Best receiver you haven't heard of: Houston's Andre Johnson

Great Article in today's "USA Today" about Houston Texans receiver Andre Johnson. Written by Gary Mihoces

HOUSTON — Andre Johnson, who had more catches for more yards than anybody in the NFL last season, shuns sideshows and showboating. That is something 10-year-old Brant Walker admires about his football hero.

"I haven't ever seen him jump into the stands or do anything like that. He just gives the ball to the ref," says the youngster, who got to meet Johnson recently at the Houston Texans' camp after making the 635-mile drive here from Plainview, Texas, with his mom.

Johnson also is not inclined to engage in verbal sparring on the field or in the media.

"I've been here going on seven years now. You've never seen me talking any trash. That's not part of my game," he says.

But surely, as a star wide receiver in the NFL, he must do some give-me-the-ball lobbying?

"He doesn't have to say it because that's who we're looking for anyway," says Texans quarterback Matt Schaub.

"I'm always in tune with where he is and who is covering him and what defenses are doing. We're always trying to get him the ball."

Houston selected the 6-3, 228-pound Johnson No. 3 overall in the 2003 draft out of the University of Miami, where he also was a Big East sprint champion in track.

He had 1,000-yard receiving seasons in 2004 and 2006. In 2007, he missed seven games with a knee injury and slipped to 851 yards.

Last season, it all came together with 115 receptions for 1,575 yards and eight touchdowns. Of his receptions, 79 produced first downs, also No. 1 in the league.

The message he draws from last season is to stay grounded.

"Just as you can be one of the top guys in the league, you could easily be one of the bottom guys. So I don't take that for granted," he says.

"I want people to keep saying that Andre Johnson goes out and plays the game right. And he plays as one of the top guys in the league. I'm going to continue to carry myself that way on the field and work hard as I can every time I come out here and not take it for granted because you never know."

Johnson's goal this season is to help the young Houston franchise to its first playoff berth after consecutive 8-8 seasons.

"He's been the constant, and he has stayed the course," says Texans coach Gary Kubiak. "A lot of guys could get frustrated, but he's committed to this team and this organization taking the next step. … He's as good a worker as I've ever been around, and I've been around some good ones, Jerry Rice, Rod Smith, those guys. And believe me this guy is as good a worker as I've ever seen."

While Johnson worked last week in camp, his 10-year-old fan got to watch his every move from the sideline.

Before coming here, Walker had written a letter to Kubiak and Texans' president Jamey Rootes detailing his admiration for Johnson and saying he would be visiting camp.

When Walker and his mother, Linda Gail Walker, arrived to sit in the stands, they were contacted by phone by a member of Rootes' staff and given passes to watch from the field.

Johnson was told about their visit. He spent time with the youngster on the field.

"I've got your letter. I'll stay in touch," Johnson told Walker after they posed for photos.

Johnson says the experience was a reminder to him that young fans watch how he conducts himself.

"It definitely keeps me on my Ps & Qs," says Johnson. " … I can appreciate him following me and looking up to me as his role model."

It's How you Play the Game that Counts

My mom found this around the house tonight and gave it to me to read. I think it was sent to her through e-mail a while back and she printed it off to have a hard copy. It was entitled "It's How You Play the Game That Counts" and this is how it reads:(It is somewhat lengthy but it is well worth it.)

Donald Jenson was struck in the head by a thrown bat while umpiring a Little League game in Terre Haute, Indiana. He continued to work the game, but later that evening was placed in a hospital by a doctor. while being kept overnight for observation, Jenson wrote the following letter:

Dear Parent of a Little Leaguer:
I am an umpire. I don't do it for a living, but on Saturdays and Sundays for fun.
I've played the game, coached it and watched it. But somehow, nothing takes the place of umpiring, Maybe it's because I feel that deep down I'm providing a fair chance for all kids to play the game without disagreements and arguments.
With all the fun I've had, there is still something that bothers me about my job..... Some of you folks don't understand why I'm here. Some of you think I'm there to exert authority over your son or daughter. For that reason you often yell at me when I make a mistake, or encourage your son or daughter to say things that hurt my feelings.
How many of you really understand that I try to be prefect? I try not to make mistakes. I don;t want your child to feel that he got a bad deal from an umpire.
yet no matter how hard I try, I can't be perfect. I counted the number of called I made in a sex-inning game today. The total number of decisions, whether on balls and strikes or safes and outs, was 146.
I tries my best to get them all right, but I'm sure I missed some. When i figured out my percentage on paper, I could have missed eight calls today and still got about 95 percent of the calls right....In most occupations that percentage would be considered excellent. If I were in school, that grade would receive an "A" for sure.
Bout your demands are higher than that. Let me tell you more about my game today.
There was one real close call the ended the game...a runner for the home team was trying to steal the plate on a passed ball. the catcher chased the ball down and threw to the pitcher covering the plate. the pitcher made the tag, and I called the runner out.
AS I was getting my equipment to leave, I overheard one of the parents' comments: "It's too bad the kids have to lose because of rotten umpires. that was one of the lousiest calls I've ever seen."
Later at the concession stand, a couple of kids were telling their friends, "Boy the umpires were lousy today. they lost the game for us."
The purpose of Little League is to teach baseball skills to young people. Obviously, a team that does not play well in a given game, yet it given the opportunity to blame that loss on an umpire for one call or two, is being given the chance to take all responsibility for the loss from its shoulders.
A parent or adult leader who permits the younger player to blame his or her failures on an umpire, regardless of the quality of that umpire, is doing the worst kind of injustice to the youngster....Rather than learning responsibility , such an attitude is fostering an improper outlook towards the ideals of the game itself. The irresponsibility is bound to carry over to future years. As I sit here writing this letter, I am no longer as upset as I was this afternoon. I wanted to quit umpiring. But fortunately, my wife reminded me of another situation that occurred last week.
I was behind the plate, umpiring for a pitcher who pantomimed his displeasure at any call on a borderline pitch that was not in his team's favor. One could sense that he wanted the crows to realize that he was a fine, talented player who was doing his best to get along, and that I was a black-hearted villain who was working against him.
The kid continued in this vein for two innings.... while at the same time yelling at his own players who dared to make a mistake. for two innings, the manager watched this. When the kid returned to the dugout to bat in the top of the third, the manager called him aside.
In a loud enough voice that I was able to overhear, the lecture went like this: "Listen, Son, it's time you made a decision. you can be an umpire, or an actor, or a pitcher. But you can only be one at a time when you're playing for me. Right now it is your job to pitch, and you are basically doing a lousy job. Leave the acting to the actors, the umpiring to the umpires, or you don't do any pitching here. Now what is it going to be?"
Needless to say, the kid chose the pitching route and went on to win the game. When the game was over the kid followed me to my car. Fighting his hardest to keep back the tears, he apologized for his actions and thanked me for umpiring his game. He said he had learned a lesson that he would never forget.
I can't help bu wonder.... how many fine young men are missing their chance to develop into outstanding ballplayers because their parents encourage them to spend time umpiring, rather than working harder to play the game as it should be played.


The following morning, Donald Jenson died of complications from a brain concussion.