Astros are set to take on the Padres for a three game set.

Summary

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Payne & Pendergast – August 7, 2026

Episode Theme: Astros vs. Padres preview, Texans roster moves, and Houston sports headlines

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into two of Houston's major sports stories:

• The Astros gearing up for a three-game series with the San Diego Padres amid pitching depth concerns
• Notable Texans news from training camp, including key contract extensions and defensive roster analysis

Alongside these spotlights, hosts Sean Pendergast and Seth Payne review regional and national sports headlines with their signature blend of sharp analysis and lively banter.

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Texans Training Camp and Roster Moves

[00:36–05:23]

• Henry To’o To’o Extension:
  Texans linebacker Henry To’o To’o receives a two-year, $16 million extension, keeping him in Houston through 2028. With most starting defenders locked up, only Tommy Togiai lacks a contract beyond this season.

  • D’Amico Ryans (Texans Head Coach) on To’o To’o’s impact:

    “He brings his smart calmness to our defense, right? He's always in position, always exactly where he should be. You can count on him.” – [01:25]
    “He can play the mic and the wheel position. Very versatile guy. Henry plays with passion and fire. That rubs off on other guys. It’s fun to watch him play.” – [01:35]

  • The hosts praise the deal’s value, calling To’o To’o a “solid, steady off-ball linebacker” who fulfills his role in a loaded defense without breaking the cap. [02:13]

• Tommy Togiai’s Contract Conundrum:
  Defensive tackle Tommy Togiai had a breakout year but remains the last major starter without a post-2024 deal.

  • Noted for beginning last season inactive, only to become a force down the stretch. [02:51]
  • Discussion on Togiai’s market value:

    “He could be making $20-plus million per year and still be around the 20th highest-paid defensive tackle in the league.” [02:53]

  • Debate centers on urgency and likelihood of a new contract, referencing high league valuations for even non-superstar defensive tackles like Ed Oliver ($17M/year). [05:02]
  • Praise for Togiai’s breakout plays, especially vs the Chiefs:

    “The interception at the end of the Chiefs game, that was Tommy Togiai hitting Patrick Mahomes as he threw the ball… even plays that don’t show up as pressures or sacks, he causes them.” [03:41]

  • Why he might be overlooked in league circles:

    “I was a little surprised. Like nobody put him in the top 10. Nobody knew about him.” [04:28]

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Astros/Padres Series Preview

[06:33–07:33]

• Pitching Spotlight:
  Renel Blanco gets the start against Padres’ Robbie Ray. Hosts label the outing “a big start for Dana Brown” (Astros GM) given the lack of pitching deals at the deadline, leaving Houston to rely on returning arms like Blanco and Wisneski. [06:33]
  • Hosts poke fun at pitching depth:

    “Oh, why is there a place for them in the starting rotation? Oh, it’s because the five other guys you brought in suck. And they're gone.” [07:24]

• Weekend rotation talk:
  Peter Lambert starts Saturday; Sunday remains “TBD,” with hosts joking:

  “TBD is my new favorite Astro. He shows up at least once a week in the rotation.” [07:33]

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National Football Headlines & Hall of Fame Game

[07:33–10:12]

• NFL Running Back Market Moves:
  Jameer Gibbs gets a deal mirroring Bijan Robinson’s $25M/year with Detroit, highlighting how big payroll teams (including the Lions and Eagles) can keep rosters together even with top-paid QBs. [07:33]

• Hall of Fame Game Recap:
  The hosts recount the preseason opener, noting local connections (Haynes King, Aggie alum, playing for Georgia Tech and starring in the fourth quarter).

  • Notable stats:

    “Carson Beck 15 for 19 for 188 yards… that’s a 9.9 yards per attempt. That’s damn impressive.” – [08:41]

  • Panthers win on a last-second Haynes King scramble, 33–30. [08:50]

• Multi-generational sports names:
  Hosts note the prevalence of juniors and even grandsons, joking about feeling old seeing familiar surnames:

  “It’s so weird… there’s too many juniors of guys that I’m like, nah, he’s not old enough to have a son in the NFL.” [09:08]

• Promoting the Hall of Fame Game:
  Hosts laugh at marketing efforts by networks:

  “[ESPN] had Carson Beck and Kenny Pickett in the QB1 pose on the poster. I’m like, oh yeah, that’s gonna put asses in seats.” [09:16]
  “Remember when Pickett was so put out that he wasn’t being treated like a superstar in Pittsburgh?” [09:45]
  “Sorry, Kenny, you’re starting in the Hall of Fame game.” [09:57]

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Teaser: J.J. Clowney Returns

[10:12–10:49]

• Hosts tease an upcoming, longer segment about Jadeveon Clowney’s return to the Texans, promising a humorous comparison between “Texans Clowney 1.0” and his present-day “2.0” maturity.

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Memorable Quotes

• On the challenge of paying everyone on a great defense:

  “At some point the Texans are going to have to make hard decisions on who they can and cannot keep. It might end up being Tommy Togiai.” [02:13]

• On standout but unheralded defensive tackles:

  “He does a great job of pushing the pocket and a lot of things that don’t show up as sacks… even sometimes don’t show up as a pressure. But it’s because they flush the quarterback out of the pocket.” [03:41]

• Astros’ pitching situation:

  “Oh, why is there a place for them in the starting rotation? Oh, it’s because the five other guys you brought in suck. And they're gone.” [07:24]

• NFL quarterback evaluations:

  “That’s the problem now. Everybody’s so desperate for quarterbacks that all these guys that would’ve been a fourth-round pick… now they’re first-rounders and expect to be treated as such.” [09:57]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:36] – Texans headline recap, Henry To’o To’o extension
• [01:25] – D’Amico Ryans on To’o To’o’s value
• [02:53] – Tommy Togiai’s contract debate
• [03:41] – Togiai as an unsung hero in defining plays
• [04:59] – League’s perception of non-stat-accumulating defensive tackles
• [06:33] – Astros vs. Padres preview, importance of Renel Blanco’s start
• [07:33] – MLB pitching depth woes, rotation humor
• [07:33] – Jameer Gibbs’ contract, NFL RB market reflections
• [08:41] – Hall of Fame Game recap and local standout performances
• [09:16] – Media marketing fails and NFL QB evaluations
• [10:12] – Jadeveon Clowney 2.0 teaser

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Tone and Delivery

• The show blends friendly mockery, local pride, and pointed sports analysis, pairing deep-dive roster talk with quick-witted commentary.
• Hosts shift nimbly between granular player discussions and league-wide trends, always keeping a conversational, accessible style for Houston fans.

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In summary:
This episode explores Texans roster strategy amid training camp, breaks down the Astros' precarious pitching as they start a series with the Padres, and rounds up NFL and MLB headlines with sharp, local humor. Anyone wanting Houston sports insight and flavor will get a brisk, informed fix from Payne & Pendergast’s fast-paced dialogue.

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Transcript

[Matthew Berry]

Drink up baby. Fantasy Football Happy Hour is here to get you wins and have some laughs. Matthew Berry here and my podcast Fantasy Football Happy Hour has the sleepers bust and start sit advice you need to win your league. We're diving into the tape. We're crunching the numbers to bring you sleepers bus weekly Start sit advice. Whether you're defending a title or desperately avoiding last place, I've got you covered. Every single weekday. The bar is open. It's Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry. Wherever you get your podcasts 222, Paine

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

and Pendergast with today's headlines.

[Sports Reporter]

All right, let's get to headlines. Texans training camp starting at 9 o' clock today. Practice number eight of Texans training Camp out here at the Methodist Training Center. If you are headed out here, say hello when you come scurrying in with Everybody else at 8 o' clock for your first come, first serve seating. The big news yesterday, no practice yesterday but there was Texans news. Henry Toa Toa signs an extension Linebacker signs an extension with the Texans that'll keep him here through 2028. A two year extension for $16 million. Toa Toa was heading into a contract year and now the Texans have virtually every piece of their starting defense. Tommy Togi, the only one not under contract beyond this season. Here was d' Amico Ryan's earlier this week on what Henry Toa Toa brings to the Texans defense.

[D'Amico Ryan]

What Harry brings to our defense. He brings his smart calmness to our defense, right? He's always in position, always exactly where he should be. So he's, you can count on him. You can put a lot on his play. He can handle things. He can play the mic and the wheel position. Very versatile guy. And Henry plays with passion and fire. Man, that rubs off on other guys. Like to see him play. It's fun to watch him play and you mix him in with Aziz and Lassiter. Got some wild and crazy guys running around who love to hit, love to play physical but Henry has got that I can always count on like asking guys to probably change up techniques or put him in those situations where I may want to change some things. Henry is a guy who can take the coaching well and go apply it on the field and put himself in position to make plays for him.

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

This is a, this is a deal that it's very, very reasonable. It makes sense for both sides. I think you have a solid steady off ball linebacker that does exactly what you want him to do. And as part of a great defense where you can't pay everybody like they're an all Pro and you can't have 11 all pros on there. You know, like at some point the Texans are going to have to make hard decisions on who they can and cannot keep. It might end up being Tommy togiai. Tommy Togiai is at a point where he played really well last year, but it was kind of a. He kind of just a surprise unveiling to the league. He wasn't even on the game day roster to begin the season.

[Sports Reporter]

He was inactive for the first two weeks.

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

And he plays a position where as a free agent and he could make. He could be making 20 plus million per year and still. Still be, you know, like right around the 20th highest paid defensive tackle in the league. So that I don't. That's going to be an interesting one. If they are. If they extend Tommy Togi before the season begins, that would be a surprise, a very pleasant surprise. But I'm just. I think it might be.

[Sports Reporter]

You think he gets paid in that range, huh. He could on the open market.

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

Oh, I mean, well, 20 million isn't that much anymore. Yeah. Like the guys that John Franklin Myers made 21 million in free age.

[Sports Reporter]

But you. He'd be well, that well thought of around the league. Yeah. Yeah. That's interesting. Yeah, that, that's. And Togei is a guy you feel like is going to maintain that level of play. Like he just seems like a very. I mean d' Amico's described him the most consistent guy on the team.

[D'Amico Ryan]

Yeah.

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

Yeah. And I think. Well, there's a, There's a part of Togei where I think there's. People underestimate just how quick and explosive he is and they underestimate how much of an impact he has in the passing game because he's. He does a great job of pushing the pocket and a lot of things that don't show up as sacks or anything, they just. And even sometimes don't show up as a pressure. But it's because they flush the quarterback out of the pocket and that's where Daniel or Will gets a sack. I mean if you go back to some of the biggest and most critical plays for the Texans last year, the interception at the end of the Chiefs game, that was Tommy togei hitting Patrick Mahomes as he threw the ball. Likewise the pass breakup in that Chiefs game that Lassiter had in the end zone. Yeah, that was slightly under thrown and that was Togey. I hit and Patrick Mahomes, I'm 100%.

[Sports Reporter]

With you on togey. I'm just really curious. I was surprised. Like that exercise Jeremy Fowler does where all the GMs vote on things. He didn't get a vote. I was a little surprised. Like nobody put him in the top 10.

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

Nobody knew about him. Well, that really.

[Sports Reporter]

Yeah, yeah. But that was after this season. They did those.

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

I know, but he played. He played the back three quarters of the season. Yeah. And he also, you know, he doesn't have gaudy numbers or anything and they rotate everybody. Yeah. I think it wouldn't surprise me at all if somebody really identifies him as like, oh yeah, and shells out, this is a guy. Yeah.

[Sports Reporter]

Yeah. That's interesting.

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

Ed Oliver makes 17 million per year. He signed that deal a couple years ago.

[Sports Reporter]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

And Ed Oliver has gone like he had a slow start to his career in the build, but he's not like one of the superstars of the league.

[Sports Reporter]

You and I are on the same page as to what Tommy Togia is as a player. I'm just. The league is so haphazard with how they evaluate these guys sometimes that are play these positions that aren't measured on numbers. So we'll, we'll see, I think.

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

Yeah. But some of that haphazardness though comes with guys where they're.

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[Kendra Adachi]

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[Fantasy Football Analyst]

Not big marquee names in there like that defensive tackle position. Yeah, especially is the kind of place where that happens.

[Sports Reporter]

Yeah, yeah, no, I know. Astros, Padres this weekend starting tonight. So a little west coast baseball. I like when they put the west coast series on the weekends. Yeah, you know they don't have to worry about getting up at five in the morning and haven't watched till midnight. Renell Blanco, big start for Renell Blanco tonight. Not that he's in any jeopardy of getting pushed from the rotation because they're just, they don't have a lot of guys right now they can trust. But Renel Blanco against Robbie Ray, who I know that was a name that was kind of tossed around at the trade deadline that might be out there. Robbie Ray's got 10 wins on the season, but Renell Blanco has been very hit or miss since he's come back. This is kind of a big start for Dana Brown, this Renell Blanco start, because no pitchers picked up at the trade deadline. So Dana Brown is leaning on the whole, hey, we got Blanco and Wisneski back. It's like I made a trade. Yeah, I made a trade with the hospital. They gave us some. They gave them back to us from Tommy John surgery.

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

Oh, why is there a place for them? Oh, why is there a place for them in the starting rotation? Oh, it's because the five other guys you brought in suck. And they're gone.

[Sports Reporter]

That too. Yeah, that too. Peter Lambert starts tomorrow and then TBD Sunday. TBD is my new favorite. Astro. He shows up at least once a week in the rotation. Jameer Gibbs got paid yesterday, would appear the staring contest between Jameer Gibbs and the Lions is really a staring contest between Jameer Gibbs and Bijan Robinson because Bijan got 25 million a year. A couple days ago, Jameer Gibbs gets up to 25.25 million a year. So that's how that's going. So Jameer Gibbs signing in the fall, and that's another team that's paying all their guys. It feels like. Yeah. Feels like Detroit hardly lets anybody go. And Detroit, like Philly, is a team that's paying a quarterback 50 plus million a year. It can happen. The. The hall of Fame game was last night. We didn't get to see most of it because you and I were at Toyota center watching the Big Three at Toyota center. But I did get home in time for the fourth quarter of that game. It was an exciting preseason game. Man, Haynes King was out there, you Aggies out there. I know Haynes King wound up with Georgia Tech, but Haynes King was out there. Haynes King and Carson Beck were dealing last. They were both.

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

Carson Beck 15 for 19 for 188 yards.

[Sports Reporter]

That's.

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

That's a 9.9 yards per attempt. That's damn impressive.

[Sports Reporter]

Yep. Yep. So the Panthers end up winning the game 33 to 30 on literally the last play of the game. A Haynes King scramble from about five yards out. And they win that game last night. 33, 30. So nice having football back on.

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

Jimmy Horn Jr. Yeah. Four receptions for 44 yards.

[Sports Reporter]

Yeah.

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

Man, it's so weird seeing that. That there's too many. There's too many juniors of guys that I'm like, nah, he's not old enough to have a son in the NFL.

[Sports Reporter]

Oh, yeah, then there's Cecil Fielder, who's got a grandson in the Astros organization now. So those are your. Those are your headlines. By the way, the ESPN poster, the graphic for that game last night was so funny. Like that. They're putting up there promoting the hall of Fame game. They had Carson Beck and Kenny Pickett on there in like the QB1 pose on the poster. I'm like, oh, yeah, that's gonna put asses in seats. Beck, Pickett, it's the hall of Fame game on ESPN or NBC, I guess it was.

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

All right. Remember when Pickett was so put out that he wasn't being treated like a superstar in Pittsburgh?

[Sports Reporter]

Yeah. He's now been put out by about four different team.

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

Did he request a trade or demand a trade?

[Sports Reporter]

I think he did.

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

Yeah. That's the problem with this now that everybody's so desperate for quarterbacks that all these guys that in a previous generation would have been a fourth round pick as a quarterback, now they're first rounders and they expect to be treated as such. Yeah, Sorry, Kenny, you're starting in the hall of Fame game.

[D'Amico Ryan]

Yeah.

[Fantasy Football Analyst]

There you go.

[Sports Reporter]

You're on the poster for the hall of Fame game. All right, coming up next. Okay, we got a nice long segment coming up here. Want to get to. I have three training camp winners so far for the Texans and d' Amigo Ryan's Nick Casario talked about all three of them. But coming up next, Jedevion Clowney is here. He is a Houston Texan. I'm calling him Texans Clowney 2.0. We're going to go back through some of the escapades of Texans Clowney 1.0. Do we think the new mature Clowney would be caught in any of these situations that the old Clowney got into? We will have that for you coming up next. Lemonade.

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