January 12, 2024 • 45 mins
MV talks with CBS, TNT and Westwood One broadcaster Ian Eagle about calling the Texans-Browns game on national radio, while his son, Noah, Handles the TV call (9:15 mark). Also, Greg Grissom stops by to discuss how NRG Stadium and the Texans president get game-ready (30 Min. mark)
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hello, Texans.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Here's the podcast Mark VanderMeer with you, as if you
needed me to tell you that. Sometimes I get into
that radio mode where you're saying what day and time
and your name? You say that a lot because people
are driving around in their cars and need to be reminded.
With a podcast, you just punch it on and you
know who you're listening to, so you know you're listening
to somebody in a very high stress situation here, And
(00:26):
I mean it's good stress.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
There's good stress and bad stress. But having something you're so.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Excited about that you can't sleep is good stress. But
it's still a form of stress. Right do we need
to get into this right now? But you're listening to
somebody right now who hasn't slept much, really excited.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Look, I've been around a long time.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
I've done every one of these Texans games in my career,
every one of the playoff games, Texans four and two
at NRG Stadium in playoff games. By the way, doesn't
it sound better when I say that? I could phrase
this a variety of ways. This is why I think
I'd be a good White House Press secretary. I could
say that Texans have only won four playoff.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Games in their history.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
All Right, the Texans are four and two at NRG
Stadium in the playoffs. That sounds better, but it is
a good thing overall. It took a while for the
Texans to get to the playoffs to win a division championship.
It happened in twenty eleven. That was the Texans tenth
season of play But once they got there, think about this.
(01:31):
The last thirteen years, they have won seven division titles.
That's more than any other team in the AFC South.
And as I said, four and two at NRG Stadium,
that means they've been to the divisional round four times.
I'd love to make it five. Following the game with Cleveland,
Iron Eagle is going to be on the podcast.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
He's doing the game for Westwood one. Now.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
The reason why he's doing the game for Westwood one
is because CBS only has one game in this first
wild Card weekend, Super wild Card Weekend, and that'll be
Nance and Romo. Of course, Iron is the number two guy,
I guess you'd call him at CBS, and Kevin Harlan
number three.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
I guess that's the ranking.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Iron is the number one guy for college basketball on CBS,
which happens to possess the NCAA tournament rights, so Ian
will call the Final Four for the first time this
year as the lead and as the lead announcer lead
play by playman for CBS Nance, as you might recall,
called his Final four Final Final Four last year at
(02:29):
NRG Stadium in Houston, his beloved hometown. All right, let's
get to some things here regarding the playoff game against
the Browns. As you all know, the Texans lost to
the Browns Christmas Eve, so much is said about that,
but numerous players back for the Houston Texans, CJ. Stroud,
Blake Cashman. Cashman's big because somebody's got to cover David
(02:50):
and Joku, and I'm not sure if it's going to
be him. I would think it might strong possibility there.
But to see Jonathan Vernard at practice this week was
a welcome site. Listed as questionable for the game, Will Anderson,
he's back. This could be really good. And in that
game against the Browns, I remember because you lost your
(03:10):
defensive ends, You're starting defensive ends and what you were
dealing with there were defensive ends for a stretch of
that game with my Jay Sanders and also on the
other side, Derek Bartnetto has been really good for this team,
and Sanders has made plays as well. But defensive ends
and safeties who were not with the team when the
season began, But now everybody's been around a little bit.
(03:34):
Here you had back to back wins to end the
regular season, enabling you to win the AFC South, and
here you are on the postseason, and everybody's asking me
to rank this. Where does this fall? How big is this?
How great is this compared to other postseasons? Mark, I've
heard that question a lot, and I always say this
about ranking anything that's just happened, just happened, meaning just
(03:55):
got to the postseason by winning the AFC South. You
have to zoom out, you have to get it some distance,
some water under the bridge. But this is really special,
I I honestly, and Dreas said this on the air.
He doesn't remember having as much fun calling Texans games. Look,
we've had a lot of fun calling Texans games over
the years, but there's something really extra special, magical about
(04:18):
this campaign with Dimiko Ryans. I can't get over the
fact that I keep looking at images around the building
of Demico and the players and the AFC South Champion graphic,
and I'm thinking this happened, This really happened. We were
hopeful it was going to be a much improved season
over what we saw. But what we saw this year
(04:40):
in twenty twenty three had something to do with the
past couple of years, because you have some of those
players remaining aboard right and making an impact. But it's
a brand new feeling. It's a brand new situation, and
I think Nick Cassario's embraced it well.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
They geared up for this thing.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Really well with the free agents they acquired prior to
the draft, and at every position group you added help.
You added Devin Singletary in the backfield, you added Dalton
Schultze at tight end, you added Shaq Mason on the
old line. We'll get to the quarterback in a moment.
Here you had a case Keenum at quarterback. That was
a big addition. Right then on the d line, Hassan Ridgeway,
(05:19):
who's unfortunately out for the year, but Sheldon Rankins big
addition there. We're not talking about the draft here, we're
talking about free agents. And then you look at linebacker
Denzel Perrimant. Nice edition there. You look in the secondary
Jimmy Ward, nice edition there, but yet Stephen Nelson already
and he's played really well this year. Then you go
to the draft of the twenty twenty three season, the
(05:41):
draft with c. J. Stroud, Will Anderson, etc. What an
impact these acquisitions and more have made for this Houston
Texans organization in twenty twenty three. You can't say enough
about it. What Casserio and Dimico have done to build
this thing up to here. Now where are we here?
Wild Card weekend? Super wild Card Weekend against the Cleveland
(06:04):
Browns and Joe Flacco, who turns thirty nine years old
next week? Does Flacco still have it as far as
the postseason goes? Postseason, Joe has been good for the
Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl champion. Look, they would have liked
to make it to more Super Bowls with Flaco, but
it is what it is. They always had to get
to the Patriots. When you look at those late o's
(06:26):
early teens AFC Championship game battles, I mean that was tough.
It was tough for the Ravens to break through. Patriots.
You got the Pittsburgh Steelers really hot with Ben Roethlisberger.
They had some AFC medal to get through to get
to the Super Bowl, and they played very well with
quarterback Joe Flacco, who as he turns thirty nine, I
(06:47):
just remember feeling, gosh, he's so young compared to Brady
in those late o's, late aughts matchups, and here he
is an old guy and Brady just retired last year.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
This is crazy stuff. And CJ.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Stroud just twenty two years old, but he's no rookie
and Stroud.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Emerges on the scene.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
It took place in waves throughout the early part of
the season. We've talked about this. We talked about it
last week, the second half against the Colts in the
lost Week two, but then erupting at Jacksonville, playing so
well against Pittsburgh at NRG Stadium, and you're off and running.
And here he is late in this season, that two
week absence with the concussion, healing with the rehab from concussion,
(07:32):
getting out of the protocol. The positive there was at
least his body, the rest of his body was healing
up during that time. And even talked about this, and
look how well he's played in these last two games.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
So here we go.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
It's the Texans and the Cleveland Browns, and we can't
wait so special. With a win, it would be even
more special. Don't make me dream about that just yet.
Are you kidding? I mean, let's be serious here, Let's
be honest. I've been dreaming. I've been plotting, scheming next round.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
You know, I'm the announcer. I can talk like this.
The team can't.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
But this is going to be great if you can
get it done, if you can get by the Cleveland Browns.
Last week we were talking about if only you could
get by the Colts and punch your postseason ticket. They
did that and more. What an amazing, pleasurable weekend to
watch the Texans get it done on Saturday night, and
then a day later the Tennessee Titans knock off the Jags,
(08:28):
and they looked so good that it got Rabel fired.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Wait a minute, does that make any sense?
Speaker 2 (08:34):
I'm thinking, if I own the Titans and I see
Rabel do that, I'm feeling, Wait a minute, why can't
we look like that?
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Every week?
Speaker 2 (08:42):
We looked amazing except for that Tannehill pick in the
second half that had me getting heart palpitations.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
But they got the job done.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Derek Henry turned back into Derreck Henry and that was
beautiful and you got to celebrate an AFC South championship
in your living room, and I think every member of
the team was in there, rumor some equivalent thereof when
they celebrated that AFC South title. Let's get to id
Eagle now great broadcaster and CNAA Final four lead voice
takes over for Nance, you know the rest of the
(09:12):
story calling the game for Westwood One while his son
Noah is doing the game on NBC.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
What a terrific story. You know, We're going to get
into it.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
I and how's it going. How do you feel about
coming to Houston to do this game?
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Oh? Excited, really excited. I think there's so many great
storylines Mark in the opening round of the playoffs, but
to get it going to be the first one out
of the game. You know, the build up, you know
the intrigue, and then all the narratives. You have real
human interest stories on both sides that will play out
(09:46):
on Saturday afternoons. So really looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
And I hear a lot of guys who transition between
TV and radio.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
And I really love the way you do a radio game.
I really do.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
I love your work on TV, of course, but I
think you do do it very well understanding the differences.
But can you explain to the listener what some of
those differences are to you? Because you do so many
games on CBS, so many other sports as well, But
then you have the NFL on Westwood One.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
What's that like for you? Mark?
Speaker 3 (10:14):
As you can relate? You try the best. Put yourself
in the position of somebody that's in their car and
it's a blank canvas. So your job is to now
fill in all the blanks for that person. They know nothing.
You are the soundtrack. You are providing them with every
(10:35):
bit of information that they need. And then there's that
very fine line are you giving too much information? Is
it too much for them to process? So that's what
I'm constantly reminding myself. It really is flipping a switch
from TV to radio and recognizing what does your audience need.
On the flip side, when you're doing TV, pull back, edit,
(10:55):
put a period on the end of your sentence, put
an exclamation point when necessary, tag what your analyst has
to say. And on radio you really have to be
cognizant of the details and the small details that can
affect how somebody is viewing or visualizing the game. It's
really a lot of fun. And obviously you know this
(11:17):
because you've lived it for so long. It's the challenge,
the challenge every week of trying to stay creative and
to truly engage the audience with your voice, with your inflection,
and with your vocabulary.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Iron Eagle joining us on Texans Radio, give me two
or three of the more memorable games you've done this
season in the NFL. What stands out to you? What
might you take with you past this season?
Speaker 3 (11:44):
Boy, I don't have to go far in regards to
the Houston Texans, because that Houston Tampa Bay game is
going to stick out to me, and it might stick
out to me for a long time because I think
for many people, you had already seen it, You had
already experienced it, and it might have been the first
time that people around the league recognize that this was
(12:04):
not a nice story that CJ. Stroud was writing. This
was a historic story. What he did in that game
leading the team back. He was everything you hope for
in a quarterback, not a rookie quarterback, in a quarterback.
And I just walked away from that game feeling as
(12:24):
if he had superstar potential and now since that point
has lived up to it. This is no Fluke. This
is the real thing. He's got a command, he's got
a presence, he has the respect of his teammates. So
that game really does stick with me and will probably
stick with me for a long time. I feel like
(12:46):
having done this job now for twenty seven years, I've
seen some of the great quarterbacks come through the NFL,
some of the best to.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Ever do it.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
And I've been there at the early stages of Ayton Manning,
of a Tom Brady, of Aaron Rodgers. I've done games
early in their career and there's just something that makes
them different. And CJ qualifies in that category. He just
has that it factor. I had a bunch of Cleveland
(13:17):
games this year as well, so you know that's the
irony for me, Mark is to get this matchup. I
was there when the Joe Flacco phenomenon really began, and
by the way I had Cleveland Houston, it didn't turn
out the way that we would have hoped based on
the injuries and the fact that CJ didn't play, and
(13:37):
it was a combination of case Keenum and Davis Mills
in that game but from the Cleveland side of things,
I think it was the first time that Browns fans
truly believed that this could work. That Joe Flacco was
playing free and easy, and he's at a stage of
his career where the stress levels are not that high.
(14:02):
He's been through all that, he's done it, He's won
at the highest level. He would give Super Bowl MVP.
He got paid the maximum you could get paid at
the time as an NFL quarterback, bet on himself as
a free agent, and certainly came out a winner. But
it's interesting for me that Flacco, who early in his
career was constantly in my mind trying to prove that
(14:25):
he belonged in the conversation, that he deserved the recognition.
The team got most of its attention based on its
defense and won a lot because of the defense, and
because of that, Joe got dismissed a little bit, and
for him to get the love and adjuration that he's
getting now, it is really pretty incredible considering the persona
(14:46):
that he had for so many years, and he's handling
it incredibly well. I just know from sitting down in
our production meetings, Joe is the same guy. But how
he's viewed has been very different.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Yes, it's incredible.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
What a story both sides and these Coach of the
Year candidates and who deserves it more. Very different situations,
very different storylines coming in. I want to ask you
about this though. Your son is calling the TV side
of this, and as a father, I feel like going
home and beating up my kids.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
Now I'm just kidding. I feel like.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
One of my kids would want to be a GM
the other wants to be Jimmy Fallon. To have your
son want to do what you do and to have
him doing it at a high level already, that's got
to be so satisfying to you as a dad.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
Oh yeah, Mark, it's been incredible. It really has. The
fact that he had an interest in what I did
was more than enough when he was growing up and
asked questions and sat in my office while I was
doing prep work. And what I noticed with him very
early when he would come with me, he'd focus on
(15:56):
interesting parts of the process that I wouldn't necessarily would
have thought. He would focus in on the dynamic between
me and an analyst, or the interaction with others in
the booth, a stage manager, a stat person, a spotter
an audio person. When we would drive home after the game,
he would ask questions in regards to that, did you
(16:17):
go that person beforehand? You seem to know a lot
about their life, about their background, about their significant other.
Like that is what struck him and resonated with him,
And I think he's carried a lot of that into
this next phase of his life and his career, and
he realized that it really is a collaborative effort, and
(16:40):
it's probably helped him a great deal seeing it being
in the actual moment and the osmosis of that, and
then obviously the play calling part. There are a lot
of similarities. He's listened and consumed so much of what
I did. He was such a huge basketball and a
(17:00):
net fan, having done those games for so many years,
so I can catch little similarities in how he approaches
a call or how he puts a little stamp at
the end of it. And then on the football side,
this past year watching him on Big ten games with
Todd Blackledge and Catherine Tappan on the NBC package, Mark,
(17:22):
to be perfectly honest with you, it was screwing up
my Saturday nights. I used to have like a solid
two hours to do my prep. The final depthsified prep,
and I found myself on Saturday night watching these games
and saying, man, I've got stuff to do, and now
it's ten to eleven at night. So that was the
only downside of it that I ended up watching a
(17:42):
lot of those games and it threw off my schedule.
But it's been a blast, and for my family, it's
been beyond cool.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
It's every bit as great of a story as anything
we have going on on the field on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
I think it's wonderful.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
I an eagle with us on Texans radioa Final four.
You're the guy now and it has to feel incredible.
But share with us your thoughts as you headed to
this stretch once the NFL's done and you really focus
in on basketball.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Yeah, Mark, It's so interesting as the years progress, how
I've tried to divvy up my responsibilities and normally I
get right into college basketball when NFL ends and I
get on that ride, but I'm also simultaneously juggling NBA
responsibilities between the nets and TNT. And as you know,
(18:37):
and as you've done throughout your career, there's this compartmentalization
of preparation and then getting locked in on what it
is that you're doing that day, and then turning the
page and getting locked in on what you're doing the
next day. The one difference that I've found this year
compared to previous years is when I'm watching TV, you know,
(19:01):
eating dinner or after dinner, and you have a couple
hours maybe to kill. I have found myself going towards
the college hoops scene more than I did in the past,
where I'll take in fifteen minutes of the game and
hope some of it soaks in. You have no idea
who you're gonna get in the NCAA tournament, and it
(19:22):
doesn't even matter. You can't even say, well, i'll just
learn the top twenty teams. You might get one of
them in your opening round. So part of what we
do is broadcasters, you want to get ahead, you want
to feel like you're prepared, and it's impossible to do
that for the NCAA Tournament because of the randomness of
(19:43):
selection Sunday. So I know that going in, I still
love the challenge of it, but it's not going to
be that big of a difference from what I've done
in previous years. I'll prepare the same way. My partners
will be different. Phill Raftery, Grant Hill, Tracy Wolfson, all
three really close friends, great people and terrific teammates, and
(20:08):
they'll be a oh, by the way, extra weekend on
the back end of it. And that's how I'm trying
to approach it.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
I an eagle joining us at Syracuse. You came from
New House. You're one of those guys, so share with
us some of your classmates or guys who graduated maybe
a year before or after you.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
Yeah. So the one that really hits because of the
impact that he had on me was Mike Turrico. Mike
was a few years older than me. I met him
at a high school football game, literally the first week
of my sophomore year, who was standing by himself on
the sideline. He had just taken a job at a
(20:50):
CBS affiliate in Syracuse at WTVH, and I introduced myself
to him. It was me and a buddy went over
and said hello. We were covering it for one of
the college radio stations. Struck up a conversation and all
of a sudden, we're talking to him for thirty minutes.
Realized that we grew up probably about ten minutes away
from one another in Queens, New York. I was from
(21:13):
Forest Hills, he was from Bayside, and a friendship began,
and not just a friendship in the traditional way, but
a professional friendship as well. Ended up interning for him,
learning under him, working for him as a producer on
both the TV side and on the radio side. And
(21:35):
I look back now and realized that a lot of
my main tenants of this business came from him, of
how to approach it, how to treat people, and how
to handle yourself in situations. So that's the one that
really had such a huge impact on me. But there
(21:58):
were a lot of really talented people that I learned
from that were ahead of me. Dave Ryan who works
at CBS Sports Network, Dot Sherman who works at ESPN,
Kevin Martinez who is out in Seattle with the Mariners
as their VP of Marketing. There's a gentleman by the
name of Sean Coulthard that was at Syracuse at the time,
(22:21):
really talented, and I thought to myself, Man, this guy
he's going places in this business. And some of your
listeners and viewers may know him as Michael Cole now
with the WWE as their main broadcaster, really talented dude
that just took it in another direction and is huge
(22:42):
within his field. So there were a bunch, but there
were so many, and it was the atmosphere and environment
mark that pushed everybody to be the best that they
could be. I really do look back that time and
realized there was a certain standard and if you were
(23:04):
not meeting that standard, you would not make it within
the Syracuse New House WAEAR radio community. So it did
force you to really up your game. Even at an
early stage of life. You felt the competition and you
felt the pressure of having to go out and polish
(23:27):
your skills, improve and perform.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
And I've got two quick ones for you just too,
all right, Ye First, give me a sport that maybe
you haven't called, or maybe called once in college, or
something that you wouldn't mind trying out at some point
maybe in the future, something that's if it's cricket for me,
it would be Premier League soccer, or maybe the voice
(23:52):
of the Maple Leafs or something like that.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
But what is it for you? Is there anything out
there that's kind of unique? Maybe curl, I don't know,
But what is it? Give me that.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Obviously I've done the football, basketball, tennis, golf, track and field,
volleyball thing. I I had a chance at one point
in my career, Mark I was offered twenty Mets games
for Sports Channel, the old Sports Channel. And it's the
(24:26):
only time that my wife, Elisa, who was a saint
and would not be in this position in life without her,
the only time when I brought that to her attention,
that she said, are you crazy? Because it was the
only time I had off during the year. I had,
(24:46):
you know, at that time, maybe three four weeks off
in the summer, and then that would have replaced that
and our kids were very young and maybe our kids
were four and two at the time. So it's the
one one thing I look back on that I would
have really enjoyed. I know, I grew up a huge
Mets fan. That was the dream to one day beat
(25:08):
Bob Murphy, Ralph Kiner, Lindsay Nelson in the New York area,
and I did turn it down, And it would be
the one thing that I'll probably look back on in
my career and say, man, I would have loved to
have seen where that could have gone.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
Yeah, I think you'd be so good at baseball, But
you're so good at everything. And I'm not just blowing
smoke here. It's a fact.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
I had one more for you.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
People always ask me who you're broadcasting heroes, and I've
got so many, and it's different sports, different guys in
different sports, and some of them are very niche.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
But what do you say when people ask you that question.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Give me two or three guys that you grew up thinking,
Oh my gosh, that is really a big influence on me.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
I want to be like him. Maybe.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
Yeah. In New York market, it was mar of Albert.
He was doing everything. He was doing the Nicks, he
was doing the Rangers, he was doing in DC. The
NFL heard him a lot on Jets games locally in
New York. He was doing the pregame on the baseball package.
He was doing boxing. That was another sport that I
had done. I didn't include that. Boxing I found very interesting,
(26:13):
by the way. I had never been to a boxing
match prior to calling my first one, and I showed
up in Vegas. It was David Tua against Obed Sullivan,
and I realized ringside that everyone's putting like a piece
of paper over their open cup, Like, what is this
(26:34):
is this a weird boxing thing that they do. And
then after the first punch that David Twua threw at
Obed Sullivan and mucus and blood landed in my drink
and on my collar, I was like, oh, that makes
sense now to cover your drink. So Marv was it.
Al Michaels was certainly someone that I looked up to
(26:59):
Bobs when I got to college and Bob was starting
to really hit it. I just thought he had the
perfect blend of skills and was as articulate a communicator
as I had ever seen in my career. And I
would put Vern Lunquist in there in how he came
(27:19):
across in his broadcast that it was him, It was genuine,
it was organic, it was him. There was no difference
between on air Vern and off air Vern, same guy.
And I aspired to be that. And I realized recently
when I was thinking about this, that there's someone that
I've admitted through the years that I'd love to put
(27:41):
on that list, and that's Brent Musberger, who I just
thought had a talent and a skill for capturing the
drama of a moment, the build up, whether it was
the pregame show, and then as a play by play man.
He had, He had that knack. He knew how to
get to the nitty gritty of the most important part
of the moment and the call. And I have a
(28:03):
lot of respect for what he did over the course
of his career, and I realize now looking back on it,
that he had a much bigger impact on me as
a young broadcaster than I probably realized at the time.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
You are looking live. Yeah, that kind of stuff. It
gives you chill still when you think about that.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
Yes, wonderful and Mark he just knew, he knew how
to hit the button at the right time. He just
had that skill. And I think that's what all of
us truly try to aspire to. I know, with you
having obviously done so many Texans games through the years,
so you do all your prep, and part of that
(28:44):
prep is listening back to content and consuming content throughout
the week, and your passion for what you do comes
through every week. You care, you care about the product,
you care about the listener, you care about what you're covering,
and that part of the equation has to be there.
(29:06):
If you're not feeling that from the broadcaster, then there's
something missing. There's a void and that that's a really
important part of this. I hope as younger broadcasters come
through the ranks, they realize that there has to there
has to be a connection with what they're doing, and
the hope is that it does resonate with the viewer
(29:27):
or the listener.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
Great stuff. I we really appreciate the time. What a
wonderful visit. Look forward to seeing you on Saturday and
catching up again sometime soon. And it's really been my pleasure.
So thank you very much for joining us.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
Ditto Mark. Always great being with you and even more importantly,
always great seeing So I'm looking forward to that on Saturday.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
All right, there's my friend Ian Eagle, one of the
truly nicest guys in this business of broadcasting, there's no
question about that. And let's get into more of this game,
going to it as a fan, and what it took
to put the whole thing together in short order, because
I don't know if everybody was preparing to host a
playoff game last week mentally, but certainly the Texans organization
(30:12):
was lockstep on doing that should the championship be won.
And Greg Grissom, the president of the Texans, joins us
to discuss all of that, all that it took and
all that it's going to take to get you ready
for Saturday.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
Greg.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
Great to have you with us, and I don't know
about you, but I'm just so blown away.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Here we are.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
The Texans are AFC South champions, back in the playoffs,
and can you reflect a little bit. I've been asking
people to reflect because I think it's worth reflecting before
we really dig in to this playoff game with the
Cleveland Browns Saturday at three point thirty.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
What an amazing season to be here at this point.
Speaker 5 (30:51):
Well, congratulations to both of you. AFC South champions in
the playoffs again, and yeah, we all believe, but to
see it actually happen, and with the Miko and the
team and the work that Nick and his team have
all put together, and just the excitement that's in the
city of Houston, it's amazing. And we're really really excited
(31:12):
about it and excited about Saturday.
Speaker 4 (31:14):
Greg.
Speaker 6 (31:15):
From seven to fourteen pm Central Time Saturday night through
right now, where we don't even know if we're into playoffs.
Three hours later, we're into playoffs, but we don't know
what we're playing or who we're playing. To Sunday afternoon,
about three o'clock. Okay, we've won a division. Oh boy,
we got a home playoff game. Your level of stress
(31:37):
from one to ten? What's it been?
Speaker 5 (31:38):
Well, I wouldn't say stress though, how about excitement? Now
you got the excitement opportunity challenge. But it's been a
great ride. And we have such an amazing team around
us doing amazing work at all different levels of the organization.
So watching that all happen over the last four or
five days has been really great, gratifying and and just
(32:01):
a real credit to to all our teammates that that
that are making all that happen or kind of riding
that those those those roller coasters with us, and and
to ultimately, uh, you know, the opportunities to put on
a great show for our fans on Saturday afternoon and
and create the home field advantage that that we know
our players needn't want to to go out and beat
(32:23):
the Browns.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
By the way, with Damiko Ryan's vernacular, we say op
instead of opportunities.
Speaker 5 (32:27):
That's right, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, we got a
great op.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
Yeah, a great The young kids say, exactly, Well, let's
talk about tickets here for a moment, because in the
digital age, all of a sudden, Hey there's an extra game.
Everybody needs their tickets. So take us behind the scenes.
How does all that work in such a short amount
of time.
Speaker 5 (32:45):
Well, first and foremost, I'm excited to say we announced
earlier today the game sold out and but there you
can you know, in this day and age, you can
always get tickets on the secondary market by visiting NFL
ticket Exchange through Ticketmaster. But really it's a huge team effort.
You know, our ticket Membership Services group, communicating with our
(33:05):
season ticket members, our ticket sales group and all that
they do, our digital marketing teams, our social teams, you guys,
the media, everybody just making sure everybody understands what's available.
Our business analytics team has a tremendous role, our accounting team.
So a huge team effort to get us to a
place where we're sold out and and excited to have
(33:26):
a great crowd.
Speaker 6 (33:27):
I'm just I mean, having been in the building for
COVID games and there's you know, I don't know, ten
thousand people in there. Then the challenge in the last
couple of years and then see the crowds each and
every week grow and grow and grow. As this team
was growing and growing and growing is just incredible. So
I'll ask you this, Greg, you're as much a fan
as you are the president of Texans. Do you have
(33:48):
a favorite moment, whether it's here or some other place,
do you have a favorite moment of this season?
Speaker 4 (33:52):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (33:52):
That hadn't thought about that. If I had to say
my favorite moment of this maybe I always want to. Yeah,
you too want, I want to. I want I want
to throw from CJ to Tank in the in the
Buccaneers game, not the touchdown the one before. Yeah, uh,
you know, the the deep out that that really set
(34:12):
up to touch down. That throw was amazing and to
that basically put you in a position with that time
on the clock to win the game and just amazing
and magical.
Speaker 4 (34:21):
In the stadium was going nuts.
Speaker 5 (34:23):
And then probably the other one is is the Cincinnati
drive to to win the game to be because that
was a pretty hostile environment that day. You know, the
fans were into it. You know, they're still in the
playoff hunt, Joe Burrow still there. I mean, it's a
it was a and they were they were ready to
go that day, and you know with kind of the
way the end of that game happened, with you know,
the interception late with thought, you know, but the resilience
(34:45):
and I know Dimiko talks about this all the time,
the resilience of this team and what we saw there
to come back win the game, gamy out the whole thing,
and uh, to to win that game and to to
hear the crowd be very quiet.
Speaker 4 (34:58):
The end is always a fun place when you're on
the road.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
And it's been quite the year because it was almost
a year ago that Demico Ryans was hired and thinking
of all the things that led into and the incredible
draft night, and the incredible training camp and the incredible season,
can you reflect on that a little bit for us?
Speaker 4 (35:15):
Well, it's been a magical run.
Speaker 5 (35:18):
And I know this has been said in different ways,
but this it's yes to Miko and what he's brought
to the table this year has been imperative. But I
really go back further than that. I go back to
the Kallan Hannah and Missus McNair and the leadership, you know,
over the last couple of years to put us in
a position. Nick and his team and how they've built
a team, what we've built on the business side and
(35:39):
kind of evolved. I think all those things put together,
you're kind of seeing all payoff right now. And we
got a lot of more work to do. The work
never stops, and you know, we want to continue to
focus on that. But just in reflecting, I think it's
it's really the McNair's leadership, their support of what they
provide our entire organization at every level to allow all
(35:59):
that to happen, for us to have moments like we're
having now.
Speaker 3 (36:02):
Greg.
Speaker 6 (36:02):
I know everybody gets to see CJ. And Nico and
the guys in the field and the coaches and get
to see them. But when I think about this team,
I think about what we started on Christmas Eve and
what hopefully is not the last home game. But when
I think about Christmas Eve against the Browns, New Year's
Eve against the Titans, oh, I missed the Texas Bowl
in there Texas Bowl on three days after we played
(36:23):
the Browns, then the Titans. Then obviously we got the
Colts game, we got the National Championship going on here,
and now we're playing a game on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (36:31):
How proud are you of your people?
Speaker 6 (36:33):
The fact that they're able to pull it off, And
if you walk in the stadium, you would never know,
like if this is your first time walking to this stadium,
you would never know all that had taken place.
Speaker 4 (36:41):
But you know that your people have pulled all of that.
Speaker 5 (36:43):
Audition and there are are teammates and just everything that
they've done. And we have a lot of partners right
our partners here at NRG Park, partners at Aramark, our
partners that support all of those entities. So it is
a huge team effort to make it happen will very well,
you know, thought out and planned, but to see it
all unfold, like you said, I mean, it's invigorating. It's
(37:05):
inspiring just to watch the passion and energy that all
these folks who really care about their role that they
play on the team, and and then and then how
it can all come together. You know, it's talking to
our field crew the other day, who's painting the field?
I mean they've they've painted the field like seven times
in the last you know, four or five weeks, but
never complain, always excited what can we do next? And
(37:26):
and that energy and what what's kind of being again
developed holistically here is showing up and paying off in
moments like this.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
And taking it into the coming year because we don't
want to look ahead. But we're going to look ahead
because Johnny and I get asked weekly and I know
you do too about uniforms. What's that going to be like?
Speaker 1 (37:44):
When? How? What can you tell us as of now?
Speaker 5 (37:47):
Greg, Well, you know, I'll repeat what we've said is
I think the unit, we're very excited. It's going to
be a great thing to unveil and kind of evolve
ourselves forward from how we present ourselves from the uniform brand,
et cetera. I think there's something for everyone. You know,
there's a lot of different opinions and voices, and you know,
I think we've shared that there's not necessarily, you know,
(38:09):
kind of a one size fits all approach to this.
So I think you'll continue to see that. And when
I mean, I think we're we're looking you know, just
ahead of the draft. The exact details, we're still finalizing
those things as we speak, but you know, sometime in
mid April, ahead of the draft, maybe Draft week, maybe before,
but somewhere in that neighborhood to unveil it and really
to to have all our fans have an opportunity to
(38:31):
enjoy it and and you know, start repping the new gear.
Speaker 6 (38:35):
Greg for fans that haven't had a chance to kind
of see. I know, obviously we put on a show
every single time that we have a home game here,
but for a playoff game, what do we have that's
specially fans can look well to.
Speaker 5 (38:47):
We starts with we've got you know, we want everybody
in here early. And when I say earlier, the games
at three point thirty, just in you know, our fans
for whatever reason, have a you know, they like to
either tell gate come a little later.
Speaker 4 (39:01):
We need to change that.
Speaker 5 (39:02):
And I can tell you organizationally this offseason that's something
we're going to really focus on is how do we
create an environment that that that's different but for Sunday
or for Saturday, I would just think about this way.
We want everybody in the stadium an hour early, so
two thirty, So shut down the tailgate. You know, if
you're coming from out, don't plan to be in the
(39:24):
parking lot at two thirty. Be in the parking lot
at two so you can be in the stadium at
two thirty. So everybody needs to move up their time
clock so that when the players are out for warm
ups before introductions, they can feel the energy because I
know they talk about it. And when intro's hits, which
are usually about fifteen minutes before the game, the place
is juiced. And so our fans need to understand that
(39:45):
timeline and adjust themselves accordingly. So if I can say
it once, I'll say it a thousand times. Be early
and that means be in the stadium an hour before,
in your seats thirty minutes before. So let me just
can I say that again?
Speaker 1 (39:58):
I want.
Speaker 5 (40:00):
I brought it up so so reach and and and
Houston needs to embrace that when you go to a
lot of other stadiums, I'm sure in Indy when you're
up there and what do they what does Pat McAfee
call it a lot house?
Speaker 4 (40:11):
Whatever? Whatever, We walked away with the head. It doesn't
matter but.
Speaker 5 (40:16):
That they were there early and and they so we
Houston needs to show up. Our fans need to show
up and be here early. But that we'll have fifty
thousand rally towels to get them going and get them
into into the building. Uh, we'll have you know, Brian
Cushing repin h town, great, great lineup at halftime and
really just trying to create a home field advantage.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
You've got love, I've said this.
Speaker 6 (40:44):
I've said this to the guys, Greg, I said, we
make the playoffs. The Mariachi band opening is gonna go
viral like more people will see it nationally and be like, hey,
y'all seen this.
Speaker 5 (40:55):
Well, that's why I want everybody in their seats early,
because our pregame show is really really good. It's different.
But then you know, Brian Cushion, repin h Down firing
the cannon, national anthems, a young and up in country
country artist Randall King, Uh, DJ Vanilla Trill will be
doing his thing. And then halftime Bunbee, Slim Thug, Mike Jones,
Paul Wall, the Mexican Ot you know, and a few more.
(41:17):
So it's gonna be a it's gonna be a show.
Speaker 4 (41:20):
But be early. Yeah, be ready.
Speaker 5 (41:22):
Go get that beer, go get that popcorn, whatever it
may be. Let's make the make the energy happen.
Speaker 1 (41:27):
From the Saturday afternoon. I don't have shirts, you don't
have anything. Still early, sleep it and still be early.
Speaker 2 (41:33):
Speaking of which, people ask us what our pregame routine
is all the time. So what's the pregame routine of
President Greg Grissom So.
Speaker 5 (41:41):
Well, I usually get to the stadium, you know, five
or six hours early, you know, for like a noon game.
I'm here seven seven thirty on my way in. I
actually I drive the entire park and look at our
parking set up. I have a tradition that I text
the folks who lead that for and say, you know,
(42:01):
ninety nine percent of the time everything looks good. There
might be a hey, we want to tweak this or
tweak that type thing, but I just like to see
the parking setup. Why I really do it as I
love just seeing all the tailgaters lined up. It just
it's a great way to start the day and just
to see the energy that they're going to bring. And
then get to the office and kind of enjoy a
little quiet time and kind of get my head right.
(42:22):
And then really it's about you know, going around and
just saying hello to people, trying to tell as many
of the people who work here to make game day happen,
thank you for what they do. And then you know,
come game time, it's it's lock in with the rest
of our fans and enjoy it and you know, got
to talk to a few people here and there, but
try to celebrate the victory with everyone else.
Speaker 4 (42:42):
Okay, every single game. A lot of people don't know this.
Speaker 6 (42:45):
Every single game, you and I kind of find each
other at some point and you're like, Okay, give me
a key, give me something to watch. And I know
I can tell you some down deep things because I
know you understand the game. So let's talk the game.
The Browns, the Texans. We know how I went the
first time in your mind. What's the biggest key what
the Texans have to be able to do to get
a win?
Speaker 5 (43:04):
Oh well, and just to be clear, I'm a I'm
a last thing I am. I'm not a football you know,
savant like you. But uh but I know I watched
a lot of football. I've watched a lot of football.
I understand the game. But you know, I I what
I'm excited to see, maybe I'll say it this way,
is how we can affect Flacco in a different way
(43:24):
than what we could last week. And he had a
great game, and you know, we had some guys that
weren't in the game, and so I think, hope we'll
see how that all shakes out.
Speaker 4 (43:34):
But but you know, if.
Speaker 5 (43:37):
He can be affected, he's proven that when he when
he has time, he's he can he's he's elite. He's
a very good player, so and I think he's playing
with the right mindset right now. You know, he's he's
not he's got everything to gain and nothing to lose,
and so that's always interesting. So that would be something
I'd be watching, is how how how can we affect him?
Speaker 2 (43:56):
And Brian Cushing's perfect for repid h Town because he
had the blow face against Cleveland.
Speaker 4 (44:01):
Well yeah, so go check out.
Speaker 5 (44:02):
There's a little teaser on social and then you know
there'll be a He's there's a really cool video that
our digital team's putting together that we'll kind of put
all that together and create some intensity leading into Saturday.
Speaker 2 (44:13):
Nice Greg, thanks a lot, Good luck, Thanks guys, good luck,
Go Texans. He's fired up, I'm fired up, You're fired up.
Speaker 1 (44:20):
We're fired up.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
Texans Browns Saturday three point thirty. As Greg said, get
there early. Listen on Sports Radio six ten, the Bull
one hundred point three FM, your Texans app, your home
smart Big Brother listening device. You can listen on that
as well. All you have to do is ask it
to play Sports Radio six ten or Odyssey Radio and
it'll blast the Texans game into your living room, kitchen,
(44:43):
and you can syn it up with the TV and
all this glory, and if you're going to the game again,
be early. Did I mention that?
Speaker 4 (44:48):
Enough?
Speaker 1 (44:49):
Do it?
Speaker 2 (44:50):
Have a great day, let's get ready, go Texans.
Hello, Texans.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Here's the podcast Mark VanderMeer with you, as if you
needed me to tell you that. Sometimes I get into
that radio mode where you're saying what day and time
and your name? You say that a lot because people
are driving around in their cars and need to be reminded.
With a podcast, you just punch it on and you
know who you're listening to, so you know you're listening
to somebody in a very high stress situation here, And
(00:26):
I mean it's good stress.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
There's good stress and bad stress. But having something you're so.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Excited about that you can't sleep is good stress. But
it's still a form of stress. Right do we need
to get into this right now? But you're listening to
somebody right now who hasn't slept much, really excited.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Look, I've been around a long time.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
I've done every one of these Texans games in my career,
every one of the playoff games, Texans four and two
at NRG Stadium in playoff games. By the way, doesn't
it sound better when I say that? I could phrase
this a variety of ways. This is why I think
I'd be a good White House Press secretary. I could
say that Texans have only won four playoff.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Games in their history.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
All Right, the Texans are four and two at NRG
Stadium in the playoffs. That sounds better, but it is
a good thing overall. It took a while for the
Texans to get to the playoffs to win a division championship.
It happened in twenty eleven. That was the Texans tenth
season of play But once they got there, think about this.
(01:31):
The last thirteen years, they have won seven division titles.
That's more than any other team in the AFC South.
And as I said, four and two at NRG Stadium,
that means they've been to the divisional round four times.
I'd love to make it five. Following the game with Cleveland,
Iron Eagle is going to be on the podcast.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
He's doing the game for Westwood one. Now.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
The reason why he's doing the game for Westwood one
is because CBS only has one game in this first
wild Card weekend, Super wild Card Weekend, and that'll be
Nance and Romo. Of course, Iron is the number two guy,
I guess you'd call him at CBS, and Kevin Harlan
number three.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
I guess that's the ranking.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Iron is the number one guy for college basketball on CBS,
which happens to possess the NCAA tournament rights, so Ian
will call the Final Four for the first time this
year as the lead and as the lead announcer lead
play by playman for CBS Nance, as you might recall,
called his Final four Final Final Four last year at
(02:29):
NRG Stadium in Houston, his beloved hometown. All right, let's
get to some things here regarding the playoff game against
the Browns. As you all know, the Texans lost to
the Browns Christmas Eve, so much is said about that,
but numerous players back for the Houston Texans, CJ. Stroud,
Blake Cashman. Cashman's big because somebody's got to cover David
(02:50):
and Joku, and I'm not sure if it's going to
be him. I would think it might strong possibility there.
But to see Jonathan Vernard at practice this week was
a welcome site. Listed as questionable for the game, Will Anderson,
he's back. This could be really good. And in that
game against the Browns, I remember because you lost your
(03:10):
defensive ends, You're starting defensive ends and what you were
dealing with there were defensive ends for a stretch of
that game with my Jay Sanders and also on the
other side, Derek Bartnetto has been really good for this team,
and Sanders has made plays as well. But defensive ends
and safeties who were not with the team when the
season began, But now everybody's been around a little bit.
(03:34):
Here you had back to back wins to end the
regular season, enabling you to win the AFC South, and
here you are on the postseason, and everybody's asking me
to rank this. Where does this fall? How big is this?
How great is this compared to other postseasons? Mark, I've
heard that question a lot, and I always say this
about ranking anything that's just happened, just happened, meaning just
(03:55):
got to the postseason by winning the AFC South. You
have to zoom out, you have to get it some distance,
some water under the bridge. But this is really special,
I I honestly, and Dreas said this on the air.
He doesn't remember having as much fun calling Texans games. Look,
we've had a lot of fun calling Texans games over
the years, but there's something really extra special, magical about
(04:18):
this campaign with Dimiko Ryans. I can't get over the
fact that I keep looking at images around the building
of Demico and the players and the AFC South Champion graphic,
and I'm thinking this happened, This really happened. We were
hopeful it was going to be a much improved season
over what we saw. But what we saw this year
(04:40):
in twenty twenty three had something to do with the
past couple of years, because you have some of those
players remaining aboard right and making an impact. But it's
a brand new feeling. It's a brand new situation, and
I think Nick Cassario's embraced it well.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
They geared up for this thing.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Really well with the free agents they acquired prior to
the draft, and at every position group you added help.
You added Devin Singletary in the backfield, you added Dalton
Schultze at tight end, you added Shaq Mason on the
old line. We'll get to the quarterback in a moment.
Here you had a case Keenum at quarterback. That was
a big addition. Right then on the d line, Hassan Ridgeway,
(05:19):
who's unfortunately out for the year, but Sheldon Rankins big
addition there. We're not talking about the draft here, we're
talking about free agents. And then you look at linebacker
Denzel Perrimant. Nice edition there. You look in the secondary
Jimmy Ward, nice edition there, but yet Stephen Nelson already
and he's played really well this year. Then you go
to the draft of the twenty twenty three season, the
(05:41):
draft with c. J. Stroud, Will Anderson, etc. What an
impact these acquisitions and more have made for this Houston
Texans organization in twenty twenty three. You can't say enough
about it. What Casserio and Dimico have done to build
this thing up to here. Now where are we here?
Wild Card weekend? Super wild Card Weekend against the Cleveland
(06:04):
Browns and Joe Flacco, who turns thirty nine years old
next week? Does Flacco still have it as far as
the postseason goes? Postseason, Joe has been good for the
Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl champion. Look, they would have liked
to make it to more Super Bowls with Flaco, but
it is what it is. They always had to get
to the Patriots. When you look at those late o's
(06:26):
early teens AFC Championship game battles, I mean that was tough.
It was tough for the Ravens to break through. Patriots.
You got the Pittsburgh Steelers really hot with Ben Roethlisberger.
They had some AFC medal to get through to get
to the Super Bowl, and they played very well with
quarterback Joe Flacco, who as he turns thirty nine, I
(06:47):
just remember feeling, gosh, he's so young compared to Brady
in those late o's, late aughts matchups, and here he
is an old guy and Brady just retired last year.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
This is crazy stuff. And CJ.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Stroud just twenty two years old, but he's no rookie
and Stroud.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Emerges on the scene.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
It took place in waves throughout the early part of
the season. We've talked about this. We talked about it
last week, the second half against the Colts in the
lost Week two, but then erupting at Jacksonville, playing so
well against Pittsburgh at NRG Stadium, and you're off and running.
And here he is late in this season, that two
week absence with the concussion, healing with the rehab from concussion,
(07:32):
getting out of the protocol. The positive there was at
least his body, the rest of his body was healing
up during that time. And even talked about this, and
look how well he's played in these last two games.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
So here we go.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
It's the Texans and the Cleveland Browns, and we can't
wait so special. With a win, it would be even
more special. Don't make me dream about that just yet.
Are you kidding? I mean, let's be serious here, Let's
be honest. I've been dreaming. I've been plotting, scheming next round.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
You know, I'm the announcer. I can talk like this.
The team can't.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
But this is going to be great if you can
get it done, if you can get by the Cleveland Browns.
Last week we were talking about if only you could
get by the Colts and punch your postseason ticket. They
did that and more. What an amazing, pleasurable weekend to
watch the Texans get it done on Saturday night, and
then a day later the Tennessee Titans knock off the Jags,
(08:28):
and they looked so good that it got Rabel fired.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Wait a minute, does that make any sense?
Speaker 2 (08:34):
I'm thinking, if I own the Titans and I see
Rabel do that, I'm feeling, Wait a minute, why can't
we look like that?
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Every week?
Speaker 2 (08:42):
We looked amazing except for that Tannehill pick in the
second half that had me getting heart palpitations.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
But they got the job done.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Derek Henry turned back into Derreck Henry and that was
beautiful and you got to celebrate an AFC South championship
in your living room, and I think every member of
the team was in there, rumor some equivalent thereof when
they celebrated that AFC South title. Let's get to id
Eagle now great broadcaster and CNAA Final four lead voice
takes over for Nance, you know the rest of the
(09:12):
story calling the game for Westwood One while his son
Noah is doing the game on NBC.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
What a terrific story. You know, We're going to get
into it.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
I and how's it going. How do you feel about
coming to Houston to do this game?
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Oh? Excited, really excited. I think there's so many great
storylines Mark in the opening round of the playoffs, but
to get it going to be the first one out
of the game. You know, the build up, you know
the intrigue, and then all the narratives. You have real
human interest stories on both sides that will play out
(09:46):
on Saturday afternoons. So really looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
And I hear a lot of guys who transition between
TV and radio.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
And I really love the way you do a radio game.
I really do.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
I love your work on TV, of course, but I
think you do do it very well understanding the differences.
But can you explain to the listener what some of
those differences are to you? Because you do so many
games on CBS, so many other sports as well, But
then you have the NFL on Westwood One.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
What's that like for you? Mark?
Speaker 3 (10:14):
As you can relate? You try the best. Put yourself
in the position of somebody that's in their car and
it's a blank canvas. So your job is to now
fill in all the blanks for that person. They know nothing.
You are the soundtrack. You are providing them with every
(10:35):
bit of information that they need. And then there's that
very fine line are you giving too much information? Is
it too much for them to process? So that's what
I'm constantly reminding myself. It really is flipping a switch
from TV to radio and recognizing what does your audience need.
On the flip side, when you're doing TV, pull back, edit,
(10:55):
put a period on the end of your sentence, put
an exclamation point when necessary, tag what your analyst has
to say. And on radio you really have to be
cognizant of the details and the small details that can
affect how somebody is viewing or visualizing the game. It's
really a lot of fun. And obviously you know this
(11:17):
because you've lived it for so long. It's the challenge,
the challenge every week of trying to stay creative and
to truly engage the audience with your voice, with your inflection,
and with your vocabulary.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Iron Eagle joining us on Texans Radio, give me two
or three of the more memorable games you've done this
season in the NFL. What stands out to you? What
might you take with you past this season?
Speaker 3 (11:44):
Boy, I don't have to go far in regards to
the Houston Texans, because that Houston Tampa Bay game is
going to stick out to me, and it might stick
out to me for a long time because I think
for many people, you had already seen it, You had
already experienced it, and it might have been the first
time that people around the league recognize that this was
(12:04):
not a nice story that CJ. Stroud was writing. This
was a historic story. What he did in that game
leading the team back. He was everything you hope for
in a quarterback, not a rookie quarterback, in a quarterback.
And I just walked away from that game feeling as
(12:24):
if he had superstar potential and now since that point
has lived up to it. This is no Fluke. This
is the real thing. He's got a command, he's got
a presence, he has the respect of his teammates. So
that game really does stick with me and will probably
stick with me for a long time. I feel like
(12:46):
having done this job now for twenty seven years, I've
seen some of the great quarterbacks come through the NFL,
some of the best to.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Ever do it.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
And I've been there at the early stages of Ayton Manning,
of a Tom Brady, of Aaron Rodgers. I've done games
early in their career and there's just something that makes
them different. And CJ qualifies in that category. He just
has that it factor. I had a bunch of Cleveland
(13:17):
games this year as well, so you know that's the
irony for me, Mark is to get this matchup. I
was there when the Joe Flacco phenomenon really began, and
by the way I had Cleveland Houston, it didn't turn
out the way that we would have hoped based on
the injuries and the fact that CJ didn't play, and
(13:37):
it was a combination of case Keenum and Davis Mills
in that game but from the Cleveland side of things,
I think it was the first time that Browns fans
truly believed that this could work. That Joe Flacco was
playing free and easy, and he's at a stage of
his career where the stress levels are not that high.
(14:02):
He's been through all that, he's done it, He's won
at the highest level. He would give Super Bowl MVP.
He got paid the maximum you could get paid at
the time as an NFL quarterback, bet on himself as
a free agent, and certainly came out a winner. But
it's interesting for me that Flacco, who early in his
career was constantly in my mind trying to prove that
(14:25):
he belonged in the conversation, that he deserved the recognition.
The team got most of its attention based on its
defense and won a lot because of the defense, and
because of that, Joe got dismissed a little bit, and
for him to get the love and adjuration that he's
getting now, it is really pretty incredible considering the persona
(14:46):
that he had for so many years, and he's handling
it incredibly well. I just know from sitting down in
our production meetings, Joe is the same guy. But how
he's viewed has been very different.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Yes, it's incredible.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
What a story both sides and these Coach of the
Year candidates and who deserves it more. Very different situations,
very different storylines coming in. I want to ask you
about this though. Your son is calling the TV side
of this, and as a father, I feel like going
home and beating up my kids.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
Now I'm just kidding. I feel like.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
One of my kids would want to be a GM
the other wants to be Jimmy Fallon. To have your
son want to do what you do and to have
him doing it at a high level already, that's got
to be so satisfying to you as a dad.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
Oh yeah, Mark, it's been incredible. It really has. The
fact that he had an interest in what I did
was more than enough when he was growing up and
asked questions and sat in my office while I was
doing prep work. And what I noticed with him very
early when he would come with me, he'd focus on
(15:56):
interesting parts of the process that I wouldn't necessarily would
have thought. He would focus in on the dynamic between
me and an analyst, or the interaction with others in
the booth, a stage manager, a stat person, a spotter
an audio person. When we would drive home after the game,
he would ask questions in regards to that, did you
(16:17):
go that person beforehand? You seem to know a lot
about their life, about their background, about their significant other.
Like that is what struck him and resonated with him,
And I think he's carried a lot of that into
this next phase of his life and his career, and
he realized that it really is a collaborative effort, and
(16:40):
it's probably helped him a great deal seeing it being
in the actual moment and the osmosis of that, and
then obviously the play calling part. There are a lot
of similarities. He's listened and consumed so much of what
I did. He was such a huge basketball and a
(17:00):
net fan, having done those games for so many years,
so I can catch little similarities in how he approaches
a call or how he puts a little stamp at
the end of it. And then on the football side,
this past year watching him on Big ten games with
Todd Blackledge and Catherine Tappan on the NBC package, Mark,
(17:22):
to be perfectly honest with you, it was screwing up
my Saturday nights. I used to have like a solid
two hours to do my prep. The final depthsified prep,
and I found myself on Saturday night watching these games
and saying, man, I've got stuff to do, and now
it's ten to eleven at night. So that was the
only downside of it that I ended up watching a
(17:42):
lot of those games and it threw off my schedule.
But it's been a blast, and for my family, it's
been beyond cool.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
It's every bit as great of a story as anything
we have going on on the field on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
I think it's wonderful.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
I an eagle with us on Texans radioa Final four.
You're the guy now and it has to feel incredible.
But share with us your thoughts as you headed to
this stretch once the NFL's done and you really focus
in on basketball.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Yeah, Mark, It's so interesting as the years progress, how
I've tried to divvy up my responsibilities and normally I
get right into college basketball when NFL ends and I
get on that ride, but I'm also simultaneously juggling NBA
responsibilities between the nets and TNT. And as you know,
(18:37):
and as you've done throughout your career, there's this compartmentalization
of preparation and then getting locked in on what it
is that you're doing that day, and then turning the
page and getting locked in on what you're doing the
next day. The one difference that I've found this year
compared to previous years is when I'm watching TV, you know,
(19:01):
eating dinner or after dinner, and you have a couple
hours maybe to kill. I have found myself going towards
the college hoops scene more than I did in the past,
where I'll take in fifteen minutes of the game and
hope some of it soaks in. You have no idea
who you're gonna get in the NCAA tournament, and it
(19:22):
doesn't even matter. You can't even say, well, i'll just
learn the top twenty teams. You might get one of
them in your opening round. So part of what we
do is broadcasters, you want to get ahead, you want
to feel like you're prepared, and it's impossible to do
that for the NCAA Tournament because of the randomness of
(19:43):
selection Sunday. So I know that going in, I still
love the challenge of it, but it's not going to
be that big of a difference from what I've done
in previous years. I'll prepare the same way. My partners
will be different. Phill Raftery, Grant Hill, Tracy Wolfson, all
three really close friends, great people and terrific teammates, and
(20:08):
they'll be a oh, by the way, extra weekend on
the back end of it. And that's how I'm trying
to approach it.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
I an eagle joining us at Syracuse. You came from
New House. You're one of those guys, so share with
us some of your classmates or guys who graduated maybe
a year before or after you.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
Yeah. So the one that really hits because of the
impact that he had on me was Mike Turrico. Mike
was a few years older than me. I met him
at a high school football game, literally the first week
of my sophomore year, who was standing by himself on
the sideline. He had just taken a job at a
(20:50):
CBS affiliate in Syracuse at WTVH, and I introduced myself
to him. It was me and a buddy went over
and said hello. We were covering it for one of
the college radio stations. Struck up a conversation and all
of a sudden, we're talking to him for thirty minutes.
Realized that we grew up probably about ten minutes away
from one another in Queens, New York. I was from
(21:13):
Forest Hills, he was from Bayside, and a friendship began,
and not just a friendship in the traditional way, but
a professional friendship as well. Ended up interning for him,
learning under him, working for him as a producer on
both the TV side and on the radio side. And
(21:35):
I look back now and realized that a lot of
my main tenants of this business came from him, of
how to approach it, how to treat people, and how
to handle yourself in situations. So that's the one that
really had such a huge impact on me. But there
(21:58):
were a lot of really talented people that I learned
from that were ahead of me. Dave Ryan who works
at CBS Sports Network, Dot Sherman who works at ESPN,
Kevin Martinez who is out in Seattle with the Mariners
as their VP of Marketing. There's a gentleman by the
name of Sean Coulthard that was at Syracuse at the time,
(22:21):
really talented, and I thought to myself, Man, this guy
he's going places in this business. And some of your
listeners and viewers may know him as Michael Cole now
with the WWE as their main broadcaster, really talented dude
that just took it in another direction and is huge
(22:42):
within his field. So there were a bunch, but there
were so many, and it was the atmosphere and environment
mark that pushed everybody to be the best that they
could be. I really do look back that time and
realized there was a certain standard and if you were
(23:04):
not meeting that standard, you would not make it within
the Syracuse New House WAEAR radio community. So it did
force you to really up your game. Even at an
early stage of life. You felt the competition and you
felt the pressure of having to go out and polish
(23:27):
your skills, improve and perform.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
And I've got two quick ones for you just too,
all right, Ye First, give me a sport that maybe
you haven't called, or maybe called once in college, or
something that you wouldn't mind trying out at some point
maybe in the future, something that's if it's cricket for me,
it would be Premier League soccer, or maybe the voice
(23:52):
of the Maple Leafs or something like that.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
But what is it for you? Is there anything out
there that's kind of unique? Maybe curl, I don't know,
But what is it? Give me that.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Obviously I've done the football, basketball, tennis, golf, track and field,
volleyball thing. I I had a chance at one point
in my career, Mark I was offered twenty Mets games
for Sports Channel, the old Sports Channel. And it's the
(24:26):
only time that my wife, Elisa, who was a saint
and would not be in this position in life without her,
the only time when I brought that to her attention,
that she said, are you crazy? Because it was the
only time I had off during the year. I had,
(24:46):
you know, at that time, maybe three four weeks off
in the summer, and then that would have replaced that
and our kids were very young and maybe our kids
were four and two at the time. So it's the
one one thing I look back on that I would
have really enjoyed. I know, I grew up a huge
Mets fan. That was the dream to one day beat
(25:08):
Bob Murphy, Ralph Kiner, Lindsay Nelson in the New York area,
and I did turn it down, And it would be
the one thing that I'll probably look back on in
my career and say, man, I would have loved to
have seen where that could have gone.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
Yeah, I think you'd be so good at baseball, But
you're so good at everything. And I'm not just blowing
smoke here. It's a fact.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
I had one more for you.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
People always ask me who you're broadcasting heroes, and I've
got so many, and it's different sports, different guys in
different sports, and some of them are very niche.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
But what do you say when people ask you that question.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Give me two or three guys that you grew up thinking,
Oh my gosh, that is really a big influence on me.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
I want to be like him. Maybe.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
Yeah. In New York market, it was mar of Albert.
He was doing everything. He was doing the Nicks, he
was doing the Rangers, he was doing in DC. The
NFL heard him a lot on Jets games locally in
New York. He was doing the pregame on the baseball package.
He was doing boxing. That was another sport that I
had done. I didn't include that. Boxing I found very interesting,
(26:13):
by the way. I had never been to a boxing
match prior to calling my first one, and I showed
up in Vegas. It was David Tua against Obed Sullivan,
and I realized ringside that everyone's putting like a piece
of paper over their open cup, Like, what is this
(26:34):
is this a weird boxing thing that they do. And
then after the first punch that David Twua threw at
Obed Sullivan and mucus and blood landed in my drink
and on my collar, I was like, oh, that makes
sense now to cover your drink. So Marv was it.
Al Michaels was certainly someone that I looked up to
(26:59):
Bobs when I got to college and Bob was starting
to really hit it. I just thought he had the
perfect blend of skills and was as articulate a communicator
as I had ever seen in my career. And I
would put Vern Lunquist in there in how he came
(27:19):
across in his broadcast that it was him, It was genuine,
it was organic, it was him. There was no difference
between on air Vern and off air Vern, same guy.
And I aspired to be that. And I realized recently
when I was thinking about this, that there's someone that
I've admitted through the years that I'd love to put
(27:41):
on that list, and that's Brent Musberger, who I just
thought had a talent and a skill for capturing the
drama of a moment, the build up, whether it was
the pregame show, and then as a play by play man.
He had, He had that knack. He knew how to
get to the nitty gritty of the most important part
of the moment and the call. And I have a
(28:03):
lot of respect for what he did over the course
of his career, and I realize now looking back on it,
that he had a much bigger impact on me as
a young broadcaster than I probably realized at the time.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
You are looking live. Yeah, that kind of stuff. It
gives you chill still when you think about that.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
Yes, wonderful and Mark he just knew, he knew how
to hit the button at the right time. He just
had that skill. And I think that's what all of
us truly try to aspire to. I know, with you
having obviously done so many Texans games through the years,
so you do all your prep, and part of that
(28:44):
prep is listening back to content and consuming content throughout
the week, and your passion for what you do comes
through every week. You care, you care about the product,
you care about the listener, you care about what you're covering,
and that part of the equation has to be there.
(29:06):
If you're not feeling that from the broadcaster, then there's
something missing. There's a void and that that's a really
important part of this. I hope as younger broadcasters come
through the ranks, they realize that there has to there
has to be a connection with what they're doing, and
the hope is that it does resonate with the viewer
(29:27):
or the listener.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
Great stuff. I we really appreciate the time. What a
wonderful visit. Look forward to seeing you on Saturday and
catching up again sometime soon. And it's really been my pleasure.
So thank you very much for joining us.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
Ditto Mark. Always great being with you and even more importantly,
always great seeing So I'm looking forward to that on Saturday.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
All right, there's my friend Ian Eagle, one of the
truly nicest guys in this business of broadcasting, there's no
question about that. And let's get into more of this game,
going to it as a fan, and what it took
to put the whole thing together in short order, because
I don't know if everybody was preparing to host a
playoff game last week mentally, but certainly the Texans organization
(30:12):
was lockstep on doing that should the championship be won.
And Greg Grissom, the president of the Texans, joins us
to discuss all of that, all that it took and
all that it's going to take to get you ready
for Saturday.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
Greg.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
Great to have you with us, and I don't know
about you, but I'm just so blown away.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Here we are.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
The Texans are AFC South champions, back in the playoffs,
and can you reflect a little bit. I've been asking
people to reflect because I think it's worth reflecting before
we really dig in to this playoff game with the
Cleveland Browns Saturday at three point thirty.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
What an amazing season to be here at this point.
Speaker 5 (30:51):
Well, congratulations to both of you. AFC South champions in
the playoffs again, and yeah, we all believe, but to
see it actually happen, and with the Miko and the
team and the work that Nick and his team have
all put together, and just the excitement that's in the
city of Houston, it's amazing. And we're really really excited
(31:12):
about it and excited about Saturday.
Speaker 4 (31:14):
Greg.
Speaker 6 (31:15):
From seven to fourteen pm Central Time Saturday night through
right now, where we don't even know if we're into playoffs.
Three hours later, we're into playoffs, but we don't know
what we're playing or who we're playing. To Sunday afternoon,
about three o'clock. Okay, we've won a division. Oh boy,
we got a home playoff game. Your level of stress
(31:37):
from one to ten? What's it been?
Speaker 5 (31:38):
Well, I wouldn't say stress though, how about excitement? Now
you got the excitement opportunity challenge. But it's been a
great ride. And we have such an amazing team around
us doing amazing work at all different levels of the organization.
So watching that all happen over the last four or
five days has been really great, gratifying and and just
(32:01):
a real credit to to all our teammates that that
that are making all that happen or kind of riding
that those those those roller coasters with us, and and
to ultimately, uh, you know, the opportunities to put on
a great show for our fans on Saturday afternoon and
and create the home field advantage that that we know
our players needn't want to to go out and beat
(32:23):
the Browns.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
By the way, with Damiko Ryan's vernacular, we say op
instead of opportunities.
Speaker 5 (32:27):
That's right, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, we got a
great op.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
Yeah, a great The young kids say, exactly, Well, let's
talk about tickets here for a moment, because in the
digital age, all of a sudden, Hey there's an extra game.
Everybody needs their tickets. So take us behind the scenes.
How does all that work in such a short amount
of time.
Speaker 5 (32:45):
Well, first and foremost, I'm excited to say we announced
earlier today the game sold out and but there you
can you know, in this day and age, you can
always get tickets on the secondary market by visiting NFL
ticket Exchange through Ticketmaster. But really it's a huge team effort.
You know, our ticket Membership Services group, communicating with our
(33:05):
season ticket members, our ticket sales group and all that
they do, our digital marketing teams, our social teams, you guys,
the media, everybody just making sure everybody understands what's available.
Our business analytics team has a tremendous role, our accounting team.
So a huge team effort to get us to a
place where we're sold out and and excited to have
(33:26):
a great crowd.
Speaker 6 (33:27):
I'm just I mean, having been in the building for
COVID games and there's you know, I don't know, ten
thousand people in there. Then the challenge in the last
couple of years and then see the crowds each and
every week grow and grow and grow. As this team
was growing and growing and growing is just incredible. So
I'll ask you this, Greg, you're as much a fan
as you are the president of Texans. Do you have
(33:48):
a favorite moment, whether it's here or some other place,
do you have a favorite moment of this season?
Speaker 4 (33:52):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (33:52):
That hadn't thought about that. If I had to say
my favorite moment of this maybe I always want to. Yeah,
you too want, I want to. I want I want
to throw from CJ to Tank in the in the
Buccaneers game, not the touchdown the one before. Yeah, uh,
you know, the the deep out that that really set
(34:12):
up to touch down. That throw was amazing and to
that basically put you in a position with that time
on the clock to win the game and just amazing
and magical.
Speaker 4 (34:21):
In the stadium was going nuts.
Speaker 5 (34:23):
And then probably the other one is is the Cincinnati
drive to to win the game to be because that
was a pretty hostile environment that day. You know, the
fans were into it. You know, they're still in the
playoff hunt, Joe Burrow still there. I mean, it's a
it was a and they were they were ready to
go that day, and you know with kind of the
way the end of that game happened, with you know,
the interception late with thought, you know, but the resilience
(34:45):
and I know Dimiko talks about this all the time,
the resilience of this team and what we saw there
to come back win the game, gamy out the whole thing,
and uh, to to win that game and to to
hear the crowd be very quiet.
Speaker 4 (34:58):
The end is always a fun place when you're on
the road.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
And it's been quite the year because it was almost
a year ago that Demico Ryans was hired and thinking
of all the things that led into and the incredible
draft night, and the incredible training camp and the incredible season,
can you reflect on that a little bit for us?
Speaker 4 (35:15):
Well, it's been a magical run.
Speaker 5 (35:18):
And I know this has been said in different ways,
but this it's yes to Miko and what he's brought
to the table this year has been imperative. But I
really go back further than that. I go back to
the Kallan Hannah and Missus McNair and the leadership, you know,
over the last couple of years to put us in
a position. Nick and his team and how they've built
a team, what we've built on the business side and
(35:39):
kind of evolved. I think all those things put together,
you're kind of seeing all payoff right now. And we
got a lot of more work to do. The work
never stops, and you know, we want to continue to
focus on that. But just in reflecting, I think it's
it's really the McNair's leadership, their support of what they
provide our entire organization at every level to allow all
(35:59):
that to happen, for us to have moments like we're
having now.
Speaker 3 (36:02):
Greg.
Speaker 6 (36:02):
I know everybody gets to see CJ. And Nico and
the guys in the field and the coaches and get
to see them. But when I think about this team,
I think about what we started on Christmas Eve and
what hopefully is not the last home game. But when
I think about Christmas Eve against the Browns, New Year's
Eve against the Titans, oh, I missed the Texas Bowl
in there Texas Bowl on three days after we played
(36:23):
the Browns, then the Titans. Then obviously we got the
Colts game, we got the National Championship going on here,
and now we're playing a game on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (36:31):
How proud are you of your people?
Speaker 6 (36:33):
The fact that they're able to pull it off, And
if you walk in the stadium, you would never know,
like if this is your first time walking to this stadium,
you would never know all that had taken place.
Speaker 4 (36:41):
But you know that your people have pulled all of that.
Speaker 5 (36:43):
Audition and there are are teammates and just everything that
they've done. And we have a lot of partners right
our partners here at NRG Park, partners at Aramark, our
partners that support all of those entities. So it is
a huge team effort to make it happen will very well,
you know, thought out and planned, but to see it
all unfold, like you said, I mean, it's invigorating. It's
(37:05):
inspiring just to watch the passion and energy that all
these folks who really care about their role that they
play on the team, and and then and then how
it can all come together. You know, it's talking to
our field crew the other day, who's painting the field?
I mean they've they've painted the field like seven times
in the last you know, four or five weeks, but
never complain, always excited what can we do next? And
(37:26):
and that energy and what what's kind of being again
developed holistically here is showing up and paying off in
moments like this.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
And taking it into the coming year because we don't
want to look ahead. But we're going to look ahead
because Johnny and I get asked weekly and I know
you do too about uniforms. What's that going to be like?
Speaker 1 (37:44):
When? How? What can you tell us as of now?
Speaker 5 (37:47):
Greg, Well, you know, I'll repeat what we've said is
I think the unit, we're very excited. It's going to
be a great thing to unveil and kind of evolve
ourselves forward from how we present ourselves from the uniform brand,
et cetera. I think there's something for everyone. You know,
there's a lot of different opinions and voices, and you know,
I think we've shared that there's not necessarily, you know,
(38:09):
kind of a one size fits all approach to this.
So I think you'll continue to see that. And when
I mean, I think we're we're looking you know, just
ahead of the draft. The exact details, we're still finalizing
those things as we speak, but you know, sometime in
mid April, ahead of the draft, maybe Draft week, maybe before,
but somewhere in that neighborhood to unveil it and really
to to have all our fans have an opportunity to
(38:31):
enjoy it and and you know, start repping the new gear.
Speaker 6 (38:35):
Greg for fans that haven't had a chance to kind
of see. I know, obviously we put on a show
every single time that we have a home game here,
but for a playoff game, what do we have that's
specially fans can look well to.
Speaker 5 (38:47):
We starts with we've got you know, we want everybody
in here early. And when I say earlier, the games
at three point thirty, just in you know, our fans
for whatever reason, have a you know, they like to
either tell gate come a little later.
Speaker 4 (39:01):
We need to change that.
Speaker 5 (39:02):
And I can tell you organizationally this offseason that's something
we're going to really focus on is how do we
create an environment that that that's different but for Sunday
or for Saturday, I would just think about this way.
We want everybody in the stadium an hour early, so
two thirty, So shut down the tailgate. You know, if
you're coming from out, don't plan to be in the
(39:24):
parking lot at two thirty. Be in the parking lot
at two so you can be in the stadium at
two thirty. So everybody needs to move up their time
clock so that when the players are out for warm
ups before introductions, they can feel the energy because I
know they talk about it. And when intro's hits, which
are usually about fifteen minutes before the game, the place
is juiced. And so our fans need to understand that
(39:45):
timeline and adjust themselves accordingly. So if I can say
it once, I'll say it a thousand times. Be early
and that means be in the stadium an hour before,
in your seats thirty minutes before. So let me just
can I say that again?
Speaker 1 (39:58):
I want.
Speaker 5 (40:00):
I brought it up so so reach and and and
Houston needs to embrace that when you go to a
lot of other stadiums, I'm sure in Indy when you're
up there and what do they what does Pat McAfee
call it a lot house?
Speaker 4 (40:11):
Whatever? Whatever, We walked away with the head. It doesn't
matter but.
Speaker 5 (40:16):
That they were there early and and they so we
Houston needs to show up. Our fans need to show
up and be here early. But that we'll have fifty
thousand rally towels to get them going and get them
into into the building. Uh, we'll have you know, Brian
Cushing repin h town, great, great lineup at halftime and
really just trying to create a home field advantage.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
You've got love, I've said this.
Speaker 6 (40:44):
I've said this to the guys, Greg, I said, we
make the playoffs. The Mariachi band opening is gonna go
viral like more people will see it nationally and be like, hey,
y'all seen this.
Speaker 5 (40:55):
Well, that's why I want everybody in their seats early,
because our pregame show is really really good. It's different.
But then you know, Brian Cushion, repin h Down firing
the cannon, national anthems, a young and up in country
country artist Randall King, Uh, DJ Vanilla Trill will be
doing his thing. And then halftime Bunbee, Slim Thug, Mike Jones,
Paul Wall, the Mexican Ot you know, and a few more.
(41:17):
So it's gonna be a it's gonna be a show.
Speaker 4 (41:20):
But be early. Yeah, be ready.
Speaker 5 (41:22):
Go get that beer, go get that popcorn, whatever it
may be. Let's make the make the energy happen.
Speaker 1 (41:27):
From the Saturday afternoon. I don't have shirts, you don't
have anything. Still early, sleep it and still be early.
Speaker 2 (41:33):
Speaking of which, people ask us what our pregame routine
is all the time. So what's the pregame routine of
President Greg Grissom So.
Speaker 5 (41:41):
Well, I usually get to the stadium, you know, five
or six hours early, you know, for like a noon game.
I'm here seven seven thirty on my way in. I
actually I drive the entire park and look at our
parking set up. I have a tradition that I text
the folks who lead that for and say, you know,
(42:01):
ninety nine percent of the time everything looks good. There
might be a hey, we want to tweak this or
tweak that type thing, but I just like to see
the parking setup. Why I really do it as I
love just seeing all the tailgaters lined up. It just
it's a great way to start the day and just
to see the energy that they're going to bring. And
then get to the office and kind of enjoy a
little quiet time and kind of get my head right.
(42:22):
And then really it's about you know, going around and
just saying hello to people, trying to tell as many
of the people who work here to make game day happen,
thank you for what they do. And then you know,
come game time, it's it's lock in with the rest
of our fans and enjoy it and you know, got
to talk to a few people here and there, but
try to celebrate the victory with everyone else.
Speaker 4 (42:42):
Okay, every single game. A lot of people don't know this.
Speaker 6 (42:45):
Every single game, you and I kind of find each
other at some point and you're like, Okay, give me
a key, give me something to watch. And I know
I can tell you some down deep things because I
know you understand the game. So let's talk the game.
The Browns, the Texans. We know how I went the
first time in your mind. What's the biggest key what
the Texans have to be able to do to get
a win?
Speaker 5 (43:04):
Oh well, and just to be clear, I'm a I'm
a last thing I am. I'm not a football you know,
savant like you. But uh but I know I watched
a lot of football. I've watched a lot of football.
I understand the game. But you know, I I what
I'm excited to see, maybe I'll say it this way,
is how we can affect Flacco in a different way
(43:24):
than what we could last week. And he had a
great game, and you know, we had some guys that
weren't in the game, and so I think, hope we'll
see how that all shakes out.
Speaker 4 (43:34):
But but you know, if.
Speaker 5 (43:37):
He can be affected, he's proven that when he when
he has time, he's he can he's he's elite. He's
a very good player, so and I think he's playing
with the right mindset right now. You know, he's he's
not he's got everything to gain and nothing to lose,
and so that's always interesting. So that would be something
I'd be watching, is how how how can we affect him?
Speaker 2 (43:56):
And Brian Cushing's perfect for repid h Town because he
had the blow face against Cleveland.
Speaker 4 (44:01):
Well yeah, so go check out.
Speaker 5 (44:02):
There's a little teaser on social and then you know
there'll be a He's there's a really cool video that
our digital team's putting together that we'll kind of put
all that together and create some intensity leading into Saturday.
Speaker 2 (44:13):
Nice Greg, thanks a lot, Good luck, Thanks guys, good luck,
Go Texans. He's fired up, I'm fired up, You're fired up.
Speaker 1 (44:20):
We're fired up.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
Texans Browns Saturday three point thirty. As Greg said, get
there early. Listen on Sports Radio six ten, the Bull
one hundred point three FM, your Texans app, your home
smart Big Brother listening device. You can listen on that
as well. All you have to do is ask it
to play Sports Radio six ten or Odyssey Radio and
it'll blast the Texans game into your living room, kitchen,
(44:43):
and you can syn it up with the TV and
all this glory, and if you're going to the game again,
be early. Did I mention that?
Speaker 4 (44:48):
Enough?
Speaker 1 (44:49):
Do it?
Speaker 2 (44:50):
Have a great day, let's get ready, go Texans.
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