From 00 to 99, WE'VE SELECTED THE BEST HOUSTON PRO TO WEAR EACH JERSEY. Consider it our holiday gift to you in 101 small packages
00 Ken Burrough Oilers WR 1971-81
Wearing a rare NFL uniform number, Burrough outdid that number by 6,906 receiving yards.
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0 Aaron Brooks
Rockets G 2007-
He would have been the 0 anyway, but we feel much better about it as his stock has soared in recent games.
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1 Warren Moon
Oilers QB 1984-93
Tracy McGrady could sit here someday. For now, it belongs to a Hall of Famer who was a Pro Bowler his last 6 years in town.
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2 Eddie Robinson
Dynamo D 2006-
Not much to get excited about unless you're going to give it to Chris Burke on the strength of one home run.
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3 Steve Francis
Rockets G 1999-2004, 2007-08
Would have been easy were it not for some unconventional candidates like Phil Garner, Al Del Greco and Kris Brown.
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4 Charles Barkley
Rockets F 1996-2000
In the injuryhampered twilight of his career, still averaged a doubledouble all four seasons.
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5 Jeff Bagwell
Astros 1B 1991-2005
No offense meant toward Cuttino Mobley, a fine Rocket, but this one wasn't close.
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6 Poul Popiel
Aeros D 1973-78
In the single digits, the odds are great; the evens lead to things like picking the WHA Aeros' leader in games played.
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7 Craig Biggio
Astros C/2B/ OF 1988-2007
Bill Virdon managed the Astros to their first postseason, Dan Pastorini was a Pro Bowl QB, but neither had 3,000 hits.
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8 Matt Schaub
Texans QB 2007-
When he's healthy, he's doing a lot of things to make Texans fans forget about the other No. 8.
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9 Gordie Howe
Aeros RW 1973-77
Mr. Hockey, probably the greatest No. 9 in sports history, had 100-point seasons in Houston at age 45 and 47.
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10 Kim Perrot
Comets G 1997-98
A spark from the point for two championship teams and an inspirational figure during her battle with cancer.
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11 Yao Ming
Rockets C 2002-
``Mad Max'' can't compete with the most recognizable athlete in Houston history and one of the world's most important sports figures.
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12 Doug Rader
Astros 3B 1967-75
An average offensive player, but five straight Gold Gloves give him this one over Rafer Alston and Jeff Kent.
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13. Billy Wagner
Astros P 1995-03
Among many other accomplishments, his 1999 season (7423 IP, 35 H, 1.57 ERA, 39 S) is one of the best-ever relief seasons.
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14 Cynthia Cooper
Comets G 1997-00, 03
Four WNBA titles and 22+ points per game three straight years carry her past Dynamo playoff hero Dwayne De Rosario.
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15 Carlos Beltran
Astros CF 2004
Richard Hidalgo had one great full season, as did Doug Drabek. Neither gave Houston the ride that Beltran did in four months.
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16 George Blanda
Oilers QB/K 1960-66
Was the AFL's Player of the Year in 1961 and, thanks to his kicking, ranks second in career scoring in Oilers/Titans history.
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17 Lance Berkman
Astros 1B/OF 1999-
Shooting star Mario Elie and Kevin Bass would have made it at a lot of other uniform numbers.
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18 Joe Morgan
Astros 2B 1963-71, 1980
Numbers look even better when you consider the way the Astrodome was treating offensive players in those days.
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19 Bill Doran
Astros 2B 1982-90
Added speed to repertoire as an above-average hitter at a defensive position. Very little competition at 19.
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20 Billy Cannon
Oilers HB 1960-63
Spent most of his career in Oakland but ran the Oilers to their back-to-back AFL titles in 1960 and 1961.
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21 Terry Puhl
Astros OF 1977-90
A DB or running back in most NFL cities, here 21 means an Astro who was one of the offensive leaders of the first playoff team.
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22 Sheryl Swoopes
Comets
The toughest choice on the board , decided on her spending most of her career in Houston rather than Portland (Clyde Drexler) or Boston (Roger Clemens). Debate all night and day.
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23 Calvin Murphy
Rockets G 1971-83
Hall of Famer had four seasons in which he missed fewer than 20 free throws.
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24. Moses Malone
Rockets C 1976-82
Jimmy Wynn's number is retired, but a two-time MVP (as a Rocket) gets the nod.
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25. Jose Cruz
Astros OF 1975-87
With apologies to Brian Ching, the Dynamo's 25, Cheo is in the top five in almost every Astros category.
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26. Rob Carpenter
Oilers FB 1977-81
Don't look at his numbers. Look at those of Earl Campbell, who ran behind his lead blocks.
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27. Bob Watson
Astros OF/1B 1967-79
Tied for second on the team's batting average list, ``Bull'' makes it over Glenn Davis, Greg Stemrick and Freddy Glick.
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28. Cesar Cede?o
Astros OF 1970-81
Sorry, Cris Dishman, we again go with an Astro, an All-Star four times in a five-year span.
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29. Ken Houston
Oilers S 1967-72
We break up the run of Astros outfielders to introduce a Hall of Famer whose first five Pro Bowls came with the Oilers.
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30 Kenny Smith
Rockets G 1990-96
The Jet wears two rings and was an even more productive scorer and passerz before the title years.
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31 Marcus Robertson
Oilers S 1991-96
Weak all around, but particularly with the Astros, who have given out the number 31 to 31 different players.
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32 Jim Umbricht
Astros P 1962-63
The Astros retired his 32 after he played through a battle against a malignant tumor and died at 33.
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33 Mike Scott
Astros P 1983-91
Another Mike (Rozier) can't compete at 33 with the man responsible for one of the best moments in Houston sports.
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34 Hakeem Olajuwon
Rockets C 1984-2001
Nolan Ryan and Earl Campbell fans can argue this one all day, but we'll stick with a top-10 NBA scorer and top-5 rebounder.
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35 Joe Sambito
Astros P 1976-84
Back-to-back-to-back outstanding seasons in 1979-81 before being derailed by Tommy John surgery.
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36 Joe Niekro
Astros P
1975-85 Two 20-win seasons were much of what made Niekro the Astros' all-time win leader.
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37 Shane Reynolds
Astros P 1992-2002
An All-Star season and a different Cy Young top-10 season get him the nod over Domanick Williams and Mike Reinfeldt.
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38 C.L. Whittington
Oilers S 1974-1978
Not a strong list of candidates, among them Demarcus Faggins and former Astros pitcher Tom Griffin.
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39 Bob Knepper
Astros P 1981-89
Had two All-Star seasons, and neither coincided with any of his three straight 15-win seasons in the mid-1980s.
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40 Don Wilson
Astros P 1966-74
Deserved a little better than his 104-92 record and gets the 40 spot by a head over Oilers corner Tony Banfield.
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41 Mark Johnston
Oilers CB 1960-63
All-AFL season in 1960 and AFL All- Star Game berth in '61 push him past a weak field including Brandon Backe.
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42 Jose Lima
Astros P 1997-2001
It's all about standards. Sid Blanks of the Oilers went south after one year, Lima after two.
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43 Jim Norton
Oilers S 1960-1968
Won two AFL crowns before setting off on stretch of three AFL All-Star Game nods in six years.
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44 Roy Oswalt
Astros P 2001-
If we were counting his time at UH, Elvin Hayes would put up a heck of a fight with one of the Astros' alltime best pitchers.
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45 Rudy Tomjanovich
Rockets F 1971-81, coach 1991-03
We get our first Rocket in a while, and it's one of the faces of the franchise as a player and titlewinning coach.
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46 Hal Woodeshick
Colt .45s P 1962-65
If Andy Pettitte had kept his New York number 46, he'd have had an easy time getting into this spot.
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47 Ronnie Coleman
Oilers RB 1974-81
By adjusted ERA, Joaquin Andujar had one (barely) aboveaverage season, so we'll take the average Oilers back.
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48 Vern Ruhle
Astros P 1978-84
Out-of-nowhere 12-4, 2.37 ERA season in 1980 was huge part of the Astros' playoff charge.
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49 Larry Dierker
Astros P 1964-76, manager 1997-2001
No competition. The bright spot on bad teams and then four playoff appearances in five years as a skipper.
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50 J.R. Richard
Astros P 1971-80
Perhaps the best thing you can say about No. 50 is that fans whose team has retired nine numbers want it to retire one more.
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51 Randy Johnson
Astros P 1998
Mark Portugal and Wandy Rodriguez don't have the career numbers to overshadow what Johnson did in half of 1998.
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52 Robert Brazile
Oilers LB 1975-84
A Pro Bowler seven straight years. Can't argue that.
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53 Mark Stepnoski
Oilers C 1995-96
Yes, we let a Cowboy on the list. Making a Pro Bowl on the O-line both years in Houston wins this weak number.
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54 Brad Lidge
Astros P 2002-07
Ridiculous strikeout numbers get ``Lights Out'' the spot ahead of Gregg Bingham and Al Smith.
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55 Carl Mauck
Oilers C 1975-81
In the last of the traditional basketball numbers, we can't quite fit Dikembe Mutombo on the list.
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56 Micheal Barrow
Texans LB 1993-96
Didn't win until he got to the New York Giants but spent three years here as a starter. Also supplied good quotes.
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57 Darryl Kile
Astros P 1991-97
We sneak one more Astro in before getting to the numbers that generally belong to call-ups, and we do it with a good one.
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58 Ron Pritchard
Oilers LB 1979-82
By a nose over ex-Oilers lineman David Carter at a not-so-distinguished number.
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59 DeMeco Ryans
Texans LB 2006-
Winning Defensive Rookie of the Year and being a Pro Bowl selection earn Ryans the spot over John Grimsley.
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60 Ed Fisher
Oilers G 1974-82
The parade of linemen begins with a starter of every game in seven of his nine years.
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61 Bob Talamini
Oilers G 1960-67
The best offensive lineman from the Oilers' AFL era made six straight AFL All-Star Games.
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62 John Schuhmacher
Oilers OL 1978, 1981-85
Career Oiler started all over the line and leads a weak group at 62.
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63 Mike Munchak
Oilers G 1982-93
Nothing weak about this selection. Just ask the Oilers, who retired 63. Don't believe them, ask Canton.
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64 Ron Saul
Oilers G 1970-74
Solid performer on a series of bad offensive teams.
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65 Elvin Bethea
Oilers DE 1968-83
As with the single digits, the greats in this range wear the odd numbers. Sixtyfive wouldn't be worn by another Oiler.
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66 Sonny Bishop
Oilers OL 1964-69
With Blaine Bishop missing out to Mike Scott at 33, we needed one man in this case an All-AFL guard of the cloth.
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67 Mike Stensrud
Oilers DL 1979-85
Played in the early '80s lean years as a regular at the nose tackle spot.
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68 Tom Randall
Oilers G 1979
Really nothing at all to choose from here, so we'd rather give it to the sum of Nolan Ryan + Earl Campbell.
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69 Chester Pitts
Texans G 2002-
Original Texan hung tough through the O-line's laughingstock days to be the iron man of an improving unit.
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70 Dean Steinkuhler
Oilers OT 1984-91
Out on the end in the run-and-shoot formations, protected Warren Moon's blind side.
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71 Ken Kennard
Oilers DL 1977-82
Not much in the way of starters to go with here, but Kennard was a solid contributor at two spots by the end of his career.
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72 Brad Hopkins
Oilers/Titans OL 1993-05
Spent just four of those years in Houston, but the first-round draft pick started immediately at left tackle.
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73 Greg Sampson
Oilers LT 1972-78
The primary protector of Dan Pastorini's backside.
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74 Bruce Matthews
Oilers/Titans OL 1983-2001
Nothing blas? about this Hall of Famer and one of the alltime great Oilers. Maybe the easiest choice on the list.
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75 Don Floyd
Oilers DE 1960-67
A two-time AFL All-Star on the defensive line from the era before sack totals were kept.
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76 Walt Suggs
Oilers OL 1962-71
Career Oiler moved to center at the end of his career but was a two-time AFL All-Star at his main position, left tackle.
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77 Rich Michael
Oilers OL 1962-63
Pre-dated but had some overlap with Suggs, starting at the opposite end of the line. Two AFL All-Star Games as well.
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78 Curley Culp
Oilers DL 1974-80
Played the nose on a couple of pretty decent defensive teams and made four Pro Bowls with the Oilers.
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79 Ray Childress
Oilers DL 1985-95
The linemen give way to the receivers on a high note with this no-doubter, a fivetime Pro Bowler on the left side.
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80 Andre Johnson
Texans WR 2003-
The only player on this list with an open-and-shut case as his franchise's best player ever. Keep quiet, Kris Brown.
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81 Ernest Givins
Oilers WR 1986-94
The 80s are two numbers old, and we've listed both football teams' all-time leaders in catches and receiving yards.
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82 Ed Husmann
Oilers DT 1960-65
Mike Renfro spent a few too many of his best years up I-45 to beat out this original Oiler and three-time Pro Bowler.
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83 Tim Smith
Oilers WR 1980-86
Kevin Walter already has two 800-yard seasons. Smith had two 1,100-yard seasons.
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84 Billy Johnson
Oilers KR/WR 1974-80
Haywood Jeffires' numbers are better, but you can't throw out superlatives with him like you can with ``White Shoes.''
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85 Drew Hill
Oilers WR 1985-91
Only Charley Hennigan had more receiving touchdowns in Oilers history. Only Ernest Givens had more yards.
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86 Mike Barber
Oilers TE 1976-81
Barber had three seasons of 14+ yards per catch as a tight end. Not too shabby.
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87 Charley Hennigan
Oilers WR 1960-66
Twice led AFL in receiving yards, including 1,746-yard season in 1961 his first of five straight All-Star years.
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88 Willard Dewveall
Oilers WR 61-64
While the high 80s are a bit of a drop from the rest, this Pro Bowl complement to Hennigan wasn't bad.
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89 Alvin Reed
Oilers TE 1968-69
Thrived at tight end in the rare era in Oilers history that didn't feature a top wide receiver.
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90 George Webster
Oilers LB 1967-72
Mario Williams will have to wait his turn behind this threetime first-team All-Pro.
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91 Johnny Meads
Oilers LB 1984-92
The scary part is that Amobi Okoye could take this spot by about age 23 or 24.
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92 Henry Ford
Oilers/Titans DL 1994-2002
Just three seasons in Houston shows you how little competition there is for this spot.
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93 Robert Lyles
Oilers LB 1984-90
Started outside for the first three of the Oilers' seven consecutive playoff teams.
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94 Glenn Montgomery
Oilers DT 1989-95
Six sacks in one season from interior position enough to put Montgomery atop another weak 90s list.
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95 William Fuller
Oilers DE 1986-93
Second to Childress in sacks in Oilers history. Second in NFL in sacks in '91 Pro Bowl season.
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96 Gary Walker
Oilers/Titans DL 1995-98, Texans DL 2002-05
A Pro Bowler for inaugural Texans team . Keeping seat warm for Ron Artest.
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97 Cedric Killings
Texans DT 2006-07
No 97 has ever been a consistent starter for a Houston team, so we'll give it to the inspirational story.
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98 Anthony Weaver
Texans DE 2006-08
Not much to choose from at 98 either, but the Texans end takes it on longevity as a starter.
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99 Ernie Ladd
Oilers DT 1966
Just one season in Houston and a pro wrestling career are enough to win this rather weak finale.
