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    Beyond the Boxscore

    Earl Campbell's craziest Darrell Royal memory: It involves a bar and a legendarygood time

    Chris Baldwin
    Nov 10, 2012 | 4:09 pm
    • Earl Campbell didn't just run the ball for Darrell Royal like no other. Hebecame the coach's longtime friend.
    • This is the publicity shot that Earl Campbell loves to use. But the years havetaken a toll on him and in reality, he's using a wheelchair now — at leasttemporarily.

    Everyone wants to talk to Earl Campbell, to share a moment with one of the greatest running backs in football history, but Campbell keeps finding his own thoughts returning to another Texas legend.

    "I don't think I could sit here today and not tell you how much we're going to miss the legendary Darrell Royal," Campbell says of the University of Texas icon who died days before at age 88.

    Campbell is speaking at the Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston's big fundraiser, where he'll talk for the first time in public about his own personal story of addiction (to "pain pills and Budweiser") with a powerful mix of humor, frank talk and touching anecdotes. But this trip to Houston also brings back thoughts of some of Campbell's best, most recent times with Darrell Royal.

    Just two guys sitting around the Broken Spoke, telling tales and laughing long into an evening.

    The man who delivered and took more punishment than any running back outside of Jim Brown (and Campbell might have challenged Brown in this category) needs a wheelchair to get around at the moment. He says it's the temporary result of a nerve procedure he needed to have done on his ever-painful back and knee surgery.

    Even that brings up Royal memories though. For Coach — as Campbell still almost always calls Royal — always seemed to have a way of finding out whenever Campbell would try to "sneak" into Houston for another medical procedure, usually at Methodist Hospital.

    After another one of those secret trips exposed (Royal always knew what his players were doing, even after they, and eventually he, left the playing field), Coach insisted that the two get together.

    So there is the greatest Texas running back ever and the greatest Texas coach ever showing up at the Broken Spoke — the famous Texas honky tonk in Austin — one night to swap old war stories.

    "We went to the Broken Spoke to have a beer," Campbell says. "He had a couple of beers (Campbell will celebrate three years of sobriety on Nov. 16). We took pictures with all of the people who were there.

    "What a great man."

    This was before the Alzheimer's really ravaged Royal, one of his good days. As Campbell talks and smiles, you realize this is one of the last real memories he has with his coach.

    Just two guys sitting around the Broken Spoke, telling tales and laughing long into an evening.

    Campbell says that he and Royal had "like a father-son" relationship. Only Royal could have turned Earl Campbell into a country music fan. (After Royal's prodding, Campbell now loves Willie Nelson).

    The man behind the icon

    When people talk about Royal they tend to focus on the reverence he brought out in people. Zac Emmons, the Houston Texans corporate communications manager and a UT grad, has a great story about how the entire thronging crowd at a Longhorns home game he attended parted right down the middle to let Darrell Royal and his wife Edith pass through a packed concourse.

    There was no entourage around the Royals, no one telling all those people to move. They just did it out of respect — naturally.

    Current Texas coach Mack Brown having his team line up in the wishbone for the Longhorns' first offensive play Saturday is more of that reverence.

    Royal seemed to sense when Campbell needed a laugh — even in the running back's darkest moments.

    But Darrell Royal could be one determined practical joker too. Especially with Earl.

    "He'd call me up and be like, 'Earl, I've gotten in a little bit of trouble," Campbell says. " 'I need a lawyer in Tyler, Texas (Campbell's hometown of course). Do you know a good lawyer in Tyler, Texas?'

    "He'd be going on and on while I realized he was pulling my leg. Then, he'd just start laughing."

    Campbell will be at Royal's funeral on Tuesday where there will be more smiles at all the memories a true Texas original has left behind.

    Royal seemed to sense when Campbell needed a laugh — even in the running back's darkest moments. Just like he always kept tabs on when his old star was sneaking into Houston for another hospital procedure.

    Campbell laughs again. Coach was one of a kind.

    unspecified
    news/sports

    pucker up

    Growing pickleball franchise smashes into Houston with 2 locations

    Jef Rouner
    Apr 29, 2025 | 5:30 pm
    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.

    pickleballopenings
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