THE PALLILOG
Charlie Pallilo: The lack of a Super buzz, Rockets, NCAA hoops and more
Feb 2, 2018, 7:25 am
Rob Gronkowski could be a difference maker for New England. Gronknation.com
It sure seems there was more interest last year here in the run-up to the Super Bowl. Well duh, the game was played here. Add in the Texans’ season devolving into a fetid mess and an overall decline in NFL interest this season, and yeah, the buzz volume has been more whisper than earsplitter. But what, you’re not going to watch version LII Sunday? Whether you detest them, envy them, or marvel at them, what the Patriots have done and continue to do during the Belichick-Brady dynasty is astounding. Eight Super Bowl appearances in 18 years. In which century do you think the Texans make their 8th Super Bowl appearance?
Clearly the Eagles can win the game. The Jaguars gave the Pats fits at Foxborough. The Eagles’ defense isn’t Jaguars great, but is darn good. The Eagles will move the ball against the New England defense. But what the Patriots do is stiffen in the red zone. Good chance Nick Foles turns it over there at some point.
If Rob Gronkowski stays healthy, the Eagles just don’t have a good matchup against him. Who does? And Brady is still Brady. Patriots 23, Eagles 20.
Rockets roll on
Congrats to the Rockets for extinguishing any Spurs’ hopes of mounting a charge at them for second best record in the Western Conference. Granted they had no Kawhi Leonard, but the Spurs were overmatched in San Antonio Thursday night in dropping seven games behind the Rockets in the loss column. The Spurs are closer in the loss column to the lottery than they are to the Rockets. The Rockets are back on pace to win 60 games.
Record review
So close Calvin Murphy, so close. Next month would have marked the 40 year anniversary of Murph holding the Rockets franchise record for points in a game. March 18th 1978 the Pocket Rocket went off for 57 in a game against the New Jersey Nets. That was before there was a three point line in the NBA.
Contrary to the cliché, all records are not made to be broken. But Murphy’s fell Tuesday when James Harden went for 60 while the rest of the Rockets mustered 54 in a struggle of a win over awful Orlando. Harden is the 25th player to score 60 or more in a game. Only four guys have gone 60+ more than once: Elgin Baylor four times, Michael Jordan five, Kobe Bryant six, Wilt Chamberlain...32. THIRTY-TWO!
This may seem heretical to some, but James Harden’s offensive production is now at a higher level than even peak Hakeem Olajuwon’s was. Harden’s raw output and scoring efficiency are superior. As a player Harden is nowhere close to Dream; there’s that other half of the game that kind of counts (defense). But for pure offense, this James Harden is better than Hakeem’s Dreamiest. If you prefer more of an apple-to-apple comparison, this James Harden is certainly better than Kobe Bryant ever was offensively. Yes there is a caveat somewhere in size from meaningful to total solar eclipse-causing: regular season Harden. Hey, it’s a cross he has to bear. For now.
Tournament talk
It was a tough Wednesday night for the NCAA Tournament hopes for the Universities of Houston and Texas. Both are still strongly alive and right now probably would make the field of 68, but both missed out on opportunities for substantial resume-enhancing road victories. UH blew (or had ripped from it-matter of perspective) an 18 point lead at 8th ranked Cincinnati. No shame in the defeat, the Bearcats haven’t lost a home game in more than two years. The Coogs get a rematch with the Cats week after next. They hope the second time around goes the way it did vs. Wichita State. But road wins gain extra credit, and the Coogs do not have a quality road win to their name. A win at Cincy also would have vaulted UH into the Top 25 for the first time in a dozen years.
In Lubbock, UT could have made it a season sweep over top 10 Texas Tech but fell at the buzzer in overtime. Being in the Big 12 means the Longhorns play a vastly tougher schedule than does UH. UT has played one of the five toughest schedules in the country but you still have to win some games. Texas is 4-5 in Big 12 play. A 7-11 finish should mean the NIT, and furthermore should mean at least a warm seat for Shaka Smart going into next season. Fab freshman Trae Young and Oklahoma are in Austin tomorrow.
Buzzer Beaters
1. Jeff Allen has been a free agent disappointment with the Texans whose release should be considered. 2. Allen replaced Brandon Brooks when the Texans wouldn’t pay market rate to keep him. Brooks starts at right guard for the Eagles in the Super Bowl Sunday. 3. Best North American markets: Bronze-Quincy, Boston Silver-St. Lawrence, Toronto Gold-Pike Place, Seattle
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Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.
The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.
For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.
“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”
As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.
Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.
He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.
Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.
It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.
You can watch the full interview in the video below.
And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.
I’ve seen some speculation indicating that Joe Mixon may not be happy the Texans signed Nick Chubb. If that is what you believe, watch this clip from an interview with @greenlight pod last year & get back to me. pic.twitter.com/3vaip85esj
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) June 11, 2025
*ChatGPT assisted.
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