Cushing adds blood to Texans' sweat and tears

[Wolf]

HOUSTON – Linebacker Brooks Reed was getting an IV in the Houston Texans' locker room just before halftime of the game against the Cleveland Browns last November when suddenly the equipment crew burst in with a bunch of bloody towels.

"I'm like, 'What the heck happened?' " Reed said. "Somebody said, 'It's crazy, Cushing just head-butted some guy with no helmet on."

Brian Cushing has long been known for the passion he brings to the game. (Getty)

Cushing delivered the blow after taking off his own helmet, slamming his dome against the covered noggin of Browns guard Shawn Lauvao. Not exactly the smartest move, as Cushing found out with the combination of stitches and a throbbing skull. At the same time, the move was representative of what Cushing is for a Houston defense that made stunning strides last season. Strides that make them a Super Bowl contender this season.

"We used him as an example last year to the rest of the players," said Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, who puts Cushing on a level with such high-motor greats as Robert Brazile, Karl Mecklenberg, Bryce Paup and even Hall of Famer Rickey Jackson. "We said, 'Hey, if everybody plays as hard in the game as he does then we'll be good.' We told the players that and they started catching on to what we wanted."

On a defense that features the likes of Reed, J.J. Watt, Connor Barwin, Antonio Smith and Johnathan Joseph, Cushing is the talented instigator. Former USC defensive coordinator Nick Holt had a more blunt description of Cushing.

"In college, my defensive coordinator always called me, 'The Prick,' " Cushing said. "In any other profession, you don't want to be the prick. But he said [in football], that was one of the best compliments you can get."

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl--te...-defense-.html

[Imatexanfan]

LOL I watch that episode of Mic'd up all the time...

[TheMatrix31]

He's an animal.

[PapaL]

You know why I like Cush? Because he is a damn fool. He is what every middle school and high school are...in it for the game. He's just a guy that plays football.

[BCRich]

The mods are going to jump on you for quoting so much of that article.

[False Start]

He's a BAMF!

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by BCRich

The mods are going to jump on you for quoting so much of that article.

Eh, I trimmed it a bit. Had to leave the "prick" part.

[Texan_Bill]

Originally Posted by PapaL

You know why I like Cush? Because he is a damn fool. He is what every middle school and high school are...in it for the game. He's just a guy that plays football.

I'm in to Cush for these reasons, A) he played the game as we all did in JR. High or High School,B) but very many of us play the life of business in the same aggressive, (well thought out) regard!!!

[False Start]

Originally Posted by PapaL

You know why I like Cush? Because he is a damn fool. He is what every middle school and high school are...in it for the game. He's just a guy that plays football.

Originally Posted by Texan_Bill

I'm in to Cush for these reasons, A) he played the game as we all did in JR. High or High School,B) but very many of us play the life of business in the same aggressive, (well thought out) regard!!!

Yep! He plays balls to the wall! You will never have to worry about him slacking.

[GP]

There will be two Texans who play for only Houston and retire as a Texan, and also stand a good chance at HOF (even if it's on a ballot much later in their life than they/we would want).

Andre Johnson and Brian Cushing. They're that unique with talent AND desire.

[False Start]

He tries to scare everything he sees when he is playing ball. As I said, ball to the wall.

[Wolf]

Some good pictures that were photoshopped on the Cush SMASH thread

http://www.texanstalk.com/forums/sho...hlight=Cushing

[HOU-TEX]

Cushing's new nickname......."The Prick".

That's awesome!

[Texan_Bill]

"I look like a psycho" ~ B. Cushing

Look like??