Sports

New arena can't replace Summit

Cougar Pause

Christian Schmidt

Itis always sad to see a good friend leave, and those of us who have ever been to a Rockets (or Aeros) game at the Summit will miss the beloved arena.

Yes, thatis right, itis the Summit ­ not Compaq Center. It doesnit matter how many millions of dollars the computer company paid to get the naming rights for the building; the Summit was the building millions of Rockets fans grew up with, and Tuesday night it hosted its last Rockets game.

For 28 years, as the building went from state of the art to behind the times, it has been the home of the Rockets. The arena saw two NBA championship teams in the mid-1990s and some of the greatest players in history. Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Calvin Murphy and Moses Malone, all Hall of Famers, played all or part of their careers at the Summit.

The Summit has hosted some of the most memorable moments in NBA history, from playoff classics to outstanding individual performances.

One of my personal favorites was Hakeem Olajuwonis quadruple double against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 29, 1990, when "the Dream" had 18 points, 16 rebounds, 11 blocks and 10 assists, becoming only the third player to ever achieve that feat (David Robinson has since joined the elite club).

The building has hosted more than just Rockets games. Many of the top musicians in the nation have performed there, and other events, like wrestling, have taken place in the arena from time to time. The Comets, who cemented themselves as the WNBAis premiere franchise by winning the first four WNBA titles through the efforts of Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper and Tina Thompson, also played there.

The arena had some of the best features of its, or any, time. Free parking was available, which seems like a novelty in this day and age, when parking can cost as much as tickets at some events.

The arenais setup made every seat a good one and kept all the fans close to the action. It was, and still is, one of the most attractive stadiums in the country. National broadcasts of home Rockets games almost invariably begin with a shot of the front of the building.

Of course, those great attributes are basically the same things that ultimately led to its demise.

Over the last few years it became increasingly apparent that the Rockets, and owner Les Alexander, felt they needed a "better" facility to be able to compete in the NBA. Many teams were building new arenas with more luxury boxes and seats as well as finding more ways to make money.

Alexander will get his wish in just a few months when the new downtown arena, as yet unnamed, opens. He will get more money from parking, from luxury boxes and even from the ticket sales when he dramatically raises prices. And so, for the third time in four years, Houston will open a new facility for one of its professional sports teams.

Attendance has been down in recent years primarily because the team hasnit been very good. The Rockets missed the playoffs for four consecutive years, the second-longest playoff drought in franchise history. The new arena will help increase attendance, at least for a year or two.

But it just wonit be the same. It wonit have the ghosts of playoff victories or the memories of the players who did great things there. It also wonit have the convenient free parking or the current ticket prices (which will seem cheap when the new arena is opened).

I know plenty of fans out there will be sad to see our dear old friend go. Goodbye, Summit. Weill miss you.

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