The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

We thought it would be nice to drive to Houston to watch the Texans clinch the AFC South Division championship against the Indianapolis Colts—the team that used to own that AFC South title until the Texans snatched it away last year—at Reliant Stadium Sunday.

As luck would have it, sitting right in front of us was a burly old man dressed in a Santa Claus outfit. Fans come to NFL games decked out in many different get-ups, but why this time right in front of me.

During halftime I asked the gentleman, “Do you get to watch the Texans very often?”

“Indeed not,” came his reply. “I made a special trip way down here just to watch J.J. Watt in action. I had read so much about him that I decided to see him perform in person.”

I told him, “Well, you certainly picked a good day to come see him. He’s been all over the field, making tackle after tackle and generally just disrupting Indianapolis’ offense.” Watt ended up with 10 tackles, three sacks and four hits on the quarterback.

Early in the fourth quarter he jumped up and said he had to get back to work and began to leave his seat.

I tapped him on the shoulder and asked if he planned on coming back next Sunday to watch the battle between the NFL’s top two rushers—Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson and Houston’s Arian Foster.

“Nope, I’m going to be very, very busy next weekend,” he said and turned to go down the stairs. As he took his first step, an envelope dropped from his pocket. I picked it up, looked for him but he was long gone. I carefully opened the envelope just to take a peek and this is what was on his gift list:

HOUSTON ASTROS OWNER JIM CRANE—The Benedict Arnold Award for selling out all of the baseball fans in Houston and Southeast Texas by stripping the Astros team of all their major league talent and then expecting us to fill Minute Maid Park this spring to watch an inept team play baseball in an entirely different league.

SUNSET GROVE GOLFER KEN RUANE—A bronze trophy of a marathon runner to signify the dozens of races he’s won in his age bracket of 70-and-older plus the fact that he is ranked among the Top 20 runners in the whole world.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS SUSPENDED HEAD COACH SEAN PAYTON—A weather map showing heavy clouds which represent the cloudy future he has with his contract extension negotiations to remain the Saints’ coach once his suspension is lifted. He and management appear to be worlds apart. Some football writers speculate that Payton could end up where he came from in Dallas if Jerry Jones decides to dump Jason Garrett.

LITTLE CYPRESS-MAURICEVILLE HEAD COACH RANDY CROUCH-A progress report showing his Bears football team continues to show improvement each year and should be ready for a playoff berth in 2013.

SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE—A feather in its cap for having No. 2-seeded Sam Houston State (11-3) representing them in the Football Subdivision Championship finals against top-seeded North Dakota State (13-1) on Jan. 5. The Bearkats outlasted Eastern Washington 45-42 in the semifinal round Saturday.

SUNSET GROVE GOLFER JIM RODDA—An ice bag to cool off his hot putter that rolled in six birdies during last Saturday’s Men’s Golf Association’s event which incidentally earned him first place with his gross score of 67 and net 56.

HOUSTON TEXANS HEAD COACH GARY KUBIAK—The Fabulous Four Award for riding the talents of quarterback Matt Schaub, running back Arian Foster and wide receiver Andre Johnson on offense and J. J. Watt on defense to his second straight AFC South Division title. The next objective is to secure home-field advantage for the playoffs Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings and then going farther than last year in the playoffs.

WEST ORANGE-STARK HEAD FOOTBALL COACH CORNEL THOMPSON—A snakebite kit to prevent having any future seasons end by those Rattlers from Navasota, who could very well end up as the 2012 Class 3A state champions this weekend.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS STAR RUNNING BACK ADRIAN PETERSON—A road map outlining the route from Minneapolis to Houston which tells the story that if he is going to break Eric Dickerson’s NFL single-season rushing record of 2,105 set in 1984, it will have to be through Houston Sunday when the Vikings play the Texans at Reliant Stadium. The Palestine native needs 293 more yards in his final two games to reach that milestone. And Texans’ defensive coordinator and Orange native Wade Phillips may have something to say about it.

SUNSET GROVE GOLFER HAROLD MCDONALD—A deck of 51 cards that is missing an ace that was almost not mentioned to the MGA paymaster who promptly wrote him a $200 check for his hole-in-one made in last month’s MGA event.

ESPN—A gold medal for its decision to suspend commentator Rob Parker for his racially-oriented remarks about Washington Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III during last Thursday morning’s broadcast.

MEN’S DUPLICATE BRIDGE MEMBER GEORGE MILLSAP—A gold-plated Au Revoir from all of his card-playing buddies who have been competing against him for nearly 50 years. He and his wife Beverly plan to move to Frisco, TX. in January.

HOUSTON TEXANS SPECIAL TEAMS STAR BRYAN BRAMEN—A copy of his family tree that reveals he got his great size and athletic ability from his 7-foot, 4 inch 460-pound grandfather and his mother who was a sprint champion in high school, holding the school record in the 100 meters and being part of the state championship track team in 1986.

SUNSET GROVE GOLFER CRAIG COUVILLION—Three baseball bases to remind him he needs to triple the bet more often in our pick-em skins golf game so the rest of us can fatten up our wallets.

NFL COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL—An athletic sock to shove in his mouth to stop all his talking about eliminating kickoffs from the NFL.

BODY WORKZ SILVER SNEAKERS INSTRUCTOR CONNIE WOODS—A plaque of appreciation for the job she does twice a week leading her classes through low impact drills to help keep us physically fit.

SUNSET GROVE GOLFER RICHARD DUFFEE—Extensions on his left-handed golf clubs to better fit his 6-foot-6 frame.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS SAFETY EARL THOMAS—A repeat of last year’s All-Pro honors as a defensive leader of one of the NFL’s youngest teams. Earl may have solidified his selection to this year’s All-Pro team with his 57-yard touchdown run after intercepting a Buffalo pass in the Seahawks’ 50-17 rout over the Bills Sunday in Toronto.

SUNSET GROVE GOLFER AND FISHERMAN BOB HOOD—A giant hourglass to count down the days and weeks before he fully recovers from double hand surgery and gets back to playing golf and fishing on a regular basis.

NEWTON EAGLES HEAD FOOTBALL COACH W.T. JOHNSON—Bright sunshine which represents the future of the Eagles football team, which went 13-1 this season and will return most of the key players for the 2013 campaign.

DALLAS COWBOYS HEAD FOOTBALL COACH JASON GARRETT—A four-leaf clover to signify that some wins are the result of good plays and some good luck. The bottom line is that the Cowboys are in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC East Division and are still in contention for the playoffs. These final two games of the regular season may dictate Garrett’s job security.

AND A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO---Mike Lemons, Archie McClelland, Mark Dunn, Jeff Thomas, Johnny Montagne, Les Jones, Ronnie Hutchison, Gene Harrison, Pierre De la Fosse, Chris Trout, Macy Dubose, Gwen Whitehead, Troy Manuel, Missy Pillsbury, John Prather, Brad Prejean, John Morris, Larry Moerbe, Judy Arnaud, Andy Conner, Tom Toal, Steve Betz, Harrison Vickers, Jerry Windham, Bill Van, Rodney Barrett, Gail Beckett, Larry Ancelot, Bobby Nelson, Carl Sanders, Matt Purgahn, Joe Hawthorn, David Thompson, James Denmon, Mike King, Durwood Bennett, Bob Cockerill, Chris Allen, Matt Morgan, Sid Caillavet, Doug Patterson, Mike Shuff, Jim King, Claude Wimberly, Tiki Russell, Alex Morrow, John Cochran, David Benoit, Bart Corder, Roy Peterson, Jimmy Givens, Jimmy Sichko, Ken Ruane, Ron Hopperton, Joe Murphy, Walter Cox, David Ess, John Dubose, Lacy Hale, Mark Williams, Gary Cook, Bobby Eddings, Tommy Gunn, Mac Guillory, Buddy Hahn, Glynn Aldredge, Lee Clark, Jim Rodda, Kerry Lamb, Brian Hudson, Stephen Patterson, Mike Poutra.

Joe Ely, Trez Sichko, Ella Mulhollan, Allen Beauchamp, John Patterson, Wanda Peveto, Larry Duhon, David Sand, Milton Newton, Mike Parish, Robert Baca, Jim Brown, Mark Hebert, John Toomey, Beth Baas, Stacy Hoffpauir, Tina Lawrence, Richard Duffee, Tammy Torrez, Derry Dunn, Mike Shahan, Wes Duvall, James Welch, James Vidrine, Bob Hollier, Ken St. John, David Bridges, Jim Matthews, Tommy Reed, Sandra Hall, Ruth Crawley, Raquel Goodboddie, Jajemi Plut, V.L. Grimes, David Loden, Brian Waguespack, Manuel Godina, Joseph Droddy, Wayne Baker, James Thurman, Ray Benoit, Bill Belcher, Don Olivier, Jerry Ling, Brenda Buxton, Regina Edwards, Frank Hatton, Willow Simpson, Kathy Gunn, J. D. Quarles, Bill Dunn, Darby Byrd, Cochise Shockley, Wade Gillet, Jerry McDonald, Jerry Pennington, Chrisleigh Dal Sasso, Cathy Day.

Lindsey Nelson, Jim Sharon Bearden, Dan Perrine, Billy Burrow, Dan Cochran, Ken Bridgers, George Crawford, Michelle Broussard, Jim Simon, Jack McClelland, Scottie Wilson, Willie Bednar, James Lopez, Dennis Powell, Bobby Duhon, Carlos Vacek, Roy Locks, George Toal, Mike Lucia, Jim Dunaway, Jack Tindel, Ray Pousson, Jim Ehlert, Bryce Conner, Mike Mazzola, Faye Parish, Gilbert Myers, Johnny Dugas, Kathy Polansky, Yankee Mortimer, Pat Murphy, Leo Simpson, Mike McKown, Clint Hathaway, Jerry Decker, Mike Holbrook, Lee Roy Boehme, Jr., Jerry Ann Trouard, Jimmy Boyd, Donnie Mires, Bobby Swan, Larry Hammett, Tom Day, Bryan McKinley, Donny Ratcliff, Joe Marks, Don Lormand, Robert Dunn, Bernie Birk, Robert Roesler, Wayne Iles, Raymond Guilbeaux, Johnny Dugas.

Travis Clark, Martha Rogers, Robert Burris, Jerry Caillier, Harry Wood, John Scofield, Carol Perry, Kenny Lalonde, Linn Cardner, Mike Catt, Pete Runnels, Russell Bottley, James Luna, Dick Powell, Preston Prince, David Teague, Wayland Payne, Carl Floyd, Skip Moore, Pete Sterling, Danny Aaron, Brian Murphy, Montie Moran, Doug Rogers, Rick Keszeg, Cary Bresie, Pat Key, Rodney Townsend, Jerry Howeth, Pat Monogue, Phillip Brown, Homer Stuntz, Andrew Hayes, Linda Moore, Glen Oliver, Bob Byerly, Jerry Hughes, Bart Williams, Brooks Hill, Janet Newton, Benis Lee, Jim Keith, Lynn Smith, Ebb Moore, Steve Pomeroy, Jerrod Bland, Barry Thibodeaux, Frank Finchum, Charles Broussard, Sharon Bearden, Bob Hoepner, Joe Doucet, J.B. Arrington, Bill Ellison, Danna Cruse, Harold Tiller, Dennis Lee, Jerry Ann Trouard.

Dennis Bishop, Gus Beuershausen, Leon Delome, Grant Gipson, Jeep Colburn, Jerry Nichols, Kevin Hebert, Brian Mingle, Oscar Smith, Joe Parkhurst, Pete Gresham, Charlie Miller, Joe Alford, Chris Gunn, Ed Dyer, Bill Jackson, Bill Bromley, Ace Amodeo, Mike Bernard, Ken Wernig, Roland Gregorie, Todd McLane, John Tate, Brad Gilmore, Hal LaPray, Bob Campbell, Roderick Robertson, Buddy Hahn, Mark Foreman, Manuel Solis, Earl Parker, Neil Watts, John Martinez, Terry Childers, Joan Quartermont, Jeff Mathews, Tiffany Rochelle, Dempsie Jaynes, Kyle Walker, Randy Brown, Clay Dugas, Ellis Boyd, Glenn “Smoothie” Earle, Ron Cowling, Richard Corder, Billy Bayliss, Andre Robertson, Billy Permenter, Joe Payne, David Montagne, Earl Collier, Dewey Scott, Robert Tywater, Louise Savoy, Darrel Latiolais, John Cash Smith, Mary Beth Benoit, Jimmy Verrett, Russell Cronin, Al Granger, Richard Turkel, Rodney Townsend, Jr., Jay Miller, Mark Williams.

David Dunn, Cecil Byers, Bo Brannick, Jimmy Owens, Margaret Broussard, Ollie Halten, Waymon Sibley, Rufus Flurry, Aaron Burke, Kris Olsen, Wayne Sparrow, David Hoelzer, James Bloodworth, Ron Roberts, Mike Hoke, Mike Hebert, Tim Hughes, Phillip Madar, Myrt Myers, Lou Garriga, Becky Grant, J.W. “Kid” Henry, Vicki Landry, Gene Steele, Ken Reeves, Jimmy Ray Burris, Brenda Morgan, Robert Mortimer, Mark Meadows, Jody Gray, Mark Williams, Chris Hyde, Clifford Bray, Darline Zavada, Todd Marburgh, Dawn Collins, Stacy Caillavet, John Broussard, Greg Choate, Dave Walsh, Williard Lanier, Calvin Collins, Greg Smith, Jerome Wilkerson, Joyce Prescott, Keith Hogan, David Piland, Bryce Conner, Lana Stogner, Kevin Philen, Vernon Davis, David Hollier, John Lister, Anthony Padilla, Erin Godina, Greg Turbeville, Danny Blacksher, Terry Myers, Mel Hyatt, Curt Leger, George Nevarez, Patrick Toomey, Brad Gilmore, Larry Fisher.

Gary Pollock, Sandy Walker, Anita Vidrine, Bud Martin, Natalie Simon, Jerry Meads, Gary Mainero, Steve Taylor, Richard Scott, Lisa Dies, Darrow Judge, Mark Netherly, Barbara Hayes, Derrick Jones, Dale Peddy, Todd Hoffpauir, Terry Steubing, Donna Evans, Teresa Schreck, David Davis, Shirley Walker, Larry Woods, Steve Champion, Rex Ansley, Connie Burnitt, Greg Willis, Pat Anglin, George Baker, Henry Seals, Dan Mohon, Steve Issacs, James Blair, Troy Burton, Homer Stockton, Vic Arceneaux, Rick Keszeg, Don Burgess, Tommy Carroll, Mary Louise McKee, Barbara Bergeron, Paula Legate, Connie Lemaire, Debbie Perry, Scott Swearingen, Camilla Richard, Phyllis McCall, Brandon Prouse, Steve Griffith, Carolyn Schramm, Jessie West, C.A. Keasler, Betty Merchant, Ronnie Moody, John Young, Kay Morris, Jim Dwight, George Mortimer, Larry Willette, Leon King, Hughie Allen, John Rowland, Leon Evans, Preston Fuller, Karl Eason, Jim Mouton, Dean Granger, Peggy O’Leary, Brad Gilmore, Bret Johns, J.D. Willis, B.J. Morgan, Wayne Iles.

Bob Campbell, Ralf Mims, Louis Manuel, Richard Roddy, Sandy Turner, Ralph Barrientos, Shea Simon, Chris Cartwright, Sam Lucia, Jack Jones, Shirley “Fuzz” Ware, Gary Ware, Warren Claybar, Charlie Greenwell, Gary Mulhollan, J.C. Sea, John Hardin, Gene Tannehill, Anne Foster, Matt Murphy, Mike Collins, Sam Hudson, Aubrey Welch, Virgie Thomas, Charlotte Guillory, Elray Henson, Marilyn Malvo, Chad Havens, Wendy Rost, Josh Smalley, Art Mason, Mike Reed, Ray Tilley, Keith Doucet, Chad Bryant, Mike Lemons, Ronald Enard, Hugh Granger, Nelson Derrick, Toby Foreman, Gary Thibodeaux, Stephen Lee, Darby Byrd, Charles Arsenault, David Winfrey.

Doug Posey, Jimmy Givens, Rick Sand, Joe Raburn, Wallace Culps, Angie Simar, Bryant Calcote, Wayne Lowe, Connie Powell, Jack Horton, Tony Perry, Mark McCall, Joy Haney, Bruce Savoy, Becky Rhoden, Dean Priddy, Randy Vayon, Heath Martin, Ed Freiberg, George Sepulvado, Johnny Dorman, Ronnie Puckett, Brenda Campbell, Lori Thompson, Madge Rogers, Travis Ashworth, Marty Monogue, Dave Young, Jeremy Green, Harry Sharpless, Ronnie Puckett, Bobbie Murphy, Jill Williams, Brandon Seaman, Richard Terry, Marla Zoch, Quincy Procell, John Gradnigo, Judy Lowe, Richard Porter, Bart Williams, Joyce Drake, Nathanael Deem, Jim Rawls, Bill Nicholas, Mark Berton, Ray Dal Sasso, Jane Couvillion, Mickey Bergeron, Sheree Benoit, Pat Clark.

Jonathan Vandagriff, David Haney, Ron McPherson, Gene McCormick, Andre Robertson, Delle Bates, Gerald Beach, Ray Montagne, Wayne Outlaw, Carl Thibodeaux, Mike Bernard, Paul Mott, Kermit Richard, Ray Pousson, Charles Blalack, Dick Alexander, Jeff Dalton, Craig Corder, Pancho McGill, Roland Wolfford, Dave Maddox, Robin Brooks, Shirley Almazan, Buddy Withrow, Paul Vaughan, Vernon Myers, Billy Denham, Reggie Parker, Louis Willey, Clyde Davis, Bob Brown, Jerry Childress, Laurie Modisette, Bob Baptista, Stewart Olive, Jay Brown, David Williams, Russell Covington, Jerry Montgomery, Harold Gross, Russell Turkel, Larry Fisher, Steve Pesek, Charles Liggio, John Garrett, Brown Claybar, Larry Warner, Shelby May, Dickie Colburn, Joe Barrios, Virgis Benoit, Dwight Bickham, Howard Minor.

David Claybar, J.L. Vincent, Ron Theriot, Ross Smith, Dave Pederson, Peggy Vincent, Max Pachar, George Millsap, Jerome Standley, Sleepy Smith, Gwen Barton, Ron Sigler, Pat Brown, James Sanders, B.K. Ware, Leonard Brown, Billy Shults, Don Covington, Jeremy Hogg, Alicia Hebert, Reanna Morris, Bill Tillman, Ronnie Rost, Gay Richardson, Jim Turpin, Kelly Alford, Alan Whipkey, Jane Dunn, Ann Lieby, John Harrell, Joe Luna, Max Staudt, Jessie Whitehead, Sweet Charlotte Tucker, Jim Graves, Jeff Wheatley, Moe Litton, Jack White, Glenn Hill, Maurice Mueschke, Billy Paul Withrow, John Young, Tommy Ewing, Ernie Dyer, Carroll Holt, Shane Johns, John Broussard, Denise Himel, Pat Fountain, Sid Caillavet, Paul Patin, Lona Vasquez.

Dennis Duhon, Jim Miller, Calvi’n Parker, Jimmy Sattler, Rodney Dove, Lawrence Hunt, Eddie Faulk, June Gunstream, Cornel Thompson, Sam Kittrell, Dick Behnke, Huel Fontenot, Paul Lorimer, Ronnie Burton, Mike Lovett, Robert “Woody” Wood, Vicky Walters, Leroy Breedlove, Mike White, Frank Skeeler, David Payne, Dick Graves, J. D. Willis, Haazen Kenney, Bonnie Mingle, John Kimbrough, Wayne Peveto, Gene Alsandor, Bubba Lanning, Wayne Morris, Dale LeBlanc, Nelson Broussard, Sammy Owens, Heath Mouton, Harold Fuqua, Roger Hall, Joe Peery, Bob Hood, James Rigler, Robert Sims, Dexter Bassinger, Joe Sanders, Bill Modisette, Mark Oldham, Mackey Clasby, Vernon Collier, Michael Arnaud, Jay Ayers, Jeanette Cleaver, Ray Burch, Gerhard Hommel, David Payne, Walter Landisch.

Jimmy Sims, Joe Ware, Roy Dunn, Eric Hinton, Debbie Fusilier, Penny Leleux, Nicole Gibbs, Les Patin, Debbie Buckalew, Rod Fisette, Ricky Trahan, Melinda Gipson, Jet Toohey, James Stringer, Alan Sanders, John Cooper, Glenn Toohey, Sam Lucia, Betty Derrick, Lon Craft, Margaret Peeples, John DiBatiste, Mike Abbott, Charles Gant, Oliver Seastrunk, Carl Himel, Earl Geis, Mike Leonard, Van Vandervoort, David Kosboth, Jack Burney, Brandon Landry, Randy Crouch, Ray Rogers, Gary Stelly, Pat Johnson, Andy Allen, Ray Conner, Bob Shinn, Keith Staudt, Louis McIntire, Fred Zoch, Troy Burke, Bubba Brown, Johnny Trahan, David Clary, Joey Campbell, Robert Query, Gary Thibodeaux, Steve Mazzola, Tim Bonnin, Jay James, DeWitt Gipson, John Griffith, Howard Nelson, Randy Jarrell, Jimmy Jones, Joe Payne, Donald Moss, Betty Melton, Doug Nelms, Cecil Sylvester, Roy Knolley, Annabelle Stringer, Wade Smith, Shea Brown, Sam Ambers, John Raughton, Pat Leverne, James Scott, Ann Harner, Jenny Taylor, David Trahan, Donnie Shockley, Jr., John Crawford, Jim Gordon, Jim Colley, Dennis Doggett, Sue Rathburn, Keith Lyons, Wayne Franklin, Mandy Rogers, Terry Landry, Albert Gore, Betsy Phillips, Trent Cooper, Steve Toal, James Ray, Mike Hughes, Mark Magnuson, Gary Mulhollan, Miles Hall, Bobby Tanner, Jason Gipson, Jade Saucier, Georgia Corder, Ron Logan, Ken Manuel, Don Harmon, Sanford Lummus, Mary Frances Hartley, Hunter Sheridan, Lewis Sims, Tommy Carroll, Van Wade.

And a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS to my e-mail readers Dick and Gail Kazmar, Bobbie and Dick Wechter, Don and Linda Bivens, Karen and Brian Smith, Kate Butcher, Brock and Glenna Bult, Paul Groncki, Bobbie Earle, Wayne and Kaye Morris, Tony Ottati and for anyone I may have missed, especially you, my loyal readers who have been with Kaz’s Korner since its inception Sept. 12, 1966.