Sizing up the competition

Sunday's cutest players: Prep for Puppy Bowl VIII with game-day analysis forfans and fantasy players

Football’s biggest event of the year is almost upon us. Puppy Bowl VIII airs this Sunday at 2 p.m. on Animal Planet. Saying this year’s bowl is going to be huge would be an understatement after last year's incredible final seconds (see the video posted above).

Of course, the kitty halftime show is back with 20 of the country’s top kitten cheerleaders taking the stage. The Piggy Pep Squad will make their debut along with Meep the bird, who will be live-tweeting all the action. Plus, most importantly, the nation’s top puppy athletes will be vying for the championship in Animal Planet Stadium.

My money is on Hunter the boxer from Ohio. You can see in his eyes the determination to be a legend.

Animal Planet released the starting line-up revealing 20 impressive pups. I’ve studied the line-up hard, literally staring at some of these puppies for hours. Fantasy Puppy Bowl nerds, get your pencils out: Here’s my inside scoop on who’s going to make a splash in Puppy Bowl VIII.

Everyone’s worried about the wild pack from Philadelphia this year. Being called the Philadelphia Four, you have Malie, Lucie, Hollie and Brandy all representing the City of Brotherly Love. The crew of collies, pit bulls and mixes have a very tight friendship. Will this be their downfall? I am worried the four will spend too much time wrestling with each other and not enough time getting the ball to the end zone.

The inspirational story of the year goes to Basin, the pug and Jack Russell terrier mix. Although Jack Russells often perform well in sporting events, pugs are not known for their athletic ability. Being picked last in school never got in Basin’s way of chasing his dream. Pugs and Jack Russells everywhere will surely be cheering for him. Look for his uplifting life story in theaters next fall.

Picking a Puppy Bowl MVP is never easy. Last year, proving size doesn’t matter, C.B. took the award home. This year I believe it will be a return to brawn. My money is on Hunter, the boxer from Ohio. You can see in his eyes the determination to be a legend. MVP recognition wouldn’t hurt his future political career, either.

Maggie MacDonald, the medical director of Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter, thinks one of the Philadelphia Four will be taking the award home. “I like Hollie's chance for MVP because she is a Border Collie Mix,” Maggie predicts. “Border Collies are the most intelligent breed, and I imagine she’s got some tactical skills up her sleeve.”

Tell us: Who do you think will be MVP — Most Valuable Pup?

rock on

Native Houstonian brings Austin-based climbing gym to the East End

A climbing wall at Crux Climbing Center

Photo courtesy of Crux Climbing Center

One of the many climbing walls at Crux.

Crux Climbing Center, one of Austin's best indoor bouldering and climbing gyms, opened its first Houston location in September and is hosting a grand opening celebration this weekend.

"As a native Houstonian, bringing Crux to the Bayou City has always been a part of the long-term vision," said native Houstonian, CEO, and co-founder Kevin Goradia. "Crux is a community-oriented climbing gym, and our decision to open our first out-of-market location at The Plant was largely inspired by Concept Neighborhood’s plans to create a walkable neighborhood that truly integrates the local community.”

Goradia — the son of Houston petrochemical billionaire Vijay Goradia — co-founded the first Crux in South Austin in 2016 after being dissatisfied with the offerings at other climbing gyms. Crux has almost everything a climber could want, including bouldering, training boards, a spray wall, strength training, fitness and yoga classes, saunas, locker rooms, a Kids Cave, lounge space and a retail shop.

The gym flourished in the post-COVID physical activity boom as more people looked for both exercise and social interaction following the lockdowns. The community aspect of Crux is very important to Goradia. When he was diagnosed with cancer in January 2023, he credits the support he had through the climbing scene in Austin as a major factor in his eventual recovery.

Now, he's bringing that to Houston, a city where indoor-climbing is booming. The exceptional flat city has few natural climbing spots, which would be arduous even if they existed thanks to the heat. Instead, the last twenty years have seen an explosion of massive, indoor facilities like inSPIRE, Momentum, and now Crux.

The grand opening event will take place at the 21,000-square-foot gym space located at The Plant (3100 Canal St.) on Saturday, October 10 from 2-8 pm. This is more than just a few grab bags and a chance to do some climbing. Native Houstonian, CEO, and co-founder, Kevin Goradia is pulling out all the stops with a full vendor fair offering art, jewelry, and vintage items.

The climbing will be a great way to work off the calories from some of the food partners. Cheaters Creamery and Sinfull Bakery will both be handing out treats, and Miguelitos Grill will be serving fresh-off-the-grill quesadillas that can be washed down with beer from St. Arnold's Brewery for the 21-and-up crowd. There will even be free tattoos from 13 Goats.

And, of course, there will be climbing. Throughout the event Crux is offering BOGO deals and raffles. The event itself is free, so this is a great opportunity to get a look at what made Crux stand out in Austin.

Loading...