NERDS AROUND TOWN
Nerds Around Town: Stephen A Smith, Walking Dead and Hell freezing over
Jul 2, 2019, 6:42 am
ART BY JESUS RODRIGUEZ
Born with a comic book in one hand and a remote control in the other, Cory DLG is the talent of Conroe's very own Nerd Thug Radio and Sports. Check out the podcast replay of the FM radio show at www.nerdthugradio.com!
Hey Nerds!
Hey Tuesday, I didn't see you standing there, that's cool. Let's do this!
GOOD DEED OF THE DAY
This week is the Fourth of July, which is a federal holiday, not because the fed rocks! But because this date is literally the date that matters in the formation of our country. This is the most important date on a calendar in American history. So let's not waste it being selfish and foolish, let's focus on things that matter and be good people and good citizens. #NerdsUnite
THE DEATH OF A LEGEND
One of the most impressive and important stories in modern comic books, The Walking Dead has let it slip that this Wednesday the series ends with a monster 70+ page book at issue #193. I'm not sure how it ends, I honestly haven't been reading it for a little while, but what Robert Kirkman did was nothing short of amazing. He took an indy black and white comic book at a time when Image Comics and comic books as a whole were struggling and struck a chord that no one was ready for. The timing was amazing as over the next couple of years the zombie craze grew and grew and eventually there was a television series made from this little book that never quit. I remember I found out about this book and bought the first trade and issue #7 and bought every monthly issue for about two years, those 24 books were worth over $300 when I sold them a few years later. It was crazy how big the hype got for this series. Hats off and congrats to Robert Kirkman and company for The Walking Dead.
STEPHEN A SMITH
So I enjoy watching most of the sports shows, but I can never really get into Stephen A Smith. He is just too over the top and then Max Kellerman always says the craziest stuff, I just can't get into those guys. That being said there was nothing more entertaining than watching him be so humiliated and frustrated with The Knicks on television yesterday. All reports were that they didn't even offer Kevin Durant a maximum contract, which is just foolish. Of course you offer Kevin Durant a max contract, you offer him everything until he proves he's not one of the best players in the world. For them and the Clippers to be left holding all this cap space and having no one who even wants their money, is pretty telling of the NBA and how the players view those two franchises. There was a time a few years back where the Clippers were supposed to be the dark horse pick to win the Western Conference and now their big news is the resigning of Patrick Beverly. That is not earth shattering. The Knicks went out and got a bunch of guys on limited contracts to fill out a roster that honestly no one will be excited about, and their fans are devastated. Finally some good television.
IS HELL FREEZING OVER
Apparently over the weekend three feet of hail fell on Guadalajara, Mexico? This is a crazy story especially considering two key ingredients. Number 1, it was June 30th in Mexico at the time and Number 2, it was Mexico in the summer at the time. I know you think those are the same fact just re explained, you're right it is, but that's how important that fact is. There is literally no reasonable way to examine that situation and not be concerned that maybe there are some weird things happening and we may want to check with our local climate scientist, and soon.
NOT THAT YOU ASKED
Jason Aaron's War of the Realms is coming to a close soon at Marvel and all the tie in and stories are wrapping up, however there have been hints dropped of more events coming down the road. I honestly hope that's wrong. I don't know that we need to keep doing event after event after event, it's crazy to me. I'm worried how much more customers will want to buy before they start to wander to other companies and lines, which is great for indy creator for me but bad for the me who wants to one day write X Men.
Feel free to check out my digital short story The Wilson House or buy a shirt from Side Hustle Ts where some proceeds help people struggling with cancer or listen to Nerd Thug Radio. Thoughts, complaints, events and comments can be sent to corydlg@gmail.com.
The Houston Texans addressed their most glaring needs by selecting offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery and a pair of Iowa State receivers in the NFL draft.
“The idea was to try to add good players, good people that are young, tough, hungry, that want to win, that put the team first,” general manager Nick Caserio said. “These picks exemplify that.”
The Texans got players that could help them quickly despite not picking in the first round for a second straight season. They didn’t have a first-round pick last year because of trades, including the one to move up and get defensive end Will Anderson with the third overall pick in the 2023 draft.
This season they shipped the 25th overall pick to the Giants on Thursday in exchange for several picks.
Their first selection in this draft was receiver Jayden Higgins, who was taken with the second pick of the second round. They added Ersery later in the second round with the 48th overall selection and picked up Higgins’ teammate Jaylin Noel in the third round.
Ersery could be Houston’s left tackle of the future after the offseason trade of five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Ersery started 38 games at left tackle over three seasons at Minnesota where he was a third-team All-American last season.
He comes to Houston to help shore up a line that allowed C.J. Stroud to be sacked 52 times last season, which was the second most in the NFL.
The Texans added veteran tackle Cam Robinson this offseason and Ersery will compete with him to protect Stroud’s blind side as the Texans attempt to reach the playoffs for a third straight season under coach DeMeco Ryans.
The 6-foot-6, 331-pound Ersery, who was the Big Ten’s Offensive Lineman of the Year last season, can’t wait to play with Stroud.
“C.J. Stroud is a baller,” Ersery said. “I’m so honored to be a guy to help out and come in and help protect him. I’m just super stoked and I know I’m going to a great organization.”
Cyclones teammates
Higgins and Noel join the Texans to add more depth at receiver to complement star Nico Collins with Tank Dell recovering from a serious knee injury and Stefon Diggs gone to the Patriots.
Higgins, who has been compared to Collins, had 87 receptions for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns last season for the Cyclones and Noel added 80 catches for 1,194 yards and eight scores.
After Higgins was drafted, Noel never imagined he’d be heading to Houston, too. He shared on social media a fortune he received from a Chinese restaurant that read: “Look forward to an unplanned reunion with an out-of-touch friend.”
Noel later shared his feelings about joining Higgins on the roster.
“I was surprised,” Noel said. “But they’ve seen that 1-2 punch all year. They’re going to be very happy with those selections for sure.”
Caserio said a talk with Iowa State coach Matt Campbell on Friday helped him make his final decisions on the receivers.
“He was effusive in his… belief and praise of both Higgins and Noel,” Caserio said.
The Texans now have three receivers from Iowa State on their roster after drafting Xavier Hutchinson in the sixth round in 2023.
Overcoming obstacles
Ersery and his four siblings were raised by a single mother and experienced homelessness when he was a child despite her working multiple jobs. He is thrilled to have put those struggles behind him as he embarks on his next chapter.
“I’ve got that hardworking mentality from her,” he said. “So, growing up times were tough but now I’ve got my foot in the door and I look forward to trying to change some things around.”
Caserio loves guys with work ethic like Ersery’s and said that’s one reason why they believe he’ll fit in with the Texans.
“If you come in and put your head down and work and just get better, take advantage of your opportunities, you’re going to have a shot to have success and do a lot of good things for the organization,” he said.
What’s in a name?
Along with Noel, the Texans added another Jaylin in this draft with they picked USC cornerback Jaylin Smith in the third round.
“We got Jaylins, and we got all these guys around. It’s going to be hard to keep them straight,” Caserio joked on Friday after they picked Smith.
Then on Saturday, the Texans added another player with the same name, albeit with a different spelling, when they took Penn State safety Jaylen Reed in the sixth round.
That gives them four players with the same name and three different spellings as the three rookies join starting safety Jalen Pitre on the team.
Doubling up
Along with drafting two players from Iowa State, the Texans also added a pair of players from Southern California when they picked running back Woody Marks in the fourth round after drafting Smith in the third.
Marks ran for a career-high 1,133 yards with nine touchdowns for the Trojans last season after transferring from Mississippi State.
Be sure to watch the video below as NFL.com Draft Analyst Lance Zierlein shares his thoughts on all the Texans' picks!