Houston Chronicle: Horry won't forget Rockets

[Kori Ellis]

Horry won't forget Rockets
Return to city gives NBA veteran mixed emotions
By FRAN BLINEBURY

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...n/4279843.html

Robert Horry was going through the layup line when the video screen began to role out the highlight reel of those championship seasons in Houston and he didn't know whether to feel young or old, achy or spry, happy to be looking back or sad to have to squint to see so far.

Life is like that. One moment, you're a 20-something kid who can seemingly run forever and the next you're 36 and always looking for an ice pack.

"To be honest, it seems like ages ago," said Horry as he continued preparing for his 15th NBA with Sunday night's 93-72 Spurs loss to the Rockets at Toyota Center. "All those years. All those miles. You've got to love the game.

"But it's definitely a little harder now. Because you can't bounce back from the injuries as easy."

Horry has six championship rings and still burns to add another bauble or two. Which is why in the quiet on the day after the Spurs were eliminated by Dallas in Game 7 of their epic second-round playoff series last spring, he was the one who stood in the locker room and talked to the team.

"No big speech or anything," Horry said. "I just told everybody to just take care of themselves, spend time with their families and then go at it harder.

"It comes from being the veteran guy. But also it comes from realizing that we let a golden opportunity slip through our hands. I feel like we have some of the best talent in the league. We all know in our hearts that we should have gone a little bit further than we did."

Horry has constructed an amazing legacy by being willing to be a soldier rather than a general, a role player instead of a star.

"That's how Robert's built," said Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. "He's very willing to handle a role on a team. But what people don't understand about him, is behind the scenes, in his own way, without the glare of the public, he's a mentor for a lot of guys. Just very quietly on his own."

Quiet until the playoffs, when everything gets loud and crazy and he usually steps up. Except for last year, when age and the years maybe caught up and he had the worst shooting season of his career. Which is why he rededicated himself this summer to turning back the clock. Just maybe not as far as on the video screen.

"All the time I'm meeting people who say, 'Rob, you're always gonna be a Rocket,' " he said. "I tell them I only played four years here. I played seven years in L.A. Then I go out there they show all that (championship) stuff up on the (video) board ... It brings it all back.

"I guess I could understand it more if I played in this building. That would probably make it different. But there ain't nothing like The Summit. Notice I said The Summit. Not Compaq Center. It's all different now."

Robert Horry smiles, looking back and still looking ahead.

[AlamoSpursFan]

Summit...Compaq Center...big ass church.

Yeah, Rob...it's all different now.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Big Shot Rob, one of the great professioanls ever to play the game. I know about the counter-arguments, but this guy is a balla without any of the glitz or gangsta, and I hope that one day they put him in the HoF with the caption: "The Professional". True champion.

[Drachen]

Big Shot Rob, one of the great professioanls ever to play the game. I know about the counter-arguments, but this guy is a balla without any of the glitz or gangsta, and I hope that one day they put him in the HoF with the caption: "The Professional". True champion.

He is definitely a ball-buster, just ask David in the 03 playoffs.

[Zunni]

BSR is a pimp and one of the greatest clutch shooters of all time, but as a career 7.4 scorer, he has zero chance at the HoF.

[z0sa]

why does your scoring matter for the hall of fame? what are the requirements?