rockets ready

The time is now to make a major move to improve the Houston Rockets

It's time to get more talent around James Harden.

Photo courtesy of ABC13

Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey knows this team as currently constructed doesn't have enough to win a championship. In fact, it already looks like this team isn't as good as the one that came one hamstring away from potentially winning it all. It's actually a good thing if Morey can look at his roster, look in the mirror, and realize there is work to be done for a roster that was expected to be Top 4 in the league.

The biggest loss was when assistant coach Jeff Bzdelik walked away and decided to call it a career. The timing of his departure was even more unfortunate as it came on the heels of the start of training camp with little to no time to find a replacement. Without him at the defensive helm, the team looks unorganized, uninspired and completely checked out of the defensive end.

The addition of Carmelo Anthony has proven to be more of a distraction than a success. Anthony is the main focus of the media and he is quick to oblige with comments centered on his mental struggle with the lesser role he has been given and time for him to adjust and accept the changes.

It's exactly what everyone hoped would not happen, but was what most experts and basketball minds predicted when he was bought out by the Hawks and decided to join the Rockets. Eric Gordon in in the midst of a horrible shooting slump to start the year and don't think for a second that the addition of Anthony has nothing to do with it.

The fact is, it has everything to do with it as EG struggles to play a different role with other players getting the shots and crunch time minutes that used to belong to him. The truth is there are more problems than answers and all the while the team everyone is chasing quietly got better and continues to roll.

The Golden State Warriors have won back to back NBA titles and yet they continue to get better, add more pieces, and win at a high level while playing both ends of the floor. They also know that most players that have attempted to beat them and have failed, welcome the chance to join them and chase championships.

---

Continue reading Joel Blank's Rockets breakdown on SportsMap. Joel Blank co-hosts The Usual Suspects on ESPN 97.5 weekdays at 1 pm.

sports

FIFA fan policies

FIFA to allow disposable water bottles in Houston Stadium for World Cup

Photo by Peter Dazely Getty Images

undefined

In a change of policy, FIFA will now allow fans to bring their own water bottles to some stadiums during the World Cup, including Reliant Stadium, called "Houston Stadium" during the tournament.

FIFA's decision adjusted a policy that had barred spectators from bringing refillable water bottles into the tournament’s 16 stadiums across North America, including some with limited or no shade from the sun.

FIFA in a social media post said fans will be permitted to bring one, soft, plastic, 20-ounce, factory-sealed, disposable water bottle into any match taking place in the United States or Canada.

Swell stainless steel water bottles Reusable water bottles are a no for World Cup. Greenhead.com

In a video released by FIFA, Chief Operating Officer Heimo Schirgi said fans will still not be permitted to bring in hard sided, reusable water bottles “due to safety and security reasons.”

FIFA stated, “for the avoidance of doubt, reusable water bottles may not be brought into the stadium.”

FIFA’s stadium rules had stated that fans could bring in a transparent, reusable bottle up to one liter, or 33.8 ounces capacity. On Thursday, June 4, the “Stadium Code of Conduct” update was criticized by an English fan group, which argued FIFA had given assurances on carrying empty plastic bottles to fill with freely available water at a tournament where heat and extreme weather are expected to be a factor.

Seven FIFA World Cup matches will be played in Houston. AT&T Stadium in Arlington. They includes Germany vs. Curaçao (June 14), Portugal vs. Congo DR (June 17), Netherlands vs. Sweden (June 20), Portugal vs. Uzbekistan (June 23), and Cabo Verde vs. Saudi Arabia (June 26)

The stadium will also host a Round of 32 match (June 29) and one Round of 16 match (July 4).

fifa world cup fifa world cup 2026 water bottles at&t stadium