So, apparently, the Houston Rockets are going to make a play in free agency. No duh. But what separates the Rockets from any other team in the league is their dedication to in-person visits. Daryl Morey did it last year, knocking on Marcin Gortat's door at 12:01 a.m. on July 1. From there, he went to visit Trevor Ariza and the rest is history.
Oddly enough, this year will be slightly different. Accompanying Morey on one of his free agent visits will be Rockets.com's Jason Friedman and 10 of the famed Red Rowdies that you see going nuts above the baseline at home games. But they won't just be showing up to these players' doorsteps behind Morey's fearless leadership by way of quick travel. Nope these folks will be driving cross-country to make the visit.
What is this, Easy Rider meets Space Jam? Didn't road trips out of Houston become practically shunned once air travel was invented?
What's even funnier is that Friedman and the Rowdies (if you ever start a band, Jason...) have literally no idea where they'll be going. Well, at least not beyond, of all places, Hope, Arkansas.
Today I, along with 10 of the world's biggest, most passionate Rockets fans, am leaving Toyota Center to launch the beginning of the 2010 Rockets Free Agency Caravan. Our purpose: to meet Morey and deliver him to his initial meeting with one of Houston's primary free agent targets. Our destination: I haven't the slightest clue. And that, I suppose, is where things get interesting.
For it is none other than Mr. Morey who will be charting our path. He tells us where to go - we listen and (most likely) obey. In other words, he gets to play the role of Jacob on our journey, making this trek one part Lost (preferably without smoke monsters), one part Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? (sadly, without that perpetually elusive, mysterious and strangely sexy lady in red - Daryl Morey is a lot of things but, let's face it, he's not that) and one part "On The Road" (sans the rampant drug use, save caffeine).
Friedman will be blogging throughout the adventure, so make sure to keep up with his travels. It should be a very, very interesting endeavor and should get quite hilarious at times.
May the force be with you, gentlemen. You are all completely out of your minds, but I love it.