The draft is over, bring on the OTAs.

This draft will be evaluated on how Kareem Jackson stacks up with Devin McCourty and Kyle Wilson. Also, how the secondary looks without Dunta Robinson will be an ongoing question this season.

The Texans made a smooth move dropping down and getting Ben Tate in the second round. It must have seemed like adventure on the high seas as they traded out of the second and back in to grab the Auburn RB. The Tate-Toby Gerhart debate may go on for a while. Gerhart was prevalent in fans minds because of his Heisman showing but Tate is probably the better choice for the system. And the opportunity to get another pick was too good to pass up.

So they addressed their biggest needs in the first two rounds and picked up Earl Mitchell to play DT in the third.

This draft was not like some of the others in Texans history when they needed starters everywhere and were nearly desperate to get one in every round. This is a good team trying to get better.

Their biggest concerns after last season were replacing Dunta, getting the running game going again and field goal performance.

they brought in Neil Rackers to compete with Kris Brown and took care of the other needs in the draft. They also picked up a tight end in Garrett Graham to help shore up the position with so many banged up bodies trying to make a comeback.

The work is done for now. We'll see how it plays out.

Mock drafts get boring. All you really care about is who your team is drafting.

That's why I've decided to do the WHOLE Texans draft from rounds 1-7. Here's how the three days might unfold...

1) Kyle Wilson CB, Boise St.

Earl Thomas is long gone and Ryan Mathews would get the biggest cheer in the Verizon Wireless West Club but the Texans are going for the bigger cheers in January. They look glowingly at a CB who can step right in and play. Between Wilson, Quinn and McCain they have three super young guys who can all perform. Reeves is of course still solid and anything you get from Molden at this point is gravy.

2) Toby Gerhart, RB Stanford.

Ben Tate looked appetizing but he's gone by now. Maybe Gerhart could have been taken lower but they'll grab him right here as they don't want to get shut out of drafting a ball carrier like they were last year.

3) Al Woods, DT LSU.

They were checking out Mitch Petrus, the guard from Arkansas but he was nabbed a few picks earlier so they went with a player who has been jumping up the draft board. He's 309 lbs and will get a shot to get into the rotation and who knows?

4) Marshall Newhouse, OG TCU

They still want to get better on the interior of the offensive line and this relatively athletic player just might find a way to make a veteran's life miserable.

5) Myron Lewis, FS Vanderbilt

Lewis could go anywhere from the 3rd through the 5th rounds. If he lasts this long it's like the Texans getting lucky the way they did with James Casey last year. He played CB in college and will be very interesting to watch as he tries to mail down a job.

6) Jevan Snead, QB Ole Miss

I know, I know. But Orlovsky lost the job last year and John David Booty is a big question mark. Besides, Snead can "make all the throws" he just has to stop mixing in the bad ones. Houston is a great place for him to watch and learn.

6) David Pender, CB Purdue

4.37 guys don't grow on trees. plus, he's a Boilermaker which, along with Colorado State, will at least get you a job interview with the Texans

7) Brandon Sharpe, DE Texas Tech

Playing in the pass-crazed Big 12 he had 15 sacks last season. The Texans know they need to keep getting better rushing the passer. At this point in the draft everyone is tired and cranky and someone might even suggest drafting Oklahoma running back Chris Brown to lighten the mood. No one will laugh.

Of course none of this will probably happen but if I hit on three of them you should follow me to Vegas this summer.

The Astros need to keep fighting but at the same time need to seriously think about getting player permission and getting their best deals for Roy Oswalt, Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman before the break. With a winless homestand to start the season it's hardly a done deal that the season is over but prospects look grim at best for a winning campaign.

There's no need to hang on to big contract players if you can get good prospects in return. The crowds are already thin and a voluminous harvest from the minor leagues is still a couple of years away.

The fact that not every seat was jammed for a beautiful Sunday afternoon for Roy Oswalt and Roy Halladay shows you that whatever fans are there will be perfectly satisfied with a young, aggressive developing team.


Lee Westwood didn't lose the Masters, Phil won it with tremendous shot making in the final round. Some of the par saves were the best you'll see and the shot on 13 was the highlight of his career. Tiger was hardly himself but remained in the fight despite not playing an event since December.

Most followers assume it's a forgone conclusion that Tiger will break Jack's record. He needs five majors to do it. I would not be fool enough to bet against him but no one will hand it to him.

At this point I will only be mildly surprised if it doesn't happen because there are so many great young golfers that have the game to get hot on a major weekend and keep him away from the winners circle. He's more likely to get it done than not but it won't be easy.

Butler playing for a National Championship is good news/bad news for all Division One coaches. The good news is that anyone can play for a title. The bad news is that all the excuses for not succeeding just left the building.

Sure, Hinkle Field House might seem like Madison Square Garden compared to the gym in Hickory (or Milan to be exact). But it's not the Dean Dome and the Horizon league is not the ACC.

A.D.s across America can be heard saying "if Butler, BUTLER!... can play for the title, surely you can find a way to get into the tournament!"

Especially a 96 team tournament.

I'm now heavily in favor of expansion. Those who say "if it's not broken don't fix it" are missing the point. The dance will be even more terrific. We'll still have the chase to be top seeds and instead of arguing about 65 vs. 66, yes we'll be arguing about 96 vs. 97.

But there will also be a whole new bubble of teams who get the bye or not. teams 25 through 40 will be scrutinized in a whole different way and that will make late regular season and conference tournament games more meaningful.

Demeco Ryans has signed and there is peace in the land.

Fans are so happy for Demeco right now that you would think they are related to him. It just goes to show you how adored he is by Texans nation. From the first time he stepped on the field you knew he had "it." And he has done nothing but lead and produce in a Texans uniform.

With Brian Cushing having been drafted last year and the capable Zac Diles helping out, the Texans certainly have one of the top linebacking groups in the NFL.

Owen Daniels and the team have made a temporary arrangement that lets him work out with the boys while trying to work out a contract. O.D. gets a chance to prove he's healthy while hoping the team will show him some Demeco love.

But Owen's injury could mean that his deal is still in the distant future. The Texans would not have given him the highest tender if they didn't want him yet they can't be 100% confident just yet that he's good to go for another Pro Bowl run.

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Is the Astros 2010 season stillborn?

There is so little excitement around this team but could they surprise people?

Even last year's dreadful campaign began with the glow of an NL best run in the second half of 2008. Then a horrible spring threw a bucket of water over that.

If everyone was healthy you could say that the positive attitudes of Brad Mills and his staff might energize the team on a 'little engine that could' run to flirt with contention in the shaky NL Central. But Roy O's body and Lance Berkman's knee are not exactly topics of joy in the ticket office.

We had Mike Schmidt on the show Tuesday and he raved about Ed Wade's construction of the nucleus of a very productive two year Phillies run. We may be on the right track but it could take a while to get to our destination.

March Mad Moments

My favorite moments at the Microphone during March Madness

Miami Beating Ohio State (and Michael Redd) in 2000 in Nashville to advance to the Sweet 16
The Hurricanes were the best defensive team in the Big East and made the big stops down the stretch in what still is their biggest win in team history.

UMass defeating Georgetown (and A.I.) in the 1996 Regional Finals in Atlanta
Calipari and Camby put the breaks on Iverson and a tough Georgetown team to get the Minutemen to the Final Four.

Northwestern State beats #3 seed Iowa as one of the big upsets in NCAA history
The Demons roared back from a 17 point deficit with 8 minutes left to stun Steve Alford's Hawkeyes as Jermaine Wallace hit a late three.

Wisconsin takes out Tulsa to get to the Sweet 16 in 2003
Devin Harris was bottled up so he found Freddie Owens in the corner for the game winning three. I worked the tournament with Tom Penders for Westwood One. Pender's alma mater UConn was also at the site making for some nice off mic moments with Jim Calhoun and Emeka Okafor.

UAB knocks out top overall seed Kentucky in the second round in 2004
Chuck Hayes could not get the Wildcats to the Sweet 16 as Mike Anderson's team pulled off the upset with Squeeky Johnson running the show.

Findlay defeats Cal Poly Pamona to win the 2009 Division II Final on a buzzer beating three in O.T.
This was special because Findlay went undefeated and Tyler Evans, who hit the three, was only in the game because D-2 player of the year Josh Bostic fouled out. The call was everywhere and I was a very lucky announcer.

First day of free agency is a literal free for all with players hoping on planes shortly after getting late night phone calls from interested teams. Riiggghhhtt.

Remember in 2003 when Jeff Posey signed with the Bills at about 12:01 EST. That was probably the fastest negotiation in NFL history.

What about Lions coach Jim Schwartz going to Kyle Vandenbosch's house and wooing him to Detroit. I can imagine him waiting outside in his car for the clock to strike midnight. What if another coach had pulled Eddie Murphy's 'banana in the tailpipe' gag from Beverly Hills Cop?

Some Texans fans were already on the air Friday morning complaining that a deal had not gotten done.

This is the very beginning of this process. The team has got to have earned your trust by now that they draft well and, for the most part, get good players through free agency. I remember when they first signed Kevin Walter and many people complained. Now they 'can't live without him.'

Robert and Rich were asking if listeners were OK with letting go of Dunta Robinson. Ask me when we're on the road trying to stop Mark Sanchez on a final drive in October. It's a bit too early to get bent out of shape about these things.

Remember, the Texans brass is hardly perfect but they do have mountains of information of this stuff compared to you. That's not to say you're not entitled to your opinion and it can't be right sometimes.

Last year they needed RB help for Slaton. The draft picks they wanted were off the board when they wanted to make their move. And Chris Brown was not exactly a smashing success as a consistent threat.

Give this offseason a little time to marinate and we'll see how it goes.