The Statue Thing

We are going to have an ALCS Game 6 at The Yard Friday night. How have we fared in our three previous LCS’s Game 6?

It looks like the owner of the Texans will get a statue over at NRG Park. I really don’t have a problem with this as long as we start looking at how we put up statues on public property and start making the statue community a bit more diverse. Here is from the Chron:

Texans owner Robert McNair soon could loom a little larger at the county-owned NRG Park, with a statue of him likely headed for the stadium’s entrance.

First, however, the Harris County Sports and Convention Corp. must decide how to accept the privately donated statue for placement on public land.

The statue, first announced last year during the lead-in to Super Bowl LI and paid for by the local host committee’s fundraising efforts, is set to be placed at NRG Park.

The sports corporation board of directors is scheduled to discuss a “feasibility study” for erecting the statue of McNair, who has owned the team since its creation as an expansion team in 2002, at a meeting Wednesday.

Edgardo Colon, chairman of the sports corporation, said no public money will go toward the statue. The study is needed because the corporation has never faced the prospect of a privately donated statue for the site. Other statues were placed during the construction of NRG Park.

“We do not have a formal policy for how to address this request,” Colon said.

For that reason, Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis said he was unsure the county should proceed with the art piece of McNair.

“What I would ask is everyone take a deep breath and have an overall policy,” Ellis said, adding his suggestion “was in no way a criticism of Bob McNair or anybody else.”

While NRG Park is operated by the sports corporation, ultimate control of the county property falls to Commissioners Court.

Ellis said his concern is a public facility should have open, transparent discussions about placing honors to figures on taxpayer land.

“I am not saying you have a referendum on it, but you consider it and be transparent,” Ellis said.

He added that other worthy Houstonians such as Roy Hofheniz and El Franco Lee – who held the commissioner’s seat now held by Ellis for 30 years – should also be part of a discussion about honoring people at NRG Park.

Here is the entire read: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/McNair-statue-planned-as-permanent-fixture-at-NRG-12285847.php.

I don’t have a problem with Judge Hofheinz and Comm. Lee. The Judge, after all, had the vision of the Dome complex which is a big deal to the region.

Don’t forget former H-Town Mayor Bob Lanier who spearheaded the effort to vote on the baseball and football referendum back in 1996. Without the referendum we might be playing Game 6 at the Dome this Friday and never heard of J.J. Watt.

How about my pal, Drayton McLane, Jr.? Look how his leadership and vision has transformed Downtown H-Town? We have statues for Baseball Hall of Famers Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell at The Yard. Drayton is certainly worthy.

Before we get too carried away with statues for white dudes, how about one for former H-Town Mayors Kathy Whitmire and Lee Brown, or do they already have one?

Former H-Town City Controller Leonel Castillo has a community center. How about adding a statue? He was certainly a pioneer in Latino politics. We have a statue in the Northside of a vaquero waving a gun. How about one for Lone?

How about one for Ninfa Laurenzo on the Navigation Boulevard Esplanade? Ninfa was a pioneer in the Tex-Mex food scene which is now huge in H-Town.  She was certainly an “original.”

Do we have statues in H-Town for Mickey Leland and Barbara Jordan?

Like Commentary said, I don’t have a problem with the Texans owner getting a statue, but let’s start diversifying our community of statues.

The ‘Stros lost Game 6 of the 1986 NLCS against the Mets, 7-6 in 16 innings and were eliminated, we lost Game 6 of the 2004 NLCS against San Luis, 6-4 in 12 innings and were eliminated in Game 7 the next day, we won Game 6 of the 2005 NLCS against San Luis, 5-1 and clinched our first and only trip to the World Serious.

Commentary is not going to second guess the Skipper’s bullpen moves yesterday. I will instead direct my energy toward a win with Dallas Keuchel on the mound.

Game 5 starts at 4 pm today.

Game 6 starts at 7 pm Friday.

Go Astros!