FanNation - The Republic of Sport

I would definitely rank Houston in the top 3 cities that are killers to their fans. I know Chicago is going to speak up with the Curse of the Cubs but I am going to go ahead and say that the reign of Michael Jordan makes up for that.

As a hometown Houstonian I have been through a lot of agony. I was born too late to see the Oilers with Bum Phillips and Earl Campbell and their agonizing losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers. But you can bet your sweet **** that I got to see the Houston Oilers in all their glory give up a 32 point lead to the Buffalo Bills. I have always been more of a Dallas Cowboys fan (even when they were in the swan song of Landry's tenure) but that was officially the day I gave up my allegiance to the Oilers. I figure any team that can't figure out how to hold onto a 32 point lead midway through the 3rd quarter is a pretty poor sight to see.

 So the Oilers bolt for Tennessee and sure enough what do they do in their first year as the Titans? They go to the Super Bowl! Bud Adams must have been dancing a Texas two-step that day. But of course in Houston fashion they come up a yard short. Memo to Steve Mcnair: If you have time for one play try to hit someone IN the end zone.

So we wait a few years and get our mixed blessing: the Houston Texans. Is there an NFL team that has mismanaged their draft more than the Texans lately. (I am letting Detroit off the hook since they got Calvin Johnson.) They hold onto David Carr a year too long when they could have had Vince Young or Matt Leinart, they pass up Reggie Bush for the as of now mediocre Mario Williams, and then this year they essentially get a backup QB and give up next year's draft when they could have had Quinn or maybe moved up to grab Peterson.

The Rockets haven't won a playoff round since 1997 and how did it end? John Stockton puts a dagger through our hearts and ends Charles Barkley's, Clyde's and Hakeem's last hopes of a ring.

We were blessed to win the NBA title the 2 years Jordan was out. (Jordan came back for half a season but I don't count that since he was getting his legs under him. But ask anyone and they will probably put a mark next to those years as "Jordan in retirement and going through his I believe I can hit fly balls phase.) T-Mac is on the brink of winning a playoff round but he is notorious for coming up short. So is Jeff Van Gundy for that matter? Hmm, is there a pattern here that I see?

I also was too young to see the U of H-North Carolina State game but is there a more heartbreaking championship game? I think Hakeem's hands are still resting on his head in shock.

The first baseball game I ever remember as a child was game 6 of the 1986 NLCS. That's right...the game that the New York Mets beat the Houston Astros to go to the World Series. 3 years ago the Astros shock the Cardinals and go up 3 games to 2 in the NLCS. So what does Phil Garner do? He elects to sit his ace IN CASE THEY GO TO a 7th GAME! The rest of course is history. One year later I am at a sports bar with my cousin Greg, a bigger Astros fan than I am and someone who nearly has a heart attack every time Lidge goes in the game now, and we are watching game 5 of the 2005 NLCS. It is the last out. Lidge has Eckstein down to 2 strikes and he can't get him out. So then he lets Edmonds on base. And of course Pujols comes up. I look at my cousin, who I have been hugging for the past 10 minutes in a pre-celebratory Holy s&%t the Astros are in the World Series mode... and I say "He better not pitch to him." So next pitch is a hanging breaking ball and welll...I think you get the picture.

 The Stros made it to the World Series only to participate in a sweep by the White Sox that provided some of the most exciting and heartbreaking moments of my life. Lidge is now picking baseballs out of the Crawford boxes and the Astros are one of the worst hitting teams in baseball.

I guess to love Houston teams is like going back to your first love, the one who keeps telling you that maybe it will work out right before you walk in on her with your best friend. You can't get over them and yet you know that all they are going to do is disappoint you. Oh well, there's always next year! Texans in the Super Bowl in 3025! Yeah! Go Robot Andre Johnson!