Needs more confidence

After entering in my Yahoo NFL Pick'em picks for this week, I glanced at the sidebar to see what the consensus picks were among other participants. This is straight-up, not against the spread. Two teams are considered to have a 95% chance of winning their respective games this weekend: Denver (at Kansas City) and Jacksonville (versus Houston). Ugh.

Bobcats offer Landry

Restricted free-agent Carl Landry was offered a three-year, $9M contract by the Charlotte Bobcats yesterday. The Rockets get one week to match the Bobcats' offer. As Jonathan Feigen writes, the Rockets' concern regarding Landry is less the potential luxury tax ramifications and more related to Landry's right knee. Landry was a very pleasant surprise last season, emerging not so coincidentally as a valuable role player during the Rockets' record 22 game winning streak. Landry's efficiency ratings were pretty good last year, and he provided athleticism around the rim that has been sorely lacking for years and is not going to be provided by Yao, Scola, Mutombo or Hayes.

A Word from #8

I made sure to DVR the Texans-Titans game on Sunday so that I could watch my ol' buddy Matt Schaub take on the ol' rival Titans. Most of it recorded pretty good, except for the last few minutes, which were cut off when my Season Pass cut over to catch an episode of Mr. Belevedere. That crap's hilarious, man. Still today. Never miss a night of it. Brings back some real memories...back when those episodes were fresh. Mom, in the kitchen making some lemonade and rinsing out my wetsuit. Dad, outside yelling at the old lady next door for not moving her dead husband's car so that the bumper didn't extend out over the sidewalk. Dad, on the phone with the minister, yelling at him about how he didn't like the way he was looking at him while he was being an usher that Sunday morning. Yeah, those are some rad memories.

Speaking of memories, man, did I have fun watchin' the ol Texans this weekend. Ol' Schaubby man, I got to give him some props for representin' like he did. It's nice to see the ol' #8 still out there scamperin' about in the backfield, firin' the ol' check-down pass to the fullback. Funny that the fans down there in H-Town acted like I didn't know what I was doin', and now who's laughin!? They like to think that they got rid of me and are better off, but now they are prolly realizin' that I played ball the right way, just like Schaubbie. I text with him every now and then, let him know some things that I think he could improve on. We all do that - like a brotherhood, y'know? For example, last week, some of times that he dropped back to pass, it seemed like he hesitated for a moment, thinkin' about flingin' one five or ten yards past the line of scrimmage. He'll learn, but he's got to check that. Also, I noticed on some of the plays where there was a Titans' D-lineman within 25 feet of him or so, he stayed in the pocket for a second or two before skedaddlin' to the sideline or chuckin' it at the closest set of cleats he could find. Those things'll come with time. Trust me, I may be on the defendin' world champs right now, but it wasn't always this good for me. Texans' fans will understand - Schaubby just needs some time to grow...develop...y'know? Kubiak's a great QB coach. He didn't give up on me when he showed up, cuz he knew that I had talent. He'll do the same for Schaubby...you just wait and see.

All right, y'all - I got to bounce. Lil' bro just jacked my Sugar Ray CD. If I don't get that back, I'll never be ready in time for Pops to pick me up and take me to practice. Peace!

Not sure which Bud I hate more now.

Adams or Selig....

Adams is pure evil and will certainly burn in hell for all eternity. I honestly can't hate a human being more than I hate Bud Adams.

And then Bud Selig goes and sends your beloved Astros to Milwaukee to play 2 home games against the Cubs in the middle of the playoff race. Stupidest, most ridiculous, most unfair decision you can recall being made by MLB or any other professional sports league??? Not so, says Bud.

Apparently Bud's hands were tied, and he had no other choice. DO YOU REALLY THINK WE ARE THAT STUPID, BUD??? This is easily the most patronizing thing I've seen since the other Bud cancelled a Monday Night game due to an "unsafe playing surface" in order to blackmail the citizens of Houston into building him a new stadium.

I think my boy Mitch is trying to make a very good point here, unless the double-negative is intentional. There is NO CHANCE that the Yankees or Red Sox would have been forced to play a home game on the road ONE DAY after a natural disaster (or a terror attack) hit their city. Bud, if you're truly sorry, you would admit that this was the wrong decision, rather than trying to sell us on it after the fact. Obviously there's nothing that can be done at this point--so what's the harm in admitting a mistake?

Miraculously, your Stros are only 3.5 games out with 7 to go due to the historic meltdowns of both the Mets and Brewers. Here's hoping they can win out and get some help from NY and Milwaukee. Because if they end up missing the playoffs by a single game, the blood will be on Selig's hands.

For those Houstonians Teetering on the Ledge

This should solidify your decision to jump. Go ahead, tell me in 10,000 words (a) how good Jose Valverde's been and (b) how Lidge needed a change of scenery to thrive. "Greatest statistical season by a closer in history". Well, at least you obtained Michael Bourn (.226/.287/.296 makes Wily Taveras look like Joe D.), Geoff Geary (very solid 2.32 ERA as a utility reliever) and Mike Constanzo (very, very average in AAA...at the age of 25) as consolation, and it's not like Lidge's near perfection had any impact on the Phillies solidifying a postseason berth a handful of games ahead of the Astros.

Thoughts from around the Web - Texans/Titans recap

Lance Zierlein from his Chronicle blog: Agree with Lance on most of his points, especially with respect to the failure to challenge the out-of-bounds catch (not to mention the proceeding TD run by LenDale White), #80 going through the motions, Schaub's lack of poise in the pocket (which expounds significantly in the red zone, where handling a snap becomes a freaking adventure) and Jacques Reeves' failure to cover proficiently. I would disagree with Lance with respect to the interior of the Texans' O-line - I think they were a sieve, especially right up the middle. I'll admit that Haynesworth is an absolute, blood-feasting beast who loves to destroy the hated Texans, and I know that Chris Myers' dad is a nice guy, but at this point, I'd rather have Jeremy Foster under center.

Paul Kuharsky: More bashing of Kubes for failing to challenge the McCairens non-catch. No question in my mind that the evolution of Steve Slaton from a dangerous third-down weapon to a possible every-down back is one of the few (only) positive developments at this point in the season.

Peter King: Five pages of banter and blather, and the two Texans-related thoughts are (1) Bob McNair is philanthropic and (2) Matt Schaub is shell-shocked. If you have insomnia or are just self-loathing, there's plenty more in there about a Derek Jeter commercial, Krispy Kreme doughnuts and his movie menu. FYI, Pete, using Micah Owings as a pinch-hitter is not a result of depth issues - he has a .322 career batting average in 115 at-bats in the bigs.

The Lazarus of Sports Sites

Dear Readers,

It has been brought to my attention over the past several months that the unfathomable has been fathomed - the intelligence level of sports coverage in Houston has dropped below that of the average E! News Daily viewer. Inspired by things like this, this and this, H-Town Sports is back! We encourage, as always, comments and suggestions from our dozens of readers, and we promise to continue to relentlessly provide non-corporatized, non-bullshitful accounts, analyses and opinions of matters related to the gamut of sports in Houston.

XOXO(with tongue)X(fondle)O,
H-Town Sports

Calendar Changes Over, Garner Still an Idiot

Scrap Iron continued to defy logic, intelligence and rational thought by incorporating Wandy Rodriguez in the Astros' Opening Day rotation (at the #4 slot, no less). Jesus Ortiz, clearly excited by the inclusion of a non-white on the 25-man roster, determined that Wandy was "markedly better" on Saturday, allowing only ten hits over six innings to the mighty KC Royals. There is a shred of credibility in this statement, since Wandy allowed 22 hits in 17 innings in spring training and had more walks than strikeouts. Regardless, his numbers are consistently awful, and with the aging Woody Williams and unproven Chris Sampson in the rotation, mental case Brad Lidge in the closer's role and impotent Adam Everett, Brad Ausmus and Craig Biggio in the everyday lineup, Astros' fans should enjoy the Chase for 3000 because it is going to be the only reason to watch games after July 1 in Houston.

Season Over--We Lost Zeke!

Opening Day is still a week away, but Houston fans may as well fold up shop before the first pitch. The 2007 season is over. Ezequiel Astacio is no longer an Astro. And in the cruelest twist of irony, Tom Hicks has snatched him up. Our worst fears have been realized. Sure, Roger Clemens says he won't pitch for the Rangers, but so what? They got Zeke, man!

Zeke's numbers in the bigs--86 2/3 IP, 107 H, 63 R (58 Earned), 72 K, and 31 BB.

Talent like that doesn't just grow on trees. We'd better have a big trade in the works to replace what Astacio would have brought to to the club.

Seriously though, let's also note that all three (3) "young arms" acquired in the Wagner deal are now officially with other teams or pumping gas. I know that trading Wags was more of a salary dump/ridding the team of a malcontent, but it bears mention.

Hidalgo Gone

In other news, the sky is blue and the Earth rotates around the sun. It ain't 2000 anymore, and hitting .136 is going to get you canned, regardless of how much Milo loves saying your name.

Too bad to see him go, but the 'Stros didn't have a choice. Scott and Lane are hitting far too well to justify Hidalgo's presence on the big league roster. Oh, and there's some kid in Round Rock who might merit consideration for a spot on the squad as well. Not now, of course; he only hit .571 in spring training, so he's clearly not ready.