Mobile users click here to listen

mobile users click here to listen

Mobile device users may click here to listen to audio.

Mobile device users may click here to listen to audio.

Mobile users click here to listen

mobile users click here to listen

Mobile device users may click here to listen to audio.

Mobile device users may click here to listen to audio.

Mobile device users may click here to listen to audio.

Mobile device users may click here to listen to audio.

That is no longer the issue, after a 10-6 finish to the regular season last year, making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history and winning a game in the post-season, this team arrived during the 2011 season and now they’ve been rewarded.

The Texans will play in 5 nationally televised games during the 2012 season, 4 of them will be on the road in some difficult places to try to steal a win. Granted, it’s the NFL, it is hard to win anywhere, but going to Chicago with Jay Cutler‘s new weapon in Brandon Marshall, going to the Jets, where a hungry Mark Sanchez very well could reign supreme (at least Rex Ryan better hope so), traveling to New England (need I say more) and playing on Thanksgiving day in Detroit, going up against the dirtiest player, assuming Ndamukong Suh hasn’t been suspended for that game, it will be fun, exciting, challenging but very difficult.

Matt Schaub even before he was aware of how many prime-time/national TV games the Texans would play was indifferent about the schedule. Schaub, on Texans All-Access on Tuesday, was concerned with the long days the Texans will endure preparing for said games, “stewing” over those games, trying to go into them with the same mindset as if they were a regular season Sunday afternoon game against whoever.

That is a sentiment Texans tight end Owen Daniels shared as well when he joined us on the “Odd Couple” show last night. He noted that there will certainly be a different mentality going into those games, there will need to be a sense of urgency by this team to recognize and play like they are in fact the “hunted” now.

The exposure the Texans will get this next season is well deserved and the league respects what Bob McNair, Rick Smith, Gary Kubiak and Wade Phillips are building, but will they capitalize? Will they show the NFL, the fans and the opposition that last season wasn’t an aberration?

A key stretch of games I think will determine just how tough, strong willed and good this team will be next season, health aside.

From week 3 through week 7, the Texans will travel to Denver to take on Peyton Manning, will host the Titans, travel to New York to take on the Jets then host the Packers for back to back nationally televised games and prior to the bye week will have their rematch with the Baltimore Ravens, who knocked them out of the post-season last year.

If the Texans can make it through that stretch unscathed in terms of not having sustained any major injuries to key players that will be a plus, but if they can also pick up 3 wins along the way, that will be a victory.

I hate predicting games, but it’s key to realize that a team that has never swept their division, never swept the Colts will have a tougher schedule than most think this season and are going to have to prove again they can go on the road and steal some games in which they, according to the “experts” shouldn’t necessarily win.

The exposure is absolutely deserving Texans, you’ll be in the spotlight at least five times this season, but a lot more than that if you take care of biz!

Mobile device users may click here to listen to the audio.

Mobile device users may click here to listen to the audio.

Mobile device users may click here to listen to the audio.

Walking inside, I was reminded of the many games and events that I attended there as a kid. Some of my most memorable moments as a kid going to the dome was seeing the Rolling Stones concert I think in 1995, when I was in 6th grade. Also The many Oilers and Astro games I took in as well stuck out to me. One Astro game I remember the best though, the 1997 Division Championship game there, when they beat the Cubs 9-1. Biggio, Bagwell, Hampton riding around on Harley’s and smoking cigars, drinking champagne after their victory.

I’m sure many of you have a lot of fond memories as well. However, soon it appears it will time for you to decide that if keeping the dome around will enhance those fond memories while it drains tax payers pockets to the tune of around $3 million a year for maintenance or tearing it down and doing something constructive and financially sound with the site.

The Chairman of the Harris County sports and convention corporation, Edgardo Colon joined us on the “Odd Couple Show” last night and discussed 4 options that are currently being considered for the Astrodome.

1) Involves keeping it as is. Doing nothing. This will cost Houston more than $2 million a year in maintenance.

2) Cover the footprint of the Astrodome with a green space plaza. This will be costly, to the tune of around $84 million. County officials say the dome cannot be imploded as easily as some say it should because of potential damage it could do to the surrounding Reliant facilities.

3) Gutting the dome and leave the shell. This option would include construction of a technology center and planetarium inside the dome. The roof would be covered with solar panels that look like a map of the world when viewed from above. The estimated cost for this option would be around $324 million, including about $43 million in old dome bond payments.

4) The most expensive plan, which is an estimated cost of around $324 million from tax payers and about $264 million from private sources. This plan would include basically everything from the 3rd option, but private investors would be invited to build everything from an alternative energy center to a movie studio.

(credit: Anna-Megan Raley/CBS Houston)

A report is expected to be completed in a matter of weeks. At that time, the sports and convention corporation will make a recommendation to the County commissioners court, which will then decide upon an option for the future of the Astrodome.

According to Edgardo Colon, these four options, or the ones the commissioners court will be recommended, will at some point be put up to voters to decide what should be done.

Will keeping the dome around as is help save the great memories you once had inside the Astrodome? Will putting the land and/pr site to good use make you feel better about it?

What do you think should be done with the Astrodome?

Mobile device users may click here to listen to the audio.