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Hookem Horns

Hookem Horns

Texans Talk Bartender
Staff member
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Joe Texan, Bud Adams, Bum Phillips, Me

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Me, Elvin Bethea

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Bud and Me

This was a very interesting day to say the least. This was at the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco for the induction of Elvin Bethea, and several others (Bob Hayes of the Cowboys was another one). I want to say around 2004 maybe. Most Texas pro sports franchises had a table at this event with some officials there. It's a long story and I won't get into all of it, however the reason I and a few other Texans fans were there was because the Texans "weren't able" to send anyone from the organization. John McClain felt that it was a shame that the Texans wouldn't be represented at this event so he saw to it that at least some fans would be sitting at the Texans table. Imagine the Texans table being vacant. It would have been had it not been for John McClain.

Say what you want about John McClain, he's actually a very good dude. He also saw to it that we got to meet Bum Phillips, Elvin Bethea and a man that I previously despised in Bud Adams (Bud was nothing like I was expecting). I have a lot of stories from this day. It had the feel that the Texans were too good to be there and wanted nothing to do with the history of the NFL in Houston.
 
gwallaia said:
Was Bud as creepy in person?
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No, he came off as a typical fan. It felt like talking to a fan of the other team at a tailgate. He just wanted to talk about the games between the Texans and Titans. I was very surprised. I was expecting him to be an arrogant (any expletive here). He was actually just a normal guy to talk to, if anything more insecure than arrogant.

The funny thing was is that he thought I worked for the team. He had no idea that I was just a fan, probably because all of the other teams had real reps there.
 
That's awesome, man!!

My Bud Adams story revealed the same thing about him. Just a regular guy that turned out to be pretty nice dude.

In the late '80s/early '90s, we would rent out our warehouse to be used for auctions of Persian rugs. The rug company would take out ads in the local paper, and they always had a good turnout. I was the warehouse manager, so I would hire my friends to be extra help - i.e. holding the rugs up while they were being bid on and helping to load them into vehicles type stuff.

Bud showed up to one of the auctions and spent over $60,000 on rugs. He had a big straw hat with a fan built into it. He hired some of my friends to help unload his rugs at his mansion in River Oaks (I had to stay behind to close the warehouse up). He invited them all into part of his house, had them go to his walk-in cooler, and gave each of them a case of beer along with cash. He was very friendly and polite, the exact opposite of what I expected as an Oilers fan.
 
Hookem Horns said:
View attachment 7561
Joe Texan, Bud Adams, Bum Phillips, Me

View attachment 7564
Me, Elvin Bethea

View attachment 7567
Bud and Me

This was a very interesting day to say the least. This was at the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco for the induction of Elvin Bethea, and several others (Bob Hayes of the Cowboys was another one). I want to say around 2004 maybe. Most Texas pro sports franchises had a table at this event with some officials there. It's a long story and I won't get into all of it, however the reason I and a few other Texans fans were there was because the Texans "weren't able" to send anyone from the organization. John McClain felt that it was a shame that the Texans wouldn't be represented at this event so he saw to it that at least some fans would be sitting at the Texans table. Imagine the Texans table being vacant. It would have been had it not been for John McClain.

Say what you want about John McClain, he's actually a very good dude. He also saw to it that we got to meet Bum Phillips, Elvin Bethea and a man that I previously despised in Bud Adams (Bud was nothing like I was expecting). I have a lot of stories from this day. It had the feel that the Texans were too good to be there and wanted nothing to do with the history of the NFL in Houston.
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That is amazing! Very cool and thanks for sharing. Have you thought about contacting McClain about the event? He loves to reminisce.
 
Hookem Horns said:
View attachment 7561
Joe Texan, Bud Adams, Bum Phillips, Me

View attachment 7564
Me, Elvin Bethea

View attachment 7567
Bud and Me

This was a very interesting day to say the least. This was at the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco for the induction of Elvin Bethea, and several others (Bob Hayes of the Cowboys was another one). I want to say around 2004 maybe. Most Texas pro sports franchises had a table at this event with some officials there. It's a long story and I won't get into all of it, however the reason I and a few other Texans fans were there was because the Texans "weren't able" to send anyone from the organization. John McClain felt that it was a shame that the Texans wouldn't be represented at this event so he saw to it that at least some fans would be sitting at the Texans table. Imagine the Texans table being vacant. It would have been had it not been for John McClain.

Say what you want about John McClain, he's actually a very good dude. He also saw to it that we got to meet Bum Phillips, Elvin Bethea and a man that I previously despised in Bud Adams (Bud was nothing like I was expecting). I have a lot of stories from this day. It had the feel that the Texans were too good to be there and wanted nothing to do with the history of the NFL in Houston.
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John McClain is a national treasure and Houston is lucky to have him.
 
Texian said:
John McClain is a national treasure and Houston is lucky to have him.
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I dig his stories, and his personality is salty AF regardless if he's on a local radio show or a national TV show. John is John and simply doesn't give a crap of what others think of him.

And he refuses to play the rumor game. He speaks on what he knows at the moment and rarely goes down the rabbit hole of speculation.

And that said, he has stated emphatically over and over that the Texans will not trade Watson, regardless of what is offered for him.
 
Double Barrel said:
I dig his stories, and his personality is salty AF regardless if he's on a local radio show or a national TV show. John is John and simply doesn't give a crap of what others think of him.

And he refuses to play the rumor game. He speaks on what he knows at the moment and rarely goes down the rabbit hole of speculation.

And that said, he has stated emphatically over and over that the Texans will not trade Watson, regardless of what is offered for him.
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Like everyone else John is a BIG fan, maybe the biggest. And like all fans he is often wrong when he's wearing Texans fan hat.
 
badboy said:
That is amazing! Very cool and thanks for sharing. Have you thought about contacting McClain about the event? He loves to reminisce.
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I thought about that. I still have his mobile number :). He used to browse this board but probably not now with social media. If this were a normal year I would probably try to meet up with before the Super Bowl because I’m sure he would be here. I might send him text anyway. If for anything to thank him for all he did for us back then and just for being a good dude. Unless he still comes here he doesn’t know I left Texas and if he ever tried to contact me since I changed to a Florida number years ago.
 
Double Barrel said:
That's awesome, man!!

My Bud Adams story revealed the same thing about him. Just a regular guy that turned out to be pretty nice dude.

In the late '80s/early '90s, we would rent out our warehouse to be used for auctions of Persian rugs.
Click to expand...

That reminds of a warehouse in the middle of downtown that Jim Norton bought in the late 60's. Did any of you go there? It was a bar that Norton called "The Warehouse". The chairs were barrels and the tables were these big reels that cable went on. It was quite unique. == Did not mean to steal your thread.
 
steelbtexan said:
Love the pics and really cool story.

Bud was a better man than he's been portrayed around these parts.
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The anger at Bud comes from the love that folks had for his team.

And not gonna' lie, I'm still a little pissed - perhaps even more today - because we'd never be stuck with Cal McNair and his epic stupidity if Bud had not murdered the Houston Oilers 25 years ago.
 
Double Barrel said:
The anger at Bud comes from the love that folks had for his team.

And not gonna' lie, I'm still a little pissed - perhaps even more today - because we'd never be stuck with Cal McNair and his epic stupidity if Bud had not murdered the Houston Oilers 25 years ago.
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Looking back, they should have built Bud NRG and I was a fan that was happy he moved the team.

A case of be careful of what you wish for.
 
gwallaia said:
Here's an old photo I found getting ready for the first game between the Texans and Titans in Houston. I was so young back then.


View attachment 7594
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I remember that tailgate well and have pictures somewhere. One is of myself next to your sign. I also remember Chuck (Livid13) burning his Titans jersey at that tailgate. He now lives in Nashville :).

I held so much resentment towards Bud, the Titans, Nashville, Titans fans, etc for a long time. After moving out here number of years ago I finally let that all go. The Bucs were always my other team since childhood and living here they’re now my home team. I’m good with that. Hey, they’re in the Super Bowl again, something the Oilers never did for me.

The Titans are just another team to me now and the Oilers are dead. Nashville is actually a very cool city and I’ve made some good friends there. Titans fan Yvette has been a good friend of mine for 15 years or more now and she is one of the best people you’ll ever meet. Her husband Bob is great too. Without the whole Titans thing I would have never met them. Once this COVID mess is over I plan on heading up there and seeing them again. So some good definitely came out of this.

We definitely had some crazy Blue Crew tailgates. I don’t miss that 2.5 hour drive home back to Austin though. Now I’m 30 minutes or less from my tailgate spot over here. :)
 
Thorn said:
Also a case for hindsight being correct most of the time. LOL

It's an interesting thought. Knowing what we know now about both the Texans and the Titans, I too think we should have placated Bud and kept the Oilers.
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Yep, Bud’s daughter appears to be a decent owner. She convinced Earl Campbell to finally come out there and embrace the team. After reading about that I was glad it happened because the Texans have never done anything for him. That’s probably one reason why he decided to go. Earl was onboard with the Texans early on but he’s probably not now. That’s a shame for the older fans and the city of Houston.
 
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