Beyond the Boxscore

Ryan Tannehill shows he's more than a hot wife, swears no one cares he doesn'tknow the NFL divisions

Ryan Tannehill is one of five rookie quarterbacks set to start Week One in theNFL.
The last time Ryan Tannehill was in Reliant Stadium he was raising a trophy —and looking very Texas.
Photo By Jeremy Keas

Everyone assumed Lauren Tannehill was going to dominate HBO's Hard Knocks. But it turns out the attractive blonde's husband — former Texas A&M quarterback turned Miami Dolphins rookie starter Ryan Tannehill — has a little TV game too.

Or at least the ability to shock an NFL audience with a complete lack of knowledge about the league that's paying him millions.

Tannehill's inability to list off the NFL's divisions — or even get a few teams' locations close to right (how about the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFC!) — is one of the all-time classicHard Knocks moments. The incredulous look on the face of Matt Moore — the quarterback who lost his job to Tannehill — matched that of many football-obsessed home viewers. But if you think Tannehill is haunted, hounded or even slightly fazed by his dash of TV infamy, you need to think again.

"I still can't name (the NFL's divisions)," Tannehill laughs. "Maybe that will be an offseason project."

"Really not too many guys on the team have messed with me," Tannehill says in a conference call with Houston reporters. "I don't know if they saw it when it aired. I get a hard time from the (other) quarterbacks.

"Other than that it's not too bad."

The 24-year-old who made only 19 college starts at Texas A&M is hardly chastened by the experience.

"I still can't name (the NFL's divisions)," Tannehill laughs. "Maybe that will be an offseason project."

Tannehill's current project is preparing to take on arguably the NFL's best defense in a covered stadium packed with opposing fans certain that their team is Super Bowl worthy. You wanted to start in the NFL. There's your first start, kid.

Of course, Tannehill isn't a kid. He's a married man who figures at least he'll be back in Texas.

"It’s exciting," he says. "Anytime you get to come back home to your home state its good. I went back last week for the last preseason game against Dallas and now this week against Houston.

"It’s always exciting to go back and see a few family members and things like that. To have my first start in Texas is pretty exciting.”

Tannehill is no stranger to Reliant Stadium. His last college game for the Aggies saw him throwing for 329 yards, walking away with an 11-point bowl game win and celebrating by donning a cowboy hat at Reliant.

Of course, Tannehill did that all against the 81st-ranked defense in college football in Northwestern. On Sunday, he goes against the second-ranked defense in the NFL. Houston Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will have plenty of wrinkles for the rookie.

Forget Tannehill having to become the next Dan Marino for those ever-elusive Dolphins fans. How about just surviving?

"It's exciting to be playing our full defense," defensive end J.J. Watt says. "Guys are going to be coming from all over the place. It's fun."

Forget Tannehill having to become the next Dan Marino for those ever-elusive Dolphins fans. How about just surviving?

Tannehill doesn't seem much bothered by the size of the task though. The conference call — done immediately after a series of meetings for Tannehill — finds him relaxed and composed. He almost comes across as oblivious to the pressure as he is to the NFL conference alignment.

If you think about what Tannehill's already been through in his run to the NFL — getting switched to wide receiver despite his strong protests against it at A&M, coming back to not only QB start for the Aggies but turn himself into a first-round NFL Draft pick, seeing his young wife become an Internet sensation that's largely fueled by drooling frat boys — not letting things bother him just may be one of his most valuable attributes.

Texans coach Gary Kubiak, a former Texas A&M quarterback himself, is already a Tannehill believer.

"I’m very impressed," Kubiak says. "I went into the draft thinking he’s a franchise player."

They don't test your pro game knowledge at the NFL Combine. It's all about if you can make the throws. Maybe it doesn't matter that your average casual fantasy football player knows more about the NFL's setup than Tannehill. Look who's starting Week One.

"It’s been a goal of mine for a really long time to be a starting quarterback in the NFL, and this really, really kicks it off," Tannehill says.

Who knows? Maybe sometimes it's good to be unknowing — and almost proud of it.

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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