The state of sports coverage in Houston

[Mr. E]

It sucks. sorry to say.

I love H-Town; I bleed all things Houston; but our sports coverage - and media overall - kind of blows goats.

I trace all of our problems to one thing: We are the fourth largest city in America, the most economically vibrant large city in America...and we have only one major newspaper.

I recognize that print media is slowly dying; but they do have online counterparts which may be getting a nice boost in readership with the growing realm of digital subscription. The fact remains with us that once the Houston Post went down there was nothing pushing the Chronicle to provide better coverage.

Right now, at this moment I would go out on a limb and say that the clutchfans website actually provides better coverage of our Rockets than the over-the-air networks and local newspaper. I get most of my breaking stories from those guys (via twitter...what the hell has happened to us???) rather than the sports desk of NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox or the Houston Chronicle.

I am not saying that I want to see the cut-throat, rumormill-driven sports media of New York City or Chicago; but I would at least like to see some more in-depth coverage and more challenging articles. We do seem to get a lot of fluff pieces around here which tow the company line. Those are nice...but we need some writers with cajones & talent (big part missing there) to give the sports-ravenous fans in Houston a better, more competitive product.

Just rambling a bit.

[KiDdFrESh]

So I hit the booze kinda early today. To be honest I cannot fully appreciate your rant since well... I only read bits and pieces.

You saying Houston coverage sucks? I agree. But let's flip it around a second. What's there to write home about? What exactly have our teams down for us lately?

In the past 15 some odd years. The Rockets have been a perennial one n down team come post season. The best thing they've done since Olajuwon left was the following.

1.) Acquire Steve Francis.
2.) Draft Yao Ming.
3.) Trade Francis for T-Mac.
4.) Get injured.
5.) Win one playoff series.
6.) Trade Tracy McGrady.

That's the past decade plus some change odd years of Houston Rockets basketball summed up in 6 points. That's pretty big drop off from winning back-to-back Championships.

How about them Astros... err LAstros.

What have they done since moving into Minute Maid Park? Hell I won't even mention the fact that they didn't win one division series before moving into Minute Park. Anywho... Since 2000. They have been to the playoffs a whopping 3 times. Surprisingly they won 2 out of 3 division series and even made it to the Big One. Only to get SWEPT by the White Sox. Way to go H-TOWN!! Other than their extraordinary post season success, what have they done?

1.) Bagwell was on roids after all. Shocker! Right?
2.) Any all-star they pick up via trade leaves at the end of the season cause our filthy rich billionaire owner has a welded rubber band on his checkbook. Randy Johnson ring a bell? Beltran? Pettite & Clemens. I'm sure they are more.
3.) Oh yeah, we signed Roger Clemens. He had sex with a minor (can't remember?) and we let him go.
4.) We forget how to play baseball in the World Series. Its all good, we will have PLENTY of opportunities to win again. Just ask the Cubs.
5.) Brad Lidge gets his cajones taken from him by Pujols. Literally actually.

Onto football, my favorite....

1.) Oilers suck.
2.) Oilers leave.
3.) 6 year drought and we get the Texans.
4.) David Carr
5.) Missed FG's and late fumbles/turnovers cost us the playoffs. (Funny how the guys had the same names. Shouldn't be difficult to put the pink slip in their lockers. Both of em have to go anyways. So you can't go wrong there.)
6.) Still waiting for 1st playoff game! Can't Peyton just retire already?

Soccer... Dynamo right?

1.) Didn't they have a team before that? I think we did.
2.) No one cares. Unless your a U of H student who is trying to get drunk and get some booty. Admittedly, I've done more shameful things than watch a soccer game live just to get some p u ssy. At least at home you can change the channel.
3.) Have they down anything since their ... what 2-peat? The only reason they are good is cause Carlos DeLaHomo can afford to buy all the good players.

Comets anybody?

Woah.... sad story. Win 4 championships in a row. Dynasty, two of the best players the game will ever see and you know what? Nobody cared from the get-go. I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did.

The only chick team we should have in this city should be a part of the LFL. Yeah that's right, the Lingerie Football League. Chicks playing arena football with lingerie and shoulder pads. I like it. I'll pay to see that. Hell, I'll even volunteer to do an in-depth analysis of the players on the team. GIGGIGTY!

Phew... how's that? I hope I wasn't too far off base with your topic. Otherwise that would just a good 5 minutes of my life that I won't get back.

Where's my cup?

[moofs]

^
awesome

[College Boy]

^
agreed

[Meatcookie]

forgot the Aeros