Disney on Ice! omg, I totally forgot about going to that as a kid. I got one of those plastic swords that lit up.
I remember the atmosphere for games was much different than Toyota Center. Especially in the '90s glory years, that place was packed top to bottom and fans were closer and rowdier. I want to say they used to fly an inflatable blimp around in there that as a kid I enjoyed watching maybe more than the game. That was like the early '90s version of a drone, lol. That might've been Reunion Arena or the Alamodome, I went to games at all of them back when. But they probably had blimps at all of them! The Summit definitely had the best atmosphere of those three at the time, because the team was so good and the city loved them. I seem to remember people smoking indoors in the arena a lot back then, too. I know there was a lot of smoking happening when I saw Black Sabbath play at the Compaq Center! The concessions were far less "creative" and much cheaper... There was no Jack Daniels Tavern or "club," lol. Basically hot dogs, popcorn, nachos, and Bud Light. Probably helped keep people in their seats.
Unrelated to the Summit, your post reminded me of the time my dad spent about $20 on nickel beer night at the Astrodome...we had to wait until the parking lot cleared out to find the car. Scarred my 7 year old self for life. Memories at the Summit were seeing the Rockets from lower level box seats and several great concerts.
I remember going to Disney on ice and eating popcorn…was maybe 4-5. Also remember going to a few Rockets or Comets game but only really distinctly remember the concourse
Back when it was still The Summit: 1987, I believe. ZZTop in concert. Not great seats, but not bad. Glass Tiger opened for them, which I thought was amusing ("Dooooooooooon't for-get me when I'm gone...." Watching Kevin Garnett's TWolves wreck the Rockets. He didn't need to put up huge numbers. He was just one of those dudes who controlled the game.
Last game I went to was when the Rockets played against the Nets. Don't remember the year but it was close to the end of the road for that arena as the Rockets' home. Just thinking "man...this place is old"
Game 4 of the 95 finals. My dad and I sat wayyyy up at the top and had the time of our lives. In general those playoffs were nuts. I still have all the clutch city signs and the sports section from most of those series. I never went to a game at the "compaq center" so it'll always be the summit to me.
I have many good memories and a couple bad ones. All the Rocket and Comets games we went to see, the 4our Comet Championship games and banner raisings, slowly watching Kim Perott slowly die from cancer as she attended the 3rd seasons game, and finally, when a basketball referee had a massive heart attack durng a Comets game. They would not let the crowd leave, so we had to stay in our seats as they preformed CPR on the court floor and continue as they wheel him out on a gurney. After they removed him from the floor, they administered the paddles and brought him back under the stands. During all of this it was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop anywhere. As they wheel him out, someone started loudly reciting the Lord's prayer and we all joined in. Those are my memories, good and bad.
Are there any pictures of the training facility used in the 90's? during their time playing in The Summit/Compaq Center... I need to know...
Ha, yeah... you could park all over the place too. I think my third or fourth time driving stick was up those ramps of the parking garage while being tailgated by a huge truck. Zero room for errors! Twas an accident free trip other than the **** in my pants. I liked being able to enter from multiple locations.
The team's last year in the Compaq Center was my first year of going to games (I was like 9-10 years old), but I have a few: 1. Michael Jordan's last game in Houston with the Wizards 2. Yao vs. Shaq face off, I believe that was Steve Francis's career high of 44 points that game (was an overtime game I think) 3. Super random, but I remember against like the Clippers Glen freaking Rice single-handedly brought us back from down 5 with less than a min left. Dude hit a 2, then somehow Corey Maggette had a lane violation or something so a free throw he made didn't count, leaving the door open. Then Rice hit a 3 and we won in overtime lol.
I was at the game. One of my friend got the tickets from her colleague. Since she was not a sports fan so she gave them to her BF and me. This was the 2nd game that Mad Max came back from injury. I remember that when he made a 3 pointer to help regain the lead in the last min, every fans at the Summit went crazy. The Rockets finally won a playoff series for the first time since years ago. And it was a giant step for the championship run in 94 & 95.
