1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:02,639 Speaker 1: To be able to take it to that next level. 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:10,440 Speaker 1: That's what I'm excited about. Bill's rick past and Gernard 3 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 1: with the sack back at the twenty five yard line touchdown. 4 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:19,320 Speaker 1: You're standing rock and roll, Treyl Smith, coast to coast. 5 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: There is no off season for your Houston Texans. Game 6 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: day is every day. No, it's Texans all excess. Yes, 7 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:34,239 Speaker 1: it is Hello Texans. Mark Vandermyer, John Harris with you. 8 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 1: And it's Thursday night. You know what that means. And 9 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:43,239 Speaker 1: just because today is an extremely special day did not 10 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: mean we were not going to have mine as a guest. 11 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:49,040 Speaker 1: It's John McClain, the General from the Houston Chronicle, retiring 12 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: from the Chronicle after forty seven years of coverage over 13 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: fifty total in sports. General. Congratulations, we have so much 14 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 1: to get to. It's great to have you on the 15 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:04,039 Speaker 1: show tonight. And I know today must have been very 16 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 1: special for you. Yes, Mark and John, thank you very much. John, 17 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:10,959 Speaker 1: thank you very much for that text message. I really 18 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:14,679 Speaker 1: appreciate it. The Chronicle usually like if I do a 19 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: column on Wednesday and I send it in read the 20 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: Man's Sports Center will post it on our website, Texas 21 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: Sports Nation Dot com and then they'll run in the 22 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: chronicle the next day. But Ray decided and I think 23 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 1: it was posted at six am. By the time I 24 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 1: got up at seven thirty, I had one hundred over 25 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 1: one hundred text messages from people, and right now I 26 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: have one hundred and forty three and I've been trying 27 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: to answer people all day emails. I'm working on my 28 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: last mail bag. It'll be posted in the morning. I've 29 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 1: been people emailing from Portugal, Norway, London, and I think Sweden. 30 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 1: And it's amazing with the Internet. Were people how they 31 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: keep up with you? I know too if I was 32 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: living in another city or another country, and I will 33 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:08,519 Speaker 1: still still keep up with it. And I've had TV 34 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 1: shows I've had I don't ever look at the mentions, 35 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:14,800 Speaker 1: you know. But I've had people call and say, are 36 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: you paying attention to what people are saying about you 37 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: on the website and on Twitter? And I said no. 38 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 1: He said, well, you need to go on there and 39 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:28,639 Speaker 1: see all is responding your retirement and doing it. On Twitter, 40 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:30,799 Speaker 1: one of the first things I saw was J. J. 41 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 1: Watt and I sent him. I sent him a thank 42 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 1: you and he's been posting pictures last weekend him and 43 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: Kla climbing mountains in Arizona with these incredible vistas, and 44 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:46,119 Speaker 1: I told him, when you're finished climbing those hills in Arizona, 45 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 1: come back here where the unility is work out with 46 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 1: me and getting real shaped. And I cherished relationships I've 47 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 1: made with people through the decades. In the column I 48 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 1: wrote today, the one online is longer than the one 49 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 1: in the Chronicle, and the one in the chronicles long enough, 50 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: and to run up one I write Sunday about great experiences. 51 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:14,959 Speaker 1: Memorable experiences in my life include stories about me with 52 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 1: Gordy Howe, Sammy Ball, George, Alice, Bill, that two from 53 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 1: Bob and Janie McNair that I've never written, can't remember 54 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 1: if I've told them. I texted Janis and Cal and 55 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: Hannah and thanked them for the nice tweet they put 56 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 1: out this morning and and included my wife Carol, and 57 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: Chronicle ran a lot of pictures in that online story, 58 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 1: and one of them in which Carol and I are 59 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: writing in the parade in Canton in two thousand and 60 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: six when I was got what was then the Dick 61 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: mccannon Award, and that's the Bill Nunn Award for distinguished 62 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 1: coverage of the league, and it's been it's been terrific, 63 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 1: all the people reaching out, and I appreciate it so much, 64 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: and I'm gonna eventually get back to everybody in general. 65 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: For me, this is kind of an odd, weird day, 66 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: and I want to I grew up reading all of 67 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 1: your stuff. I grew up reading Mickey heirsquids. I grew 68 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: up Dale Robertson like you guys, are you know the 69 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: inspiration for somebody like me from Houston I wanted to 70 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 1: get into media. When you hear that from somebody outside 71 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 1: of the fact of okay, you know there are some 72 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 1: serious rings around the tree because you've been around. But 73 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 1: when you hear somebody say, I grew up with you. 74 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 1: Now my kids read your stuff, my kids know all 75 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:41,479 Speaker 1: about what does that mean to you? John? To hear 76 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: that from me who grew up with you, and then 77 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: obviously I get to do radio with you. But then 78 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 1: also to hear from people that are like, yeah, I 79 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 1: read your stuff, my kids read your stuff, they grew 80 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 1: up with you. How does that hear? How does that field? 81 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:55,840 Speaker 1: When you hear something like that over the course of 82 00:04:55,839 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 1: your great career, it's an honor and shows do things. 83 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 1: One thing, I've been doing it a long time and 84 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 1: I'm old, which I am. And the other is that 85 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 1: people have thought enough of what I write and say 86 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: through the decades to continue to follow me. And I 87 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 1: appreciate that. I've always tried to be fair. I know 88 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: a lot of people read my tweets on Sundays and 89 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 1: during Texas game wouldn't say that, so I try to 90 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: be fair the other six days of the week. And 91 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 1: I will continue to tweet about the Texans. And since 92 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 1: I'm going to do all my radio shows in Houston, Nashville, Doxfell, 93 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 1: Las Vegas, San Antonio, a Waco, and I'll still be 94 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 1: following all the teams and keeping up with everything and 95 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:44,560 Speaker 1: tweeting is something I love to do. And I hope 96 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 1: the Chronicle as they do with David Baron and Dell Robertson. 97 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 1: They retired and they continue to do some freelance work 98 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 1: for us. Dale's about to cover the clay Court championshipsode 99 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 1: at River Roaks Tournament and and I had dinner last 100 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:04,600 Speaker 1: night at the Houstonian with our buddy Steven Cornerhouse and Siliswambo. 101 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:08,040 Speaker 1: We told them stories going back to nineteen seventy six. 102 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 1: It's been about four hours with galing them with stories 103 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 1: we've been involved in, and some of those stories are 104 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:17,719 Speaker 1: going to be in my Sunday column, and one of them, 105 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:22,159 Speaker 1: in particular with Dale and Ed Fowler, is one of 106 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:25,840 Speaker 1: the strangest and funniest things I've ever been involved in 107 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 1: in Pittsburgh is where it was. And I love telling stories. 108 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: I love talking on the radio. As you guys know, 109 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:36,200 Speaker 1: I've had so many wonderful experiences, met somebody great people. 110 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 1: I've had three people in their nineties emailed me today 111 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 1: tell me they've been reading me all their lives, and 112 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 1: I'm well about all of them. And I had a 113 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 1: twenty three year old emailed me today and say, I'm 114 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:50,480 Speaker 1: twenty three and I've been reading you all my life. 115 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 1: And I just appreciate that so much. And I told 116 00:06:55,640 --> 00:07:00,279 Speaker 1: I wrote my column today that among the of the 117 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:03,040 Speaker 1: things I wrote, and you guys are in there, and 118 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:05,800 Speaker 1: if you didn't make the print version, you're in the 119 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 1: online version. And because there's no limitations on space in cyberspace, 120 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: and I said, you know, I knew Bob McNair, and 121 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 1: Bob McNair's as fine a gentleman as i'd ever met, 122 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 1: and he wanted a team here, and nobody else stepped 123 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: up other than Bob McNair, and I told, I told, 124 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 1: I wrote that. I believe they're in good ends with 125 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 1: Nick Assario and Lovey Smith. I believe Nick knows what 126 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 1: he's doing, and I know love he knows what he's doing. 127 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: And I'm excited to watch the Texans and Omar Massub, 128 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 1: the great PR guy they got over there. He and 129 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 1: his staff are tremendous. He's told me I didn't come 130 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: over any time, and I said, well, that's good because 131 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 1: I'm going to be working for Sports Radio six ten 132 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:54,680 Speaker 1: and I'd hate to have to treat you like I 133 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: treat your team on Sundays. And so he's welcomed me 134 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 1: and to come over. So I was, we'll be seeing 135 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 1: you guys. I'll be around, Okay. John McClain joining us 136 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 1: on the day he announces his retirement from the Houston Chronicle. General, 137 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 1: you brought up Bob McNair. Let's talk about that for 138 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 1: a moment. Because the Oilers leave, and eventually Bob McNair's 139 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 1: surfaces as a candidate to bring football back to Houston 140 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:23,080 Speaker 1: for the NFL. What was that like getting to know 141 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:27,640 Speaker 1: him and covering that whole process because it didn't happen overnight. 142 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:31,160 Speaker 1: I don't want to give it away. I have two 143 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 1: stories going Sunday about Bob and Janie that I'll guarantee 144 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 1: you they were never involved in in any other way. 145 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:43,959 Speaker 1: And I've told Cal these stories and he left, is 146 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 1: you know what off? And in one of the stories, 147 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,320 Speaker 1: when I first met Bob would have been in ninety 148 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 1: seven when he was trying to get the team after 149 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 1: the Oilers left and the first time I met him, 150 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 1: and it's pretty story. And then the other one involves 151 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 1: another trip to their house in River Oaks that I did, 152 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 1: and I was told by editor time Tony Peterson, who 153 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:15,280 Speaker 1: knew Bob for his philanthropy and what a class act 154 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 1: he was, and I impressed I was going to be. 155 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:20,439 Speaker 1: He said, just make sure he's impressed with you, and 156 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 1: I said, I'll do my best. I said, he's the 157 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 1: one trying to get the team, and Bob always assured 158 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: me that Houston was going to get the team. When 159 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:32,960 Speaker 1: Paul Tagley Booth sent his right hand man Roger Goodell 160 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 1: to live in LA and Rogers hanging out with Tom 161 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:39,840 Speaker 1: Cruise and all these celebrities and stars, and they gave 162 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 1: LA an exclusive negotiating period. I wrote a column, one 163 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:48,720 Speaker 1: of the two dumbest I've ever written, and it said, 164 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:53,719 Speaker 1: bet the house, the NFL is going to LA. And 165 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 1: so Bob had always told me. There were three people 166 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 1: that told me through the whole process, I guarantee you 167 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 1: you Eton's gonna get it. One was Rich McKay, who's 168 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 1: now the president. I think the General's dropped? Am I 169 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 1: still on? I'm I hear you, Mark, I think we 170 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:25,079 Speaker 1: at the General all right? So I was wondering, are 171 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:26,959 Speaker 1: we still on the air. Yeah, we're gonna get John on. 172 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:30,040 Speaker 1: I guess we were. I felt I heard us dropping 173 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:32,720 Speaker 1: a few times, and I thought maybe I dropped. As 174 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:36,200 Speaker 1: we are different places right here, I think the same thing. 175 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:38,199 Speaker 1: I'm like, I'm like, did I drop? Oh no? So 176 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 1: now of course that's that, of course is what I 177 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: will get the General back on here, because there's there's 178 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: plenty to talk about, not just with his retirement, but 179 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 1: plenty of things going on in the league today. One 180 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:55,439 Speaker 1: there are okay, yeah, I mean there are yes. This 181 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 1: league just continues to move on now, not with the 182 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:01,560 Speaker 1: Texans that I can think of. I mean, unless I 183 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 1: missed something, I don't think. Well, the last night's news 184 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 1: was obviously huge with Bruce Arians and we'll talk about that. 185 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 1: But back to something about something John McClain said people 186 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,200 Speaker 1: hearing him on the radio. I think that that's a 187 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 1: really important part of this mix. You know, I'm a 188 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:21,840 Speaker 1: radio freak, and the fact that the General has utilized 189 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 1: this medium so well to go along with the newspaper career, 190 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:27,680 Speaker 1: has meant a great deal. And I think it's also 191 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 1: meant a great deal to the people of Nashville because 192 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:35,600 Speaker 1: when the Tennessee Titans emerged, when the Oilers moved to Tennessee, 193 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:38,520 Speaker 1: of course they played in Memphis and then they went 194 00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 1: to what Vanderbilt eventually opened the stadium. But McClain was 195 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:46,319 Speaker 1: on the air there in Nashville talking about the team. 196 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:48,720 Speaker 1: He knew the team well, obviously, he knew all the personality, 197 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 1: knew Jeff Fisher, he knew the brass of the Houston 198 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 1: Oilers then becoming the Tennessee Titans, and he can help 199 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 1: usher in that team to that market. Now, that's not 200 00:11:57,520 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 1: something that I know is popular with Houston fans necessarily, 201 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 1: but look, he was a friendly face, friendly voice, and 202 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 1: he helped them get to know their new team. And 203 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 1: I think to those people, they got to be having 204 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:14,679 Speaker 1: their own kind of ceremony today, if you will, celebrating 205 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 1: the career at the Houston Chronicle of John McClain, who, 206 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:19,320 Speaker 1: as he said, will still be around. It's not gonna 207 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 1: be the same, not being with the Houston Chronicle of 208 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:24,679 Speaker 1: paper he's been with for forty seven years. Another thing, 209 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:27,319 Speaker 1: Johnny is what Seth Paine brought up. Seth Paine brought 210 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 1: up the fact that he's embraced different kinds of technology, 211 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 1: and you know, he covered man when you think about 212 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 1: covering the Oilers in training camp in San Angelo, and 213 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:42,440 Speaker 1: it's not exactly the Junction Boys, but it's not far 214 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:44,959 Speaker 1: off from that era. If you think about it, and 215 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:48,760 Speaker 1: you're you're dealing with a very different situation six weeks 216 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:51,600 Speaker 1: of training camp at six preseason games or whatever it was. 217 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:55,040 Speaker 1: And you know, he says it was very informal. You 218 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:56,679 Speaker 1: could really get to know the players, and I get 219 00:12:56,720 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 1: all that, but it's a long grind, There's no doubt 220 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 1: about that. And then you go from that to where 221 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 1: the league is today and how much more popular the 222 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:07,959 Speaker 1: league is than ever, but it's always been popular, obviously 223 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 1: with him covering it during his time with the Chronicle. 224 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,679 Speaker 1: But I just find that stuff pretty fascinating, just the 225 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:18,319 Speaker 1: changes in life in sports, in the industry and industries 226 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 1: over his career with the Heuston Chronicle. Yeah, no doubt, 227 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 1: and he said it. I think that the addition of radio, 228 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 1: I mean obviously getting getting stories and getting the backstory 229 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 1: and you know, all the different things that he's done 230 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:36,559 Speaker 1: over the years for the Chronicle. You then throwing the 231 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 1: radio stuff. And I guarantee you there are probably some 232 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:42,920 Speaker 1: people out there that know of John on the radio 233 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:47,520 Speaker 1: and they hear about him, Oh, Houston Chronicles, John McLain. 234 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 1: But they hear him on the radio, and maybe they 235 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:52,920 Speaker 1: don't get the Chronicle or don't read the Chronicle, but 236 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 1: they listen to him. They listen to him on the radio, 237 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 1: and that might be the way that they that they 238 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:01,240 Speaker 1: remember him. Oh, I remember listening to him on the radio. 239 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 1: I didn't read the stuff. I would listen to him 240 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:05,079 Speaker 1: on the radio because we would get all the great 241 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 1: stuff there. I remember this was back mark either fourteen 242 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 1: or fifteen, and you and I were doing the Thursday 243 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 1: shows or you were doing the Thursday show with John, 244 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:17,080 Speaker 1: and there was one Thursday you couldn't do the show, 245 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:19,160 Speaker 1: and You're like, hey, I can't do the show for something. 246 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:20,760 Speaker 1: I can't remember why you were out, but you're like, 247 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 1: I can't do the show, but John's coming in. You 248 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:26,160 Speaker 1: and John can knock it out. It'll be great. And 249 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 1: I'm like, oh man, we had done some stuff with John, 250 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 1: but and I knew him, but I had never done 251 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 1: you know, the one on one radio with John, and 252 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:38,640 Speaker 1: so I was nervous as I could be. I was 253 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:40,880 Speaker 1: so flipping nervous, like, oh my gosh, I am I 254 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 1: gonna am I gonna drive this, you know, this tanker 255 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:46,600 Speaker 1: right into the river, Like how is this gonna go? 256 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: And then all of a sudden we got to talking 257 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 1: and it led one thing to the next, to the 258 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 1: next to the next thing. Before you knew it, we 259 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 1: had a full hour done and I was like, oh 260 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 1: my gosh. And we got done and he's leaving the 261 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 1: studio and he goes, thank you, John, that was really fun. 262 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:03,600 Speaker 1: I'm like, General, you don't even know how nervous I was. 263 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 1: You're the one that made it fun. I it just 264 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 1: doing that over the years with John was just it 265 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:11,080 Speaker 1: was a blast, and hopefully we will get a chance 266 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:14,720 Speaker 1: to continue that. I know everybody's got stories about about 267 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 1: John and the many people that he's met and the 268 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:21,080 Speaker 1: just the famous stories from you know, back in the day. 269 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 1: But man, that was That was such a fun moment 270 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 1: for me because here I am so nervous and then 271 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 1: he just put me all at ease in about thirty 272 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 1: seconds and then we just cruised right. I'm through an 273 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 1: hour radio like it was nothing. Okay, John mcclained is 274 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 1: back with us now, and John, you were telling us 275 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:38,160 Speaker 1: about the Texans in the early days and covering the 276 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 1: process of getting the team and the McNair family. Yes, 277 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 1: I apologize. I forgot to put Duna disturb and it 278 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:47,440 Speaker 1: knocked us off. Then I put it on. Chris didn't 279 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:50,880 Speaker 1: call me so technical difficulties. You think after all these 280 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 1: decades I would know better. What were we talking about? 281 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, Oh, Bob, the franchise, So I wrote that 282 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 1: house it's going to be LA. Richmond Kay, whose brother 283 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 1: Jake Ka was on the LA committee, and rich said, 284 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:08,640 Speaker 1: I'm telling you you're going to get it. The other 285 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 1: one was Bruce Allen. Bruce Allen kept telling you. I'm 286 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:13,880 Speaker 1: telling you, you're going to get it. LA doesn't have 287 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 1: it's act together. And Bruce had connections on the LA committee. 288 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 1: And Bob had his money, he had his stadium, he 289 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:26,800 Speaker 1: had the politicians behind him, the business leaders behind him. 290 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,960 Speaker 1: But I knew how much the NFL wanted to go 291 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:32,680 Speaker 1: to LA, and I just never thought it would happen 292 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 1: until in Atlanta for the league meeting in the fall. 293 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 1: Until I heard him screaming behind closed doors to Houston contingent, 294 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:47,400 Speaker 1: I never believed it. And and we, I mean the media, 295 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 1: we went out and celebrated after we after we wrote 296 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:56,360 Speaker 1: our stories. And I remember, in the time I had 297 00:16:56,400 --> 00:17:00,120 Speaker 1: been covering the NFL, traveling all over the country and 298 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:04,200 Speaker 1: doing stories. Chronicle would send stories every Monday of our 299 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 1: sports sections. I would have them sent to the league 300 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 1: office for Paul Taguila doing his henchmen to see and 301 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:14,640 Speaker 1: always said they Houston. The NFL is gone from Houston, 302 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:18,520 Speaker 1: but the NFL continues to thrive in the Houston Chronicle. 303 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:21,479 Speaker 1: And one time Tagliabuse saying we didn't give you all 304 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:24,359 Speaker 1: the franchise to you was quit sending all those sports 305 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:28,200 Speaker 1: sections up here. And so I got a big kick 306 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:32,240 Speaker 1: out of that. Bob and Janice McNair were so happy 307 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:34,399 Speaker 1: to see the fruits of his labor. And when I 308 00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:37,480 Speaker 1: see people who are are critical of them, and I 309 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:40,200 Speaker 1: wrote today, the mcnairs want to win. I know they 310 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 1: want to win. Jeez, they spend enough money. They're paying 311 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 1: so many coaches and gems right now, I wish they'd 312 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:49,800 Speaker 1: give me one of these Bruce arians highly paid senior 313 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:53,679 Speaker 1: consultant jobs to do nothing, like Bruce Arians is getting 314 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:57,680 Speaker 1: from the bucks. He basically admitted today he's getting paid 315 00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:00,479 Speaker 1: to do nothing. And so I know you want to win, 316 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:03,000 Speaker 1: and I think Nick Casserio knows how to do it. 317 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:05,960 Speaker 1: I'm pumped about the draft. I may come over there 318 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:09,520 Speaker 1: during the draft and he'll spend some more money on 319 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 1: free agents than next year. Nick's might have more one 320 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:15,239 Speaker 1: hundred million dollars. And he's not gonna go crazy, of 321 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:18,399 Speaker 1: course and be like Jacksonville and try to win March, 322 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:22,119 Speaker 1: but he'll spend more money on better free agents because 323 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:25,200 Speaker 1: they should be close to being a playoff team again 324 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:28,679 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty three. John, when you think back to 325 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:31,679 Speaker 1: your first day in the business until now, there's so 326 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:35,159 Speaker 1: many people I'm sure a crossing across your career that 327 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 1: you've run into that have left an impression on you. 328 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:40,199 Speaker 1: But was there somebody that you look back and go, 329 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:43,240 Speaker 1: you know what, I'm so glad I'm in this business 330 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:46,440 Speaker 1: because I got to meet that particular person or I 331 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 1: had and I had an instance or a meeting with 332 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 1: that particular person. Was there somebody along the way that 333 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:56,120 Speaker 1: you met and you're like, holy cow, I met this 334 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 1: particular person, like I've met you. Who's the person that 335 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,639 Speaker 1: you over the years had a chance to meet or 336 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 1: get to know that you look back and go, man, 337 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:09,119 Speaker 1: that was really special. Well that was three stories that 338 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:12,480 Speaker 1: I did in nineteen seventy seven. I did too because 339 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:17,159 Speaker 1: we had a sports special section and we would have 340 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:21,800 Speaker 1: big time people on the cover. And I called George 341 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: Hollis and Chicago and talked to his assistant, And I 342 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 1: called Charlie Finley and Chicago, talked to his assistant. And 343 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:32,679 Speaker 1: I called Bill vet the White Sox owner with the 344 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:35,920 Speaker 1: White Sox and talked to his assistant to see if 345 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:38,919 Speaker 1: I could come up there and interview him. And the 346 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:41,640 Speaker 1: only one that never got back to me was Charlie Finley, 347 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:45,240 Speaker 1: the owner of the A's and George Hollis's assistant said, 348 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:47,720 Speaker 1: mister Hollis and be happy to talk to you, but 349 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 1: he can't talk about the past. And I'm like, well, 350 00:19:51,119 --> 00:19:53,520 Speaker 1: if you got George Hallis, when you're not going to 351 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:57,040 Speaker 1: talk about the future. He's about ninety years old. So 352 00:19:57,119 --> 00:19:59,159 Speaker 1: he said he was working on a book. So I 353 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:02,240 Speaker 1: thought I'd take my chances. So I set up an 354 00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 1: interview at his office in Chicago. And Bill Vac, who 355 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:10,359 Speaker 1: who's dead on the Cubs back dar in Prohibition, and 356 00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:13,080 Speaker 1: Bill was a young guy who worked for him and 357 00:20:13,160 --> 00:20:16,240 Speaker 1: he was on the White Sox. He said sure, and 358 00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:20,640 Speaker 1: so I went to Chicago and I spent three days there. 359 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 1: In the first day, I went to Comisky Old Comisky Park. 360 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:27,520 Speaker 1: White Sox were on the road. I went to what 361 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:30,720 Speaker 1: was called the Bard's Room. There's nobody in that room. 362 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:33,720 Speaker 1: I'm sitting there at the table and I'm waiting on 363 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 1: Bill Vac, and I hear the distance clump, clump, clump, 364 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:44,040 Speaker 1: and it got louder clump, clump, and it was his 365 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 1: peg leg. He lost the war. And I knew he 366 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:50,640 Speaker 1: had a peg leg, but it was just so strange. 367 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 1: And he came in. He was carrying a phone, telephone 368 00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:57,120 Speaker 1: with a long cord. He came over and he said, 369 00:20:57,200 --> 00:20:59,600 Speaker 1: young man, He said, I'll give you all the time 370 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: you want. But I talked to the fans when they called, 371 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:06,879 Speaker 1: and right now they're calling a lot because we're not 372 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:09,959 Speaker 1: very good. So he plugged that phone. At the table, 373 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:14,440 Speaker 1: we started talking. We had we had breakfast, we had lunch. 374 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:17,639 Speaker 1: I spent about six hours there and he told me 375 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:21,160 Speaker 1: stories about John Dillinger, I didn't go in plastic surgery, 376 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 1: and hanging out in center field at Wrigley Field, and 377 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:27,280 Speaker 1: only un It's dad knew who they were. FBI knew 378 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:29,399 Speaker 1: he was a fan of the Cubs, and they were 379 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 1: all over the stadium, but they didn't know who he was. 380 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:37,920 Speaker 1: And then when his dad was dying, he had cancer, 381 00:21:38,520 --> 00:21:41,800 Speaker 1: and it was during Prohibition and Bill Vack. He went 382 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:45,280 Speaker 1: to the hotel where al Capone worked out of and 383 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:47,640 Speaker 1: they let him come into Capone. He asked them as 384 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:50,800 Speaker 1: dad was said, he's not very good. He doesn't have 385 00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:53,080 Speaker 1: much time left al Capone, so what can I do 386 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 1: for you that he said, I'd like to get some 387 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:59,159 Speaker 1: whiskey from you, and Veg said he held his breath 388 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:01,200 Speaker 1: and said not to carrying you to sell. But to 389 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:06,359 Speaker 1: can you drink? And he said done. And then for 390 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 1: the next day one of these old untouchable type cars 391 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:15,080 Speaker 1: with guys with Tommy guns on the side came to 392 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:18,439 Speaker 1: their house. One got out, opened up a small trunk, 393 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 1: pulled out a case of whiskey, came up, knocked on 394 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:25,080 Speaker 1: the door, and Missus Veck accepted it for us. But 395 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 1: and Bill Veck said he suffered no pain in his 396 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 1: last few weeks of life thanks to the whiskey that 397 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:36,919 Speaker 1: mister Capone provided. You know, those are unbelievable stories. He 398 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:41,560 Speaker 1: told about how he got Eddie Goodell the let's see 399 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:44,760 Speaker 1: the dwarf who batted and walked, and how that came about. 400 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 1: And so then I thought, I'll there had another interview 401 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:50,639 Speaker 1: like that. Next day I go to George Alls's office 402 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:54,159 Speaker 1: and I'm thinking, how in a wool am I going 403 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:56,200 Speaker 1: to get him talking about the past. And I had 404 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:59,240 Speaker 1: brought copies of our paper with the big front page 405 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:02,840 Speaker 1: and the chronicles lot bigger than it was a drawing art, 406 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:06,160 Speaker 1: and I showed him one at Lamar Hunt and Bud 407 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:10,280 Speaker 1: Adams that another guy had done Al Lundren and he goes, 408 00:23:10,359 --> 00:23:14,399 Speaker 1: he ran his hands over him, and he goes like 409 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 1: a little kid. And then he started talking about playing 410 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:20,680 Speaker 1: with Babe Ruth and all these things he did about 411 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:24,000 Speaker 1: being a decatur when the National Football League was formed 412 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 1: and he was there with Jim Thorpe and other people, 413 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:29,640 Speaker 1: and then he talked about the Bears through the decades, 414 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:32,040 Speaker 1: how this player came in, that one took me in 415 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:35,320 Speaker 1: the little film room with those big, old great canisters, 416 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 1: showing me that they had those back since film was invented. 417 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:42,200 Speaker 1: And then I came back and wrote the long, long 418 00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 1: stories about both of them for the Chronicle, and I thought, well, 419 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:48,880 Speaker 1: they'll never get better than that. It did until nineteen 420 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:53,040 Speaker 1: ninety six, when I noticed the last surviving member of 421 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:55,359 Speaker 1: the original class of the Pro Football of Fame in 422 00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:59,040 Speaker 1: sixty three was say Boss Swinging Sammy. Bob lived on 423 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:03,399 Speaker 1: his ranch and Roseanne, Texas, out in the West West 424 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 1: Texas at the base of the Double Mountains. So I 425 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:10,560 Speaker 1: was told that if you played, if you played dominoes, 426 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: he'll take you off the road, because he lived on 427 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:16,639 Speaker 1: a ranch outside in the middle of nowhere. And so 428 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:21,399 Speaker 1: the cowboy and middle Lambs of Junior knew him, and 429 00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:24,320 Speaker 1: I called Cowboy, and I says the Chronicle pays your way, 430 00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:26,920 Speaker 1: will you light it up? He said, yes, We flew 431 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 1: to Lubbook, we drove to the ranch. They knew each 432 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:34,360 Speaker 1: other and for I've had nine hours of tape was 433 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:38,679 Speaker 1: Sammy ball cuffs like crazy and the chronicle let me 434 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:43,919 Speaker 1: run what he said. I've never seen it before running 435 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:48,719 Speaker 1: words like that till Deshaan Watson's lawsuits. And it was 436 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:53,719 Speaker 1: unbelievable listening to him tell me stories about playing with 437 00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:57,560 Speaker 1: the gas House Gang in the Cardinals minor league system, 438 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:03,520 Speaker 1: and he playing in a Negro League semi Pro All 439 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:08,199 Speaker 1: Star team in baseball with Cool Papa Bell and Josh 440 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:11,399 Speaker 1: Gibson and Satchel Paige and I had all ended in 441 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:14,960 Speaker 1: a riot in Denver that was brutal and bloody and 442 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:18,160 Speaker 1: they canceled it and never had this Sannuel game anymore. 443 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:22,199 Speaker 1: And now he was playing a game in Old Griffin 444 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:25,520 Speaker 1: Stadium in Washington, and they noticed there was these announcements 445 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:28,879 Speaker 1: coming over during the game, and they look up on 446 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:31,840 Speaker 1: the bench and see people leaving. And after the game 447 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:35,320 Speaker 1: their owner came down and told them the Japanese at 448 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 1: Bob Pearl Harbor, and we didn't want you guys to 449 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:40,960 Speaker 1: know it till there to the game and those announcements 450 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:44,960 Speaker 1: where they were calling officers out of the stands to report, 451 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 1: and those stories. And the next day I see how 452 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:52,280 Speaker 1: I can ward this because just take into account of 453 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:57,440 Speaker 1: Sammy Cutz like crazy run his front porch and everybody 454 00:25:57,520 --> 00:26:01,280 Speaker 1: tried to get him to come speak. And before he left, 455 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:04,160 Speaker 1: I said, your trophy case and it wasn't gaudy. I said, 456 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:07,160 Speaker 1: what's your greatest honor? And he reaches in the back 457 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:10,280 Speaker 1: of his trophy case and pulls out something, blows dust 458 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 1: off of it and showed it to me. It was 459 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:15,680 Speaker 1: only hole at one he'd ever gotten. And he drove 460 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:18,399 Speaker 1: to Sweetwater six days a week to play golf with 461 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:21,479 Speaker 1: his friends, and he was eating five years old. So 462 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:23,879 Speaker 1: we're on the porch and I said, why do you 463 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:25,880 Speaker 1: never go anywhere to be honored? He said, I won't 464 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:28,440 Speaker 1: go anywhere that I can't be back here sleeping in 465 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:31,240 Speaker 1: my bed. So the Hall of Fame in Canton, which 466 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:34,920 Speaker 1: had not had him there since the original induction, offered 467 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:38,199 Speaker 1: to take his bed on a train and had it 468 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 1: shipped to Canton if he would come back and be honored, 469 00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:45,560 Speaker 1: but he wouldn't do it. He'd go to Fort work 470 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:48,640 Speaker 1: because he could get back that night. So I asked him, 471 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 1: why have you lived on this branch that he bought 472 00:26:52,119 --> 00:26:55,800 Speaker 1: with money he earned from a TV show he did, 473 00:26:56,119 --> 00:26:59,959 Speaker 1: or the Tech Call of Texas Rangers. And he standing 474 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:02,840 Speaker 1: on the edge of this porch and I'm standing next 475 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:05,960 Speaker 1: to him, and he had given Cowboy and I peanut 476 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:08,919 Speaker 1: butter jelly sandwiches to eat on the way back to 477 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:12,720 Speaker 1: Love It. And we're standing there, and I said, so, 478 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:14,920 Speaker 1: why do you live out here? Why not move in town? 479 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:18,080 Speaker 1: He said because when I got to take up pee 480 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:21,440 Speaker 1: and he didn't use pa, he said, I can come 481 00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:25,280 Speaker 1: right out here on my porch, pull it out, and 482 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:29,119 Speaker 1: I can pee anywhere I want. He said, I got 483 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:31,960 Speaker 1: a pea right now. I said, I do too, So 484 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:37,400 Speaker 1: Sammy barn I took peas on his front porch together 485 00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:45,399 Speaker 1: things I didn't expect to talk about. No photos, please, 486 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 1: let's just keep it to pros only, all right. That 487 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:54,960 Speaker 1: is unbelievable stuff. General greet stories. Okay, well, we thank 488 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:58,240 Speaker 1: you for joining us. We congratulate you once again. You're 489 00:27:58,280 --> 00:28:00,480 Speaker 1: not going to be a stranger. You'll still be with us, 490 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 1: and we look forward to many more conversations. General. Thanks, 491 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:07,440 Speaker 1: so much, Mark and John Thank you guys very much. 492 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:10,119 Speaker 1: I appreciate it. I love going on with you guys. 493 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:13,000 Speaker 1: It's been an honor all these years. And I would 494 00:28:13,119 --> 00:28:16,840 Speaker 1: encourage Jackson's fans to check out my column Sunday because 495 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:22,040 Speaker 1: I got some really funny stories of involving Bob and 496 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:24,679 Speaker 1: Janie McNair. You don't hear many people say you have 497 00:28:25,119 --> 00:28:28,879 Speaker 1: funny stories about two such dignified people, but they're in 498 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 1: them and I can't wait for people to see it. 499 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:34,160 Speaker 1: Thank you guys very much. As all the way. We'll 500 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:36,399 Speaker 1: watch out for them, and when you have time, please 501 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:40,160 Speaker 1: read my story today about you and you've done everything 502 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 1: from love. Thank you, and I will tweet it. Thank you. Okay, 503 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:49,480 Speaker 1: all right, great, Thank you very much. General, You're the best. 504 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:52,040 Speaker 1: We love having you on. Thank you for everything you've 505 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:55,800 Speaker 1: done and are doing for It's not just sports media folks. 506 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:59,160 Speaker 1: And I didn't get to this with him, Johnny, but 507 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 1: I guarantee you that the General is as proud of 508 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:06,800 Speaker 1: this as anything else he's done, which is help launch 509 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:11,480 Speaker 1: or improve the careers of dozens and dozens and dozens 510 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:14,960 Speaker 1: of people in the industry. The list and I've seen 511 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:17,360 Speaker 1: tweets from all over the place today, But I know 512 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:19,920 Speaker 1: that this is something that's very important to him, and 513 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:21,920 Speaker 1: you know it's something we'll be able to talk about 514 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:24,080 Speaker 1: as the weeks progress. All Right, we're late for the break, 515 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 1: but let's get to it. We're gonna do Who's Better, 516 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:28,480 Speaker 1: and we're gonna have a fantastic second half hour of 517 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:32,320 Speaker 1: the program here on Texans Radio. Stay tuned for more 518 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 1: on the Houston Texans and the NFL on Texans All Excess. 519 00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:41,720 Speaker 1: What destinations are on your financial checklist, a new home, 520 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 1: a new savings account, whatever it may be. TDECU offers 521 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:47,680 Speaker 1: better ways to save and do more with your money. 522 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:51,720 Speaker 1: Join TDECU, the official credit union of the Houston Texans. 523 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:56,080 Speaker 1: What if your preferred hospital could also be your primary 524 00:29:56,120 --> 00:30:00,840 Speaker 1: care provider? At Houston Methodist, we go beyond hospital, offering 525 00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:03,680 Speaker 1: you everything from flu shots to well woman exams to 526 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 1: managing your weight in cholesterol and our primary care doctors 527 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:10,920 Speaker 1: and specialists are connected all across the city, so whatever 528 00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:14,160 Speaker 1: the need, wherever you live, we can be there for you. 529 00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:17,320 Speaker 1: Visit Houston Methodist dot org to find the care you 530 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:23,440 Speaker 1: need at locations throughout Houston. Houston Methodist leading medicine, leading medicine, 531 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:30,120 Speaker 1: leading medicine, leading medicine. We returned to Texans all excess, 532 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:35,360 Speaker 1: Mark Vandamer and John Harris with you, Johnny, I need 533 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:38,480 Speaker 1: a moment. I mean, geez, that was some incredible stuff 534 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:43,560 Speaker 1: from McClane. Yeah, talking about interviewing Bill Veck and George 535 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:47,520 Speaker 1: Hallis and Sammy Bob and I don't know, like who's better, 536 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:49,920 Speaker 1: Which story was better? I don't know. They were all 537 00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:53,680 Speaker 1: great loss story wins Man. The Sammie Boss story has 538 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:57,200 Speaker 1: to win, I mean, does it not? It has to. Yeah, 539 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:00,320 Speaker 1: it was pretty good. But Bill Veck talking about John 540 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:05,680 Speaker 1: Dillinger in the outfield after having plastic surgery al camponent. 541 00:31:06,120 --> 00:31:10,320 Speaker 1: These are unbelievable stories of the city of Chicago. George Hallis, 542 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:13,160 Speaker 1: I mean, you think about the Bears. They started in 543 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:16,520 Speaker 1: Decatur in the twenties. Chicago had the Cardinals when the 544 00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:19,760 Speaker 1: league began, and I don't know when the Cardinals left. 545 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:21,840 Speaker 1: I don't think it was too long after, but I 546 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 1: could be wrong. But the twenties was prohibition, so all 547 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:27,960 Speaker 1: that stuff was going up. Now. The General wasn't around 548 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:30,680 Speaker 1: back then, so he's not that old. People back off, 549 00:31:32,360 --> 00:31:35,120 Speaker 1: You're right, but some great stories, and I know there 550 00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:37,719 Speaker 1: are many, many more, but I think I gotta put 551 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:39,800 Speaker 1: that last five minutes on a podcast or something. And 552 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:42,160 Speaker 1: by the way, it will be so you can hear 553 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:44,000 Speaker 1: that if you missed it, if you're just joining us. 554 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:46,200 Speaker 1: We just had John McClane on the day he announced 555 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:49,920 Speaker 1: his retirement from the Houston Chronicle after forty seven years, 556 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:52,479 Speaker 1: and he told some great stories, especially at the end 557 00:31:52,480 --> 00:31:56,280 Speaker 1: of the segment, but all over really and we lost 558 00:31:56,360 --> 00:31:59,280 Speaker 1: him for a few moments, but doesn't matter that show. 559 00:31:59,440 --> 00:32:01,920 Speaker 1: This show will be up on Houston Texans dot com 560 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:03,920 Speaker 1: and the Texans app, I don't know within a few 561 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:07,280 Speaker 1: hours after it's over. So something for you to check out. 562 00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:11,360 Speaker 1: We're gonna do a loose ish version of Who's Better 563 00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:14,320 Speaker 1: here because we're delayed on time and everything. We went 564 00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:17,880 Speaker 1: a little loong with the general Johnny, Who's better Better 565 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:27,760 Speaker 1: surprise Brady back? Jordan's back better surprise Brady. Oh wait, wait, wait, 566 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:31,120 Speaker 1: wait wait. When you said Jordan, I was thinking Jordan 567 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:35,520 Speaker 1: with the Wizards. No, h oh boy. I know they're different, 568 00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:41,080 Speaker 1: different stages of their career. Yeah, yeah, I think Jordan, 569 00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:48,640 Speaker 1: because first of all, when he retired, he always held 570 00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:50,520 Speaker 1: out hope. But when a guy says he retires, then 571 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:52,920 Speaker 1: he's gone for a whole year. You think, Nah, at 572 00:32:52,960 --> 00:32:55,000 Speaker 1: that point, there weren't a lot of a lot of guys. 573 00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:58,080 Speaker 1: I can remember that we're coming back to the sport. 574 00:32:58,560 --> 00:33:00,960 Speaker 1: I remember Jim Palmer, I had it and it didn't 575 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:03,880 Speaker 1: work out. I remember Jim Brown in a cover of 576 00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:06,840 Speaker 1: Sports Illustrated Can he make the Raiders at forty seven 577 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:10,239 Speaker 1: years old? And I'm like, my god, um, but not 578 00:33:10,280 --> 00:33:12,640 Speaker 1: a lot, not a lot of guys were making it back. 579 00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:15,239 Speaker 1: And then all of a sudden, in this drab year 580 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:18,640 Speaker 1: of ninety five, if you remember that that whole run 581 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:23,480 Speaker 1: we had lost baseball. Baseball had gone on strike in October, 582 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:25,880 Speaker 1: and that was one of the reasons that Jordan left. 583 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:29,160 Speaker 1: He wouldn't cross the picking line at the training camp, 584 00:33:29,560 --> 00:33:32,640 Speaker 1: and so that's what really kind of precipitated him thinking 585 00:33:32,640 --> 00:33:37,160 Speaker 1: about coming back to basketball. So at that point, I mean, 586 00:33:37,200 --> 00:33:40,440 Speaker 1: if you think just in Houston, the Oilers were on 587 00:33:40,480 --> 00:33:44,280 Speaker 1: their way out, there was no baseball, and really what 588 00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:46,560 Speaker 1: we had to hang on to was this Rocket team 589 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:49,280 Speaker 1: that was really good. No by the way, Michael Jordan's 590 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:51,480 Speaker 1: coming back, manca the Rockets play the Bulls. I think 591 00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:53,520 Speaker 1: I was more excited about that, and then of course 592 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:56,040 Speaker 1: Jordan turns back into Jordan for those final three years 593 00:33:56,680 --> 00:34:00,000 Speaker 1: siny eight um. I think it was a better surprise 594 00:34:00,880 --> 00:34:04,200 Speaker 1: that he was coming back, Tom coming back this whole thing, Mark, 595 00:34:04,280 --> 00:34:09,120 Speaker 1: I I hate to say this, Ay, I like Tom 596 00:34:09,160 --> 00:34:15,160 Speaker 1: Brady b even saying that though something's weird. Man, something's 597 00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:18,359 Speaker 1: really odd with this whole thing, And I don't know 598 00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:21,440 Speaker 1: what it is, and it's just there's something about it 599 00:34:21,480 --> 00:34:24,040 Speaker 1: that just has this hint of stinkiness to it. And 600 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:26,000 Speaker 1: I don't know what it is. But the fact that 601 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:30,520 Speaker 1: Brady decides to retire, then he comes back, and then 602 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:34,359 Speaker 1: ba retires, but then Todd Bowles his name the head coach, 603 00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:36,400 Speaker 1: not Byron Leftwich. So if there's something that had to 604 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:39,360 Speaker 1: do with Tom Brady, like when Brady had pushed from that, 605 00:34:39,440 --> 00:34:43,040 Speaker 1: I don't know, something's weird with this whole thing, Mark, 606 00:34:43,120 --> 00:34:45,480 Speaker 1: I don't know. I just feel like there's something there 607 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:48,200 Speaker 1: that we don't know about it. Maybe there's some story there. 608 00:34:48,239 --> 00:34:50,640 Speaker 1: I don't know. I just get the feeling that there's something. 609 00:34:50,680 --> 00:34:52,960 Speaker 1: I think Florio alluded to that, and I agree with 610 00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:54,279 Speaker 1: him on this one. I don't like to be a 611 00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:56,920 Speaker 1: conspiracy theory. Guy, I leave that to others, but there's 612 00:34:56,960 --> 00:34:59,279 Speaker 1: something odd about this. I'll just leave it at that. 613 00:34:59,320 --> 00:35:02,360 Speaker 1: With Brady, I would say I would take Brady. I 614 00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:05,080 Speaker 1: would take Jordan that' said. I want to seeing Brady 615 00:35:05,120 --> 00:35:08,640 Speaker 1: come back one more year. That's fine, Yeah, just to 616 00:35:08,880 --> 00:35:12,000 Speaker 1: die this year. Yeah, just stay in the NFSCA. I'm 617 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:15,439 Speaker 1: happy that he's in the NFC. And look this whole thing. 618 00:35:16,120 --> 00:35:18,440 Speaker 1: I don't blame them at all for naming Todd Bulls 619 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:20,400 Speaker 1: the head coach. I think that's the right move on 620 00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:24,279 Speaker 1: their part because Brady. As long as Brady's happy to 621 00:35:24,280 --> 00:35:26,000 Speaker 1: be in Tampa Bay. All these rumors about well he's 622 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:27,800 Speaker 1: still gonna try to force his way out or whatever, 623 00:35:27,840 --> 00:35:31,120 Speaker 1: all right, whatever, I think he's there. He can work 624 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:33,600 Speaker 1: well with Leftwich on the offense. There are all these 625 00:35:33,640 --> 00:35:36,160 Speaker 1: rumors about intervention from Arians and they didn't like it. 626 00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:38,520 Speaker 1: Whatever the case may be. I think Brady and Leftwich 627 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:40,520 Speaker 1: good team. It's good for Leftwich. He can be a 628 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:42,680 Speaker 1: head coach next year. They have a good year, he'll 629 00:35:42,719 --> 00:35:45,279 Speaker 1: be a head coach next year. Bulls is an experienced 630 00:35:45,320 --> 00:35:48,800 Speaker 1: head coach. Let them run the offense. Brady and Leftwich, 631 00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:51,480 Speaker 1: if you've named Leftwich the coach. Then he's got to 632 00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:53,560 Speaker 1: do all the head coaching stuff. And what's gonna happen 633 00:35:53,600 --> 00:35:56,440 Speaker 1: with the offense? Leave the offense alone, Let Bulls call 634 00:35:56,520 --> 00:35:58,799 Speaker 1: the defense, which he will like Lovey will call it here, 635 00:35:59,040 --> 00:36:02,080 Speaker 1: and I think for Tampa base perspective, from their perspective, 636 00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:04,640 Speaker 1: that's the right move, Johnny. Let's do this. Who's better 637 00:36:05,480 --> 00:36:09,239 Speaker 1: better chance now that Casey has traded Tyree Hill and 638 00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:10,839 Speaker 1: we don't know who they're gonna pick, but they have 639 00:36:10,840 --> 00:36:13,960 Speaker 1: some options here in the upcoming draft, but better chance 640 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:17,759 Speaker 1: of knocking them off their perch in the AFC West, Chargers, 641 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:21,960 Speaker 1: Denver or Vegas, better chance of knocking off the Chiefs 642 00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:23,839 Speaker 1: in the a f C West, and the Texans are 643 00:36:23,840 --> 00:36:26,719 Speaker 1: gonna play all these teams this year. I really because 644 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:29,200 Speaker 1: the other night my son and I watch Swingers was 645 00:36:29,239 --> 00:36:31,120 Speaker 1: the first time that my son had a chance to 646 00:36:31,120 --> 00:36:35,600 Speaker 1: watch Swingers. And I want to scream out Vegas, baby, 647 00:36:35,640 --> 00:36:39,160 Speaker 1: but I won't because I think it's the Chargers. And 648 00:36:39,440 --> 00:36:41,680 Speaker 1: I think the Chargers are gonna make one more move 649 00:36:41,719 --> 00:36:45,000 Speaker 1: in this draft, and I think we could be part 650 00:36:45,040 --> 00:36:48,840 Speaker 1: of it. And I've been, Oh, I have been thinking 651 00:36:48,840 --> 00:36:51,680 Speaker 1: about this for a while that and it was one 652 00:36:51,719 --> 00:36:54,239 Speaker 1: of the things that I thought about even before Desha's trade. 653 00:36:54,280 --> 00:36:57,960 Speaker 1: I was like, Okay, if we trade with whatever team, 654 00:36:58,000 --> 00:36:59,680 Speaker 1: if we end up with a pick in front of 655 00:36:59,719 --> 00:37:02,960 Speaker 1: the the LA Chargers, we need to dangle that pick 656 00:37:03,800 --> 00:37:06,680 Speaker 1: to the LA Chargers to see if they'll come up 657 00:37:06,760 --> 00:37:09,280 Speaker 1: and give more to come up and get Jordan Davis. 658 00:37:09,560 --> 00:37:14,840 Speaker 1: I think a big athletic run stuffer in that defense 659 00:37:15,880 --> 00:37:20,239 Speaker 1: book ended by Bosa and Khalil Mack and back ended 660 00:37:20,320 --> 00:37:23,360 Speaker 1: by Derwin James with that big hoss in the middle, 661 00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:26,080 Speaker 1: My goodness. I think that's the one final piece that 662 00:37:26,239 --> 00:37:28,560 Speaker 1: LA needs. Now. They also need a right tackle, I think, 663 00:37:29,160 --> 00:37:33,160 Speaker 1: but they've got everything else. I think it's the Chargers, 664 00:37:33,160 --> 00:37:35,200 Speaker 1: and I think the draft might be that one final 665 00:37:35,280 --> 00:37:39,680 Speaker 1: piece for Tom Tolesco and Brandon's Staley to say who 666 00:37:39,800 --> 00:37:41,759 Speaker 1: is it? What is it? I don't know if I 667 00:37:41,760 --> 00:37:44,680 Speaker 1: would say they're one player away. But if that one 668 00:37:44,719 --> 00:37:47,080 Speaker 1: player ends up being six six, three hundred forty one 669 00:37:47,120 --> 00:37:50,120 Speaker 1: pounds and there is the athlete that you know we've 670 00:37:50,160 --> 00:37:53,399 Speaker 1: seen and he stays healthy out in LA, he could 671 00:37:53,400 --> 00:37:55,839 Speaker 1: be a rock star in that defense. I think it's 672 00:37:55,880 --> 00:37:59,520 Speaker 1: I think it's the Chargers that have the most ammunition 673 00:37:59,560 --> 00:38:02,040 Speaker 1: on both sides of the ball to push the Chiefs 674 00:38:02,040 --> 00:38:05,000 Speaker 1: out of that top spot. All right, cool, I've got 675 00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:06,920 Speaker 1: another one for you. We'll do it after the break. 676 00:38:06,960 --> 00:38:09,319 Speaker 1: We'll close out the show. It's gonna be good. It 677 00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:13,200 Speaker 1: evolves the AFC South Texans competition. We'll get into it 678 00:38:13,280 --> 00:38:18,880 Speaker 1: next here on Texans Radio. Chicksons Radio continues in a moment, 679 00:38:20,040 --> 00:38:23,040 Speaker 1: Ashley is proud to call Houston Hall. We believe your 680 00:38:23,080 --> 00:38:26,920 Speaker 1: personal style makes your house a home. Discover incredible styles, 681 00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:30,120 Speaker 1: selection and quality at a price to fit any budget. 682 00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:33,320 Speaker 1: Ashley has just the looks and options you need. Explore 683 00:38:33,360 --> 00:38:37,000 Speaker 1: totally different styles and trends all in one place. Finding 684 00:38:37,000 --> 00:38:39,719 Speaker 1: the perfect furniture in home decor makes it easy for 685 00:38:39,760 --> 00:38:41,880 Speaker 1: you to create a home you love to live in. 686 00:38:42,160 --> 00:38:45,280 Speaker 1: We have twelve Houston area locations to serve you. Ashley, 687 00:38:45,440 --> 00:38:53,560 Speaker 1: proud partner of the Houston Texans Chicksons Radio is back. 688 00:38:56,280 --> 00:38:58,520 Speaker 1: All right, let's get to this. By the way, I 689 00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:03,160 Speaker 1: got a text from up uncle Dre, Andre Johnson's uncle 690 00:39:03,719 --> 00:39:08,320 Speaker 1: congratulating McClean, so I thought i'd passed it on to everybody. Yeah, yeah, yeah, 691 00:39:08,440 --> 00:39:11,200 Speaker 1: Uncle Dre loves McClean too, and the work that he 692 00:39:11,239 --> 00:39:14,759 Speaker 1: does the work over the years, so great for the 693 00:39:14,760 --> 00:39:17,879 Speaker 1: Houston Chronicle. And we'll be talking with John Moore over 694 00:39:17,920 --> 00:39:20,400 Speaker 1: the coming weeks, so don't worry about that part of it, 695 00:39:20,440 --> 00:39:22,440 Speaker 1: all right, Johnny? I'd one more Who's Better for you? 696 00:39:23,200 --> 00:39:25,680 Speaker 1: And this involves the AFC South, because now that the 697 00:39:25,760 --> 00:39:28,160 Speaker 1: Colts have made the deal for Matt Ryan, do you 698 00:39:28,280 --> 00:39:32,600 Speaker 1: think that the Colts are going to get picked to 699 00:39:32,640 --> 00:39:36,279 Speaker 1: win the division by some And before you answer that, 700 00:39:36,360 --> 00:39:40,000 Speaker 1: let me state my case here. Tennessee obviously top seed 701 00:39:40,000 --> 00:39:42,840 Speaker 1: in the AFC. You know, we were within a getting 702 00:39:42,880 --> 00:39:45,160 Speaker 1: the ball back situation of having a chance to bump 703 00:39:45,160 --> 00:39:47,160 Speaker 1: them off that perch. But it happened for them. They 704 00:39:47,160 --> 00:39:50,080 Speaker 1: were the top seed, but they lost and Derrick Henry 705 00:39:50,120 --> 00:39:52,920 Speaker 1: got hurt for a while and they survived it. But 706 00:39:53,560 --> 00:39:55,959 Speaker 1: can they get through that again? Is Henrick gonna stay healthy? 707 00:39:55,960 --> 00:39:58,759 Speaker 1: They have a lot of questions. Is Tannehill going to 708 00:39:58,840 --> 00:40:01,479 Speaker 1: make key mistakes in the moment of truth? But really 709 00:40:01,520 --> 00:40:07,640 Speaker 1: this is about winning the division? Who's better? Titans? Cults? Cults? 710 00:40:09,960 --> 00:40:13,080 Speaker 1: I felt like and I think it bore itself out 711 00:40:13,120 --> 00:40:17,440 Speaker 1: on divisional playoff weekend that the Titans were not the 712 00:40:17,520 --> 00:40:20,360 Speaker 1: number one seed in the ANFC, and not just because 713 00:40:20,360 --> 00:40:22,279 Speaker 1: the Bengals beat them. I didn't think the Titans played well. 714 00:40:22,320 --> 00:40:25,000 Speaker 1: I didn't think Titans were very good, and I think 715 00:40:25,160 --> 00:40:30,480 Speaker 1: their weaknesses got exposed in that game, and tannie Hill struggled. 716 00:40:30,800 --> 00:40:33,760 Speaker 1: He threw fourteen interceptions I think total. He threw seven 717 00:40:34,239 --> 00:40:36,920 Speaker 1: in that building in two games, three to the Bengals 718 00:40:36,920 --> 00:40:40,560 Speaker 1: and four to US. So tanie Hill had some struggles 719 00:40:40,560 --> 00:40:44,200 Speaker 1: at some some bad times, if you will. Now, there's 720 00:40:44,239 --> 00:40:46,520 Speaker 1: no telling that Matt Ryan is going to be the 721 00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:52,560 Speaker 1: secret sauce in Indianapolis. But I think he's not quite 722 00:40:52,600 --> 00:40:56,319 Speaker 1: to the aged level of Philip Rivers. I think he 723 00:40:56,560 --> 00:41:00,239 Speaker 1: is a more competent Carson Wentz is not be able 724 00:41:00,280 --> 00:41:03,560 Speaker 1: to move down the pocket like Carson could when things 725 00:41:03,600 --> 00:41:05,720 Speaker 1: would break down. But I think Matt's gonna make better 726 00:41:05,760 --> 00:41:09,640 Speaker 1: decisions for that team. But the Colts need a playmaker, 727 00:41:10,040 --> 00:41:12,320 Speaker 1: I mean, have Jonathan Taylor's he can't get greedy, I guess. 728 00:41:12,320 --> 00:41:15,319 Speaker 1: But Michael Pittman's a really good wide receiver. I think 729 00:41:15,320 --> 00:41:18,799 Speaker 1: he's a really good He's bordering on being excellent, but 730 00:41:18,840 --> 00:41:22,040 Speaker 1: he's not quite there yet. So who's that other guy 731 00:41:22,120 --> 00:41:24,960 Speaker 1: for the Colts? Zach pascalit used to kill us. He's 732 00:41:24,960 --> 00:41:28,480 Speaker 1: gone to Philadelphia, te Y. I don't think he's gonna 733 00:41:28,480 --> 00:41:32,920 Speaker 1: come back. So where's where are the playmakers out on 734 00:41:32,960 --> 00:41:36,080 Speaker 1: the edge for the Colts now? Paris Campbell was the 735 00:41:36,120 --> 00:41:37,919 Speaker 1: guy they were going to rely on a second round 736 00:41:37,920 --> 00:41:40,680 Speaker 1: pick three years ago, but he's been hurt every single year. 737 00:41:40,719 --> 00:41:43,600 Speaker 1: He caught one touchdown pass against us and it was 738 00:41:43,640 --> 00:41:45,480 Speaker 1: out again for the rest of the year for the 739 00:41:45,600 --> 00:41:47,960 Speaker 1: third right in a row. So you can't really rely 740 00:41:48,040 --> 00:41:51,240 Speaker 1: on them on him. So where are the Colts gonna 741 00:41:51,280 --> 00:41:54,600 Speaker 1: find playmakers to come in and help Matt Ryan If 742 00:41:54,600 --> 00:41:58,200 Speaker 1: you have to rely on a rookie ye man. Michael 743 00:41:58,239 --> 00:42:00,520 Speaker 1: Pittman was good, but it really was the second half 744 00:42:00,560 --> 00:42:03,200 Speaker 1: of the year where he turned into a really strong 745 00:42:03,600 --> 00:42:07,280 Speaker 1: receiving threat. So I just think they're a playmaker away. 746 00:42:07,440 --> 00:42:09,320 Speaker 1: I look at the Titans that think, Okay, Derrick Henry 747 00:42:09,320 --> 00:42:12,520 Speaker 1: and a J. Brown, great start, But again Nick Westbrook, 748 00:42:12,680 --> 00:42:15,080 Speaker 1: Keene and you added Robert Woods, so they're probably a 749 00:42:15,120 --> 00:42:17,799 Speaker 1: little bit there's a little bit more firepower there. I 750 00:42:17,880 --> 00:42:19,920 Speaker 1: just think the Colts across the board, if they can 751 00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:23,399 Speaker 1: find one more playmaker to go with Pittman, I think 752 00:42:23,400 --> 00:42:27,120 Speaker 1: the Colts offense is gonna be nasty to stop, nasty 753 00:42:27,160 --> 00:42:30,759 Speaker 1: to stop. Yeah, I agree, it's gonna be tough. I 754 00:42:31,239 --> 00:42:33,560 Speaker 1: think if you can obviously, if if you can get 755 00:42:33,600 --> 00:42:36,400 Speaker 1: after Matt Ryan, it's going to really help your chances 756 00:42:36,440 --> 00:42:39,200 Speaker 1: against them. Obviously is not mobile, but the old line 757 00:42:39,200 --> 00:42:41,680 Speaker 1: they have to work with right now, it is going 758 00:42:41,760 --> 00:42:44,279 Speaker 1: to be something, all right. A few minutes left here. 759 00:42:44,719 --> 00:42:48,200 Speaker 1: Recent acquisitions for the Houston Texans. I look at this 760 00:42:48,280 --> 00:42:51,520 Speaker 1: whole thing. They're bringing back guys that they know can 761 00:42:51,560 --> 00:42:54,320 Speaker 1: help because they helped last year. And these are players 762 00:42:54,360 --> 00:42:57,239 Speaker 1: who know the building, know the routine. I like the 763 00:42:57,360 --> 00:43:00,640 Speaker 1: resignings that they've done. I think too many people react 764 00:43:00,640 --> 00:43:03,960 Speaker 1: to these resignings and think, well, that's all it's gonna be. Listen, 765 00:43:04,040 --> 00:43:07,000 Speaker 1: the team is still under construction. They also have added 766 00:43:07,040 --> 00:43:10,239 Speaker 1: some other players that weren't here last year. A sprinkling, 767 00:43:10,600 --> 00:43:14,400 Speaker 1: and you have this bevy of draft choices coming your way, 768 00:43:14,600 --> 00:43:17,840 Speaker 1: and Johnny, I think you're with me in that. How 769 00:43:17,880 --> 00:43:21,160 Speaker 1: they do this year not only depends on Mills, clearly, 770 00:43:21,520 --> 00:43:26,080 Speaker 1: but how well the rookies fit in. Not last year's rookies, 771 00:43:26,280 --> 00:43:31,040 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty two rookies, These rookies, not all, but one, 772 00:43:31,120 --> 00:43:33,560 Speaker 1: two through whatever the number is, they're going to have 773 00:43:33,600 --> 00:43:35,520 Speaker 1: to make an impact if this team's going to take 774 00:43:35,520 --> 00:43:38,239 Speaker 1: that big leap forward. And by big leap, look, we 775 00:43:38,280 --> 00:43:40,680 Speaker 1: can define in a variety of ways. If you doubled 776 00:43:40,719 --> 00:43:43,000 Speaker 1: your win total, that would be eight. That would be 777 00:43:43,600 --> 00:43:46,000 Speaker 1: considered a pretty big leap right there. We don't have 778 00:43:46,040 --> 00:43:48,399 Speaker 1: to get into that definition right now. I just want 779 00:43:48,400 --> 00:43:50,839 Speaker 1: to see a big bounce. I'm with you. I want 780 00:43:50,840 --> 00:43:52,319 Speaker 1: to see I want to see that. I want to 781 00:43:52,360 --> 00:43:56,200 Speaker 1: see a big bounce in because you're gonna have at 782 00:43:56,200 --> 00:44:00,239 Speaker 1: the moment, two first rounders, a second rounder, and then 783 00:44:00,320 --> 00:44:03,160 Speaker 1: two third rounders. I think last year, I think Nico's 784 00:44:03,239 --> 00:44:06,160 Speaker 1: drafted what eighty nine, so he only had one pick 785 00:44:06,320 --> 00:44:07,920 Speaker 1: in the top eighty and as Davis Mills and he 786 00:44:07,960 --> 00:44:13,600 Speaker 1: showed you some promise. You need those third thirteen thirty seven, 787 00:44:13,800 --> 00:44:17,000 Speaker 1: sixty seven and eighty picks. What's that is that five 788 00:44:17,080 --> 00:44:19,080 Speaker 1: of them? I don't do the math row fast but 789 00:44:19,400 --> 00:44:21,880 Speaker 1: real fast, but I think it's five. You need those 790 00:44:21,960 --> 00:44:25,200 Speaker 1: five guys. You need it at least one to become 791 00:44:25,200 --> 00:44:27,800 Speaker 1: a dude. You need that guy, maybe not at the 792 00:44:27,880 --> 00:44:30,799 Speaker 1: JJ Watt level, but you need him to be at 793 00:44:30,920 --> 00:44:33,239 Speaker 1: least at a Whitney merciless level, at least at a 794 00:44:33,280 --> 00:44:38,920 Speaker 1: Kream Jackson level. At that level that output um, you know, 795 00:44:39,120 --> 00:44:40,759 Speaker 1: or maybe not early because he Cream had a tough 796 00:44:40,840 --> 00:44:42,800 Speaker 1: year in twenty ten and Whitney didn't really find it 797 00:44:42,840 --> 00:44:44,440 Speaker 1: for a couple of years. But that kind of player, 798 00:44:44,480 --> 00:44:46,360 Speaker 1: you know, a guy it can make that kind of impact. 799 00:44:46,760 --> 00:44:49,920 Speaker 1: You need to have that at least one of those 800 00:44:49,920 --> 00:44:52,239 Speaker 1: first rounders. You hope that both of them can be that. 801 00:44:52,320 --> 00:44:54,520 Speaker 1: If you're drafted to top thirteen, you'd hope that both 802 00:44:54,520 --> 00:44:58,120 Speaker 1: of them can be elite talents. But to go two 803 00:44:58,120 --> 00:45:01,200 Speaker 1: for two it's not always easy do. But of those five, 804 00:45:01,280 --> 00:45:03,640 Speaker 1: you've got to have at least two dudes, if you 805 00:45:03,680 --> 00:45:06,040 Speaker 1: know what I mean. You need two dudes to come 806 00:45:06,040 --> 00:45:08,880 Speaker 1: out of those top those top five picks, in the 807 00:45:08,920 --> 00:45:12,160 Speaker 1: top eighty at least two dudes. And then hopefully a 808 00:45:12,400 --> 00:45:15,920 Speaker 1: third player starts to emerge you would hope during a 809 00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:19,400 Speaker 1: rookie year, and then one of those day three picks 810 00:45:19,760 --> 00:45:22,880 Speaker 1: becomes a surprise like a DJ reader did at twenty sixteen, 811 00:45:22,920 --> 00:45:24,960 Speaker 1: where you go, holy cow, this guy's pretty darn good. 812 00:45:25,440 --> 00:45:27,799 Speaker 1: I mean, he's starting next to Will Fork and he's 813 00:45:27,840 --> 00:45:29,719 Speaker 1: playing a lot and he's turning into the guy we saw. 814 00:45:29,880 --> 00:45:33,200 Speaker 1: So that's hopefully what happens this year, and then you 815 00:45:33,280 --> 00:45:35,359 Speaker 1: build it even more in twenty three and twenty four, 816 00:45:35,680 --> 00:45:37,680 Speaker 1: and then you look up and go, Okay, now we've 817 00:45:37,680 --> 00:45:39,800 Speaker 1: got a laite town on a lot of spots. Now 818 00:45:39,840 --> 00:45:41,960 Speaker 1: we've got money under the cap. We can go get 819 00:45:42,000 --> 00:45:44,399 Speaker 1: a guy to fill that gap or hole that we have. 820 00:45:44,960 --> 00:45:48,279 Speaker 1: And then the draft that particular year just becomes let's 821 00:45:48,320 --> 00:45:50,879 Speaker 1: four to fire depth and five best player available as 822 00:45:50,880 --> 00:45:53,200 Speaker 1: many spots as we can, and that's the hope. And 823 00:45:53,239 --> 00:45:57,239 Speaker 1: then if David smells pans out, that just offers you 824 00:45:57,360 --> 00:46:00,719 Speaker 1: so many that affords you so many opportunity unities to 825 00:46:00,880 --> 00:46:03,880 Speaker 1: fill holes with high level draft picks as opposed to 826 00:46:03,920 --> 00:46:07,000 Speaker 1: going and getting a quarterback and you're putting a top 827 00:46:07,080 --> 00:46:10,319 Speaker 1: five pick on a quarterback. If David's hits, you put 828 00:46:10,320 --> 00:46:13,360 Speaker 1: that top five pick on the best defensive line in 829 00:46:13,400 --> 00:46:15,919 Speaker 1: the draft, the best defensive end in the draft. That's 830 00:46:15,920 --> 00:46:17,799 Speaker 1: what you'd like to be able to do. But this 831 00:46:17,880 --> 00:46:20,000 Speaker 1: draft is key, but I'm so excited about it. To 832 00:46:20,000 --> 00:46:21,799 Speaker 1: have five picks in the top eighty right now is 833 00:46:21,800 --> 00:46:24,319 Speaker 1: just really cool. And the guys they brought back. I 834 00:46:24,400 --> 00:46:27,040 Speaker 1: love but the guys they brought into Jalen Reeves, may Mark, 835 00:46:27,080 --> 00:46:29,600 Speaker 1: I love this guy. I loved him come out of Tennessee. 836 00:46:29,719 --> 00:46:31,680 Speaker 1: Had a really good year last year for Detroit. Fine 837 00:46:31,719 --> 00:46:34,320 Speaker 1: staying healthy. If he stays healthy, I think a linebacking 838 00:46:34,400 --> 00:46:37,160 Speaker 1: corps is solid. Throwing a good athletic rookie into it, 839 00:46:37,160 --> 00:46:39,919 Speaker 1: it's gonna be a really good mix. It's gonna be fun. 840 00:46:40,040 --> 00:46:42,279 Speaker 1: It's gonna be fun. Can't wait. By the way, the 841 00:46:42,360 --> 00:46:44,520 Speaker 1: love for Davis Mills with everyone I talked to at 842 00:46:44,520 --> 00:46:47,680 Speaker 1: the NFL Annual Meeting earlier this week, it was palpable. 843 00:46:48,280 --> 00:46:50,520 Speaker 1: So yeah, I'll get into that a little bit more tomorrow. 844 00:46:50,560 --> 00:46:52,960 Speaker 1: Another show for you tomorrow six o'clock. Thanks to the 845 00:46:53,000 --> 00:46:56,080 Speaker 1: General for being on once again. Congratulations forty seven years 846 00:46:56,120 --> 00:46:58,520 Speaker 1: at the Houston Chronicle of This show will be available 847 00:46:58,520 --> 00:47:01,920 Speaker 1: on the Texans app own enough. I wrote a story today, 848 00:47:02,440 --> 00:47:06,480 Speaker 1: the General Story. It's a piece Vandamer's view. John McLain 849 00:47:06,560 --> 00:47:09,240 Speaker 1: and thank you John Harris as always, Thank you Chris 850 00:47:09,280 --> 00:47:11,600 Speaker 1: for producing, and thank you all for listening. Have a 851 00:47:11,640 --> 00:47:16,800 Speaker 1: great day and go Texans. This is Texans Radio on 852 00:47:17,040 --> 00:47:22,640 Speaker 1: Sports Radio six ten. What Destinations are on your financial checklist, 853 00:47:22,880 --> 00:47:25,759 Speaker 1: a new home, a new savings account. Whatever it may be, 854 00:47:26,080 --> 00:47:28,960 Speaker 1: TDECU offers better ways to save and do more with 855 00:47:29,000 --> 00:47:32,560 Speaker 1: your money. Join TDECU, the official credit union of the 856 00:47:32,600 --> 00:47:37,960 Speaker 1: Houston Texans, The Houston Texans and Chevron have teamed up 857 00:47:37,960 --> 00:47:40,840 Speaker 1: with the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Houston and 858 00:47:41,000 --> 00:47:44,520 Speaker 1: the Houston Food Bank to create the Chevron Market Pantry 859 00:47:44,600 --> 00:47:48,759 Speaker 1: at the Houston Texans Team Club. The partnership provides food 860 00:47:48,800 --> 00:47:51,600 Speaker 1: to the local community and is run by Team Club 861 00:47:51,680 --> 00:47:57,040 Speaker 1: members and Chevron volunteers. Together, we're helping make Houston a 862 00:47:57,120 --> 00:48:02,520 Speaker 1: better place to call home that you don't be love