PACK YOUR BAGS
Thankfully, Houston Rockets not headed the Portland route
Aug 25, 2022, 5:38 pm
This is good news for Rockets fans. Composite image by Brandon Strange.
Examining the top prospects that should spark new hope for Rockets at No. 3 overall
That was short. Last week the Portland Trail Blazers announced that its TV and radio broadcasters would cover the team’s road games remotely this season.
The decision was met with such fierce backlash by fans and local media that Trail Blazers president Dewayne Hankins went on the team’s flagship radio station only days later to announce that its broadcasters would be back on the road, live and in person, in 2022-23.
“I wanted to just kind of set the record straight on the broadcast piece,” Hankins said. “And just say we’ve heard you guys in the media, we’ve heard all the fans. We’re always trying to improve, we’re always trying to be that next-generation broadcast.”
I've never heard penny pinching and short-changing fans described as a "next-generation broadcast" before.
It got me thinking, is this league-wide strategy? Are the Rockets considering keeping their announcers in a Houston TV studio during road trips this season?
Not to worry. Here’s the deal from the Rockets TV play-by-play man Craig Ackerman.
SportsMap: When you heard of Portland's original plan to cover road games remotely, were you concerned that it may catch on with other teams, including the Rockets? Have you been assured that you're traveling to road games?
Craig Ackerman: I wasn't necessarily concerned it would catch-on league wide, but it was worrisome because we need to be on-site for every game and my hope is that remote broadcasting is behind us. Yes, we will be traveling to road games.
SM: Have you started preparing for the upcoming season, learning the roster, talking to staff, buying a season's worth of underwear for the road?
CA: I have started preparing for the season, updating my spotting boards, etc. But, I haven't purchased any new underwear … yet.
SM: You've had experience calling road games off TV because of Covid travel restrictions. Exactly what were the drawbacks? Can you give specific examples? Did you ever miss a critical play because TV didn't show it?
CA: For me, the biggest drawback is not feeling the atmosphere of the game. Being in a studio is a bit antiseptic and even though you have natural sounds in your headphones, it's impossible to truly replicate the energy of a building. Next, you are at the mercy of what's on your screen. We are basically seeing whatever the viewer is seeing and anything that happens off that screen is missed. For example, substitutions, coaches and players reactions. You also have to rely on your stats monitor for referee calls and it's a bit delayed when you aren't in the building and don't have the benefit of being able to get some of the info from the PA announcer. Last season there was a game (I believe it was in L.A.), where a foul or violation was called, but since it occurred a bit off camera and with the officials’ backs to us we weren't able to figure out what happened until one minute later. The stats monitor didn't provide that information and we and subsequently the viewers were very confused.
SM: When you're on the road, how much access to the players and coaches do you have?
CA: As much as we'd like. There are no restrictions. But I keep those interactions primarily within the practices and game times. I consider everything else the players/coaches personal time.
SM: Do you travel on the same plane with the coaches and players? Do you socialize with them on the plane? Do you stay in the same hotel as the team?:
CA: Yes, we travel with the team on the charter and stay at the same hotels. And yes, we do socialize from time to time on the plane.
SM: Do you get a per diem for expenses on the road like players get?
CA: I do get per diem, but it's not the same amount as the players receive.
SM: How long have you been calling Rockets games? Do you still get jet lag?
CA: The only time I've had any jet lag that I can remember was a trip to/from China in 2010. I've been calling games full-time since 2008 which began with radio. Then in 2015/16 I split calling home games on the radio and road games on TV. Last season was my first full season on TV after Bill Worrell's retirement.
SM: Who's the best interview on the current Rockets?
CA: Jae'Sean Tate.
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How these 3 critical factors could swing battle between Texans and Jets
Oct 30, 2024, 3:06 pm
The Jets host the Texans and their scary defense on Halloween night! Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.
Houston (6-2) at New York Jets (2-6)
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, Amazon Prime
BetMGM NFL odds: Jets by 2.
Against the spread: Texans 3-4-1; Jets 2-6.
Series record: Jets lead 7-3.
Last meeting: Jets beat Texans 30-6 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Dec. 10, 2023.
Last week: Texans beat Colts 23-20; Jets lost to Patriots 25-22.
Texans offense: overall (9t), rush (18), pass (8), scoring (14).
Texans defense: overall (2), rush (13), pass (3), scoring (15t).
Jets offense: overall (24), rush (30), pass (13), scoring (25).
Jets defense: overall (4), rush (17), pass (2), scoring (11t).
Turnover differential: Texans plus-4; Jets minus-3.
Texans player to watch
RB Joe Mixon. He has carried Houston's offense in the three games since he returned from an injury and could be even more important this week after wide receiver Stefon Diggs tore the ACL in his right knee last Sunday and is out for the season. Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 100.6 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing and a TD run in three straight games.
Jets player to watch
Edge rusher Haason Reddick. After ending his lengthy contract holdout early last week, Reddick made his Jets debut and played 26 snaps on defense with two quarterback pressures while working mostly on third downs. His snaps might increase a bit Thursday and he could help the Jets get after C.J. Stroud, who has been sacked 22 times this season — tied for third most in the NFL.
Key matchup
Jets offensive line vs. Texans' pass rush. New York has had issues this season with injuries, consistency and protecting Aaron Rodgers. The Jets will face a tough test Thursday night against the Texans, whose 27 sacks are third in the NFL. DE Will Anderson Jr. is tied for third in the league with a career-high 7 1/2 sacks, including at least one in his past three games. DE Danielle Hunter has 5 1/2 sacks and DT Tim Settle has four, powering a formidable defensive front for Houston. Hunter leads the league with 51 quarterback pressures and Anderson is fourth with 39, the only teammates in the top 15, according to Next Gen Stats.
Key injuries
Diggs' injury leaves Houston without its top two receivers. Nico Collins, who leads the Texans with 567 yards receiving, is out for at least one more game after being placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. ... S Calen Bullock was limited in practice Monday and Tuesday after injuring his shoulder Sunday. … LBs Azeez Al-Shaair (knee) and Henry To’oTo’o (concussion) both missed the Colts game, but could return this week. … S Jimmie Ward could miss a fifth straight game with a groin injury. … LG Jarrett Patterson is in the concussion protocol and is likely out. … RB Dameon Pierce missed practice this week with a groin injury. ... Jets LB C.J. Mosley suffered a stinger in his neck during pregame warmups at New England and was meeting with neck and spine specialists this week. ... RG Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle), WR Allen Lazard (chest), DL Leki Fotu (knee) and safeties Tony Adams (hamstring) and Ashtyn Davis (concussion) all missed the game vs. the Patriots and their availability for this week was uncertain. ... K Greg Zuerlein was placed on IR. Riley Patterson and Spencer Shrader were signed to the practice squad, and one will be promoted for the game.
Series notes
The Jets have won the past two meetings. ... New York won the first five meetings, including the first game between the franchises in 2003, when LaMont Jordan's late 8-yard touchdown run helped lift the Jets to a 19-14 victory. ... Zach Wilson threw two touchdown passes in the most recent meeting, a 30-6 rout by New York during which Stroud left with a concussion.
Stats and stuff
The AFC South-leading Texans have won four of their past five. ... Stroud is 2-0 with three touchdowns and zero interceptions in two career starts in prime time. He had 285 yards passing last week for his ninth career game with at least that many yards passing, which is tied for second most in the NFL since 2023. ... WR Tank Dell had a touchdown reception last week and has a TD catch in two of his past three games. ... TE Dalton Schultz had a season-high 52 yards receiving against the Colts. He has two TD receptions in each of his past two Thursday night games. ... Hunter has 10½ sacks in eight career Thursday night games. … LB Neville Hewitt, who spent the 2018-21 seasons with the Jets, forced a fumble last week. … Rookie CB Kamari Lassiter had a career-high three passes defended last week. … S Jalen Pitre had his first interception of the season last week. ... S Eric Murray had seven tackles and a season-high three passes defended last week. ... New York is trying to snap a five-game skid. ... Jeff Ulbrich is 0-3 as the Jets’ interim head coach since replacing the fired Robert Saleh on Oct. 8. Ulbrich, also the team's defensive coordinator, said earlier this week he'll continue to call plays on defense. … Rodgers snapped a streak of three consecutive games with an interception. He has seven in eight games, six shy of his single-season career high set in 2008 in his first year as Green Bay’s starting quarterback. ... Rodgers hasn't passed for 300 yards since throwing for 341 against Chicago on Dec. 12, 2021 — a span of 30 regular-season games and 31 overall, including one playoff game. ... WR Garrett Wilson leads the NFL with 84 targets, 11 more than the Giants’ Malik Nabers. Wilson’s 51 receptions are second in the league behind Las Vegas’ Brock Bowers, who has 52. ... WR Davante Adams had four catches for 54 yards, giving him seven receptions for 84 yards in two games since being acquired from the Raiders. ... Second-year WR Xavier Gipson caught his first career TD pass last Sunday. ... TE Tyler Conklin has a TD catch in consecutive games after not having one since catching two TD passes in Week 8 of the 2022 season against New England. ... RB Breece Hall has 316 yards receiving, the most among NFL running backs. ... Edge rusher Will McDonald has eight sacks, second in the NFL to the Giants’ Dexter Lawrence (nine). … The Jets have only six takeaways, ranking among the fewest in the league. Backup CB Brandin Echols has New York's only two interceptions.
Fantasy tip
Houston wide receiver John Metchie is coming off a career-best three-catch game and could see more targets — and perhaps his first NFL touchdown — with both Diggs and Collins out. Might be worth a stash as a potential WR3.
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