On The Road

The official blog of the Rockets 2010 Summer Free Agency Caravan

Jason Friedman
Rockets.com

JULY 2, 3:00 PM - PENSACOLA, FLORIDA

Home beckons.

After a much-needed day spent relaxing on South Beach – complete with the requisite sand, surf, “scenery,” and sunburn (note to self: in the future stay away from cheap spray-on sunscreens, lest the objective is to sport a body with random, hieroglyphic-esque white patches all over) – the Rockets Caravan is back on the road, homeward-bound.
As one would expect, the final leg of our journey is providing plenty of time to reflect upon the week that’s been, in addition to the days that are to come. None of us knew precisely what awaited us when we departed Toyota Center Monday afternoon, so for those who wonder whether or not this trip lived up to expectations, I’d perhaps propose a different line of questioning.

The journey wasn’t perfect (how many are?) and I think hindsight definitely revealed a few things we could have done differently. Leaving a couple days earlier, for example, would have allowed us time to make more stops, do some additional exploring and interact with the people we met along the way. It also would have had the desirable effect of alleviating some of the exhaustion and cabin fever which descended upon our group during an exceedingly grueling second day. Then again, exhaustion and cabin fever are part of pretty much every road trip – they’re like rites of passage and badges of honor.

Obviously the biggest bummer was not being able to pick up Daryl Morey for his meeting with Chris Bosh Wednesday night. But I seriously doubt any amount of pre-trip planning could have helped us avoid that particular situation. Since league rules prohibit teams from contacting free agents-to-be and their agents before midnight of July 1, no meeting time or place could have been arranged ahead of time (I know what you’re thinking: What about all the reports which stated that several teams had meetings scheduled with free agents days in advance of July 1? To that I say draw your own conclusions and let’s just move on before I get in trouble).

From the beginning, we knew missing Daryl was a distinct possibility since these situations tend to be so fluid, literally changing by the minute on Free Agent Day Eve. We took a calculated risk and, as I argued in my previous post, I firmly believe it was one worth taking.

Because, by and large, I think the pros have FAR outweighed the cons on this trip. We’ve received calls from radio stations all over the country – and even one in Canada – to find out about our caravan and to continuously check-in on our progress. The idea obviously captured the attention of sports fans and got people talking about the Rockets during a time when they were being largely ignored anytime the free agent conversation came up. And on a more personal level, I can honestly report that everywhere we’ve gone people have come up to us, asked us what we’re doing and then, upon hearing the details, commented about what a cool concept this is.

This also seems like the ideal time to answer two questions I’ve been receiving again and again, be it from people on the street or the media:

1.) Why would a free agent choose the Rockets over the clubs with cap space?

2.) Do you honestly think a fan caravan consisting of 12 people can make a real difference in a player’s decision making?

Might as well start with question No. 1. If we learned one thing from the recently completed NBA postseason, it’s that even the most elite players in the NBA need a significant amount of help to win a title. In a 6-game loss at the hands of the Boston Celtics, LeBron James put up numbers that compared quite favorably to the stats Kobe Bryant produced in LA’s 7-game victory over Boston in the Finals. Yet Kobe took home the title and the MVP, while James was vilified for choking and coming up empty. Yes, James’ mysterious disappearing act in Game 5 had something to do with the thrashing he took in the media but the larger point is the same: no one man can carry his team to the top. Kobe had help. LeBron largely did not.

Players around the league took notice. And those big-time free agents that truly make winning a top priority would be doing themselves, their careers and their legacies a disservice if they don’t at least take a serious look at what Houston has to offer in terms of a supporting cast. Play for the Rockets and you’re guaranteed to be part of one of the strongest 8-man rotations in the league. Several teams have the cap space to field 2 or even 3 max-contract players but very few will have the leftover resources, assets and cap room to surround those stars with anything more than a bevy of veteran minimum players. If the ring’s your thing, then Houston has to at least be on your radar screen.

As for question No. 2, I think it’s important to see this caravan within the scope of the big picture. In a vacuum, no, I wouldn’t expect a player to base one of the biggest decisions of his life on the fact three Toyota Tundras filled with Rockets fans drove across the country in an effort to express their passion and desire for his hoops services. But that was never the point. The caravan wasn’t the sales pitch or presentation, it was an attention-grabber; a relatively small piece of the total package dreamed up and put together by Daryl Morey and the rest of the Rockets staff.

Zooming out even more, this project now takes its place alongside the other unique endeavors the Rockets have enacted since Morey took charge, all of which have helped to reinforce the notion that this franchise ranks among the most creative and forward-thinking in the NBA. Whether it’s taking statistical analysis in basketball to another level, engaging the fans in the wooing of Bosh and Marcin Gortat, or operating at the forefront of social networking (Morey was the first GM to embrace the power of Twitter), the Rockets have refused to go the cookie-cutter, formulaic route, preferring instead to seek out new and (hopefully) better ways of doing things. There’s real value in that.

I look at it much like any band or artist that dares to be great. You can choose to stay in your comfort zone by producing the exact same safe sound and style every album, or you can dare to be different by switching things up and continuing to evolve. The former approach might keep album sales steady but it’s unlikely to ever lead you to the top of the mountain. With the latter comes more risk and more opportunities to fall flat on your face, yet is also offers the only path to true greatness. Name me a great band or artist and I’ll show you someone who continued to search for new sounds and opportunities for growth.

The same concept holds true in any business of course and sports are no exception. You either continue to evolve or you wither and die. If Kobe Bryant chose to maintain the status quo after winning his first three rings, he’d never be mentioned among the all-time greats as he is now.

The NBA landscape is rapidly changing today and it will take creative, new ideas to get to – and remain at – the forefront of the league. The Rockets have shown their willingness and desire to dream big, regardless of the inherent risk occasionally involved. This caravan is one small, yet telling, example of that mindset. There will be misses to be sure but there will be big hits as well. And as those hits add up and the Rockets’ reputation builds, players will soon recognize, if they don’t already, that Houston is one of the premier places to play in the NBA.

OK, I’ll get off more soapbox now. More than anything, I just want to thank everyone who followed this blog from start to finish and sent in all your words of encouragement, comments, criticisms and everything else. A giant thank you also goes out to the entire Rockets organization and Toyota for providing the means to make this happen. And of course, the biggest thank you of all goes to my fellow traveling companions who kept me sane and entertained, while simultaneously managing to somehow put up with my ever-increasing crankiness. No small feat, that.

Oh wait. Miley Cyrus just came on again. I take it all back. Just kidding. Sort of.

Thanks for reading.

JCF

JULY 1, 2:45 AM - MIAMI, FLORIDA

Take a good, long look at the picture to your right. Soak in the sheer, awesome audacity of it all. That, ladies and gentlemen, is my hotel room for the evening; otherwise known as “The Comedic Goldmine” (alternate title: “The Place Where My Masculinity Went To Die”).

Believe it or not, that pure pimp room also serves as the perfect symbol for one of life’s great lessons: Even the best-laid plans of mice and men go awry every now and then.

Allow me to explain. My boss was in charge of securing our party’s room for the evening. After a long trip – we’ve logged more than 1700 miles in three days – he wanted to put us up someplace nice, right next to South Beach. He thought he picked a winner. His intentions were pure (I hope). Nonetheless, the end result fell somewhat short of his intended ideal. Obviously.

Unfortunately, a similar fate befell our caravan. Our stated mission from the very beginning was clear: We would heed Daryl Morey’s beck and call, traverse the countryside and ultimately pick him up June 30th and whisk him away to a midnight meeting with the man Morey confirmed was his number one free agent target, All-Star power forward Chris Bosh.
With all signs pointing toward Bosh being in Miami, Daryl directed us toward southeast Florida and made plans to meet us there. We arrived Wednesday evening. Daryl, however, did not. He was actually at the airport in Houston preparing for his flight to Miami when word leaked that Bosh was setting up shop in Dallas instead. Plans rapidly changed. Morey made his way to North Texas, where his immediate presence was obviously required.

Meanwhile, all we could do in the interim was wish him luck from afar. For once the Rowdies’ endless supply of energy and enthusiasm met its match. Passion and perseverance can take you far in life. What it can’t do, however, is drive three Toyota Tundras from Miami to Dallas in a mere six hours.

So in the end, we came up short of our stated mission. But let’s face it, this entire adventure was but a very small part of the far larger goal which was giving Morey an opportunity to present his case to Chris Bosh. And on that front, the evening couldn’t have been a bigger success.

Thanks to his tireless efforts, the Rockets’ GM pulled another rabbit out of his hat by bucking the odds and somehow securing a face-to-face meeting with his target. Using a personalized Chris Bosh iPad as part of his presentation, Morey showed the 6-10 Texas-native video testimonials from the likes of Yao Ming, Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler and Elvin Hayes. He also focused on the Rockets’ incredible depth and tremendous supporting cast – perhaps the two key components of Houston’s pitch which sets it apart from the rest of the teams playing the free agent field.

In talking to Morey after the fact, it was clear he felt positively about both the meeting and the Rockets’ chances going forward. You can’t ask for a much better start to the free agent frenzy than that.

As for the caravan itself, I believe we can drive off into the sunset with our heads held high as well. No member of this traveling party considers this anything close to a failure; far from it in fact – each and every person has already stated their willingness to do it all over again in a nanosecond.

Bear in mind, this was something that had never been done before. The Rockets wanted to create some buzz and make known their intent to be players in the free agent market regardless of their underdog status. And to that end, the caravan was a smashing success. It gained international coverage throughout all forms of media, but much more than that, it served as the club’s bold declaration that it is willing to do whatever it takes to improve and become a champion once more.

Put simply: it will not allow the fear of failure to hinder its relentless pursuit of success.

I began this blog with a quote from Kerouac. Now, as we near our journey, I think the immortal words of Theodore Roosevelt deserve to be heard – and forever remembered:

“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”

This caravan and the Rockets’ quest to recruit the biggest and brightest shone the spotlight on their willingness to dare mighty things, regardless of the inevitable stumble along the way. Like the story of the rosy, red room from which I’m typing this entry, our grand plan didn’t work out quite the way we anticipated. But guess what: outside this room lie a spectacular ocean view and a world of opportunity.

And so it goes for Houston as well. Because no matter what transpires over the course of the days and weeks to come, with the return of Yao Ming, a stellar supporting cast, heaps of young talent, invaluable draft picks, a Hall of Fame worthy head coach and a management team that continues to dare mightily on a daily basis, the Rockets’ outlook for the future shines no less brightly than does the sun on South Beach.
JCF

JUNE 30, 3:01 PM - IN PARTS UNKNOWN

This is why you go on road trips: you put up with all the insanity, the long hours, the cabin fever and the utter exhaustion because deep down inside you know something completely unpredictable, out of the blue and utterly memorable is likely to take place that will make it all somehow seem worthwhile.

Tuesday was a trying day for our group. We clocked 20 hours on the road, ate one proper meal (thank you, Subway!) and arrived at our destination at 6 in the morning. Even the seemingly limitless youthful exuberance of the Rowdies was put to the test. By the time we shuffled into our hotel rooms, we looked like 11 Jeff Van Gundys.

Then came word that Daryl had set up some sort of top-secret meeting for us; one which was scheduled to take place on our way to the next city. The catch: the meeting was set up for 11 AM. Ugh. More sleep deprivation. Less enthusiasm.

And then everything changed.

We made our way to a regular-looking suburban gymnasium, where were we immediately greeted with a warm smile from a man who clearly had inside knowledge of what was about to take place. He ushered us in, opened the door of the gym and there was the pay-off: Kevin Martin, feverishly working on his game, seeing us out of the corner of his eye and welcoming us with a wave.

We watched the Ohio-native work out for a bit, paying close attention to the emphasis he was placing on exploding toward the basket out of the triple-threat position.

In an instant, the Rowdies went from exhausted to elated. Their beaming smiles made the bags under their eyes disappear, or at least placed them on a temporary leave of absence. They cheered K-Mart’s every move, soaking in the unique opportunity to watch one of their guys go through his personal workout.

When it was break time, Martin came over to introduce himself, shake hands, give hugs and high fives, pose for pictures and answer questions (while asking more than a few of his own). He was completely at ease and extremely pleased with the progress he’d been making this summer. He said he’s putting tons of time into getting his 3-point shot back to where it should be, while also doing everything he can to be more explosive when attacking the hoop (hence the drills we witnessed when we walked in).

Best of all, his smile was almost as big as the ones adorning the Rowdies’ adoring faces. When asked if he was pumped about his progress so far, his response said it all: “I’m very excited. I’m on a great team now – I should be excited.”

I’ll admit it: when it comes to Kevin, I’m a biased observer because I’ve long been a big fan of his. Still, I don’t think it’s crazy at all to suggest that every Rockets fans should be extremely excited to see what he can do on this team playing alongside Aaron Brooks and Yao Ming for an entire season. With all the fuss over whom the Rockets might be adding via free agency, it’s important to remember that the guys currently populating the Rockets’ roster are pretty darn good, too.

Needless to say, everyone’s spirits are higher as we now find ourselves on the way to our final destination. Tons of excitement, too, to see how this evening unfolds. The rumors are flying fast and furious, as everyone scrambles to implement their free agent plans the second the clock strikes midnight on the east coast. The moment that happens, we’ll check in once more with another update, including news of our whereabouts.

‘Til then, keep the faith.

JCF

June 29, 5:05 PM – MERE MILES AWAY FROM LEEDS, ALABAMA

Musical miracle worker that she is, Miley Cyrus’ “Party In The USA” just came on and no one spoke up to voice an objection. This is what my life has become: acquiescing to the teen queen version of Michael Jordan, a notion reinforced by my driving companion whose Miley-listening advise consisted of, “You’ve just got to let it in. You’ve got to embrace it. It can’t be defeated.”

Needless to say, I’m in shambles.

Besides that, however, everything is grand. Leeds lies on the horizon, as does our next directive from the mind of Morey.

JCF

JUNE 29, 2:45 PM - LEAVING RAYVILLE, LOUISIANA AND ON THE ROAD TO LEEDS, ALABAMA

With Rayville now in the rearview mirror, it’s onwards and upwards to Leeds, Alabama, birthplace of one the most unique personalities in all of sports. That’s right, we’re headed to the home of the Round Mound of Rebound, Sir Charles Barkley.

As unique on the court as he is off it, the Chuckster’s NBA career consisted of enough memorable moments to fill an entire DVD library. Of course, he gave Houston fans in particular plenty to remember during his four season with the Rockets, including his infamous tussle with Shaquille O’Neal, which the Rowdies unanimously chose as their favorite memory from Barkley’s years with the team.

My personal favorite moment, however, has nothing to do with Chuck’s prowess on the basketball court. Sure, his monster dunks and incredible athleticism for his size were singularly spectacular and it was a treat to watch him play both for – and against – the Rockets. But nothing, and I mean nothing, beats Barkley vs. the Shake Weight for pure entertainment value. Not even Daryl’s Howard Dean impersonation.

I kid, I kid (although, come on, that’s one of the best Inside The NBA bits of all time, which is really saying something given the tremendous quality of TNT’s studio show over the years.) But on a more serious note, bringing up Barkley conjures thoughts of the best power forwards of all time; a list which also includes the likes of Karl Malone, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Kevin McHale (to name but a few).

So here’s what I want to know from you, the reader: which of today’s current power forward crop do you think is most likely to see his name join the ranks of that illustrious group? The talent pool is deep, including established All-Stars like Pau Gasol, Chris Bosh, Amar’s Stoudemire and Dirk Nowitzki, and young up-and-comers who are just starting out such as Blake Griffin.

Hit us up with your opinion on Twitter and I’ll post the results a bit later.

Now you’ll have to excuse me for a bit. Time to sneak in a quick nap while Jay-Z and Elton John battle for stereo supremacy. I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried. It’s almost as if my chauffeur’s deep-seated internal conflict is manifesting itself in musical form. It’s like the opera. Only far more disturbing.

JCF

JUNE 29, 11:20 AM - ON THE ROAD AGAIN TO RAYVILLE, LOUISIANA

A new day.

The sun is shining, the Tundras are packed and we’re headed someplace warm. A place where the beer flows like wine. Where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. I'm talking about a little place called Aspen.

OK, not really. We’re actually on our way to Rayville, Louisiana, birthplace of the first great center in Rockets’ history: man by the name of Elvin Hayes. Hall of Famer, class of 1990. Daryl has assigned us the task of snapping a picture of the big man’s boyhood home. So we’re on the case.

After that? Who knows? I’ll check in with more this afternoon. In the meantime, be sure to check out our first videos from the trip: the first shines the spotlight as the Rowdies discuss what it means to have the fans involved in the Rockets’ pursuit of free agents, while the second takes a look at our ill-fated trip to the Waffle House in Hope.

P.S. Erasure's "Respect" is currently playing on the stereo. I swear I'm not at the controls. Seriously.

JCF

JUNE 29, 2:05 AM - HOPE, ARKANSAS

Inclement weather. Name that tune. Wary locals. Bad food at late hours.

Yep, it’s officially a road trip.

The first day of the Rockets 2010 Summer Free Agency Caravan is now in the books and, by my count at least, we’ve already hit many of the key points necessary for any road trip to be taken seriously.

Our journey began in the pouring rain, providing further proof that I may singlehandedly hold the power to end draught worldwide. Quick review of the last month of my life: 2 weeks spent in record rainfall in New Zealand (immediately following 2 weeks of unseasonably warm and sunny weather prior to my arrival in Kiwi-land), monsoon conditions as I migrated from Houston to Arkansas today, and now news that Tropical Storm Alex is gathering strength in the Gulf. Apparently I become the Rain King the moment I take leave of Houston. Then again, given my current moniker as “The Enemy of Fun” (more on that later), perhaps I just have a gift for raining on people’s parades.

Another gift I possess: mad name-that-tune skills. So good, in fact, that I was even able to identify Evan and Jaron’s 2000 hit “Crazy For This Girl” after no more than 4 notes. And it was the acoustic version, no less. Pretty sure I’m going to have to hand in my music snob card after revealing that particular tidbit. Then again, it was probably instantaneously revoked the moment I showed off my encyclopedic knowledge of Spice Girls songs. So there's that.

But believe it or not, this trip is about much more than me simply losing whatever street credit I actually possessed prior to signing on for this gig. As you know, Daryl Morey had directed us toward Hope, Arkansas today as the first stop on our cross-country tour and we made it into town shortly after 8 this evening amid much fanfare and rejoicing from the locals – and by fanfare and rejoicing I of course mean suspicious eyes and questioning glances. I’m not sure the good citizens of Hope have seen the likes of the Red Rowdies before, so I don’t think they quite knew what to do with us when we went about the process of checking into our hotel. Heck, the wary women behind the counter probably hadn’t witnessed such rambunctious behavior since that whippersnapper Billy Clinton was on the scene 60 years ago.

Be that as it may, our party eventually managed to check-in without incident before venturing out in search of food. Problem being that our options were somewhat limited – limited, as in it was either eat at Waffle House or go to bed hungry. Apparently everything else in Hope – except for Walmart, of course – closes up shop by 9:30 PM. Now I don’t know about you, but I’m not a big fan of the ‘House. Its food only comes close to entering the realm of edible when certain sensors in one’s body are operating at far less than peak efficiency and even a day spent on the road, straining to see through a rain-soaked windshield while listening to abhorrent boy bands didn’t have me anywhere even remotely near such a discombobulated state. Still, you know the drill: desperate times, etc.; so Waffle House it was, much to the chagrin of the one and only cook manning the grill this evening. Two hours later, we left with our bellies full and bloated, 11 men and women feeling as if we’d gone a long way toward connecting with our inner Jabba The Hutt. I wish I could say I regret nothing. But in this particular instance, I regret it all.

Now I lie here, typing these final words at 2:02 AM, still waiting for my body to do the impossible by digesting a culinary concoction that may or may not have been intended for human consumption. Ironic, in a way, since mere hours before I was the one advising the Rowdies to eschew their search for a karaoke bar and instead get to bed at a decent hour, thereby earning my aforementioned “Enemy of Fun” title. Ah, sweet, irrepressible instant karma.

But that’s ok, though. Hope springs eternal. Tomorrow the journey continues, bringing us one step closer to our goal and our rendezvous point, wherever that may be. Speaking of which, Daryl, if you’re reading this, we’re awaiting your direction. Say the word. Pull the strings. And, please, bring the Pepto-Bismol.

JCF

JUNE 28, 4:35 PM - EAST TEXAS

And we’re off!

We’re on the road now, heading north on Highway 59, about 10 miles outside Lufkin. Also just got word from Daryl that tonight’s destination is Hope, Arkansas. Of course it is.

Very cool send-off at Toyota Center this afternoon, as my fellow Rockets employees gathered together for a rather raucous goodbye (though the paranoid part of my persona, which admittedly rules more often than not, questioned whether their passion was more in support of the cause or my departure).

Quick hit highlights: Daryl revealing a Marsellus Wallace-esque briefcase which presumably contains the contents of his pitch to the Rockets free agent targets, and not a blinding light representing his soul (though that would certainly be an attention grabber); cameos from the Rockets Power Dancers (Hollywood has taught me a road trip isn’t legit unless it includes at least sporadic sightings of hot chicks); and three brand new, Rockets red Toyota Tundras – our spacious, smooth-riding chariots for this fantastic voyage.

Underrated highlight of the event: Daryl attempting to pump everyone up by doing his best Howard Dean impersonation. Yep, think about that for a moment. Let it ferment in your mind a little while longer to ensure the memory never fades. Then make sure that’s the first image that pops into your head every time he pulls a rabbit out of the hat from now on. Comedy gold, I tell you. It’s destined to become the gift that keeps on giving.

OK, before lightning strikes me down (quite literally – we’re driving in the middle of a monsoon right now), let me get serious for a minute and share Morey’s main message because it really does hit right to the heart of the purpose behind this adventure.

"We have such great fans in Houston, and we wanted to bring that passion and energy to our initial free agent meeting," said Morey. "We are always looking for ways to engage our fans. The inspiration for this Caravan came directly from their creative spirit."

And that’s it, really. This franchise has a unique connection to its fans and I can’t think of a better demonstration of the ties that bind than this caravan. Think about it: this summer promises to be a landscape-altering, game-changing period for the entire NBA – and the Rockets have found a way to incorporate their fans in the process in a very real way. That’s pretty cool. As a friend of mind said Friday night when discussing this event: “It is a special place, and a special time.” Amen.

Hope, here we come.

JCF

JUNE 28, 12:17 PM - HOUSTON, TX

I first met Daryl Morey nearly three years ago. I was writing for the Houston Press at the time and he was preparing to begin his inaugural season as the Rockets’ General Manager.

Despite the passage of time, I remember our initial meeting like it was yesterday. Morey’s media day obligations had just ended, so he met with me on the Rockets’ practice court for a feature I was writing about his unusual and unique path to Houston. He was patient with my questions and clever with his responses (most of which were self-deprecating, naturally), while also becoming occasionally distracted by his Blackberry – the price one often pays when attempting to interact with NBA execs for half-hour chunks of time.

Perhaps I’m just kidding myself, but when reflecting upon that day I like to think we found each other in similar places, whether we realized it at the time or not. We’d both recently been given our big break career-wise and now we were tasked with taking full advantage of it. So far, so good. I went on to interview Daryl at least a dozen times for the story which eventually launch my writing career, while all Daryl did was become one of the best GMs in professional sports today (not that he’d ever admit it).

Now we both work for the same team, each doing our part – though his, obviously, is vastly more significant than mine – in trying to transform the Rockets into the preeminent franchise in the NBA. It’s been a wild ride thus far and today the journey, quite literally, continues.

This afternoon marks the beginning of one of the most ambitious – and perhaps craziest – projects I’ve ever been a part of. It all started with a particularly inspired email from a fan to ideas@rocketball.com (keep them coming, by the way); an idea which planted the seed for what’s to come: Today I, along with 10 of the world’s biggest, most passionate Rockets fans, am leaving Toyota Center to launch the beginning of the 2010 Rockets Free Agency Caravan. Our purpose: to meet Morey and deliver him to his initial meeting with one of Houston’s primary free agent targets. Our destination: I haven’t the slightest clue. And that, I suppose, is where things get interesting.

For it is none other than Mr. Morey who will be charting our path. He tells us where to go – we listen and (most likely) obey. In other words, he gets to play the role of Jacob on our journey, making this trek one part Lost (preferably without smoke monsters), one part Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? (sadly, without that perpetually elusive, mysterious and strangely sexy lady in red – Daryl Morey is a lot of things but, let’s face it, he’s not that) and one part “On The Road” (sans the rampant drug use, save caffeine).

Speaking of Mr. Kerouac’s classic work, I’m reminded of one of my favorite quotes of all-time, one which seems strangely appropriate given the current circumstances:

“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.”

Yep, this is probably more than a bit mad. But what of it? Surely this trip will be worthwhile, regardless of where it takes us and whom we meet along the way.

So now you know the gist. No, I won’t be writing on a scroll like Kerouac, but this will blog be the place where you can track our trip, watch the ensuing videos and read my sure-to-be-increasingly-scattered and stream of consciousness ramblings about our excursion. Probably best to bookmark my, Daryl’s and the Rockets’ official Twitter and Facebook pages while you’re at it as well. And, hey, if you happen to find yourself near one of our destinations, by all means be sure to contact us and introduce yourself. Chances are we’ll need all the support – and the sanity – you can provide.

Wish us luck. ‘Til next time.

Hope,

JCF

Got a question for Rockets.com? Send it to Jason Friedman. And for up to the second news and injury updates follow the Rockets and Jason on Twitter.