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They say it's "who you know" that matters most in life. Right now I think Brooks Reed considers himself lucky to know J.J. Watt, who took Reed with him to train at the NX Level Gym in Wisconsin. Their trip happened to coincide with a March Madness that happened to feature both of their alma maters, Wisconsin and Arizona. It just so happened that they squared off in the Elite Eight, with Watt's Badgers edging out Reed's Wildcats in one of tournament's many thrilling finishes.
It's good to know that Reed has the stones to man up on a bet... unlike Aaron Rodgers, who refused to follow through on a bet made with a member of Boyz II Men. Rodgers never wore a 49ers jersey after his team lost to San Francisco in last year's season opener. Welching on a bet is right up there with wearing white socks with black dress shoes. Shameful.
It looks like they had a good time, and any time spent with Watt is time well-spent. Last year, Reed spent quite a bit of time trekking through Europe with Connor Barwin, and while probably unrelated, the 2013 Texans went on to fall off a cliff and land on giant whoopee cushion labeled "First Overall Pick." Less trekking, more training.
Actually, I'm kidding but hopefully the week with Watt in Wisconsin (say that five times fast) will pay dividends in August, with Reed lining up behind Watt (and possibly Jadeveon Clowney?) as the second inside linebacker for your Houston Texans.