I've had season tickets for the Houston Texans since the beginning of the franchise.

It hasn't always been pretty.

Sometimes it has been downright awful.

But there has always been one constant during the regular season -- one thing we could count on.

Chester Pitts would be starting for the team.

And so this news is sort of devastating.

Texans left guard Chester Pitts, who has started every game in franchise history, will be placed on injured reserve after undergoing major knee surgery Wednesday and will miss the remainder of the season.

Pitts, who started 114 consecutive games, had two procedures performed on his right knee by Dr. Walter Lowe.

Pitts underwent surgery to repair the meniscus cartilage and also had microfracture surgery to repair the articular cartilage. The damage to his medial collateral ligament will heal on its own.

Pitts was injured in the Texans' 34-31 victory at Tennessee on Sunday.

Kasey Studdard, a three-year veteran from the University of Texas, will replace Pitts in the starting lineup.

Pitts' season-ending surgery means kicker Kris Brown is the last of the original Texans on the 53-man roster.

Pitts, a second-round pick from San Diego State in 2002, is in the last year of his contract and turns 31 next season, which means he might not play again for the Texans.

Chester Pitts NOT starting for the Texans? Maybe not EVER suiting up for the team again?

It really does feel like the end of the world as we know it.

Here's hoping that he'll be fine -- and back with the team next season.

UPDATE: For all the folks who are not fans of the Houston texans, here's how you may better know Chester Pitts. Just one more reason we all love him down here in Houston, too.

Posted by: Greg at 12:10 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I love football.

And for a time, earlier in my life, I worked with developmentally disabled adults, including many with Down Syndrome.

And so my emotions overwhelmed me when I read about this.

Matt Ziesel doesnÂ’t stray far from coach Dan McCamy on the sidelines during St. Joseph Benton High SchoolÂ’s freshman football games. He likes to stay within earshot.

“I’m ready, Coach. … Coach, I’m ready,” Ziesel says.McCamy says he hears it about 10 times a game, and also at practices, from Ziesel, his 5-foot-3, 110-pound running back.

So in the final stages of Benton’s third game of the season on Monday at Maryville, McCamy decided it was time for Ziesel — a 15-year-old freshman with Down syndrome — to make his season debut.

With about 10 seconds left in the game, and Benton trailing 46-0, McCamy called his final timeout, told an assistant coach to organize the team for the “Matt play” and ran across the field to the Maryville defensive huddle — and to some puzzled looks from the opposing players.

And the result?

This.