Jeremy Lin & J.J. Watt Bond
Jeremy Lin breaks bread with an NFL superstar: Milwaukee meeting turns into a Houston sports summit
Some of the biggest superstars in Houston sports met in Milwaukee for a dinner that shows why many athletes love to play in the Bayou City.
Jeremy Lin, Chandler Parsons and Omri Casspi of Houston Rockets and J.J. Watt and Brooks Reed of the Houston Texans got together at a sushi restaurant in Milwaukee Friday night. With the Rockets in town to play the hapless Bucks and Watt back in his home state training (and playing some ice golf) with his buddy Reed, the groups made a point of getting together.
This cross sport buddying up is something that's one of the hallmarks of Houston's professional sports scene.
J.J. Watt loves to spread the love to Houston's other sports teams. He regularly wears Astros gear, whether it's new style or old school Craig Biggio.
Athlete after athlete has noted how Houston often feels like biggest small town in America to them rather than an imposing, impersonal mammoth city. Much of this view centers on how athletes from different pro sports intermingle in H-Town, often making it all seem like one giant team rather than the divided fiefdoms that categorize many cities' pro sports scenes.
Few athletes embrace this unique Houston trend with more passion than Watt.
The Texans star loves to spread the love to Houston's other sports teams. He regularly wears Houston Astros gear, whether it's new style or old school Craig Biggio. Heck, he threw out the first pitch at the Astros home opener last year (just a little 85 MPH fastball). He sits in the front row for Houston Dynamo games. He makes the Toyota Center rounds for the Rockets.
If it's a Houston sports, J.J. Watt is all in. Even if it's just a nice dinner.
"Didn't know sushi was so good in Wisconsin," Parsons tweeted about the meet-up.
There's no word on who picked up the check at this mega sports summit. Just the idea of Lin — one of the most recognizable athletes on the planet — and Watt — unquestionably now the biggest single star in all of Houston sports (sorry James Harden) — comparing notes is quite the image.
Whatever was said sure didn't hurt.
Lin put up 18 points and four assists in only 27 minutes the next night against the Bucks as the Rockets won their fifth straight. J.J. Watt surely approved.
It was a good trip for Team Houston.