Greg Maddux to the Atlanta Braves. Terrell Owens to the Philadelphia Eagles. Jalen Rose to the Indiana Pacers. Jeremy Roenick to the Philadelphia Flyers. Those are four specific personnel decisions made by teams that I followed closely caused a certain type of visceral reaction that viewed in the wrong light could get me committed to the psych ward. Its that moment when you feel your team's ills have been cured, the future has been paved with golden roads and your dreams will finally become true.
When Dwight Howard signed the next four years (along with $88 million in the bank) of his life to be presumably committed to the Houston Rockets, the Clutch City faithful quickly forgot about the waffling that #12 put us all through for the last 2+ years. From his ball-faced lying in Orlando to his sheer disdain what was happening with the Lakers, Dwight's actions hadn't been received well. Of course, that all goes out the window when the man who still reigns as the best big man in basketball decides to take his talents to your team.
Oh, and if you're Shaquille O'Neal, the one who said that Dwight Howard couldn't handle the bright lights in Los Angeles and that it was inevitable that he'd head to Houston, I hope you don't run into this little boy if Inside The NBA ever heads to Houston.
Shaq, go holla at Underdog and see if he'll put that on a t-shirt.
Eddie Maisonet is the founder and editor emeritus of The Sports Fan Journal. Currently, he serves as an associate editor for ESPN.com. He is an unabashed Russell Westbrook and Barry Switzer apologist, owns over 100 fitteds and snapbacks, and lives by Reggie Jackson’s famous quote, “I am the straw that stirs the drink.”