June 27, 2025 • 47 mins
This Thursday edition of the show featured Pro Football Hall of Fame writer John McClain, as well as Texans TV's Drew Dougherty.
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Episode Transcript
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John Harris (00:00):
Welcome to everybody to a Thursday night at Nation of
Texans All Access. I'm your host, John Harris Football and
only Sideline reporter Mark will be back tomorrow night.
Marc Vandermeer (00:10):
But you know it's Thursday night, so that means it's.
John Harris (00:13):
The General John McClain, Hall of Famer with me this evening.
Marc Vandermeer (00:18):
John, How are you doing, my friend?
John Harris (00:20):
John?
John McClain (00:21):
I could not be doing better? Thank you for asking.
John Harris (00:24):
First of all, how is your House documentary moving along?
Any new news on the documentary?
John McClain (00:30):
And do we made our trip to Jimmy Johnson. We've got...
We've got a trip. We go to the Texas High
School Coaches Convention in San Antonio, the way we did
last year, and the Texans will sponsor a panel and
again which I will interview this year. It's Jackie, Cheryl Wade, Phillips,
(00:54):
Michael Bishop, Roberto Garcia and and somebody else. And that
was so much fun last year. And then we're going
to Brady. Brady is fifty miles from Atlanto and that's
big wine country. A lot of people don't know it.
Texas produces wine and santana. Dotson from Houston and Yates
(01:17):
High School and Baylor Sickham. He and his dad have
a winery and Brady his dad, Alphonse, played in the NFL,
and Alphonse was a teammate with the Raiders of Eldridge Dickey,
the greatest PBIL quarterback who died in two thousand. So
we are going to interview Alphonse and he's going to
(01:39):
talk about what happened with Dicky when he went from
Washington High School here to Tennessee State so he could
throw the ball. And al Davis made the first black
quarterback drafted in the first round in sixty eight, and
you wondered, well, why did he do it? He drafted
Kenny Stabler around later, and he already had Darryl Lamonica,
(01:59):
who was the MVP the previous year in George blanded
and al Von's is gonna tell us he did it
to keep him away from Hank Stran. So I can't
wait to tell that story. And this past weekend, John,
I did one of the neatest things I've ever done.
I went to Mobile, invited by Robert Brazil, doctor doom,
ten year linebacker with oilers. Because the city of Mobile
(02:23):
did something every city should do, including Houston. They unveiled
a Hall of Fame walk outside their Convention Center on
the water downtown, in which they have six Hall of
Fame players from a city of one hundred and seventy
nine thousand. Robert's the only football the baseball statues, nine
(02:45):
foot statues Hank Aaron Satchel Page, Sweet Swinging Billy Williams,
Willie McCovey, and Ozzie Smith, all from Mobile and it
was a fundamental event. Sweet Swinging Billy was back. Robert
made a short speech, Robert lives there, spends a lot
of time for here. Erro Campbell came and we just
(03:09):
had so much fun watching Roberts celebrate that great moment.
And one of his good friends is Nolan the Nat Smith.
Nolan was a five foot six hundred and fifty pound
kick returner who came from Tennessee State and played three
years at Tennessee Stree with Eldridge Dickey. And we're bringing
(03:32):
him in here in a couple of weeks, flying him
in so he can talk about Dickey in college, and
then we'll have Alphonse Dodson and one other player talking
about him in the NFL. We could do a separate
documentary on Eldridge Dickey, who was by He was bilingual.
He was Ambidextros and they say could throw a ball
(03:53):
sixty yards left handed even though he played right handed.
So I'm really fired up about that. Tell you what, John,
every fan, every sports fan would ahead a blast going
to Mobile and see what that city has done that
we should do too.
Marc Vandermeer (04:11):
That's really cool.
John Harris (04:12):
Mobile is one of my favorite cities, and not just
because the senior balls there. It when I would travel
with my kids and my wife up to North Carolina,
Mobile a lot of times is a place we would
stop just as okay, it's the first part of our drive,
we stopping Mobile.
Marc Vandermeer (04:25):
But those baseball players you.
John Harris (04:27):
Mentioned, I mean those legends off of Mobile, I mean
that is really really cool, and Robert being mentioned in
that group, that must have been one hell of a trip.
There's no doubt. Now the Texans are going to take
a trip. They're going to the Greenbrier. So we'll be
up there for about four or five days. But training
camp starts on July twenty third, General, so we're less
than a month. And as you get ready, gotta have
(04:48):
a to do list in your mind as you get
ready for training camp. Are there any to dos that
you think about for this team as they go to
training camp. They've got to do these things as they
start training camp and matriculate through training camp.
Marc Vandermeer (05:03):
What are the things you would put on your to
do list for this team? John?
John McClain (05:06):
Before I do a to do list, I like to
point out I thought the Greenbrier was great. Guys. Lewisbourg,
West Virginia, A small town with so many art art
It's an artsy town with great restaurants. Yep, so many
things to do, beautiful mountains everywhere, buller weather and I
(05:27):
am so envious of you guys going. And my wife
Carol said, well, why don't you just go? Cash in
some Marryott Points and United.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
Miles and I talked about I thought about it, and
then I said, now I don't want to be out
of place, and uh, but it's going to be so
much fun.
John McClain (05:46):
I remember, you know they went because Rick Smith wanted
to go. Saints had been three years in a row,
so they went. Bill O'Brien went along with it. Rick left,
Bill didn't want to go back, and I know the
McNair family had a blast. And I told Cal, hey,
you're the owner, you're the boss. Tell them they're going
back every stinking year. But as Cal pouring it out.
(06:11):
They don't tell the coach and the GM what to do,
and so they didn't do it. Obviously, Tomko believes that
you can bond. Were you guys that were up outside
Cleveland last year between games? Demiko got a lot out
of that and he wants to do it again. And
you know, Cleveland, the Greenbrier, Cleveland, the Greenbrier. I'm guessing
(06:36):
people think, well, let's go to the Greenbrier and y'all
are going to have a blast between those games. As
far as the to do list, they got a lot
of things we want to see from players, but none
more so than the offensive line. They're to do things
that they got to do, told Papovich. A new line coach,
(06:56):
Nick Kayleeve, the new coordinator, damn five new they've got
to decide in trading camp in preseason who's going to
be in the starting lineup when the season begins. Now,
injuries will you know, help make those decisions easier. And
you want to think they're going to be better. And
somebody's got to step up and replace Laramie Tunsall. That
(07:18):
should be Cam Robinson. Maybe a right to usury, but
they've got to be as close to as good at
left tackle. Maybe improvements in his schemes will help overcome
their trade of Tunsul to Washington. But do you look
what they did in the off season program, Titus Hour
(07:38):
to right guard for the first time, Blake Fisher right tackle,
Robinson left tackle, left guard, Tomlinson, and in the center
Andrews to me, came out of nowhere. That was I
thought very interesting because only one guy in that line
started to gain for this season in the position which
(07:59):
he was in the off season program, and that of
course would have been Blake Fisher's right tackle, and he's
not guaranteed to be in the right tackle. Everywhere I go,
including in Mobile, and I was a bunch of places
with former Oilers and everybody was talking about two things,
the offensive line and C. J. Stroud and Earl Campbell
(08:23):
told me twice about how impressed he's been with Stroud
on and off the field, and I don't know if
he knows Stroud or not, but he really likes him.
And that narrative that he had an off season and
from people that didn't watch every game and every play
like we did, is kind of preposterous. Peyton Manning came
(08:44):
out and pointed out He's been the playoffs two years
one two playoff games, and I didn't want to playoff
game till the sixth year. And I saw Chris SAMs
last week talk about the problems on offense were all
about the offensive line and not Stroud, and he mentioned
you could see Stroud the Texans in the Super Bowl.
So people nationally are starting to come around and figure
(09:06):
out what happened to things that we already know. Man,
I think if this team were to proved by even
improved by fifty percent in the pass protection, that's not
a lot. You know, they could win eleven or twelve games.
Marc Vandermeer (09:21):
Yeah, no doubt.
John Harris (09:22):
I mean a lot of people are pointed out that
watched the Super Bowl and they're like, man, Matt Patrick
Mahomes ran for his.
Marc Vandermeer (09:27):
Life, and they're like, he was pressured.
John Harris (09:29):
I think on thirty eight percent of his passes that
was Stroud the entire season in twenty twenty four. So
there have been it's been on the right way of
saying this general, but it's been sort of cathartic in
a way to see and hear people talking about Stroud,
like Chris Sims, like Peyton talking Stroud up as opposed
(09:51):
to Oh, the sophomore slump. Yeah, the sophomore slump. Well,
he wasn't the only one having a sophomore slump. Laughter
last year, you're gonna call it that. But I just
felt like there were times in game where when he
took a step back to throw, my first thought was,
oh God, where's the pressure, like it's coming, and then
he still would beat it, especially in Green Bay. He
(10:11):
hitn't got a good throw off all day, and he
makes that throw to Xavier Hutchinson, which should have won
the game. They should have been able to run a
clock out and score, but they weren't able to and
get that win. But I'm glad you brought that up, General,
because it feels like throughout the year there was this
kind of backlash at CJ, and I was like, Man,
if you're really watching, you realize it's not what you
(10:31):
guys think it is.
Marc Vandermeer (10:32):
Let's get it a little bit further. And I think
General in.
John Harris (10:35):
Comment on this, if you will, When the Texans, when
Dimiko Ryan's got rid of Bobby Slowick and moved on
from Chris Strausser, it felt like the Texans were sort
of acknowledging that thing that yet we don't think it
was CJ. We think it was everything really around him
not really giving him the best chance to be as successful.
What are your thoughts about that sort of thought process
(10:56):
that their actions kind of told everybody what they thought
issues really truly were not just CJ.
John McClain (11:03):
Let me take a step back about to do stuff.
Obviously a wide receiver. They have three new ones, two
rookies and a veteran and Christian Kirk. And you hope
Christian Kirk can stay healthy. And when I talk to
him in the off season program, I know what he's
listed at, but he actually looked bigger and he's, you know, thicker.
That's a great way to put it. And I don't
(11:25):
know if he's always looked that way or if he's
worked hard to look that way to try to stay
healthy for a full season. But seeing how the wide
receiver play plays out, who who makes it and who doesn't,
it's meant to break to me for John John Mitchie
the third and so that's going to be exciting as well.
And then can Nick Chubb stand up and come in
(11:50):
and be healthy and seize that backup job. We haven't
seen Damian Peers, and I'm assuming he's recovered from another injury,
but he may have a hard I'm making the team
or maybe if he's healthy, because Sario could get US
six or seven for him. But there's a lot to watch,
(12:10):
especially with the new players, you know, safeties, you know CJ.
Gardner Johnson after what he did winning the Super Bowl,
and I've seen some of the things he says about
he's playing big games and this team needs to learn
how to win big games. And he's exactly right. Those
big games of which you're ahead, like Detroit, you blow it,
(12:30):
or when you're in the playoffs and you have to
go on the road. So there's a lot for everybody
to be fired up about when they report to training camp.
And I'm sorry, what was the second thing you asked me?
John Harris (12:42):
No, just just talking about how Stroud really wasn't what
a lot of national narrative paintings I thought more flump.
John McClain (12:51):
Well, first of all, we don't see him going all
over the country playing in celebrities softball and basketball games
and repeating against Micah Parsons like he did last season.
It seemed like he was all over the place, and
I wonder if he's focused a little bit more on
(13:12):
playing and the new game the new playbook because Nick
Cayley's putting a lot of pressure on him at the
line of scrimage and he you know, he loves that now,
but he's got to prove that he can still handle
it because it's a big deal. That's the way Sean
McVay does his quarterbacks. Matthew Stafford's been in the league
for so long, no doubt he can handle that. So
(13:35):
watching what Stroud does for the mental part is going
to be very intriguing. We know he can play physically,
and he made some great plays last year. When I
see the stat where not only was his sack second most,
he was pressured the first most and from the time
(13:55):
the ball was snapped and at least one lineman was beaten,
they number one in that too, and that number one
is not good. So watching him make the plays he made,
thinking about that, thinking about the ten to seven record,
the butt whipping they put on Jim Rbaugh and the Chargers,
(14:15):
he can't say it was a disappointing season unless you
were predicting them go to the super Bowl, and I
predict them when the division this year, I think they
will run away with the division. And the key is
can Stroud be upright enough to help them get a
home playoff game. Demiko would go crazy. Hear somebody say,
(14:40):
run away with the division and they'll win the wild
card game here. But then the key is have the
divisional game here to see if the Texans could give
Defans a game in an AFC Championship game for the
first ten ins the Oilers after the nineteen seventy nine season,
Are they capable? Yes? One other thing, and this is important,
(15:04):
and this may be the most important thing of all,
because they just let the greatest player in his position lead,
and that's John Weeks, and they've already dumped the guy
that was gonna take his place, so they don't want
that to backfire. Now some guy have a couple of
bad snaps and crucial situations, and usually with Weeks, we
(15:25):
were spoiled. We didn't pay any attention to it, and
now we're gonna be paying attention to the snapper.
John Harris (15:31):
Yeah, there's no question along those lines general, because there
is only one right now.
Marc Vandermeer (15:35):
It's in Brinkman in camp.
John Harris (15:36):
Maybe another one comes in, maybe Addington comes back, who knows,
But this this roster has got some position units that
it's gonna be pretty tough to get to.
Marc Vandermeer (15:47):
Whatever the number.
John Harris (15:48):
Is gonna be running backs four, maybe it's three, receivers
at six, maybe it's five, maybe it's seven.
Marc Vandermeer (15:53):
I don't know.
John Harris (15:55):
But what position do you think is going to be
the most difficult to get the number that they're getting
to that there will be players cut, waved released that
end up finding opportunities with other teams because of the
depth of Texans have, they just can't keep everybody. Which
positions do you think or will you have your eyes
on the most that you think will be the most
(16:16):
difficult cut for Nick and Demiko.
John McClain (16:18):
I think there's no question is the defensive line. If
you go through this roster and the moves that they've
made with defensive linemen, and we all know that the
ends are set and with Daniel Hunter and Will Anderson Junior,
and they got good backups. I'm glad they brought in
(16:38):
Derek Barnett. I want to see what Dylan Norton's gonna
do since he got completely healthy last year in his
third season. And I think they brought in two free
agents and in and you bring back Sheldon Rankins who
played well enough two years ago to get what do
you get like fourteen millions something like that from Cincinnati hurt.
(17:01):
Tim Settle played well. Defensive lineman, specifically, the guys in
the middle played better here then they play other places.
Deniko Autrey's back. You hope he's there for a full season.
Mario Edwards played better here than any of the other
twenty five teams he played for. It's gonna be a
tough cut inside. And then they got some second year
(17:25):
defensive linemen who were on the practice squad. We're going
to see Texans defensive lineman playing against them for other teams.
And one of the reasons that they're as good as
they are. And of course to Miko makes the calls
and they have good coaching. But Matt Burke, the defensive
line coach, I mean, the defensive coordinator, that's his baby.
(17:47):
He was a defensive line coach before he came here
as coordinator and he plays a big role in that.
And I think they're coaching on this side of the
ball is outstanding. And boy, those decisions they make them personnel,
especially if they're all healthy, is going to be the
most difficult by far.
John Harris (18:08):
Yeah, your defensive line, no doubt. I think a lot
of people will have their eyes on receiver. That's gonna
be a hell of a competition. But I know that
do you mention it? The depth on defensive line. I've
said it a few times.
Marc Vandermeer (18:18):
Depth on the defensive line is unlike anything I've ever
seen here.
John Harris (18:21):
I mean, they've got so many bodies that I wouldn't
be surprised to see a player your wave cut and
end up starting somewhere else, you know, in a rotation
or whatever the case might be, that they're that deep
on the defensive line general. I talked to James Palmer,
our good friend, a little bit earlier today, and we
were chatting about defensive as edge rushers. There's Micah Parsons,
(18:43):
There's Trey Hendrickson, and there's.
Marc Vandermeer (18:45):
T J Watt.
John Harris (18:47):
Those three are kind of right now sitting and then
there's even Aiden Hutchinson kind of out there, you know,
could could get an extension of those Which do you
think is the next to sign with his particular team?
Is it Parsons, is it what is it Hendrickson? Or
is it Hutchinson getting an extension.
John McClain (19:07):
They haven't made much noise about Hutchinson because they want
to make sure he can come back one hundred percent
from his jury. Michael Parson's gonna have to be signed
before the season, and but I also think Trey Hendrickson
they'll get that deal done. They've got a chance to
get in the playoffs. They've made some changes on defense,
(19:28):
they got a chance to be a Super Bowl contender
because Joe Burrow and the passing game are incredible. They're
hoping to overcome the slow starts. But what if they
mess around and they don't sign hendricks until after four
games and they start two and two again, and then
they miss the playoffs by one game again, then you
can blame it on the Brown family. And so I
(19:52):
believe they will get Trey Hendrickson done, if not right
before camp, right after camp begins.
John Harris (19:59):
So I'm gonna say, yeah, I think that's the one
I'm going with. It sounds like there is at least
some positive movement.
Marc Vandermeer (20:05):
Uh.
John Harris (20:05):
I think the one that's curious to me is tj
uh And whether you know TJ's you know, as James
pointed out to me. James pointed out that his numbers
are very similar to Miles, and we'll look at what
Miles Garrett con I'm guarantee you TJ is like, wait
a second, mine are pretty similar to him.
Marc Vandermeer (20:21):
Came in the league the same amount of time. So
I think the TJ.
John Harris (20:24):
Watt's gonna be very interesting to watch in Pittsburgh, no
question about that.
John McClain (20:27):
Benchburg John. Pittsburgh doesn't have a lot of holdouts from
its players. They get it done in one advantage. Miles
Garrett has said his team, Uh, he's been able to
rush a lot. He can rush from any place on
the field. TJ, course is a great outside player. And
TJ didn't go public and say he wanted to be traded.
(20:51):
He didn't want to play there anymore, didn't care about
going to the Hall of Fame. All he want to
do was win. He wanted to go somewhere else. But
we'll give you thirty four minute. Oh okay, I'm happy.
I love the Browns. I want to go to Hall
of Fame. And obviously that was orchestrated by him and
his agent. And TJ is not that kind of guy.
(21:12):
But he's going to get paid. The Steelers know he
needs to be paid. He's the most popular player on
that team, the antithesis of Aaron Rodgers. And so they'll
get it done. And now that you mentioned it, I'm
guessing it'll be him or Hendrickson. Hendrickson is due to
make I think sixteen. Supposedly they've offered him twenty eight,
(21:35):
but he wants in the thirties. Not on blaming, but
they could have gotten this deal done months ago and
it would have been cheaper. That's why these teams that
wait it always backfires on him. And that's why it's
so smart for Nick Casserio to sign Derek Stingley Junior
when he did in this off season instead of wait
to say next off season. Can you imagine this time
(21:57):
next off season? People are going to go the world.
Did they get Stanley so cheap?
Marc Vandermeer (22:02):
Yeah, exactly, no doubt. General, I appreciate it, Thank you
very much.
John Harris (22:06):
Thursdays are never the same without you, so I appreciate
you joining me and my friend.
Marc Vandermeer (22:09):
Thank you, John.
John McClain (22:10):
It's my pleasure. Thank you very much.
John Harris (22:12):
Coming up next, we go in the lab the last time.
Drew Dougherty joins me right here at Texans All Access
Chapping everybody, Welcome back to a Thursday edition of Texans
All Access from technically the Hyundaie Texans.
Marc Vandermeer (22:26):
Radio studio moved out West.
John Harris (22:29):
Yes, your boy is out in the City of Angels,
Los Angeles hang with my daughter for her birthday yesterday
turned twenty three, so I have a birthday to her.
Marc Vandermeer (22:37):
But appreciate you being with me this evening. Now. Mark
will be with our next guest tomorrow.
John Harris (22:45):
As my man, Drew Doherty spends his last couple of
days with the Houston Texans. This is as tough in
the Lab to do as there possibly could be. And
you'll actually hear that in my voice early in this one.
Is it kind of hit me. I'm known for a
little while that this was taking place, and I just
(23:06):
was kind of blocking it out, not wanting to think
about it until I had to, and I have to write.
Marc Vandermeer (23:10):
Now my man and Drew Doherty and I doing in.
John Harris (23:12):
The Lab for the last time, technically the last time
right here on Texans All Access.
Speaker 5 (23:17):
Here we go, Hello there, Welcome to in the Lab.
I'm Drew Doherty, You're John Harris, and you are you.
Thank you you for joining us. It's the three of
us here on this little old podcast that John is
coming up on seven years of age. We started this
in twenty eighteen in the season.
Speaker 6 (23:36):
I believe, right, I think I believe it was.
Speaker 5 (23:38):
Yeah, it's like, hey, maybe it was doing this and
maybe it was seventeen. I don't know, maybe it's coming
up on eight years, but nonetheless, and I think it
was seventeen. Anyways. Yeah, point is, we've done this a
long time, almost on a weekly basis. There have been
some times where you know, we miss a few weeks
in some odd spots, but many every week during the season,
(24:01):
most weeks in the off season. And this is the
last one we'll do because I'm leaving. I'm headed to
a new gig where we're shooting this on Thursday, releasing
this on Friday. I am gonna go to my alma mater,
Straight Jesuits, where I graduated high school back in the nineties,
and it's kind of it's not kind of it. It
(24:22):
is a place that shaped who I am. A lot
of what I did TV wise was kind of drawing
on the Shenanigans that I did back then. At s
JET Straight Jesuit Educational Television, That's what I'm gonna be doing.
I'm gonna be running s JET as the director there
and then teaching some history classes, which people around the
Texans joke and that guy's always teaching history.
Speaker 6 (24:42):
He's always lapping.
Speaker 5 (24:44):
So hopefully it's a nice, seamless transition. But I'm really excited.
This is a prayers answered type of situation. I'm gonna
miss you, I'm gonna miss this podcast. I'm go miss
a lot of things about the Texans. But it's just
such a fantastic opportunity. And I've talked to about this
offline with you a bunch, and you've You've been such
an awesome supporter of mine, and I'm pumped. I'm really pumped.
(25:08):
On August fourth is my first day on the job.
August thirteenth will be my first day in the classroom.
So I'm sure shenanigans are going to ensue over the
next few years, and.
Speaker 6 (25:20):
I can't wait.
Speaker 4 (25:21):
Man.
John Harris (25:22):
Yeah, I got a feeling that in a good way,
you'll hear from me on August twelfth, the night before,
because when you think about going to that classroom for
the first time and you see all.
Marc Vandermeer (25:32):
These youthful faces, there'll be that.
John Harris (25:35):
Moment of oh god, yeah, but you know I went Now,
I went through that as a twenty two year old
and and I was teaching some kids that were literally
two years I mean, I taught some kids there are
now fifty and it's kind of mind blowing in the
sense to think back and there's there are so many
(25:56):
things to say and trying say it with UH without
kind of breaking up, which I'm doing now. But when
you came in with this podcast, I'll be honest with you,
I was kind of mad at you. I was like, dude,
I've got like all these radio shows that we're already doing,
Like why the hell are we doing a podcast now?
Marc Vandermeer (26:16):
Like what, what the hell?
John Harris (26:19):
But I was like, you know, it's Drew, so it's
gonna be awesome, So just you know, shut up and
go with it. And the first one that we did
was some incantation of if you could take two former
oilers and put them on the Texans, what would it?
Who would they be? And I like, all of a sudden,
I was in. I was like, okay, this is the
concept of our podcast. We're in, you know, because we
(26:42):
got to geek out and nerd out, and I knew
I would always be happy because I was doing it
with you. But the flip side of that was, you know,
I remember coming home and kind of telling Paige about it.
She's like, well, you know, is is that too much?
They're already asking you to do this this? And this,
and I was like, I was like, babe, it's with Drew,
Like it'll be cool, it'll be fun. It don't feel
like we're just you know, chopping it up about you know,
(27:03):
former drafts, redrafts, you know, comparing foods to superheroes to Texans,
and you know it'll it'll be fun. And I, you know,
I I'm one of those, and I don't. I don't
want to be this way, but I always think about
I don't. I never want to think about the end,
but I do because I think about, like I love
(27:23):
doing this so much, like what's that last episode, Like
you know, what's the last radio show, Like what's the
last game? Like in some sense, and it's it's always
kind of frustrated to.
Marc Vandermeer (27:33):
Think that way. And then you're like, nah, you know
it'll be okay. Just kind of roll with it.
John Harris (27:37):
And then you know, when we had determined, I'm actually
I'm out in La.
Speaker 6 (27:41):
Yeah.
John Harris (27:42):
They came out here for my my daughter's birthday, and
well twofold I came out here for my daughter's birthday.
And then I got hired by Paige Harris Incorporated to
drive all of her painting stuff back, which I have
no no idea, How'm gonna get all that stuff back
in our car because I drove it out of your
four years ago for them to have out here, and
so now I'm driving that car back either way.
Marc Vandermeer (28:03):
So I got it for a double reason. And then.
John Harris (28:07):
You know, you and I had talked because you had
been out, you had been out, and then I came
here and.
Marc Vandermeer (28:12):
So then you send me a text and said, yo,
let's do in the lab.
John Harris (28:15):
And I just remember it hitting me like okay, this
is the last one, and I was like, ah, damn.
So I will hold it together as best I possibly can.
I know you and Mark, you know, are sitting down
on Friday for a segment for Radio. But I'm gonna
play this Thursday on Radio two because it's you and
me and we're the we are the the nexus of
in the lab.
Marc Vandermeer (28:33):
We are the you know, we are in the lab.
John Harris (28:35):
And so I will play this Thursday night after John McClain,
as I typically would do throughout the week. And it
was it was always so much fun doing it. I
don't know if there were times, you know, even in
twenty twenty, twenty twenty one, twenty twenty two, when it
was like.
Marc Vandermeer (28:50):
What is going on?
John Harris (28:52):
And you and I would put on a brave face
and get onto mics and put the cans on and
just start talking about Texans and start talking about wild
stuff with the Texans, and you know, think a dream
of a day when it would get turned around. And
then it started toning twenty twenty three, and you know,
you and I within the lab we started, you know,
we we celebrated that, and it was always it was
always great. I cannot think, and I remember I was
(29:14):
the first one I think that put the bug. And
HI may have had you may have had others, but
I remember when you and I talked, you know, if
you probably a couple of years ago, just you know,
about the future and such. I remember thinking, because I
always think about you know, I spent my first seven
years in private schools, and I always think about, you know,
if somebody came to me with some sweetheart deal and
wanted me to be the head master of a school.
(29:34):
You know, I'd have to put together a staff, and
you know what people would I want on my staff
and all that kind of stuff.
Marc Vandermeer (29:39):
And You've always been one of those people at the
top of my.
John Harris (29:42):
List that I would immediately say, Okay, what would it
take to get you to come over to this school
with me, because there's so many things that you needed
a school and kind of like, you know, you know
JJ Watt in a sense, how many of those can
Drew phill Well, Like if you this and this and
this and this and this, and he's a guy that
I trust in love inherently, so he would be perfect.
And so you know when you you told me that
(30:05):
this opportunity was available for you and that you were taking,
I was just like I I was, I was pumped,
and I was pumped for you. I was pumped for
the kids that you're going to be around every single
day and who they're learning from. It's just it's it's
the perfect fit in my mind for you. I just
you know, hate the fact that you know, you and
(30:27):
I won't be able to do in the lab every
week and amongst other things.
Marc Vandermeer (30:30):
But since we run into lab, we'll start with that one.
Speaker 6 (30:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (30:33):
No, it's uh, it's really funny. It kind of came
about a couple a couple of months ago because my
wife had the great idea. She's like, why don't you
try and do a summer sports media camp, like a
day camp. Yeah, from eight to noon Monday to Friday
one week and you can take some field trips and
(30:54):
you can have some experts talk to the boys, and yeah,
pitch that idea to the folks at Strake Jesuit and
I had a pretty solid list of guests that we
came in and places we got to go and things
that they got to see. And I think that that
got some wheels turning in the minds of the folks
over there, and it all came together pretty quickly in May,
(31:15):
and yeah, I'm headed back and it's it's a it's
a really competitive place. I mean, it was always fast,
who's the smartest, who's the funniest, who's right this, blah
blah blah. So it's gonna be fun to get back there, uh,
you know doing I did the Deer Drew videos there
for a few years, and that was that was s
jet Man. That was was us screwing around back when
(31:36):
I used to interview the homecoming court and we had
them saying goofy inn, you know, goofy thing in the
mid nineties. I mean, it it's really fun. It's really
a great place. And uh, it's changed a lot, as
you would expect over the course of thirst. But it
hasn't shp at all, and that's that's the exciting part
(31:57):
about it for me. So I'm looking forward to going
there and looking forward to meeting, meeting and reconnecting with
some people who were there when I was there, who
taught when I was there.
Speaker 6 (32:06):
And then there's a whole.
John Harris (32:08):
That's that's always a fun one that when you tell
when you walk in, yeah, you know. And here's one
of the things when you when you when you're out
of school, it's always, you know, coach. The coach is
easy because for me, like I call anybody that's a coach,
I call them coach. It's always it's always been coach.
But when I had math teachers, you know missus Han,
(32:29):
you know my English teacher, English teachers, Miss Fhalan, h
Miss Morris, like I would see them as an adult,
like I went to go do a I went to
go do a speech. My my English teacher, Miss Fhalan,
Maxine Phalen was getting a school named after her, and.
Marc Vandermeer (32:44):
I was they were, well, I should say, they were
trying to get her.
John Harris (32:48):
And so they were like, hey, would you come speak
about her for five minutes to the school district, And
that said absolutely.
Marc Vandermeer (32:52):
So I went in.
John Harris (32:53):
I did that. That was in twenty nineteen, so it's
before COVID. So they go this long stretch of time
without she gets to school and they were like, okay,
we're going to dedicate the school in this day. Would
you come out to Richard Rosenberg and you know, dedicate
this or speak to to everybody?
Marc Vandermeer (33:06):
And I said absolutely.
John Harris (33:07):
And I see her and it's like, hey, miss Falen,
and I'm like, you know, here I am, you know,
nearing my fifties and I'm calling my English teachers still,
Miss Faling. You know, I can only imagine what it's
gonna be like to maybe work next to some of
those people that you you know, had called, you know,
mister Hall, miss Jones, and all of a sudden you
got to say, hey, Catherine, you know it's gonna Bewley.
Speaker 6 (33:27):
It's coach Crowley. There's a guy.
Marc Vandermeer (33:28):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (33:29):
He's the closest thing to a big brother.
Marc Vandermeer (33:31):
Uh yeah.
Speaker 5 (33:31):
He was my cross country and track and field coach.
He taught history when I was there. Since then, he's
been the athletic director. He's been the dean of students,
he's taught other classes, he's had of rules. He's the
athletic director again. Now, uh, he was instrumental in making
this all happen. But I called coach Crowley and you
always say that around people there now and they'll kind
(33:53):
of turn their head, like, Coachy, that's my coach. He's
a hell of a coach. Uh, but I think most
of them know him as mister Crowley or yeah, you
know whatever, but as a coach to me. So, I'm
looking forward to getting back, and it's gonna be really
really fun. Still gonna be here on game days. I'll
be up in a press box booth helping out some
(34:14):
of the folks on the game day entertainment side and
nice there, so and you and I are gonna be
I'm gonna be hitting you with random text here and there.
Speaker 6 (34:21):
Oh yeah, Ziper Kate.
Speaker 5 (34:23):
And we might have some other little ventures cooked up
a time or two in the in the field.
Marc Vandermeer (34:28):
Never know, never never know.
John Harris (34:30):
Yeah, it's funny because you you never you never you
never say never.
Marc Vandermeer (34:35):
Yeah.
John Harris (34:35):
I think I learned. I learned that actually at you know,
private school. I remember when I was leaving the private school.
I just remember, uh thinking, you know, okay, that's it.
I'm never never doing that. I remember my wife saying, eh,
you you never know, you never know what might happen.
And so when I got to Houston and started doing
radio in two thousand and seven, I wasn't making a
(34:56):
lot of money with it, and you know, not as
much as I thought I was gonna make. And so
new not new school, but a school that had been
opened was opening a high school and called the Village
School over on the West side. Yeah, and they were
opening a high school, and I remember my wife was
going to apply for, you know, some some sort of position.
Obviously she grew from being you know, part time art
(35:16):
to basically like the second or third command over there.
Marc Vandermeer (35:18):
I mean, she was instrumental in that place.
John Harris (35:20):
And so I remember sitting thinking around, going, you know,
I wonder, you know, male math teachers aren't the easiest
thing to find. I wonder if I offer up, you know,
kind of a part time thing, you know what. They
let me teach in the morning and then I go
to radio in the afternoon, and they were for it,
and so I went right back, and I did it
for a couple of years where I was teaching in
(35:41):
the morning and then I was doing radio in the afternoon.
So it's like one of those things where you never
say never, and you know, it's like with in a lab,
you know that it may not be the last one,
might be. It may not be, you know, may not
be the last time year Drew and I together.
Marc Vandermeer (35:54):
Maybe it may not be.
John Harris (35:55):
You know. It's kind of that that fun thing you
never say never. You never closed doors. And obviously when
you you know, have people you love, you always telling
me you love them, and you're one of those people
that you you were family to me and to the
Harris kids. I know when Jack always came in a building.
There was a time where Jack was coming in to
the building with me a lot. School was not going well,
(36:15):
and I remember you would walk in, Hey Jack, and
Jack was just Jack would just light up. You were
always great with him. So I can imagine these kids
are getting a great one man. And I'm looking forward
to seeing how that goes and what that what that's
like for you. But this podcast has been sometimes you'd
walk in and you're like, you know, like, okay, what
are we gonna do with the podcast? And you're like, yeah,
(36:35):
just just dance with me. I'm like you'll know what
to do. I'm like, okay, all right, let's go then
those that end up being some of the best in
the labs because we would you know, we would redraft,
you know, catchups or you know Texans that could have
gone to other places or came from other places that
should have been Texans, and you know players from the
city of Houston that went to other places that would
(36:57):
be Texans all that. So it was always kind of
fun because it always like peak my creativity and my thought,
you know, about what could be, you know, as opposed
to what was or whatever the case might be.
Marc Vandermeer (37:07):
So it was always really good to do that.
Speaker 6 (37:09):
Okay, so.
Speaker 5 (37:11):
Let's talk about a few of my favorite things what
we used to do together that we did here. So
I loved road trips. Yeah, like when we get some dinner.
Sometimes I didn't. I didn't always go out to dinner
with you guys, because like, yeah, we've got family and
different places. I got friends in it, so I'd meet
up with them blah blah blah blah. Sometimes I just
stay because I have forty eight children at home and
I'm tired, I've got a little bit of a cold,
(37:32):
and I just yeah, what I love. The things I
love the most about road trips was after the game,
getting on the plane plus but the plane because inevitably
i'd either be sitting in your row with you, yeah,
right by you and breaking down what just happened, but
(37:53):
good or bad, you know, and lots of good times
because you've been doing this since you've been with us
since fourteen.
Speaker 6 (38:00):
Good times.
Speaker 5 (38:00):
Lots of bad times too, But I love just like
the behind the scenes, like did you see this, yeah,
fourteen quarterback hits and you know, like going through things
and breaking it down kind of the way you and
I would break down, just and like the little offshoots
and what happened here and this guy said this here
and I heard this.
Speaker 6 (38:20):
And blah blah blah blah blah blah.
Speaker 5 (38:21):
I love that that it was that time right before
takeoff as you brett bag up, you sit down and
just like that sometimes five minutes, sometimes thirty minutes, you know,
put your stuff up and talking the behind the scenes,
like the info and the the kind of the filler
material that you got. Yeah, so rich in those those times.
Speaker 6 (38:43):
I love those.
John Harris (38:44):
It was really the first time on that Sunday or
whatever night were the are night we were playing that you
really kind of let your hair down because you and
I even on the bus to the airport, you and
I would be cranking out some sort.
Speaker 5 (38:57):
Of article like a tyrannosaurce recks, because yeah, like you know,
like just HIPing like this.
Marc Vandermeer (39:02):
Yeah, you know invariably, you know.
Speaker 5 (39:04):
Hope that scene right there that they got Hope that's
the thumbnail for us.
John Harris (39:07):
Yeah, because you're literally just clocking keys and you got
like people nextually you're like you're trying to and you're
trying to send it, and you look, Okay, how much
further do we have to the airport?
Speaker 6 (39:15):
Okay?
John Harris (39:15):
Can I finish this? Okay, I gotta send it? Do
I have wi FI? Who's got? Who's going? So we're
actually working all the way up until literally we were
getting off the bus to get on a plane, and
it's kind of the first moment of like, okay, all right,
what happened? And then you start going through the game
and and parts, you know, the moments of it, and
(39:37):
you know, invariably, you know, we'd be you know, an
hour into the flight and and one of us, you know,
we we might even still be working at that point,
and one of us would kind of nudge the other
like hey, and we'd have this we'll call it game
book and all its stats.
Marc Vandermeer (39:50):
I remember this one.
John Harris (39:51):
We were coming back from Cleveland and fourteen and we'd
beaten Cleveland. There's a lot of things that happened that day,
but what was incredible, unbelievable.
Marc Vandermeer (40:01):
And I remember looking.
John Harris (40:02):
To you and it showed you the statu sheet and
I was like, he's got a number in every column.
Speaker 5 (40:08):
Yeah, it's incredible, I think. And then of course there
was offensive Pender guests. I think at hitting the statistical buffet.
He got yeah, salad, he got jello, he got yeah, right,
it was amazing, got okra, he get everything in the
every statistic in the in the game. But we've talked
about this before on this podcast. But yeah, he Yeah,
that was a fun one.
Marc Vandermeer (40:27):
That was it was that was incredible.
John Harris (40:28):
And so there was those moments on a plane, you know,
and and also there would be moments. I remember in
twenty fifteen, you and I were sitting next to each
other and we were on a plane. We got an email.
A lot of times this happens, we want to play
going to a game. We're going to Jacksonville on twenty fifteen,
and we were sitting next to each other and we
look down because we get the same notice at the
same time and it says JJ Watt.
Marc Vandermeer (40:47):
Is questionable with illness.
John Harris (40:49):
Yeah, and we just looked at each other like we're
we're screwed, Like this is not good. And it was
probably about ten to fifteen minutes later he comes roll
and he at this. At this time, we sat at
the front of the plane. He comes by us. He's
got shades on it. You can just see it, and
we're like, oh god, you know. And it was like
those things that we would see that we knew about.
(41:11):
And I just remember, you know, not looking at each other,
like when we mouthed some bad words to one another.
Marc Vandermeer (41:16):
Went on a field, he played the whole game.
John Harris (41:18):
I remember he puked right out of my shoes after
a j Boyot finished the game with interception.
Marc Vandermeer (41:22):
He puked right on my shoes or right near my shoes,
just like exhausted.
John Harris (41:26):
And it was it was one of his worst statistical games,
but he played really well because that jacks will focused
everything on him. But I remember you and I would
have some of those moments too, sitting on a plane
and just you know, seeing players go by. So what's
Arian Foster wearing today? Oh, he's wearing a you know,
an Indian outfit, and and then Deep would pipe in
and go, yeah that I like that. You know that,
(41:48):
my my husband has that, or I have a friend
that wears that or something like that. I'd be like, okay,
you know. So it was always kind of we always
had those moments planes with. I always thought it was
kind of fun. You'd see a little bit of behind
the scenes stuff.
Marc Vandermeer (42:00):
You know.
Speaker 5 (42:00):
Another thing I loved game days sidelines. I wasn't always
on the sideline road games. Last few years, I was
on the sidelines for home games. Yeah, road games. Every
once in a while, when the Texans would close them out, I.
Speaker 6 (42:17):
Take we take a selfie together, you know.
Speaker 5 (42:19):
Yeah, I think it was I think it was that
bitter bitter the coldest one I've ever been to. You've
been to colder, but the coldest one I've ever been
to was that at Tennessee I think two three years ago, Yeah,
day before Christmas, and that was Yeah, that was a
fun one. And then home games, I just a lot
of times I just come up and stand beside you,
(42:39):
you know, while you're you're watching, I'm watching. But there's
just always fun, you know, being near you on those
game is and then also coming back from practices, I
was enjoyed the conversation. And then every once in a
while we're walking, I'd kind of look over the side
and see you walking, and then I'd start stepping on
every single crack as it would it would erupt your eight,
(43:01):
your your o c D. And you're I still do this,
I go crack it, yeah, yeah, And I get you going.
John Harris (43:08):
I am very I'm very o c D that way,
and so I step over, I step over cracks.
Marc Vandermeer (43:13):
I do not want, uh like cracking my Yeah.
John Harris (43:18):
And so I just remember one day you steping on
all I'm not saying anything at first, and then finally
you said something like, you know, hey, I'm stepping on
these cracks, and I finally was like, you aren't doing it.
Marc Vandermeer (43:27):
On purpose, but doing it. So yeah, it was that.
John Harris (43:33):
He used to like, man, you got me, but yeah,
it was uh and I think that's what what uh.
Marc Vandermeer (43:41):
So life's supposed to be.
John Harris (43:42):
Man, You feel every single emotion every single day, and
the people that make you feel those are the ones
you you keep the closest to you, and you definitely
have been one of those since even before twenty fourteen.
I remember it was funny because when I went to
the initial Bill Obriyant press conference in twenty fourteen, I
remember you.
Marc Vandermeer (43:57):
You came up to me and you were like, Hey,
we're gonna do more analytics. How do you think this
thing goes?
Speaker 5 (44:02):
Like?
Marc Vandermeer (44:02):
You know, knowing that I knew Bill, you know.
John Harris (44:04):
You were trying to that was really kind of the
first time I think we had we maybe met before that,
but we kind of kind of chit chat at that point.
And you know a few months later you were unfortunate
enough to have me in your building, a former former
O'Brien disciple, like near you. But but yeah, it was
always always the the ideas we had in the lab.
Marc Vandermeer (44:22):
You know.
John Harris (44:23):
One of the other things that we got to do
was you know Texas bowls, uh kill Texas kickoffs and
you and I would be up on the board and
that was all. That was always a good time. I
always felt bad for people. You have to see my
big head up there. But we would get texts like
we would get text from people like hey man, I'm
in the building and then they took a picture of
you and I and you know, my wife used to
get those when she was at home, like heym in
(44:44):
the building.
Marc Vandermeer (44:44):
I saw your husband Withdrew, and so I.
Speaker 5 (44:46):
Love that we did probably we did probably twenty games
combined of those and I think half of them either
involved Mike.
Speaker 6 (44:53):
Leech and or Urgerson, which is awesome. I love both.
Speaker 5 (44:57):
Yes, because we I mean we knew you know the game,
you know college football, but I do a lot of
background on those two guys, so it was fun to Yeah,
and the other guys were cool too, that from the
other teams, but Do in particular. We loved those conversations
about and everything that came along with it. So yeah,
(45:20):
go on and on forever, your dear friend. I've loved
doing this. We hope you have have enjoyed watching or
listening to this podcast over the years. It's been a
lot of different things, a lot of weird things, and
I'm gonna miss doing it. It was always a thrill
to do this. It's always a fun part of my week.
And uh, like I said, we might have something cooked
up down the line.
Marc Vandermeer (45:42):
Yeah, you never know.
Speaker 5 (45:43):
I love you very much and I will see you soon.
I know, your friend, You're not gonna We're not We're
not saying goodbye. We're just saying so long right now,
and be safe. Coming back to LA or coming back
and just don't step on any cracks.
Marc Vandermeer (45:58):
Okay, Yeah, I'm so glad that I got up.
John Harris (46:00):
I woke my ass up to in LA because it's
still dark thirty around here. So uh yeah, it was
good man, but I yeah, I appreciate it. And the
first crack that you step on as you're walking down
the hallway, you will have a chuckle thinking of me,
So that's good.
Speaker 5 (46:13):
Indeed, I will all right, this has been in the
Lab presented by Infinity one final.
John Harris (46:18):
Time tomorrow night. Drew will be with Mark to finish
it up on a Friday evening. U and I hate
even saying those words. So with that said, we'll get
to our final segment. We'll go round in the NFL
quickly right here on Texans All Access. All right, we
won final segment of this edition to Texans All Access.
Marc Vandermeer (46:35):
I'm your host, John Harris, Football and a sideline report.
John Harris (46:37):
It'd be a quick one because obviously we had spent
some time with the General John mcclan and Drew dowerty
uh in the final in the Lab on Texans All Access.
Marc Vandermeer (46:45):
Make sure you tune in tomorrow. He'll be on with Mark.
John Harris (46:47):
I'm sure We'll share a lot of memories about Drew's
time with the Texans. Gonna miss him very, very very much,
but I think what he is going on to do
is going to be really cool, and I'm very happy
for him and his family, And that's just one of
the best family. Their family to me, and their family
(47:09):
to a lot of you, because I know a lot
of you have listened to Drew, respecting him for a
very long time, and so we will continue to do
that now. The news came down yesterday and I actually
was in La Los Angeles where I'm visiting my daughter.
The Texans open training camp June twenty third and then
going to the Greenbrier.
Marc Vandermeer (47:26):
Baby. Yes, so excited about this.
John Harris (47:29):
I actually been sitting on that news for about two months,
two and a half months that it was a strong possibility.
Marc Vandermeer (47:36):
It was like, we can do this, we can do it.
John Harris (47:38):
So glad that we can week in Houston, week at
the Greenbrier, week in Houston, a week in Detroit roughly,
and then we'll come back here to just get ready
for the La Rams to start the season.
Marc Vandermeer (47:51):
All Right, It's been a great show.
John Harris (47:52):
Appreciate John McClain forever, love for Drew Doherty for all
of you the same, We'll see all tomorrow and as always,
go Texans.
Welcome to everybody to a Thursday night at Nation of
Texans All Access. I'm your host, John Harris Football and
only Sideline reporter Mark will be back tomorrow night.
Marc Vandermeer (00:10):
But you know it's Thursday night, so that means it's.
John Harris (00:13):
The General John McClain, Hall of Famer with me this evening.
Marc Vandermeer (00:18):
John, How are you doing, my friend?
John Harris (00:20):
John?
John McClain (00:21):
I could not be doing better? Thank you for asking.
John Harris (00:24):
First of all, how is your House documentary moving along?
Any new news on the documentary?
John McClain (00:30):
And do we made our trip to Jimmy Johnson. We've got...
We've got a trip. We go to the Texas High
School Coaches Convention in San Antonio, the way we did
last year, and the Texans will sponsor a panel and
again which I will interview this year. It's Jackie, Cheryl Wade, Phillips,
(00:54):
Michael Bishop, Roberto Garcia and and somebody else. And that
was so much fun last year. And then we're going
to Brady. Brady is fifty miles from Atlanto and that's
big wine country. A lot of people don't know it.
Texas produces wine and santana. Dotson from Houston and Yates
(01:17):
High School and Baylor Sickham. He and his dad have
a winery and Brady his dad, Alphonse, played in the NFL,
and Alphonse was a teammate with the Raiders of Eldridge Dickey,
the greatest PBIL quarterback who died in two thousand. So
we are going to interview Alphonse and he's going to
(01:39):
talk about what happened with Dicky when he went from
Washington High School here to Tennessee State so he could
throw the ball. And al Davis made the first black
quarterback drafted in the first round in sixty eight, and
you wondered, well, why did he do it? He drafted
Kenny Stabler around later, and he already had Darryl Lamonica,
(01:59):
who was the MVP the previous year in George blanded
and al Von's is gonna tell us he did it
to keep him away from Hank Stran. So I can't
wait to tell that story. And this past weekend, John,
I did one of the neatest things I've ever done.
I went to Mobile, invited by Robert Brazil, doctor doom,
ten year linebacker with oilers. Because the city of Mobile
(02:23):
did something every city should do, including Houston. They unveiled
a Hall of Fame walk outside their Convention Center on
the water downtown, in which they have six Hall of
Fame players from a city of one hundred and seventy
nine thousand. Robert's the only football the baseball statues, nine
(02:45):
foot statues Hank Aaron Satchel Page, Sweet Swinging Billy Williams,
Willie McCovey, and Ozzie Smith, all from Mobile and it
was a fundamental event. Sweet Swinging Billy was back. Robert
made a short speech, Robert lives there, spends a lot
of time for here. Erro Campbell came and we just
(03:09):
had so much fun watching Roberts celebrate that great moment.
And one of his good friends is Nolan the Nat Smith.
Nolan was a five foot six hundred and fifty pound
kick returner who came from Tennessee State and played three
years at Tennessee Stree with Eldridge Dickey. And we're bringing
(03:32):
him in here in a couple of weeks, flying him
in so he can talk about Dickey in college, and
then we'll have Alphonse Dodson and one other player talking
about him in the NFL. We could do a separate
documentary on Eldridge Dickey, who was by He was bilingual.
He was Ambidextros and they say could throw a ball
(03:53):
sixty yards left handed even though he played right handed.
So I'm really fired up about that. Tell you what, John,
every fan, every sports fan would ahead a blast going
to Mobile and see what that city has done that
we should do too.
Marc Vandermeer (04:11):
That's really cool.
John Harris (04:12):
Mobile is one of my favorite cities, and not just
because the senior balls there. It when I would travel
with my kids and my wife up to North Carolina,
Mobile a lot of times is a place we would
stop just as okay, it's the first part of our drive,
we stopping Mobile.
Marc Vandermeer (04:25):
But those baseball players you.
John Harris (04:27):
Mentioned, I mean those legends off of Mobile, I mean
that is really really cool, and Robert being mentioned in
that group, that must have been one hell of a trip.
There's no doubt. Now the Texans are going to take
a trip. They're going to the Greenbrier. So we'll be
up there for about four or five days. But training
camp starts on July twenty third, General, so we're less
than a month. And as you get ready, gotta have
(04:48):
a to do list in your mind as you get
ready for training camp. Are there any to dos that
you think about for this team as they go to
training camp. They've got to do these things as they
start training camp and matriculate through training camp.
Marc Vandermeer (05:03):
What are the things you would put on your to
do list for this team? John?
John McClain (05:06):
Before I do a to do list, I like to
point out I thought the Greenbrier was great. Guys. Lewisbourg,
West Virginia, A small town with so many art art
It's an artsy town with great restaurants. Yep, so many
things to do, beautiful mountains everywhere, buller weather and I
(05:27):
am so envious of you guys going. And my wife
Carol said, well, why don't you just go? Cash in
some Marryott Points and United.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
Miles and I talked about I thought about it, and
then I said, now I don't want to be out
of place, and uh, but it's going to be so
much fun.
John McClain (05:46):
I remember, you know they went because Rick Smith wanted
to go. Saints had been three years in a row,
so they went. Bill O'Brien went along with it. Rick left,
Bill didn't want to go back, and I know the
McNair family had a blast. And I told Cal, hey,
you're the owner, you're the boss. Tell them they're going
back every stinking year. But as Cal pouring it out.
(06:11):
They don't tell the coach and the GM what to do,
and so they didn't do it. Obviously, Tomko believes that
you can bond. Were you guys that were up outside
Cleveland last year between games? Demiko got a lot out
of that and he wants to do it again. And
you know, Cleveland, the Greenbrier, Cleveland, the Greenbrier. I'm guessing
(06:36):
people think, well, let's go to the Greenbrier and y'all
are going to have a blast between those games. As
far as the to do list, they got a lot
of things we want to see from players, but none
more so than the offensive line. They're to do things
that they got to do, told Papovich. A new line coach,
(06:56):
Nick Kayleeve, the new coordinator, damn five new they've got
to decide in trading camp in preseason who's going to
be in the starting lineup when the season begins. Now,
injuries will you know, help make those decisions easier. And
you want to think they're going to be better. And
somebody's got to step up and replace Laramie Tunsall. That
(07:18):
should be Cam Robinson. Maybe a right to usury, but
they've got to be as close to as good at
left tackle. Maybe improvements in his schemes will help overcome
their trade of Tunsul to Washington. But do you look
what they did in the off season program, Titus Hour
(07:38):
to right guard for the first time, Blake Fisher right tackle,
Robinson left tackle, left guard, Tomlinson, and in the center
Andrews to me, came out of nowhere. That was I
thought very interesting because only one guy in that line
started to gain for this season in the position which
(07:59):
he was in the off season program, and that of
course would have been Blake Fisher's right tackle, and he's
not guaranteed to be in the right tackle. Everywhere I go,
including in Mobile, and I was a bunch of places
with former Oilers and everybody was talking about two things,
the offensive line and C. J. Stroud and Earl Campbell
(08:23):
told me twice about how impressed he's been with Stroud
on and off the field, and I don't know if
he knows Stroud or not, but he really likes him.
And that narrative that he had an off season and
from people that didn't watch every game and every play
like we did, is kind of preposterous. Peyton Manning came
(08:44):
out and pointed out He's been the playoffs two years
one two playoff games, and I didn't want to playoff
game till the sixth year. And I saw Chris SAMs
last week talk about the problems on offense were all
about the offensive line and not Stroud, and he mentioned
you could see Stroud the Texans in the Super Bowl.
So people nationally are starting to come around and figure
(09:06):
out what happened to things that we already know. Man,
I think if this team were to proved by even
improved by fifty percent in the pass protection, that's not
a lot. You know, they could win eleven or twelve games.
Marc Vandermeer (09:21):
Yeah, no doubt.
John Harris (09:22):
I mean a lot of people are pointed out that
watched the Super Bowl and they're like, man, Matt Patrick
Mahomes ran for his.
Marc Vandermeer (09:27):
Life, and they're like, he was pressured.
John Harris (09:29):
I think on thirty eight percent of his passes that
was Stroud the entire season in twenty twenty four. So
there have been it's been on the right way of
saying this general, but it's been sort of cathartic in
a way to see and hear people talking about Stroud,
like Chris Sims, like Peyton talking Stroud up as opposed
(09:51):
to Oh, the sophomore slump. Yeah, the sophomore slump. Well,
he wasn't the only one having a sophomore slump. Laughter
last year, you're gonna call it that. But I just
felt like there were times in game where when he
took a step back to throw, my first thought was,
oh God, where's the pressure, like it's coming, and then
he still would beat it, especially in Green Bay. He
(10:11):
hitn't got a good throw off all day, and he
makes that throw to Xavier Hutchinson, which should have won
the game. They should have been able to run a
clock out and score, but they weren't able to and
get that win. But I'm glad you brought that up, General,
because it feels like throughout the year there was this
kind of backlash at CJ, and I was like, Man,
if you're really watching, you realize it's not what you
(10:31):
guys think it is.
Marc Vandermeer (10:32):
Let's get it a little bit further. And I think
General in.
John Harris (10:35):
Comment on this, if you will, When the Texans, when
Dimiko Ryan's got rid of Bobby Slowick and moved on
from Chris Strausser, it felt like the Texans were sort
of acknowledging that thing that yet we don't think it
was CJ. We think it was everything really around him
not really giving him the best chance to be as successful.
What are your thoughts about that sort of thought process
(10:56):
that their actions kind of told everybody what they thought
issues really truly were not just CJ.
John McClain (11:03):
Let me take a step back about to do stuff.
Obviously a wide receiver. They have three new ones, two
rookies and a veteran and Christian Kirk. And you hope
Christian Kirk can stay healthy. And when I talk to
him in the off season program, I know what he's
listed at, but he actually looked bigger and he's, you know, thicker.
That's a great way to put it. And I don't
(11:25):
know if he's always looked that way or if he's
worked hard to look that way to try to stay
healthy for a full season. But seeing how the wide
receiver play plays out, who who makes it and who doesn't,
it's meant to break to me for John John Mitchie
the third and so that's going to be exciting as well.
And then can Nick Chubb stand up and come in
(11:50):
and be healthy and seize that backup job. We haven't
seen Damian Peers, and I'm assuming he's recovered from another injury,
but he may have a hard I'm making the team
or maybe if he's healthy, because Sario could get US
six or seven for him. But there's a lot to watch,
(12:10):
especially with the new players, you know, safeties, you know CJ.
Gardner Johnson after what he did winning the Super Bowl,
and I've seen some of the things he says about
he's playing big games and this team needs to learn
how to win big games. And he's exactly right. Those
big games of which you're ahead, like Detroit, you blow it,
(12:30):
or when you're in the playoffs and you have to
go on the road. So there's a lot for everybody
to be fired up about when they report to training camp.
And I'm sorry, what was the second thing you asked me?
John Harris (12:42):
No, just just talking about how Stroud really wasn't what
a lot of national narrative paintings I thought more flump.
John McClain (12:51):
Well, first of all, we don't see him going all
over the country playing in celebrities softball and basketball games
and repeating against Micah Parsons like he did last season.
It seemed like he was all over the place, and
I wonder if he's focused a little bit more on
(13:12):
playing and the new game the new playbook because Nick
Cayley's putting a lot of pressure on him at the
line of scrimage and he you know, he loves that now,
but he's got to prove that he can still handle
it because it's a big deal. That's the way Sean
McVay does his quarterbacks. Matthew Stafford's been in the league
for so long, no doubt he can handle that. So
(13:35):
watching what Stroud does for the mental part is going
to be very intriguing. We know he can play physically,
and he made some great plays last year. When I
see the stat where not only was his sack second most,
he was pressured the first most and from the time
(13:55):
the ball was snapped and at least one lineman was beaten,
they number one in that too, and that number one
is not good. So watching him make the plays he made,
thinking about that, thinking about the ten to seven record,
the butt whipping they put on Jim Rbaugh and the Chargers,
(14:15):
he can't say it was a disappointing season unless you
were predicting them go to the super Bowl, and I
predict them when the division this year, I think they
will run away with the division. And the key is
can Stroud be upright enough to help them get a
home playoff game. Demiko would go crazy. Hear somebody say,
(14:40):
run away with the division and they'll win the wild
card game here. But then the key is have the
divisional game here to see if the Texans could give
Defans a game in an AFC Championship game for the
first ten ins the Oilers after the nineteen seventy nine season,
Are they capable? Yes? One other thing, and this is important,
(15:04):
and this may be the most important thing of all,
because they just let the greatest player in his position lead,
and that's John Weeks, and they've already dumped the guy
that was gonna take his place, so they don't want
that to backfire. Now some guy have a couple of
bad snaps and crucial situations, and usually with Weeks, we
(15:25):
were spoiled. We didn't pay any attention to it, and
now we're gonna be paying attention to the snapper.
John Harris (15:31):
Yeah, there's no question along those lines general, because there
is only one right now.
Marc Vandermeer (15:35):
It's in Brinkman in camp.
John Harris (15:36):
Maybe another one comes in, maybe Addington comes back, who knows,
But this this roster has got some position units that
it's gonna be pretty tough to get to.
Marc Vandermeer (15:47):
Whatever the number.
John Harris (15:48):
Is gonna be running backs four, maybe it's three, receivers
at six, maybe it's five, maybe it's seven.
Marc Vandermeer (15:53):
I don't know.
John Harris (15:55):
But what position do you think is going to be
the most difficult to get the number that they're getting
to that there will be players cut, waved released that
end up finding opportunities with other teams because of the
depth of Texans have, they just can't keep everybody. Which
positions do you think or will you have your eyes
on the most that you think will be the most
(16:16):
difficult cut for Nick and Demiko.
John McClain (16:18):
I think there's no question is the defensive line. If
you go through this roster and the moves that they've
made with defensive linemen, and we all know that the
ends are set and with Daniel Hunter and Will Anderson Junior,
and they got good backups. I'm glad they brought in
(16:38):
Derek Barnett. I want to see what Dylan Norton's gonna
do since he got completely healthy last year in his
third season. And I think they brought in two free
agents and in and you bring back Sheldon Rankins who
played well enough two years ago to get what do
you get like fourteen millions something like that from Cincinnati hurt.
(17:01):
Tim Settle played well. Defensive lineman, specifically, the guys in
the middle played better here then they play other places.
Deniko Autrey's back. You hope he's there for a full season.
Mario Edwards played better here than any of the other
twenty five teams he played for. It's gonna be a
tough cut inside. And then they got some second year
(17:25):
defensive linemen who were on the practice squad. We're going
to see Texans defensive lineman playing against them for other teams.
And one of the reasons that they're as good as
they are. And of course to Miko makes the calls
and they have good coaching. But Matt Burke, the defensive
line coach, I mean, the defensive coordinator, that's his baby.
(17:47):
He was a defensive line coach before he came here
as coordinator and he plays a big role in that.
And I think they're coaching on this side of the
ball is outstanding. And boy, those decisions they make them personnel,
especially if they're all healthy, is going to be the
most difficult by far.
John Harris (18:08):
Yeah, your defensive line, no doubt. I think a lot
of people will have their eyes on receiver. That's gonna
be a hell of a competition. But I know that
do you mention it? The depth on defensive line. I've
said it a few times.
Marc Vandermeer (18:18):
Depth on the defensive line is unlike anything I've ever
seen here.
John Harris (18:21):
I mean, they've got so many bodies that I wouldn't
be surprised to see a player your wave cut and
end up starting somewhere else, you know, in a rotation
or whatever the case might be, that they're that deep
on the defensive line general. I talked to James Palmer,
our good friend, a little bit earlier today, and we
were chatting about defensive as edge rushers. There's Micah Parsons,
(18:43):
There's Trey Hendrickson, and there's.
Marc Vandermeer (18:45):
T J Watt.
John Harris (18:47):
Those three are kind of right now sitting and then
there's even Aiden Hutchinson kind of out there, you know,
could could get an extension of those Which do you
think is the next to sign with his particular team?
Is it Parsons, is it what is it Hendrickson? Or
is it Hutchinson getting an extension.
John McClain (19:07):
They haven't made much noise about Hutchinson because they want
to make sure he can come back one hundred percent
from his jury. Michael Parson's gonna have to be signed
before the season, and but I also think Trey Hendrickson
they'll get that deal done. They've got a chance to
get in the playoffs. They've made some changes on defense,
(19:28):
they got a chance to be a Super Bowl contender
because Joe Burrow and the passing game are incredible. They're
hoping to overcome the slow starts. But what if they
mess around and they don't sign hendricks until after four
games and they start two and two again, and then
they miss the playoffs by one game again, then you
can blame it on the Brown family. And so I
(19:52):
believe they will get Trey Hendrickson done, if not right
before camp, right after camp begins.
John Harris (19:59):
So I'm gonna say, yeah, I think that's the one
I'm going with. It sounds like there is at least
some positive movement.
Marc Vandermeer (20:05):
Uh.
John Harris (20:05):
I think the one that's curious to me is tj
uh And whether you know TJ's you know, as James
pointed out to me. James pointed out that his numbers
are very similar to Miles, and we'll look at what
Miles Garrett con I'm guarantee you TJ is like, wait
a second, mine are pretty similar to him.
Marc Vandermeer (20:21):
Came in the league the same amount of time. So
I think the TJ.
John Harris (20:24):
Watt's gonna be very interesting to watch in Pittsburgh, no
question about that.
John McClain (20:27):
Benchburg John. Pittsburgh doesn't have a lot of holdouts from
its players. They get it done in one advantage. Miles
Garrett has said his team, Uh, he's been able to
rush a lot. He can rush from any place on
the field. TJ, course is a great outside player. And
TJ didn't go public and say he wanted to be traded.
(20:51):
He didn't want to play there anymore, didn't care about
going to the Hall of Fame. All he want to
do was win. He wanted to go somewhere else. But
we'll give you thirty four minute. Oh okay, I'm happy.
I love the Browns. I want to go to Hall
of Fame. And obviously that was orchestrated by him and
his agent. And TJ is not that kind of guy.
(21:12):
But he's going to get paid. The Steelers know he
needs to be paid. He's the most popular player on
that team, the antithesis of Aaron Rodgers. And so they'll
get it done. And now that you mentioned it, I'm
guessing it'll be him or Hendrickson. Hendrickson is due to
make I think sixteen. Supposedly they've offered him twenty eight,
(21:35):
but he wants in the thirties. Not on blaming, but
they could have gotten this deal done months ago and
it would have been cheaper. That's why these teams that
wait it always backfires on him. And that's why it's
so smart for Nick Casserio to sign Derek Stingley Junior
when he did in this off season instead of wait
to say next off season. Can you imagine this time
(21:57):
next off season? People are going to go the world.
Did they get Stanley so cheap?
Marc Vandermeer (22:02):
Yeah, exactly, no doubt. General, I appreciate it, Thank you
very much.
John Harris (22:06):
Thursdays are never the same without you, so I appreciate
you joining me and my friend.
Marc Vandermeer (22:09):
Thank you, John.
John McClain (22:10):
It's my pleasure. Thank you very much.
John Harris (22:12):
Coming up next, we go in the lab the last time.
Drew Dougherty joins me right here at Texans All Access
Chapping everybody, Welcome back to a Thursday edition of Texans
All Access from technically the Hyundaie Texans.
Marc Vandermeer (22:26):
Radio studio moved out West.
John Harris (22:29):
Yes, your boy is out in the City of Angels,
Los Angeles hang with my daughter for her birthday yesterday
turned twenty three, so I have a birthday to her.
Marc Vandermeer (22:37):
But appreciate you being with me this evening. Now. Mark
will be with our next guest tomorrow.
John Harris (22:45):
As my man, Drew Doherty spends his last couple of
days with the Houston Texans. This is as tough in
the Lab to do as there possibly could be. And
you'll actually hear that in my voice early in this one.
Is it kind of hit me. I'm known for a
little while that this was taking place, and I just
(23:06):
was kind of blocking it out, not wanting to think
about it until I had to, and I have to write.
Marc Vandermeer (23:10):
Now my man and Drew Doherty and I doing in.
John Harris (23:12):
The Lab for the last time, technically the last time
right here on Texans All Access.
Speaker 5 (23:17):
Here we go, Hello there, Welcome to in the Lab.
I'm Drew Doherty, You're John Harris, and you are you.
Thank you you for joining us. It's the three of
us here on this little old podcast that John is
coming up on seven years of age. We started this
in twenty eighteen in the season.
Speaker 6 (23:36):
I believe, right, I think I believe it was.
Speaker 5 (23:38):
Yeah, it's like, hey, maybe it was doing this and
maybe it was seventeen. I don't know, maybe it's coming
up on eight years, but nonetheless, and I think it
was seventeen. Anyways. Yeah, point is, we've done this a
long time, almost on a weekly basis. There have been
some times where you know, we miss a few weeks
in some odd spots, but many every week during the season,
(24:01):
most weeks in the off season. And this is the
last one we'll do because I'm leaving. I'm headed to
a new gig where we're shooting this on Thursday, releasing
this on Friday. I am gonna go to my alma mater,
Straight Jesuits, where I graduated high school back in the nineties,
and it's kind of it's not kind of it. It
(24:22):
is a place that shaped who I am. A lot
of what I did TV wise was kind of drawing
on the Shenanigans that I did back then. At s
JET Straight Jesuit Educational Television, That's what I'm gonna be doing.
I'm gonna be running s JET as the director there
and then teaching some history classes, which people around the
Texans joke and that guy's always teaching history.
Speaker 6 (24:42):
He's always lapping.
Speaker 5 (24:44):
So hopefully it's a nice, seamless transition. But I'm really excited.
This is a prayers answered type of situation. I'm gonna
miss you, I'm gonna miss this podcast. I'm go miss
a lot of things about the Texans. But it's just
such a fantastic opportunity. And I've talked to about this
offline with you a bunch, and you've You've been such
an awesome supporter of mine, and I'm pumped. I'm really pumped.
(25:08):
On August fourth is my first day on the job.
August thirteenth will be my first day in the classroom.
So I'm sure shenanigans are going to ensue over the
next few years, and.
Speaker 6 (25:20):
I can't wait.
Speaker 4 (25:21):
Man.
John Harris (25:22):
Yeah, I got a feeling that in a good way,
you'll hear from me on August twelfth, the night before,
because when you think about going to that classroom for
the first time and you see all.
Marc Vandermeer (25:32):
These youthful faces, there'll be that.
John Harris (25:35):
Moment of oh god, yeah, but you know I went Now,
I went through that as a twenty two year old
and and I was teaching some kids that were literally
two years I mean, I taught some kids there are
now fifty and it's kind of mind blowing in the
sense to think back and there's there are so many
(25:56):
things to say and trying say it with UH without
kind of breaking up, which I'm doing now. But when
you came in with this podcast, I'll be honest with you,
I was kind of mad at you. I was like, dude,
I've got like all these radio shows that we're already doing,
Like why the hell are we doing a podcast now?
Marc Vandermeer (26:16):
Like what, what the hell?
John Harris (26:19):
But I was like, you know, it's Drew, so it's
gonna be awesome, So just you know, shut up and
go with it. And the first one that we did
was some incantation of if you could take two former
oilers and put them on the Texans, what would it?
Who would they be? And I like, all of a sudden,
I was in. I was like, okay, this is the
concept of our podcast. We're in, you know, because we
(26:42):
got to geek out and nerd out, and I knew
I would always be happy because I was doing it
with you. But the flip side of that was, you know,
I remember coming home and kind of telling Paige about it.
She's like, well, you know, is is that too much?
They're already asking you to do this this? And this,
and I was like, I was like, babe, it's with Drew,
Like it'll be cool, it'll be fun. It don't feel
like we're just you know, chopping it up about you know,
(27:03):
former drafts, redrafts, you know, comparing foods to superheroes to Texans,
and you know it'll it'll be fun. And I, you know,
I I'm one of those, and I don't. I don't
want to be this way, but I always think about
I don't. I never want to think about the end,
but I do because I think about, like I love
(27:23):
doing this so much, like what's that last episode, Like
you know, what's the last radio show, Like what's the
last game? Like in some sense, and it's it's always
kind of frustrated to.
Marc Vandermeer (27:33):
Think that way. And then you're like, nah, you know
it'll be okay. Just kind of roll with it.
John Harris (27:37):
And then you know, when we had determined, I'm actually
I'm out in La.
Speaker 6 (27:41):
Yeah.
John Harris (27:42):
They came out here for my my daughter's birthday, and
well twofold I came out here for my daughter's birthday.
And then I got hired by Paige Harris Incorporated to
drive all of her painting stuff back, which I have
no no idea, How'm gonna get all that stuff back
in our car because I drove it out of your
four years ago for them to have out here, and
so now I'm driving that car back either way.
Marc Vandermeer (28:03):
So I got it for a double reason. And then.
John Harris (28:07):
You know, you and I had talked because you had
been out, you had been out, and then I came
here and.
Marc Vandermeer (28:12):
So then you send me a text and said, yo,
let's do in the lab.
John Harris (28:15):
And I just remember it hitting me like okay, this
is the last one, and I was like, ah, damn.
So I will hold it together as best I possibly can.
I know you and Mark, you know, are sitting down
on Friday for a segment for Radio. But I'm gonna
play this Thursday on Radio two because it's you and
me and we're the we are the the nexus of
in the lab.
Marc Vandermeer (28:33):
We are the you know, we are in the lab.
John Harris (28:35):
And so I will play this Thursday night after John McClain,
as I typically would do throughout the week. And it
was it was always so much fun doing it. I
don't know if there were times, you know, even in
twenty twenty, twenty twenty one, twenty twenty two, when it
was like.
Marc Vandermeer (28:50):
What is going on?
John Harris (28:52):
And you and I would put on a brave face
and get onto mics and put the cans on and
just start talking about Texans and start talking about wild
stuff with the Texans, and you know, think a dream
of a day when it would get turned around. And
then it started toning twenty twenty three, and you know,
you and I within the lab we started, you know,
we we celebrated that, and it was always it was
always great. I cannot think, and I remember I was
(29:14):
the first one I think that put the bug. And
HI may have had you may have had others, but
I remember when you and I talked, you know, if
you probably a couple of years ago, just you know,
about the future and such. I remember thinking, because I
always think about you know, I spent my first seven
years in private schools, and I always think about, you know,
if somebody came to me with some sweetheart deal and
wanted me to be the head master of a school.
(29:34):
You know, I'd have to put together a staff, and
you know what people would I want on my staff
and all that kind of stuff.
Marc Vandermeer (29:39):
And You've always been one of those people at the
top of my.
John Harris (29:42):
List that I would immediately say, Okay, what would it
take to get you to come over to this school
with me, because there's so many things that you needed
a school and kind of like, you know, you know
JJ Watt in a sense, how many of those can
Drew phill Well, Like if you this and this and
this and this and this, and he's a guy that
I trust in love inherently, so he would be perfect.
And so you know when you you told me that
(30:05):
this opportunity was available for you and that you were taking,
I was just like I I was, I was pumped,
and I was pumped for you. I was pumped for
the kids that you're going to be around every single
day and who they're learning from. It's just it's it's
the perfect fit in my mind for you. I just
you know, hate the fact that you know, you and
(30:27):
I won't be able to do in the lab every
week and amongst other things.
Marc Vandermeer (30:30):
But since we run into lab, we'll start with that one.
Speaker 6 (30:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (30:33):
No, it's uh, it's really funny. It kind of came
about a couple a couple of months ago because my
wife had the great idea. She's like, why don't you
try and do a summer sports media camp, like a
day camp. Yeah, from eight to noon Monday to Friday
one week and you can take some field trips and
(30:54):
you can have some experts talk to the boys, and yeah,
pitch that idea to the folks at Strake Jesuit and
I had a pretty solid list of guests that we
came in and places we got to go and things
that they got to see. And I think that that
got some wheels turning in the minds of the folks
over there, and it all came together pretty quickly in May,
(31:15):
and yeah, I'm headed back and it's it's a it's
a really competitive place. I mean, it was always fast,
who's the smartest, who's the funniest, who's right this, blah
blah blah. So it's gonna be fun to get back there, uh,
you know doing I did the Deer Drew videos there
for a few years, and that was that was s
jet Man. That was was us screwing around back when
(31:36):
I used to interview the homecoming court and we had
them saying goofy inn, you know, goofy thing in the
mid nineties. I mean, it it's really fun. It's really
a great place. And uh, it's changed a lot, as
you would expect over the course of thirst. But it
hasn't shp at all, and that's that's the exciting part
(31:57):
about it for me. So I'm looking forward to going
there and looking forward to meeting, meeting and reconnecting with
some people who were there when I was there, who
taught when I was there.
Speaker 6 (32:06):
And then there's a whole.
John Harris (32:08):
That's that's always a fun one that when you tell
when you walk in, yeah, you know. And here's one
of the things when you when you when you're out
of school, it's always, you know, coach. The coach is
easy because for me, like I call anybody that's a coach,
I call them coach. It's always it's always been coach.
But when I had math teachers, you know missus Han,
(32:29):
you know my English teacher, English teachers, Miss Fhalan, h
Miss Morris, like I would see them as an adult,
like I went to go do a I went to
go do a speech. My my English teacher, Miss Fhalan,
Maxine Phalen was getting a school named after her, and.
Marc Vandermeer (32:44):
I was they were, well, I should say, they were
trying to get her.
John Harris (32:48):
And so they were like, hey, would you come speak
about her for five minutes to the school district, And
that said absolutely.
Marc Vandermeer (32:52):
So I went in.
John Harris (32:53):
I did that. That was in twenty nineteen, so it's
before COVID. So they go this long stretch of time
without she gets to school and they were like, okay,
we're going to dedicate the school in this day. Would
you come out to Richard Rosenberg and you know, dedicate
this or speak to to everybody?
Marc Vandermeer (33:06):
And I said absolutely.
John Harris (33:07):
And I see her and it's like, hey, miss Falen,
and I'm like, you know, here I am, you know,
nearing my fifties and I'm calling my English teachers still,
Miss Faling. You know, I can only imagine what it's
gonna be like to maybe work next to some of
those people that you you know, had called, you know,
mister Hall, miss Jones, and all of a sudden you
got to say, hey, Catherine, you know it's gonna Bewley.
Speaker 6 (33:27):
It's coach Crowley. There's a guy.
Marc Vandermeer (33:28):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (33:29):
He's the closest thing to a big brother.
Marc Vandermeer (33:31):
Uh yeah.
Speaker 5 (33:31):
He was my cross country and track and field coach.
He taught history when I was there. Since then, he's
been the athletic director. He's been the dean of students,
he's taught other classes, he's had of rules. He's the
athletic director again. Now, uh, he was instrumental in making
this all happen. But I called coach Crowley and you
always say that around people there now and they'll kind
(33:53):
of turn their head, like, Coachy, that's my coach. He's
a hell of a coach. Uh, but I think most
of them know him as mister Crowley or yeah, you
know whatever, but as a coach to me. So, I'm
looking forward to getting back, and it's gonna be really
really fun. Still gonna be here on game days. I'll
be up in a press box booth helping out some
(34:14):
of the folks on the game day entertainment side and
nice there, so and you and I are gonna be
I'm gonna be hitting you with random text here and there.
Speaker 6 (34:21):
Oh yeah, Ziper Kate.
Speaker 5 (34:23):
And we might have some other little ventures cooked up
a time or two in the in the field.
Marc Vandermeer (34:28):
Never know, never never know.
John Harris (34:30):
Yeah, it's funny because you you never you never you
never say never.
Marc Vandermeer (34:35):
Yeah.
John Harris (34:35):
I think I learned. I learned that actually at you know,
private school. I remember when I was leaving the private school.
I just remember, uh thinking, you know, okay, that's it.
I'm never never doing that. I remember my wife saying, eh,
you you never know, you never know what might happen.
And so when I got to Houston and started doing
radio in two thousand and seven, I wasn't making a
(34:56):
lot of money with it, and you know, not as
much as I thought I was gonna make. And so
new not new school, but a school that had been
opened was opening a high school and called the Village
School over on the West side. Yeah, and they were
opening a high school, and I remember my wife was
going to apply for, you know, some some sort of position.
Obviously she grew from being you know, part time art
(35:16):
to basically like the second or third command over there.
Marc Vandermeer (35:18):
I mean, she was instrumental in that place.
John Harris (35:20):
And so I remember sitting thinking around, going, you know,
I wonder, you know, male math teachers aren't the easiest
thing to find. I wonder if I offer up, you know,
kind of a part time thing, you know what. They
let me teach in the morning and then I go
to radio in the afternoon, and they were for it,
and so I went right back, and I did it
for a couple of years where I was teaching in
(35:41):
the morning and then I was doing radio in the afternoon.
So it's like one of those things where you never
say never, and you know, it's like with in a lab,
you know that it may not be the last one,
might be. It may not be, you know, may not
be the last time year Drew and I together.
Marc Vandermeer (35:54):
Maybe it may not be.
John Harris (35:55):
You know. It's kind of that that fun thing you
never say never. You never closed doors. And obviously when
you you know, have people you love, you always telling
me you love them, and you're one of those people
that you you were family to me and to the
Harris kids. I know when Jack always came in a building.
There was a time where Jack was coming in to
the building with me a lot. School was not going well,
(36:15):
and I remember you would walk in, Hey Jack, and
Jack was just Jack would just light up. You were
always great with him. So I can imagine these kids
are getting a great one man. And I'm looking forward
to seeing how that goes and what that what that's
like for you. But this podcast has been sometimes you'd
walk in and you're like, you know, like, okay, what
are we gonna do with the podcast? And you're like, yeah,
(36:35):
just just dance with me. I'm like you'll know what
to do. I'm like, okay, all right, let's go then
those that end up being some of the best in
the labs because we would you know, we would redraft,
you know, catchups or you know Texans that could have
gone to other places or came from other places that
should have been Texans, and you know players from the
city of Houston that went to other places that would
(36:57):
be Texans all that. So it was always kind of
fun because it always like peak my creativity and my thought,
you know, about what could be, you know, as opposed
to what was or whatever the case might be.
Marc Vandermeer (37:07):
So it was always really good to do that.
Speaker 6 (37:09):
Okay, so.
Speaker 5 (37:11):
Let's talk about a few of my favorite things what
we used to do together that we did here. So
I loved road trips. Yeah, like when we get some dinner.
Sometimes I didn't. I didn't always go out to dinner
with you guys, because like, yeah, we've got family and
different places. I got friends in it, so I'd meet
up with them blah blah blah blah. Sometimes I just
stay because I have forty eight children at home and
I'm tired, I've got a little bit of a cold,
(37:32):
and I just yeah, what I love. The things I
love the most about road trips was after the game,
getting on the plane plus but the plane because inevitably
i'd either be sitting in your row with you, yeah,
right by you and breaking down what just happened, but
(37:53):
good or bad, you know, and lots of good times
because you've been doing this since you've been with us
since fourteen.
Speaker 6 (38:00):
Good times.
Speaker 5 (38:00):
Lots of bad times too, But I love just like
the behind the scenes, like did you see this, yeah,
fourteen quarterback hits and you know, like going through things
and breaking it down kind of the way you and
I would break down, just and like the little offshoots
and what happened here and this guy said this here
and I heard this.
Speaker 6 (38:20):
And blah blah blah blah blah blah.
Speaker 5 (38:21):
I love that that it was that time right before
takeoff as you brett bag up, you sit down and
just like that sometimes five minutes, sometimes thirty minutes, you know,
put your stuff up and talking the behind the scenes,
like the info and the the kind of the filler
material that you got. Yeah, so rich in those those times.
Speaker 6 (38:43):
I love those.
John Harris (38:44):
It was really the first time on that Sunday or
whatever night were the are night we were playing that you
really kind of let your hair down because you and
I even on the bus to the airport, you and
I would be cranking out some sort.
Speaker 5 (38:57):
Of article like a tyrannosaurce recks, because yeah, like you know,
like just HIPing like this.
Marc Vandermeer (39:02):
Yeah, you know invariably, you know.
Speaker 5 (39:04):
Hope that scene right there that they got Hope that's
the thumbnail for us.
John Harris (39:07):
Yeah, because you're literally just clocking keys and you got
like people nextually you're like you're trying to and you're
trying to send it, and you look, Okay, how much
further do we have to the airport?
Speaker 6 (39:15):
Okay?
John Harris (39:15):
Can I finish this? Okay, I gotta send it? Do
I have wi FI? Who's got? Who's going? So we're
actually working all the way up until literally we were
getting off the bus to get on a plane, and
it's kind of the first moment of like, okay, all right,
what happened? And then you start going through the game
and and parts, you know, the moments of it, and
(39:37):
you know, invariably, you know, we'd be you know, an
hour into the flight and and one of us, you know,
we we might even still be working at that point,
and one of us would kind of nudge the other
like hey, and we'd have this we'll call it game
book and all its stats.
Marc Vandermeer (39:50):
I remember this one.
John Harris (39:51):
We were coming back from Cleveland and fourteen and we'd
beaten Cleveland. There's a lot of things that happened that day,
but what was incredible, unbelievable.
Marc Vandermeer (40:01):
And I remember looking.
John Harris (40:02):
To you and it showed you the statu sheet and
I was like, he's got a number in every column.
Speaker 5 (40:08):
Yeah, it's incredible, I think. And then of course there
was offensive Pender guests. I think at hitting the statistical buffet.
He got yeah, salad, he got jello, he got yeah, right,
it was amazing, got okra, he get everything in the
every statistic in the in the game. But we've talked
about this before on this podcast. But yeah, he Yeah,
that was a fun one.
Marc Vandermeer (40:27):
That was it was that was incredible.
John Harris (40:28):
And so there was those moments on a plane, you know,
and and also there would be moments. I remember in
twenty fifteen, you and I were sitting next to each
other and we were on a plane. We got an email.
A lot of times this happens, we want to play
going to a game. We're going to Jacksonville on twenty fifteen,
and we were sitting next to each other and we
look down because we get the same notice at the
same time and it says JJ Watt.
Marc Vandermeer (40:47):
Is questionable with illness.
John Harris (40:49):
Yeah, and we just looked at each other like we're
we're screwed, Like this is not good. And it was
probably about ten to fifteen minutes later he comes roll
and he at this. At this time, we sat at
the front of the plane. He comes by us. He's
got shades on it. You can just see it, and
we're like, oh god, you know. And it was like
those things that we would see that we knew about.
(41:11):
And I just remember, you know, not looking at each other,
like when we mouthed some bad words to one another.
Marc Vandermeer (41:16):
Went on a field, he played the whole game.
John Harris (41:18):
I remember he puked right out of my shoes after
a j Boyot finished the game with interception.
Marc Vandermeer (41:22):
He puked right on my shoes or right near my shoes,
just like exhausted.
John Harris (41:26):
And it was it was one of his worst statistical games,
but he played really well because that jacks will focused
everything on him. But I remember you and I would
have some of those moments too, sitting on a plane
and just you know, seeing players go by. So what's
Arian Foster wearing today? Oh, he's wearing a you know,
an Indian outfit, and and then Deep would pipe in
and go, yeah that I like that. You know that,
(41:48):
my my husband has that, or I have a friend
that wears that or something like that. I'd be like, okay,
you know. So it was always kind of we always
had those moments planes with. I always thought it was
kind of fun. You'd see a little bit of behind
the scenes stuff.
Marc Vandermeer (42:00):
You know.
Speaker 5 (42:00):
Another thing I loved game days sidelines. I wasn't always
on the sideline road games. Last few years, I was
on the sidelines for home games. Yeah, road games. Every
once in a while, when the Texans would close them out, I.
Speaker 6 (42:17):
Take we take a selfie together, you know.
Speaker 5 (42:19):
Yeah, I think it was I think it was that
bitter bitter the coldest one I've ever been to. You've
been to colder, but the coldest one I've ever been
to was that at Tennessee I think two three years ago, Yeah,
day before Christmas, and that was Yeah, that was a
fun one. And then home games, I just a lot
of times I just come up and stand beside you,
(42:39):
you know, while you're you're watching, I'm watching. But there's
just always fun, you know, being near you on those
game is and then also coming back from practices, I
was enjoyed the conversation. And then every once in a
while we're walking, I'd kind of look over the side
and see you walking, and then I'd start stepping on
every single crack as it would it would erupt your eight,
(43:01):
your your o c D. And you're I still do this,
I go crack it, yeah, yeah, And I get you going.
John Harris (43:08):
I am very I'm very o c D that way,
and so I step over, I step over cracks.
Marc Vandermeer (43:13):
I do not want, uh like cracking my Yeah.
John Harris (43:18):
And so I just remember one day you steping on
all I'm not saying anything at first, and then finally
you said something like, you know, hey, I'm stepping on
these cracks, and I finally was like, you aren't doing it.
Marc Vandermeer (43:27):
On purpose, but doing it. So yeah, it was that.
John Harris (43:33):
He used to like, man, you got me, but yeah,
it was uh and I think that's what what uh.
Marc Vandermeer (43:41):
So life's supposed to be.
John Harris (43:42):
Man, You feel every single emotion every single day, and
the people that make you feel those are the ones
you you keep the closest to you, and you definitely
have been one of those since even before twenty fourteen.
I remember it was funny because when I went to
the initial Bill Obriyant press conference in twenty fourteen, I
remember you.
Marc Vandermeer (43:57):
You came up to me and you were like, Hey,
we're gonna do more analytics. How do you think this
thing goes?
Speaker 5 (44:02):
Like?
Marc Vandermeer (44:02):
You know, knowing that I knew Bill, you know.
John Harris (44:04):
You were trying to that was really kind of the
first time I think we had we maybe met before that,
but we kind of kind of chit chat at that point.
And you know a few months later you were unfortunate
enough to have me in your building, a former former
O'Brien disciple, like near you. But but yeah, it was
always always the the ideas we had in the lab.
Marc Vandermeer (44:22):
You know.
John Harris (44:23):
One of the other things that we got to do
was you know Texas bowls, uh kill Texas kickoffs and
you and I would be up on the board and
that was all. That was always a good time. I
always felt bad for people. You have to see my
big head up there. But we would get texts like
we would get text from people like hey man, I'm
in the building and then they took a picture of
you and I and you know, my wife used to
get those when she was at home, like heym in
(44:44):
the building.
Marc Vandermeer (44:44):
I saw your husband Withdrew, and so I.
Speaker 5 (44:46):
Love that we did probably we did probably twenty games
combined of those and I think half of them either
involved Mike.
Speaker 6 (44:53):
Leech and or Urgerson, which is awesome. I love both.
Speaker 5 (44:57):
Yes, because we I mean we knew you know the game,
you know college football, but I do a lot of
background on those two guys, so it was fun to Yeah,
and the other guys were cool too, that from the
other teams, but Do in particular. We loved those conversations
about and everything that came along with it. So yeah,
(45:20):
go on and on forever, your dear friend. I've loved
doing this. We hope you have have enjoyed watching or
listening to this podcast over the years. It's been a
lot of different things, a lot of weird things, and
I'm gonna miss doing it. It was always a thrill
to do this. It's always a fun part of my week.
And uh, like I said, we might have something cooked
up down the line.
Marc Vandermeer (45:42):
Yeah, you never know.
Speaker 5 (45:43):
I love you very much and I will see you soon.
I know, your friend, You're not gonna We're not We're
not saying goodbye. We're just saying so long right now,
and be safe. Coming back to LA or coming back
and just don't step on any cracks.
Marc Vandermeer (45:58):
Okay, Yeah, I'm so glad that I got up.
John Harris (46:00):
I woke my ass up to in LA because it's
still dark thirty around here. So uh yeah, it was
good man, but I yeah, I appreciate it. And the
first crack that you step on as you're walking down
the hallway, you will have a chuckle thinking of me,
So that's good.
Speaker 5 (46:13):
Indeed, I will all right, this has been in the
Lab presented by Infinity one final.
John Harris (46:18):
Time tomorrow night. Drew will be with Mark to finish
it up on a Friday evening. U and I hate
even saying those words. So with that said, we'll get
to our final segment. We'll go round in the NFL
quickly right here on Texans All Access. All right, we
won final segment of this edition to Texans All Access.
Marc Vandermeer (46:35):
I'm your host, John Harris, Football and a sideline report.
John Harris (46:37):
It'd be a quick one because obviously we had spent
some time with the General John mcclan and Drew dowerty
uh in the final in the Lab on Texans All Access.
Marc Vandermeer (46:45):
Make sure you tune in tomorrow. He'll be on with Mark.
John Harris (46:47):
I'm sure We'll share a lot of memories about Drew's
time with the Texans. Gonna miss him very, very very much,
but I think what he is going on to do
is going to be really cool, and I'm very happy
for him and his family, And that's just one of
the best family. Their family to me, and their family
(47:09):
to a lot of you, because I know a lot
of you have listened to Drew, respecting him for a
very long time, and so we will continue to do
that now. The news came down yesterday and I actually
was in La Los Angeles where I'm visiting my daughter.
The Texans open training camp June twenty third and then
going to the Greenbrier.
Marc Vandermeer (47:26):
Baby. Yes, so excited about this.
John Harris (47:29):
I actually been sitting on that news for about two months,
two and a half months that it was a strong possibility.
Marc Vandermeer (47:36):
It was like, we can do this, we can do it.
John Harris (47:38):
So glad that we can week in Houston, week at
the Greenbrier, week in Houston, a week in Detroit roughly,
and then we'll come back here to just get ready
for the La Rams to start the season.
Marc Vandermeer (47:51):
All Right, It's been a great show.
John Harris (47:52):
Appreciate John McClain forever, love for Drew Doherty for all
of you the same, We'll see all tomorrow and as always,
go Texans.
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