Steve Francis (Basketball)

The Five Greatest Houston Rockets Who Played In The All-Star Game: A List That Might Surprise You

The Houston Rockets have only sent 14 different players to the NBA All Star game. The team's most celebrated All Stars have routinely been big men and the playground atmosphere of the game does not lend itself to players who need help getting the ball leading to some forgettable performances. Still ... More >>

For Valentine's: The Five Best Recent Rockets Bromances

Over the years, the NBA went from a league where practically every player hated each other, to a league where they Tweet to tell how much they miss one another. Since NBA All-Star Weekend is coming to Houston, some former and present Houston Rockets may get to rekindle the flame of the bromance the ... More >>

6 Thoughts On Tracy McGrady's Exporting Himself To China For The 2012-13 Season

No one wants to spend their twilight years alone. It's often said that when the years are winding down, people want to be around their loved ones, around people who appreciate them and would do anything for them. If that is indeed true, then Tracy McGrady's signing a one-year contract with Qingdao ... More >>

In Like a Lamb: No Moves, No Trades for the Rockets in 2012 Draft

Pick two came and went. Then pick five. Then seven and eight and it began to dawn on Rockets fans: For all the talk of trades for Dwight Howard and moving up into the top ten of the draft, Houston, a team mired in mediocrity, would stand pat and roll the dice with picks 12, 16 and 18. In fact, there ... More >>

Which Houston Rapper Bet "Whatever" On the NBA Finals?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Each week, Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week's Panel: Mac, Mug, Killa Kyleon, TroubleSum, Propain, hasHBrown, Yung Truth, O.N.E., Chingo Bling, more. Not Invited: Steve Francis and ... More >>

Five Things for the Rockets to Consider This Offseason

Another offseason is upon us in Houston. While other teams battle it out in the playoffs, Houston Rockets fans are left to wait until next year...again. With three straight lottery seasons and only one second round appearance since 1997, it's no wonder fans are fatigued and want to see things shaken ... More >>

The 5 Worst Musical Careers By Professional Boxers

Rocks Off is waiting for the day that our 52-year-old mother sits us down for a serious talk and says that she's ready to pursue her dream of becoming a rapper. She'll say, "Mi hijo, you know Lil Casper's mom, Brenda, on 4th Street? Her boyfriend set up a home studio for her. She's spitting that ... More >>

Ex-Rocket Steve Francis Turns Rapping Twitter Phenom

Every rapper dreams to be a baller and every baller dreams to be a rapper. It rings true today and former Houston Rocket Steve Francis renews the saying with his recently discovered hip-hop label Mazerati Music. Rocks Off cringed when we saw Dan Devine's Ball Don't Lie sports blog on Francis' rap ... More >>

Rockets Mediocrity: Blame the Strategy of the Owner

There's something unholy about a team playing out the string of games knowing it won't make the playoffs. It's even weirder when said team felt its season end with a thud after a horrid stretch of games that lasted right up until the second-to-last game of the year. Going one step farther, that game ... More >>

Picking Rockets Team of the 2000s Not an Easy Task

Throughout the course of this frustrating season, the Houston Rockets have been allowing fans to pick their choices for the starting team of the decade beginning with the 1970s and continuing with the '80s, '90s and 2000s. They had all but one of their starting five for the 2000s on had for their wi ... More >>

NBA Lottery -- Where Houston Rockets Point Guards Go to Die

I see disaster in your future.​"So you're saying there's a chance..." -- Lloyd Christmas Yes. 1.82 percent, to be exact. Those are the odds that the ping pong balls will fall the Houston Rockets' way tonight at the annual NBA Draft Lottery and they wind up with a top three pick. After finis ... More >>

Steve Francis' Very Brief Chinese Basketball Career Is Over

Steve Francis: A middle finger results in some "education"​Former Houston Rocket favorite Steve Francis' brief career as a Chinese basketballer is over, apparently in part because he was caught on TV giving the finger to a referee. He had signed with the Chinese league this year but had been ... More >>

Friday Juvenile Time Waster -- Live TV Cussing Videos!

Bleep happens.​Since getting into radio a few years ago, my biggest fear hasn't been a "dear in the headlights" moment (I prepare pretty meticulously), it hasn't been a guest or caller sending the show sideways. The one thing I'm still most fearful of is accidentally cursing on the air. You' ... More >>

NFL, College Football, Twitter, Pancake Bites and Bestiality -- Weekend's Best Bets

A regular Paul the Octopus​So last season I did these Best Bets posts on Fridays and made every attempt to conduct myself like an actual handicapper, coming up with reams of statistics and subjective observations to lead to a conclusion that I hoped made reasonable sense. End result? A predic ... More >>

Twitter Follow Friday -- My 24 Favorite Tweets From @OMGFactsSex (with commentary)

It's all about the sex​It's a bye week Friday, so we don't have the Texans defense to kick around this week. So I'm going to use my Friday post as a forum to do the new and exciting Friday activity that's sweeping the nation -- telling people to follow other people on Twitter! Riveting! Actuall ... More >>

Steve Francis: Drunk And Causing A Scene At LA's Airport

Steve Francis: Arrested at LAX​Stevie Franchise!! How could you?Wire reports indicate former Houston Rocket Steve Francis was arrested last night for being drunk and resisting arrest at an LA International ticket counter last night."Airport spokesman Albert Rodriguez says Francis was arrested at 1 ... More >>

Last Night: Bun B At House Of Blues

Photos by Marco Torres​Bun B House of Blues August 4, 2010 Ed. note: See a slideshow of last night's concert and BunB's Tuesday meet-and-greet. 9:24 p.m.: An R&B femme is performing as one of the opening acts. She has some dancers with her, which is cool. Some of them are men, though, which ... More >>

Game Time: 24 -- Was CTU Actually Run By Isiah Thomas? We'll Never Know

We're running out of time...to trade for Stephon Marbury​One of my favorite parts of the work day occurs around 10:00 a.m.every day, when Lance Zierlein is finished with his show. At that point, I'm five hours away from my show starting, so Lance and I will typically begin haphazardly discussing ... More >>

Aftermath: Jay-Z Goes Into Overtime At Toyota Center; Gyno-Mom Approves

Photos by Marco Torres / Click here for a slideshow​7:22 p.m.: God Dammit. The show was advertised as starting at 7 p.m. on the Toyota Center site, which of course means it'll start exactly at 8 p.m., which of course means it'll really start AROUND 8:15 p.m., which is more like 8:30 p.m., bu ... More >>

Why Wait On Prospects? Morey Opts For Star As Rockets Acquire K-Mart

​Daryl Morey, as always, had us all fooled.We assumed the Rockets' general manager had little on the table for the dead carcass of Tracy McGrady, save the Bulls' and Knicks' offers centered around future draft picks that could later be used as assets to trade for a star. The offers weren't bad ... More >>

The Top Ten Rockets Moments Of The Decade, For Better Or Worse

Photo by Daniel Kramer​For the Rockets, the decade of the 2000s began with Hall of Fame legend Hakeem Olajuwon starting at center. It finished with 6-foot-6 Chuck Hayes, the shortest listed starting center in NBA history.It started with promising rookie sensation and No. 2 pick Steve Francis at po ... More >>

Game Time: The Decade's Five Most Lucrative Miracles

​First, I want to wish everybody out there a very happy holiday, and thank all of you who have read my stuff here on HoustonPress.com since I started up a couple months ago, especially those of you who leave comments (even if you think what you've just read is utter drivel, and you're telling me ... More >>

Artist of the Week: Lady Lux, Female Houston R&B Trio... and NOT Destiny's Child

Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn't awful? Email their particulars to introducingliston@gmail.com. ​ Let's just get it out ... More >>

Five Spot: Inside E.S.G.'s Everyday Street Gangsta

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and, sometimes awkwardly, tie it to a bit of Houston rap. It's five videos and occasional cussing. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. ​After you interview somebody in preparation for writing something about th ... More >>

The Houston Rockets: Goodness Greatness

Rafer Alston Arrested for Drunk Driving

Rockets-Heat: A Pair of Pleasant Surprises

Two Nights Ago: Bun B and Other Members of the UGK Family

New Year's Resolutions

Rockets vs. Grizzlies: Just a Little Patience…

Rockets vs. Suns: Steve Francis at the Crossroads

2007 Turkeys of the Year

Priscilla Slade is the biggest gobbler of them all

Rocket Science: Daryl Morey Brings Hard-Core Statistical Analysis to the NBA

Houston's pro basketball team pins (at least a part of ) its hopes on a brainiac GM

Baller's Ball

Where to party this All-Star Weekend

When Steve Met Tracy

The Rockets' past and future face off at the Clutch City Classic

Kinky Politics

Gubernatorial hopeful Friedman knows when to Hold 'Em

Best Place for a Pickup Game

Best Comet

Best Coach

Baller's Ball

Ex-Rocket Steve Francis returns for the Summer Fiesta Slam Fest

Peace -- For Now

A caravan to Cuba isn't hassled. Yet.

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Hangover Hoops

2004 begins with Jazz, Rockets

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Rocket Rodney

A state senator moonlights as arena point guard

Best Houston Rocket

Steve Francis

Best Houston Rocket

Cuttino Mobley

Stadia Watch

Hoopla. Will the Rockets relocate? Don't bet on it.