NERDS AROUND TOWN
Nerds Around Town: Texans, NFL season questions and Terminator
Sep 3, 2019, 5:58 am
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!
Tuesday on a short week? Let's do this! Tuesday on a short week? Let's do this!
GOOD DEED OF THE DAY
Another week, another mass shooting last week. What are we doing? Give blood, hug your loved ones, be careful.
MAYBE? MAYBE NOT?
So this pre-season ended with a bang for the Texans who scrambled to replace the injured Lamar Miller, add to the offense with another receiver, add to the woefully bad line with another lineman, move the now unhappy Clowney and replace his lost production with more guys in the LB corp. They managed to do all of that on Saturday which does make up slightly for getting outmaneuvered by the Patriots on Thursday. The trade for Clowney wasn't great but we weren't going to get a lot for a guy on a one-year deal. I'm excited to see what Stills can add to our offense, having a third legit weapon takes some of the pressure off the running game and in turn Watson. This is the third season which is make or break territory for most quarterbacks in the NFL and for the first time in recent Texans memory they are at least addressing the roster in such a way that we aren't just trotting out who we drafted and saying "best of luck."
BIG QUESTIONS THIS YEAR
The NFL season kicks off this year and there are lots of big questions that will be answered. The Colts just extended Jacoby Brissett two more years for $30 million, $20 of which is guaranteed. This is odd because he was on a one year deal, and now they're committing money and time to the backup QB. Leveon Bell coming to the Jets, was he the talent or were the Steelers that good? Here in Houston, we are running a franchise without a GM, the only franchise without one, are we smart or are we dumb? I feel like I know the answer but we'll see. The Browns? Are they for real? Is Andy Dalton done in Cincinnati, who hasn't had a winning season since 2015. This season will tell several player's tales.
AM I CRAZY?
I've seen a few trailers for the new Terminator movie and it actually looks really good. I know how weird it is to think that they are going to make a good Terminator but it turns out they actually might be. Once you get over the idea of a robot aging, and you accept that because of all the other movies Judgement Day has been pushed back several times, then you get to an interesting place. One where the story is exciting and there's a new girl in the role of mother to the rebellion, but this time she's a Hispanic immigrant. Cue the angry MAGA hats and anti-SJW types who were mad that Captain Marvel was a woman. Either way, the movie looks better than the last two.
NOT THAT YOU ASKED
In Ohio at a high school football game, the referees ended the game early after a player headbutted the ref. The team was being called for their 12th penalty in the half and a player went right to the head umpire, took off his helmet and headbutted him. The game was called early and the other team awarded the victory. The school involved, Dayton Dunbar is already under probation for a previous incident and the basketball team is banned from competitive play. This is not the kind of program colleges will recruit from or is giving the kids involved the right opportunity. For heaven's sake, who is running the athletics program.
Feel free to check out my brand new comic book Another Day at the Office 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.
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The Houston Astros didn’t just sweep the defending champs this weekend, they changed the tone of their season.
Dominant pitching. Star power. Road swagger. The three-game dismantling of the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine wasn’t about revenge or validation. It was about showing, once and for all, that this version of the Astros, short-handed and all, belongs squarely in the conversation with baseball’s elite.
A statement series
The Astros pitching staff was lights out against one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball, holding the Dodgers to just six runs across three games, including two contests where LA managed just a single run. Lance McCullers Jr., much-maligned after getting shelled by the Cubs last week, bounced back in a big way. He worked around four walks, giving up just one run on a solo homer, a much-needed course correction as the Astros evaluate their playoff rotation options.
On the offensive side, the stars delivered in a big way. Jose Altuve torched Dodgers pitching with three home runs, seven RBIs, two walks, and just one strikeout. Christian Walker matched him with six hits of his own, including a pair of long balls and six RBIs.
A shift in expectations?
This wasn’t just a series win. This was a proof of concept.
Houston came into the series already heating up, now they’re officially on fire. Over the last 30 days, the Astros rank third in runs and fifth in RBIs. For the season, they’re top 10 in nearly every key offensive category: eighth in OPS, first in batting average, ninth in slugging. Defensively, the numbers are just as strong. They lead MLB in strikeouts and opponents’ batting average, and rank second in WHIP.
Put it all together, and you’ve got a team with top-five upside in both pitching and offense. The pieces are clicking. The vibes are real. And the Astros suddenly look like a legitimate World Series contender again.
Is help on the way?
Reliever Hector Neris rejoined the team this week, offering a veteran boost to a bullpen that’s been leaned on heavily. Neris brings postseason pedigree and a reputation as a clubhouse leader. The Astros hope a return to familiar surroundings, and the guidance of one of the best pitching development staffs in the league, can get him back on track.
Tayler Scott returns on a minor league deal, and while the move may not turn heads, it adds another layer of depth to a bullpen that’s already one of the league’s best.
Background noise in LA
No Astros-Dodgers series goes by without a little extra noise and this one was no different. During the broadcast, former Cy Young winner and Dodgers analyst Orel Hershiser raised eyebrows by implying that Houston’s offensive surge might not have been entirely on the level.
Predictable? Absolutely. Meaningful? Not even close.
If anything, it’s a weird kind of compliment. No one questions legitimacy when you’re losing. But after a lopsided 18-1 beat down people start reaching for answers, or excuses.
Inside the Astros clubhouse, though, that chatter doesn’t register.
They know exactly what this sweep meant. And so does the rest of the league.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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*ChatGPT assisted.
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