The college football season began with Oregon's LaGarette Blount punching a Boise State player after that player had trash-talked him. Blount then went after some fans, one who slapped his shoulder pads. Blount was suspended for the season. While that suspension may be shortened, Blount was wrong and paid the price. This past Saturday Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes tried to gouge the eyes of a Georgia running back. It happened at the bottom of a pile so few saw it. Gators head coach Urban Meyer suspended Spikes, an all-america player for half of this week's game against lowly Vanderbilt. That's what I call taking a stand. Get Punched, you get up. Get Poked you may lose your eyesight. Both are wrong, but was Meyer right?

Tim Melton

Dallas Cowboys Receiver Roy Williams says he's still the Cowboys number one receiver.  It's just that things are going the number two's way right now.   He's talking of course about Miles Austin, who's been lighting it up for the 'Boys over the past three games.   Austin with 21 catches for 482 yards and 5 TD's.  Austin stepping up to be the Cowboys number one receiver.   Which makes Williams is #1 only in his mind and here is the good part.  Williams says Tony Romo is throwing the ball correctly to Austin while Williams has to be stretching and falling all over the place to catch the ball.  Isn't that what a receiver is paid to do.  Well Williams is paid too much and doesn't produce #1 receiving numbers.   Austin is producing.  Wouldn't it be nice if Williams would step up his play instead of making excuses.

Bob Slovak

They said they would play hard.. they said they would scrap.. Well, the Rockets have in their first three and stand 2 and 1.   Saturday against Portland, the Rockets once again took it to the Blazers all night long. The Rockets now an amazing 14 and 1 against Portland in the Toyota Center.  

I like the way this team plays hard but they know its all about consistency.  The NBA season is a long.  Up next games at Utah with the Lakers coming to town on Wednesday, just the next two test for this Rockets team that's playing without any big stars.   But what we have here are stars in the making, Aaron Brooks isn't there yet but he has the potential to lead this team somewhere special.

Trevor Ariza still isn't comfrontable being the go to guy, but he really doesn't have to be.  The Rockets will take the 33 points he scored Saturday night every night.  Hayes, Battier, Scola all know their roles and so far they're coming thru.

Tracy McGrady is still the wildcard in this season.  Still no word on a comeback date, but the Rockets won't sit back and wait.   They hope TMac comes back like the Tracy of old, but they don't expect it.  So they'll play hard and build with what they've got.  Early on it doesn't look all that bad.

Bob Slovak

OK, so the Rockets aren't expected to do much of anything this season. No Yao and No TMac to start things has put a real damper on the season.  But if this teams brings as much effort and energy as it promises to, we could be in for a surprise.  The problem keeping that effort and energy up for 82 games will be difficult.   We've seen good Rocket teams play bad in spurts, this team is already starting in a hole.     We'll be a half full kind of guy and say these young Rockets don't know any better, so they will bring the energy, hunger and hustle every game.   We still don't know who the go to guy will be.  Trevor Ariza is still trying to figure out that he's the guy and there's no Kobe to pass it to.   The Rockets will get a good reality check in the first two weeks.  On the Road to start in Portland, back against the Blazers for the home opener Saturday, with games at Utah and at home against the Lakers to follow.  Let's tip it off and see where these Rockets land.

Bob Slovak

The umps have been terrible. On that we all agree. But what to do? Replay is the immediate reaction and except for balls and strikes, why not? Baseball complains it would make long games even longer. But would it make games longer than managers coming out to argue for 2-3 minutes or more? I would suggest a replay official in the booth to take a look at everything except balls and strikes during playoff games. 162 games a year per team would raise costs and camera angles wouldn't be as plentiful for regular season games. Plus the greatest importance would be playoff games, when even the average fan gets incensed over blown calls. With all the meetings between catchers and pitchers, managers and pitchers, throws to first to hold runners, batters adjusting their batting gloves, the game is already filled with wasted moments. Getting calls right in the playoffs is time well spent.

Tim Melton

Or should I say, poor attitude. Talking about the Texans. Each week I have walked into the locker room and heard them talk about a lack of consistency. Well the bottom line is this. Consistency is attitude or the appraoch to your job. If you pay attention, study your playbook, focus and care, your performance will be consistent. Obviously some Texans have not done that. A leader on the team told me that he and others have jumped on their teammates everytime the performance has begun to head south. Some, he says, respond quickly. Others take longer. The result is a 2-3 record and another .500 team. Gary Kubiak has to see the same thing and he and his staff need to take control. Unfortunately, I have been told that some of the most inconsistent are also the most talented.

Tim Melton

No one does up close and personal like the Champions Tour.    If you haven't heard the Administaff Small Business Classic this week up in the Woodlands is free.    No bad for a field that includes Bernhard Langer, Tom Lehman, Jay Haas, Tom Kite, Ben Crenshaw and for the first time since 1986 Tom Watson will play in Houston.     If the rain holds off the Pro-Ams will be a blast.  Arnold Palmer will be here Thursday to play.  Watching King is still a treat for any golf fan.  And if you want to laugh until you almost cry, follow Lee Trevino around.

I'll be hosting 30 minute tournament wrap-up shows Friday, Saturday and Sunday on ABC-13. Highlights, golfer interviews and more golf info then you every thought possible. 10:35 Friday and Saturday, 11:05 Sunday.

Bob Slovak

U of H went into SEC country and came out with a win.  I know it was just Mississippi St, but the Cougars stuck together and pull out a win when they could easily have folded in front of a hostile crowd.  A Bulldog crowd that turned on its own team in the end.  It was a nice bounce back from U OF H'scollapse at UTEP.    Kevin Sumlin and the Cougars motto.. "Just keep playing"..  they did and now they're 4 and 1 and back in the top 25 at number 23.    They'll continue to climb if they just keep playing.  Tulane up next on the road.     The defense still needs some work and the injuries are mounting, but we know Sumlin will keep them playing.    They still have a chance to make this a special season.

Bob Slovak

Sam Bradford is back. Colt McCoy never went anywhere. They meet again Saturday in Dallas. The Sooners already have 2 losses. The Horns are unbeaten, but have they been tested? Slow starts have marked the first halves of their games this season and that could kill them against the Sooners. Texas has not been able to run and that could be killer. Jordan Shipley has been brilliant and his punt return TD was the key play in  the Horns win last year. OU has trouble on the offensive line but they did run the ball well against Baylor. Keep partisanship out of it IF YOU CAN. Who wins next week?

Tim Melton

The Presidents Cup is not the Ryder Cup but its the next best thing.   The only problem the International team can't really rally around a Country or Continent, like the Americans can.   I can't see them saying "Let's go Internationals".   Maybe they're saying "Let's go World."      But other than that it is high drama on the course.   Thursday's foursomes featured numerous monster putts and dead on approach shots.  But what I like is the short putts that aren't conceded by your opponent.    Give the Pros the 5, 4 or three footer and they start to look like you and me.   How else can you explain Justin Leonard blowing the four footer to close out yesterday's matches.   Nerves can get the best of all of them, well maybe not Tiger, but the rest of them.    Nice to see how the American twosome played together yesterday, let's see if they can keep it up in the singles.

Bob Slovak

Two games into the preseason with a new-look basketball team is not the time to pass judgements. But hey, that's what we're here for. The Rockets have beaten the Spurs, without Duncan and Parker. They have beaten the Celtics with everyone. They ran against the Spurs until the Spurs put 6-6, 240 pound DeJuan Blair on the floor. Blair proceeded to grab 19 rebounds and suddenly the running game that looked so promising in the first quarter, disappeared. Rebounding may be the key to whatever success the Rockets are fated to achieve. To run you have to grab the other team's misses. Quickness is their greatest asset so if they can't run, they're in trouble. Rookie Chase Budinger can shoot and he needs to see the basketball...alot. Trevor Ariza can't shoot...so far. 4 of 19 from the field as they head to Orlando tomorrow night.

Tim Melton

Great to see the way the Texans defense played today against Oakland. But keep in mind the Raiders offense is terrible. However, the addition of Bernard Pollard at safety seemed to add a toughness and the Texans defense didn't give up the big play for a change. The linebackers are outstanding. Tough to find a better pair than Demeco and rookie Brian Cushing. But next week they play Arizona and a quality offense. But the Texans defense  was good today. Offensively they were scoreless in the second half. The only points being a safety and a Jacoby Jones punt return. The offense was bad in the second half last week. Not a good trend knowing your defense may not be as good against the Cardinals next week.

Tim Melton

The Astros best chance at quickly turning around their fortunes lies with pitching. Duh! But since the Astros have few hitting prospects on the horizon, and they do have Bud Norris, Felipe Paulino, and Yorman Bazardo showing pitching promise, the new manager needs to be able to promise and deliver a first-rate pitching coach. If these guys have talent, they need someone who can bring it out. And Drayton needs to spend the money to get the guy. He will be more important than the manager if Drayton wants to win as soon as possible and put fannies in the seats. Pitching coaches can make a huge difference. Nolan Ryan's not the pitching coach, but since he moved into the Rangers front office and changed the way they hanlde pitchers, the Rangers have devveloped top-notch arms. You need a pitching coach Drayton and you need the best.

Tim Melton

Media Day today for the Rockets.  A lot of new faces along with a few of the old.. Battier, Scola, Landry, Brooks and Hayes.  No Yao, but Tracy McGrady was in attendance.  He told us he feels better today than he did all of last season.  He's seven months into his rehab for micro-fracture knee surgery.   He said he's running and jumping but he's not about to rush it he'll listen to his doctors.   He will play this year he just doesn't know when yet.    His contract is up this season with the Rockets but TMac says he'd love to stay with the team.   He's not out to prove to anyone he can still play just to himself.   Believe him or not, if McGrady can come back and be anything like the All-Star TMac, it could be the boost the Rockets need to make the playoffs.   Young and up tempo, the Rockets will be fun to watch.

Bob Slovak

Nice win at Tennessee, big time collapse against the Jaguars.  The Texans defense has so many holes in it, its hard to tell exactly what's happening.  It seems someone misses an assignment on every play.  Man, it's going to be a long season if this keeps up.   There were some good hits and plays today against Jacksonville, just to many blunders to win.

Chris Brown was in tears in the locker room talking about his late fumble at the goal line, but that's just one mistake that cost the Texans this game.    The offense still has work to do, but the defense has to find a way to get off the field in 3rd and long.   Oakland's coming to town next Sunday, the Raiders are terrible, but at this point who knows.

Bob Slovak

As I talked with Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson after practice Wednesday, he began to do something he rarely does...open up about the way things really are with the team. Andre said this past Sunday the leaders on the team began to speak up when teammates made mistakes. He says they got tired of simply saying, "don't worry about it". Instead there was an edge they've never had before. Andre promises that attitude will continue and his teammates echo that sentiment. What scares you is why it took 7 seasons for the "leaders" to realize accountability is a good thing. And can a team change it's stripes that quickly? Sunday against Jacksonville we begin to see if a new day has dawned, or are they back on the same old rollercoaster.

Tim Melton

This ones gotten real chippy...Big fight on the Texans sidelines after a Slaton run...Jason Jones of the TItans kicked out for throwing a punch...offsetting personal fouls..Jones their best pass rusher...Slaton fumbles and Duane Brown recovered short of the first down..Texans punt. I don't know how this one's going to turn out but it's been fun to watch. 8:44 left. tied at 31

Late 3rd quarter the Texans hold the Titans on 3rd and short with 5 seconds left in the quarter...I don't believe this...Jacoby Jones muffs the punt and it falls right into the hands of a Titan but Tennessee is called for interference with the punter..Don't believe that.l...but good for the Texans. So the Texans get a HUGE break here.The ball has to hit the ground before it's a fumble...Texans ball on the Titans 24. But the Texans go 3 and out.

The Texans just finished scoring 17 unanswered points. They just completed a 9 play 54 yard drive ending in a 38 yard Kris Brown field goal to take the 24-21 lead. Texans need anothe hold to keep the lead at the half. The bad news is Chester Pitts left with a right knee sprain...Tennessee drives for a 40 yard field goal and we're tied at 24 at the half...See what happens in the next 30 minutes.

A lousy start on offense...One first down on a screen to Slaton..2 false starts..an inside handoff on 3rd and 18..Punt..the defense giving up 3rd and longs again this week..Titans convert on 3rd and 14 and on 3rd and 19 Chris Johnson runs the ball for a 57 yard touchdown. 7-0 and it looks like last week. Ineffective on both sides of the ball..

Did you see or hear Michael Jordan's enshrinement speech at the Basketball Hall Of Fame? Mike sounded like a bitter old player. Instead of a feel good, classy speech, he chose to point out those who slighted him somewhere along the way. And in the process, he ripped anyone who did anything to question how good he was. In fact, it was the most revealing moment of Michael's career. We saw a former player who is recognized by most folks as the greatest of all-time, who can't seem to let go. He even threatened another return. I thought it was sad. He seemed to be reminding everyone how great he was despite the fact he was being inducted into a HALL OF FAME. His greatness as a player put him there. His speech made you wonder what part of hall of fame he didn't get.

Tim Melton 

Beating a top five team can do wonders for a team.  But after talking with the Cougars their win over Oklahoma State was big but not that big.   The fact of the matter they believed they would win, when most of us didn't see it happening.   This team appears to have what "it" takes.   That "it" came with Kevin Sumlin.   The Cougars second year coach didn't arrive at U of H with the same old feelings that U of H couldn't compete with the Big Boys.  Sumlin came here from Oklahoma, where the Sooners were the big boys, he brought that attitude with him.    Now Sumlin has his players believing.   It helps to have a truck load of talent and the Cougars do.   They have a chance to have one of those special seasons, but it will come down to their Defense.   A Defense that grew up some in Stillwater.  The next test is another toughy, Texas Tech on Sept. 26th.    Its in Robertson Stadium on ESPN2.  Another chance for the Cougars to show the nation.  This time I think we a lot of us expect them to win.  Isn't that a nice feeling.

Bob Slovak