Every-Thing Sports
Immediate overreactions and silly hot takes - Like are the Rockets better without Harden?
Feb 26, 2019, 6:46 am
James Harden's streak is over.
It's 2019 and the information age is upon us. The news cycle is 24 hours, or less, depending on what's the new/hot topic.We often move on to the next big thing before the old big thing has grown cold. In the sports world, it's even worse.
In sports, we tend to be prisoners of the moment. The last great game, performance, or team is often thrown immediately into the discussion as the greatest game, performance, or team. There's also the knee-jerk reaction to such things. Those reactions, coupled with the need for ratings and clicks, have birthed the "hot take" era in sports media. The fans are just as, if not more, guilty.
Sports media members have built careers around this foolishness. Everyday, some talking head full of hot air spews out the most insane things they, their team of writers, and their researchers can come up with. Or you get to hear two of them debate topics in a back and forth of jackassery. It's one thing if that's how you truly feel, but more often than not, it's done to create buzz, get ratings, and boost clicks.
Fans tend to do the same thing. I've noticed that their position often comes from blind faith in their favorite teams and/or players. It's sad when you hear some misguided fan think their team has a legit shot at glory and can't acknowledge their team is dumpster juice. Or when they feel a certain player is worth more, or less, than what that player is getting paid. I have a childhood friend who has anointed every mid-major college basketball star as the next big thing for the last twenty-plus years, only for said players to become little more than a role player at best.
After the Rockets beat the Warriors without James Harden, there were several hot takes out there. The one that most glance over was the "Chris Paul has a lot left in the tank" take. Paul's tank isn't empty, but he's not traveling very far. Paul is no longer the player considered one of the league's best. His max extension was more of a career achievement token than a deserving reward. I'm not bashing Paul, I'm being honest.
The other hot take was the notion that the Rockets may be better off without Harden. If you think or thought that, you're about as bright as a the Astrodome's future. There were discussions of whether the team should trade him or not. Preposterous, stupid, or any other adjective is not strong enough to describe the level of absurdity associated with that type of talk. He may not be the type of superstar that Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant was, but he's the Rockets' superstar and they won't get anywhere without him.
Hot takes are an unfortunate part of society. Hell, even the president tweets out his very own hot takes. I'm not standing on my soapbox writing this because I too have been guilty of a hot take here and there. Look no further than the time I thought the Astros and Texans should trade Dallas Keuchel and Jadeveon Clowney respectively. All I'm saying is that we shouldn't be prisoners of the moment or say things we'll end up regretting. If you ever want to see some of those hot takes that have aged as well as a gallon of milk left in a parking lot in mid-July, check out this Twitter account dedicated to cold takes.
And I still think the Texans should trade Clowney.
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The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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