Houston Rockets Season Finale and My Birthday

Chuck Hayes & Free Throws

This could (and should) probably get it’s own post, but watching the two FT’s that Chuck Hayes shot last night was just painful. It’s like watching Rick Ankiel try to throw a curve. I turned 27 yesterday, and I’ve probably been watching basketball pretty regularly now for 15 years. Never once have I seen a player called for a lane violation on himself! The guys on 1560AM were just joking that the ref’s lecture after probably went something along the lines of - “You need to hire a free throw coach this summer or something because that’s horrible.”

My wife is a relatively new basketball and Rockets fan, but she has developed a strangely strong hate for Chuck Hayes. She comes up with nicknames for all the players, and she has deemed Chuck the nickname “Toby” after Toby Flenderson from The Office. I’m assuming it’s because she hates Chuck Hayes as much as Michael hates Toby.

Speaking of my wife -

Fan Appreciation Night at the Toyota Center was FANtastic!

My beautiful wife took me to the go see the Rockets beat down the Clippers last night for my birthday, and to my surprise she shelled out for some pretty decent tickets on the fourth row near the Clippers bench. I haven’t gone to many games with her, just a couple playoff games last year, and opening day this year.

Walking into the Toyota Center, they were handing out small scratch cards for prizes. I think every other time I’ve taken her we’ve got a shirt or a hat so a random scratch card seemed like a letdown. Seemed like being the key there, my wife scratched her card, and she won an autographed basketball. I scratched mine off and won an autographed player photo. I couldn’t tell if we were lucky, or if they were just giving out a lot of these. When we found the right prize redemption table I asked if we got to pick the player (Carl Landry obv), but they said it was random. They randomly pulled my wife a Tracy McGrady basketball, and I got a Yao Ming 8×10. The kid in front of us got an Aaron Brooks picture, and I saw another girl with one that looked like Steve Novak, so it seems like we were lucky to pull a couple future hall of famers.

Home court vs. the Utah Jazz

For a second year in a row we have home court advantage as the 5th seed. I think that’s the goofiest thing, and I’ll never understand why they insist on doing that and confusing the casual fans. The season for the Rockets has been a huge roller coaster, and outside of the two championship years, it might end up being the most memorable season I’ve seen. During the 22 game streak I think a lot of us had high hopes for the playoffs, but at this point I’ll be satisfied with the season no matter what happens. The injury bug has really piled up on us. I was amazed how well we fought through the Yao Ming being out for the season, but watching Tracy McGrady last night, it seems like he can barely raise his left arm above his shoulder. Then Shane Battier still having a bit of a limp, Rafer Alston being out for the start of the playoffs, Carl Landry still obviously not near 100%, and it’s just hard to be disappointed in the Rockets if they can’t pull it off.

I still think they can win, but I just don’t think it’s going to be easy. I think if the Rockets were going in with everyone at 100%, they would have to be the favorite to win the Western conference.

1. Cailin April 18, 2008 12:30 am

   Thanks for the shoutout, babe. Don’t mention Shane’s foot, though…I’ll start crying.

2. Bonnie Workman November 13, 2008 1:36 am

   us721aywje7tocsu

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