A HOME RUN TIP

Here's how to avoid the longest lines at Minute Maid

Here's how to avoid the longest lines at Minute Maid
Photo courtesy of Aramark

This article originally appeared on CultureMap.

Here's a sports tip you won't find anywhere else.

When the Astros return to Minute Maid Park for Game 6 (if necessary) or Game 7 (it may take that long to dismiss the Yankees, they're good), don't rush to the concession stands the minute you enter the stadium.

Where and when to eat during the game

According to my source, the playoff games are so intense that fans aren't leaving their seats for food like during the regular season. If you wait until the second inning, there won't be any lines at the concession stands. That goes for the main concourse and the upper deck. I was at Game 1 and ordered by hot dog and Coke Zero (nice touch) with zero wait. The only food stand with lines from first pitch to walk-off homer is Torchy's Tacos, which curiously is missing an apostrophe in its Minute Maid Park sign. (When it comes to tacos, grammar is every bit as important as guacamole.) Every other stand, though, is clear sailing from second inning on.

I am giving this tip against my own interests and better judgment. It may come back to bite me. I remember…

Worst best tip ever

When I arrived in Houston, I rented a house near Gessner and I-10. There was a supermarket two streets over and every night at 10, they sold all their remaining fried chicken for 10 cents a piece. Which fit right into my budget. (Newspaper writers don't exactly earn salaries like inexperienced interns at City Hall in Houston.)

I would get to the supermarket at 9:55 pm, dawdle at the deli counter asking silly questions about potato salad, and at 10 pm sharp, I cleaned them out of fried chicken. Whatever they had, I bought. It was such an incredible bargain, for a while there, my diet consisted mainly of fried chicken and potato salad.

Stupid me, I wrote about the great fried chicken bargain. I guess I was more popular then than I am now, but soon there was a crowd hanging around the deli counter, counting down to 10 pm like it was New Year's Eve in Times Square. Two nights later, the supermarket ended the dime deal. Darn it, I should have kept my trap shut. If I go to an Astros game later this week, there better not be a line for hot dogs in the fourth inning.

I'll just say this: if I were a dedicated civil servant for the City of Houston, and the mayor hired an intern with barely any real work experience at twice my salary, I'd quit. The only thing more insulting to city staffers is the mayor's ridiculous explanation. Even bigger problem: the other candidates, may be worse.

Getting drafty with the Texans

Two months ago, Fred Faour wrote an excellent piece in SportsMap about the Texans' fair-to-middling track record with their third-round picks during the Bill O'Brien era. Faour started with 2014 and ran right up to 2019, a few hits, a couple of incompletes, but mostly busts.

It would be interesting how Faour rated the Texans third-round selection in 2013. That pick was Brennan Williams, an offensive tackle from North Carolina. Williams unfortunately suffered a knee injury and never got into a game for the Texans or any other team. What's he doing now? Last week, the WWE introduced a new lineup of announcers for its Monday Night Raw show. One of the commentators is an extremely large man going by the name Dio Maddin. That's former Texans 3rd-round pick Brennan Williams.

Continue on CultureMap to hear Ken Hoffman's thoughts on Daryl Morey.

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Can Will Anderson and the Texans defense force Drake Maye into rookie mistakes? Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.

The New England Patriots are turning things over to Drake Maye, and his first shot will come against the AFC South-leading Houston Texans.

The first-round draft pick is replacing Jacoby Brissett as the starter in the hopes that he can snap the Patriots’ four-game losing streak. But he’ll have to do it against one of the NFL's toughest defenses.

“There’s never a perfect time to make a change,” Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said this week after announcing the swap. “Every defense that we play ... they all have the ability to rush and get after the quarterback. So, I don’t think there’s ever a perfect time.”

But the Texans (4-1) will pose an especially difficult challenge for Maye and the makeshift New England (1-4) offensive line that has started five different combinations in five games. Houston pressures the quarterback more than any other team in the league – 42% of dropbacks, according to NFL NextGen stats.

“It’s probably going to be a little nervous at the beginning,” Maye said this week. “I think once we settle down, we have a chance to move the football and just have fun out there. ... That’s what this game is about: Don’t make it too big or the spotlight too big. Just go out there with those guys that we’ve been battling for three months since training camp, go out there and try to make some plays.”

After winning the opener and going to overtime in Week 2, the Patriots were blown out by the Jets and 49ers and lost 15-10 to Miami, another of the NFL’s worst teams. In all, Brissett has completed 79 of 135 passes for 696 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said there’s a challenge in facing an unknown such as Maye, who was 4 of 8 for 22 yards in mopup duty against the New York Jets in Week 3.

“What I’ve seen is a young, athletic quarterback who has a live arm, can move around really well in the pocket, can escape the pressures,” Ryans said. “Them, making that move, (they’re) looking for a spark for their offense, and he can provide it.”

Running game help

Houston’s running game could get a boost with the return of Dameon Pierce.

The third-year pro hasn’t played since injuring his hamstring in the season opener. But he has been practicing this week and Ryans said he expects him to play Sunday.

Pierce, who ran for 939 yards as a rookie in 2022, should improve a rushing attack which ranks 23rd in the NFL by averaging just 104.2 yards a game.

Stroud is excited to have Pierce back on the field.

“It is really big, I am very happy for DP,” he said. “He has worked really hard to come back.”

KPRC2's Aaron Wilson is reporting that Joe Mixon could return this week as well, he practiced on Thursday and Friday.

Mixon has been out since injuring his ankle against the Bears in Week 2.

Special teams star

Houston kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn earned AFC special teams player of the week honors for the second time this season on Wednesday.

Fairbairn’s 59-yard field goal as time expired lifted the Texans to the victory over the Bills.

It was his eighth field goal this season of at least 50 yards, which is the most in NFL history through the first five games of a season. It’s also the most 50-yarders made in a season in franchise history.

“It’s comforting for everyone to know wherever we are, (Ka’imi) can make a play,” Ryans said.

Fairbairn loves being in those high-pressure situations.

“Whatever yardage it is, I really don’t care. I want that shot,” he said. “I think part of being good at this job is ... wanting that opportunity.”

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