONUS–COACH: WAYNE GRAHAM And what would an all-time team be without a coach? Wayne Graham has taken the Owls to new heights since taking over the struggling program in 1992. He’s coached 24 different All-Americans at Rice, won 12 conference championships in a row, and made six trips to the College

World Series through 2007. There is no comparison to Graham on this list. He stands alone.

DID RICE FOOTBALL COACH TODD GRAHAM DO THE PROGRAM A FAVOR? He landed on South Main promising to make

84

changes and influx the program with a winning spirit, and in many ways he delivered. Todd Graham was hired before the 2006

season to replace Ken Hatfield, who had an up-and-down tenure during his 12 seasons at the helm of the Rice football program. Hatfield resigned following a 1–10 season, and Graham came in promising the moon. A former assistant coach at Tulsa, Graham did wonders at Rice, spearheading changes in how money is raised in the athletic department. While he rubbed many of the Rice old-timers the wrong way because of the fashion in which he ran off many athletic department veterans, Graham led renovations of the football offices and aging Rice Stadium. On the field, there were renovations as well. The Owls, who were grounded in Hatfield’s wishbone offense, took to the air and threw the ball all over Rice Stadium with a wide-open offense. They shook off an 0–4 start and earned

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

their first bowl game since 1961, losing to Troy in the New Orleans Bowl to finish 7–6. Not long after the season was over, Graham was back at Tulsa, this time as head coach with a huge raise. Fans, players, and alumni were outraged and felt duped by a coach they had put their trust in. Many would say that Graham did more damage than good. Graham forced out respected athletic trainer Allen Eggert, who had served the athletic department since 1968; talented marketing director Mike Pede; and longtime sports information director Bill Cousins. “I feel disappointed, not betrayed, but only disappointed yesterday, not today,” Rice athletic director Chris Del Conte told the Houston Chronicle the day Graham announced his resignation. “You get 24 hours to be disappointed.…I was disappointed just because I was not expecting it, but in this day and age, that’s what intercollegiate athletics is about. What Rice is about is we’re not going to do that.” Hours after Del Conte said those words while announcing Graham’s departure, Graham was named the 27th coach at Tulsa. He met with his Rice players before he left and explained his decision to leave after one season. “I want the people at Rice and in Houston to know that I sunk my heart and soul into that program,” Graham said. “At the end of the day, it boiled down to that they made an unbelievable commitment to football at Tulsa, and they made an unbelievable commitment to my family and a

240

long-term one that I’ve got to do what’s best for my wife and my kids. “I know and I feel in my heart I’m leaving Rice in a better place than when I found it, and I wish them all the best.” Graham definitely left Rice in a better place, but the way he left could have been handled with more class. With that said, nobody would have been upset at his departure if he hadn’t improved the program so much in such a short time.

HOW VIABLE ARE RICE SPORTS IN THE DIVISION I-A LANDSCAPE? Let’s just take baseball out of the equation. Rice

85

opened one of the top baseball venues in the country in 2000 with Reckling Park, which helped the Owls establish themselves as one of

the top programs in the nation (not to mention the College World Series title they won in 2003). But the rest of the Rice athletic landscape is murky. As the school with the smallest enrollment and some of the highest academic standards in Division I-A, the Rice University athletic program faces some unique challenges. Because of the tight admission standards, the school can’t attract the same number of top-flight athletes as the

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

other schools in the division. And it doesn’t help that Rice Stadium and Autry Court are some of the oldest facilities in the country. Those factors have led many to suggest that Rice should drop football, a program that’s a long way from its heyday of 50 years ago, and drop down a division in other sports. A faculty report in 2004 questioned the cost of athletics and a board consultant’s report suggested the university’s “viable” options include dropping football. After a group known as Friends of Rice Athletics launched an email and letter writing campaign to fight the possibility, the Rice University trustees eventually renewed their commitment to Division I-A athletics—but called for the admission of athletes to be more like the student body. The faculty report also said athletes have a different admissions process as evident by their lower SAT scores. “We have unanimously concluded that, in today’s world, Division I-A remains the best place for Rice,” said trustee chairman Bill Barnett on May 21, 2004. “In doing so, we’re resolved to maintaining academic excellence as we pursue athletic excellence.” Barnett wanted the university to try to reduce its operation deficit and build a new basketball arena to benefit the basketball and volleyball teams. Longtime Rice athletic director Bobby May, a standout hurdler at Rice, later told a group of Rice supporters that their aggressive email and letter campaign perhaps

242

helped save Rice athletics. May told the supporters, “The email campaign that was launched worked. Make no mistake about that. The Board was totally taken aback; it was knocked off balance by the efforts of those who took the time to write—not just because of the volume, but because of the quality and the logic of the response. The other side was overwhelmed, outworked, disarmed, and outclassed.” Rice eventually made some much-needed upgrades to 56-year-old Rice Stadium in 2006 and announced early in 2007 it would renovate decrepit Autry Court at a cost of $23 million, $7 million of which came from a gift from 1982 Rice graduate Bobby Tudor. “It gives us a chance to get a running start at things that we haven’t had,” Rice men’s basketball coach Willis Wilson told the Houston Chronicle. “For us to be able to say [to the community] that we’ve made a significant investment in our basketball program, in particular in our facilities, that has some substance to it. And it gives kids an opportunity to see that we do want to compete at a high level, and that basketball is important at Rice.” For now, it appears Rice will remain committed to college sports at the highest level. Moreover, the same group that fought to keep it in Division I are committed enough to make sure the program succeeds.

243

BIGGEST FOOTBALL WIN IN RICE HISTORY? The Rice football team hadn’t beaten the

86

University of Texas in nearly three decades. But on one rainy, unforgettable night in front of a national television audience, they put 28 years

of frustration behind them. The Owls used a tough defense and methodical rushing attack to shock the 13th-ranked Longhorns 19–17 before 34,700 fans at Rice Stadium in what many Rice followers will tell you is the greatest win in the school’s football history. The fans stormed the field after the game and carried the goalposts out of the stadium. Sure, there had been victories before, but much time had gone by and memories had been erased of the Owls’ heyday of the 1950s and 1960s. Some old-timers will tell you the victory over Tennessee in the 1947 Orange Bowl or the victory over Alabama in the 1954 Cotton Bowl were more significant wins, but it’s hard to argue against the 1994 win over Texas being the most meaningful. The Rice program had slipped to some awful lows in the 1970s and 1980s, and beating Texas in the first season of coach Ken Hatfield’s 12-year tenure gave the program some much-needed credibility.

“I think for all the Rice teams that have come so close, this win couldn’t have come at a better time,” Hatfield told the Houston Chronicle in 1994. “It was on national TV [ESPN], and this was the weekend that all of Rice’s Southwest Conference football championship teams were honored before the ballgame. I don’t think our guys could have done any more. I knew this team would play with all the heart they had.” Rice, the smallest Division I-A school in the nation, took great satisfaction in beating the mighty state school, which was in its second-to-last season in the SWC before bolting for the Big 12. “They can have their conference,” senior offensive guard Bobby Gray told the Chronicle. “I mean, if they don’t want to invite us, if they don’t think we are good enough, then they can lose to us on the way out.” Said linebacker Larry Izzo, “Hey, if they don’t have the respect for us after we beat their butt all over the field like that . . . I mean they have a lot of talent and we outplayed them all over the field. If they don’t want to respect us, I can’t do anything about it. We got a win. We beat them.” The Longhorns had seven players suspended for the game for violating team rules, but receiver Lovell Pinkney was the only player of any significance not on the field. Rice held Texas to 16 yards rushing and 179 yards of offense. “This victory was sweet,” said Rice quarterback Josh LaRocca, who completed only three of seven passes but

245

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

two for touchdowns. “It gives us something to build on. This was incredible. This is for all the Rice teams that have come close and for all the Rice people who have never seen a victory over Texas.”

HOW DID WAYNE GRAHAM WORK HIS MAGIC? When interviewing candidates to take over the

87

fledgling Rice baseball program in 1991, Owls athletic director Bobby May asked Wayne Graham if he thought he could win a national

championship on South Main. Graham, who had led San Jacinto College to five national titles, responded with an emphatic “Yes.” Less than 12 years later, Graham delivered on his promise when he led Rice to victory in the 2003 NCAA championship College World Series. It was the Owls’ first national championship in any team sport. “It’s a pretty big step to be talking about winning a national championship when you really aren’t that far down the road with regards to the whole package and some of the other milestones you might need,” said May, who resigned in 2006. “What I did know when he said it was he was serious. He really did feel competing for a national championship was possible in baseball at Rice if he had the

tools that he needed. He obviously has delivered.” Graham’s team went 29–26 in his first season and progressed each year as Graham tapped into his deep Texas recruiting ties. The Owls finished second in the SWC in 1994 and enjoyed a breakthrough season in 1995 in which they qualified for their first NCAA Tournament. “It didn’t take him long to begin to accomplish things that had never been accomplished at Rice in baseball, whether number of wins or getting us to that first regional or winning that first championship,” May said. “There was an immediate upgrade in the talent that was coming in, and it was coming in because of Wayne because there was nothing else here. There was no real tradition of winning in baseball.” Behind slugger Lance Berkman, the Owls reached the College World Series in Omaha for the first time in 1997. That put the program on the map. The next step was replacing decrepit Cameron Field. Reckling Park was built in 2000 shortly after the Owls’ second trip to Omaha, giving Rice the final piece it needed to build a baseball powerhouse. “We had a discussion about what he thought was important and what he thought he needed to be successful at Rice, and we tried to deliver as much as we could and as quickly as we could,” May said. “His comment to me was he didn’t think he could win a national championship without a ballpark.”

247

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

The Owls were eliminated by Texas in the 2002 College World Series. Armed with the best pitching staff in the nation, Graham’s team returned to Omaha the next year with desire and experience. Rice knocked out the defending national champion Longhorns before taking two of three from Stanford to win the national title in 2003. “He’s been waiting for this his whole life,” said former first baseman Vincent Sinisi. “He’s brought this program a long way, brought it back from nothing and turned it into one of the best programs in the nation.” The stadium helped, but Graham’s ties to the community and strong devotion to winning were the biggest reasons he built a baseball dynasty.

BEST HOUSTON-AREA PREP TEAM OF THE LAST 50 YEARS? When it comes to prep football, Houston

88

schools have held their own against the rest of the state through the years. The 1997 Katy squad that beat Longview 24–3 in Division 1 of

Class 5A was strong, as was the 2003 Katy squad that beat Southlake Carroll 16–15 in the Division 2 Class 5A final. But the Third Ward’s Jack Yates High 1985 club is likely the

top schoolboy football team Houston has ever produced. At a time when the legendary Odessa Permian High football program was rolling through the rest of the state, undefeated since the 1983 state final, running back Johnny Bailey’s Yates team humbled the Panthers in the 1985 state title game. The Permian Mojo, which was eventually immortalized in the best-selling book Friday Night Lights, was rolling, and Odessa was mighty confident as it tried to defend its 1984 state title. When the game was over, Permian’s fans were completely dumbfounded at Yates’s impressive 37–0 rout. At that point, the Panthers had suffered only three defeats in the 1980s and were well on their way to cementing their legacy as a national high school football power. “They beat the crap out of Odessa Permian for the 1985 state championship, arguably the best high school team of the last 50 years,” said David Barron, former managing editor of Texas Football. With the rout over Permian, Yates completed a perfect 16–0 season and showed that it was overpowering on both sides of the ball.With Bailey at tailback and Melvin Foster at linebacker, Yates’s offense and defense each had stalwarts. “The 1985 Yates is hands down Houston’s greatest schoolboy football team,” said Jerome Solomon, who covered high schools for the Chronicle in the late 1990s. “The better debate is whether the offense, led by tailback Johnny Bailey, or the defense, paced by linebacker Melvin Foster, was the

249

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

key to the Lions amazing 16–0 run to the state title. Simply put, either unit could have been far less talented and JY would still have won it all. They were that good, pounding Odessa Permian’s Mojo with one of the program’s worst ever defeats in the state championship game.”

250

OUTDOORS

251

IS HOUSTON A PREMIER GOLF COMMUNITY? With some of the world’s best golf courses in

89

town, it would seem obvious that Houston should be automatically considered one of the top golf communities in the country. Yet,

somehow some folks around the country don’t quite get it. “The quality and quantity of golf available here are far above average, as are our players,” said Houston Chronicle golf writer Doug Pike. “You could stack up pretty good professional and amateur teams made of nothing but Houstonians. Outside Houston, few people realize how attractive this city and region can be as a golf destination.” Tiger Woods might be one of those. He has been a noticeable no-show at the annual Shell Houston Open. Surely, the greatest golfer in the world would think enough of Houston to attend the tournament, but he obviously has found better use of his time when the Shell is going on. “As golfing communities go, Houston isn’t what it could be,” said golf columnist Steve Campbell, who has covered the Masters, the Ryder Cup, the British Open, and every other premier golf tournament in the world. “While it has an assortment of top-notch courses, it has never come close to establishing itself as a golfing destination. Of course, Houston as a whole hasn’t made all that many

inroads as a tourist attraction. At the risk of getting on the Chamber of Commerce’s black list, it’s a better place to live than it is to visit.” Nonetheless, any area that can claim The Club at Carlton Woods–Nicklaus Course, Champions Golf Club–Cypress Creek Course, Shadow Hawk Golf Club–Shadow Hawk, and River Oaks Country Club must be considered a premier golf community. The University of Houston has done its part to put Houston golf on the map, winning 16 national championships in golf. Since 1939, no other school has matched that number of golf titles. Fred Couples (the 1992 Masters champion), Steve Elkington, Fuzzy Zoeller, John Mahaffey, Dave Marr, Bruce Lietze, Blaine McCallister, Billy Ray Brown, and Nick Faldo all attended UH. Even the great CBS broadcaster Jim Nantz, one of the best voices in golf, was a teammate of Couples on UH’s golf team. The local high schools are constantly feeding college golf programs, and the local golf courses are stacked with quality golf pros. “Yes, some of the best golfers in the world reside here,” Astros vice president of business development John Sorrentino said. “Many others come here to hone their craft with the excellent corps of instructors.” With quality instructors and courses to match, there’s no denying that Houston is one of the premier golf communities in America.

253

WHAT ARE THE THREE BEST GOLF COURSES IN THE CITY? When it comes to golf courses, Houston’s

90

greens match up with anybody’s in America. Whether private or public, the Houston golf community is quite spoiled.

The Carlton Woods–Fazio Course, located in The Woodlands, is one of the top private courses in the country. But Shadow Hawk Club, located in Richmond, and River Oaks Country Club in downtown, do not bow to any course in Houston, or America for that matter. And the Champions Golf Club–Cypress Creek also stands out among the elite golfing courses in the entire state. Because those courses are private, however, only a small segment of the Houston golf community will ever get a chance to play there. Fortunately for the average golf enthusiast, the public courses in Houston stand out as well. The Redstone Tournament Course, home of the Shell Houston Open, is beyond PGA standards. The Cypresswood Tradition Course draws rave reviews with its classic layout and no residential development. On that course, it’s just you, fellow golfers, thick pines, and the scenic Cypress Creek

running through. The classic layout of the course at Memorial Park, which is near downtown, has been a favorite of generations of golfers. So which are the top three golf courses in the area? That’s such a big question that even the most astute golf enthusiasts in Houston won’t touch it. “No way. That’s like being asked to pick the three best flavors at BaskinRobbins,” says Doug Pike, who covers local golf for the Houston Chronicle. “Houston is loaded with great tracks, and I’ve played more than 100 of them. You don’t start bumping into culls here until you’re outside the top 25, and even some of the second-tier courses here are worth more than they charge.” Pike should know. He has devoted most of his 22 years at the Chronicle to covering the golf scene. Popular afternoon radio sports host Jerome Solomon hasn’t been a golf writer in Houston, but he has played many of the great courses. Some might say he spends more time on the links than at work, and he’d rather be at Champions than any other course in the city. “They can build all the fancy new courses they want, but they all fall behind Champions in quality of golf,” said Solomon. “It is and always will be the local standard. Fair, tough, and the best greens in town. PGA Tour players and amateurs alike love it.” That’s one of our top three, and it’s almost silly and impossible to pick just two more and deem all of them the

255

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

top in the area. But since picking is what this book is about, here we go. When you take into consideration beauty, accessibility, and scenic view, it’s hard to go against Champions, the Redstone Tournament Course, and Cypresswood Tradition.

BEST SPOTS TO GO FISHING IN HOUSTON? Fishermen have plenty of options in Houston,

91

especially if you consider Galveston as a part of the Greater Houston area. If you don’t want to head out to Galveston, however, Lake Conroe

and Lake Houston are more than good enough for the experienced angler. At Lake Houston, you can find largemouth bass, white bass, white crappie, blue catfish, and blue gill. The bass and catfish are plentiful at Lake Conroe. The Surfside jetty, south off Galveston, is a good place for trout, redfish, flounder, croaker, and saltwater fish. And trout lovers can always be tempted at the Galveston Bay complex, which includes Trinity Bay and Hannah’s Reef. Wade fishing always has been popular among anglers, particularly around the Texas City Dike and in the Matagorda Bay complex, further south down the Texas Gulf Coast. “One of my favorites for a casual afternoon is the Surfside

jetty.Walk-in access, usually catch a few fish on topwaters or jigs,” said Houston Chronicle writer Doug Pike. “The entire Galveston Bay complex is loaded with trout now. Matagorda is slightly less crowded now but won’t be for long. Lake Conroe is regaining its reputation as a bass fishery, but property owners up there are getting nervous about vegetation again and may [again] kill off the grass that’s helping those fish. Livingston is tops for white bass, but Conroe’s no slouch if you know where to go. Conroe is an excellent catfish lake and has been for years. So is RichlandChambers. I could make arguments for most any body of water under the right circumstances. Fishing isn’t about going to one place. It’s about going to the right place.” Pike has fished the entire state, and he recently ranked the top five bass lakes in the state. Although none of the area lakes were in his top five, he put Conroe in as an honorable mention. “With 11 Sharelunker entries to its credit and the return of aquatic vegetation to improve survival of largemouth bass and their forage, this lake just north of Houston has potential to make a major comeback among bass fishermen,” he wrote. “Also in its favor, Conroe has refilled—flooding hundreds of acres of brush and grasses—after being lowered to assess and repair damage caused by hurricane Rita.” But if you’re just interested in unwinding and getting something nice to tug on the end of the line, Surfside jetty is the way to go.

257

OTHER SPORTS

258

JUAN DIAZ: Is He the Most Underappreciated Great Athlete in Houston? Juan Diaz is considered one of the best young

92

boxers in America, yet few folks in Houston really appreciate his greatness. It’s not unusual for Houston athletes to be

overlooked nationally. Take Roy Oswalt. He’s one of the greatest pitchers of his time, yet he has mostly been ignored outside of Houston. Even when he was the ace in front of Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte from 2004 through 2006, he hardly matched the national attention those two former Yankees drew. But Oswalt drew a five-year, $73 million contract on August 29, 2006, so it’s hard to say he’s not appreciated in the city of Houston. In his hometown, the Astros ace is renowned. The same cannot be said for Diaz, who likely had his biggest moment as a 20-year-old in 2004. “In front of his family and thousands of hometown fans in July of 2004, Diaz convincingly defeated one of boxing’s toughest men, Lakva Sim, to win the WBA lightweight title, making him the youngest champion in the sport and the

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

youngest lightweight king in more than 30 years,” said the Chronicle’s Dale Robertson. At the writing of this book, he was undefeated in 32 fights with 15 knockouts and three successful title defenses. Nicknamed the “Baby Bull,” Diaz is also one of those rare boxers who also cares about his education. He is studying at the University of Houston Downtown. By all accounts he has a strong relationship with his family, crediting them for helping him keep his priorities in line. “He is the best fighter to represent Houston since George Foreman, although he hasn’t yet become a face everyone on the street would recognize like George,” Dale Robertson said. “Had Diaz held off turning pro longer, he might have become the most decorated amateur fighter in American history, having won more titles than he could count. He also qualified for the Mexican Olympic team in 2000, only to be barred from going to Sydney because he hadn’t yet turned 17, the minimum age allowed. But what separates Diaz from most of his peers is how he sees life’s bigger picture. After graduating from high school with a 3.8 grade-point average, he enrolled in pre-law at the University of Houston Downtown and dutifully kept up with his studies as his prominence grew in the ring.” In a city that hasn’t had many champions, you would think that Diaz’s life would be chronicled more in the Houston media. Yet, he’s rarely ever mentioned in local sports talk radio. And he’s one of the brightest and most articulate

260

boxers in America, but he could likely walk around downtown without anybody noticing him. Articulate and well behaved, he deservedly should join Carlos Lee as the most marketable Latino athletes in Houston. That’s not the case, though. Diaz doesn’t have any prime marketing deals in Houston, and that’s a shame because this young man would be the perfect example of what Houston youth should strive to be: respectful of their parents, committed to education, and devoted to good health.

WHO ARE SOME OF THE TOP TENNIS FIGURES IN HOUSTON? It’s difficult to consider Houston a tennis town,

93

especially because football and baseball have such a hold on the community. “I would say the overriding question about

Houston and tennis is whether Houston is even a ‘tennis town,’” said longtime Houston tennis enthusiast James Campbell. “I would argue that it is. Look up Gladys Heldman and what she did to start the Slims tour. Also, the River Oaks tournament is one of the longest continuously running ones in the country. Not to mention, Mattress Mac bringing the Masters, Davis Cup, and U.S.

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Clay Court tournaments to Houston, some would say without any ostensible help from the city.” Heldman, a member of the International Hall of Fame, played at Wimbledon in 1954. She is best remembered for helping start the women’s tour with Billie Jean King and Rosie Casals in 1970. By securing the sponsorship of the Houston Racquet Club, she got the first tournament going in the women’s tour, which came to be known as the Virginia Slims Tours after Heldman also got Philip Morris to sponsor tournaments. “Without Gladys, there wouldn’t be women’s professional tennis,” King said in a statement after Heldman died in 2003. “When I accepted that $1 contract from Gladys more than 30 years ago, I knew we were all part of something special and that women’s tennis had been changed forever because of her vision.” But Mattress Mac (Jim McIngvale) and his wife have put Houston on the international tennis map. For two years, Mattress Mac’s Gallery Furniture brought the Masters Cup, the men’s season-ending tennis championship, to Houston. Considering what it cost to hold the tournament and build a suitable stadium, the McIngvales definitely have invested in tennis: McIngvale spent almost $20 million. The Houston Chronicle’s Dale Robertson, one of the most decorated tennis writers in America, declares that nobody in the early 21st century has done more to promote tennis. It’s true that the Masters Cup isn’t

262

McIngvale’s only contribution: He also held the U.S. Men’s Clay Courts for the last seven years and brought a Davis Cup match to Houston. And Mattress Mac’s Gallery Furniture sponsors the local Houston Open, which is the biggest amateur tournament in America. In terms of players, Houston has produced some gems. Zina Garrison, Lori McNeil, and Sammy Giammalva Sr. and Jr. all developed their tennis craft in Houston. Garrison even reached the Wimbledon final in 1990. “A product of John Wilkerson’s MacGregor Park tennis program, Garrison won both the Wimbledon and U.S. Open junior titles, then went on to become one of the world’s best players in the late 1980s,” Robertson said.“She reached the apex of her career in 1990, advancing to the Wimbledon final against Martina Navratilova. Zina Garrison’s influence on inner-city kids who sought a career in tennis was profound. She helped inspire Richard Williams to groom his daughters, Venus and Serena, to become multiple Grand Slam tournament champions, and she continues to sell the sport to those who might not otherwise consider buying it through her Zina Garrison All-Court Tennis Academy. The USTA thought enough of Garrison’s leadership skills to have made her the U.S. Fed Cup captain three years ago, and she’s still in charge today. Although she makes her home in Washington, D.C.’s Virginia suburbs these days, she visits frequently and maintains a prominent presence in the local sports community.”

263

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

With McIngvale and Garrison, Houston can never be discounted as a tennis town. Garrison gave tennis a Houston face to identify at its tournaments and McIngvale made sure the top tennis players in the world stopped by to visit and play. For that reason, they are the two most important tennis ambassadors in Houston.

CAN THE DYNAMO SURVIVE IN HOUSTON? Folks in Houston love soccer—international

94

soccer, that is. There’s only a small niche market in the country that loves Major League Soccer, which

makes us wonder if the tiny portion of those fans who live in Houston can help Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo survive. After leaving San Jose, the Dynamo made its debut in Houston in 2006 before a crowd of 25,462 at Robertson Stadium, home to the University of Houston Cougars. By its next home game, attendance had dropped to 16,904, even as they marched toward the MLS championship. It’s doubtful that the Dynamo can steal fans away from the Astros, Texans, or Rockets, and so the team must be concentrating on how to lure in some of those fans on days when the three big franchises aren’t playing at the same

time. Still, one must wonder if a franchise can survive averaging 16,000 fans a game. “Yes, the Dynamo can survive,” said John McClain. “They need a stadium, which I think they’ll get. Hopefully, downtown, which is centrally located. Then, they have to appeal to more Hispanics rather than just suburban soccer moms and their children. They have to find local ownership, and that owner has to spend whatever money’s allowed under the cap to be successful.” Speaking of Latinos—Latinos in Houston love soccer. Mexico’s national team averages over 60,000 fans a game when it plays at Reliant Stadium. And Latinos in Houston love the other big sports, too. More Latinos show up at Reliant Stadium to watch the Texans or at Minute Maid Park to watch the Astros than you’d ever find at Dynamo games. And when U.S.-born Latinos call sports talk radio shows in Houston, they’re more apt to ask about the Astros, Texans, Rockets, Aggies, Longhorns, or Cougars than the Dynamo. Savvy Latino soccer fans won’t be patronized into accepting inferior soccer. To survive, the Dynamo must try to lure the less sophisticated soccer fan or the soccer moms because the savvy sports fans in the city will likely find a better bang for their buck at the Astros, Rockets, or Texans. McClain is right that the Dynamo have to appeal more to the Latino soccer fan, but it will be very difficult to do so. It’s a tremendously bad sign for the Dynamo that their

265

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

attendance actually went down after they won the MLS title in their first season in Houston. “When people stop asking the question about whether the Dynamo can survive, then you’ll know they can,” Fran Blinebury said. “Despite all of the drum beating by supporters, there is no evidence that soccer is anything more than a niche/ethnic sport. Every time I read a story or a column—or see a TV feature—about soccer, it’s always about fans singing songs and waving flags and celebrating their heritage. When have you ever turned on a sports talk radio show and heard people debating whether the coach should have used Player X at midfield instead of Player Y? There is no discussion of strategy. It’s all about the atmosphere surrounding the game.” Not everybody agrees with Blinebury. When asked about whether the Dynamo can survive, John Lopez, who has covered multiple World Cups and many of the major Dynamo or international soccer events in Houston, replied, “Absolutely. They averaged roughly the same attendance as the Rockets in their first season, and with a stadium on the way and more notable international stars, definitely.” Mayor Bill White is pushing to get the Dynamo a stadium in downtown. At the writing of this book, he was getting some resistance from Astros owner Drayton McLane. The Latino leaders around the city were ready to start pushing back against McLane and to lobby for the stadium.

266

With a new stadium, and at least one prominent international signing, the Dynamo could secure their place in town.

IS MEXICO’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM HOUSTON’S OTHER “HOME” TEAM? About 33 to 40 percent of the folks in Houston

95

are Latinos, and the majority of those are of Mexican descent. They serve their community and country with distinction, from the powerful

Harris County Commissioner Sylvia R. Garcia to state senator Mario Gallegos, Texas Supreme Court Judge David Medina, council members Carol Alvarado and Adrian Garcia, to former state representative Gerard Torres, all the way down to the young Houston Latinos fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. They love their Astros, Rockets, and Texans. They love their Cougars, Aggies, and Owls. And even though a majority of them were born in the United States, they love their Tri (the nickname for Mexico’s soccer team), which is why Reliant Stadium is usually packed when Mexico’s national soccer team shows up. “I think it gives Mexicans, especially immigrants that have come here in the last 20 years, it gives them a boost,”

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

said Gallegos, who became the first Latino elected to represent Harris County in the Texas Senate in 1994. “For some of us, including myself because both my grandmothers were born in Mexico, it brings a little heritage and pride. It gives us all a boost. They wear their heritage on their shoulders. They love it. A lot of the immigrants in this town, when Mexico comes to play here they’ll get off of work early to go see that. Every time the soccer team of Mexico or any of their club teams like Cruz Azul, America, or Chivas come it’s sold out. I love my Texans, I love my Astros, I love my Rockets. But I’ve never seen Reliant Stadium bust at the seams like when Mexico comes to town. It’s unbelievable. It’s beautiful. It’s pride in your heritage, and I think that’s what you see when we fill Reliant Stadium to watch Mexico.” When Mexico shows up at Reliant Stadium, they know to expect to be the “home” team. “We know it won’t be easy to win [the] Gold Cup, but I’m sure we can count on the support of our fans in Houston,” Mexican coach and legendary scorer Hugo Sanchez told the Mexican and Houston media before the 2007 Gold Cup, the soccer tournament to crown the champion of North America. It was held in several cities throughout the U.S., including Houston. “The Mexican national team is the biggest soccer draw in Texas and, it’s pretty safe to say, the entire U.S. Southwest, outdrawing the U.S. men,” said Houston Chronicle

268

soccer writer Bernardo Fallas, who has covered all of Mexico’s games at Reliant Stadium this decade. “Numbers prove it. Two of the top three soccer crowds in Texas have seen the Mexican team play, the only exception being the Barcelona vs. Club America doubleheader at Reliant Stadium in August of 2006, and that’s because seating was expanded at the stadium for that match.” The numbers back Gallegos and Sanchez. When Mexico played a friendly match against the United States at Reliant Stadium on May 8, 2003, the game drew a crowd of 69,582, a slight majority of them wearing Mexico’s green jerseys. On July 13, 2005, a crowd of 45,311 showed up to see Mexico play Jamaica in a Gold Cup doubleheader. Four days later, Mexico played Colombia before a crowd of 60,050 in another Gold Cup doubleheader. Tuning up for the 2006 World Cup with a friendly match against Bulgaria on November 16, 2005, Mexico drew a crowd of 35,529. Against Panama on June 13, 2007, Mexico drew 68,417 in a Gold Cup doubleheader. Four days later against Costa Rica, a sellout crowd of 70,092 watched Mexico win 1–0 in a Gold Cup doubleheader. The numbers say it all: Mexico’s drawing power at Reliant is enough to make the Tri the city’s other sports franchise.

269

BEST HOUSTON OLYMPIAN NOT NAMED CARL LEWIS? When it comes to the Olympic Games, the city

96

of Houston has done its part for the dear ol’ U.S. of A. Carl Lewis is arguably one of the top three greatest American Olympians of all time, one

of the few who can honestly be mentioned in the same breath with Jesse Owens. Lewis’s place in Olympic Games lore is secure, but he’s not the only athlete from the Houston area to have left a mark at the Olympics. Technically, gymnast Mary Lou Retton grew up in West Virginia, but she perfected her Olympic form at the Bela Karolyi ranch in the Sam Houston National Forest just north of Houston, where many of the greatest gymnasts in America have trained over the last two decades. Two decades after her conquests at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, she still lives in the Memorial section of Houston with her family. Lewis captured the most headlines at the Los Angeles Olympics, but Retton was America’s sweetheart at the 1984 Olympics with a Gold Medal, two Silvers, and two Bronzes. According to local Olympic historian David Barron, who

has guided the Houston Chronicle’s coverage of the last four Olympic Games, Retton’s Houston ties are supreme. “She grew up in West Virginia, but she learned the ‘vault without fault’ at the Karolyi ranch in the Sam Houston National,” Barron said of Retton. Long before he made millions pushing grills, legendary boxer George Foreman could hardly be described as pudgy as he represented his Houston neighborhood and the United States at the 1968 Olympics. Far from cuddly in those days, Foreman showcased the skills that led him out of Houston’s mean streets and toward a nice existence in the quaint suburb of Kingwood with all his Georges. Hardly any Olympics scholar can forget the image of Big George waving a tiny American flag in celebration at the 1968 Olympics after pummeling and completely bloodying his Russian counterpart to win the Gold Medal in the heavyweight division. At a time when America was reeling because of civil unrest at home and the war in Vietnam, Foreman and his Gold Medal gave the country something to celebrate. And there are several more Olympians vying for our honors. Houstonian Steven Lopez, a two-time Gold Medalist in Taekwondo, has reached legendary status in his sport after claiming Gold Medals at the Olympic Games in 2000 and 2004. Although Taekwondo is one of the newest Olympic sports, Lopez is arguably one of the best Taekwondo practitioners ever.

271

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Figure skater and Sugar Land resident Tara Lipinski was the darling of the 1998 Winter Olympics. “She came, she skated, she conquered, she retired. Short, but sweet,” Barron says of Lipinski. Speed skater Chad Hedrick, a resident of the suburb of Spring, was anything but short and sweet at the 2006 Torino Games. Like a true Texan, Hedrick didn’t back down from teammate-rival Shani Davis, blistering Davis after Davis refused to participate in the team pursuit that the United States likely would have won had Davis joined Hedrick on the team. “We’re all part of Team USA,” Hedrick told the world as he and Davis went off in one of the angriest press conference exchanges among teammates in Olympic history. “We had a great opportunity to win the team pursuit. I felt betrayed in a way. Not only did he not participate, he wouldn’t even discuss it with me as a leader of the team. I thought we passed up a medal.” Hedrick was confident enough to admit that he was shooting for five Gold Medals at Torino. Even though he fell short of that goal, he still led the U.S. speedskaters with three medals, winning a Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Not bad for a former in-line skater from Spring, which never gets snow. Diver and Spring resident Laura Wilkinson provided no controversy at the 2000 Olympics, but she was a top headline maker nonetheless by winning Gold over the storied Chinese divers.

272

“Not only did she beat the Chinese, she did so on a crushed foot, injured in a springtime training accident, that required surgery after the Olympics,” said Barron, a foremost authority on Wilkinson’s career. Former University of Houston and Rockets star Clyde Drexler had already established himself among the greatest of all time when he and the rest of the 1992 Dream Team won the Gold Medal in Barcelona. On a team full of legends, he averaged 10.5 points per game and handled himself with class against the overmatched competition. Rice University’s Fred Hansen earned his Gold Medal in 1964 with a 16-foot-83⁄4 jump in the pole vault, enduring a nine-hour event to win in his third and last attempt. In softball, Houston has produced two great pitchers, Christa Williams and Cat Osterman. Williams was the youngest player on the American softball team that won the inaugural softball tournament at the 1996 Atlanta Games. She was part of the team that won the next Gold Medal at Sidney in 2000. While still a student at the University of Texas, Osterman was 2–0 with a save at Athens in 2004 to help America win the Gold Medal. She’ll likely be on the 2008 team as well. The Comets’ Sheryl Swoopes has averaged over double figures while helping the U.S. women’s basketball team win Gold Medals in 1996, 2000, and 2004. She earned two of those Gold Medals after joining the Comets of the WNBA. In a city that has produced several Olympic greats,

273

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

Lopez might very well go down as the best Houston Olympian not named Carl Lewis. Not here, though. Lopez has definitely had a brilliant career, but Swoopes has become a legendary figure for women’s sports and a true national icon with Nike. She’s definitely the best Houston Olympian not named Carl Lewis.

BEST GYMNAST WHO TRAINED IN HOUSTON? Some of the legendary American figures in

97

gymnastics have trained in the Houston area, most of them at Bela and Martha Karolyi’s ranch in the Sam Houston National Forest. Mary Lou

Retton was one of Bela’s darlings, and she stole America’s heart at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Because Russia boycotted, though, some cynics have wondered how Retton would have done if all the world’s best gymnasts had participated that year. With all of the world’s best competing, Kim Zmeskal became the first American to win the women’s all-around Gold Medal at the 1991 World Gymnastics Championships. Zmeskal, another of Bela’s protégé’s, never won a Gold Medal at the Olympics. But she probably stands above Retton because of what she accomplished at the World

Gymnastics Championships at Indianapolis. Zmeskal, a three-time national champion, even earned the cover of Time magazine under the headline of “Gym Dandy in 1992” before the Olympic Games in Barcelona. She didn’t win an individual medal in 1992, settling for the team Bronze. For that reason, Zmeskal likely doesn’t get the acclaim she deserves as one of the best gymnasts Houston has produced. “Mary Lou Retton won the Olympic Gold all-around medal, but Kim Zmeskal was the first U.S. athlete, male or female, to win the world all-around title. I think I’d go with her,” said David Barron, who has covered four Olympics. What about Kerri Strug? Four years after she was part of Zmeskal’s team that won a Bronze in Barcelona, Tucson native Strug had one of the most magical moments in Olympic history at Atlanta in 1996 to help the U.S. win the women’s team Gold Medal. Strug moved to Houston to train at Karolyi’s ranch at 14, and she had already spent four years in Houston when she became the endearing athlete at the 1996 Olympics. Afraid that her teammates needed her points to hold off the Russians and win the United States’s first ever women’s team gymnastic title, Strug hobbled on an injured left ankle as close to 40,000 fans packed the Georgia Dome to watch her. Despite tremendous pain, she pulled off her vault and then crumbled to her knees in agonizing pain. The rest is pure Olympics lore because much of America still remembers watching coach Bela Karolyi scoop up the 4-foot-9 Strug

275

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

and carry her 89-pound body to the medal stand as her teammates and the pro-America crowd cheered. And then there’s Dominic Moceanu, the 1995 national all-around champion, who also trained in Houston and was part of that historic 1996 women’s team that was dubbed the Magnificent 7. Retton, Moceanu, and Strug all had their moments, but Zmeskal still stands above them all for being the only one to claim the all-around title at the world championship.

BEST SCHOOLBOY ATHLETE TO COME OUT OF HOUSTON? If we start with football, we’ve got a couple of

98

choices. Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young starred at Madison High before leading the University of Texas to the national champi-

onship, and NFL Hall of Famer Mike Singletary starred at Worthing High. If we move to baseball, the candidate list expands tremendously. Carl Crawford, Adam Dunn, Josh Beckett, Roger Clemens, and James Loney, who led Elkins High to the state title in 2002, are just a few of the current major leaguers who have been produced by Houston high schools.

Clemens, the seven-time Cy Young award winner, was a very good high school pitcher, but he didn’t draw the national attention in high school quite like Beckett, who was chosen with the second overall pick in the 1999 draft by the Florida Marlins. That same year Crawford, a three-sport star who was a stellar basketball and football player, had quite a few options before he chose to sign with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and become a two-time All-Star left fielder. Crawford had offers to play football at the University of Nebraska or basketball at UCLA before he was taken with the first pick of the second round in 1999 by the Devil Rays. In the NBA, guard Daniel Gibson of the Cleveland Cavaliers is the most recent Houston high school product to appear in the NBA finals, but he follows a long line of Houston preps to make their mark in pro basketball. Long before Gibson was even born, Clyde Drexler was starring at Sterling High. Rashard Lewis, T.J. Ford, Stephen Jackson, Nic Wise, Pierre Beasley, Mike Singletary, DeAndre Jordan, and Jai Lucas are some of the most recent schoolboy basketball stars in Houston. With so many choices, let’s get another opinion. “Mike Singletary, the Hall of Famer, Baylor legend, and proud Worthing High School graduate, is on the short list of the greatest middle linebackers in NFL history with another Chicago Bear great, Dick Butkus,” said Houston Chronicle writer and sports radio host Jerome Solomon. “In basketball, Clyde Drexler wasn’t considered the best high

277

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

school player when he was at Sterling High School, but it didn’t take long for him to make a name at the University of Houston, and by the time he was done, he was chosen one of the top 50 NBA players in the league’s first 50 years and voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. If we’re talking strictly high school play, youngsters will claim T.J. Ford earns the nod because he led Willowridge to back-toback state championships. The Eagles had a following akin to that of a rock band or popular hip-hop group—every game was an event. But Milby’s Rob Williams was the greatest to come out of Houston. He had style, could dribble like a Harlem Globetrotter, had unlimited range, and was a fearless competitor. Players from his era, including Drexler, will tell you that Rob was more talented than Isiah Thomas, but after a stellar career at the University of Houston, his NBA career was derailed by drug use.” Ultimately, though, Beckett might be the most impressive schoolboy athlete to come out of Houston. Not only was he a man among boys with a wicked fastball, but he also lived up to expectations in the majors and practically carried the 2003 Marlins to the World Series title over a pair of former Houston schoolboys, Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte. This All-Star in the majors showed the goods at an early age in Houston.

278

WHO ARE THE NEXT GREAT STARS OF HOUSTON? Texan Mario Williams was the first overall pick

99

in the 2006 NFL draft, and he could still be a special player despite the many critics who lament the fact the Texans bypassed Vince

Young and Reggie Bush to draft him. Left-hander Troy Patton headed into Class AA Corpus Christi as the pitching equivalent to Hunter Pence, a top prospect whom many fans wished to see at Minute Maid Park already. While Pence was making a run at Rookie of the Year after he was promoted to the majors in late April 2007, Patton was promoted to Class AAA Round Rock in July. Away from the city, Houstonians such as James Loney of the Dodgers, Chris Young of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Daniel Gibson of the Cleveland Cavaliers are following in the footsteps of Carl Crawford, Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Earl Campbell. But only one of these folks makes our list. So who else does?

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

HUNTER PENCE Pence splashed into the city’s consciousness in the spring of 2007, and he lived up to the hype when he was finally called up in May. It’s too early to make the call on his civic contributions, but we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt here.

DEMECO RYANS Texans linebacker Ryans broke into the NFL in 2006, when much of the talk centered on Mario Williams, Vince Young, and Reggie Bush. But Ryans made everyone pay attention to him—the first pick of the second round of that much-hyped draft proved to be one of the steals of the draft, winning the 2006 Defensive Rookie of the Year award. With a brain to match his superior tackling abilities, Ryans may very well make an impact in Houston far beyond the football field. He didn’t waste much time taking over a leadership role, providing a commanding presence rarely seen from a rookie player. This graduate of the University of Alabama has the potential to be one of the great leaders of our town.

CARLOS LEE Lee, who arrived in Houston with a six-year, $100 million contract in November 2006, has that potential, too. Lee is one of those rare athletes willing to step outside his arena to make a difference. Without the help of the Astros’ organization, he made it a priority to meet some of the top Latino leaders in the community. He also is a prominent figure in

280

Brahman breeding, which is a huge and important cattle market in Texas and Panama. Whether meeting some of the premier doctors from Panama or hanging out with the president of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce or with Texas Supreme Court Justice David Medina, Lee has made his presence felt. He didn’t wait for the Astros to pave the way for him. While some athletes talk about wanting to make a difference, Lee has actually stepped up on his own and asked community activists for advice on the best ways for him to make a difference in his new town. He also proved his worth on the field right away, leading the National League in runs batted in while carrying the club over the first three months of the 2007 season. These three players are special on the field and have the charisma to make a difference in the city away from the field. In a city with a burgeoning Latino population, Lee welcomes the opportunity to make a difference. Ryans has shown the hunger, too. Although Pence is still trying to settle into his new environment, it’s clear that his energy will transfer to the Houston fans. In time, Ryans, Lee, and Pence will own this town just like Lance Berkman, Tracy McGrady, and Yao Ming have moved into prominence, following in the footsteps of men like Nolan Ryan, Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon, Jeff Bagwell, and Craig Biggio. A caveat: Ultimately, though, Ryans, Lee, and Pence must

281

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

help their teams win so the city can fully embrace them, the way Houston loved Olajuwon. Without that, their stars won’t shine as brightly as they could.

282

THE BUZZER BEATER

283

IS HOUSTON A GREAT SPORTS CITY? Okay, so Houston doesn’t have the tradi-

100

tion of a New York or a Boston. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a great sports city. Take a look at the evidence.

All three major sports leagues have a team in Houston. True, there was a gap between the Oilers’ departure in 1997 and the Texans’ inaugural season in 2002, but Texans owner Bob McNair pulled off one of the major coups in NFL history with the Texans, giving the NFL a good portion of his fortune to make sure Houston won the expansion franchise over the much larger Los Angeles. The WNBA and Major League Soccer also have a presence in Houston, and the college scene is top-notch. The Dynamo won the 2006 MLS title in their first season in Houston, and the international soccer community has found a thriving market each time it visits Houston’s Reliant Stadium. Heck, even Minute Maid Park has played host to an international soccer match. The University of Houston has produced some of the best athletes in the world, including Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Elvin Hayes, and Carl Lewis. Rice is one of the premier baseball powers in America, consistently developing some of the top selections in Major League Baseball’s draft.

Just how great a sports city is Houston? Well, when it came time to step up and approve the funding for major sports stadiums, the folks of Harris County OK’d the funding for three state-of-the-art facilities: the Astros’ Enron Field/Minute Maid Park, the Texans’ Reliant Stadium, and the Rockets’ Toyota Center. At the box office, the Texans have sold out every ticket at Reliant Stadium since their inaugural 2002 season. The Astros had drawn over 3 million fans in two of three seasons before the start of the 2007 season. The Rockets also have been a tremendous box office hit with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. You want sports news? The Houston Chronicle’s sports section is consistently rated among the best in the country, and the sports community has thrived enough to inspire three all-sports radio stations and another that caters heavily to sports fans. You want big events? In 2004 alone, Houston played host to the Super Bowl, MLB’s All-Star Game, and the National League championship series. In 2005, the Astros brought the first World Series to the state of Texas. The next year, the NBA held its All-Star Game at Toyota Center. You want ceremony and record-breaking? In 2007, Jeff Bagwell’s jersey was retired by the Astros, and Craig Biggio captured the city’s attention by collecting his 3,000th hit. You want homegrown heroes? Legends Roger Clemens

285

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

and Nolan Ryan perfected their crafts at local high schools, as did NFL Hall of Famer Mike Singletary. Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler played on one of the most famous college basketball teams of our time. Just a few of the Houston natives making waves throughout professional sports are: Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young, who led the University of Texas to the national championship; All-Star outfielder Carl Crawford of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays; All-Star and 2003 World Series star Josh Beckett of the Boston Red Sox; and Daniel Gibson of the Cleveland Cavaliers. To those who still don’t believe, we’ll address your gripes now. Yes, Houston doesn’t have an NHL franchise. But the minor league hockey Aeros have provided a nice alternative for local hockey fans. And yes, there’s been a lack of sports championships. The city has claimed only two major sports championships, both by the Rockets, in 1994 and 1995. But Houston could claim more titles if you consider the Dynamo’s MLS championship or the Comets’ four WNBA titles. Even though Houston may not get the hype that Boston or New York get on ESPN, it’s definitely a great sports town.

286

INDEX by Subject A AAU, 186–87 ABC-13, 11 Aeros. See Houston Aeros AFC championship game (1979), 8 AFC championship game (1980), 53–54 AFC wild card game (1993), 57 Agents, 42–44 All-Court Tennis Academy, 263 Anaheim Angels, 135 Andre Johnson Celebrity Weekend, 12 Arizona Diamondbacks, 279 Arizona State University, 213 Arthur Anderson, 14 Astrodome, 89–92 Battle of the Sexes, 51–54, 89 Hurricane Katrina, 12 McLane, Drayton, 49 Reliant Stadium and, 3 University of Houston, 226 Astros. See Houston Astros Astrosdaily.com, 132 Astros in Action Foundation, 10 Atlanta Braves, 32–33, 127–28, 132, 133, 134–35 Atlanta Falcons, 70–71 Autry Court, 243

B Bakersfield Jam, 63 Baseball Hall of Fame, 20 Battle of the Sexes, 51–54 Baylor University, 191–93, 214, 215–16 Big 8 Conference, 214–15

Big 12 Conference, 213–16, 245 Bob and Janice McNair Foundation, 12 Boston Celtics, 29, 168 Boston Red Sox, 21, 27, 120, 286 Boxing, 259–61, 271 Broadcasters, 22–26, 66, 99, 100, 131–37 Brooklyn Dodgers, 32 Buffalo Bills, 57

C California Angels, 20, 119, 135 Cameron Field, 247 Canadian Football League (CFL), 203 Carolina Panthers, 37 Champions Golf Club–Cypress Creek Course, High School, 253, 254, 255–56 Charity, 10–12 Charlotte Bobcats, 188 Chicago Bulls, 62 Chicago Cubs, 134 Chicago White Sox, 96, 128, 132, 134, 135 Chicken Soup Game. See Cotton Bowl (1979) Childhood obesity, 12 Cincinnati Bengals, 145 Cincinnati Reds, 9, 74, 101, 102 Cleveland Browns, 145–47, 231 Cleveland Cavaliers, 277, 279, 286 Club at Carlton Woods–Fazio Course, 254 Club at Carlton Woods–Nicklaus Course, 253 Clutch City Foundation, 10

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS College sports, broadcasters in, 25. See also Rice University; University of Houston; University of Texas; specific universities College World Series, 213, 222, 231, 232, 246, 247, 248 Colorado Rockies, 34, 101 Comets. See Houston Comets Concerts, 90–91 Conference USA, 215 Corpus Cristi Hooks, 20, 98 Cotton Bowl 1949, 222, 230 1954, 222, 227–29, 230–31, 244 1976, 194 1977, 221 1979, 196, 206–8, 221 1980, 221 Cypresswood Tradition Course, 254–55, 256 Cy Young Awards, 18, 19, 116–18

D Dallas Cowboys, 147–48 Dancing with the Stars, 184–85 Davis Cup, 261, 263 Denver Broncos, 159–60 Detroit Lions, 203 Diving, 272–73 Draft picks best, 61–62 worst, 62–65 See also NBA draft; NFL draft Dream Team (1992 Olympics), 273 Dynamo. See Houston Dynamo

E Elkins High School, 276 Enron, 14 Enron Field, 3, 285

F Figure skating, 272 Final Fours. See NCAA Tournament Fishing, 256–57

Florida Marlins, 277, 278 Football Fiesta, 12 Freedom clause, 84–86 Friday Night Lights, 249 Friends of Rice Athletics, 242

G Gallery Furniture, 13–16, 261–64 Galveston Bay complex, 256–57 Georgetown University, 196, 211 Goalpost Geography program, 12 Golf Burke, Jackie, 46–47 Houston community, 252–53 University of Houston, 208–11, 253 Golf courses, 254–56 Gymnastics, 270–71, 274–76

H Hall of Fame. See Baseball Hall of Fame Hannah’s Reef, 256 Hendricks Sports Management, 43 High school sports, 248–50, 253, 276–78, 285–86 Horse racing, 44–45 Houston baseball town or football town, 2–3 great sports city, 284–86 Houston Aeros, 55, 56, 286 Houston Area Women’s Center, 12 Houston Astros, 29 1997–2005, 54, 58–59 1998 season, 59 all-star team, 73–79 Astrodome, 89, 90 attendance, 285 Bagwell, Jeff, 106–10, 285 Beltran, Carlos, 86–88 Berkman, Lance, 127–30, 232 Biggio, Craig, 34–37, 106–15, 285 broadcasters, 22–23, 24–25 careers (post-baseball), 98–100 Clemens, Roger, 21, 48, 79–86, 116–20

288

Cy Young Awards versus nohitters, 116–18 draft picks, worst, 64–65 Elston, Gene, 131–33 freedom clause, 84–86 future stars, 279–82 Gardner, Pam, 40–42 general manager moves, worst, 100–102 Graham, Wayne, 105–7 Hamilton, Milo, 131–37 home runs, postseason, 92–95 Houston Texans and, 2–3 lean years, 54–55, 56–57 Lee, Carlos, 280–82 Lidge, Brad, 95–98 managers, greatest, 102–5 Mattress Mac, 13 May, Lee, 9–10, 101–2 McLane, Drayton, 49–50, 67, 191–93 McMullen, John, 66–67, 68 Minute Maid Park, 3, 4, 5–6, 49–50, 67, 90, 285 Morgan, Joe, 9–10, 101–2 NLCS (1980), 33, 56, 66, 77 NLCS (1986), 26–27, 30, 33, 56, 92–95 NLCS (2004), 33, 128 NLCS (2005), 33, 95–96, 97 NLDS (1998), 59 NLDS (2004), 127–28 NLDS (2005), 32–33, 94–95, 128 no-hitters, 31–32, 116–18 Oswalt, Roy, 121–24 owners, worst, 66–67 Pence, Hunter, 279, 280, 281–82 philanthropy, 10 pitchers, greatest, 121–24 public relations gimmicks, 7–10 Purpura, Tim, 68–71 Richardson, Spec, 101–2 Ryan, Nolan, 20, 100, 116–20 sports agents and, 42–44 trades, worst, 9–10, 100–102 uniform numbers, retired, 124–27 World Series (2005), 27, 31, 96, 128, 132

Houston Chronicle, 192 Houston Colt .45s, 126 Houston Comets, 40, 54, 273, 286 Houston Dynamo, 54, 264–66, 284, 286 Houston Hoops (AAU program), 186–87 Houston Oilers, 29 1993 season, 60 Adams, Bud, 67, 139, 144 AFC championship game (1979), 8 AFC championship game (1980), 53–54 AFC wild card game (1993), 57 Astrodome, 89–90 Campbell, Earl, 61, 62 draft picks, 61, 62, 64 general manager moves, worst, 143–44 lean years, 55, 56–57 Luv Ya Blue, 7–8, 58 Monday Night Football (1978), 8, 33–34 Phillips, Bum, 143–44 public relations gimmicks, 7–8 relocation of, 67, 144 Run and Shoot, 58, 59–60 Houston Open (tennis tournament), 263 Houston Racquet Club, 262 Houston Rockets Alexander, Leslie, 37–39 attendance, 285 broadcasters, 23, 24 careers (post-basketball), 184–86 coaches, best, 166–69 Drexler, Clyde, 172, 173 general manager moves, worst, 172–74 Hayes, Elvin, 172–74 lean years, 54–55, 56–57 Malone, Moses, 169–72, 173–74 Mattress Mac, 13–14 McGrady, Tracy, 177, 181–84 Ming, Yao, 47–48, 174–77 names, best, 178–81 NBA draft (1983), 63–64, 172, 173 NBA draft (1984), 61–62

289

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS NBA draft (2001), 62–63 NBA finals (1981), 29, 168 NBA finals (1986), 29, 168 NBA finals (1994), 27, 29–30, 31 Olajuwon, Hakeem, 169–72, 174–76 Patterson, Ray, 172–74 philanthropy, 10 players, greatest, 169–72 players, underappreciated, 164–66 Sampson, Ralph, 165–66 Tomjanovich, Rudy, 162–63 Toyota Center, 3, 4, 285 Twin Towers, 59 underappreciated franchise, 162–64 uniform numbers, retired, 124 Houston sports basketball players, best, 186–89 Battle of the Sexes, 51–54, 89 boxing, 259–61, 271 draft picks, best, 61–62 draft picks, worst, 62–65 fishing, 256–57 future stars of, 279–82 golf, 252–56 gymnastics, 270–71, 274–76 influential figures in, 47–50 magical performances, 30–37 Mount Rushmore of, 18–21 Olympics, 270–74 owners, worst, 66–68 prep sports, 248–50, 276–78 soccer, 264–69 tennis, 261–64 women’s impact on, 40–42 Houston Sports Authority and Dome, 52 Houston sports news, 25 Houston Texans attendance, 285 Carr, David, 139–43, 150–53 Casserly, Charley, 142 future stars, 279–82 general manager moves, worst, 143–44 Houston Astros and, 2–3 Kubiak, Gary, 158–60

loss, biggest, 145–47 Mattress Mac, 15 McNair, Bob, 37–39, 284 NFL draft (2002), 38, 64, 143 NFL draft (2006), 38, 62, 64, 65, 143, 150–57 NFL draft (2007), 70 philanthropy, 10–12 public relations gaffes, 150–52 Reliant Stadium, 2, 3, 4–5, 49, 50, 89, 285 Ryans, DeMeco, 155–57, 280, 281–82 Schaub, Matt, 70–71 Smith, Rick, 68–71 Williams, Mario, 152–54, 279 win, biggest, 147–50 Houston Texans Foundation, 10 Humble Oil and Refining Company, 25 Hurricane Katrina, 11–12, 91

I Ice skating, 272 Indianapolis Colts, 145, 148–50

J Jack Yates High School, 248–50

K Kansas City Royals, 87 Katy High School, 248 KILT, 11 KPRC, 25

L Lake Conroe, 256–57 Lake Houston, 256 Lone Star Conference, 223 Los Angeles Angels, 135 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 134, 135 Los Angeles Dodgers, 31–32, 67, 279 Los Angeles Lakers, 48, 167, 168 Luv Ya Blue Oilers, 7–8, 58

290

M MacGregor Park tennis program, 263 Madison High School, 276 Major League Soccer (MLS), 284. See also Houston Dynamo Masters Cup, 15, 261, 262 Matagorda Bay complex, 256 Mattress Mac’s Gallery Furniture, 13–16, 261–64 MAXXAM Inc., 44, 45 Memorial Hermann Hospital, 49 Memorial Park golf course, 255 Mexico, national soccer team of, 267–69 Miami Dolphins, 34 Michigan State University, 194–95, 212 Mike and Mike in the Morning (radio show), 85 Milby High School, 278 Milwaukee Braves, 134–35 Minute Maid Park, 3, 4, 5–6, 49–50, 67, 90, 284, 285 Monday Night Football (1978), 8, 33–34 Montreal Expos, 101, 137 Mount Rushmore of Houston sports, 18–21 Mount Rushmore of UH athletes, 199–202 Music concerts, 90–91

N NASA, 91, 92 National League Championship Series (1980), 33, 56, 66, 77 National League Championship Series (1986), 26–27, 30, 33, 56, 92–95 National League Championship Series (2004), 33, 128 National League Championship Series (2005), 33, 95–96, 97 National League Division Series (1998), 59 National League Division Series (2004), 127–28

National League Division Series (2005), 32–33, 94–95, 128 NBA Developmental League, 63 NBA draft (1983), 63–64, 172, 173 NBA draft (1984), 61–62 NBA draft (2001), 62–63 NBA finals (1981), 29, 168 NBA finals (1986), 29, 168 NBA finals (1994), 27, 29–30, 31 NCAA Tournament (men’s basketball), 222–23 1967, 28, 212 1968, 28, 90 1983, 197–99, 204–5, 217 1984, 196, 198, 211 New England Patriots, 37 New Jersey Nets, 62–63 New Orleans Bowl (2006), 240 New Process Steel, 11 New York Knicks, 27, 29–30, 31 New York Mets Beltran, Carlos, 86, 87–88 Hampton, Mike, 100 Humber, Philip, 233 NLCS (1986), 26–27, 30, 56, 92–93 Ryan, Nolan, 119 New York Yankees Astrodome, 89 Astros no-hitter against, 32 Clemens, Roger, 21, 50, 67, 79–80, 84, 119, 120 NFL draft 1973, 64 1978, 61, 62 1985, 64 2002, 38, 64, 143, 151–52 2006, 38, 62, 64, 65, 143, 150–57 2007, 70 Nickel Beer Nights, 8 No-hitters, 31–32, 116–18 North Carolina State, 197–99, 204–5 No-trade clauses, 88

O Obesity, 12 Odessa Permian High School, 249–50

291

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS Ohio State University, 209 Oilers. See Houston Oilers Olympics, 270–74 Drexler, Clyde, 273 Foreman, George, 271 Hedrick, Chad, 272 Lewis, Carl, 18, 200–201 Lipinski, Tara, 272 Lopez, Steven, 271, 274 Moceanu, Dominic, 276 Retton, Mary Lou, 270–71, 274, 275 Strug, Kerri, 275–76 Swoopes, Sheryl, 40, 273, 274 Wilkinson, Laura, 272–73 Zmeskal, Kim, 274, 275, 276 Orange Bowl (1947), 222, 231, 244 Orlando Magic, 188 Outdoor sports, 252–57 Owners, worst, 66–68

P Pancakes and Pigskins Rookie Breakfast, 11 Philadelphia 76ers, 173–74 Philadelphia Eagles, 220 Philadelphia Phillies, 33, 56, 66, 77, 81 Philanthropy, 10–12 Phi Slama Jama, 57, 58, 197, 203–5 Pittsburgh Pirates, 134, 135 Pittsburgh Steelers, 8, 53–54 Pole vault, 273 Prep sports, 248–50, 253, 276–78, 285–86 Promotions, 13–14 Public relations gaffes, 150–52 Public relations gimmicks, 7–8

R Racing. See Horse racing Reckling Park, 4, 241, 247 Red Cross, 11 Redstone Tournament Course, 254, 256 Reliant Energy, 11 Reliant Stadium, 2, 3, 4–5, 49, 50, 89, 284, 285

Rice Stadium, 225, 243 Rice University all-star baseball team, 235–39 Autry Court, 243 Berkman, Lance, 129, 231–32 bragging rights, 224–26 Cameron Field, 247 College World Series, 222, 231, 232, 246, 247, 248 Cotton Bowls, 222, 227–29, 230–31, 244 Division I-A sports landscape, 241–43 football wins, biggest, 244–46 Graham, Todd, 239–41 Graham, Wayne, 3, 105–7, 222, 246–48 Humble, Wheldon, 231 Maegle, Dicky, 230–31 Mount Rushmore of athletes, 229–32 Orange Bowl (1947), 222, 231, 244 Reckling Park, 4, 241, 247 SWC, 214 TSU upset over, 232–35 University of Houston and, 221–26 WAC, 215 Williams, Froggy, 230 River Oaks Country Club, 253, 254 Robertson Stadium, 264 Rockets. See Houston Rockets Rolling Stones, 91 Round Rock Express, 20, 98 Run and Shoot, 58, 59–60

S St. Louis Browns, 134 St. Louis Cardinals, 33, 95–96, 128 St. Louis Rams, 60 Sam Houston Race Park, 44–45 San Antonio Spurs, 167, 182–83 San Diego Padres, 59 San Diego Rockets, 172, 202 San Francisco Giants, 31 San Jacinto North College, 105, 106 Seattle Supersonics, 188–89

292

SFX, 43 Shadow Hawk Golf Club–Shadow Hawk, 253, 254 Shell Houston Open, 254 Skating, 272 Soccer, 54, 264–69, 284, 286 Softball, 273 Southern Methodist University (SMU), 214, 215 Southlake Carroll High School, 248 Southwest Conference (SWC), 25, 194, 195, 204, 213–16, 226 “Southwest Conference Highlights,” 25 Speed skating, 272 Sports agents, 42–44 Sportscasters. See Broadcasters Sports news, 25 Sports Radio 610, 11 Stanford University, 209 Sterling High School, 277–78 Super Bowl XXXIV, 60

T Taekwondo, 271 Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 277, 286 Temple University, 218 Tennessee Titans, 19, 60, 151–52, 286 Tennis Battle of the Sexes, 51–54, 89 Garrison, Zina, 263–64 Heldman, Gladys, 261–62 McIngvale, Jim, 15, 261–64 Texans. See Houston Texans Texans Care Campaign, 11 Texas A&M, 106, 159, 214, 215 Texas Christian University (TCU), 214, 215 Texas City Dike, 256 Texas Rangers, 20, 56, 66, 68, 100, 119 Texas Southern University (TSU), 232–35 Texas Tech, 40, 214, 215, 216 Title IX, 53 Toronto Blue Jays, 21, 99 Touchdown in the Community, 10

Toyota Center, 3, 4, 285 Track and field, 18, 200–201, 273 Trinity Bay, 256 Tulsa University, 239, 240–41 Twin Towers, 59

U UCLA, 27–28, 30, 90, 196, 202 U.S. Fed Cup, 263 U.S. Men’s Clay Courts, 15, 261–62, 263 U.S. Tennis Association, 263 University of Alabama, 222, 227–29, 230–31, 244 University of Houston, 29, 284 1967 athletic events, 211–13 1982–1983 basketball team, 203–5 1982–1984 basketball teams, 57, 58 1984 athletic events, 211 Big 12 Conference, 213–16 bragging rights, 224–26 College World Series, 213 Conference USA football championship (2006), 3, 45 Cotton Bowls, 194, 196, 206–8, 221 Diaz, Juan, 260 golf program, 208–11, 253 greatest sports moment, 194–96 Hayes, Elvin, 200, 201–2 Lewis, Carl, 200–201 Lewis, Guy V., 216–18 Maggard, Dave, 45–46 Mount Rushmore of athletes, 199–202 NCAA Tournament (1967), 28, 212 NCAA Tournament (1968), 28, 90 NCAA Tournament (1983), 197–99, 204–5, 217 NCAA Tournament (1984), 196, 198, 211 Olajuwon, Hakeem, 200 Phi Slama Jama, 57, 58, 197, 203–5 quarterbacks, greatest, 219–21 Rice University and, 221–26 UCLA, regular season victory over (1968), 26–27, 30, 90, 196, 202

293

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS Ware, Andre, 200, 202–3 worst sports moments, 196–99 University of Louisville, 197, 204, 205 University of Maryland, 194, 221 University of Michigan, 205 University of Nebraska, 194, 221 University of North Carolina, 204, 222 University of Notre Dame, 196, 206–8 University of Tennessee, 222, 244 University of Texas Big 12 Conference, 213–15 College World Series (2002), 248 golf program, 209 Rice football upset over (1994), 244–46 UH win over (1976), 195–96 University of Virginia, 198

V Virginia Slims Tours, 262

W Wake Forest, 209 Western Athletic Conference (WAC), 215 Willowridge High School, 278 WNBA, 40–42, 284. See also Houston Comets Women Battle of the Sexes, 51–54 influential, 40–42 See also individual women and specific women’s teams World Baseball Classic, 98 World Cup (2006), 269 World Gymnastics Championships (1991), 274–75 World Series (2003), 278 World Series (2005), 27, 31, 96, 128, 132 Worthing High School, 276, 277

Y Yale University, 210 Yates High School, 248–50

294

INDEX by Name A Aardsma, David, 222, 238 Aaron, Hank, 132, 133 Abdul-Aziz, Zaid, 179 Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem (Lew Alcindor) Hayes, Elvin, 30, 90, 202 Houston Rockets and, 167, 168 Lewis, Guy V., 217 Olajuwon, Hakeem, 200 University of Houston and, 28, 30, 90, 202, 217 Acres, Mark, 178 Adams, Bud, 56–57, 67, 144 Alcindor, Lew. See Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem Alexander, Leslie, impact of, 37–39 Allen, Bob, 25 Alou, Jesus, 101 Alou, Moises, 59 Alston, Rafer, 178 Alvarado, Carol, 267 Amundson, George, 64 Anders, Benny, 198, 205 Armstrong, Brandon, 63 Arnold, Eric, 236 Ashby, Alan, 75, 99 Ausmus, Brad, 33, 75, 94, 109, 114

B Backe, Brandon, 104 Bagwell, Jeff, 19 1998 season, 59 Astros all-star team, 73 Ausmus, Brad, 75 Berkman, Lance, 77, 127, 128, 129,

130 Biggio, Craig, 36, 74, 107–10, 115 Clemens, Roger, 79, 85 Garner, Phil, 104 home runs, 128 McLane, Drayton, 50 no-trade clause, 88 popularity of, 110, 111 Purpura, Tim, 68–69 uniform number, retired, 124, 125, 285 Bailey, Johnny, 249 Barbarossa, Bob, 213 Barkley, Charles, 164, 170 Barnett, Bill, 242 Barron, David, 24, 192, 249, 270–71, 272, 273 Barry, Rick, 170 Baugh, Kenny, 238 Beasley, Pierre, 277 Beckett, Josh, 276, 277, 278, 286 Beltran, Carlos, 76–77, 86–88, 104, 105, 111 Berkman, Lance, 2 Arnold, Eric, 236 Astros all-star team, 76–77 Bagwell, Jeff, 109 Biggio, Craig, 37, 111, 114 clutch hitting, 127–28 conviction of, 130 Dierker, Larry, 105 Garner, Phil, 104 Graham, Wayne, 105, 247 NLDS (2005), 33, 94 no-trade clause, 88 power of, 128–29 Purpura, Tim, 69

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS Rice Owls, 105, 222, 231–32, 237, 247 Savery, Joe, 235 Texas roots, 129 Thames, Damon, 236–37 versatility of, 129 Biggio, Cavan, 35, 115 Biggio, Connor, 35, 115 Biggio, Craig, 2, 19 1998 season, 59 3000 hits, 34–37, 113–15, 285 Ashby, Alan, 99 Astros all-star team, 74 Bagwell, Jeff, 107–10 Berkman, Lance, 127, 129, 130 Clemens, Roger, 79, 85 Gardner, Pam, 41 Garner, Phil, 104 McLane, Drayton, 50 no-trade clause, 88 popularity of, 110–12 Biggio, Patty, 35, 111, 115 Biggio, Quinn, 35, 115 Billingham, Jack, 101, 102 Bird, Larry, 28, 168 Blinebury, Fran Bush, Reggie, 154 Fitch, Bill, 169 Houston Dynamo, 266 Malone, Moses, 171 McGrady, Tracy, 182 Ming, Yao, 175, 177 Olajuwon, Hakeem, 171 Sampson, Ralph, 165–66 Young, Vince, 154 Block, John, 180 Boggs, Wade, 14 Bonds, Barry, 87 Bonk, Tommy, 200 Boras, Scott, 86–87 Bosselli, Tony, 142, 153 Brezina, Greg, 212 Bridges, Blois, 228 Briles, Art, 45, 220 Brown, Bill, 24 Brown, Billy Ray, 209, 210, 253 Brown, Kevin, 59

Brown, Kris, 148 Bryant, Kobe, 181 Buchholz, Tayler, 101 Burguieres, Philip, 11 Burke, Chris, 33, 92–95, 113, 114 Burke, Jackie, 44, 46–47 Bush, Barbara, 31 Bush, George H. W., 31 Bush, Reggie, 38, 65, 70, 143, 150, 153, 154 Butkus, Dick, 277

C Cabell, Enos, 74, 99 Caminiti, Ken, 74 Campbell, Earl, 19, 21 impact of, 56 Luv Ya Blue, 8, 58 Monday Night Football (1979), 33–34 NFL draft (1978), 61, 62 popularity of, 110 Campbell, James, 261 Campbell, Steve, 252 Capers, Dom, 145, 146–47, 158 Carr, David, 139–43 Cleveland Browns, loss to (2004), 145, 146 Lidge, Brad, 97 McNair, Bob, 38 NFL draft (2002), 64, 152 Peppers, Julius, 152 release of, 70 Smith, Rick, 70 Young, Vince, 150–52 Casals, Rosie, 262 Casserly, Charley, 70, 140, 143, 151 Castilla, Vinny, 74 Cedeno, Cesar, 76 Chamberlain, Wilt, 200 Chaney, Don, 166, 201 Chaney, John, 218 Charles, Lorenzo, 198, 205, 217 Charlton, Norm, 238 Childress, Ray, 64 Childress, Rob, 106

296

Clemens, Koby, 117 Clemens, Roger, 2, 3, 285–86 Ausmus, Brad, 75 Beckett, Josh, 278 Carr, David, 139 controversy over, 78–83 Cy Young Awards, 116–18 freedom clause, 84–86 Garner, Phil, 104 Graham, Wayne, 106 Hendricks brothers, 42–43 high school sports, 276, 277 Houston Astros best pitchers, 121 Houston Astros draft (1983), 65 influence of, 47–50 McLane, Drayton, 50, 67 Mount Rushmore of Houston sports, 18, 19, 20, 21 NLDS (2005), 32–33, 94–95 Oswalt, Roy, 122–23, 259 popularity of, 110 Ryan, Nolan, 116–20 Clendenon, Donn, 101–2 Coachmen, Herman, 234 Collins, Jason, 63 Connally, John, 44 Cook, David L., 186 Cook, John, 209 Cosell, Howard, 52 Couples, Fred, 200, 203, 209–10, 253 Court, Margaret, 51 Cousins, Bill, 223, 240 Craft, Harry, 102 Crawford, Carl, 65, 276, 277, 286 Crenshaw, Ben, 47, 209 Crosby, Bubba, 236, 237 Cruz, Jose, Jr., 222, 236, 237 Cruz, Jose, Sr., 76–77, 99, 110, 124, 125 Cruz, Jose Enrique, 236 Cunningham, Dan, 2 Astrodome, 91 Carr, David, 142 Clemens, Roger, 82 Houston sports (early 1980s), 56–57 Lidge, Brad, 97 Mount Rushmore of Houston

sports, 19 Oswalt, Roy, 122 Run and Shoot, 60 World Series (2005), 27 Cunningham, William, 215 Curtis, Isaac, 64

D Daniels, Isaac, 233 Davis, Austin, 236 Davis, Danny, 219, 220–21 Davis, Shani, 272 Dayne, Ron, 149 Degerman, Eddie, 238 Del Conte, Chris, 240 Demaret, Jimmy, 46 Deshaies, Jim, 24–25 Devine, Joey, 95 Diaz, Juan, 259–61 Dierker, Larry Astros best pitchers, 78, 121 Astros manager, 100, 103, 105 Berkman, Lance, 105 broadcasting, 25, 100 career (post-baseball), 99–100 uniform number, retired, 125 Dolan, Brett, 136 Dotel, Octavio, 32 Drabek, Doug, 200, 203 Drexler, Clyde, 186, 187, 286 Dancing with the Stars, 184–85 Dream Team (1992 Olympics), 273 Houston Rockets, 164, 170 Lewis, Guy V., 217 McGrady, Tracy, 183 NBA draft (1983), 64 NCAA basketball championship (1983), 197, 204, 205 Patterson, Ray, 173 Phi Slama Jama, 57, 58 Sterling High School, 277–78 uniform number retired, 172 University of Houston, 57, 58, 197, 204, 205, 223, 284 University of Houston athletes, greatest, 200, 203

297

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS Dunleavy, Mike, 168 Dunn, Adam, 276 Dupree, Billy Joe, 64 Durocher, Leo, 102

E Egan, John, 167 Eggert, Allen, 240 Elkington, Steve, 47, 209, 210, 253 Elston, Gene, 22–23, 24, 26, 66, 131–33 Elston, Terry, 221 Ensberg, Morgan, 69, 114 Everett, Adam, 75, 114 Ewing, Patrick, 196

F Faggins, Demarcus, 146 Faldo, Nick, 209, 253 Fallas, Bernardo, 268–69 Federer, Roger, 15 Fenstemaker, Leroy, 228 Fergus, Keith, 210 Fiori, Ed, 210 Fitch, Bill, 56, 63–64, 166, 168, 169 Floyd, Sleepy, 178 Flutie, Doug, 227 Foley, Jim, 23, 24, 26 Ford, T. J., 187, 277, 278 Foreman, George, 260, 271 Foster, Melvin, 249 Fox, Jim, 237 Francis, Steve, 178–79 Franklin, Alvin, 198 Fuentes, Brian, 36

G Gaines, Reece, 178 Gallegos, Mario, 267–68, 269 Garcia, Adrian, 267 Garcia, Sylvia R., 267 Gardner, Pam, 40–42 Garner, Phil, 102, 104–5 Berkman, Lance, 105 Biggio, Craig, 113 Clemens, Roger, 85, 86

firing of, 69 Lidge, Brad, 96, 97 Garrison, Zina, 263–64 Geronimo, Cesar, 101 Gettys, Reid, 205 Giammalva, Sammy, Sr., 263 Gibson, Daniel, 186, 277, 279, 286 Gipson, Paul, 212 Givins, Ernest, 60 Gladchuk, Chet, 46 Gonzales, Alberto, 31 Graham, Todd, 239–41 Graham, Wayne, 2, 238–39 Berkman, Lance, 129 Houston Astros, 105–7 Rice baseball dynasty, 222, 246–48 TSU upset over Rice, 233–34 Gray, Bobby, 245 Griffin, Eddie, 62–63, 163 Guinn, Skip, 102 Guy, Ray, 64

H Haas, Jay, 209 Haines, Kris, 207 Hamilton, Milo, 22–23, 24, 26, 131–37 Hampton, Mike, 100, 121 Hansen, Fred, 273 Hardin, Rusty, 13–16 Hardy, Darrell, 186 Harris, Del, 56, 167–68 Hatcher, Billy, 92–95 Hatfield, Ken, 239, 244 Hayes, Elvin, 164, 188, 284 Lewis, Guy V., 217 McGrady, Tracy, 182, 183 Olajuwon, Hakeem, 187 Patterson, Ray, 172, 173 Rockets greatest players, 169–70 UCLA, regular season victory over (1968), 27–28, 30, 90, 188 University of Houston 1967 season, 212 University of Houston athletes, greatest, 200, 201–2, 222 Hebert, Ken, 212

298

Hedrick, Chad, 272 Heldman, Gladys, 261–62 Helms, Tommy, 101 Hendricks, Alan, 42–44 Hendricks, Randy, 42–44, 82–83 Hepp, Charles, 96 Herce, Steve, 238 Herring, Eric, 221 Herzeg, Ladd, 143, 144 Hidalgo, Richard, 59 Hill, Lovette, 213 Hirsh, Jason, 101 Hoch, Scott, 209 Hofheinz, Roy, 52, 89 Holcomb, Kelly, 146 Holland, Johnny, 154 Howard, Ryan, 130 Hudson, John, 227 Humber, Philip, 233, 234, 238 Humble, Wheldon, 231 Hunsicker, Gerry, 41, 68, 69 Hurwitz, Charles, 44–45

I Izenberg, Jerry, 27 Izzo, Larry, 245

J Jackson, Janet, 37 Jackson, Stephen, 187, 277 James, LeBron, 181–82 Janish, Paul, 236, 237 Jaworski, Ron, 64 Jefferson, Richard, 63 Jeffires, Haywood, 59–60 Jennings, Jason, 101 Jent, Chris, 178 Johnson, Andre, 12 Johnson, Buck, 178 Johnson, Gary, 187 Johnson, Jerrod, 187 Johnson, Jimmy, 151–52 Johnson, Kosse, 227 Johnson, Magic, 167, 168 Johnson, Randy, 59, 121 Johnson, Richard, 64

Johnson, Walter, 132 Jones, Caldwell, 173 Jones, Dwight, 186 Jones, Jacoby, 70 Jordan, DeAndre, 277 Jordan, Michael, 61, 171, 181–82, 204

K Karolyi, Bela, 270, 271, 274, 275–76 Karolyi, Martha, 274 Kent, Jeff, 67, 88, 104, 105, 111 Kerfeld, Charles, 98–99 King, Billie Jean, 51–54, 89, 262 Kite, Tom, 209 Klingler, David, 219, 220, 221 Kolb, Kevin, 219–20, 221 Koufax, Sandy, 32, 117 Kubiak, Gary, 158–60 Carr, David, 151 Gardner, Pam, 41 Indianapolis Colts, win over (2006), 148, 149–50 Ryans, DeMeco, 157 Young, Vince, 70, 150

L Lakey, David, 69 Lane, Jason, 114 Lanier, Hal, 102–3 LaRocca, Josh, 245–46 Lawless, Robert, 214 Lay, Ken, 191 Leach, Vonta, 149 Lee, Carlos, 280–82 Biggio, Craig, 34, 37, 111, 114 Clemens, Roger, 80 Diaz, Juan, 261 McLane, Drayton, 50 no-trade clause, 88 Purpura, Tim, 69 Leonard, Justin, 209 Lewis, Carl, 18, 19, 21, 200–201, 270, 284 Lewis, Guy V., 27–28, 90, 198, 212, 216–18 Lewis, Rashard, 187, 188–89, 277

299

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS Lewis, Tommy, 227–29, 230–31 Lidge, Brad, 32, 33, 69, 95–98 Lietze, Bruce, 209, 210, 253 Lima, Jose, 110 Lipinski, Tara, 272 Loney, James, 276, 279 Lopez, Aurelio, 92 Lopez, John Astrodome, 91 Carr, David, 142 Houston Dynamo, 266 Houston Hoops AAU program, 186–87 Houston Oilers, 53–54 Kerfeld, Charles, 98–99 Lidge, Brad, 97 Mount Rushmore of Houston sports, 18 UCLA-Houston regular season game (1968), 28 Young, Vince, 154 Lopez, Mario, 184 Lopez, Steven, 271, 274 Lucas, Jai, 187, 277

M Mack, Sam, 178 Maegle, Dicky, 227–29, 230–31 Maggard, Dave, 44, 45–46 Mahaffey, John, 209, 210, 253 Malone, Moses, 164 Harris, Del, 167, 168 McGrady, Tracy, 183 NBA finals (1981), 29 Patterson, Ray, 173–74 playoffs and, 176, 177 Rockets greatest players, 170, 171–72 uniform number, retired, 124 Manning, Peyton, 148 Mantle, Mickey, 89, 130 Marin, Jack, 172 Maris, Roger, 132 Marr, Dave, 209, 210, 253 Marshall, E. Pierce, 14 Martin, Harvey, 64

Martinez, Pedro, 122 Matthews, Bruce, 60 May, Bobby, 222, 242–43, 246, 247 May, Lee, 9, 101 McCallister, Blaine, 209, 210, 253 McClain, John Astrodome, 91 Campbell, Earl, 56 Carr, David, 140 Clemens, Roger, 80 Houston Dynamo, 265 Houston Oilers (1993), 60 Kubiak, Gary, 160 Lidge, Brad, 97 McMullen, John, 66 Minute Maid Park, 6 Mount Rushmore of Houston sports, 19–20 NLCS (1986), 27 power and influence of, 191–93 Young, Vince, 153–54 McCloughan, Scott, 70 McCray, Rodney, 64, 173, 204 McGrady, Tracy, 285 Francis, Steve, 179 Ming, Yao, 175, 177 playoff prospects with, 181–84 Rockets greatest players, 170 Van Gundy, Jeff, 163 McHale, Kevin, 168 McIngvale, Jim (Mattress Mac), 13–16, 262–63, 264 McKinney, Steve, 149 McLane, Drayton, 7 Ashby, Alan, 99 Beltran, Carlos, 87–88 Clemens, Roger, 67, 79, 80, 81–82, 83, 84 decision making, poor, 100–101 Graham, Wayne, 107 Houston Dynamo, 266 influence of, 47–50, 191–93 Purpura, Tim, 69 Wagner, Billy, 81 McMullen, John, 49, 56–57, 66–67, 68, 100, 125 McNair, Bob, 2, 284

300

Adams, Bud, 67 Cleveland Browns, loss to (2002), 147 impact of, 37–39 Indianapolis Colts, win over (2006), 148 Kubiak, Gary, 158, 159 philanthropy, 10–12 Reliant Stadium, 5 Smith, Rick, 70 McNair, Janice, 11 McNeil, Lori, 263 McTaggart, Brian, 197, 207–8, 219, 223 McVea, Warren, 212–13 Medina, David, 267, 281 Menke, Dennis, 101 Metcalf, Terry, 64 Micheaux, Larry, 198, 205 Mickelson, Phil, 47 Miller, Pig, 178 Ming, Yao, 162, 179–80, 285 influence of, 47–50 McGrady, Tracy, 182, 183 Olajuwon, Hakeem, 174–76 playoff prospects with, 176–77, 182 Moceanu, Dominic, 276 Montana, Joe, 60, 196, 206–7 Moon, Warren, 14, 58, 59–60, 141 Moore, Otto, 178, 184 Morgan, Joe, 9, 74, 101, 102 Munchak, Mike, 60 Munro, Pete, 32 Murphy, Calvin Hardin, Rusty, 14 Harris, Del, 167, 168 McGrady, Tracy, 183 Rockets greatest players, 164, 170–71, 172 uniform number, retired, 124 Murphy, Michael, 162, 165, 176 Mutombo, Dikembe, 179–80

N Nachbar, Bostjan, 179–80 Nantz, Jim, 209, 253 Navratilova, Martina, 263

Neely, Jess, 227 Nichols, Jeff, 238 Nicklaus, Jack, 209 Niekro, Joe, 78, 121, 122, 123 Niemann, Jeff, 238 Nissalke, Tom, 167

O Okafor, Emeka, 186 Okeye, Amobe, 70 Olajuwon, Hakeem, 179, 187, 284, 286 Fitch, Bill, 168 Lewis, Guy V., 217 McGrady, Tracy, 183 Ming, Yao, 174–76, 177 Mount Rushmore of Houston sports, 18–19, 21 NBA draft (1984), 61–62 NBA finals (1986), 28 NBA finals (1994), 28, 31 NCAA basketball championship (1983), 197, 204, 205 playoffs and, 176, 177 popularity of, 110 real-estate dealings, 185–86 Rockets greatest players, 164, 170, 171–72 Rockets popularity and, 162 Twin Towers, 59, 165 uniform number, retired, 124 University of Houston, 57, 58, 200, 223 Olson, Doug, 213 O’Neal, Shaquille, 48, 200 Osterman, Cat, 273 Oswalt, Roy, 2, 121–22 Astros all-star team, 78 Ausmus, Brad, 75 Biggio, Craig, 111 Clemens, Roger, 80, 82 Cy Young Awards versus nohitters, 118 Garner, Phil, 104 McLane, Drayton, 50 national anonymity of, 259 NLCS (2005), 33

301

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS no-hitter, 32 no-trade clause, 88 Purpura, Tim, 69 Ryan, Nolan, 119, 120 Owens, Jesse, 270

P Paciorek, Tom, 213 Palmer, Arnold, 209 Palmer, Chris, 146–47 Pardee, Jack, 59 Parish, Robert, 168 Passe, Loel, 22, 131 Pastorini, Dan, 8, 53, 141–42 Patterson, Ray, 63–64, 172–73 Patton, Troy, 279 Pede, Mike, 240 Pence, Hunter, 36–37, 111, 114, 279, 280, 281–82 Penders, Tom, 46 Peppers, Julius, 143, 152, 153 Perenchio, Jerry, 52 Peterson, Gene, 23, 24, 26 Petrie, Geoff, 176 Petroskey, Dale, 133 Pettitte, Andy, 2, 3, 121 Ausmus, Brad, 75 Beckett, Josh, 278 Carr, David, 139 Clemens, Roger, 80, 81, 82 Garner, Phil, 104 Graham, Wayne, 106 Hendricks brothers, 42 Oswalt, Roy, 122, 123, 259 Phillips, Bum, 8, 54, 110, 143–44 Pierce, Ricky, 223, 230 Pike, Doug, 252, 255, 256–57 Pinkney, Lovell, 245 Pippen, Scottie, 14, 170 Player, Gary, 47 Polk, DaShon, 148 Presley, Elvis, 90–91 Pruitt, Greg, 64 Pujols, Albert, 33, 96, 97, 98, 130 Purpura, Tim, 41, 68–71, 100

R Rader, Doug, 74 Ramos, Mario, 238 Raymond, Dave, 24, 136–37 Reeves, Dan, 159 Reich, Frank, 57 Reid, Robert, 168 Renfro, Mike, 53–54 Retton, Mary Lou, 270–71, 274, 275, 276 Reynolds, Shane, 122 Rice, Jerry, 64, 183–84 Richard, J. R., 78, 121–22, 126–27 Richards, Ann, 215 Richards, Jason, 236 Richardson, Spec, 101–2 Riggs, Bobby, 51, 52, 89 Robertson, Dale Biggio, Craig, 112 Diaz, Juan, 259–60 Gardner, Pam, 41–42 Garrison, Zina, 263 Graham, Wayne, 106 Hardin, Rusty, 14 Hendricks brothers, 43 Hurwitz, Charles, 44–45 McGrady, Tracy, 183 McIngvale, Jim, 15, 262 McNair, Bob, 38–39 Ming, Yao, 47 Purpura, Tim, 69 tennis, 262, 263 Robinson, Candy, 233 Robinson, Dunta, 156 Rodriguez, Josh, 234 Rosamond, Michael, 65 Rosen, Al, 64–65 Royal, Darrell, 195 Russell, Bill, 200 Ruth, Babe, 132, 133 Ryan, Buddy, 60 Ryan, Nolan, 121, 286 career (post-baseball), 98 Clemens, Roger, 48, 116–20 Elston, Gene, 132 Lanier, Hal, 103

302

McMullen, John, 56, 66–67, 68 Mount Rushmore of Houston sports, 18, 19, 20, 21 no-hitters, 31–32, 116–18 Oswalt, Roy, 78, 123–24 popularity of, 110 uniform number, retired, 124, 125 Wood, Bill, 100 Ryans, DeMeco, 155–57, 280, 281–82

S Saarloos, Kirk, 32 Sampson, Ralph, 28, 59, 63, 165, 168, 173 Sanchez, Hugo, 268, 269 Sanders, Don, 98 Savery, Joe, 235 Schaub, Matt, 70–71 Scott, Mike Astros best pitchers, 78, 121, 122 Lanier, Hal, 102–3 NLCS (1986), 26, 93 no-hitter, 31 uniform number, retired, 125, 126 Scully, Vin, 134 Selena, 91 Shanahan, Mike, 159 Shedloski, Dave, 208–9 Shlenker, Sidney, 52 Short, Purvis, 180 Siegfried, Larry, 179 Sim, Lakva, 259 Sindelar, Joey, 209 Singletary, Mike, 187, 276, 277, 286 Sinisi, Vincent, 248 Slaughter, Webster, 59–60 Smith, Anna Nicole, 14 Smith, Emmitt, 184 Smith, Richard, 157 Smith, Rick, 68–71 Smith, Rod, 159–60 Smith, Tal, 66 Sneed, Ed, 209 Solomon, Jerome, 249, 255 Sorrentino, John, 253 Stansberry, Craig, 236

Staub, Rusty, 99, 101–2 Stewart, Jimmy, 101 Stotter, Rich, 212 Strange, Curtis, 209 Stricklen, Brandon, 234 Strug, Kerri, 275–76 Sutton, Don, 121 Sutton, Hal, 47 Swift, Stromile, 163 Swoopes, Sheryl, 40–42, 273–74

T Taveras, Willy, 101 Taylor, Lawrence, 153 Taylor, Maurice, 163 Teaff, Grant, 193 Tellez, Tom, 201 Thames, Damon, 236–37 Thomas, Charlie, 38, 56–57 Thomas, Isiah, 278 Threatt, Sedale, 181 Tips, Kern, 25, 26 Tomjanovich, Rudy Hardin, Rusty, 14 Phillips, Bum, 144 Rockets greatest coaches, 166, 168–69 underappreciation of, 164–65, 166 uniform number, retired, 124 Torres, Gerard, 267 Townsend, Wade, 238 Trapp, John Q., 180 Trupiano, Jerry, 66 Tudor, Bobby, 243 Turner, Jimmy, 186

U Umbricht, Jim, 124–25, 126 Underwood, Hal, 213

V Valvano, Jim, 197, 199, 217 Van Gundy, Jeff, 162–63, 166, 182 Vick, Michael, 71

303

THE BEST HOUSTON SPORTS ARGUMENTS

W Wadkins, Lanny, 209 Wagner, Billy, 32, 67, 78, 81 Wagner, Dick, 66 Waiters, Granville, 178 Wallace, Dave, 117–18 Walton, Bill, 176–77 Ware, Andre, 194, 200, 202–3, 219–20, 221 Warner, Barry, 52 Washington, Kermit, 165 Watson, Bob, 73 Watson, Tom, 209 Weiskopf, Tom, 209 Wells, Bonzi, 163 Wells, David, 85 Wheeler, Dan, 96 White, Bill, 266 Whitley, Wilson, 195 Whittenburg, Dereck, 198 Wicks, Sidney, 176 Wilhelm, Hoyt, 32 Wilkerson, John, 263 Wilkinson, Laura, 272–73 Williams, Charean, 193 Williams, Christa, 273 Williams, Dave, 210–11 Williams, Froggy, 222, 230 Williams, Jimy, 103–4, 107 Williams, Mario, 279 McNair, Bob, 38 NFL draft, 62, 65, 70, 143, 152–54 Ryans, DeMeco, 156, 157 Williams, Richard, 263 Williams, Rob, 278 Williams, Serena, 263 Williams, Venus, 263 Williams, Woody, 81, 117 Wilson, Don, 124–25, 126 Wilson, Tom, 195 Wilson, Willis, 243 Winchester, Kennard, 181 Wine, Robbie, 65 Winfrey, Oprah, 91 Winslow, Rick, 186 Winter, Tex, 167

Wise, Nic, 187, 277 Wood, Bill, 100 Wooden, John, 90, 177, 194 Woods, Tiger, 209, 252 Worrell, Bill, 23–24 Wright, Tom, 3 Wynn, Jimmy, 76, 125, 126

Y Yeoman, Bill, 194, 208, 212 Young, Chris, 279 Young, Michael, 205 Young, Vince, 286 Campbell, Earl, 61 Casserly, Charlie, 70 high school sports, 276 Kubiak, Gary, 70 McIngvale, Jim, 15 Mount Rushmore of Houston sports, 19 NFL draft (2006), 38, 65, 70, 143, 150–52, 153, 154 Ryans, DeMeco, 156 Titans victory over Texans, 148

Z Zarley, Kermit, 210 Zmeskal, Kim, 274–75, 276 Zoeller, Fuzzy, 209, 210, 253

304

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jose de Jesus Ortiz has been covering

baseball

for

the

Houston

Chronicle since 2001. A former reporter for the Newark Star–Ledger and the Long Beach Press–Telegram, Ortiz is the author of Houston Astros: Armed and Dangerous, and his work has

been

honored

as

Notable

Sportswriting in The Best American Sportswriting. He also won first place for event coverage in 2006 from the Southwest APSE. Ortiz lives with his wife and daughters in Kingwood, Texas.

WHO’S THE BEST?

E

very Houston fan knows that the only thing better than watching sports is arguing about them—picking the best, the worst and who will come out on top. And no city tears its sports teams apart like

we do in the Lone Star State.

Veteran sportswriter and Houston Chronicle baseball writer Jose de

Jesus Ortiz takes you inside the 100 best debates in Houston sports.

Covering the Astros, Texans, Rockets and beyond, every question you want to debate is here—as well as a few surprises.

Is Houston a football town or a baseball town? Was Roger Clemens a savior or a traitor? Did the Texans fail David Carr or did Carr fail the Texans?

What happened to Brad Lidge? Can Yao be as great as Hakeem? Are the 1982–83 University of Houston Cougars the greatest team to never win a title?

Sports $12.95 U.S. ISBN: 978-1-4022-2938-1