Texans Steal Rival's Star

Ed Reed instantly makes J.J. Watt even better: Power shifts in AFC with genius Rick Smith signing

Doubt Rick Smith at your own risk.

After nearly two weeks of near panic from Houston Texans fans — and an outright plea from this very columnist — Smith showed why he's one of the best general managers in all of professional sports, reeling in the difference-making free agent Houston's NFL team desperately needs. Ed Reed is set to become a Texan.

His Wednesday night signing sends shock waves from Baltimore to New England and instantly makes J.J. Watt even better. The already dominant 23-year-old Watt will now be able to get first-hand leadership lessons from one of the fiercest defensive generals in recent football history.

Texans coach Gary Kubiak urged Watt to take on even more of a leadership role in the defensive end's exit interview after that second round playoff loss to New England — and now Watt has a great example to look to in that department.

The already dominant Watt will now get first-hand leadership lessons from one of the NFL's all-time fiercest defensive generals.

Make no mistake, this win-move now should also pay off in the future long after the 34-year-old Reed's best days are behind him.

And Reed figures to be plenty potent on the field for the next two seasons at least, adding another ballhawk, turnover creator to a Wade Phillips defense that already has Watt and safety Danieal Manning wreaking havoc. That safety combination of Reed and Manning instantly becomes one of the most feared duos in the league.

Think opposing wide receivers will be hearing footsteps against this revamped Bulls On Parade secondary? Hold onto the football or else.

The timing on the move must make it even sweeter in a way for the ever calculating, ever patient Smith. It comes less than 24 hours after the Houston Chronicle emphatically declared that Reed and the Texans were "not close on a deal." It comes less than 12 hours after Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti went on the NFL Network and haughtily said "we have him" when asked his thoughts on Reed resigning with his team.

Oops! Rick Smith did it again.

CBS Sports NFL insider Jason La Canfora first broke the news of the Texans landing Reed on Twitter. Other outlets then tried to take credit for La Confora's story. And it's the story in Houston.

Think opposing wide receivers will be hearing footsteps? Hold onto the football or else.

Sorry Rockets, your near big blowout and eventual win over the Utah Jazz is instantly relegated to a nice sidenote. The Texans — clearly the team in Houston — are making a big play.

This time Smith outmaneuvered Ozzie Newsome, maybe the opposing general manager he respects most to get Reed. This move alone doesn't instantly make the Texans better than they were with Glover Quin and Connor Barwin, but Smith is just getting started. He has plenty of draft picks to mine and if he can turn one of those into a difference-making wide receiver to complement Andre Johnson, the Texans will be a much more fearsome threat to the likes of the Patriots, the Broncos and those Reed-missing Ravens.

For more on why this is a move the Texans had to make, read my full column from earlier today that argued Smith needed to up it a notch to land Reed. And Smith did up the Texans' initial $4 million per year offer, giving Reed the chance to make more than $5 million a season.

Of course, Rick Smith got it done in the end. Should anyone be surprised?

Ed Reed is a Texan.

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pucker up

Growing pickleball franchise smashes into Houston with 2 locations

Two men play pickleball on a Picklr court.

Photo courtesy of The Picklr

A Picklr court campus similar to the ones soon to open in Houston.

Pickleball is one of the hottest sports sweeping the nation, and one of the biggest names in the game is setting up two new facilities in Houston. Picklr is scheduled to open indoor sports campuses in Cypress and The Woodlands in the coming months.

“Bringing a pickleball facility to Cypress will not only provide a fun and engaging recreational outlet for residents of all ages, but will also foster a sense of community and promote a healthy and active lifestyle,” said Steve Nguyen, owner of The Picklr Cypress.“This facility will serve as a vibrant hub for social interaction, skill development, and friendly/competitive competition, enhancing community bonds and offering a welcoming space for everyone to enjoy.”

Although the game is approximately 60 years old, pickleball saw a massive spike in popularity following the pandemic when people were looking for fun group activities with easy points of entry. Though a racket sport like tennis, it is far easier and slower thanks to using perforated balls, smaller courts, and lighter paddles. This means the game is open to players of all ages, and was originally most popular with retirees. Now, there are roughly 5 million players across America, with players under 24 making up the majority. Houston even has its own professional team, the Hammers (not the Texas Hammer; that's this guy).

The court in Cypress will be located in the old ASI Gymnastics building at 8920 Barker Cypress. It's a relatively modest facility with only six courts including a practice court. By contrast, The Woodlands location will be much more opulent. At 66,517 square feet, it will have 20 courts, 4 private event spaces (one with an exclusive viewing area), as well as a shower, changing room, dry bar, and kitchenette. Picklr The Woodlands will be located at 16590 Interstate I-45 South.

These locations are the first for Picklr in Houston. They have twelve locations all throughout Texas, including in Round Rock and McKinney, and many more nationwide. Picklr locations operate on a membership model similar to a gym. Memberships run $159 a month for adults and $89 for minors, with unlimited access to open play, league play, and tournaments , as well as four free clinics a month. Additional coaching is available.

There is currently no set opening date for the two Houston-area Picklrs. Players interested in learning more may sign up for updates at ThePicklr.com.

pickleball openings