Astros win + Texans Training Camp and NFL news

Summary

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Payne & Pendergast — Astros Win, Texans Training Camp & NFL News

Episode Date: August 11, 2026
Hosts: Seth Payne & Sean Pendergast

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Episode Overview

This episode delivers a vibrant rundown of Houston sports, focusing on the Astros’ thrilling extra-inning win and the resurgence of their late-game confidence. The hosts then pivot to Texans training camp updates, evaluating Jadeveon Clowney’s integration under coach DeMeco Ryans, and round things out with hot takes on NFL news—including the Cowboys’ bold contract moves. The banter is sharp, relatable, and packed with both stats and humor, making it a must-listen for Houston sports fans.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Astros’ Extra-Inning Victory & Clutch Performances

• Jeremy Peña’s Slump Buster
  • Broke an 0-for-24 stretch with a go-ahead single in the 10th inning ([00:00–00:28]).
    • Quote (Pendergast, 00:29): “It’s a slump buster that counts.”
    • Quote (Pain, 00:32): “That’s the equivalent of a bad decision out at a nightclub at 2am—it’ll just get you over whatever obstacles you’re facing.”
  • Hosts celebrate clutch moments and how ugly wins still count, framing this as the type of hit that could spark a turnaround.
• Game Recap & Player Highlights:
  • Key contributions from Cam Smith, with game-tying performances in both the 7th and 9th innings ([00:38–01:24]).
  • Noted the Astros’ improved record in late/close scenarios, a stark departure from early-season struggles ([01:24–01:40]).
    • Quote (Pendergast, 01:24): “Early in the season... they were like 1 in 29 when trailing after the seventh. It was just... annoyingly lopsided.”
• Bullpen Usage Analysis:
  • Praised Josh Hader for his two-inning, 22-pitch win-securing outing ([01:40–02:07]).
  • Emphasized the increased significance of every bullpen move with the division so tight.

2. Astros Roster Moves & Trade Deadline Reactions

• Nelson Velázquez Claimed Off Waivers
  • Hosts skewered attempts to cast waiver claims as trade-deadline-level upgrades ([02:22–03:45]).
  • Quote (Pain, 02:22): “I’m waiting for Dana Brown to say, ‘well, this is just like we made a trade.’”
• Good-Natured Banter Over Player Critiques
  • Light-hearted jousting as Sean accuses Seth of being too negative about Cam Smith, leading to a playful defense ([02:07–03:13]).
    • Quote (Pain, 03:13): “You’re usually pretty good at reading me. You’re way off base on this one. Way off base.”

3. Texans Training Camp: Clowney Integration & Excitement for Pass Rush

• Coach DeMeco Ryans on Clowney’s Progress ([03:51–04:30])
  • Ryans describes Clowney adjusting to the Texans’ system, noting his “quicker than expected” burst and projecting improvement as he settles in.
    • Quote (DeMeco Ryans, 03:57): “By what I’ve seen so far…and just his first few days of being here…not having a full offseason with us, but to come in where he is right now…and it’s only going to keep getting better. I’m excited to see where he winds up.”
• Hosts’ Read on Clowney and Ryans’ Comments
  • Sean raises (and quickly dismisses) concern over Ryans’ phrasing “still getting adjusted” ([05:16–05:44]).
    • Quote (Pendergast, 05:16): “Was there any bit of trepidation…when DeMeco opened up with ‘Clowney’s still getting used to the way we do things around here’?”
    • Quote (Pain, 05:24): “No, there wasn’t, actually…things have been going so good.”
• Clowney’s Physical Profile—Memorable Metaphor
  • Sean (with comic uncertainty) claims Clowney “covers a hectare” in two steps, leading to a playful math segment ([05:45–07:06]).
    • Quote (Pendergast, 05:45): “That first play that DeMeco is talking about, it was vintage Clowney where he covers a hectare in two steps…”
    • Quote (Pain, 07:03): “He’s covering way more acreage than that.”
• Texans’ Pass Rush = Must-Watch TV
  • Seth frames third and long with Hunter, Will Anderson, and Clowney as “the Yordan Alvarez at-bat of Texans games”—a can’t-miss moment ([06:20–06:55]).
• Late Nights for Astros Fans
  • Fun rumination about Houstonians losing sleep on West Coast trips, not wanting to miss “just one more” Yordan Alvarez at-bat ([07:12–07:23]).

4. NFL Quick Hits: Cowboys’ Roster Strategy

• Cowboys Extend Quinnen Williams
  • Jerry Jones praised for a proactive $106M extension ([07:23–07:42]).
    • Quote (Pendergast, 07:36): “That’s a good move by Jerry—staying ahead of the curve.”
  • Jests about Dallas’ surprise shift after trading Micah Parsons, paying multiple other stars instead ([07:42–08:27]).
  • Speculates that Jerry Jones is in “YOLO mode,” likening his late-career spending sprees to that of late Bills owner Ralph Wilson ([07:50–08:46]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “That’s the equivalent of a bad decision out at a nightclub at 2am—it’ll just get you over whatever obstacles you’re facing.”
  — Seth Payne on Peña’s streak-breaking single ([00:32])
• “You’re usually pretty good at reading me. You’re way off base on this one.”
  — Seth Payne, defending his Cam Smith take ([03:13])
• “By what I’ve seen so far…where he is right now…only going to keep getting better. I’m excited to see where he winds up.”
  — DeMeco Ryans on Clowney’s progress ([03:57–04:30])
• “That first play…it was vintage Clowney where he covers a hectare in two steps.”
  — Sean Pendergast ([05:45])
• “Third and long for other teams this year…the [Texans] pass rush is the Yordan Alvarez at-bat of Texans games.”
  — Seth Payne ([06:55])
• “I think Jerry might be entering that YOLO mode…‘I ain’t got no time to waste on this one.’”
  — Sean Pendergast on Jerry Jones ([08:20])

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Timed Highlights

• Astros Game Recap & Clutch Stats ……………………… [00:00–01:40]
• Bullpen Analysis (Josh Hader) …………………………… [01:40–02:07]
• Roster Moves & Waiver Pickups …………………………… [02:22–03:45]
• Texans Camp: Clowney’s Progress & Ryans’ Outlook … [03:51–05:16]
• Playful Clowney Hectare/Acre Metaphor ……………… [05:45–07:06]
• Must-watch Texans Pass Rush Excitement ……………… [06:20–06:55]
• Cowboys Contract Talk, Jerry Jones YOLO ……………… [07:23–08:46]

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Tone & Style

The conversation blends detailed analysis with classic sports-radio playful ribbing, using analogies Huson fans will love and mixing stats with relatable, off-the-cuff humor. Listeners get a tangible sense of both the urgency around Houston baseball and the hope/anticipation for the Texans' new defensive trio.

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This summary covers all main content and skips promotional messages and recurring ads.

Transcript

[Pendergast]

2 2, 2, 2, 2 2. Pain and Pendergast with today's headlines. Pena ground ball, base hit. He snaps the over 24 with a go ahead run in the 10th. It's 4:3, Astro.

[Pain]

All right, Jeremy Pena. Sometimes when you snap an O for 24 streak, it needs to be a seeing eye single through a drawn in in field. That's the, you know, it's that, that's what gets guys going.

[Pendergast]

Yeah, it's a slump buster that counts.

[Pain]

We'll take it.

[Pendergast]

That's the equivalent of a bad decision out at a nightclub at 2am It'll just get you over through whatever obstacles you're facing.

[Pain]

Yeah, man. So Jeremy Pena last night with the game winning rbi. The reason the Astros are in that position in the first place was because of Cam Smith, who hit a a game tying home run in the seventh to tie it at two. Hayden Wisneski promptly gave up a home run to Drew Gilbert of all people, former Astros farmhand, to lose that lead. And then Cam Smith. Two outs, top of the ninth. Base hit to right field ties the game at three. The Astros go to extra innings and they get yet another comeback win. They've. That's one of the things I've really liked through this kind of second half of the season, Seth. Are really like, I guess I would say the last two thirds of the season since the middle of May when they've been playing pretty good baseball, they've shown a lot of pluckiness in the, in the back third of games here.

[Pendergast]

Yeah, that. Yeah. Like early in the season when they were, they were like 1 in 29 when trailing after the seventh inning or something. It was just, they had all kinds of annoyingly lopsided stats when it came down to these clutch moments. And they look a lot more like a team that can handle these clutch moments.

[Pain]

Josh Hader, a two inning outing last night for the Astros also now he only threw 22 pitches. To me, it's not the innings, it's the pitches that he got out of the ninth. So he. So they tied the game top of the night. They brought in Hater to make sure they got to extra innings and he only threw 11 pitches. I like that he came back out there, he threw 22 pitches in two innings. And these, these games are all important now. You know, you're in a dog fight in the division. So seeing Josh Hater able to get you a two inning outing and get the win last night was big too for the Astros.

[Pendergast]

Yeah. So, you know, I feel like yesterday you I think at some point during the show yesterday, just burn the whole stadium down. You're done with the Astros and. Yeah, I think it was something like that. I think it says something you want to remotely. Yeah, no, no, no. But you're a little down in the dumps yesterday and. Yeah, I get it. It's all right. No, no, no, that's fine. I mean, you just, you were, you were acting like, you know what it was yesterday.

[Pain]

What?

[Pendergast]

You basically wiped away all of the good stuff that Cam Smith did last week and said. Yeah, I felt like, I felt like there was like an animosity against Cam Smith.

[Pain]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I don't know. I said that. The, One of the things I'm rooting for for the rest of the year is for Cam Smith to have a better wins above replacement than Kyle Tucker.

[Pendergast]

Right, right, right. You said, how is that me being bum like he was?

[Pain]

I didn't say that at all.

[Pendergast]

I think that's what, how is that

[Pain]

me being down on Cam Smith, that I'm rooting for him to do something versus Kyle Tucker?

[Pendergast]

It was even as you were, because as you were hoping for Cam Smith to finish for the final wins above replacement of Kyle Tucker, it almost felt like, well, Tucker's not having a good year, so at least we can have this. Not what I was saying at all.

[Pain]

You're reading me, so. You're usually pretty good at reading me. You're way off base on this one. Way off base. Other news with the Astros, I mean,

[Pendergast]

the stuff you said off air was even worse.

[Pain]

Well, that's not off air. It's. Yeah. Astros pick up Nelson Velasquez off waivers from the Cardinals. I'm waiting for Dana Brown to say, well, this is just like we made a trade.

[Pendergast]

Yeah, I know this. We did talk about. We were a little bit down with it. I, I, I got agitated when I saw the article about, like, hey, the Astros might not have picked up anything exciting at the trade deadline, but they're not done yet. There's guys on waivers.

[Pain]

Yeah, no, they got one yesterday, Nelson Velasquez. Yeah. Hey, let's get to the Texans here real quick.

[Pendergast]

D'.

[Pain]

Amico, Ryan's met with the media yesterday. He was asked about how, hey, how's Jadevion Clowney coming along?

[D'Amico]

Clowney is still getting adjusted to how we do things. You see him probably his first day. I saw, we were doing a two minute drill the first day and he just had a one on one rush off the edge. And I'm Standing back there behind the quarterback. And he got on me quicker. Quicker than I expected. So I expect to see that from him. Right. He's. By what I've seen so far and just his first few days of being here, not having a full off season with us, but to come in where he is right now, and it's only going to keep getting better. I'm excited to see where he winds up.

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[D'Amico]

And how our rush group looks on third down.

[Pendergast]

Was there any bit of trepidation in your soul when he. When d' Amigo opened up with Clowney's still getting used to the way we do things around here.

[Pain]

No, there wasn't, actually. Oh, no. Yeah. I hadn't thought about that.

[Pendergast]

There was all this maturity talk, everything.

[Pain]

I hadn't thought about it because. Right. Because things have been going so good.

[Pendergast]

He left right into just. It wasn't that. I don't think he meant it that way at all. Just saying he's getting, you know, integrated into the system.

[Pain]

I think if he did, in his mind, think that that's how it was going, he just wouldn't say anything.

[Pendergast]

Right.

[Pain]

Yeah.

[Pendergast]

No. And that first play that d' Amigo is talking about, it was vintage clowning where he covers. He covers a hectare in two steps. You know, he just really. He covers so much ground.

[Pain]

And what is a hectare?

[Pendergast]

I don't know. It's like.

[Pain]

It's like a patch of grand or patch of ground.

[Pendergast]

Yeah, yeah. Back when they were giving out land in the Midwest, they were talking about, like, you had 100 hectares.

[Pain]

Oh, okay.

[Pendergast]

I think it's like 60ac or something. I don't know.

[D'Amico]

Okay.

[Pendergast]

I like. I've never heard that word, linear measurement, so it doesn't make any sense.

[Pain]

Yeah, yeah.

[Pendergast]

But he. Yeah, he covers a lot of ground, I would say.

[Pain]

You know, there's that thing Sometimes I talk about Seth, like, the. What's the most must watch thing in Houston sports right now? Like, for many report. No, no, no, no. The.

[D'Amico]

But.

[Pain]

But like a Yordon. When Yordan's on a heater, you can't leave the television when he's at bat and when he's. Yeah, I got to go to the bathroom. Oh, wait, Yordon's up. I got to watch this at bat. That kind of thing. Oh, I got to go out. Oh, wait, hang on. Your Don's up. The next thing, I'll wait to go to the grocery store. Then third and long for other teams this year when they have Daniel Hunter, Will Anderson, and Jadevian Clowney on the field at the same time. Oh, yeah, that's the Jordan Alvarez at bat of Texans game.

[Pendergast]

Yeah, that's a good point, Hector, by the way, I grossly overestimated to. It's a measly 2.47 acres, which leads you to wonder why was it ever a thing.

[Pain]

He's covering way more acreage than that.

[Pendergast]

So, yeah, that. Yeah, that. That dynamic of, you know, Jordan especially. That's a really good. That's a really good one.

[Pain]

Overpowered.

[Pendergast]

How many hours of sleep lost in Houston on a West coast trip based on, like, that extra 10 minutes you might stay awake because Jordan's up in the next half hour.

[Pain]

As soon as he got out in the eighth inning, I'm like, I'm going to bed. And then I missed the comeback in the ninth inning. So that was D'. Ameco. Hey, real quick. Cowboys signed Quinn and Williams. Three years, $106 million extension.

[Pendergast]

That's a good move by Jerry. Staying ahead of the curve. Jerry, get it? Being proactive, dude.

[Pain]

That's true. He is being proactive for a change. Maybe he learned something. I love that they traded Micah Parsons and they started paying everybody I know.

[Pendergast]

Okay, that's where it's. Because he. You know why it's a shock? Because Jerry's true to his word. Now, Jerry said, hey, for the amount of money that we would have paid Micah Parsons, that's six starters or so that you can pay. And then they promptly. They turned around and they had. They re. Upped somebody last year after they did that, they. They. They renegotiate or they give Quinn Williams an extension, and they've done a couple other guys. So I feel like Jerry. Jerry might be entering that YOLO mode where, hey, you know what? I've always been. I've always just waited and waited and waited and operated a certain different way. Like Okay. I ain't got no time to waste on this one.

[Pain]

Williams a really good player like they they may have. You know, Michael Parsons when he's healthy is one of the best.

[Pendergast]

But I remember Ralph Wilson, the Bill's owner at one point late in his life said that where he's just started to get a little frisky financially where he'd always been, I think kind of stingy. And he just flat out said, I don't like, I don't know how many

[Pain]

years I got might not be around for this. Yeah.

[Pendergast]

All right.

[Pain]

Coming up next, let's take a look at the rookie class. They're 10 training camp practices into their NFL preseason careers. How is this rookie class stacking up right now? We will, we will run through these.

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