Spring Training is half over, the Rockets may never lose another game, ever, and the Texans have one less competitor to worry about. All this and more plus musical dramatic guest Roger Clemens in this week's roundup! Read on to see what the Web is saying about Houston's teams: - The Rockets' streak continues unabated, even without Yao. The Dream Shake is getting used to the gangly teenaged Streak. - Seen the billboards around town......

After a week off for prayer and fasting in the hope that Roger Clemens would finally appear in the media again, our supplications were heard and we feel up to posting this roundup again. For those of you who are new around these parts, this is where we take a look at what the blogs and other media are saying about our hometown sports teams each week. - On the heels (rimshot) of Yao Ming's......

>> Poll shows split over Clemens, McNamee: The court of public opinion currently stands divided in Harris County regarding the Roger Clemens steroid scandal according to a poll by The Chronicle. According to the results published yesterday by David Barron, 35.5 percent said believed McNamee; 32.8 percent sided with The Rocket; and, 31.7 percent did not respond. The margin of error is listed at 4.1 percent. These numbers may prove initially encouraging for Clemens......

Just when you thought that the return of actual baseball would distract us from the off-season drama, a Congressional committee has taken the first steps toward starting a criminal investigation of Roger Clemens on a charge of perjury in his testimony about whether or not he used HGH and other steroids. But what about McNamee? Thusfar, he's home free: a draft letter that mentions Clemens--and only Clemens, not his former trainer--was drawn up by the......

Good morning, Houston. When it comes to politics, we suppose there's a lot to be said for the shock factor — which is why Brian Klock, a candidate for Congressional District 22, is getting some attention. Klock, one of 10 people vying for the Republican nomination for CD 22, has put up a billboard showing downtown Houston being destroyed by a huge explosion. "The Threat Is Real," the billboard reads. "Ask Brian Klock." And......

A week after the pitchers and catchers arrived, the Astros' position players are due in Kissimmee today. Some, including Hunter Pence, Michael Bourn, and Kaz Matsui, have already arrived to get a jump on the rest of the team. Others, like focal point Miguel Tejada, arrived on time today. Like we did with the pitchers and catchers, we'll take a look at the guys out in the field and see where things lie. We'll start......

Pitchers and catchers report this week! Hell yes! Our long national nightmare is over! We'll take a look at the Astros roster in more detail later this week, but until then, here's what the blogs are saying about our local teams. Warning: not responsible for ball jokes about the Rockets. - So supposedly Roger Clemens is still in the news. Who knew? Rather than slog through all the syringes and attorney b.s., here's the Dugout's......

She's back Houstonist! Taucha Hogue has advanced to the championship round for College Cheerleader of the Year and she needs your vote! Taucha squares of against Arkansas' Laura Cole and she currently trails 54% to 46% as of Monday night. Ok, Taucha, here we are in championship round. Are you starting to feel the pressure of being in the BIG game? There is pressure out there for the fact there are so many people......

The Rockets kicked a truckload of ass last week before getting a wake-up call against the Hornets. Amazing that they did all of this without Tracy McGrady. Kinda makes you wonder if GM Daryl Morey should listen to all those trade rumors. The T-Mac rumors and more in this week's run-through of what the sports blogs are saying: - Every time we think we're done talking about Roger Clemens, he pulls us back in. It's......

We usually run this column on Mondays, but the Clemens press conference inspired us to be petulant and storm out of things, so we walked away from our keyboard in a huff, drove back to our mansion in Memorial, and injected our kids whose names all begin with K's with horse steroids. After we calmed down and called our lawyer, we compiled this list of links. Here's what the sports blogosphere is talking about this......

From local Houston headlines, we bring you these weekend news bits... • The parents of missing Rice student, Matthew Wilson have added $10,000 of their own money to the reward for information leading to his whereabouts. The total reward amount is now $25,000. This includes $5000 from Crime Stoppers and $10,000 from Rice University. If you have information, please contact Crime Stoppers at 713.222.TIPS • A man was ejected from his car and killed......

For once, there's a reason to watch 60 Minutes beyond Andy Rooney's senile rants. Everyone's favorite hometown anti-hero, Roger Clemens, will be featured on Sunday's episode of the ABC news magazine, talking with his personal friend Mike Wallace about the steroid use allegations that surfaced as part of the Mitchell Report last month. Ever since the report came out, Clemens has issued a series of denials, starting with a press release, working up to a......

Yes, we know that this column usually runs on Mondays. But on Monday, we were dodging the crowds in search of a couple of final presents, and were still reeling from the woodshed beating the Texans received at the hands of the Colts. We saw beleaguered soccer moms parking their Suburbans at the mall with better timing and depth perception than some of Sage Rosenfels' passes on Sunday. Anyway, on to the links: - Chuck......

Rice alum and hometown hero Lance Berkman read the Mitchell Report. (Just like everyone else, it seems, on the planet.) He applauds Andy Pettite for coming forward and spoke Sunday about his support for the former Houston Astro, reports the Chronicle, but he's ready for some answers from the Mitchell report's biggest name: Roger Clemens. I don't think it's good enough to make a blanket statement and say the guy's lying. Now that Andy's come......

It was weird. Sunday rolled around, and there wasn't a Texans game to watch. So we just chilled and ignored the TV for a change; what else were we going to do? Watch the Cowboys' game? What are we, Jessica Simpson? Between the Astros trades, the Texans resurgence, and the Mitchell Report, there was a lot to blog about this week. Everyone grab your number 2 pencil for the review: - The Miguel Tejada trade......

This past week was a study in contrasts for Houston sports fans: the Texans were idle but the Rockets played host to the most-watched basketball game in the world; the Astros made a trade that ended the Houston career of one of our biggest anti-heroes while the Dynamo set the stage for what may be Houston's first championship dynasty since the Rockets' run in the 90's. Let's take a look at what the blogs were......

Did you see the news Uncle Drayton? Joe Torre said no to the Yankees. Now it's your turn to make a move and pick up Andy Pettitte. That's right, Houstonist said it: "Bring back Andy Pettitte!" We know, we know. He left us at the altar and bolted back to New York for the bright lights and big city, but everyone deserves a second chance. We need him. Pettitte has a player option of......

It's time again to look into the wilds of the internets and see what people are saying about Houston's sports teams. Without further ado, here we go. -Jacoby Jones is hands-down the most exciting player on the Texans right now, and probably their most anticipated rookie since David Carr. The national press is starting to take notice as well, as noted in this NFL.com article that compares Jones to last NFL season's IT GUY Devin......

During the seventh inning stretch at Yankee Stadium today, Roger Clemens announced his return to New York. Clemens made the announcement from the owner's box at Yankee Stadium. Announcer Bob Sheppard told the crowd to look towards the owner's box and with that, Clemens stated, "It's a privilege to be back." Clemens kept the announcement from long-time friend Andy Pettitte a secret and he was shocked as anyone when Clemens made the announcement. Rocket......

Houston Arts & Media Fundraiser + Silent Auction @ Saint Arnold's Brewery There are very few combinations that we can think of better than BEER and ART. No, we're not talking about the Beer Can House, but we ARE refering to the Houston Arts & Media Fundraiser @ Saint Arnold's Brewery tonight. Admission is only $20, a small price to pay for all the beer, food, music, and fun you can stand. Perfomring will be......

Well hello, Houston! It's the greatest day in America: Opening Day 2007! Spring Training is over, the roster is set and now it's time to play ball. The Astros' main concern last year was hitting. Heck, it was pathetic, but Uncle Drayton broke out the checkbook, signed power hitter Carlos Lee for a cool $100 million and added utility player and 2006 All-Star Mark Loretta. Also new to the team are a pair of native......

With 4 days until Roy Oswalt and the Houston Astros start the 2007 season, we are holding back the “giddy.” While this spring had some highlights (Jason Lane, .260, 5HR’s & newbie Carlos Lee .370), concerns abound in the pitching department. With the loss of Andy Pettitte and presumably Roger Clemens, the Astros are looking for newly acquired veterans Jason Jennings and Woody Williams to shoulder the load. While its never the perfect indicator......

Slampo's Place had some choice words for Chronicle columnist Rick Casey, who announced last weekend that he was going on a 5-month sabbatical. Casey says he will spend his time of "resting, reading, and reflecting," which inspired cutting sarcasm in bloggers all over the city. We still don't understand exactly what Casey is doing over these five months, and apparently neither does Slampo's Place. Something to do with lawyers in San Antonio? Well, as for......

In the latest update from the Roger Clemens retirement camp, it appears he may be finally be done for good. We at the Houstonist know better that to start betting on which way he'll go, afterall, he was 99% retired when he first signed with the Astros before the 2004 season. What does 80% mean for "anxious Astros fan?" Nothing. If you haven't noticed, we get Rocket updates every two weeks, all with no......

Sadists known as distance runners are expected to crowd the streets near George R. Brown Convention Center this Sunday morning to take part in the Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Half-Marathon and Houston Press/Smart Financial 5K. The race has grown-up quite a bit since the initial event in 1972 when the first race was run by 113 runners on a five mile loop. 2007's 35th incarnation of the event will feature 15,000 registered runners between......

Longtime San Diego Padres second baseman Mark Loretta, who spent last year hitting up a storm with the Boston Red Sox, will sign a deal with the Astros today, his agent told ESPN.com. The deal is a one year, 2.5 million dollar contract that could be worth an extra million in incentives if Loretta continues the kind of break-out hitting and defense he showed off last year as part of the league-leading defense of the......

You knew it was coming, right? The Chronicle and ESPN are both reporting that Jeff Bagwell will hang up his helmet this week after fifteen seasons, all with the Astros. (We saw him in our first 'Stros game....in 1992.) The 1991 Rookie of the Year, who won both league MVP and a Gold Glove in 1994, Bagwell is the Astros' all-time home run leader, and also has the most RBIs and runs scored. The announcement......

When you think about it, it's pretty amazing: Nearly halfway through their season, the Houston Astros are getting a Hall of Famer delivered to their doorstep. With the rumors, the endless courtship and the minor league stint behind him, Roger Clemens is set to make his first start of the 2006 campaign tonight against the Minnesota Twins. It couldn't come at a better time for the 'Stros, who are hovering just above .500 and looking......

In southwest Houston today, a daycare center caught fire with 18 kids inside; no one was injured, but the building sustained heavy water damage The UT Medical Branch, Galveston's largest employer, said today it will cut 1,000 jobs, or about 10 percent of its workforce, because of operating losses The bodies of two missing U.S. soldiers have been found in Iraq; one of them is believed to be 23-year-old Kristian Menchaca of Houston During a......

DCist is screwed in the event of an oil crisis. Not that we're not all screwed in the event of an oil crisis, just D.C. is more screwed. Don't sell your car yet, District resident, a cabbie can kick you to the curb if he doesn't like your address. Not even Metro can save you now. Londonist experiences the London of the future through the wonders of 3D modeling, but while the 3D guys are......