Jenny Winston diary: Responding to readers

Jenny and Eric Winston on graduation day at the University of Miami.

EDITOR'S NOTE: HoustonTexans.com is pleased to introduce fans to Jenny Winston, the wife of starting right tackle Eric Winston. She provides periodic diary entries on a range of topics to give fans a woman's perspective on the NFL and life off the field.

Thanks to all those who have e-mailed questions and comments to me! I wanted to take the time to answer a few, and I hope to keep receiving e-mails! If you scroll to the bottom, you can see where to send in your comments. Thanks for showing interest in this diary!

*The question I have for you is, does Eric know that the fans affectionately refer to him as "The Caveman"? I'm not really sure how it got started, but I would imagine the beard only helped seal the deal. What does he think of his nickname? Do you have any funny nicknames for him?
-Richard *

Jenny: First of all, the "Caveman" nickname started back in college at the University of Miami. I'm not sure if you have seen a picture of Eric when he was in college (here's one), but he not only had quite an impressive beard for a 20-year old, but he also had grown his thick hair out long (resembling early mankind). For a while, he said that he would allow only his favorite hair stylist in Midland, Texas, to touch his hair because she had groomed his mane since he was a kid. It wasn't easy for him to get to Midland very often while in Miami, so he would get trims while he was home only a few times a year.

The next explanation I can remember had to do with his position on the offensive line. He would tell me that having long hair was all part of playing tackle. I think he thought it made him look more intimidating. I always thought it would make it easier for the defender to get him on the ground by pulling his hair! (HAHA)

There have been a few other nicknames that he's had over the years. One that comes to mind is "Big-E" for obvious reasons! Another one that we use a lot around the house is "Dad-E." I'd have to say my personal favorite and the one I use the most is "Tiny."

Eric is a good sport about nicknames, so it's nice that he doesn't take any too personal!

Where did you and Eric meet school or random , my wife loves reading your diary. -Luis

Jenny: I may have answered this question in response to the previous question, but we met at school in Miami. We were in the same circle of friends at the University of Miami and always would bump into each other around campus. There were always LOTS of laughs when we would get together! UM is so diverse that it brought a girl from Massachusetts and a guy from Texas together.

What's the hardest part of being married to an NFL player?
-Matthew

Jenny: I want to begin by saying that I feel very fortunate to be in the position we're in and I feel like we are very blessed to be involved with the NFL. It is a lot of fun and I know Eric really enjoys going to work every day.

I would have to say that the hardest part is the risk of injury. It is distressing for me at times to watch my 25-year-old husband struggle to walk up the stairs to our house after a tough game. Thankfully, this is not the case after most days "at the office" but sometimes he just gets bumped the wrong way or falls awkwardly, which causes his body to hurt. There is no way to prepare for many fluke injuries that can happen, unfortunately.

But, like I said in a previous entry, I feel a bit more confident when Eric is out on the field because he is usually one of the biggest, most solid guys out there.

With about a month to go before training camp, we are headed to New Hampshire for a week to visit my family who we won't see until after the Texans beat the Patriots on Jan. 3 and win the Super Bowl shortly after. =) Thanks for reading and keep the questions coming! Until next time, Go Texans!

To ask Jenny a question, click**here**.