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    Beyond the Boxscore

    Wade gets his way: Whitney Mercilus gives Texans a nasty Julius Peppers wannabe

    Chris Baldwin
    Apr 27, 2012 | 1:02 am
    • Whitney Mercilus loves to get after quarterbacks.
    • Wade Phillips
      Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com
    • Rick Smith

    The way Wade Phillips figures it, the Houston Texans landed a 2013 Top 10 pick. Only, they did it in 2012.

    That's how high Phillips is on Whitney Mercilus, the Illinois outside linebacker the Texans grabbed with the 26th pick in a wild, trade-happy first round of the NFL Draft. Mercilus' doubters call him a one-year wonder, a flash who hasn't proven he has any staying power. Phillips looks at it differently. The defensive coordinator who changed everything for the Texans believes that general manager Rick Smith swooped in on a player whose stock would have inevitably risen.

    "If he had (come back) and played another year, he probably would have been in the Top 10," Phillips says on a Thursday night at Reliant Stadium that turns into another Wade night. "He'd have been Top 10 in the league. If he did the same thing another year, he'd be a Top 10 pick. Without a doubt."

     

    " They say 'One-year wonder,' " Wade Phillips says. "But I wonder why they didn't play him the year before." 

    What Mercilus did as a junior at Illinois is lead the nation in sacks (16) and come up one short of the single-season NCAA record for forced fumbles with nine. Many mock drafts projected that the Chicago Bears would grab Mercilus with the 19th pick. Instead, the Texans patiently waited and watched another toy for the mad scheming Phillips fall right into their laps.

    "When I signed my contract with Mr. (Bob) McNair, he said we could get a first round player on defense every year," Phillips cracks. "That's part of it."

    One could debate that the Texans need another play-making wide receiver more. Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill is starting to look more and more like one of those dropping steals after his first night green room stay went for naught. But it's hard to argue with a pick that Phillips believes in this much, especially not after what Smith and Phillips pulled off with J.J. Watt and Brooks Reed last year.

    And it's hard not to like Mercilus even more once you hear him on the phone.

    "It means they play nasty," he says of the Texans' ranking No. 2 in the NFL in total defense last season. Later, Mercilus goes into how that fits his own defensive personality.

    "I'm nasty," he says. "I get after the passer. I'm not going to give up. I give 110 percent all day, every day."

    There's some natural doubt over whether the newest Texan always did that of course. When this type of player starts only two games as a sophomore in 2010 for an Illinois team that didn't exactly dominate the Big Ten with its talent, flags are raised.

    Phillips doesn't care.

    "They say 'One-year wonder,' " Phillips says. "But I wonder why they didn't play him the year before."

    What the heck was that since-fired Illinois staff thinking?

     The Bold, Patient Move

    This pick seems to have the fingerprints of Rick Smith all over it rather than the more conservative, safe Gary Kubiak touch. Smith and Kubiak can talk about how they work together all they want. But in the end, you have to think one push matters more.

    Phillips says that the Texans considered moving up from 26 with the aim of landing Mercilus. On a night when everyone else seemed to move (eight trades in all), it had to be tempting. Instead Smith gambled and still got a player Phillips loves.

    "He's like a guy we have," Phillips says. "And that’s why we really liked him. He’s a smart player. He’s athletic. He’s tough and physical, but he’s a self-starter, a high-motor guy that plays with ability. You want those high-motor guys."

    Phillips talked about a high motor when he raved about J.J. Watt after last year's draft. It's insanely unfair to expect Mercilus to have anything close to the same impact. After all, Watt was a much higher pick (No. 11 overall) and he ended up playing like a Top 3 pick (despite my well-documented doubts — yes, I thought it was a major mistake not to take Nick Fairley instead). Watt and Mercilus also play completely different positions, have different roles.

    You don't get two J.J. Watts. Mercilus is not the next Mario Williams either, despite the inevitable link.

     

      This pick seems to have the fingerprints of Rick Smith all over it rather than the more conservative, safe Gary Kubiak touch. 

    But Phillips will still let Mercilus loose. Phillips himself brought up Reed and Connor Barwin as more apt comparisons for Mercilus. Those two might have been second-round picks, but they've played like first rounders. If you get the same from the 26th pick in the draft, you can't feel bad about that.

    Mercilus just might have more upside than that too.

    He name drops Julius Peppers and Dwight Freeney — only two of the most devastating pass rushers in recent NFL history — himself. Why aim low?

    Mercilus has already shown his toughness by coming back from losing part of his left index finger in a scary weight-lifting accident at Illinois. He doesn't figure to be intimidated by the NFL's big stage. He wasn't invited to Radio City Music Hall's major stage for the draft. Instead, Mercilus watched things back in Akron, Ohio, — the land of LeBron — with family and friends.

    On a night when Texas' other NFL team made a bold move to jump from No. 14 to No. 6 and take the cornerback they hope is the next Patrick Peterson, the Texans sat back and waited their turn. Waited as long as the franchise has ever waited before.

    Then, Smith made Wade Phillips happy. There is nothing wrong with that logic.

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    in this corner

    Premier Japanese women's wrestling league performs in Houston this weekend

    Jef Rouner
    Jul 9, 2025 | 12:30 pm
    Two Japanese women wrestlers compete in a ring. One is stomping in the other with both feet.
    Photo courtesy of Tokyo Joshi
    Hard-hitting women's wrestling for two nights in Houston

    For the first time ever, one of Japan's premier women's wrestling promotions, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, will be touring Texas, with a two-night stay in Houston this week.

    "Bringing TJPW to Texas reflects Tokyo Story’s broader strategy," a Tokyo Story representative writes in an email. "As a Japan-inspired toy and event company, we see major Southwest cities — especially in Texas — as prime for the growth of Asian pop culture. Houston, Dallas, and others are becoming more diverse, culturally curious, and open to new entertainment formats. This isn’t a one-off stop — it’s part of a long-term push to bring Japan’s creativity to cities with eager audiences. And we are making TJPW Live an annual event!"

    The events happen on Thursday, July 10 and Friday, July 11 at POST Houston (401 Franklin). Tickets are available at TokyoStoryUSA.com.

    TJPW split off from DDT Wrestling in 2012 as a sister promotion (or "league") that ran alongside its male counterpart before becoming its own entity in 2015. In that time, they've launched the career of international superstars like Yuka Sakazaki and Mina Shirakawa (both currently signed to All Elite Wrestling in America), as well as hosting non-Japanese guest grapplers like Thunder Rosa.

    The fighting is excellent and often brutal, but TJPW is also known for its playfulness. Matches embrace anime-like absurdity, such as having a wrestler work in a giant panda mascot costume. The promoters are hoping to one day partner with Texas truck stop icon Buc-ee's for a more mascot shenanigans. Many of the women also perform in J-pop girl groups on of their wrestling duties.

    On Night 1, strike specialist Miyu Yamashita will take on Maki Itoh, known for her flamboyant style and high risk maneuvers. Night 2 will feature much of the local guest talent, such as Houston's own Kaylia Capri (Reality of Wrestling) vs Yuki Arai in a singles bout, and Austin's Vert Vixen teaming with reigning TJPW tag champ Hyper Misao. Other Texans slated to appear ar Maya World, Alejandra Quintanilla, and Billie Starkz.

    The last decade has seen a marked rise in the quality and prestige of women's wrestling in America, with WWE hosting all-women Royal Rumbles and stars like Rhea Ripley and "Timeless" Toni Storm becoming household names. Most major promotions now feature robust line-ups of Japanese women wrestlers, with some like Asuka and Iyo Sky becoming world champions.

    For Japan, women's wrestling has a more consistent history of legitimacy going back decades, and the talent pool there is vast. TJPW branching out into Texas tours gives them a chance to showcase their wrestlers in the land that spawned legends like The Undertaker, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and the Von Erich Family.

    "The response has been overwhelmingly positive," said the TJPW spokesperson. "Many who had never experienced joshi (women’s) wrestling before are discovering how entertaining, emotional, and uniquely captivating it is. Since announcing the Texas shows, we’ve received a flood of enthusiastic messages — not just from wrestling fans, but from people drawn to the theatricality, comedy, and creativity of TJPW. We've also heard from fans in other states asking us to bring the tour to their cities."

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