The great indoors?: For the first time during OTA"s the Texans were forced inside at the Methodist Training Center. A severe storm that moved quickly through Houston during the morning rush hour left the outdoor field a little soggy, hence the move indoors.
Despite less room to operate, head coach Gary Kubiak told reporters after the two-hour workout that it was still the best he's seen the team perform this offseason.
"That was the best team practice we've had since we've started OTA's," Kubiak said. "We're bouncing around.Guys are learning how to practice really fast.Guys are staying off the ground, that's the key, you don't want to lose anybody out here and make up as much ground as you can."
Brothers in arms: Texans fourth-round pick Fred Bennett has at least one ally in the Houston secondary. Dunta Robinson and Bennet played together at the University of South Carolina.
Bennett was a freshman during Robinson's senior season and once again finds himself looking to the elder Robinson for advice.
"This past weekend, I spent the entire weekend with him and he was telling me some of the things that I can expect," Bennett said. "He was just telling me to keep my nose clean.
"The league has a lot of players that are getting in trouble right now and he's just teaching me about the league off the field as well as on it."
Robinson doesn't mind playing mentor to a fellow Gamecock.
"He's just been asking me a lot of questions," Robinson said. "Last week was the first time these (rookies) saw the playbook and they were sort of thrown in the fire. So I try to hang out with him after practice and try to make him feel at home."
Bennett said he finds his time with Robinson helpful and it's not unlike the relationship the pair had back in Columbia.
"I actually played behind him my first year of college. Just having him around for that first year in college, showing me the ropes, when I got to the next level I figured he would do it again," Bennet said.
"He was my big brother. I looked up to him. He taught me a lot."
Story grows legs: As we reported Thursday, running back Ahman Green managed to persuade safety Jason Simmons out of his jersey number. Simmons made Green pay, but not to him directly.
Simmons requested that Green, in order to get Simmons' jersey number, make a down payment on a home for a single-parent family. The details are still being worked out, but Green will pay his debt in the near future.
The national media has caught wind of the story and ESPN and ABC World News Tonight were in Houston Tuesday to speak with Green and Simmons about the agreement.
Kubiak isn't surprised that Simmons thought of such a unique way to make Green pay for his number.
"I think its special, but it's not a surprise with him," Kubiak said Tuesday. "That's what he stands for. Usually if you show me a guy who has played 10 or 12 years in this league, they will show you a lot of class and that's what he has."
Running on full: With the addition of Green this offseason, the Texans have a pretty formidable backfield in the making.
In addition to Ron Dayne, who enjoyed the best month of his career in Dec., 2006, the Texans also have Wali Lundy, who started the season as the number one back last year and Chris Taylor, who rushed for nearly 100 yards in the 2006 season finale.
That's a pretty crowded backfield, but Kubiak is extremely high on the group and thinks that the competition between them will only make the team stronger.
"Our backs, if you line up those six guys, they are about as good a group to go to camp with since I've been around," Kubiak said. "It's going to be very competitive. The thing that will set them aside is who plays the best on special teams. Very competitive situation and that is good for our team."
