Happy Thanksgiving! Ags/Horns, Texans, Dynamo PR mess

November 24, 2011 - Leave a Response

www.twitter.com/randymcilvoy       www.facebook.com/randymcilvoy

Happy Turkey Day to all of you in the blogosphere… Been a while since I posted here but pledge to be more consistent..  That Twitter nation and Facebook Frenzy keeps me busy.   (links above)

Later this afternoon the family and I will be making the trek to Aggieland for the final Aggies/Longhorns clash for a while.  They began this rivalry way back in 1894 and now they’ll meet for the 118th time at Kyle Field. 

Here’s some history on the game

The Longhorns are pouting over the fact the Aggies are leading for the more prosperous SEC so AD Deloss Dodds is playing hardball refusing to schedule the Aggies in football and other sports.  They haven’t said it publically but I’m hearing other coaches are being “encouraged” to politely decline scheduling the Aggies.  That’s just silly on the part of the UT orangebloods.

Tonight over 85k will pack the place and it’s going to be a special night and for some an emotional time.  I’ll be there in the North Endzone soaking it all in.  Local 2 Sports will be there too , Adam Clanton will be there live at 5p and 6pm with the crazy fans.

*******

Texans begin their playoff push this weekend on a roadie in Jacksonville.   Matt Schaub’s LisFranc injury has him on IR now and out for the season but Matt Leinart says he’s ready to step in.

Something tells me the Texans won’t miss a beat.  Schaub was outstanding and having a Pro Bowl type year but Leinart can continue that success if he plays smart, feeds those running backs and relies on the offensive line to do it’s job .  Oh yea’ll, while he’s at it, he can keep a lookout for #80 Andre Johnson who will return after missing 6 games with a hamstring injury.

Texans are 7-3, tied for the best record in the AFC, and the schedule is in their favor.  There is really no reason not to win this division and punch their playoff ticket for the first time in franchise history.

Get ready  Houston, this team will be playoff bound.   Now, I’ll take that back if Leinart goes down.  Road to the playoffs begins this weekend

*****************

Dynamo front, just a brutal PR disaster if they lose Brian Ching on the field.  They left him unprotected for the expansion draft and despite Montreal being warned, they still took Ching #1 overall anyway.   Ching has no plans to go there and told me on several occasions that he’d retire if he had to.  He has a front office job with the Dynamo waiting for him when he’s ready which is outstanding.   Chinger though told me he desperately wants to be a part of the new stadium next year.  He wants to play at least one more year and if he feels good maybe another.

The Dynamo rolled the dice on leaving him unprotected and it backfired.  The Dynamo fan base is not happy right now.

***************

HS Football playoffs , round 3 this weekend.. This is the best part of the year!   Love the fact it’s a 10 game regular season and you’ve gotta win six more to win the title at Cowboys Stadium.   Several of our Houston area teams look solid. Gonna be a fun ride.   KPRC Local 2 is your Houston home for high school sports … keep it locked in .. we’ll have all the highlights, stories and take you on the road to the state championships.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tuesday Musings: UT mess; Texans, Astros finish line

September 13, 2011 - Leave a Response

www.twitter.com/randymcilvoy        www.facebook.com/randymcilvoy

Time to dust off the ol’ blog and fire out a new post.  Apologies for not updating this more often. I read all of your emails though and appreciate it.  As you know I’m doing a done more on twitter and Facebook these days but the Randy’s Rants will come more often now that we’ve hit football season

 

Let’s begin with the little Longhorns and the mess they are causing.  Nice to have your own network folks but the boys up in Austin saw the 300 million from ESPN ( who wouldn’t) but failed to realize the impact it would have on them and their own league.

The Aggies were sought after by the SEC which makes sense for the Ags.  They are big boys and will do just fine over there and probably recruit even better and continue to challenge and win some battles on National Signing day.

Texas has a revenue stream no program can’t even come close too.  That’s not their fault but it will , most likely, cause the end to the Big 12 as we know it.

I found it amusing that the UT brass , so desperate to save the Big 12, packed up and went to OKC Sunday to hold a meeting with OU officials to beg and plead with them to stay.

The more people in Oklahoma I speak with and more reports  I read, I have a feeling OU  and OSU have their sights set on the Pac-12 once the invite is handed out.   That could go down in the next week or two.

***********

The Longhorns are 2-0 but have been anything but impressive in wins over Rice and BYU.  They struggled against the Owls until the second half and should of lost that game to BYU but the defense stepped up while the offense sputtered.

There is a QB issue brewing on the 40 acres too.  Problem is neither Garrett Gilbert, David Ash or Case McCoy is a top tier quarterback.. It’s obvious Gilbert’s confidence is shot and I’m just not convinced Ash or McCoy, although good players, will ever reach the level Texas needs to compete at the top level.  Ash and McCoy will share the “co-starter” roles going to UCLA this weekend.  UCLA is no good so this should be an easy win no matter who is at quarterback.

*********

Great news for the Texans.  Those clowns that reported WR Kevin Walter had a “broken shoulder” were a tad off the mark.  In fact there were reports locally and nationally that it was more severe until Head Coach Gary Kubiak cleared things up at his Monday newser that there was no fracture, just a bad bruise and that Walter would be checked out in a couple of days.  Kubiak didn’t rule out Walter for Sunday but then again wouldn’t give that away necessarily anyway on a Monday.  I expect Walter to miss Sunday’s game in Miami then be ready for the Saints.  Maybe he’s a quick healer. Walter doesn’t wow you with stats but he’s a gamer on the field and a great fit for this offense.

********

The Astros are in their final stretch. Currently sitting at 97 losses after they whipped Roy Oswalt and the Phillies Monday night.  I enjoyed watching that.  Roy was very moody in his final months as an Astros and selfishly demanded a trade.  That rubbed me the wrong way.  Berkman hinted at wanting a move as well and that bothered me too.  I’m not a fan of athletes who are paid well believing they are owed anything when it comes to playing for a winner.  Last I checked , the players need to look in the mirror and remember they are the ones who are expected to produce between the lines.

I’m all for Hunter Pence.  He took the high road and never complained.  No player worked harder than Hunter. I had many conversations with him past few years and at Spring Training about his work ethic and what drives him.  He’s the ultimate player who wants to win.   Great thing about Hunter is he didn’t whine and complain about playing for a losing organization.

He sat there, showed up to play and when the Astros moved him, he said thanks and moved on to help the Phillies. 

The Astros will lose 100 games and probably between 105-110 when it’s over in a few weeks.  GM Ed Wade needs to remain on the job.  He’s made strides and has a good staff.   ( although I totally disagreed with the move to let go top scout Rusty Pendergrass. That just didn’t make sense.)

I’ve enjoyed watching the young kids get in their everyday.  They are growing up fast but the Astros need more help.  Here’s hoping the new owner won’t let things remain stale for too much longer

 

Musings while on Vacation break: NFL, VYPE HS Magazine; Yao, Astros-Mills future

July 10, 2011 - Leave a Response

www.twitter.com/randymcilvoy        www.facebook.com/randymcilvoy

 

Few more days to recharge the batteries then I’ll jump back in on Wednesday.  Been a good week to catch up on some things, make some calls and prepare for what I expect to be the return of the NFL soon.

HS Football is around the corner and the new July edition of VYPE HS Magazine will hit stores next week.  The massive preview edition will be a good one.  Malatesta and I along with the entire crew involved have been working on it since April.

***********

Tonight on SPORTS SUNDAY,  guests talking Yao include 1560′s Sean Pendergast, Chron’s Richard Justice and Jonathon Feigen.

What are your thoughts on Yao’s retirement?  I wasn’t shocked at all but just thought it wouldn’t happen until August from what I had been told.  Yao’s American agent still won’t confirm it which is odd. It’s out and Yao is holding a newser on July 20.

I look back at Yao’s career and am impressed by what he could do on the floor at times.  He was one of the best, if not the best, for a short period but injuries on his big frame simply caught up to him.  It’s a lot of wear and tear for a guy that’s been playing serious ball since he was a kid.  When he joined the NBA back in 2002 there was talk of potential damaged goods even back then but the Rockets did their homework and still felt it was worth it.

It was a good decision by the Rockets but Yao’s career, on the floor, just didn’t live up to the hype.  His career was cut short so we’ll never know really how dominate he would of been over the long run.

I saw Yao as a quiet leader that put up good, not great, numbers.  He wasn’t a guy that would take over a games like Kobe and Lebron do most nights.  Yao just got the job done and frankly did it pretty darn well.

Was he a Hall of Fame material?  That’s a tough question.  On the floor I don’t think so but what he did for the NBA globally is hard to argue.  He’s brought it to a high level in the Far East like nobody else could do.

It’s the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame and some in there already probably don’t deserve it.  If you look at Yao’s entire resume on and off the floor he may be deserving of HOF entry.  As a player I need someone who plays longer and is dominant to be considered.  If that’s the criteria then I believe Yao just falls short.  If the total package is considered then he should be in.

What’s your take?  vote now on www.click2houston.com/sports  and tell us how you feel.

 

*****

The Astros will finish the first half with 60+ losses and continue to pace towards 110 losses this season. They won’t set a record but it’s embarrassing to what this club perform every night.  The talent isn’t great but there’s several in the lineup ML quality that need to produce.  Carlos is stinking it up , Bourn has shown quality along with All-Star bound Hunter Pence.

Why is this team so bad?  bullpen is horrible, J.A. Happ has regressed big-time and there are plenty of other holes and inexperience but 60+ losses isn’t acceptable.

Many of you email, twitter and facebook me with questions about changes.  I think Brad Mills is a great guy and knows the game.  I hear that he’s a great manager but that with little talent he hasn’t been given a fair shot.  That is probably right but in this day of baseball that sometimes doesn’t matter when the record is what it is.

Throw in that Jim Crane is about to take over any time now and I find it hard that he would not clean out for the sake of just starting from scratch.  I hope I’m wrong because I like Mills.  But if I’m Crane and his group, spending what they spent to buy the club,  from a simple PR standpoint bringing back anybody from a club this bad wouldn’t make sense.

A lot of good managers have lost their jobs simply because of a record and not their managerial talent or potential.

Stay tuned to see what happens after this season is over

********

 

Rockets draft; Texans 2011 moves; Gold Cup

June 20, 2011 - Leave a Response

www.twitter.com/randymcilvoy                www.facebook.com/randymcilvoy

Greetings from the mothership …KPRC Local 2 Sports…

The NBA draft used to be a night you’d mark on your calendar but it’s lost some of it’s luster over the years.  I believe the influx of young entries and foreign players nobody knows about has caused the drop in interest.  It’s too saturated now and how often, outside of the top 5 or so will be impact players on a team?

Not many.

The Rockets are slotted for 14 and 23 in the first round Thursday.  If they stay, don’t expect the players to be of any immediate help.  GM Daryl Morey needs to move up and I’m told that attempts have been made and continue to be made .  How nice would that be?   The lockout will kick in soon and who knows how long that will last. I have heard December and January by those that get their paychecks from teams.  That will be disasterous if it’s that long.  The league needs an upgrade on PR and this won’t only continue the disconnect with the fans. Lot of empty seats at arena’s across the country is a sign of fan apathy.

Now to our Texans. I had a good conversation with Gary Kubiak 2 weeks ago as he and I did a charity event together.  We got to talk about the lockout, his summer schedule and planning for camp when it does open.  Kubiak told me for a while now he and his staff have had their schedule mapped out and ready to go.  That’s a good sign. Now we just need some football.

By now, the Texans should of had OTA’s, mini-camps, etc completed and on break until later in July.  I asked Gary even though players are working out in groups , what scares you most as a Head Coach and staff?

” They are working out but it’s not what we’d be doing every day out here,” Kubiak said.  “It’s just not the same and hamstring injuries are going to be a concern when we resume.”

The Texans have to prioritize and it begins with a shutdown cornerback like Nnamdi Asomugha.  He’s hands down the best in the business and is shopping his talents.  When the labor deal is done, the bell will ring and Asomugha will have the chance to go anywhere he wants.

MEMO TO  BOB MCNAIR/RICK SMITH:  Have your cell phone on speed dial and call him immediately.  Mr. McNair, you have the money and now is the time to spend . Pony up the 15-20 million it will take to land Asomugha and get the man to Houston.  Send your plane with Andre Johnson aboard and make him a Texan.

Now, after spending big bucks, there will be more checks to write.  To be a Super Bowl contender you have to spend money and spend it wisely.  Fullback Vonta Leach needs to get his deal and stay put and if Matt Schaub goes down, you’ll also need a dependable backup with experience.  I’m not sold on Matt Leinart but if he bolts you’ve gotta find someone else.  There are some other holes on the line as well that are important . Would be nice to keep em’ all but that may not be feasible.  PRIORITIZE, PRIORITIZE AND PRIORITIZE.

***********

Finally…Gold Cup Semi’s are at Reliant Wednesday.  USA/Panama at 6pm  then it’s Mexico/Honduras at 9pm.  If you like soccer or want to experience a World Cup feel this will be the place to be .  It’s sold out and the stadium will be rocking on Wednesday night.

Thanks to Texans President Jamey Rootes of Lone Star Sports and Entertainment,  Dynamo President Chris Canetti and Dynamo forward Brian Ching for coming on SPORTS SUNDAY last night to preview the big week.

 

Adelman’s exit makes no sense; Rockets make change

April 18, 2011 - Leave a Response

www.twitter.com/randymcilvoy                   www.facebook.com/randymcilvoy

Rick Adelman is a winner.  Look at his resume and that’s all that needs to be said.   Adelman spent 4 years here in Houston leading the Rockets.  What he rarely did was lead a Rockets team he “thought” he inherited when he first took the job.

As expected Monday the Rockets and Adelman mutually agreed to part ways.  Much of of it I’m told falls on Les Alexander who made the call and passed along to GM Daryl Morey.  Whether that’s true or not is beside the point that they have said goodbye to a great, well respected coach.

Don’t fool yourself on the replacement. They won’t find one any better.

Adelman saw this coming and was frustrated over the squad he coached.  He loved his guys and gave them props all of the time over their effort and never quit attitudes.  

Bottom line though, Adelman came here to coach Yao, McGrady and other big names.  That really never happened.

The Rockets missed the playoffs the past two years winning 42 and 43 games each season.  With the roster Adelman had to work with, that was a major step in the right direction.  The Rockets weren’t even playoff contenders so missing the post-season is irrelevant.

Replacements being bantered about the past Elston Turner, Mario Elie, Mike Brown and Mike Woodson not to mention the old reliables like Jeff Van Gundy  (doubt that will even pan out) and a host of others that have some experience.

The Rockets players told us last week they all wanted Adelman back.  They loved him as a coach, teacher and person.

Apparantly, their opinions didn’t matter.

All of this said, Adelman wanted answers to regarding the direction of the franchise.  Good chance he didn’t hear what he wanted and was more than happy to walk away.

Adelman will be back and in demand.   How long will it take for the Rockets to get back?

BillyBall will be great for Texas Tech and Big 12; Astros and Lyles

March 21, 2011 - Leave a Response

www.twitter.com/randymcilvoy                  www.facebook.com/randymcilvoy

Greetings from Houston’s sports hub of KPRC Local 2 Sports…

Checking out my bracket(s).. so far , not too bad but I need by teams to come through this weekend and I may be in good shape. 

Texas is out of  the tournament and since they were a tad overrated most of the season it’s a fitting end to another “good” season in Austin.   Rick Barnes has done a terrific job of building Texas into a solid program on the national stage.  Let’s not get carried away though, the Longhorns are not a powerhouse.   Not sure they ever will be but Barnes is solid and a great recruiter. 

Billy Gillispie is back in business.  He was named Texas Tech’s new Head Coach and will be introduced Wednesday morning in Lubbock.  BCG has had some time on the beach to get away from the game and get his life in order.  His issues worsened when he arrived at Kentucky.  He’s a good guy, smart,  hard working and results driven.  He has more connections in Texas recruiting circles than probably Barnes and Turgeon combined.  Gillipsie is that well liked in high school and AAU circles.  He will get his players, implement his system and win.   Pride in the Red Raider basketball program is on the way.

At Astros camp… the numbers aren’t good for opening day starter Brett Myers who gave up 12 hits and 5 earned runs Monday against the Tigers.  Myers did strike out 4 but his 9.00 ERA is not what he or the club had in mind.

He’s a gamer though and will get the ball in Philly.   For some, Spring training is a pain and the best remedy is to get the heck outta dodge.  Myers will re-group and bring it next week.

Today, 20 year old Righthander Jordan Lyles was optioned to AAA camp.  Good move that’s really about money.  No sense having him up yet . He’ll go to OKC , get in some starts, keep improving and I’ll tell ya right now by early summer he’ll be in an Astros uniform. 

I saw and spoke with Lyles in Kissimmee recently and he’s got the mindset and talent to make the jump.  He’s a sign that the Astros farm system, slowly but surely, is beginning to see results in the rebuilding project.

Tourney time! My bracket & all things hoops

March 17, 2011 - Leave a Response

www.twitter.com/randymcilvoy              www.facebook.com/randymcilvoy

Back from a few days of R&R and ready to start one of my favorite times of the  year.   March Madness is when people, whether they are sports fans or not, come out and act like it for a few weeks.

Filling out a bracket for some of us involves some time and stat comparison while others choose teams because of their team colors or mascot names.  Actually, I’ve known quite a few who have gone that route and whipped all of us.

Here’s my NCAA Bracket.  Take a look, compare, agree-disagree. Have fun with it.  If I’m doing well in it, you’ll certainly hear about it on Local 2 Sports.

It’s really easy for folks in our parts to clear the rowdy road to Reliant for the Aggies and Longhorns.  But for a few minutes, take your team colors off and look at both clubs.  The records look impressive but break it down and do you really see either team making it past the Sweet 16?

I think the Aggies win but struggle over a sloppy Florida State team Thursday and then bow out in round 2 against a very good Notre Dame club.  Even if the Ags pull off the huge upset, I don’t see them matching up well with Purdue.

The Longhorns are young and a hard team to figure out. Will the fellas show up or will they have issues dealing with the big spotlight that the tournament brings?  Texas should get past a good Oakland team then I have them knocking off Arizona before running into Duke.  I’d love to see them beat Coach K’s team but he’s Coach K and his team is more talented, experienced and deeper than Barnes’ group.

For Texas, it will be another good season but still not what Barnes envisions for his program.

Overall, I don’t think Syracuse is getting enough respect.  The Orangemen play great defense, are athletic and can score.  They survived the Big East and are always tournament ready.   I have them upsetting a young Ohio State team in the Elite 8 but losing to Duke in the National Semi-Finals.

The other side of the bracket, I really like Kansas and Purdue to advance to the Elite 8 with Kansas moving on to Reliant and a date with Florida in the National Semi-Finals.  That SE Region I like Gonzaga to advance to the Sweet 16.

So I’ll go with Kansas to win it all over Syracuse in my ‘official” bracket.

In my other bracket (for another pool) I’m going with Final Four of :  Ohio St, UCONN, Kansas, Florida.    UCONN winning title over Kansas.

Have fun and good luck!

Astros Camp: Martinez Tracking quickly to Bigs

March 5, 2011 - Leave a Response

www.twitter.com/randymcilvoy                      www.facebook.com/randymcilvoy

Greetings from Astros Camp in Kissimmee..  another day in paradise…Great to be around the club and talk to the vets along with the rising stars.

I spent some time with a name fans will see sooner rather than later:   Left Fielder J.D. Martinez who is only 23  but is on the fast trackt to the big leagues.  He’s the organization’s reigning player of the year. Everyone I talk too sings his praises.

  He’s that good and they call him “Baby Pujols.”.  His swing is a mirror image of Albert Pujols, whom J.D. looks up too. Minus the squat it’s a match and J.D. looks like Albert’s twin brother too.

“That’s the name some of the guys gave me, ” Martinez told me Saturday morning.  “Heck, I look up to him so its a good name to have I guess.”

Martinez was drafted in 2009 and has already make stops at Rookie ball, Class A , and AA Corpus Christi.  Every step of the way he’s been productive and the young star knows his time will eventually arrive. 

He’s not rushing it though.  Good chance he’ll be at AAA OKC or perhaps begin the year at AA Corpus. 

Either way, when Carlos Lee rides out of town in a couple of years,  Martinez should be good to go.

See ya Sunday night,  for a LIVE- SPORTS SUNDAY from here at Camp Kissimmee.  Some TV gold for ya guaranteed including an appearance from  Footer, McTaggart and Campbell talkin’ Astros with me .

Greetings from Kissimmee: Astros Lose Castro; Now what?

March 4, 2011 - Leave a Response

www.twitter.com/randymcilvoy                      www.facebook.com/randymcilvoy

CAMP KISSIMMEE: LET THE GAMES BEGIN

Greetings from Astros Spring Training in Florida!  

No, we didn’t forget about the fellas……..It’s just watching pitchers throw to catchers in bullpen sessions doesn’t do it for us.. so when March arrives  that’s when baseball begins in our book.   Ok, glad we could all agree on that once and for all..

It is pretty quiet on the media front here.  Very small contingent covering the team.  Just us,  another TV outlet , along with  Astros.com’s  Alysson Footer, MLb.com’s Brian McTaggart and Steve Campbell from Chron.  That about does it..  Nice , quiet and productive. They are making us feel like family around this place!

We’re also pleased to be able to run into Milo, Dave and Brett from the Astros radio crew as well.  Our small group have it to ourselves at the best part of camp to cover every spring.  Practice in the morning, interviews, game, more interviews.. Well, you get it . It’s our annual March trip here and since I’ve been coming to the old stomping grounds at Osceola County Stadium since 1991, it never gets old. 

I love this place and have a lot of memories here as a young journalist 20 years ago sitting in that home dugout 1 on 1 with the likes of Biggio , Bagwell and company.  They could care a less that I was from a TV outlet in Beaumont at that time.   They granted me the time and didn’t rush it.    The “Moonwear” bit I did with Biggio and a few of the guys along with Dennis Liborio in 1992 or 1993 remains one of my all time favorites along with Jose Lima breaking out in song for me just outside of Field 1 one spring morning after practice. 

Today we were here for the Jason Castro breaking news, Roger Clemens was here, and I spent some quality time with the man himself- Drayton McLane in his suite at the stadium.  Very nice and he invited me, Daryl and Gene to stay for a few innings.  Man, I was eyeing those freebies in the frig and his ballpark snacks and I was tempted…  He was by himself but we all had work to do so we’ll take a raincheck on that one.   I’ve always been a big fan of Drayton.  Very few owners are like him.  Great stories he shares and I’ve been fortunate enough to witness a few others.  He’s a good man once you get to know him and what he does quietly outside of baseball.  Houston fans will miss him. 

One of the fun parts is catching up with some of the longtime employees I’ve gotten to know over the years.  Many I met on one of my first trips here.  Most of em’ live around here year around or come down over the winter and spring and work at the stadium several hours a day.

We’ve been here a couple of days and have 3 more to go including our annual live SPORTS SUNDAY from the stadium. That’s a fun night because our man Pete actually gives us the keys to the joint… gates, doors, stadium lights.. Cool stuff..

CASTRO OUT FOR SEASON

Catching situation is a little dicey now that Castro is out for the 2011 season.  This morning we were here when the news hit about doctors finding a Meniscus tear AND a torn ACL. Not good.

A 3 month rehab quickly went to a minimum of 6 months.  Castro is only 23 years old and this early it’s a setback for him because he needs the experience and reps in the big leagues.  He did enough in his 4 months to impress most folks in the organization.  His bat is questionable but his catching ability and running a pitching staff is advanced.

He’ll be back and probably better. He’s smart and will work hard to get back to 100%. 

J.R. Towles now has a bigger chance to show he can stay and produce.  I like the guy and enjoy talking baseball and family with him.  He’s matured quite a bit and quietly is a gamer that most don’t recognize.  This guy is a baseball junkie and has beaten the odds just to get to this point after a rough couple of years going back to AAA and AA and injuring his hand.

J.R. and Humberto Quintero are two guys that will get a lot of time unless the Astros try to find a veteran.

” We have 5 guys here in camp,” Wade told me early this morning. ” We don’t need someone for years to come,  because we have our guy (Castro) who we believe will be here.”

Another big day on tap tomorrow (Saturday) at the ballpark and coverage on KPRC Local 2 Sports and SPORTS SUNDAY .

See ya,

Randy Mc

Summer of fun ahead for Rockets

February 25, 2011 - Leave a Response

www.twitter.com/randymcilvoy                   www.facebook.com/randymcilvoy

 

So, be honest how do you feel after today’s deals by Rockets GM Daryl Morey?

In Morey we should trust because the man knows what he is doing.  He may be one of the smartest guys in professional sports and he’s right here in our backyard trying to work his magic with our Rockets.

Let’s start with Shane Battier who can’t be all that happy with Morey right about now.  Shane knew what was coming, we all knew what was coming. His days as a Rocket were numbered and today he got the news.

“Back to Memphis, are you kidding me Daryl?” could of been something how the exchange went. Who knows but Battier didn’t want to be a Grizzlie again. I’m pretty darn sure he was hoping and expecting to go to a serious contender like a Boston who had interest but had nothing to give in return.

So Shane goes to Memphis and we get  a 2013 1st Round pick and a 7-3 project center in Hasheem Thabeet who played his high school ball here in Houston at Cypress Christian Academy before going on to UCONN.

Don’t count on a ton of minutes for Thabeet.  I was talking to a guy in Memphis tonight close to the Grizzlies who gave me the warning.  Good guy but a player that needs fine tuning.

Hello Carroll Dawson?

Morey also dealt disgruntled guard Aaron Brooks to the Suns.  Aaron , in an interview with Sportsradio 610 today, was happy for the fresh start although he admitted he was surprised it was the Suns .

Aaron , like Battier has an expiring contract, and will backup Steve Nash in Phoenix.

Hey Aaron how long will you put up with that?

Little piece of advice:   don’t walk out on your new team. That won’t go over too well there either.  Just sayin..

From Phoenix, the Rockets get Guard Goran Dragic who has good upside and has shown flashes already.  He wasn’t going to be the Suns future guy but he did score 30 or so against the Spurs in the playoffs last year so he’s got some game and Morey likes him.

So, end of the day the deals got done.  They were splashes you fans were hoping for but Morey has a plan.

This summer the Rockets are primed to make things fun .

Daryl, now go get some sleep!

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.