Friday Linkdump and Videos (incl. Hot MLB wives)

- Good read from Calvin Watkins of Fanhouse on Steve Slaton's emergence. Slaton vs. Bush comparison as well.

- Paul Kuharsky, who was in H-Town for the joint Texans-Saints practices, gives his Camp Confidential on the Texans. Disagree on newcomer to watch - has to be Barwin or Cushing.

- This will be discussed on SportsRadio 610 today - guaranteed. Baseball Babes.


- Attention Texans Fans...Get your Bea Arthur posters ready for Thomas Jones at the season opener. Golden Girls?!? Really?!?

- Hard to believe the Raiders aren't winning more. Look at the great things they've been up to...just in the last 6 years!!!

- Michael Vick is on Facebook. Join Tony Dungy, Suge Knight & Sal Paolantonio as his friends.

- So how do you think the phone call from Chipper's dad went on this story from their Double Dime Ranch?

- Because college kids, especially college kids who are rabid college-football fans simply don't have enough reasons to get sloshed.

- Open mouth, insert foot. Take two. Jemele Hill - good writer, not so much good on TV. If Skip seems smart when debating with you, then you are the problem. (Remember her "first take" of insensitive writing that got her in trouble.)

- Mel Kiper's Big Board for 2010 has arrived. Sam Bradford - check, Colt McCoy - check. Fellow Heisman candidate conspicuously absent - check. It is a draft board, not a college performance ranking. But still, there's no way Thom Brennaman will stand for this! See below.

- Houston Dynamo signed a new player yesterday. You may have never heard of him. But get ready to see something special.

- Talked about the cheater...errr...rule skirter...John Calipari...Here's a good write-up from MSNBC

- MORE COMING - tune in for more on this on the show tonight 6-9p on SportsRadio 610.

Taking the Green from Green

Fans have been calling for Ahman Green's head since he limped through his first season in Houston, taking millions from the team and playing in just 6 games - finishing none of them. Then the animosity ramped up and the patience ran out when he was injured after his one and only snap of the preseason. The Texans essentially cut their losses now that they have convinced Green to restructure his contract.
Now Green is basically gets paid to play, instead of last year when he got paid and didn't have to play. It could cost the team more hard dollars ($3 million vs. $2.5), but the only way that happens now is if Green is healthy and contributing; i.e. doing the job he was signed to do. See the Texans know what they are doing.
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Very disappointed in the HBO crew over at Hard Knocks. The series on the Cowboys is once again outstanding, but they've got nearly an hour to work with each episode and it's supposed to be a show about life in football in training camp. The ups and down of a game of hard knocks. So why nothing regarding the career-ending injury for Harry Williams? No mention of it whatsover. As if it never happened. Very poor.
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ON THE SHOW
- no show tonight, instead it's the Texans-Buccaneers football. On the Countdown to Kickoff, which starts at 4pm, we'll have interviews with Steve Slaton, Eric Winston and secondary coach Jon Hoke. Also our usual visits with head coach Gary Kubiak and GM Rick Smith.
- Time for some NFL player prop bets. Bodog's got 'em for every team. Best one?
Will Tom Brady be engaged to Giselle Bundchen by the end of 2008?

Any wager after outcome becomes public knowledge will be graded no action. Announcement must be made by December 31st for yes option to be graded a winner. Max $100
- Several of the opening weekend Big 12 games are PPV games, including Texas vs. Florida Atlantic. If you don't catch the game Saturday night on the tube or on SportsRadio 610 then FSN Southwest has scheduled two one-hour condensed replays of the game on Sunday, Aug. 31 at 9:00 am CT and Monday, Sept 1 at 1:00pm CT as part of its BIG NO HUDDLE series which will feature condensed telecasts of Big 12 games throughout the season.