NFL Ready

The Aggie stepping in for a legend: Three things you don't know about BobAllen's replacement

Bob Allen announced his plans to leave KTRK last January.
ABCLocal.Go.com
Greg Bailey, sportcaster
Handout Photo

For 38 years Houston sports fans have turned on the television to see sportscaster Bob Allen in front of the backdrop of KTRK Channel 13's studios, delivering the latest news.

In less than five months, viewers will no longer be able to do that.

Greg Bailey, sports director at the NBC affiliate in Charlotte, will be replacing the departing Allen. Here are three things you might not know about the guy who is stepping in for a local TV legend:

1.) He has Texas roots

Bailey began his childhood school days in Houston and finished them in Arlington at Lamar High School. Bailey stayed in the state for college, graduating from Texas A&M with a degree in English. His first jobs in the television industry came with KBTX in Bryan and KLBK in Lubbock.

Bailey remains an avid Aggies fan. In his bio for the Charlotte station, Bailey says he spends his free time "rooting for all of Texas A&M's sports teams."

2.) He's an award winner

Bailey comes to Houston with multiple awards in tow. He's a local Emmy winner. He has received two awards from the Associated Press for his sports reporting. The Kansas Association of Broadcasting honored Bailey three times for best sports program during a run in Wichita. He also won an Edward R. Murrow for outstanding achievement in the field of electronic journalism.

3. He knows the NFL

Bailey spent a little over four years at WCNC, where he also hosted a Sunday night Carolina Panthers postgame show. Prior to his stop in Charlotte, Bailey worked in Seattle as a sports anchor and a sideline reporter at Seattle Seahawks games.

Now, what you do know. Bailey has large shoes to fill. Allen has the longest tenure of any sportscaster in the country according to his KTRK bio.

In an emotionally charged on-air annoucement last January, Allen said that he would depart from the station at the end of the 2012, but stressed to his viewers that he would not be retiring.

Allen, who began at the channel in 1974, wants to explore the possibility of teaching at his alma mater, Stephen F. Austin. He also said that he has not ruled out a return to television in a different form. We have not seen the last of him.

unspecified

Cougar Red and Houston Blue

UH expands 'Houston Blue' uniforms, despite NFL cease-and-desist

UH continues using Houston Blue uniforms despite NFL rebuke

Photo courtesy of Houston Athletics

Luv ya Blue running wild.

University of Houston Athletics are in a “Luv ya blue” mood and they don’t care who knows it — not even the NFL.

The university has announced that its football and volleyball teams will wear new Houston Blue jerseys, reminiscent of the classic colors of the Houston Oilers era. The volleyball team's uniform will debut theirs starting November 9 against Texas Tech, while the football team will debut theirs against Baylor on November 23. At the latter event, the first 20,000 fans will receive commemorative Houston Blue rally towels.

The resemblance of the new colors to the Oilers brand was not lost on the NFL. When UH Athletics started incorporating Houston Blue into their uniforms in September 2023, the NFL sent a cease-and-desist letter claiming the uniforms were an attempt to leech off the legacy of the Oilers and the intellectual property of the team now known as the Tennessee Titans. As if to prove the point, the Titans have occasionally worn Columbia blue throwback uniforms at certain games.

UH is unbothered according to vice president for intercollegiate athletics Eddie Nuñez.

“As a university deeply connected to the fabric of Houston, incorporating ‘Houston Blue’ into our uniforms is a powerful way to celebrate the city’s rich history,” he said. “From iconic blue street markers to the Houston Police Department’s signature blue police cars and helicopters, this color holds a special place in the hearts of Houstonians. We’re thrilled to share this tradition with our fans and offer them the chance to show their pride through exclusive merchandise, making it an exciting time for Cougar Nation to rally together.”

The accompanying press release for the uniforms came with a helpful history lesson showing that the Oilers adopted a color widely associated with Houston, not the other way around. The city has incorporated blue into public infrastructure, from street curbs to city vehicles, since the 1920s. The Oilers weren’t even the first Houston team to use blue in their uniforms. That honor belongs to the minor league baseball team, the Houston Buffs. In addition, the university made minor changes to the uniform in response to the NFL's concerns.

UH will be offering a wide range of merchandise to sell in the new Houston Blue colors in person and online through the University of Houston Bookstore as well as at select local retailers. These include shirts, hats, polos, jerseys, and hoodies. Get them before the NFL sends a more strongly-worded letter.

---

Fans of Houston sports and Houston food can now score tickets to The Tailgate, CultureMap's all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit. The event, presented by Verizon, goes down from 6-9 pm November 11 at 8th Wonder. Find out more about it here.

university of houston houston blue