Billionaire chasing for Superman

Wonderful sunny day, the owner of " Houston Rockets "billionaire Alexander Leslie was sitting on the couch in his magnificent mansion worth $ 18.3 million. From the windows of his living room offers a wonderful view of the Atlantic Ocean.
And all this aristocratic wealth was diluted very original accessories: a great photo with a portrait of Marilyn Monroe , with whom, according to Alexander, he once had a date, as well as small parts made ​​of cat sculpture, which in ancient times businessman found in one of the French villages. Usually, when the sun is at its zenith yet, Mr. Alexander sits in a chair with his large swimming pool, and watching the surge of boat ocean waves breaking on a hard New York's coastal sand. It would seem that what can not miss the Honourable elderly gentleman whose fortune magazine "Forbes" magazine in 2006 estimated at 1.2 billion dollars? But that " Houston Rockets ", which for almost 20 years (since its last championship in 1995 - m) can not even come close again to get close to the top, left main passion elderly billionaire. And his dreams take off again with "missiles" to the stars boss Texans need a single player. However, neither Alexander nor his management team did not dare to utter the name of a basketball player in fear of possible fines from the leadership of the league. But we can tell. The name "He-Who-Must Not Be Named" excellent rhymes with the word "Power" in English ("Might"), last name begins with the letter "H", ends with the letter "D", and among them is the word "War" ( "War"). Therefore, June 30, when Alexander will exchange the eighth decade, he will not organize a gala dinner. Instead, he zasyadet with the management team, "Rockets" for a cup of coffee. And this does not happen in Texas and California. When the hand of the clock counts down from the first minute to midnight Pacific time, will begin during the negotiations with unrestricted free agents of the NBA.

Dwight Howard:
It's no longer a secret that the two Texas teams, "Houston" and "Dallas," behind the scenes are considered the main contenders for "Himself-He-Who-Must Not Be Named." On Dwight Howard , whose four-year contract will be worth 87.6 million dollars. In Houston by this time thoroughly preparing all of last season: a guide fairly peretryahnul part of the club, cut payroll and even allowed players to make plans about their future is, "Houston." But there was something else. Club owners usually rarely dismissive of their team, erecting a wall between himself and the team. In fact, most of the players and his colleagues Alexander knows as much as he thought it necessary to open them. Besides that, "Houston" at the beginning of his reign, he became the champion twice and made ​​four of its players in the members of the Hall of Fame, he has never had to advertise yourself and your team. But the situation may force the billionaire Howard to compromise its principles. The potential multi-million dollar deal with a free agent, as the central "Lakers", will be required of Alexander maximum tact and courtesy, because Dwight probably choose the one team that will offer him a king's daughter and half the kingdom into the bargain. "I do not remember a case that the market free agents provided such a superstar like Dwight Howard ", - says Alexander. LeBron James three years ago, apparently, was so-so, middling. sezone-1992/93 In the "Rockets" finished the regular season with 55 wins, with 27 defeats. Team leader Hakeem Olajuwon at the time was only 30 years old. All of Texas was then in a crisis due to the bankruptcy of oil and gas companies. And Charlie Thomas, who owned a chain of car dealers in Houston, had to sell the team to billionaire Leslie Alexander is ridiculous for $ 85 million, of which 20 million were paid in advance, and even cash. In the same season, "Rockets" in the final play-off beat "the Knicks' team for which a billionaire from New Jersey suffered since childhood. The following year, the story was repeated, with the only difference being that in place of "New York" in the final was "Orlando." And so Alexander for the first two years of ownership "Rocket" won two championship rings. success of "Houston" raised this command to the rank of their closest pursuers, "Chicago", led by Michael Jordan . In an attempt to beat the "bull" Alexander made ​​a whole carousel exchanges, which led to the fact that the club were Clyde Drexler in 1995, Charles Barkley a year later, and Scottie Pippen in 1999. "They wanted to play together, and that is for" Houston. "Honestly, I did not have to persuade, it was their desire." When this version of "Rockets" has become hopelessly outdated, Alexander decided to upgrade the team. He set his sights on Steve Francis , who was just drafted. And three years after that chose Yao Ming , allowing Texans to bring under its banner a huge army of fans of basketball in China - and in general to promote the NBA in the most populated part of the world - Asia. In 2004, Francis was traded to Tracy McGrady , who at that time wanted all the possible ways to leave Orlando. When just beginning, Alexander to love that friendly atmosphere that prevailed in relations with experienced players, whom while the team were in the majority, and coach Rudy Tomyanovichem , who led the "Rockets" for 12 years. But those days are gone, the league boom of young stars and the geeks who appeared in the NBA right after high school. As soon as it happened, Alexander did not show up in the locker room and talk to their players. "The last straw was the situation when I was trying to say a heartfelt speech to the team, and when I finished up Steve Francis and asked me:" Can I borrow your private jet?. "After that, he just laughed in my face." When Alexander "Rockets" not only won a couple of titles, but also rapidly developing infrastructure. In 2003, the team has ceased to share the arena with the American League's minor hockey players in the AHL, and moved to a brand new "Toyota Center." Which, by the way, this year took Star weekend, the NBA. In the past year, "Houston" has earned 26.6 million dollars, and the estimated value of the club has reached 568 million, which is almost seven times greater than the amount for which Alexander purchased the team in 1992. In cooperation with local media companies, "Rockets" even launched its own TV channel! All of this suggests that Leslie Alexander is able to achieve its goals. So he lives and outside of basketball. Worried about the animals - at his own expense built a sanctuary for old horses. Engaged in winemaking, which has acquired 22 acres of land on Long Island, has hired one of the best growers in the United States and began producing Chardonnay and Cabernet in 2001. Why has he failed to do is to bring their child to another NBA title. In 2006, he was lured away from the "Celtics" in the command headquarters of the genius of statistics Daryl Morey , who a year later was named general manager of the year. However, after the club era McGrady and Yao Ming Mowry showed themselves more as the crisis manager, able to patch up the holes and save the sinking ship, rather than a specialist who knows how to develop and attract prospective players in the team is ready to star. After that, "Houston" missed the playoffs for three consecutive years. Nevertheless, Alexander waited patiently for the result until the fans demanded punishment of those responsible. The owner of the "Rockets" did not listen to anybody. He knew that to follow thought-out plan and not make much fuss.