Twelve months ago, Vince Young’s homecoming to Houston was so complete, he might as well have had a Barcalounger, a high-definition television and a refrigerator installed at the 50-yard-line of Reliant Stadium.

First, he directed drives that brought the Tennessee Titans back from deficits of 14-6 and 17-13. Then he sprinted 39 yards for the game-winning touchdown through a defense that seemed trapped in cement as the quarterback sprinted past them.

Many in the sold-out Reliant Stadium throng went bonkers. The hometown team had lost, but the hometown hero had made good, to the delight of friends, family and people who support the University of Texas football program above all other earth-bound entities.

This year, it’s Selvin Young’s turn to go home. Tonight, he’ll attempt to replicate what his close friend of the same surname accomplished 368 days ago — to send his hometown followers into giddy hysterics.

“I’m really expecting to have a big game,” Young said. “Hopefully I’ll have the same kind of fun (Vince Young) had when he played.”

So many of Selvin Young’s nearest and dearest will be in Reliant Stadium tonight that his paycheck is pretty much being turned over to the Houston Texans ticket office. He bought 52 tickets for the game.

“I’m playing for free this week — literally,” he said. “But it’s worth it for the chance for my family to see me play. Most of them have been watching on TV, so it’s a good chance to come, be a part of it, see the NFL and what I’m getting a chance to experience.

“This type of occasion, I’m really looking forward to.”

We’ll watch and see whether he starts. I reckon he will, since he’s opened the last two games with Travis Henry in relief, but we’ll see for certain in a few hours.

Also of note tonight … it appears as though the Texans will be wearing red pants for the first time. Red pants, red jerseys. They’re going to look like blood clots running around.

And now, some photos …

“Battle Red Day” … eh, not bad, but I think they should just wear the red uniforms during the year’s 10th month. Then they could do an ad that looked something like this:

Wouldn’t that look snappy with, say, Gary Kubiak’s visage where we see Sean Connery’s? If he could try to talk with a Russian accent in a Scottish brogue, it would make the picture complete.

NFL Network in the house, but apparently Bryant Gumbel is not. Tom Hammond will fill in … appropriate for a Broncos game, since he possesses degrees in equine genetics from the University of Kentucky.

The instant-replay booth is a little ramshackle here.

Does this mean the game is cancelled in order to preserve the field? Oh, players are excepted? Then never mind.

More later … going to take some cold medicine and Tylenol.

Tags: Houston Texans, Selvin Young

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