Houston, believe it or not, is the U.S. fifth largest sports market, but it didn’t get its first major pro team until the Houston Colt Forty Fives joined MLB the same year as the New York Mets.  And despite some close calls when Cesar Cedeno was on the team, they have yet to win a World Series.  They won’t this year.  They have a great stadium, but a lousy team. 

But they did change their name to the Houston Astros, and they did build the Astrodome, a major wonder of world architecture.  And there is a real neat theme park there.  I remember taking my son to two games in the Astrodome.  We had a lot of fun.

The Houston Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon won a few titles in the NBA, but other than that, the story of pro sports is pretty sad.

Houston had a WHA team that was pretty good, but the city didn’t prove it followed hockey sufficiently to generate interest from the NHL.  So, no hockey.

Houston had an NFL team, the Houston Oilers, but they wouldn’t put up the money for a new stadium, and the team bolted to Nashville, where Earl Campbell’s heritage is now with the Tennessee Titans.  Fortunately, they were able to garner an expansion team, the Houston Texans, and despite a number of mediocre years, the general consensus is that this year, Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson will take them to the promised land.

As for NCAA football, there is Rice.  Good school for academics, of which the city can be proud.  Don’t look for great college football.