LINK OAKLAND, Calif. – The Houston Rockets have one goal during their ride to Wednesday night’s game against the Golden State Warriors: Don’t get seasick. A bridge closure has forced the Rockets to find alternate transportation from their hotel in San Francisco to the Warriors’ arena in Oakland or risk being late. They settled on taking a passenger ferry across the San Francisco Bay. “Trevor Ariza said, ‘Are you kidding me?’ ” Rockets trainer Keith Jones said. “Tracy McGrady was laughing. It will be a new experience, but they will enjoy it.” Teams staying in San Francisco typically need 30-45 minutes to make the trip to Oakland by charter bus, but the Bay Bridge has been closed for emergency repairs. The closure has caused major traffic issues because it connects 280,000 motorists daily across the bay. Motorists are taking alternate routes like the ferry, train and BART to get to their destinations. It’s uncertain when the bridge will reopen. Jones first learned of the Bay Bridge closure during the Rockets’ season-opening loss at Portland on Tuesday night. During halftime, he had the Rockets’ late-night charter flight rerouted to San Francisco instead of Oakland so the team could be closer to its hotel. Jones said it would have been too hard to change to an Oakland-area hotel instead because of accommodation issues. After some Rockets personnel needed two hours by bus to get from San Francisco to the arena Wednesday morning, Jones began looking for different transportation. He believes an afternoon bus ride could take the Rockets more than three hours. Jones said San Francisco Ferry officials guaranteed the Rockets preferred seating on two afternoon ferries that take about 35 minutes and make a stop in Alameda before getting to Oakland. The price is general admission at $6.50 per person. Food, beverages and a beautiful upstairs deck view are also available during the ride. After the game, Jones said the Rockets would take a bus back to Oakland with hopes that it won’t be more than a one-hour ride late at night. “I have never seen anything like this bridge snafu,” Jones said. “But you’d rather have a 35-minute ride than a three-hour ride. Most of the guys want to take a nap in the afternoon. It allows everyone to be able to stay in their routine.” After the ferry ride across the bay, a bus will take the Rockets on a short ride to Oracle Arena for the game. The ferries will be filled with local business people as well as Warriors fans making the afternoon commute home. “It will be interesting for everyone to see us get on there,” Jones said. “I wish we had Yao [Ming] playing, but I’m glad he is not here this time.”
No need for that. Insurance already covers his salary as is. I would rather make sure we keep him around so we can make use of him some way.
I'm starting to think we should hold on to him and hope something good happens next summer. His contract is damned large and we don't need any more role players. I know the chances are super slim, but I hope he leads us to the playoffs and a date with the Lakers. I'd love to watch us win the greatest upset in NBA history, leave all McGrady haters from this board with a gigantic slap in the face with two middle fingers waiving, and watch him sail into the sunset as a role player for a different team.
I say we hold onto him. Unless we get a spectacular deal for him. It's a win-win situation for us. We're not going to contend this year, and Tracy can increase his value in the NBA. Then, in the 2010 free agency, we can pick up someone big.
this is hilarious. I hope people on the ferry with them post pics- hopefully one clutchfan will be there.
What I don't get is why they couldn't stay in the East Bay. There are plenty of good hotels in East Bay even if they couldn't get lodging in Oakland. They could've stayed in the Claremont in Berkeley.
I wonder where they stayed in SF. I'm here on business...was at the Westin on Market & 3rd last night and the W tonight.
I was planning on going to this game today cause I'm also out in Cali for business this week. Damn bridge closure ruined my plans
