All results / Stories / Brian Barefield

Tease photo

In the Blink of An Eye

Houston Astros go on a 12- game-winning streak to set up for a great season

When I was in school, we learned what a reflex blink was. It occurs in response to an external stimulus when objects appear rapidly in front of the eye. Older individuals use to say, “In the blink of an eye, your whole life can change.” Well, if you have blinked your eyes in the last two weeks, and I know you have because it’s an involuntary reflex, you can’t help but to notice how hot your World Champion Houston Astros have gotten. The Astros went on a 12-game winning streak (ended in a 2-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays earlier in the week) to remind the rest of Major League baseball that last year was not a fluke.

Tease photo

The Stars at Night: Texans Defeat the Cowboys In Overtime of the “Battle for Texas”

Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good song. I sing loud and off key all the time. And when I can’t sing, I hum off key just to keep the melody in my head. Some will tell you that music can calm the savage beast. Well on Sunday night in Houston, Texas, there was a song that caused all Texans in attendance to sing very loud and definitely not on the right note or key. “The stars at night, are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas,” blared through the speakers at NRG park and the sold-out crowd could not have been happier.

Tease photo

Houston Astros Begin Defense Of World Series Title On Opening Day At Minute Maid Park

“I am not really concentrating or thinking about last year,” said Astros manager Dusty Baker when asked about the emotions on Opening Day after finishing the season as the champions. “You have to go on from there because you have new heights to climb. This is the start of the “Great Race,” and it is a long race.

Tease photo

Jose Siri's Riskiness Helps Astros Defeat The Diamondbacks

“He can play,” said Astros manager Dusty Baker during his postgame press conference. “The key is he has ability and we have seen it all along. He is trying to harness his ability and it is our job to harness that ability and take us in a positive direction.”

Tease photo

Astros Outfielder Heads To The IL

The Astros got some bad news on Friday as the team learned that OF Michael Brantley was headed to the 10-day Injured List due to tightness in his right hamstring. His stint was retroactive to May 25.

Tease photo

Starting Over

Astros stay hot at home defeating the Angels to open 10-game homestand

One day after losing another heartbreaker in San Diego. The Houston Astros (16-13) bounced back to take game 1 of the four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels (9-21) at Minute Maid Park. Super phenom outfielder Kyle Tucker second inning 404-ft homerun got the Astros hit parade started and they never looked back after that.

Tease photo

A Very Mean Underdog

Astros face the A’s in the Best-Of-Five American League Division Series

I don’t think Major League Baseball could have scripted the American League Division Series matchup between the Houston Astros and the Oakland A’s even if they tried as hard as they could. No matter what the schedule looked like towards the end of the season, this matchup was not in the cards. But it’s definitely something that the MLB will promote as much as they can to baseball fans to build the postseason drama.

Tease photo

Almost Doesn’t Count: Texans Fall to 0-3 After Another Slow Start Against the New York Giants

There is an old cliché’ that says, “Slow and steady wins the race.” Although it’s a great cliché if you are running long distance, it does not work in the National Football League. The Houston Texans got off to a terrible first half start and it cost them the game. They lost to the New York Giants 27 – 22 to fall to 0-3 on the season and have a tough divisional opponent next week in the Indianapolis Colts. This is not the way they envisioned their season starting, but they can only take it one game at a time.

Tease photo

Can’t Take the Memories

Roughnecks season cut short due to coronavirus

The sports world has suffered some major setbacks during this coronavirus pandemic. For the first time since 1939, there will be no men’s champion in NCAA postseason, also a first for women since the NCAA began hosting that tournament in 1981-82. There also won’t be any spring sports (baseball, track & field, softball, etc.) in high school or college athletics this year. It affects the high school seniors the most because those who participate in spring sports lost their senior seasons to showcase their talents that could have earned them a college scholarship.

Tease photo

Setting the Standard

Texans Offensive Lineman Laremy Tunsil Wants To Be Example For Younger Players

After signing a three-year $66 million contract extension last week with the Houston Texans, offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil became the highest paid player at his position in the NFL. Did the money play a major factor in him getting the deal done? Yes. But Tunsil had another strong motive on why he wanted to set the market for offensive lineman.

Tease photo

Family Atmosphere Is The Key To The Houston Astros 2022 Success

“Everyone pulls for each other, and that is the one thing I noticed when I showed up here last year,” said Astros reliever Ryne Stanek

Tease photo

Second Half Collapse Leads To Fourth Consecutive Loss For The Texans

For one half of football, the Houston Texans gave their fans something to cheer for against the New England Patriots on Sunday after taking a lead into halftime for the first time since their Week 1 game against the Carolina Panthers. The only problem is, there is the second half of football and, by the time the game was over, the fans were looking at the scoreboard trying to figure out what happened as the Texans lost 25-22 to the Patriots.

Tease photo

Astros Make Significant Roster Moves

On Wednesday, the Houston Astros announced the following roster moves had been made according to Astros general manager James Click.

Tease photo

Astros Need To Readjust As They Head To Colorado

As the Houston Astros prepare to take on the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday, they have a lot of issues that have led up to their 1-7 record in the last eight games. In the 7-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Sunday it was the issue with the bats again as the Astros were only able to muster up one hit which came on an error by left fielder Jose Marmolejos. It was also the lack of being able to get out of jams in certain innings.

Tease photo

Garcia Gets Revenge On His Former Team As The Astros Win In Extra Innings

“It was super fun,” said Garcia, who is working his way back into game shape as he had to sit out games due to being placed in health and safety protocol by MLB. “It was the first time I had a walk-off, so it was a great experience for me, just the trust the manager had in me in that spot and the coaches and teammates, as well.”

Tease photo

Rockets Reserve Bruno Fernando Shines Against The Mavericks

Houston Rockets reserve center Bruno Fernando heard his name sparingly by head coach Stephen Silas after being traded from the Boston Celtics to the Houston Rockets in mid-February. On Friday against the Dallas Mavericks, Fernando heard his name loud and clear when coach Silas called for him to enter the game in the third quarter.

Tease photo

Gerald Green Retires From The NBA And Joins Rockets Coaching Staff

“Some things in life you have to learn to close one chapter and open up another,” said Green. “I would like to thank Tillman and Patrick [Fertitta] for this opportunity. With that being said, I will be retiring from the game of basketball and joining the Houston Rockets coaching staff. I could not be more excited about it.

Tease photo

Selection Sunday: UH Cougars Have High Hopes to Make the “Big Dance”

In days, college students, players, and fans will sit in front of their televisions waiting for the big announcement on who their basketball team will be playing in the first game of the second season. That’s right people, March Madness is back. The NCAA will pick 68 teams from various Men’s Division 1 basketball programs on Selection Sunday (March 11) to make up the 2018 tournament bracket. For the University of Houston men’s basketball team, that day will mean so much more.

Tease photo

Statement Game 2: Texans head to Baltimore for a tough AFC matchup against the Ravens

Over a month ago the Houston Texans were faced with a very difficult situation. They had to go into hostile territory and defeat a team that is one of the perennial favorites to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Houston defeated the Kansas City Chiefs by a score of 31 – 24 in Arrowhead Stadium to make a statement to the rest of the NFL that they wanted a say in that representation of the division.

Tease photo

The Unsung Hero: Eric Gordon Is An Intricate Part of the Rockets Success This Season

With less than a week left in the 2018-19 NBA season, the Houston Rockets are looking to secure the number three seed in the Western Conference playoffs. If the cards fall right they may even be able to move up behind the Golden State Warriors for the number two spot if the Denver Nuggets have a couple of setbacks and Houston wins out. The Rockets needs to stay in that spot to avoid an early matchup with the 2018 NBA Finals champs Golden State Warriors.