I absolutely love this stuff--getting a look at what's going on around and in the game. You always see players jawing at each other and giving pep talks on the sidelines. I've always wanted to know what drama is unfolding there.
Kevin Burnett, a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys, gives some great insight on his blog. Other NFL players like Chris Cooley are also blogging. You can get some really unique insights as these players tell how it is on the field.
(Yeah, I know this has nothing to do specifically with the Texans, but we're kinda getting little insight like this into the team during OTAs. Real football is still several months away, so I figured this was worth posting)
The following quote is what made me write this post:
Bathroom Break
Yes we do take a wiz on the side lines. We pee in emptied out Gatorade bottles, while we are wrapped by managers equipped with rain coats. Makes you think twice about drinking a yellow Gatorade.
Is this real? If so, has anyone ever seen this before? Not on my list of top 100 questions I'd ask a player if I got the chance, but interesting nonetheless.
He also gives some real insight into what's going through players heads when they take the field in a two-part series. Inside 2.5 Hours:
Once I get to the stadium and open that locker the week ends and the countdown begins. Count down to what? GAMETIME! As soon as I walk in the I drop of my tickets for will call, if I have any, I go sit in my locker. As I sit in my locker I read the game program and say what's up to all the players. Hank (Anthony Henry), Juice (J. Jones), BJ (Bradie), Dirt (Keith Davis), Three 1 ( DUH), Fasano and 35 ( J. Reeves). After I relax a few minutes, I hurry up and change into a shirt and shorts and go get my ankles taped. I don't have to worry about Flow tossing me on game days. Once I'm taped I have about 2 hours and 15 minutes left before kickoff.
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I put my shoulder pads on with help. Its takes two people to put my pads on because our jerseys are made so tight (makes it harder for people to hold you). After Bucky is done pulling on my pads I tape my wrist and go sit back down.
and Gametime!:
Returning to our end of the field is always a blur. When we get down to the other end I jump in line with the offense and go catch a pass during pat and go (playing catch with the qbs). Once I catch my pass, I head toward the tunnel where the lineman will be out any second. When the lineman come out we gather as a team get words from our captain or who every feels like talking get a breakdown then go stretch. I'm always next to Nate Jones (what am I going to do this year), it was our thing for the 3 years we played together. We shook hands and hugged right before we stretched and after that very few words were said. Done stretching now! Head toward your designated area with your position coach(s) for some individual drills. My favorite part of warming up is the angle tackle, this is probably your only chance in life to make a perfect textbook tackle.
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We march up the ramp as a group giving each other last minutes tips and reminders. Once to the top it's probably the slowest 15 minutes of your life. At this time I go take a quick wiz and I'm ready to play. Players, trainers, and managers are all making last second adjustment and getting things they need. With 2 minutes left the coaches come out and we all take place in the Lord's/ Disciple's Prayer (No history lesson today) "AMEN". Wade say his last hoorah and we take almost in a dead sprint toward the door. It's only a selected few who like to be in the front I'm one of those guys.
He's also one of those players that understands his multimedia presence. Check out his personal player website. It's one of the best that I've seen.
Everyone heard about the Ravens' big fight during their OTAs. Chris Cooley gives some personal insight about Dropping Randy Savage Elbows and why it happened:
As a player I have been involved in both. Some fights I’ve been in the middle of a pileup laughing, dropping elbows on guys like "Macho Man" Randy Savage. While in others I’ve taken a fist to the jaw. One thing I would recommend is to always keep the chinstrap done up when a brawl breaks out. Most times you don’t know what you’re going to get. However, the great thing about a team is most fights usually end up as locker room jokes.
Fighting has little relevance in the real world, so why is it so widely accepted in professional sports? The very nature of the profession is conducive to fighting. Few jobs allow you to run at full speed to knock the hell out of your co-worker. Imagine it being okay to tackle Bob at the water cooler as long as it’s a clean hit. Forget any legal ramifications...just make sure to aim in the region of Bob’s chest and don’t forget to drive your legs through contact.
The NFL Players Association encourages all of its members to blog. You'll need an RSS reader to see it. It's a really random feed with just sporadic posts, but it does offer some insight.
So why this rundown of all of these non-Texan things? Hopefully, there are some Texans players blogging out there. Let us know if you find any so we can keep bringing you the best in Texans coverage from around the blogosphere.