Houston Sports: Why our teams have reached the Golden Age

The Astros are defending World Series Champions. The Rockets are off to their best start since 1993-94. The Texans have a quarterback. The Dynamo and Dash are playoff contenders. The UH basketball team is as good as they’ve been in a long time. Is this a new golden age of Houston sports? Let’s examine further.

There have been a few times in history when Houston sports teams experienced success. There has not been a time like now where so many teams in the area are finding so much success. It might be the golden age and here is a few reasons why.

Let’s start with that baseball team of ours

One obvious reason is the Astros. I still have to pinch myself to remember that they won the World Series last November. It still feels like a dream. It wasn’t a dream. The best part is that with the off season moves the Astros made their window is still as wide open as that hole in the top of the Center Point Energy building downtown.

The Astros young core and strong pitching rotation means they have a very good chance of joining the other Houston champions as repeat champions.

Speaking of one of those repeat champions

Thursday night the Rockets beat the Spurs to improve their record to 37-13. The last time the Rockets won 37 of their first 50 games was the 1993-94 season. That season ended with them raising the first of two NBA championship trophies.

While it remains to be seen if the Rockets will raise a third trophy this season or not, one thing is for sure. The addition of Chris Paul, P.J. Tucker and Luc Mbah a Moute has positioned the Rockets to go where they haven’t been in 20 years.

There is another red-clad basketball team in Houston that’s doing well

Recently CBS Sports Network did a special on the 50th anniversary of the “Game of the Century” between the Houston and UCLA. The actual day of the 50th anniversary of that game, the modern-day Cougars beat Wichita State, a Top-10 ranked opponent.

Since then the Cougars have beaten South Florida and lost to Cincinnati. Despite the loss to Cincinnati the Cougars are 16-5 overall and 6-3 in American Conference play. It seems likely that Houston will make the NCAA tournament this year for the first time since 2010. With the renovated Fertitta Center set to open next season the Cougars future is bright, even as the present looks good too.

Are the Texans included in this Golden Age?

While the Rockets, Astros and Cougars are doing well the Texans limped to a 4-12 record last season. It is possible that 2017 will be remembered like 2013, a blip in the Texans history, a lost season in the midst of success.

The Texans have a few things going for them. First, they finally have a quarterback in Deshaun

More from House of Houston

Watson. Second, the players who missed most of the season with injury like Watson, J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus will return for the 2018 season.

The fourth place finish means the Texans will not face as tough a schedule as they did in 2017. It’s possible that by next January Houston’s football team is back in the playoffs. Once in the playoffs, anything can happen. What a time for Houston sports.

How about the Dynamo and Dash?

The Dynamo are another team that has two championships for the city of Houston. Though it has been 11 years since the most recent, the Dynamo seem to be on the upswing. Last season, the Dynamo made the playoffs for the first time since 2013 and made a surprise run to the Western Conference finals.

Houston’s women’s soccer team, the Dash has yet to make the playoffs in their first four seasons. That being said they have a chance to make it in the near future.

Next: Three reasons why the Astros window won't be closing soon

How long will the Golden Age last?

That is for the future to decide. In five years, Houston might be home to multiple World Series and NBA championship trophies. Then again it might not. That is the thing about sports. No one knows how the games will turn out.

All we can do is enjoy the good times of this new Golden Age for as long as it lasts. It’s a good time for Houston sports.

Home/Houston Astros