PVAMU, TSU
REOPEN PLAN Find out details for local area Black colleges as HBCUs struggle with reopening plans
NEWS
SPORTS
SYLVESTER TURNER
orders city to begin issuing ďŹ nes for people who refuse to wear masks.
Volume 89, issue 41 August 6, 2020
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DESHAUN WATSON
faces questions as the Texans season gets underway.
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FIT & FINE Crystal Wickliffe Age: 45 Occupation: Teacher and TLC Sales Distributor Education: Texas State University Texas Woman’s University Major: B.S. Healthcare Admin. | MBA Motto: “FEEL: Fitness – Empowerment – Energy – Lifestyle”
I LOVE… Love…Love for myself, my sisters and brothers, and humanity.
Message from the Associate Editor The Texas Education Agency then updated School will soon start again and the its guidance to say that public school districts safety of students, teachers and staff is could risk losing state funding if they keep more important than ever because of classrooms closed due to a local health authorCOVID-19. Some tell us to follow the sciity closure order. Districts can still require stuence and postpone in-person education, dents to remain in virtual classes for up to the and others tell us to reopen schools and first eight weeks of the school year. help revive the economy. As many health experts like to point out, Amid the school reopening debate, COVID-19 doesn’t care about deadlines or the virus remains out of control, with mandates, so rushing to reopen classrooms hotspots popping up across America and is pointless. If cases and deaths continue to the national death toll surpassing 158,000. rise, will local schools even be ready to open Marilyn Marshall In Texas, one of the states hit hardest, by Sept. 8? Only time will tell. the death toll recently surpassed 7,500 and there have been We know that children need in-class instruction and we more than 456,000 cases. According to the Texas Medical know that they miss their friends and teachers. We know that Center, in Houston, we were seeing about 1,300 new cases online learning can be hard on parents who are struggling to a day last month. That figure recently rose to around 2,000 find childcare. But we also know that safety comes first. It’s as new cases a day. simple as A-B-C. The question is, with numbers like that, how can we safely reopen classrooms? The answer is, we can’t. That’s why the IN THIS WEEK’S DEFENDER delay of area in-person classes until Sept. 8 makes sense. • If you need extra income, Harris County will need thou“We do not want our kids to fall behind, but we must sands of election workers in October and November. do what we can to keep them, our teachers, bus drivers, • Black women are in the spotlight in this year’s political custodians, cafeteria workers and school support staff safer,” arena and the stakes have never been higher. said Mayor Sylvester Turner. • In sports, Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson speaks his mind. SAFETY FIRST
@cryswic @f.e.e.ldaily Read more on Friday about Crystal at defendernetwork.com If you are Fit & Fine email: fitnfine@defendernetwork.com
MIXED MESSAGES
Some Texas officials, however, see school reopenings a different way, which is ironic given that certain state offices are closed and employees are working from home. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently said in a nonbinding guidance that local health officials do not have the authority to shut down schools in their vicinity while COVID19 cases increase.
ON THE WEB
• The Defender’s Facebook COVID-19 campaign has taken off. • See what Black stars are up to in music, movies and television. • Need to get away? Find tips on summer vacations during unusual times.
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN News Shekira Dennis has been named director of coalitions for the Joe Biden Campaign. The former chair of the Houston Black Democrats will lead minority outreach.
Houstonian Dominique D. Calhoun has been elected vice president of the National Bar Association, the oldest and largest association comprised of African American attorneys.
City of Houston to issue mask fines
Election workers needed
Defender News Service
The city of Houston will begin issuing citations to people who refuse to wear a mask or face covering, Mayor Sylvester Turner said. Those who violate Gov. Greg Abbott’s statewide face covering order will be issued a warning. If the person continues to refuse to put on a face covering, police may issue $250 tickets, Turner said. The mayor said the push for masks and face coverings has largely been an education campaign. He said, the new policy was meant to bring down a positivity rate that’s still above 15% in Houston. “Lives are at stake, and so I’m taking this step to do our very best to drive these numbers down, and I’m asking for your cooperation,” Turner said. “We know that wearing a mask or face covering in public is one of the most effective methods to slow the spread of COVID-19.” Houston police will not respond to 9-1-1 calls about people not wearing masks. “For months, we have focused on education and not citations. But now, I am instructing the Houston Police Department to issue necessary warnings and citations to anyone not wearing a mask in public if they do not meet the criteria for an exemption,” Turner said.
Defender News Service
Mayor Sylvester Turner AP/David J. Phillip File
Leaked body cam footage shows George Floyd arrest Defender News Service
Video posted by the Daily Mail shows one of the four former Minneapolis officers charged over George Floyd’s death, Thomas Lane, approaching Floyd’s vehicle, knocking on the driver’s-side window with his flashlight, and immediately pulling his gun on the unarmed Floyd, who quickly begins begging for his life. In the moments following, Floyd can be heard repeatedly asking the officers not to shoot him or place him in a squad car due to his claustrophobia. He can also be heard telling them that his mother recently died. Lane can be heard cursing at Floyd repeatedly in the video, ordering him to “put your f*cking hands on the [steering] wheel” and the other officers involved in
his arrest can also be heard making similar comments. “I’m sorry,” Floyd is heard saying in response several times. He adds: “Mr. Officer, please don’t shoot me. Please man.” Floyd is shown being led to a squad car in the video and sits partway in the car, with his legs outside the vehicle before a struggle begins with officers trying to force him in the car. The struggle ends with Floyd on the pavement and former Officer Derek Chauvin’s knee on his neck, while Floyd continues to beg for his life. Bystander video of Floyd’s arrest showed him lying on the ground handcuffed for nearly nine minutes with Chauvin’s knee on his neck the entire time. Charges have been filed against the four officers. Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder and the other three were charged with aiding and abetting Chauvin’s actions. Floyd’s death on May 25 sparked protests across the U.S. and in some cities around the world against racism and police brutality. See the video at www.Defendernetwork.com.
Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles
VOLUME 89 - NUMBER 41 - AUGUST 6, 2020 The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Newspaper Inc. and audited by Alliance for Audited Media (AAM). Only digital subscriptions are available at: www.defendernetwork.com/subscribe No paper subscriptions available. All materials covered by 2020 copyright. No materials herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher. 713-663-6996 | P.O. Box 8005, Houston, Tx 77288
Ad/Client Relations Selma Dodson Tyler Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles Engagement Manager Margo Williams Hubbard
Managing Editor ReShonda Tate Billingsley Creative Director Michael Grant Associate Editor Marilyn Marshall
The Harris County Clerk’s Office is looking for election workers to staff more than 800 voting centers that will be open for the Nov. 3, 2020 General Election. Election workers are also needed three weeks prior to the election to work at approximately 100 voting centers during the early voting period, Oct. 13-30. Officials expect a high turnout for the upcoming general election. Early predictions indicate that more than 65 percent of the 2.4 million registered voters in Harris County will cast a ballot in November. That means the county will need more than 1,000 election workers for the early voting period – which has been extended to three weeks – and more than 8,000 election workers for Election Day. Students 16 years of age and older can apply to work as student clerks. All positions are paid.
Requirements Must be a registered voter in Harris County Have transportation to and from the polling location Be able to attend training. Call 713.755.6965 or visit HarrisVotes.com
People Editor Aswad Walker Sports Terrance Harris Jodie B. Jiles Photographers Ray Carrington III Jimmie Aggison
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN News DR. FAUCI ADDRESSES COVID-19, BLACKS
Defender News Service
During a 30-minute interview with BlackPressUSA that was streamed live over Facebook, YouTube, and www.BlackPressUSA.com, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, spoke of the importance of
convincing African Americans to participate in clinical trials. He also said that school re-openings should depend mainly upon the location and the infection rate in a given area. Here are key takeaways from his conversation with BlackPressUSA. Disparities surrounding illnesses:
“Many African Americans, Latinx, and Native Americans occupy essential jobs that provide employees with little — or no — protection….Then you have co-morbidities like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, chronic kidney disease and lung disease. It’s very clear that African Americans have a higher incidence, and the reality is that you suffer more.” Black hospitalization rate:
The hospitalization rates per 100,000 people are stunning when comparing African Americans and Caucasians, Fauci said. “In many respects, it’s unacceptable that it should be that way,” he said, noting that the hospitalization rate per 100,000 African Americans stands Dr. Anthony at 247, compared to 53 Fauci
Voters wait to cast ballots while ignoring a stay-at-home order over Coronavirus to vote in the state’s presidential primary election in Milwaukee. AP/Morry Gash
per 100,000 whites. “In other words, that’s almost five times the chance of getting hospitalized even though African Americans comprise just 13% of the [U.S.] population.” Clinical trials participation:
“We hope that we will have an effective vaccine by the end of the year, which means
that as we get into 2021, we want to distribute it for those who could benefit. We need to spend extra effort to protect African Americans, and the way you find out if the vaccine is effective is the enrollment in a vaccine trial. It would be a terrible shame if African Americans stayed away from clinical trials...”
Black women seize political spotlight Defender News Service
Black women have long been the heart of the Democratic Party — among the most reliable and loyal voters — but for decades that allegiance didn’t translate to their own political rise. There have been zero Black female governors and just two U.S. senators. Many of the elected officials representing them have not met their needs: Disparities in education and opportunity resulted in Black women making on average 64 cents for every dollar a white man makes. Long-standing health inequities have caused Black people to die disproportionately from COVID-19. Countless cases of police brutality have left many Black women terrified every time their children pulled out of the driveway, fearing that they might not make it home alive. Now Black women are mobilized and demanding an overdue return on their investment. Over the last several years and across America, Black women ran and won elections in historic numbers, from
Congress to county school boards. Donald Trump’s presidency, which has fueled racial divisions and appealed to white grievance, unleashed for some an overwhelming urgency. They added their names to down-ticket ballots, they canvassed and they knocked on doors. When Stacey Abrams, a Black progressive Democrat, ran for Georgia governor in 2018, she focused her campaign on women of color. In that election, more than 51,000 Black women in Cobb County cast ballots — 20,000 more than voted in midterm elections four years earlier. Although Abrams lost narrowly statewide, she won Cobb County handily. Meanwhile, Lucy McBath, a Black mother whose 17-year-old son was killed by a white man who thought his music was too loud, won a congressional seat that includes part of the county, a district once held by conservative firebrand Newt Gingrich. Historically Black women vote in extraordinary numbers, and they don’t vote alone: They usher their families, their churches,
their neighbors to the polls. The power of Black voters was demonstrated when they overwhelmingly backed Joe Biden in the South Carolina primary, giving him a staggering victory that rescued his campaign and set him on a path to the nomination. Black women made up about one-third of the Democratic voters in the state and roughly two-thirds voted for Biden, according to the AP VoteCast survey. Those who advocate for Black women in politics say the stakes have never been higher. “Given how directly Black women have been impacted by the incompetence and the malfeasance of the Trump administration, Black women are going to be at the forefront, not only giving rise to voter turnout, but also shaping the conversations that we will be having in this election season,” said Abrams, whose name has also been widely circulated as a possible Biden running mate. “It has been a sea change in how vital our voices have been.” Associated Press contributed to this story.
Stacey Abrams
Black women voters
70% 2012
64% 2016
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DEFENDER NETWORK
Taking action on our commitment to Houston We know we must do more to address the very real consequences of systemic racism that exist in society today. The impact on communities across the country is clear, including where our teammates live and serve our clients. To drive progress, Bank of America has committed to invest $1 billion over four years to advance racial equality and economic opportunity, building on work we’ve had underway for many years. We’re partnering with community and corporate leaders to create sustainable change. Our actions will help address critical issues and long-term gaps, including: •
connecting workers to new skills and enhanced job readiness
•
increasing medical response capacity and access to health care
•
powering minority-owned small businesses through access to capital
•
helping people find a place to call home they can both love and afford
We know there’s a lot of work to be done, but we promise to keep listening as we work together on this shared mission.
Hong Ogle Houston Market President
Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender
© 2020 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.
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DN InFocus FOCUS SOCIAL
TSU, PVAMU COVID-19 BACK-TO-SCHOOL PLAN As the novel Coronavirus continues to sweep the globe, two local universities are taking a proactive approach as they prepare to head back to school. We’ve broken down their COVID-19 back-to-school plans.
HBCUs STRUGGLE WITH REOPENING PLANS Defender News Service
Officials of historically Black colleges and universities are grappling with a challenge others in higher education don’t fully share: how to reopen their campuses to a population that has proven especially vulnerable to COVID-19. Black people are dying at 2.5 times the rate of white people, according to the COVID Racial Data Tracker. And nearly a third of deaths among nonwhite Americans were in people younger than 65, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, compared with 13 percent
among white people under that age. HBCU students are traditionally lowincome, first-generation and academically underprepared college students of color, according to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and the schools, themselves, typically have endowments that are only a fraction of predominantly white institutions. The United Negro College Fund, which has a membership network of 37 private HBCUs, recently conducted a survey of more than 5,000 students from 17 private HBCUs to inform schools’ reopening plans. The survey found that 10 percent fewer students
said they’d return to school if all instruction is online, that students’ mental and financial well-being were being diminished by the pandemic, and students were three times more likely to consider transferring to a school that’s close to home. Several HBCU leaders warned that a high percentage of students who take time off from school are unlikely to return and graduate, and that many Black students are also having to overcome socioeconomic disparities, exacerbating the effects of the pandemic. “We hear from students that the stresses — the mental and emotional stresses that
they’re involved in, in taking care of families who’ve been laid off, in taking care of families who’ve been victimized by COVID, in having to take on additional work responsibilities and worry about paying for school, in some cases wondering about where their next meal is coming from — those stresses are being felt by young Black college students dramatically, and we believe those are the kind of stresses that make them even more vulnerable to the virus,” said Brian Bridges, UNCF’s vice president of research and member engagement.
How will isolation/quarantine be conducted? TSU: In the case of a resident needing quarantine, vacant units will be made available. PVAMU: Isolation spaces have been reserved for on-campus students if they are unable to return home during the period. On-campus isolation includes a 14-day protocol with plans for food delivery, cleaning protocols/service, and medical care management. If a student requires in-patient care due to the severity of symptoms, the student and his/her family will be required to determine the plan of care in a medical facility. Support staff will be able to assist the family as needed. Students are encouraged to develop an individual isolation/quarantine plan to be prepared in the event isolation/quarantine is needed. On-campus safety measures TSU: Standard thermometer checks upon building entry at contactless thermometer stations; Hand sanitizing stations in all buildings; Social distancing signage; Clean and disinfect common spaces before and after use; Barriers and physical guides will be provided via campus map outlined with all building entry/exits; Plexiglass barriers will be installed in all high-traffic areas for students. Heightened cleaning protocols, including frequent cleaning and disinfecting of “high traffic” areas. PVAMU: Sanitization stations located throughout campus. Disinfecting protocols for workspaces, restrooms, classrooms, dining halls, gathering spaces, and housing common areas. Signs
throughout campus will detail proper hygiene techniques, physical distancing requirements, maximum occupancy levels (within specific areas), the appropriate use of protective equipment (e.g., masks, thermometers), and other safety items. Reduced classes, removing furniture to ensure social distancing, and establishing a rigorous cleaning and disinfecting protocol for all classrooms and laboratories. Student life TSU: Staff-served meal options will replace buffet food stations. Take-out meal options available at every meal. Food delivery will be made available to any students who choose to quarantine. PVAMU: Ten-person gathering limit and the six-feet social distancing guidelines enforced. Large gatherings will be strongly discouraged unless they are part of an approved and managed program. Visitors in housing? TSU: Not allowed PVAMU: Not allowed without approval. Leaving campus TSU: Strongly discouraged for the duration of the semester. PVAMU: Strongly discouraged for the duration of the semester.
CORONAVIRUS HOTLINE
TSU: 713-313-5099 PVAMU: 936-261-9000
TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY
Students return Wed., Aug. 19 (online only, all classes resume Sept. 14)
Students return Mon., Aug. 24
Semester ends Nov. 19
Semester ends Nov. 24 (classes go online only for finals)
In person-classes? YES Face-to-face, hybrid, online, Online Synchronous Facemasks required Yes Protocol after positive test
Self-quarantine and self-isolation for 14 days.
CARES ACT
(All classes)
In person-classes? YES Face-to-face, hybrid, online. Facemasks required Yes Protocol after positive test
Self-quarantine and self-isolation for 14 days.
Current degree-seeking students who are enrolled fall 2020, and who are eligible to apply for federal Title IV financial aid, are eligible to apply for CARES Act funds. Funding is limited. • Must have completed 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). • Must apply during the fall application period (August 10-26, 2020).
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Feature
EDUCATOR CREATES WORD SEARCH PUZZLES FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE Aswad Walker
1
Reginald Hudlin. easy for me to grab their list of words and create “I happen to like “Savage,” Beyoncé’s work a word search puzzle. Reginald is one of my with Megan Thee Stallion. That song made itT:4.79"favorite movie producers,” King said.
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In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the killing of George Floyd served as the catalyst for people globally to take action to end police violence and unequal justice leveed upon Blacks. Some took to the streets marching for change, while others organized for more just policies using other methods. Darlene King, however, came up with a unique way to add her voice to the collective call, authoring positive word search puzzles for youth and adults, available at wordsearchcontest.com. “For the average African American or anyone who may just want to get away from their troubles, for several minutes, word searching is the least stressful of the word games,” said King. With King’s efforts to assist teachers and students with literacy in the classroom as a member of HISD’s Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS), she never expected a global pandemic would interrupt life as we know it, shutting down schools and limiting outside contact at convalescent centers where she also worked
with seniors. Floyd’s death moved King to take action in the form of creating word search puzzles with various themes, including one that provided a George Floyd Father’s Day Message. “As a volunteer, I wanted folks to get excited about literacy and the power of word searching, so my husband and I created ‘Sopas de Letras’ Kings Word Search Contest with a cash incentive and dedicated our work to our late uncle, Governor Cyril E.King,” said King, a product of Sunnyside from a family of educators. Using her puzzles to continue working to improve literacy amid social distancing, King partnered with the Kango Pouch (thekangopouch.com) to create puzzles capable of helping users, especially homeschooled students, retain and build basic reading skills. Her puzzles, available at wordsearchcontest.com for individuals 8 to 88 years old, have gained momentum with the number of users growing daily. King recently created a puzzle for Beyonce’s, “Savage” and movie producer,
Txlottery.org is the official source for all pertinent game information. Game closing procedures may be initiated for documented business reasons. These games may have prizes unclaimed, including top prizes. In addition, game closing procedures will be initiated when all top prizes have been claimed. During closing, games may be sold even after all top prizes have been claimed. Must be 18 or older to purchase a ticket. For help with a gambling problem, ncpgambling.org. © 2020 Texas Lottery Commission. PLAY RESPONSIBLY.
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Feature
Your Partner in Good Health
Partners in Primary Care offers a unique approach to
wellness after 65, with a dedicated Care Team trained to meet the unique health care needs of seniors. Become a patient today and enjoy convenient,
one-stop primary care designed to proactively address The Village @ Emancipation artist rendering
SHAPE to fight homelessness with collaboration Aswad Walker
The historic SHAPE Community Center has teamed with the 3rd Ward Real Estate Council, a non-profit entity, in an effort to fight homelessness while empowering area residents via The Village @ Emancipation. It is envisioned as a small, multifamily development project that will provide affordable, safe and sustainable housing to individuals and families at risk of homelessness. “The face of homelessness is not just [the stereotype of] drug addicts, alcoholics and mentally ill,” said Debbie White, member of the Council. “It’s the single parent that works 40 hours a week, while living in a shelter or moving from relative to relative. It’s the disabled veteran who doesn’t have access to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) units where they can live in dignity. It’s the senior citizen who can no longer afford the home they’ve lived in for 50 years.” The Village @ Emancipation is an 11,000-square foot, three-story, mixeduse development that developers say will bring jobs, services and social benefits to the community that are aligned with the City of Houston’s Th ird Ward Complete Communities Action Plan. The Village
projects to offer housing between 30-80% less than market value. “The SHAPE Community Center is excited for the opportunity to build affordable housing in 3rd Ward,” said SHAPE Director Deloyd Parker. “Offering affordable housing will help promote our core mission ‘To improve the quality of life for ALL people through programs and activities, with emphasis on Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work & Responsibility and Cooperative Economics.’” The project is currently seeking funding via a Multifamily Small Rental Development Grant from the City’s Housing & Community Development Department (HCDD). They expect to fi nd out within the month. If not received, White said the project will still move forward seeking other funding methods. White says the community can help make this project happen by donating to SHAPE (www.shape.org), earmarking it for “The Village @ Emancipation;” contacting HCDD’s Tom McCasland and telling him you want to see SHAPE awarded this grant and you want to see similar community-developed projects; and urging area businesses, churches and governmental officials to contact HCDD on behalf of The Village @ Emancipation.
both physical and mental health, as well as a deep commitment to personal safety at every location.
5 locations in the Houston area:
Baytown | Downtown East | Gulfgate Jacinto City | Pasadena
7 more locations opening soon:
Beaumont | Conroe | Hiram Clarke | Humble Port Arthur | Tidwell | Sunnyside
Call 713-547-4309 to schedule your first appointment or visit SeniorFocusedHouston.com for a virtual tour. Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm
Partners in Primary Care is Medicare Advantage friendly! We accept Aetna, Cigna, Humana, TexanPlus and WellCare of Texas Medicare Advantage plans.
Visit us on Facebook for live events and activities Partners in Primary Care does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex. ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-877-320-2188 (TTY: 711). 注意：如果您使用繁體中文，您可以免費獲得語言援助 服務。請致 1-877-320-2188 (TTY: 711). GCHKS5DEN
10 | August 6, 2020 |
DEFENDER NETWORK
August 6, 2020 |
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Sports SIMONE BILES
Houstonian and world-class gymnast, appears to be dating Texans safety Jonathan Owens these days.
DWAYNE “THE ROCK” JOHNSON Actor and pro wrestler, purchased the XFL for $15 million with Partner RedBird Capital.
Sports Briefs: Joe George scores KO Houston native and former Worthing High School product Joe George picked up his 11th straight win and improved to 11-0 when he landed a vicious lefthanded uppercut to knockout Marcos Escudero in the ninth round of their light heavyweight match. George (11-0, 7 KO) was apparently trailing on two of three scorecards going into the ninth round of their 10-round fight when he floored Escudero with that single punch.
Deshaun Watson, of the Houston Texans, attends the 9th Annual NFL Honors at the Adrienne Arsht Center on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, in Miami. (Jeff Lewis/AP Images for NFL)
DESHAUN WATSON FACES QUESTIONS AS SEASON LOOMS
By Terrance Harris
While the focus should be on the quest for the Super Bowl, Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has so many other critical issues to deal with heading into his fourth NFL season that the championship chase seems all but a backdrop at this point. There is the looming COVID-19 pandemic that has NFL players concerned about their safety and the NFL decisionmakers scrambling for answers. But Watson is also dealing with the surprising trade of his top receiver DeAndre Hopkins and his expected blockbuster contract extension after Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl winning quarterback Patrick Mahomes inked a record 10-year, $503 million extension heading into his fourth NFL season. Wa t s o n r e c e n t l y discussed these issues and more as he and his teammates opened training camp with an eye toward the Sept. 10 kickoff against the Chiefs. Q: What is your comfort level with the COVID-19 protocols
the NFL and the Texans have implemented? A: At first it was a lot of different stories coming out about the protocol and things like that. I feel like safety and health is always first. We all want to play football. We all want to do the right things, but at the same time we have to make sure because we’re going home to our families and people that might have a health condition or might have some type of problem. I know that this organization from when I came in has changed everything and put in the right safety precautions – [from] sanitizing the locker room to the way we manage things. Q: How important is it to get a contract extension done before the season? A: Like I said, football is my main focus. My agent knows the time and the time limit, and things like that. My biggest thing, like I’ve a l w ay s b e e n wanting to do since I was a little kid, is just play
football, win a championship, win games and compete. Q: What was your reaction to Patrick Mahomes’ contract extension? A: It was awesome. It was awesome for him to be able to achieve something so big and get what he deserves. I actually texted him that day when the news came out and he texted right back. The friendship and the bond that we have has been great ever since high school, from the Elite 11 to college to all of that. That was definitely dope. Q: Why was it so important for you to not publicly comment on the DeAndre Hopkins trade and trust that Bill O’Brien was doing the right thing for the organization? A: Because that’s not my pay [grade]. I can’t control that. I feel the way I feel, but it’s not my place and time to be able to speak on that because I didn’t know the whole background story on what exactly happened. That’s their business and that’s their lane. I’m not going to step out of my lane and get in that. Follow Terrance Harris on Twitter @terranceharris
No Love for Greek Freak Apparently there is still no love lost between the Rockets James Harden and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, also known as the Greek Freak. Antetokounmpo took some shots at Harden’s defense or lack there of before tipoff, but it was Harden who came up with two huge defensive plays against the Bucks’ star at the end of the game to lead the Rockets to the win. When asked about his defense on Antetokounmpo after the game, Harden’s reply was, “Next question.” TSU seeks $1.2 million in donations Many college athletic department budgets across the country have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Texas Southern is among those struggling. TSU athletic director Kevin Granger recently sent out a letter asking alumni and supporters to help raise $1.2 million to help offset the loss of revenue from the canceled NCAA Tournament last March. The SWAC also recently announced that it would postpone football and the rest of the fall sports until next spring in hopes that the country will have a better grip on the coronavirus by then.
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DEFENDER NETWORK