Texans Morning Huddle: Happy Memorial Day, Potential Hard Knocks Stars

First of all I want to wish everyone a very happy Memorial Day and extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who has ever served, or is currently serving for our United States military. We often make the mistake of believing that the freedom we enjoy in America is free, when in all actuality it came with the ultimate price and is still being paid to this day by the brave men and women who sacrifice for us.

So let’s all remember these amazing men and women, many of whom did not get this day off to celebrate, but are instead still out working to ensure our way of life doesn’t change. All of us at Toro Times are forever grateful for you all, and hope this collection of Houston Texans news links helps to get your Memorial Day off to a fun start!

Five Texans who could be ‘Hard Knocks’ stars and aren’t J.J. Watt – By Tania Ganguli of ESPN

"Here’s a look at five potential Hard Knocks stars who aren’t J.J. Watt:Head Coach Bill O’Brien: Last season O’Brien shared that the quarterbacks in New England had a teapot in their meeting room to represent O’Brien’s sometimes explosive temper. With each “teapot incident,” they’d draw a mark on the pot. O’Brien might not like having cameras infiltrating his team’s preparations, but he’ll be a great character on the show. One of the biggest misconceptions about O’Brien is that he is a clone of Bill Belichick, one of O’Brien’s mentors and the man most helpful in O’Brien’s transition into the NFL 10 years ago. In reality they are two very different men. O’Brien can be as funny as he can be biting, and the cameras will capture that personality.Outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney: Clowney’s return from microfracture surgery is an interesting story. How he personally handles the recovery, and how his body responds as he starts to get more and more involved with training camp practices will be fascinating. I’ve always found Clowney to be sincere and forthcoming in interviews, and he has no shortage of confidence in himself."

J.J. Watt watches and cheers Chelsea FC to Premier League victory – By Eric SanInocencio of HoustonTexans.com

"J.J. Watt spent his Sunday at a familiar place.A football field.However, it wasn’t an NFL matchup he was watching, but instead a professional soccer game across the pond. The Texans defensive end was in attendance as Chelsea squared off against Sunderland in Premier League action at Stamford Bridge Stadium in Fulham, London.Watt watched Chelsea’s ‘The Blues’ capture the Premier League Championship with a 3-1 win."

Texans’ uniforms get indifferent review in 2015 ESPN rankings – By Ultimate Texans

"On the field, the Texans are not sharp dressed men, according to this year’s ESPN Uni Watch power rankings.Houston checked in at 22nd among the NFL’s 32 teams. Here’s what Uni Watch’s Paul Lukas had to say about the Texans’ threads:Here we have the league’s most frustratingly generic-looking team. True, they don’t present much that’s worth hating (well, except maybe that comically oversized collar), but they also don’t have much that’s worth praising. Year after year, they just look like TGIFootball Team — no visual character, no pizzazz, nothing to hang your hat on. Some sort of overhaul has got to be in the works, no?"

Next: Current Houston Texans That Should Not Make The Final Roster