Geographist

Warren Moon Born: November 18, 1956 Sport: Football (5 time Grey Cup winner, 9 time Pro Bowl, Canadian Football Hall of Fame, Pro Football Hall of Fame)  I know it's not football season, but this weekend was the NFL Draft and it seemed a good time to remember one of the greats that our city has supported.  The franchise that moved out of Houston when I was a kid made headlines by having the #1 pick, and a former Houston Oilers quarterback was gracious enough to present his retired jersey (sporting the number 1) to Cam Ward, the young man who was selected and will attempt to lead his team from the same position.  That man, Warren Moon, had one of the most unique and improbable career paths in football history, and was the first local QB that I rooted for.  The Astrodome area during Warren Moon's first season with the Oilers Warren Moon's childhood years were not easy, as he was the only boy in a family of seven children and his mother was forced to raise them alone af...

Rudy Tomjanovich Born: November 24, 1948 Sport: Basketball (All-American, 5-time NBA All-Star, Gold Medal, Hall of Fame) As of the time of this writing, the Houston professional sports scene is buzzing.  The Astros are nearly a month into their season as they try to return to the playoffs for their ninth consecutive season, and the Texans are preparing for their draft next week after back-to-back seasons with division titles and one playoff win each year.  But it's the Houston Rockets that have garnered top billing as they play their first postseason game in five years.  So with that in mind, I thought it might be a good idea to look at the story of Rudy Tomjanovich, one of the faces of the franchise that was not only there for the first Rockets playoff series win, but was at the helm when the team claimed their first two championships. The Summit, home of the Rockets during their championship seasons Born just outside of Detroit, MI, young Rudy's parents were both of Cro...

Fred Couples Born: October 3, 1959 Sport: Golf (62 professional wins - including 1 Masters and 2 Players Championships, former world #1 golfer, 2-time PGA Player of the Year, World Golf Hall of Fame) This weekend the eyes of the golf world focused on a town along the border between Georgia and South Carolina which is home to one of the most beloved golf courses in the world and possibly the most famous tournament.  Every spring as the magnolias and azaleas bloom, Augusta National Golf Club welcomes the most elite players, scores of celebrities, and thousands of fans to compete in the Masters Tournament, one of four major tournaments in men's professional golf.  I watched a significant amount of this year's tournament, and was happy to see recognition for a competitor who, although he is well beyond his prime playing days, still manages to play this challenging course well.  Fred Couples, a seasoned veteran with Houston ties, is a past champion and has etched his name into...

Clyde Drexler Born: June 22, 1962 Sport: Basketball (All-American, 10-time NBA All-Star, Gold Medal, Hall of Fame) Sometimes the headlines write themselves and this is one of those instances.  With the University of Houston scoring a stunning victory yesterday to advance to their first championship game in over 40 years, this seemed a perfect time to recognize one of the greatest basketball players in their program's history.  As a member of the school's so-called Phi Slama Jama team of the early 1980s, Clyde Drexler was one of the smoothest and most impressive men to ever play the game.  Let's look at this Hall of Famer that left his mark in not one, but two of our city's basketball programs.  South Park neighborhood during Drexler's high school years Born in New Orleans, LA, Drexler moved to a neighborhood in southeast Houston while still in school.  He made his high school varsity baseball team as a sophomore, but was cut that year from the basketball team....