The Patriots and Texans will square off in week 1 of the regular season. Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
In the upcoming weeks I’ll be sharing a bunch of interviews that I conducted in conjunction with our friends at The D10. The D10 is a decathlon of events that you’ve seen at the NFL Combine mixed with events that test your athleticism. The Houston D10 is on November 3rd at Rice Stadium so start training and fundraising because all the money raised is going to help out MD Anderson Cancer Center Children’s Cancer Hospital.
With NFL training camps winding down this week, I thought it would be fun to catch up with Jeff Tarpinian. Jeff was with the Patriots and Texans as a linebacker and was always a bubble guy come cuts time. In this interview, I talked to Jeff about how stressful training camp can be for bubble guys, making the Patriots roster, what exactly is the ‘Patriots Culture’, and then his time with the Texans including Bill O’Brien’s first year here as head coach.
You can watch it above or listen to the podcastright here.
Astros turn to a familiar formula with the series on the line
Jun 12, 2025, 2:10 pm
The Houston Astros (37-30) aim to close out their series against the Chicago White Sox (23-45) on a high note Thursday night at Daikin Park. The three-game set is currently tied 1-1, and with a chance to secure their 11th series win at home, the Astros will send left-hander Framber Valdez to the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET.
Valdez (6-4, 3.07 ERA) has quietly been one of the most consistent arms in the American League. Known for his heavy sinker and ground-ball inducing style, he enters the night with a stellar 1.06 WHIP and 84 strikeouts. With the Astros bullpen having absorbed some heavy usage earlier this week, Valdez will be counted on to give Houston quality length.
Opposing him will be right-hander Davis Martin (2-6, 3.62 ERA), who has pitched better than his win-loss record suggests. Martin has maintained a 1.21 WHIP and will try to quiet an Astros lineup that broke out for 10 runs in Wednesday’s win.
Houston’s offense has been led lately by Jeremy Peña, who is batting .439 over his last 10 games with five doubles, two homers, and six RBIs. Isaac Paredes continues to be a steady power threat, leading the team with 14 home runs and a .468 slugging percentage. José Altuve, fresh off his 2,300th career hit, adds veteran stability to the top of the order.
The Astros are 23-13 at home this season and have gone 6-4 over their last 10 games. When they avoid giving up home runs, they win — as shown by their 20-4 record in games where they keep the ball in the yard. That will be a key Thursday against a White Sox team that’s light on power but capable of grinding out runs when they out-hit opponents (16-9 when doing so).
Chicago, meanwhile, has struggled mightily on the road, going just 7-27 away from Guaranteed Rate Field. Still, they’ve had unexpected success against the Astros this season, winning three of the first five matchups. Andrew Benintendi and Mike Tauchman have been among the few bright spots in a lineup that’s hit just .227 over its last 10 games and been outscored by six runs.
With the series on the line and the division-leading Astros looking to stay hot, Thursday night offers a chance to assert their edge with a trusted ace on the hill and momentum building in the lineup.
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*ChatGPT assisted.
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