NFL Draft

Texans draft Wisconsin's "self-made man" & surprisingly speedy defensive endJ.J. Watt

Wisconsin's J.J. Watt is the Houston Texans' draft night surprise.
Roger Goodell was back at the microphone for the NFL Draft.
The Texans wanted Patrick Peterson, but wouldn't pay the price to move up andget him.
The Texans targeted defense like Charlie Sheen targets goddesses.

Needing a game-changer on defense, the Houston Texans turned to Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt with the 11th overall pick in Thursday night's NFL Draft.

Watt put up a standout season in the Badgers' Rose Bowl run and had tested off the charts at the NFL Combine. But he's not your usual football star story. Watt started as a tight end at mid-major Central Michigan and he had to begin his Big Ten career on the scout team. Before he could even get as far as the scout team and walk on without a scholarship at Wisconsin, Watt took several months off from football to work at Pizza Hut.

Watt's about as far as you can get from a Blue Chip recruit who's always been fawned over. ESPN analyst Jon Gruden calls him "a self-made man."

Still, Watt's numbers at the Combine were anything but the stuff of a walk-on. The 6-foot-5, 290-pound Watt finished in the top five in every defensive lineman test in Indianapolis, including, most surprisingly, speed. Watt ran a 4.76 40-yard dash, impressive numbers for a player of his size.

Especially considering that Watt often found himself branded as an all-effort, intangibles guy who's frequently had his athletic ability questioned.

One thing's certain: Watt already knows how to play to the Houston crowd.

"It's a great day to be a Texan," Watt said in a phone interview played on the Reliant Stadium speakers, drawing cheers at the Texans' draft party.

New Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips talked a lot about Watt's versatility and how he believes it will free up Mario Williams in his 3-4 scheme in many ways. Watt called Phillips "a great coach."

Say this for Watt, he knows how to say what everyone wants to hear.

Phillips calls the Texans' new draft pick "a high-motor guy", raving over the 6-foot-5, 290-pounder's knack for getting up and deflecting passes at the line.

The Texans came into this draft with one mission: Improve a pathetic defense. Forget all reaching attempts at fakely high-brow analysis, that's the bottom line for general manager Rick Smith and head coach Gary Kubiak, who both know their continued employment hinges on the results of the 2011 season.

Patrick Peterson — the LSU cornerback star that the Texans lusted after, but weren't willing to give up multiple draft picks to move up and grab — went to the Arizona Cardinals with the fifth pick. The Texans' AFC South rival Tennessee made the first curious pick of the draft when they selected Washington quarterback Jake Locker with the eighth overall pick. Locker was one of three quarterbacks who went in the first 10 picks of the draft.

Auburn Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton went No. 1 to the Carolina Panthers and Texas A&M pass-rusher extraordinaire Von Miller was grabbed with the second pick by the Denver Broncos.

unspecified

chill out

Houston Astros ballpark gets cool new name for the next 15 years

Courtesy of the Houston Astros

The Astros' stadium will have a new name in 2025.

The Houston Astros are about to have the coolest ballpark in Major League Baseball. The team announced on Monday, November 18 that its has reached a naming rights agreement HVAC manufacturer Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc.

Beginning on January 1, 2025, the stadium will be known as Daikin Park (die-kin). Scheduled to run through the 2039 season, the new name replaces Minute Maid Park, which has been the stadium’s name since 2002. It opened in 1999 as Enron Field.

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Houston Astros (@astros)

Astros fans online are already calling the new stadium “The Ice Box,” replacing its informal “The Juice Box” moniker. That name feels likely to stick.

Japan-based Daikin Industries is a leading manufacturer of HVAC systems. It sells air conditioning units and other products under brand names such as Daikin, Goodman, Amana® and Quietflex. Critically, it operates Daikin Texas Technology Park in nearby Waller, which is the largest HVAC manufacturing facility in North America. The company employs approximately 10,000 people in Greater Houston, according to a release.

“We are excited to be partnering with Daikin for our ballpark’s naming rights,” Astros owner Jim said. “Daikin is an international company that proudly calls the Greater Houston area its North American home. The Houston Astros and Daikin share the same values, a commitment to excellence and a desire to give back to our local community. As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of this ballpark in 2025, I am proud to have Daikin alongside us to create even more special memories for our fans now and in the future.”

The Astros will use the revenue for new stadium amenities and other upgrades. It will also continue the team’s various community initiatives. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. the Houston Chronicle notes that naming rights deals may be worth anywhere from $3.5 million per year (T-Mobile park in Seattle) to $11 million per year for the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field.

The team’s first game in Daikin Park will take place on Monday, March 24, which it plays an exhibition against its Triple-A affiliate, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys. It will open the regular season on Thursday, March 27 against the New York Mets.

“Daikin fit all of the criteria we set out to find in a naming rights partner,” Astros senior vice president Matt Brand added. “Their name and reputation fit our iconic downtown Houston home, and their values mesh perfectly with those of the Astros. We are grateful to partner with the entire Daikin team and to help them succeed in their business goals. Daikin Park will be a special place for our fans for many years to come.”

houston astros daikin park business