Rockets' Fertitta Shares Lessons Learned Over First Years As Owner

Rockets Owner Tilman Fertitta as he approaches his second anniversary of owning the franchise said that he has "learned the importance of a team to many and of choosing every word carefully," according to Jonathan Feigen of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Fertitta said, "Sports is religion. I always understood. You see people going crazy. But when you own a team, anything you say can become a headline." Fertitta said that he has enjoyed "running the Rockets and that he has not had to make management changes." Fertitta said he is "very fortunate" that he walked into a situation with CEO Tad Brown, GM Daryl Morey, Exec VP/Basketball Operations & General Counsel Rafael Stone, CRO Gretchen Sheirr and VP/Player & Media Relations Tracey Hughes. Fertitta: "I have no problem making changes. Go ask Del Frisco's. I'll make changes where I need to make changes and I don't see any reason to make changes when you're being successful." He added, "My intention is never to rebuild. My intention is for us to have a team together that can always attract free agents. We're going to do everything we can do to be successful within the rules" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 9/28).

MAKING THE ROUNDS: In Las Vegas, Richard Velotta noted Fertitta is currently "on a book tour," and on Saturday he "made a stop at the Golden Nugget in downtown Las Vegas to sign copies of 'Shut Up And Listen! Hard Business Truths That Will Help You Succeed.'" The book is "more textbook than tell-all" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 9/28).