Stop asking J.J. Watt to prom
Plus Can Only Dance Gangnam Style
Houston Texans defensive star J.J. Watt, who is becoming just as well-known for his good deeds off the field than for his dominance on it, had to post a message on Facebook to respond to the hundreds, of personal requests he’s received since marrying a six-year-old fan after the season.
Watt has apparently been flooded with requests from people looking to take advantage of his generous spirit.
“Ok, I feel like I need to address this. I see all of the prom invitations and I am flattered, but unfortunately I cannot take you all. Love you guys and appreciate your unbelievable support. Meet me at Reliant on gamedays this fall and we’ll dance there.”
J.J. Watt spits on the Patriots logo before playoff game
Bulls Parade Stopped
Houston Texans All-Pro J.J. Watt spit on the New England Patriots logo prior to Sunday’s divisional playoff game at Gillette Stadium. Multiple reports from journalists at the game said Watt went to midfield during his pregame warmups, spit on the Patriots logo and wiped his feet like it was a welcome mat.
Mike Petraglia of Boston radio station WEEI was able to definitively say Watt did the deed.
There was also plenty of chatter about the move, most of which called Watt classless for his logo expectoration.
Andre Johnson spends $20,000 on kids in need
No Good Deed Goes Unnoticed
Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson is used to putting up big numbers on the field. He posted even a bigger number at a Houston area Toys “R” Us ringing up a $19, 521 tab on a shopping spree for 12 at-risk children sponsored by Johnson’s charitable foundation.
“A lot of these kids get discouraged because of where they grew up and things like that. I grew up in a single-parent home and I was fortunate to achieve my goals,” Johnson said of the kids, who all were exposed to some form of parental abuse. “So, whatever goals you have, just keep them out in front of you, don’t let anybody distract you away from them, because there will be distractions that try to detour you away from your goals. That’s the biggest thing.”
Jason Babin Believes Bleacher Report That He’d Be Traded
If You're Not Part Of The Solution, You're Part Of The Problem
Upon landing on a bye-week flight to Texas, Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Jason Babin saw a speculative slideshow on Bleacher Report that said he could be traded. Babin’s reaction to the post confirms a long suspected fact: Nobody actually reads the copy on Bleacher Report.
“Just landed Is this real?” Babin tweeted.
However the B/R slideshow also has about five unrealistic moves the Philadelphia Eagles could make at the NFL trade deadline? “Steal DeLorean, trade Michael Vick with 1959 version of Johnny Unitas. Leave Andy Reid behind.”
Old Navy Claims Houston Texans 1961 AFC Champs
What Are Interns For
No, the Houston Texans did not win the 1961 AFC Championship, but that’s what T-shirts produced by clothing chain Old Navy said. Hearing of their mistake the clothing company has started to quickly pull the shirts from their shelfs and website.
It was the Houston Oilers, not the Texans of course, that won the 1961 title and it was an AFL title. The AFC didn’t come into existence until the 1970 merger and several decades later the Oilers moved from Texas to Tennessee and became the Titans. The Texans were an expansion franchise that came into the league in 2002.
Fan Dies After Fall At Houston Texans Game
First Step A Doozy
Tragedy struck at Reliant Stadium when a man fell to his death from an escalator while attending a Houston Texans preseason game on Thursday night, as first reported by CBS Houston.
The unidentified 45-year-old was attending the NFL preseason game between the Texans and the visiting Minnesota Vikings when he fell from the escalator. Witnesses told KHOU that the man fell from the 600 level after 8 p.m.
According to Fox 26 in Houston, police said the man was attempting to slide down the railing of the escalator when he fell to his death. Homicide detectives were reportedly also on the scene.
Officials at Reliant Park released a statement to The Associated Press confirming that a fan fell from an escaltor and was taken to a hospital. No further information on the fan’s condition was initially given.
The Texans released a statement on their website:
“There has been an accident involving a patron falling from an escalator at Reliant Stadium this evening. The patron was transported to an area hospital. An investigation is ongoing.”
Jim Harbaugh Says Replacement Officials Gave Him A Headache
Someone Give Me Some Aspirin
San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh might be in line for a call from the NFL office this week regarding his comments after the teams 20-9 exhibition loss to the Houston Texans.
Harbaugh was finishing his postgame news conference when he drifted into volatile territory: his displeasure with replacement officials.
“I don’t have the pulse on this game,” he said. What was it exactly? Was it us? Them? You know, some crazy, wild calls.
“Were they accurate? Weren’t they? We’ll see.”I have a headache, though. I’ve got a darn headache.”A lot of them didn’t seem like they were in the ballpark.”
Asked if he had a cold, Harbaugh said he didn’t, that his head was pounding from all the “screaming due to the officials.”
Vince Young Says He Can Start In NFL & Want To For Houston Texans
Have You Seen This Man
Free-agent quarterback Vince Young, after one year with the Philadelphia Eagles, is still looking for work as a backup quarterback elsewhere. Young, however, told Houston radio station KILT he “definitely” still considers himself starter material.
“(I) always want to go in and compete for the starting job and the things that I put myself through to get better and better and to better myself as a quarterback. Just waiting on that opportunity to get the chance to do that,” Young said.
Part of the reason Young feels that way is the sentiment expressed by Eagles coach Andy Reid, who felt Young was better off pursuing his goal of being No. 1 instead of staying as the No. 2 behind Michael Vick in Philadelphia.
“One of the biggest things there was I asked Andy, ‘could I be part of the team again?’, Young said. “He was like ‘I would love for you to stay here, but you’re not a backup quarterback.’ So when I heard the big guy, big red, say that, it showed me more confidence and more respect that he had for me when he said he wanted to see me somewhere playing.”
Young once starred with the Tennessee Titans as the team’s third overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft after leading the University of Texas to a college national championship. As far as where he would like the opportunity to play next, Young would love a shot with his hometown NFL team the Houston Texans.
“I would love to play at home,” Young said. “That would be a dream come true, and anything I can do to help out with the team.”
LaDainian Tomlinson Says New York Jets Pampered Mark Sanchez & Turmoil Existed All Year
Oh Its Been Brought
LaDainian Tomlinson said New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez is “pampered” and that turmoil and dissension existed in the locker room all season long, but losing brought out the worst in the team. He made his comments in an interview for Showtime’s “Inside The NFL,” which aired Wednesday night.
“It got out of hand toward the end of the season,” Tomlinson said of the team’s problems, according to a transcript of the interview. “That is why it got out in the media. This is something that happened (in the) third or fourth week of the season, that was going on, and nobody knew about it because the players kept it under wraps. Until we went on that losing streak and guys started to speak up and speak out about certain things.”
In the days immediately after the season, reports of a fractured relationship between Sanchez and wide receiver Santonio Holmes surfaced. Holmes was benched in the fourth quarter of the team’s season-ending loss to the Miami Dolphins after yelling at tackle Wayne Hunter in a huddle; it was the last in a series of blowups by Holmes toward teammates.
Asked about the Sanchez-Holmes relationship, Tomlinson replied: “It is as bad as I’ve ever been around, honestly. And I’ve been around some locker rooms and quarterback-receiver situations and what-not. But it was as bad as I’ve been around. You know it was at the point where I think the players could no longer do anything about it. There was nothing that the players could do. So when it gets to that point there are certain changes that need to happen.
Tomlinson said that coach Rex Ryan and general manager Mike Tannenbaum created a situation in which the team had no accountability.
“The (Jets organization) created this. This is the type of football team they wanted. Mike Tannenbaum, Rex Ryan are both brash, in-your-face type of style, say whatever you want, just get it done on the field. And then it leads to other things, as guys are calling each other out and saying I’m not getting the ball or whatever it may be,” Tomlinson said.
Holmes, along with fellow receivers Plaxico Burress and Derrick Mason, met with former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer before the team’s Week 5 loss to the New England Patriots to discuss their unhappiness with the offense. A week later, Mason was traded to the Houston Texans.
Regarding Ryan, Tomlinson did add that he while he loved playing for the third-year head coach, he wished he would tone down the predictions.
“I don’t mind every now and again saying we are going to win a championship,” he said. “Maybe at the beginning of the year just saying, ‘Hey, our goal is to win a championship.’ But at the same time every week if you are calling out a team on certain things, I think it puts a little extra on your team. Guys really want to go out there and say, ‘Let’s shut this guy up. Let’s shut these Jets up, just end their season.’”
Tomlinson did not hold back when talking about Sanchez.
“I would say a bit pampered because he has no competition. He has no real threat to say this guy may take my job,” Tomlinson said.
Tomlinson does believe that Sanchez can turn things around in New York and he disputed the claim that Sanchez is lazy.
“The guy is not lazy, guys. He is not a lazy guy. He puts in the time after practice in the film room. He can get it done. He just has to have pieces around him to help him get it done,” Tomlinson said.
Tomlinson is a fan of Holmes’ talent.
“In all seriousness, Santonio, obviously, he is a great player. There are some things that obviously he needs to work on as far as being a leader.”
But Tomlinson did not paint as rosy a picture regarding Holmes’ future with the team.
“Whew, that is a tough one. I would really have to sit down with them and see if they can coexist, honestly. I mean, that is a decision that I really (would) have to make. And if I really feel like they can’t, then you have to make a move.”
Tomlinson reportedly is contemplating retirement after 11 seasons in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers and the Jets.
Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown: Jacoby Jones
Jacoby Jones
Every Thursday Sports Grind Entertainment will present you with the Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown. The recipient of this honor goes to Houston Texans return man Jacoby Jones whose inexcusable punt-return fumble helped put his team behind the eight ball against the Baltimore Ravens in Sunday’s AFC divisional playoff game. After letting a Sam Koch punt bounce on his own 20, Jones evidently thought it was a good idea to try and field the ball with a Ravens player in his face. Baltimore recovered the ball on Houston’s 2-yard line and scored a touchdown three plays later. That seven points would be the winning margin in the game.
Arian Foster Gets Haircut With Houston Texans Logo
Good Look
Houston Texans running back Arian Foster made waves in the social networking sports world earlier this season when he tweeted a picture of his MRI. The Pro Bowl running back is back at it again with a new haircut.
“Check out my dawg @ArianFoster cut! #ReppinToTheFullest,” tweeted Duane Brown, Texans left tackle.
Jeremy Shockey Rips Houston Texans For National Anthem Etiquette
If You Don't Stand For Something You'll Fall For Anything
Carolina Panthers tight end Jeremy Shockey criticized members of the Houston Texans for not putting their hands over their hearts during the national anthem. Shockey says he saw “about 10 players” who didn’t do the traditional gesture when the anthem is played, and he told some of them how he felt during Carolina’s 28-13 victory.
“I was pretty upset in the way they weren’t showing respect to America during the national anthem,” Shockey said. “This is America and you should at least give respect to America.”
“This is America and this is just a game and they should not only be very proud of this country, but very gifted to be living here,” Shockey said. “Maybe they just forgot to do it or something, but I don’t see how you could forget to do that.”
He caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Cam Newton in Sunday’s game, then pointed at linebacker DeMeco Ryans and appeared to yell at him and cornerback Jason Allen.
Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player: Houston Texans
Houston Texans
Every Tuesday Sports Grind Entertainment presents you with the Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player of the Week. This week the recipient of this prestigious honor goes to the Houston Texans for clinching their first playoff berth in franchise history, a franchise that has been playing in the NFL since 2002. The Texans clinched also their first ever AFC South title win their win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Congratulations Houston Texans you are this weeks Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player.
Drew Rosenhaus Says Terrell Owens Is Ready To Play
Will The Phone Ring
Terrell Owens is ready to return to the NFL. The veteran wide receiver has been rehabilitating a left knee injury that required surgery. He is a free agent and agent Drew Rosenhaus says he will begin contacting teams immediately to let them know Owens is healthy.
Rosenhaus said Owens could play Sunday.
“We are open to any team at this point,” Rosenhaus said. “There have been several teams showing interest thus far, but I won’t identify them at this time.”
The 37-year-old Owens played 14 games for Cincinnati Bengals last year, making 72 receptions with nine touchdowns. He ranks third in career touchdown catches with 153 and second in yards receiving with 15,934. Among those teams short-handed at receiver are Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars.
James Harrison Following Eye Surgery
ARRGHHH!
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison tweeted out that he feels like an actual pirate after his recent eye surgery. Harrison sporting the eye patch due to right orbital bone fracture he suffered in Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans.
“I feel a like a pirate. Lmao”
Miami Dolphins Buy Up Unsold Tickets To Avoid TV Blackout
Blackout Blues
The Miami Dolphins home game Sunday vs. the Houston Texans will air locally in the Miami area after their streak of 103 games of no local TV blackouts was in jepordary.
The team, local CBS television affiliate WFOR and Bud Light bought close to five thousands of tickets to help the Dolphins. In turn the Dolphins are offering the seats they bought to season-ticket holders at no charge.
“We’re not going to discount tickets,” Dolphins CEO Mike Dee said. “We want to preserve the integrity and respect our season-ticket members who have made a very big commitment to us.”
NFL rules state that teams must have a certain percentage of seats sold 72 hours before kickoff, although the league often grants extensions.
Arian Foster Expresses Frustration Toward Fantasy Football Players On Twitter
Sophmore Drop Off
Houston Texans had to remove 2010 NFL rushing leader Arian Foster from their exhibition game Saturday when his lingering hamstring injury began bothering him again late in the first quarter. While the Texans worried about Foster’s ability to return to the field so did fantasy football players worried about his standing as a No. 1 draft pick.
Foster took to Twitter on Sunday to respond to the troubled fantasy owners: “4 those sincerely concerned, I’m doing ok & plan 2 B back by opening day. 4 those worried abt your fantasy team, u ppl are sick.”
He then followed up that tweet a few hours later with this: “I put nothing but positive thoughts and energy out on here, but look at what gets the attention. This reiterates my original point.”
Foster left a final message to clear the air and express the root of his frustration: “I know opinions are usually cement. But, I love all my fans. My quarrel is with people who value a digital game over a humans health. #love”
Coach Gary Kubiak expects Foster to be ready for the Texans week 1 opener against the Indianapolis Colts.
James Harrison Calls: Roger Goodell Is A Devil & A Crook
You Go Ahead & Mess With This Dude
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison calls NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell a “crook” and a “devil,” among other insults, in the August issue of Men’s Journal. The 2008 AP Defensive Player of the Year hasn’t been shy about ripping the league after he was docked $100,000 for illegal hits last season.
“If that man was on fire and I had to piss to put him out, I wouldn’t do it,” Harrison told the magazine. “I hate him and will never respect him.”
His other descriptions of the commissioner include an anti-gay slur, “stupid,” “puppet” and “dictator.”
If the Steelers had defeated the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl, Harrison said, he would have whispered in Goodell’s ear during the trophy ceremony: “Why don’t you quit and do something else, like start your own league in flag football?”
Harrison also criticizes other NFL execs, New England Patriots turned commentators Rodney Harrison and Tedy Bruschi “clowns”, Houston Texans Brian Cushing as “juiced out of his mind” and even teammates Rashard Mendenhall and Ben Roethlisberger for their performances in the Super Bowl loss. Harrison questions whether a black player is punished more for a hard hit on a white player than the opposite.
NFL Investigates Porn Advertisement Promoting Players Images
Somebodies In Trouble
Attorneys for the NFL are investigating a major porn event advertisement featuring five players in uniform. The advertisement that is under investigation is for last month’s Exxxotica Expo 2011 held in Miami. The players featured were Chicago Bears Major Wright, Kansas City Chiefs Eric Berry and Brandon Flowers, Houston Texans Kareem Jackson and Oakland Raiders receiver Jacoby Ford. The five players are featured along with six pictures of adult film stars.
Brian McCarthy, NFL vice president of corporate communications said that it’s an “intellectual property issue” because the players were featured in their team jerseys.
“The NFL office works on behalf of the clubs to protect their intellectual property rights in matters such as this,” McCarthy said. “Our legal team is reviewing the ad. In general, companies not affiliated with the NFL or its clubs may not depict a player in his uniform.”
Virtually all players in the ad have denied any involvement and that their photos was used without permission.
Joe Budden Claims Ex Had Affair With NFL Player While She Was Pregnant
TALENT
Rapper Joe Budden recently went into detail about his relationship gone wrong with model Esther Baxter when he released the song “Ordinary Love Shit Pt. 3” today. On it, he discusses his relationship with the former video vixen in depth and recounts the events surrounding their breakup. Budden called out Esther for cheating on him while she was pregnant with their child with Houston Texans running back Derrick Ward.
The two have been going back in forth on Twitter all day shooting down each others claims, one of which coming from Budden is that she had an abortion without his knowledge. While Baxter claims she lost the child due to a miscarriage suffered by the physical abuse at the hands of Budden.
Here’s the track Budden released this morning. NSFW obviously
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lot53HRnZUA&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
Houston Texans Kareem Jackson Shares Pictures From Cockfighting Experience
Houston Texans defensive back Kareem Jackson, the team’s 2010 first-round pick, will probably be the next pro athlete targeted by PETA after posting pictures to his Twitter account of a cockfight he attended. On vacation in the Dominican Republic, Jackson attended two cockfights and then posted the pictures.
“My first time ever seeing chicken fight till the death it was crazy,” Jackson wrote on Twitter before later deleting the posts. “Look at all these people at these chicken fights: You would think it’s a college football game.”
Unlike in the U.S., cockfighting is legal in the Dominican Republic so Jackson has broken no law. But on the heels of the Philadelphia Eagles Michael Vick dog fighting conviction, it’s somewhat surprising that any NFL player would crow about being at a cockfight.
John Elway Says Denver Broncos Tim Tebow Is Not A Good Quarterback
Straight From The Horses Mouth
It seems that Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow can’t get his opportunity to succeed or fail in the NFL and continues to battle the stigmatization that he is not a worthy NFL quarterback. The latest Tebow is not an NFL quarterback comes from Broncos legend and newly appointed V.P. of football operations in Denver John Elway.
“I don’t think Tim Tebow is a good NFL quarterback at this time,” Elway told Peter King of NBC and Sports Illustrated.
Tebow supplanted Kyle Orton as the starter for the final three games of Denver’s season and went 1-2 during but led a tremendous second-half comeback to down the Houston Texans for his only win.
Elway took to Twitter to backtrack from his comments, which indicated a harsher assessment of Tebow than Elway gave last Wednesday when he was introduced as the Broncos leading football operations executive.
“To clarify my thoughts on Tim Tebow … I think he’s a very good football player, and if anyone can turn themselves into a great QB, Tim can.”
“Myself and our entire organization think very highly of him. We are pleased with his first year as a Bronco. Any speculation that the Denver Broncos are considering moving Tim is completely false.”
Denver Broncos Tim Tebow Finds Way To Add Bible Verse To Uniform
Tim Tebow The Messiah?
The NFL has a strict uniform policy, so much so that they have assigned personal walk through pre-game warmups and instruction players of their infractions which in turn the players started to call them the nickname uniform police. So how is it that the uniform police who have a policy with no personal message to be written anywhere on a players uniform missed Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow’s bible verse?
Tebow won’t let the NFL dress code keep him from finding a way to spread his faith on game days and wrote his message on his wrist band typically used for storing plays. The verse appears to be Luke 2:10-11 and the verse says “But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”
Tebow lead the Broncos to a 17-0 second half comeback including two fourth quarter touchdowns and a game-winning drive late against the Houston Texans. Maybe Tebow is the Messiah.
We were critical of Tebow coming out of college but after two solid performances, it looks like we may have been wrong. All hail Denver’s messiah — Tim Tebow.
Houston Texans Teammates Fight Each Other On The Field
In what is probably the most stupid act to ever witness on the football field occurred during the Houston Texans against the Tennessee Titans game when Texans teammates Brian Cushing and Antonio Smith got into a fight with each other. Their fight cost them a 15 yard penalty when Cushing’s helmet came off and gave the Titans a first down. All this after getting a sack on Tennessee quarterback Kerry Collins. No wonder this team is a disappointment.
