All-Time Houston Sports Icon

A.J. · Post #1 » by **A.J.** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 4:18 pm

Who you think is the number 1 Houston sports icon?

I have to give it to Craig Biggio.

moofs · Post #2 » by **moofs** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 4:54 pm

Heh well my biggest ones (no order) would be

Hakeem
Bidge
Bags
Moon
Nolan Ryan
Craig Reynolds (gotta props him for being my namesake)

Don't know where the other top guys from the Rockets or other football players (Bruce Matthews, Earl Campbell) would come in at.

MaxRider · Post #3 » by **MaxRider** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 5:03 pm

names pop up in my mind:
Nolan Ryan
Hakeem Olajuwon

RaoulDuke79 · Post #4 » by **RaoulDuke79** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 5:04 pm

It's easily a toss-up between Biggio and Dream, with Bagwell/Moon/Ryan right behind them.

Wow, that almost sounds kinky.

Baller 24 · Post #5 » by **Baller 24** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 5:18 pm

* 2x NBA Champion (1994, 1995)
* 1x NBA MVP (1994)
* 12x All-Star (1985-1990, 1992-1997)
* 2x Finals MVP (1994-1995)
* 2x NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1993-1994)
* 6x All-NBA First Team Selection (1987-1989, 1993-1994, 1997)
* 3x All-NBA Second Team Selection (1986, 1990, 1996)
* 3x All-NBA Third Team Selection (1991, 1995, 1999)
* 5x NBA All-Defensive First Team Selection (1987-1988, 1990, 1993-1994)
* 4x NBA All-Defensive Second Team Selection (1985, 1991, 1996-1997)
* 1985 NBA All-Rookie Team
* NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team

The difference between Hakeem and the rest is that he is a champion, and that puts his name on a different level entirely, since no one in Houston has done what he has.

A.J. · Post #6 » by **A.J.** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 5:21 pm

The NBA has more awards than MLB.

But 3000 hits can get people attention, and Biggio is truely the best Houston sports icon.

Baller 24 · Post #7 » by **Baller 24** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 5:41 pm

A.J. wrote:The NBA has more awards than MLB.

But 3000 hits can get people attention, and Biggio is truly the best Houston sports icon.

Since when did 3,000 hits get more GLOBAL attention than 2 NBA championships?

I give my respect to Biggo and Bagwell, but the greatest Houston legend has to be Hakeem.

RaoulDuke79 · Post #8 » by **RaoulDuke79** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 5:41 pm

On further thought you have to toss Bagwell in with Biggio since you really can't think of one without thinking of the other. They are linked. They both were the face of that franchise for many years and it's just impossible to mention one without the other.

Those 2 and Dream are THE image of sports in Houston in my mind(with Dream being the greatest).

Unless of course you want to journey into the Dark Side of Town and visit the Clemens Memorial. Perhaps take a trip to the Stevie Franchise Hall of Turnovers. If you're feeling saucy you could always embark on an adventure over to the Calvin Murphy Field of Sexual Abuse Allegations(now hiring!).

That Warren Moon guy was pretty good though....

tha_rock220 · Post #9 » by **tha_rock220** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 6:04 pm

Baller 24 wrote:
A.J. wrote:The NBA has more awards than MLB.

But 3000 hits can get people attention, and Biggio is truely the best Houston sports icon.

Since when did 3,000 hits get more GLOBAL attention then 2 NBA championships?

I agree. Hakeem is in a far more exclusive club, actually holds a major record, and brought the city 2 championships. As great as they were, Baggy and Bidge's careers were almost universally associated with disappointment. I'm not sure Bagwell will ever make it to the HOF, and Biggio certainly won't go on his 1st ballot(although he will go because of his 2k hits).

moofs · Post #10 » by **moofs** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 6:34 pm

Man, if those two can't make it into the MLB hall, what do you have to do to get in? Rescue babies from burning buildings between at-bats while hitting .548 with 18 golden gloves in a 3 year time span playing all 4 bases?

A.J. · Post #11 » by **A.J.** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 6:58 pm

tha_rock220 wrote:
Baller 24 wrote:
A.J. wrote:The NBA has more awards than MLB.

But 3000 hits can get people attention, and Biggio is truely the best Houston sports icon.

Since when did 3,000 hits get more GLOBAL attention then 2 NBA championships?

I agree. Hakeem is in a far more exclusive club, actually holds a major record, and brought the city 2 championships. As great as they were, Baggy and Bidge's careers were almost universally associated with disappointment. I'm not sure Bagwell will ever make it to the HOF, and Biggio certainly won't go on his 1st ballot(although he will go because of his 2k hits).

Are you serious?

Biggio is a first ballot hall of famer. Anybody who doesnt thinks that is certainly stupid.

Baller 24 · Post #12 » by **Baller 24** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 7:01 pm

Hakeem was already a first ballot

tha_rock220 · Post #13 » by **tha_rock220** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:14 pm

A.J. wrote:Are you serious?

Biggio is a first ballot hall of famer. Anybody who doesnt thinks that is certainly stupid.

Any particular reason why it's stupid, or am I supposed to guess???

RaoulDuke79 · Post #14 » by **RaoulDuke79** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:14 pm

Not that the HOF(in baseball at least) matters or has integrity to begin with, but if Biggio and Bagwell don't get in(and on the 1st ballot) then you can go ahead and completely disregard it's value from then on.

Those 2 are easily not only locks for the HOF but 1st ballot all the way and it's not even close. Bagwell was one of the greatest 1st-basemen to ever play the game, and anybody who has 3,000+ hits(let alone all of the other stats) is in, period.

Of course I don't work for ESPN and I am therefore biased towards these guys because I grew up watching them play the game, and play it the right way.

Post #15 » by **TMU** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:52 pm

3000+ hits at 10000+ AB is around .281 batting average. Not worthy of being a city's sports icon.

A.J. · Post #16 » by **A.J.** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:53 pm

tha_rock220 wrote:
A.J. wrote:Are you serious?

Biggio is a first ballot hall of famer. Anybody who doesnt thinks that is certainly stupid.

Any particular reason why it's stupid, or am I supposed to guess???

Yes. Biggio is a lock as a 1st ballot. If he isnt, I will never watch baseball again.

Post #17 » by **TMU** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:56 pm

It's Hakeem Olajuwon, period.
Nolan Ryan and Earl Campbell deserve mention as well.

jove9 · Post #18 » by **jove9** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:20 pm

A.J. wrote:Yes. Biggio is a lock as a 1st ballot. If he isnt, I will never watch baseball again.

Don't lie.

Dream is the all-time Houston sports Icon.

Close behind are Warren Moon, Biggio, Bagwell, Drexler, Earl Campbell, and Rudy T.

Calvin Murphy would have been in that list if he hadn't been charged with all those things. His reputation is tainted now.

I don't know if I'd count Nolan Ryan. He's more of a Ranger, I think.

Post #19 » by **TMACFORMVP** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 11:22 pm

Baseball? ugh..

It's got to be Hakeem, he's arguably a top 10 player of All-Time and brought Houston back to back championships.

moofs · Post #20 » by **moofs** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 11:36 pm

jove9 wrote:Calvin Murphy would have been in that list if he hadn't been charged with all those things. His reputation is tainted now.

I don't know if I'd count Nolan Ryan. He's more of a Ranger, I think.

Damn I miss "innocent until proven guilty".

As for Ryan:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/r/ryanno01.shtml

I could see Angel, but not Ranger. He still spent a good decade with us, but I was thinking he was here longer than that when I named him.