The Cool Kids

"The pep rally gonna be sick, though."

You wish your favorite NFL team was as cool as the Houston Texans. From Shutdown Corner:

When the Houston Texans travel to meet the New England Patriots this weekend, they'll look a bit like something right out of "Friday Night Lights." That's because every Texans player will be wearing custom-made letterman jackets, with the Texans' logo, each player's number, and each player's position.

Defensive tackle Shaun Cody came up with the idea, and told his good friend, linebacker Connor Barwin. They brought Jay Brunetti, the team's director of equipment services, on board, and the Houston Texans letterman jacket was born. Brunetti put them in touch with a local company called Bull Shirts, who were able to get the jackets done on short notice.

My buddy T.C. may feel a bit pissed hearing this news; several years ago he struck upon the idea for a letterman jacket party, where everyone partied wearing their high school threads. He and Dupa set up a party at a small sports bar, and 20 or so of us showed up in letterman jackets and high school regalia, and spent the night sharing war stories and decades-old bragging rights over beers and shots.

But he never thought to really capitalize financially.

The idea is simply brilliant. As Doug Farrar at Shutdown points out, the potential for apparel companies to cash in is limitless; but, beyond that, this is the type of signature moment the Texans have needed: something that makes them catch in the mind of NFL fans. Every team aspiring to become a new power player needs that. The Texans have worked hard to prove on the field that they deserve to be considered among the NFL's elite. Now they look the part when off the field, too. Their cool has finally caught up.