Jeff Balke

The Houston Rockets have made the leap. From three straight awful losing seasons to one .500 year to now, one of the best teams in the Western Conference, their fortunes have changed as their players have aged and their coaching staff improved. This is a young, talented, dynamic group that...

We live in a complicated city that seems to go through changes the way pop singers go through wardrobe changes. This year saw a lot of crazy stuff happen from hurricanes and fiery pipeline explosions to voted down bond referendums and fights over sidewalks. We are living in a weird time in the Bayou City meaning there is no better opportunity to get some things right.

It's been a long, strange year in Houston sports, but what else is new in Houston? If you are a long time sports fan here (bless you), you recognize that ups and downs come with the territory, certainly from season to season, but also from minute to minute during a game (and even off the field). This year marked progress in some areas, some regression in others and a couple of GOATs getting their due.

Perhaps no team in the NBA is more well positioned than the Rockets to make a big trade if they wanted to do so. They are loaded with young talent, expiring contracts and draft picks (and swaps). The question is, should they? Every indication from the team and GM Rafael...

On Tuesday, it was widely reported that Justin Verlander had agreed to a one-year deal with the San Francisco Giants, ending (perhaps finally for good) his tenure as a Houston Astro. We say "perhaps for good" because he once signed with the Mets only to end up back in Houston half a season later.

In what is always one of the biggest concert announcements of the Houston year, RodeoHouston has released its 2025 artist lineup. This year has some old favorites, some new faces and a few surprises. As per usual, there is likely something for everyone in this list that covers the spectrum of rock, pop, Tejano, hip hop and, of course, country. The rodeo runs from March 4 through March 23. Let's dig in.

As fun as it is to watch awards shows every year, perhaps the most popular pastime of interested viewers is complaining about how awful the choices are. On social media during the Oscars, the Golden Globes or even the Country Music Awards, the grievances and recriminations are swift and brutal.

The official record for snowfall in Houston is three inches. On Tuesday, the entire region is poised to break and potentially shatter that record thanks to a combination of circumstances that appear to be lining up in the just the right way.

Persistence paid off for Billy Wagner, the former lefty fireball closer for the Astros. After spending nine years on the ballot starting at just over 10 percent of the vote (candidates must get 75 percent of all Hall of Fame ballots to be elected), Wagner managed to get 82.5 percent...

Back and forth. Over and over. After a lead then having to come back from a deficit, the final six minutes of the Rockets-Celtics game had a playoff atmosphere, but it was the Rockets that came out on top in Boston 114-112 thanks to a floater by Amen Thompson with...