How Fox Sports' rant against Texans player completely misses the point!

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How Fox Sports' rant against Texans player completely misses the point!
A new low for Skip Bayless and Keyshawn Johnson. Composite Image by Brandon Strange.

Coming off a big contract extension with the Houston Texans, tight end Dalton Schultz joined The Pat McAfee show to discuss his new deal, and the Texans' success in the 2023 season.

Schultz spoke about head coach DeMeco Ryans and the culture he has created with the team. McAfee followed up by asking about the differences between the Texans and Schultz's former team, the Dallas Cowboys.

Dalton spoke about how it was a more public environment in Dallas, and how the facility is open to the public at times, with tours coming through.

Little did he know at the time, Schultz's comments caught like wildfire, after he compared the environment to a “zoo,” with people watching you through glass while you're getting in your workout.

People like Skip Bayless and Keyshawn Johnson took his assessment as disrespect to the Cowboys. When Schultz was really only answering a specific question from McAfee.

But in this world of headline manipulation and social media, Keyshawn and Skip acted like Schultz was rubbing the Texans' success in the faces of the Cowboys and their fans.

But here is what everyone is getting wrong. "Zoo" has different meanings.

1. An establishment which maintains a collection of wild animals for study, conservation, or display to the public.

2. A situation characterized by confusion and disorder.

Clearly, Dalton was referring to the first definition. He literally talked about people taking tours through the facility, watching players workout, and even tapping on the glass of two-way mirrors.

But because the Cowboys are an easy target after flaming out in the first round of the playoffs, people are trying to make it look like Schultz was referring to the second definition of “Zoo.”

Which does make some sense, owner Jerry Jones does have a reputation for running his organization like a carnival barker. But that's not what Schultz was talking about in the interview.

Keyshawn and Skip are acting like he has a grudge against Jerry Jones and the Cowboys because they parted ways after the 2022 season. When in reality, Dalton was saying something positive about his current team that just rewarded him with a 3-year, $36 million contract extension.

Bayless regularly complains about how Jones runs his franchise, and would also like to see Mike McCarthy fired as head coach. We believe Skip and the rest of the media are using this quote to overblow a controversy that never existed, based on their own insecurities about the Dallas franchise.

Be sure to check out the video above as we call Keyshawn and Skip out for their ridiculous takes on the situation.

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What's the ceiling for Hunter Brown? Composite Getty Image.

It's no secret to Astros fans that the ascension of Hunter Brown is one of the primary reasons the team was able to rebound from a disastrous start to the season.

Astros manager Joe Espada has seen enough from Brown to start throwing around the word “ace” when talking about him.

And it appears the biggest key to Brown's turnaround was mixing in a two-seam fastball to keep right-handed hitters honest. Brown needed a pitch that could command the inside of the plate, which allows his other pitches to be more effective.

We learned just recently, from Chandler Rome of The Athletic, that Alex Bregman was the one that suggested the addition of the two-seam fastball to Brown's arsenal.

Come to find out, Bregman often shares advice on how to attack hitters. Or he'll ask pitchers why they chose a certain pitch in a specific situation.

This just goes to show that veteran leadership can make a big difference. Especially on a team with so many young pitchers and catchers. Bregman was able to help Brown when no pitching coach could.

For Brown, this small tweak could be the catalyst that changes the course of his career. And the Astros season for that matter.

However, some will say the difference in Brown is more about confidence than anything else. But confidence only builds after repeated success. Nobody knows where Brown would be without the two-seam fastball.

Looking ahead

If the Astros do make the playoffs, where will Espada slot Brown in the playoff rotation? Framber Valdez has the playoff experience, so he'll probably be penciled in as the number one starter.

Justin Verlander (neck) still isn't facing live batters, so it's hard to count on him. Ronel Blanco has been an All-Star level pitcher this season, but he doesn't have any experience pitching playoff games for the Astros.

So it wouldn't be surprising at all if Brown is the team's number two starter. In all likelihood, whoever is pitching the best at the end of the season may get the nod. But it's fun to discuss in the meantime.

Finally, how does Hunter Brown's arrival impact the Astros' plans at the trade deadline? And how could that affect Justin Verlander's future with the club?

Be sure to check out the video above for the full conversation!

Catch our weekly Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast. Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo discuss varied Astros topics. The first post for the week generally goes up Monday afternoon (second part released Tuesday) via The SportsMap HOU YouTube channel or listen to episodes in their entirety at Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.



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