Kim Perrot (January 18, 1967 – August 19, 1999) was an American basketball player. Comets players were sent off to other teams in a dispersal draft. The team broke away from the Rockets' organization, established a new front office, saw longtime head coach Van Chancellor resign and moved assistant coach Karleen Thompson into the top job. They finished the season 17-17 and missed the playoffs for the third time in their history. [1] This resulted in a loss of fans. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. 2006 was the last playoff appearance for the Houston Comets. Houston would return to the playoffs with an 18–16 record, but lost to the 2005 defending champion Sacramento Monarchs in another sweep. Several of the players compete in overseas leagues and may not yet be aware of the WNBA's decision. The team was folded and disbanded by the league in 2008 because new ownership could not be found. The Houston Comets, the … File Photo Show More Show Less 2 of 83. After the Comets' season ended in 2006, the Comets underwent major front-office changes during the off-season. 2000 was the Comets' last championship and last WNBA Finals appearance in franchise history. On average, about 6,000 fans attended. ", George Washington Colonials Women's Basketball Team, South Carolina Gamecocks Women's Basketball Team, Virginia Cavaliers Women's Basketball Team, Notre Dame Fighting Irish Women's Basketball Team, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Houston_Comets&oldid=1006881423, Defunct Women's National Basketball Association teams, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Fireball Red, Stardust Silver, White, Galaxy Blue, This page was last edited on 15 February 2021, at 09:11. HOUSTON (AP) -- The Houston Comets hadn't officially finished off the Sacramento Monarchs in the first round of the WNBA playoffs before their eager fans were looking to the next round. “The court was floating in water four feet off the ground,” McDonald said. They went on to repeat as champions, defeating the Phoenix Mercury in the first-ever WNBA Finals that year due to the championship game being extended into a three-game championship series. 1st WNBA Championshion: Houston Comets beat New York Liberty; 1975 Birthday. Houston Comets (WNBA) 1997-Present Former Tenant: Houston Aeros (WHA) 1975-1979: Ballparks Virtual Mall: Arena Resources: Other Resources: Amazon.COM Stadium Books: TThe Houston Aeros, playing in the World Hockey Association from 1972 to 1978, were one of the most successful teams in the league. The WNBA took over management of the Comets and disbanded the team in December 2008. It cost him his life. I do think that a lot of people will miss the Comets. The Comets were known for courting great women's basketball stars. The team had among its members Cynthia Cooper (the WNBA's first MVP); college and national team standout Sheryl Swoopes; Kim Perrot, who succumbed to cancer in 1999; and college stars Michelle Snow and Tina Thompson. Consider what happened Thursday night at Tulane. That number dwindled when the Comets moved to Toyota Center in 2004 and became even smaller when Koch moved them to Reliant Arena for the 2008 season. Tina Thompson and the Comets won four championships in Houston. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. 6 Houston? [2], Building the first dynasty of the WNBA (1997–2000), The years of change and rebuilding (2001–2006), Altavilla, John. Bullard played 11 NBA seasons and was a … On August 30, 1997, the Houston Comets beat the New York Liberty at the first ever WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) championship game. And hopefully the WNBA will decide to put a team here in the future.". Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), American women’s professional basketball league that began play in 1997. COMET is a new television channel dedicated to sci-fi entertainment offering popular favorites, cult classics, and undiscovered gems, every day. In addition to winning the first four WNBA crowns, the Comets were a playoff participant in each of the league's first seven seasons. It was the summer of 1997, the league's inaugural season, and my husband and I happened to be in that part of the country, so we made a side trip to see a Comets game. No investors stepped up. I hate to see the city lose such a great franchise. WNBA Championships, Houston Comets beat New York Libery 2 games to 1; 1998 Event. Cooper-Dyke said the Comets will be missed and that Houston needs a WNBA team. "This is disturbing news," said Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, a two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player who, along with Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson, led the Comets to four league titles from 1997-2000. He began his broadcasting career during his playing days as a Rocket, serving as radio color commentator for the WNBA’s Houston Comets. We felt we could beat them in the playoffs." [2], In 2008, Koch put the team up for sale, with an asking price of $10 million. When frozen, they are the size of a small town. It returns at roughly 75-year intervals, and there are historical accounts of its sightings. The Comets, who have been on a roller-coaster ride the last two seasons, will suspend operations early next week. [2], The Comets played their final home game on September 15, 2008 at the Strahan Coliseum on the campus of Texas State due to Hurricane Ike. "Our owner (Les Alexander) was very committed to having a great team and winning championships. 19—The silence in the Crestwood locker room spoke volumes. They are a part of this area's history now.". The comets returned as a pair in 1852 but were never seen again. The Death of the Houston Comets: WNBA Decides to Fold the Franchise In December 2008, the WNBA officially announced that the Houston Comets would cease operations permanently. This year, for the fourth season of the last five, the Comets did not make the playoffs, but when they started playing in Houston, it was a much different story. In 2002, when Swoopes was injured most of the year with a torn ACL, the Comets were able to qualify for the playoffs with a 24–8 record, but lost to the Utah Starzz in 3 games. The Comets won the first four WNBA titles, from 1997 through 2000, with attendance averaging around 12,000. Reserve guard Cameron Tyson, who appeared in just seven games and played just 59 … Halley’s Comet is one of the most famous comets out there. She played in the WNBA for the Houston Comets.. Perrot attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette), and played four years there as a guard. And as has happened so often, Houstonians moved on. Four starters returned to a senior-laden squad that was the team to beat in Division 1 of the Wyoming Valley Conference. When Jerry McDonald arrived at the arena that’s home of the Houston Comets and the Houston Rockets, he was stunned. He tried to save a rare parrot. Two weeks later, Comets assistant coach Karleen Thompson was named to become the team's new head coach and general manager for the 2007 season. What kind of season has this been for No. A district title was within their grasp and a deep run in the state tournament certainly was on their minds. Comets are cosmic snowballs of frozen gases, rock and dust that orbit the Sun. Orender said several investors inquired about keeping the team in Houston, but the league decided there wasn't enough time to make an ownership transaction. The news came to Comets staff and players about 6 p.m. Monday, when acting chief operating officer Tom Garrity made phone calls. I have so many memories. The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Houston, Texas, United States. They missed the playoffs for the first time in franchise history with a record of 13–21 in 2004, but returned to the playoffs with a 19–15 record, finishing 3rd. In October 2006, team owner Leslie Alexander (who also owned the NBA's Houston Rockets) announced he was selling the Comets, and longtime head coach Van Chancellor resigned in January 2007. The Houston Comets, an original member of the WNBA and winner of its first four championships, are being shut down by the league. However, ancient civilizations did not realize they were looking at the same comet until Edmund Halley concluded that the comets spotted in 1531, 1607, and 1682 were actually the same. In one game against the University of Southeastern Louisiana, she scored 58 points, the third most in NCAA history. It is a team that helped establish the league, helped the league grow roots.". In 2003, they qualified to the playoffs for the 7th straight year, but they lost in the first round to the Sacramento Monarchs in 3 games. "This is a team that was an integral part of the WNBA. They capped off the league's inaugural season in 1997 with a win over the New York Liberty in the WNBA championship game to win the WNBA's first championship. Hey, maybe the Comets can ask for a bailout. The Houston Comets' four championships will always be a big piece of WNBA history and a big piece of the city's history.". On January 31, 2007, the WNBA Board of Governors approved the sale of the team to Hilton Koch, a Houston-based mattress and furniture businessman. Everyone else is doing it. The Toyota Center drew 13,000 fans, but the Reliant Arena could only house 7,200. But seriously, maybe the Comets will actually get their bailout - eventually. They capped off the league's inaugural season in 1997 with a win over the New York Liberty in the WNBA championship game to win the WNBA's first championship. In mid-August, Houston Mayor Bill White issued a letter to potential investors, placing the value of the franchise at $10 million and setting a November deadline to find local ownership. Free shipping on many items | … Koch bought the team from Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander in October 2006. They were one of the best teams. [4], League president Donna Orender said that the collapse of the Comets was not a sign that the WNBA was in trouble. The Comets were one of the founding teams in the WNBA. It has to. Former player Cynthia Cooper-Dyke said that the loss of the Comets was "disturbing news" and that the Comets were integral to the WNBA. WNBA president Donna Orender said Monday that the team could no longer stay afloat. Playing one year and one day after her teammate and close friend Kim Perrot died of cancer, Cooper rallied the Comets to a 2-0 series victory after winning Game 1 by 21 points in Houston. What happened in April 1973. The Houston Comets, an original member of the WNBA and winner of its first four championships, are being shut down by the league. The first WNBA game I ever went to was in Houston. Browse historical events, famous birthdays and notable deaths from Apr 1973 or search by date, day or keyword. "This was a huge win for us," Swoopes said. Orender said that although the team was for sale to any interested parties, the league was looking for buyers who would keep the team in Houston. Less than a decade removed from the greatest team achievement in league history, the Houston Comets folded. Founded in April 1996 as the women’s counterpart to the National Basketball Association (NBA), … On December 12, 2007, team owner Hilton Koch announced that the Comets would be moving from the Toyota Center to Reliant Arena for the 2008 WNBA season. Here's why, Texas Roadhouse CEO Kent Taylor takes his own life amid COVID struggle, Four more massage therapists file suit against Deshaun Watson, running total to 11, This booming Houston suburb was crowned the best city to live in America. This was supposed to be a big season for the Comets. "I don't think we thought about what happened in the regular season. ", Tim Lemke, THE WASHINGTON TIMES. "I just feel bad for everybody. Tina Thompson, WNBA forward for the Houston Comets; 1974 Birthday. "Comets just flamed out :Economic troubles cause WNBA team to close shop. 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