Michael Shapiro

New @chron.com — “Two days after Joe died, we were in the stadium doing Friday Night Fireworks.”

Meet Vicki Walker, her son, Nate, and the whole crew responsible for two decades of joyous summer nights in Houston.

Good folks, enjoyed reporting this one.

🔗➡️ www.chron.com/sports/astro...

Not so fast, Boston: Houston still in fight for WNBA team relocation The battle for the return of the WNBA's first dynasty continues.

Further info 🔗 @chron.com
www.chron.com/sports/artic...

New month, new WNBA update for y'all ⬇️

• Connecticut Sun sale to Boston-based group is in no-way finalized.

• Sun will be sold this year.

• Houston’s ownership group, led by Tilman Fertitta, is a top contender to purchase and relocate the Sun. Boston, Hartford other top options.

Texans star uses 'Free Palestine' cleats to support voiceless Houston's linebacker is taking a stand.

For the second year in a row, Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair is wearing cleats in solidarity Palestine. My coworker @michaelshapiro.bsky.social talked to Azeez last year about them: "The biggest thing I can attest to is just being steadfast in my beliefs."

www.chron.com/sports/texan...

Houston has new path to landing WNBA team after latest miss Will a Comets revival ever occur in the Bayou City?

WNBA news today @chron.com:

Houston's bid for an expansion franchise fell short Monday. There still might be an alternate route to reviving the Comets.

"We remain committed to exploring every avenue to bring a WNBA franchise back to the City of Houston
www.chron.com/sports/artic...

‘When we’re here, we’re free’: Joe Biden, Juneteenth and my useless cynicism President Joe Biden strolled, more briskly than I anticipated, through the front door of Reedy Chapel-AME Church in Galveston late…

Wrote about Joe Biden, but also Danny Allen, Corey Simon, Sharon Batiste Gillins, Ronald Dean and the hundreds who gathered in Galveston on Thursday.

Appreciate anyone reading ⬇️
medium.com/@shapiro.mic...

Had the privilege of attending the annual Juneteenth celebration at Reedy Chapel in Galveston yesterday afternoon.

Saw President Biden speak, too.

Biden’s words were comforting. The people of Reedy Chapel were inspiring.

Rockets 'laid an egg' in Game 7, enter summer of uncertainty The Houston Rockets are young, brash, and still a step behind the top teams in the Western Conference.

Let's rip through some Rockets' notes from last night @chron.com:

On Draymond's trolling:
www.chron.com/sports/rocke...

FVV's looming contract option:
www.chron.com/sports/rocke...

And the question about Houston's offense that won't go away:
www.chron.com/sports/rocke...

Rockets will finally defeat Warriors demons in Game 7. Here's why. Ime Udoka's team can dull the pain of four prior playoff eliminations against Golden State on Sunday night.

New @chron.com:

Dismiss it as trite if you want to. The Rockets certainly don’t.

“Sometimes you, sometimes me, always us.”

Houston’s mantra all season explains why this group is so successful, and why a cathartic Game 7 win awaits Sunday night. www.chron.com/sports/rocke...

🔗➡️

Rockets will finally defeat Warriors demons in Game 7. Here's why. Ime Udoka's team can dull the pain of four prior playoff eliminations against Golden State on Sunday night.

New @chron.com:

Dismiss it as trite if you want to. The Rockets certainly don’t.

“Sometimes you, sometimes me, always us.”

Houston’s mantra all season explains why this group is so successful, and why a cathartic Game 7 win awaits Sunday night. www.chron.com/sports/rocke...

🔗➡️

New @chron.com:

The Rockets were left for dead when they flew home from the Bay. Game 5 revived Houston’s hopes. I’m increasingly convinced a Game 6 upset is possible.

How can Houston bring this series home? We have six notes for Ime Udoka’s team.

🔗 www.chron.com/sports/rocke...

Fred VanVleet completes mission to 'unload the clip' vs. Warriors Houston's $130 million man set the tone Wednesday with an early flurry from behind the arc.

Rockets are still alive, folks.

Why? Thank Fred VanVleet, the $130 million man who kept his promise to "unload the clip" with Houston's season on the line.

More 🔽 @chron.com
www.chron.com/sports/rocke...

How nine disastrous seconds derailed Rockets playoff hopes Golden State's defensive anchor added to his career highlight reel in the final seconds of Saturday's thriller at Chase Center.

Last one from San Francisco @chron.com:

“Time to get serious.”

Draymond Green, Alperen Şengün, Ime Udoka and Fred VanVleet talk the play that effectively ended the Rockets’ season.

www.chron.com/sports/rocke...

The more things change: New era Rockets bullied again by Warriors Houston's new young crew experienced the playoff pains of old against Golden State on Monday.

Morning, folks. Missed yesterday's late-night drama in San Francisco? Read about Draymond’s antagonism, Alperen’s uneven outing & an all-too-familiar nightmare for the Rockets ⬇️ @chron.com:

www.chron.com/sports/rocke...

🚀Game 4. Not technically a must-win for Houston tonight, but pretty damn close.

Follow along all night for updates. #LiftOff

Shap is in the Bay for tonight's game. Follow him for Rockets - Warriors updates and his delightful personality:

ty, Gwen!!

to the many @kissphoria.bsky.social fans: follow me, DM me, hop in my replies! Happy to talk Rockets with any and all hoops fans (both old and new!!) during this thrilling series.

Alperen Şengün ready to atone for missing 'wide-open' shots vs. Warriors Houston's center believes his team won't be shocked by the bright lights at Chase Center in Game 4.

New @chron.com — Alperen Şengün grew frustrated in Game 3 after missing a stream of “wide-open shots.”

Why is Şengün confident before the biggest game of his NBA career?

"I feel like I play better. It's always been like that in important games all my life."
www.chron.com/sports/rocke...

Speaking of the festivities in San Francisco, we have quite the fun one on our hands at Chase Center tonight.

Buckle up, folks. Fun 4th coming.

We can already count one Rockets fan in San Francisco: my Lyft driver!

Sedat Celik, 25, moved from Turkey two years ago. Says he went to six Warriors games this year, but no conflict on his rooting interest in Round 1.

“Hadi, Alperen!”

Story @chron: www.chron.com/sports/rocke...

'F--k you, Draymond' chants erupt after Rockets, Warriors scuffle Houston fans took their ire out on a familiar source in Wednesday's tense Game 2.

Just like old times tonight at Toyota Center
www.chron.com/sports/rocke...

West Columbia’s Cam Ward is the top NFL prospect you almost never heard of Ward is expected to be drafted first overall after getting just one scholarship offer out of high school.

Thanks again to @texasstandard.bsky.social for having me on. Quite the journey for Ward from West Columbia, easy kid to root for.

Got one more story on Cam rolling out tomorrow. Some fun pro projection from a number of college coaches + Cam himself.

Inside the Astros contractual conundrum with streaming games Baseball fans in the Bayou City are behind the times with their streaming options, but is change on the way?

Some sports business news today @chron.com

Houston is behind the times in the streaming age. Neither Astros nor Rockets offer a Direct-to-Consumer streaming product, Astros are MLB’s lone holdout.

Is DTC coming to Houston soon? Don’t hold your breath… More ⬇️
www.chron.com/sports/astro...

How a tiny Texas school made a zero-star recruit NFL’s No. 1 pick Cam Ward long believed in his rocket right arm. The rest of the football world? Not so much.

Worth your Tuesday morning read: @michaelshapiro.bsky.social's profile of Cam Ward. #NFLDraft

www.chron.com/sports/artic...

Listen Live | Houston Public Media Houston Public Media provides informative, thought-provoking and entertaining content through a multi-media platform that includes TV 8, News 88.7 and HPM Classical and reaches a combined weekly audie...

Enjoyed chatting with @texasstandard.bsky.social this morning about the rise of Cam Ward.

Segment will run on NPR stations across Texas at 10:33 a.m. today. Houston listeners can tap-in at 88.7 FM (@houstonpublicmedia.bsky.social) ⬇️

www.houstonpublicmedia.org/listen-live/

C.J. Stroud, Tank Dell and Joe Mixon on hand at Toyota Center tonight. Hometown heroes not exactly helping Rockets, who trail by 18 midway through the 3rd quarter.

Jalen Green, ready for his playoff debut.

Rockets' rising star snubbed for major honor before playoff debut Houston still doesn't have pundits' respect despite a 50-win season in 2024-25 season.

Quick news note:

Amen Thompson is NOT a Defensive Player of the Year finalist. Ime Udoka IS a Coach of the Year finalist.

I assume Houston’s coach will have more to say about the former than the latter. We’ll chat with Ime at 6:45 p.m.

More ➡️ @chron.com:

www.chron.com/sports/rocke...

🚀 Game 1. Rockets vs. Warriors.

Buckle up.

if you read one thing today, read @michaelshapiro.bsky.social's feature on Cam Ward, who beat the odds to go from tiny West Columbia, Texas to become the top pick in this year's NFL draft: