Inside
Colleges: Heisman winner pays Rice a visit. C11
Houston Chronicle | houstonchronicle.com and chron.com | Sunday, January 19, 2014 | Section C
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Houston Chronicle Sports
Short and swift may win a Heisman in college, but mobile QBs soon find NFL longevity rests in their arms and reading defenses
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Peyton Manning Height: 6-5 Russell Wilson Height: 5-11
Johnny Manziel Height: 6-0
@HoustonChron
TEXANS
O’Brien sizes up new job and QBs By John McClain
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Since becoming the third head coach in Texans history on New Year’s Eve, Bill O’Brien has tackled the job with an unbridled passion that’s requiring round-theclock commitment. O’Brien, 44, has been hiring his first staff that’s still not complete, attempting to meet or call as many of his new players as possible, trying to watch film, meeting former President George H.W. Bush, familiarizing himself with O’Brien some Houston neighborhoods, granting interviews with media and preparing for this week’s Senior Bowl. At some point, O’Brien will catch his breath, but for now, the magnitude of the challenge — trying to resurrect a 12-4 team that plummeted to 2-14 — demands 24-7 dedication. The Chronicle recently caught up with O’Brien. Because offense is his specialty, it’s a good place to start: Q: Are you going to call the plays?
O’Brien continues on C3
ROCKETS 114 BUCKS 104
Jones OK with role in latest inside job By Jonathan Feigen
AP
AP AP
We will be looking Sunday at the ghost of what could have been Super Bowls past and what could be the ghost of Super Bowls future for the Texans. One is Denver quarterback Peyton Manning, whose Broncos are playing in the AFC Championship Game against New England. One is Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson, whose Seahawks are playing in the NFC Championship Game against San Francisco. Wilson is not going to be a Texan, but if many fans here
Marathon extra 1 Get photos and results from today’s half marathon and marathon at chron.com/ sports. Post your race photos to Twitter and Instagram with the #houmarathon hashtag, and we’ll post them on our site.
RANDY HARVEY Commentary
get their wish, the college quarterback he’s often compared to will be a Texan. Imagine the excitement if
the Texans had Manning or Johnny Manziel. Now take a deep breath. Houston was among Manning’s preferred destinations when he became a free agent two years ago and talked to the Texans. In retrospect, it’s easy to say now the Texans should have done more than talk. Or maybe not. Manning was coming off two neck surgeries, causing him to miss the 2011 season. Not only were the Texans concerned he wouldn’t be the same Manning, so was he. It would have been a huge
Inside 1 AFC: Brady vs. Manning pits QBs perhaps for final time. C2 1 NFC: No love lost between coaches in fitting finale. C2
gamble for the Texans to pay Manning as much as he ultimately commanded in Denver — $96 million over five seasons for a 36-year-old quarterback in questionable health. As it turned out, it was a good investment for the Broncos. Or maybe not.
Harvey continues on C3
Desperate to rid themselves of the aching frustration left by Thursday’s collapse, the Rockets seemed, at least for a while, determined to do things differently. They went to Terrence Jones, who scored as he never has before. They went to Dwight Howard, who put in jump hooks and drives. They went to the rim and scored nearly every time they left the 3-point arc that had bedeviled them so in the second-half meltdown against the Thunder. Yet, as easily as they scored inside, collecting more points in the paint than in any game this season, they could not help themselves and backed up to the 3-point line anyway. That produced a few high-
Rockets continues on C4
Inside 1 Trail Blazers: A look at how they became a contender. C6
CHEVRON HOUSTON MARATHON
Local teens lift spirits a world away By Jose de Jesus Ortiz Not far from the finish line, Sarah Kiptoo giddily headed out Saturday morning for her final pre-race workout less than 24 hours before the Chevron Houston Marathon. The Kenyan contender has raced around the world, but this warm-up was different. It was more personal, mean-
ingful, intimate practically. As Kiptoo headed down Crawford, her smile seemingly got wider with each step as she moved closer to nearly two dozen Memorialarea teenagers wearing orange T-shirts that declared, “We Run for Kenya.” Kiptoo was eager to meet the Houston teenagers and families who decided to raise
funds during the race weekend to benefit Oasis for Orphans, which sponsors more than a hundred children through two orphanages in the slums of Nairobi. “I feel so good and happy because they’re helping our people,” Kiptoo said. “We appreciate and are happy to know that there are other
Oasis continues on C9
Tony Bullard
Teenagers Katherine Kaiser, left, and Avery Agosto are doing their part for Kenyan orphans.
C8 | Sunday, January 19, 2014 | Houston Chronicle | HoustonChronicle.com and chron.com x x x
CHEVRON HOUSTON MARATHON
Oasis for Orphans helps Kenya via Houston race Oasis from page C1
people that care for us.” AIDS, riots and other disasters have resulted in some 2.4 million orphans in Kenya. Oasis for Orphans, a faith-based charity based in the Chicago area, has a small group of supporters in the Memorial area. Leaving comfort zone Avery Agosto and Katherine Kaiser, a pair of 14-year-old friends from Memorial, are two of Team Oasis’ leaders in Houston. They definitely sacrificed to prepare for Saturday’s 5K. They don’t necessarily like to run. The Memorial Middle School eighth-graders would rather play basketball, soccer or volleyball. “I love to see kids run on behalf of other kids on the other side of the world,” said Kim Huffman, Team Oasis’ race director. “It’s a pretty powerful connection when kids in America
who have everything can give of themselves and do something hard and sacrificial for the sake of kids in Kenya.” As Avery and Katherine shared stories of the orphans their families sponsor through Oasis, they methodically built up their running group in hopes of raising $5,000 for the charity. Before they knew it, they had more than 20 members on their team. Houston’s Team Oasis comprises mostly Memorial Middle School students, but it includes some Stratford High students and a few adults. “It’s pretty great how all of our friends are ready to pitch in and help us,” Katherine said. “We feel great about it.” Avery, Katherine and her older sister, Charlotte, raised $3,000 two years ago by drawing a crowd of more than 100 kids to a “Chicken Dance.” The event wasn’t named for the infamously popular polka dance, though. The
girls named that event the “Chicken Dance” because it raised money to build chicken coops for Oasis’ orphanages in Nairobi. Spreading the word It didn’t take Avery and Katherine long to surpass their initial goal of $5,000 for this weekend’s races. Team Oasis members hope to raise $10,000 this weekend through Sunday’s Houston Marathon and Aramco Half Marathon and Saturday’s ABB 5K. “I’m really excited for this opportunity,” Avery said. “I think this is really cool. I feel really fortunate to have this opportunity. We’ve shared stories from Africa and pictures of our sisters we sponsor in Africa with our friends, and they’re interested to help because they see what we see.” Oasis currently serves 151 orphans over two sites in Kenya, including a dormitory facility in Nairobi. Oasis is in the process of building a
Tony Bullard
Katherine Kaiser (seated at left), Avery Agosto (seated at right) and the rest of Team Oasis hope to raise $10,000 this weekend.
family-style home to serve 50 more children. “The primary audience are children who have lost one or both parents, oftentimes because of AIDS,” said Global Orphan Crisis author Diane Lynn Elliot, who serves as Oasis’ stateside director. “The need is so great. … These kids have nothing.” Avery and Katherine wore large pins with the faces of the Kenyan orphans their families sponsor. They speak with the girls they sponsor at least
twice a year either through phone calls or Skype.
family and Avery’s mom have visited Oasis’ orphanages in Kenya, the girls haven’t made the trip yet. Through Kiptoo and Ondoro, though, the girls were at least able to make a connection. Kiptoo and Ondoro even donned Team Oasis’ orange shirts to run the 5K. “We appreciate what you do,” Kiptoo told one of the mothers in the group before running behind the rest of Team Oasis.
Star runners take notice Team Oasis’ efforts were brought to the attention of two of the elite runners — Kiptoo and Dominic Ondoro — who will compete in the Chevron Houston Marathon. Kiptoo, who is considered a contender in the women’s race, and Ondoro welcomed the opportunity to meet and run in the 5K Saturday with the girls. Although Katherine’s
jesus.ortiz@chron.com
CHEVRON HOUSTON MARATHON AT A GLANCE
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Mile 4 — West Gray: Spectators can wait for the runners at the River Oaks Shopping Center, where coffee shops, restaurants and retail are alongside the historic River Oaks Theatre — the oldest working theater in the city.
Mile 10 — University Boulevard and the city of West University Place: In an area filled with upscale homes and some of Houston’s trendiest shops, West U residents turn out in large numbers to cheer on the runners.
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Mile 5-7 — Kirby: The perfect combination of residential, retail and scenery, the Kirby miles provide easy access to spectators wanting to watch the runners.
Mile 13 — Westpark and Post Oak: As one of the key milestones that marathoners reach on their way to the finish line, the halfway point is a great place to see how
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Miles 20-21 — Memorial Park: Memorial Park’s miles of jogging trails attract thousands of Houstonians daily. The Memorial Park area also is the site of every marathoner’s nemesis — the infamous wall, a mental barrier at the 20mile mark. After the wall, the marathon becomes a 6.2-mile race to the finish.
Changes to the race courses Route: This year’s Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon will follow a markedly different route than in the past, with the Heights and the Near Northside no longer on the intinerary. That change came about because race organizers were told the Elysian Viaduct, which long has been scheduled for replacement, might not be traversable in 2014. As it happens, it is
standing, but the course will exit downtown via the Washington Avenue corridor instead. Shared space: Both races will share the same starting line on Congress and the same course for the first 8 miles through the River Oaks neighborhood and Upper Kirby before splitting at the intersection of Mandell and Bissonnet in Southhampton. Parting ways: Halfmarathoners will head
back through Montrose and take the traditional route on Allen Parkway into downtown. The marathoners will continue to Rice Boulevard in West University Place and then head west before meeting up with the old route at South Post Oak. Home stretch: Returning to downtown, the course will follow Memorial instead of Woodway before coming into downtown on Allen Parkway.
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Mile 15 — Tanglewood Boulevard: Leaving the Galleria area, runners will head down what might be the prettiest mile on the course — Tanglewood Boulevard. Runners will be greeted with banners, flags and cheering residents.
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Mile 14 — Post Oak and San Felipe: This venue offers race spectators varied viewing points close to the Galleria’s many shops and restaurants. Post Oak’s wide sidewalks and numerous street-level parking areas are great places to watch the race.
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1 For the latest race results go to chron. com/raceresults. For a course map, road closures and other marathon info, go to chron.com/marathon.
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Refueling stations: Located at every mile-and-a-half along the course, these areas are crowd favorites to watch runners jockey for the best position to intercept a smooth water handoff. The refueling stations are also a popular scene for many of the marathon’s hoopla happenings.
Houston Marathon course map
Marathon coverage
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Source: Houston Marathon Committee Inc.
Mile markers Marathon route ½ Marathon route First aid station Refueling station Houston Chronicle
Marathon and half-marathon course closures
The following streets will be closed today, starting at 5 a.m. All lanes will be closed unless otherwise noted: 1 Congress from Crawford to Smith. 1 Smith from Congress to Franklin. 1 Franklin from Smith to Washington (all lanes except one westbound curb lane). 1 Washington from Congress to Waugh (all lanes except one westbound curb lane from Franklin to Houston, and one eastbound curb lane from Studemont to Sawyer). 1 Heights/Waugh (southbound) from Washington to West Gray. 1 West Gray from Waugh to Shepherd. 1 Shepherd from West Gray to San Felipe. 1 San Felipe from Shepherd to Kirby. 1 Kirby (southbound) from San Felipe to Bissonnet. 1 Bissonnet from Kirby to Montrose. 1 Mandell (southbound) from Bissonnet to Sunset. 1 Sunset from Mandell to Rice Boulevard. 1 Rice Boulevard from Sunset to Greenbriar. 1 Greenbriar from Rice Boulevard to University Boulevard. 1 University Boulevard from Greenbriar to Weslayan. 1 Weslayan (northbound) from University to Westpark. 1 Westpark from Weslayan to S. Rice Boulevard (all lanes closed except one westbound lane from Newcastle to 610/59 northbound feeder road, and one eastbound lane from Westpark exit ramp to 610 southbound feeder road). 1 Loop 610 feeder (southbound) from
Richmond to Westpark. 1 Post Oak Boulevard (northbound) from Richmond to San Felipe. 1 San Felipe (westbound) from Post Oak Boulevard to Tanglewood Road. 1 Tanglewood (northbound) from San Felipe to Chimney Rock Road 1 Chimney Rock (southbound) from Tanglewood to Memorial Drive. 1 Memorial (westbound) from Chimney Rock to Loop 610. 1 Memorial (eastbound) from Loop 610 to Shepherd. 1 Shepherd (all lanes under overpass) from Memorial Dr. to Allen Parkway 1 Allen Parkway from Shepherd to Bagby 1 Dallas from Allen Parkway to Bagby 1 Bagby from Dallas to Lamar 1 Lamar from Bagby to Avenida de las Americas 1 Avenida de las Americas from Dallas to Rusk
Additional half-marathon course closures
1 Montrose (southbound) from Bissonnet to Dallas 1 Montrose (northbound) from Dallas to Allen Parkway
Freeway exit ramp closures
1 610 West Loop, southbound, exiting to Hidalgo/Richmond