Sean Pendergast ranks the categories of gut punches to the Houston sports world.
Rocket fans cried over this. and lamented the lot in life that we've been given by pledging our loyalty to our Houston sports teams. However, we need to apply some perspective here. Not all gut punches are created equal.
The unanswered prayers to bring us Victor hurt, but these wounds will heal. Some gut punches leave permanent trauma. So let's put this in a language that we in Houston can all, unfortunately, speak fluently — here are the levels of gut punches as depicted in hurricane severity categories, Cat 1 through Cat 5:The lowest level of gut punch are the ones that don't directly impact a big game or a whole season. They instead impact more esoteric things like roster building and drafts. This is where we plunk down last Tuesday's lottery. It sucked at the time, but you move on.The Texans somehow overcoming adversity that they hadn't been able to overcome in YEAARS, such as multiple fourth down conversions and actually scoring a win IN Indy, and in the process costing themselves the No. 1 pick in the draft was a pretty infuriating occurrence this past January. Hopefully, C.J. Stroud, the number TWO overall pick, is the salve on that wound.Now we get into the gut punches that cost us games, the results that actually matter and impact seasons and shape rivalries. These are usually improbable plays made by the opposition or boneheaded errors from a Houston athlete that essentially end a game.This had every element of a multilayered Cat 2 gut punch. After Deshaun Watson generated a go ahead TD in 13 seconds and two plays, the Saints, down 28-27, were able to generate a win largely due to poor coverage from safety Aaron Colvin that led to a 57 yard game winning field goal from Saints kicker Will Lutz . Truth be told, this was one of many gut punch endings of the Deshaun Watson Era.Any injury to a prominent player that is part of a season full of hope. Unfortunately, like actual hurricanes and floods, Cat 3 is one that we in Houston know all too well.Deshaun Watson's torn ACL in 2017 , Chris Paul's hamstring injury in Game 5 of the 2018 Western Conference Finals, Justin Verlander's UCL injury in the first game of the 2020 COVID-shortened season. Like I said, we have plenty of experience.This is a play or a mistake that directly leads to the actual end of a postseason run PRIOR to the championship game or round of the playoffs.No more words needed. just video.... That hurts. Cat 4 hurts, and still hurts to this very day. But Cat 5? That damage is beyond permanent....These are events or mistakes that lead directly to the actual end of a championship game or round. In Seattle, they have the Malcolm Butler interception. In Boston, they have Bill Buckner in Game 6 in the 1986 World Series. Here?Again, no words needed. Just video.... So with the severity rankings laid out for you, Rockets fan, just know that losing out on Victor was only a Cat 1 Gut Punch. So fear not. You'll get over that pretty quickly. Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at
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