West Virginia town impressing visitors with its hospitality, attractions
W HITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — In my second postcard from the edge of the mountain, I want to provide you with a picture of what we do every day at training camp.
By we, I mean the Texans, the media and everyone else who has come to West Virginia for the team’s first camp away from Houston.
I’m also going to tell you where many of us — but not the players and coaches — go in Lewisburg.
The media hotel is 12 minutes away from The Greenbrier. It might take 13 depending on the traffic.
Lewisburg, with its historic downtown district, is one of the coolest places I’ve visited. And I’m talking about a picturesque town of 3,600 that impresses everyone with its restaurants, shops and local attractions. And the people are so friendly and helpful. Their hospitality continues to blow me away.
Now, let’s move on to a typical player’s day.
The team resides in a wing at The Greenbrier, one of the nation’s oldest and most exclusive resorts. They have everything they could possibly want on the premises. The place is so large and so luxurious that the New England Patriots will stay there, too, when they come for two joint practices next week.
Each morning, the players, coaches and other personnel are shuttled out the entrance and down the street to The Greenbrier Sports Performance Center. It’s a magnificent $30 million structure that was built for the New Orleans Saints, who didn’t sign a new contract after three seasons.
The coaches and players spend the day at the training facility. They meet, lift weights, undergo rehabilitation for injuries — everything they need — at the Sports Performance Center.
A large tent has been constructed at one end of the facility. That’s where the players, coaches and other camp have their meals.
Next to the dining tent is a smaller tent that was set up for coach Bill O’Brien and his players to do interviews.
Outside the facility are two grass practice fields. There are stands for fans on one sideline and in the far end zones from the Sports Performance Center.
On the far side — and down a severe incline — is a third field. It’s got Field Turf. The Texans have used it once, on Monday when it was raining so hard water was standing on the grass fields.
After arriving at the Sports Performance Center at 7:30 or 8 a.m., they eat, meet, have walkthroughs, practice, lunch, meetings, another walkthrough, dinner and more meetings. The players usually finish their team meetings around 8:30 p.m.
The media hotel is the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Lewisburg. A beautiful drive — with mountains everywhere — down I-64 to the White Sulphur Springs exit is 7 miles.
As for reporters who cover the team, we await an e-mail from the Texans’ terrific media relations staff each morning informing us what time practice begins. Because there’s been so much rain, O’Brien will often move up the start time from 10:30 a.m. to 10.
We usually arrive at the media trailer around 9:15 and get to the fields at 9:30. Brett Coomer, the Chronicle’s outstanding photographer/ videographer, and I have been here since the day before camp began. And we’re loving every minute of it.
Let’s face it: Who wouldn’t like to change places with Brett and me? We’re in heaven.
During practice, Brett is all over the sidelines shooting photos for the Chronicle and Chron.com. After practice, we interview players for my story and notes in the next day’s Chronicle. Then we do video interviews with one or more players for our Texas Training Camp Insider that’s posted on our website each afternoon around 4:30.
Afterward, we head for the media trailer. Brett and I do a daily Facebook Live chat on the Chronicle Sports Facebook page at 1 p.m.. Brett does all the work. While he spends three hours putting together our training camp insider, I try to do at least five blogs for Chron.com based on what happened that day in practice. I also tweet what I call emptying my practice notebook with things I’ve observed on the field.
Then, finally, I write my story and notes for the newspaper.
Throughout the day, I also do my weekly sports radio talk shows in seven cities, including Sports Radio 610 and Texans Radio in Houston. I also do other shows from around the country. I try not to turn down anyone because I think it’s rude. If they care enough to invite me on, I should be nice enough to do it. Sports talk shows are a way for me to promote my Twitter as well as the Chronicle and our website.
Those of us who made the trip from Houston to West Virginia have found some exceptional places to eat and visit, most recommended by my friends Richard and Tina Butler. They rebuilt a mountaintop home here, but their primary residence is in Austin. Let me put it this way, Richard and Tina have good taste.
Brett and I have our favorite spots to dine like Stardust Cafe and General Lewis Inn — both owned by Aaron and Sparrow Huffman.
Some other favorite spots are the Livery Tavern, Food and Friends, Del Sol, The Asylum, the French Goat, Hill and Holler, the Irish Pub, The Wild Bean and Cook’s Country Kitchen.
And we’ve eaten at Wendy’s and Ruby Tuesdays too many times.
One of the highlights was earlier this week when the Texans threw a heck of a media dinner for 35 at The Greenbrier’s steak restaurant. We had a blast. The Greenbrier has so many restaurants, you never have to leave the place.
Coomer likes to take pictures of old buildings, churches and cemeteries, so we’ve done some exploring in our car. It’s a gorgeous area. It’s like there’s a law in Lewisburg that says if you want to reside here or open a restaurant or shop, it’s got to look like it was built in the 1800s. Very quaint and charming.
As I wrote last week, if you’re thinking about coming, come on. If you’re thinking about it next year, make your reservations. You won’t regret making the trip to this exquisite part of West Virginia.
Until next time,
— John
John McClain is a Houston Chronicle staff writer.