Clutch City
Encyclopedia
Clutch City is a nickname
given to the city of Houston, Texas after the Houston Rockets
won two NBA Championships
in 1994
and 1995
. The name was given as a response to a front-page headline by The Houston Chronicle declaring Houston as "Choke City," It also refers to the clutch performance showed by the Rockets during their championship years. The nickname has also been used in other Houston teams.
front-page headline in 1994, given to the City of Houston after the Houston Rockets
blew very big leads in the first two games of their second round of their match-up with the Phoenix Suns
in the 1994 NBA Playoffs
. It was feared at the time that the Rockets would follow the same fate as the Houston Oilers - they blew a 35 point lead during a January 3, 1993 NFL playoff
game where the Buffalo Bills won in overtime.
, who was named the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year
, the Rockets won a franchise-record 58 games. The Rockets recovered from being two games down to the Phoenix Suns
in the second round of the playoffs
, to advance to the finals
. Houston once again went down by three games to two to the New York Knicks
, but they managed to win the last two games on their home court, and claim their first championship in franchise history. Olajuwon was awarded the Finals MVP, after averaging 27 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots a game.
, was the scene of one of the glorious moments in the history of New York sports. Both teams watched the New York Rangers
defeat the Vancouver Canucks
in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals
.
Carroll Dawson
, an assistant coach of the Rockets, said on the 10th anniversary of the Rockets win that though the Rangers win "had been overlooked through the years," it was a motivational assist for the Rockets and for the people in Houston. He recounted: "Our players got to see firsthand how a city could just go crazy. They watched the parade (unless they were for the Canucks, as they would have wanted to see a rally in the atrium in Grouse Mountain
, just outside of Vancouver). It was like an assist from New York. I think it helped our guys want it more." The parade celebrating the Rangers' win took place on the same day as Game 5 of the finals (June 17, 1994). He also knew that a lot had happened in 54 years
, but for New York hockey fans, nothing, nothing better than this. The people in Houston reflected it as well, as they didn't have a championship in a league that still exists. With their championship, the Rockets denied New York City the distinction of having both NBA and NHL championship
s in the same year.
The motivational assist for the Rockets and for the people in Houston was the way things to the Rangers' win ended: "The New York Rangers have done it here on a hot June night in New York! The Rangers are Stanley Cup Champions!"
, and ended up winning only 47 games, which was 11 games lower than their previous year's total. In a midseason trade with Portland
, the Rockets obtained guard Clyde Drexler
, a former teammate of Olajuwon at the University of Houston
, in exchange for Otis Thorpe
. Houston entered the playoffs
as the sixth seed in the Western Conference, but managed to defeat the 60–22 Utah Jazz
in the first round. They fell behind 3-1 to the 59-23 Phoenix Suns
in the second round, but won three straight to win the series, and became only the first team in NBA history to overcome a both a 2-0 and 3-1 series deficit in a seven-game series. The Rockets then beat the 62-20 San Antonio Spurs
in the conference finals, to reach the Finals
against the Orlando Magic
, led by Shaquille O'Neal
and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway. When Houston swept the series in four straight games, they became the first team in NBA history to win the championship as a sixth seed, and the first to beat four 50-win teams in a single postseason en route to the championship. Olajuwon, who had averaged 35.3 points and 12.5 rebounds against the Spurs and regular-season MVP David Robinson
in the conference finals, was named the Finals MVP, becoming only the second player after Michael Jordan
to win the award two years in a row.
team Houston Astros
after their first World Series
appearance in , and by the MLS
team Houston Dynamo
after they won the MLS Cup
on their inaugural season in 2006
. The name Clutch City is now also associated with the Houston Aeros
and their triumphant march to the Calder Cup Finals
-- the biggest stage in AHL
hockey
.
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
given to the city of Houston, Texas after the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
won two NBA Championships
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
in 1994
1994 NBA Finals
The 1994 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1993–94 National Basketball Association season, featuring the Western Conference's Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference's New York Knicks....
and 1995
1995 NBA Finals
The 1995 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1994–95 NBA season. The series pitted the Orlando Magic against the Houston Rockets. The pre-series hype and build-up of the Finals was centered around the meeting of the two centers Shaquille O'Neal of the Magic and Hakeem Olajuwon of the Rockets...
. The name was given as a response to a front-page headline by The Houston Chronicle declaring Houston as "Choke City," It also refers to the clutch performance showed by the Rockets during their championship years. The nickname has also been used in other Houston teams.
Background
Choke City was a Houston ChronicleHouston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
front-page headline in 1994, given to the City of Houston after the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
blew very big leads in the first two games of their second round of their match-up with the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
in the 1994 NBA Playoffs
1994 NBA Playoffs
The 1994 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1993-94 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals...
. It was feared at the time that the Rockets would follow the same fate as the Houston Oilers - they blew a 35 point lead during a January 3, 1993 NFL playoff
The Comeback (American football)
The Comeback was a NFL playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and the Houston Oilers played January 3, 1993. It featured the Bills recovering from a 32-point deficit to win in overtime, and it remains the largest comeback in NFL history...
game where the Buffalo Bills won in overtime.
1993-1994 season
In Rudy Tomjanovich's second full year as head coach, the Rockets began the 1993–94 season by tying an NBA record with start of 15–0. Led by Hakeem OlajuwonHakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...
, who was named the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1982–83 NBA season, to the top defensive player of the regular season...
, the Rockets won a franchise-record 58 games. The Rockets recovered from being two games down to the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
in the second round of the playoffs
1994 NBA Playoffs
The 1994 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1993-94 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals...
, to advance to the finals
1994 NBA Finals
The 1994 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1993–94 National Basketball Association season, featuring the Western Conference's Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference's New York Knicks....
. Houston once again went down by three games to two to the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, but they managed to win the last two games on their home court, and claim their first championship in franchise history. Olajuwon was awarded the Finals MVP, after averaging 27 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots a game.
New York Rangers win Stanley Cup
While the NBA Finals series was in New York, the Knicks' home court, Madison Square GardenMadison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, was the scene of one of the glorious moments in the history of New York sports. Both teams watched the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
defeat the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals
1994 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1994 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven playoff series contested between the Eastern Conference champion New York Rangers and Western Conference champion Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League...
.
Carroll Dawson
Carroll Dawson
Carroll Dawson is a retired American assistant coach and general manager in the National Basketball Association. He worked for the Houston Rockets franchise for twenty-seven years until announcing his retirement in 2007....
, an assistant coach of the Rockets, said on the 10th anniversary of the Rockets win that though the Rangers win "had been overlooked through the years," it was a motivational assist for the Rockets and for the people in Houston. He recounted: "Our players got to see firsthand how a city could just go crazy. They watched the parade (unless they were for the Canucks, as they would have wanted to see a rally in the atrium in Grouse Mountain
Grouse Mountain
Grouse Mountain is one of the North Shore Mountains of the Pacific Ranges in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Exceeding 1,200 m in altitude at its peak, is the site of an alpine ski area in the winter season overlooking Greater Vancouver with four chairlifts facilitating 26 runs...
, just outside of Vancouver). It was like an assist from New York. I think it helped our guys want it more." The parade celebrating the Rangers' win took place on the same day as Game 5 of the finals (June 17, 1994). He also knew that a lot had happened in 54 years
Curse of 1940
The Curse of 1940, also called Dutton's Curse, was a superstitious explanation for why the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League did not win the league's championship trophy, the Stanley Cup, from 1940 to 1994.-Popular theories:...
, but for New York hockey fans, nothing, nothing better than this. The people in Houston reflected it as well, as they didn't have a championship in a league that still exists. With their championship, the Rockets denied New York City the distinction of having both NBA and NHL championship
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
s in the same year.
The motivational assist for the Rockets and for the people in Houston was the way things to the Rangers' win ended: "The New York Rangers have done it here on a hot June night in New York! The Rangers are Stanley Cup Champions!"
1994-1995 season
The Rockets initially struggled in the first half of the 1994–95 season1994-95 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs*Rookies of the Year: Jason Kidd, Dallas Mavericks and Grant Hill, Detroit Pistons*Defensive Player of the Year: Dikembe Mutombo, Denver Nuggets...
, and ended up winning only 47 games, which was 11 games lower than their previous year's total. In a midseason trade with Portland
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
, the Rockets obtained guard Clyde Drexler
Clyde Drexler
Clyde Austin "Clyde The Glide" Drexler is a former National Basketball Association shooting guard and small forward. A ten-time All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, the NBA named him one of basketball's fifty greatest players as of 1996. Drexler won an Olympic gold medal in 1992 and...
, a former teammate of Olajuwon at the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
, in exchange for Otis Thorpe
Otis Thorpe
Otis Henry Thorpe is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.-Early years:...
. Houston entered the playoffs
1995 NBA Playoffs
The 1995 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1994-1995 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets winning their second consecutive NBA championship by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic...
as the sixth seed in the Western Conference, but managed to defeat the 60–22 Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in the first round. They fell behind 3-1 to the 59-23 Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
in the second round, but won three straight to win the series, and became only the first team in NBA history to overcome a both a 2-0 and 3-1 series deficit in a seven-game series. The Rockets then beat the 62-20 San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in the conference finals, to reach the Finals
1995 NBA Finals
The 1995 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1994–95 NBA season. The series pitted the Orlando Magic against the Houston Rockets. The pre-series hype and build-up of the Finals was centered around the meeting of the two centers Shaquille O'Neal of the Magic and Hakeem Olajuwon of the Rockets...
against the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
, led by Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway. When Houston swept the series in four straight games, they became the first team in NBA history to win the championship as a sixth seed, and the first to beat four 50-win teams in a single postseason en route to the championship. Olajuwon, who had averaged 35.3 points and 12.5 rebounds against the Spurs and regular-season MVP David Robinson
David Robinson (basketball)
David Maurice Robinson is a retired American NBA basketball player, who played center for the San Antonio Spurs for his entire NBA career. Based on his prior service as an officer in the United States Navy, Robinson earned the nickname "The Admiral". He and teammate power forward Tim Duncan were...
in the conference finals, was named the Finals MVP, becoming only the second player after Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
to win the award two years in a row.
Usage in other Houston sports
The name Clutch City would be used by the MLBMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
team Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
after their first World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
appearance in , and by the MLS
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
team Houston Dynamo
Houston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic...
after they won the MLS Cup
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
on their inaugural season in 2006
MLS Cup 2006
The 2006 MLS Cup was the championship game of the 2006 Major League Soccer season, played on November 12, 2006 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas between the New England Revolution and the Houston Dynamo. Houston won 4-3 on penalty kicks, after a 1-1 draw following extra time...
. The name Clutch City is now also associated with the Houston Aeros
Houston Aeros
The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :...
and their triumphant march to the Calder Cup Finals
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League. The trophy is the world's second oldest continuous professional ice hockey championship, having first been awarded in 1937 following the 1936-37 AHL season, and continuously being awarded every year.The cup...
-- the biggest stage in AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
.
See also
- Nicknames of HoustonNicknames of HoustonThere are many nicknames for the city of Houston, the largest city in Texas and fourth-largest city in the United States. The city's nicknames reflect its geography, economy, multicultural population, and popular culture, including sports and music...
- List of city nicknames in Texas
- Culture of HoustonCulture of HoustonHouston is a multicultural city with a thriving international community supported by the third largest concentration of consular offices in the United States, representing 77 countries. Officially, Houston is nicknamed the "Space City" as it is home to NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center,...
- ClutchClutch (mascot)Clutch the Rockets Bear is the popular mascot for the NBA's Houston Rockets.The informal nickname "Clutch City" was given to Houston, Texas, the year the Rockets won the NBA championship after an unspectacular regular season in 1993-94...
, the mascot of the Houston Rockets, unveiled after their 1994 NBA Championship.