Editor's note:Tight end **Owen Daniels* will be providing periodic diary entries for HoustonTexans.com to give fans insight into the life of a rookie draft pick. *
I said last week that I'd banged up my shoulder against Tennessee and it was getting better. I practiced for the Patriots and I was feeling pretty good and it felt good enough to play. So I played at New England and I injured it a little bit and I was hoping that it would feel better after the game. But it didn't really get too much better from Sunday to Monday and from Monday to Tuesday, so I got an MRI. There's a little bit of damage, but hopefully I can get all my strength back for the weekend because I'd like to play our last two games at home. But I don't know how much coach wants me to play right now because I'm just trying to heal.
Anyways, I've missed practice this week doing rehab for my shoulder and these are the first two practices I've missed this year. It was weird just standing there and watching. I felt kind of like a waste of space just watching and being worthless. But I'm out there and I'm with my teammates and that's the most important thing. I just really want to get out there again.
Last week at New England was rough. It was really bad and that's about all I have to say about it. This week we've got the Indianapolis Colts. We've never beaten the Colts as a franchise, so what better time than right now? We might as well do it, and I know we can. Hopefully, I'll be out there helping to achieve that.
How about them Badgers? Wisconsin is pretty much the best thing going right now. Our football team is preparing for the Capital One Bowl in Orlando against Arkansas. I think it's going to be a close game, but Wisconsin will win it. Last year, Wisconsin was the underdog against Auburn in the Capital One Bowl, and we beat them 24-10. This year, I don't see how we could be the underdogs because I think it's a pretty even matchup. My prediction is 31-20, Wisconsin. By the way, Wisconsin basketball is playing really well right now. They just beat Pittsburgh, who I think was ranked No.2 in the country. The game was played in Madison, which was a huge advantage for us because we play very well at home. We ended up winning by 14. If I get a chance, I might try to go back and watch a Wisconsin basketball game when I return after the season.
One thing I really want to share with everybody is that Wednesday after practice all the players donated 200 bikes for some Houston-area children. It was pretty cool to see all the little kids get their bikes. Obviously, it was a bunch of kids who normally wouldn't get the opportunity to have a brand-new bike. It was a nice feeling to help people out, especially during this time of the year. The kids were waiting for us to get out of practice and then when we came out they were there and the bikes were all lined up ready to go. The kids were pretty shy when we approached them, but they did say thanks. I know if I were their age and I met some professional athletes I would be in complete shock. But that's just me. Maybe they don't think we're a big deal.
Our game against Indianapolis is on Christmas Eve and I'm still getting used to the idea that this is going to be a different Christmas for me. My girlfriend came down this week and she'll be here for Christmas and staying through New Year's Eve, which I'm very thankful for. I finally got a Christmas tree up. David Anderson helped me put it up. It's just seven-feet tall, with white lights. My mom brought down some ornaments from home and we bought some generic ornaments. We also put up some garland and a little fern tree my parents sent, which smells really good.
[
](http://store.houstontexans.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1865446&cp=2237490&parentPage=family&clickid=mainnavgeartxt&parentPage=family)David and I already planned out Christmas day. Word is that there are some gifts on the way from my family and I might buy myself something so there's going to be some presents under my tree on Christmas morning. David's going to stay over that night and we're going to wake up and come downstairs to open gifts like when we were young. I still have to get David something. I don't know what I'm going to get him, but I want him to have something to open. Remember the stuffed shells I talked about earlier this season? Well, it turns out that the recipe was from my girlfriend's mom and not my mom. Sorry about that. But we're going to make those and drink egg nog. I've never had egg nog, so I'm kind of scared to drink it because I'm 24 years old and I haven't ever had it. I think that if it were good, people would have forced it on me by now. Plus, I think that it must not be that good if they don't serve it year-round. But I'm going to try it this Christmas.
I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and I hope you all make it out to the game this weekend!
Take care,
Owen
Entry 1: Welcome to training camp (8/1)
Entry 2: Adjusting to the NFL (8/5)
Entry 3: Getting ready (8/5)
Entry 4: Preseason debut (8/16)
Entry 5: Road trip (8/23)
Entry 6: Changing modes (8/29)
Entry 7: Becoming a starter (9/6)
Entry 8: Appearances and business (9/14)
Entry 9: Cooking 101 (9/21)
Entry 10: Season outlook (9/27)
Entry 11: Different feeling (10/4)
Entry 12: Time off (10/11)
Entry 13: Shifting gears (10/19)
Entry 14: After a win (10/26)
Entry 15: The big picture (11/3)
Entry 16: Owen's world (11/09)
Entry 17: Homecoming (11/16)
Entry 18: Holiday traditions (11/23)
Entry 19: Looking back (12/1)
Entry 20: Loving my job (12/7)
Entry 20: Season pains (12/15)
