The Cowboys today will "host a live practice and fundraising telethon" for Hurricane Harvey victims in lieu of their canceled game against the Texans, according to the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. Cowboys players and alumni will "interact with fans who call in to donate in conjunction with the practice." The events will run from 6:00-7:30pm CT and the practice at AT&T Stadium will be "broadcast live" on KTVT-CBS and "20 other southwest markets." This practice is "not open to the public." Earlier in the afternoon, Cowboys players, cheerleaders and ownership will "visit The Salvation Army's Adult Rehabilitation Center to deliver and organize approximately 300,000 pieces of Cowboys apparel." Meanwhile, Texans Owner Bob McNair said that he and his family will "match the funds that a Cowboys-Texans game would have raised for flood relief effort." The decision to cancel the game "came days after the game was moved from Hurricane Harvey-stricken Houston" to AT&T Stadium. Reports yesterday morning showed 40,000 tickets "had been sold for the then-relocated game." Anyone who purchased tickets to the game will have the "option of getting a refund or donating their ticket money toward Harvey relief efforts" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/31). In Ft. Worth, Stefan Stevenson notes the practice and telethon broadcast will "include interviews with players, former players, coaches, front office personnel and ownership" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 8/31).
THE RIGHT CALL: In Ft. Worth, Drew Davison reports everyone within the Cowboys organization "supported the decision to cancel the game." Cowboys LB Sean Lee said, "There's more important things than football right now." Cowboys Exec VP, COO & Dir of Player Personnel Stephen Jones said of the Texans, "They'd been told all along they weren't going to be able to get back to Houston until Friday, at the earliest. But then when that changed and they felt like they could get there, I think everybody understands they owe it to the players to get back to their families. They have families who are in shelters and certainly we understand that" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 8/31). In Dallas, Brandon George notes Cowboys and Texans players and coaches "maintained one constant message all week about whether they should play." Meanwhile, Texans DE J.J. Watt "continues to lead the way in fundraising." On Sunday he said that he wanted to raise $200,000, but by this morning, Watt had "helped raise" more than $10M. Watt called cancelling the game "the right decision" before the team left for Houston (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/31). In Houston, Brian Smith writes the NFL "canceled a pointless game that was keeping the Texans away from their families, homes and friends." Smith: "It was the right call -- several days late" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 8/31). PFT's Mike Florio: "It took them a while to realize it was the right move, but to the NFL’s credit, the best thing to do, the right thing to do was cancel that game." NBCSN's Chris Simms added, "This was the right move by the NFL" ("PFT," NBCSN, 8/31).
SCHEDULING CONCERNS: Texans GM Rick Smith said that NRG Stadium and the area around it are "in good shape," and the team's first regular-season game Sept. 10 against the Jaguars "will be played as scheduled" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 8/31). The AP's Schuyler Dixon noted Smith "wasn't sure when the Texans would resume practice." Smith said, "We're hurting, Houston is hurting, but we're strong. We've been there over a decade and we are part of the fabric of the community" (AP, 8/30). Jaguars Owner Shahid Khan yesterday in a statement said that they will "support whatever scheduling decision the NFL makes." Khan said, "What's most important to me and everyone in Jacksonville isn't where we'll play the Texans in Week 1, but the city of Houston and its people recover quickly, safely and successfully." In Jacksonville, John Reid notes if the game is moved to Jacksonville, the Jaguars would "have to close out the regular [season] playing three straight games on the road" starting with the Texans on Dec. 17, the 49ers on Dec. 24 and the Titans in the regular-season finale on Dec. 31 (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 8/31).
BOOST TO CIVIC PRIDE: USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell writes staging the season opener at NRG Stadium "would provide a boost of civic pride," but it is "too early to declare that having this game in Houston is the right thing." Bell: "Here's to hoping common sense prevails as the NFL determines what to do with the Texans' next game." Given Houston's stretched resources and the condition of the region's infrastructure, the "easiest solution would be to flip home dates" between the Jaguars and Texans, which would put the Dec. 17 game slated for Jacksonville in Houston (USA TODAY, 8/31). Texans coach Bill O'Brien said, “If our stadium is ready to go and we feel like people can get to the game, we feel strongly about playing the game in our stadium. ... We have a fantastic home crowd advantage with a loud crowd and I can only imagine what it would be like on that day so we feel strongly about playing the game and mostly because hopefully it would give our fans a reprieve from the clean-up” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 8/31).
