PLEASE NOTE: ALL PRACTICES AT GREENBRIER ARE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC. DOWNLOAD THE HOUSTON TEXANS APP TO MAKE SURE YOU NEVER MISS A MOMENT OF TRAINING CAMP PRESENTED BY XFINITY.

For the first time in seven years, the Texans are headed back to the Greenbrier. ‘America’s Resort,’ as they call it, is a great stop for NFL teams looking to beat the heat, bond and improve, away from the distractions of home and big city life.

Greenbrier is the Titanic… Kinda

Let’s be clear about the Greenbrier. Yes, it’s nice. But if you’re looking for a resort with Vegas-style pools, clubs and nightlife that’ll have you wandering in as the sun comes up, this isn’t you jam.

Its décor is straight out of the 40’s and 50’s, but not in a bad way. Everything is pristinely maintained and preserved. And the history is rich.

I liken it to the Titanic on land, without the crash. Okay, it’s not decorated in 1912 fashion. But old is old. There’s a style that’s bathed in proud Americana. The rooms have all the amenities but your great aunt might have picked the floral pattern on the bed spread after decreeing the drape selection.

We won’t get into everything that’s happened here – like the fact that there is a huge bunker area that was built underground, into a mountainside, to be used for Congress in the case of a nuclear attack. It’s ‘offline’ now but you can still see it.

There’s a bowling alley and indoor pool like looks like it’s from the silent movie age of Hollywood. There’s also a fantastic golf course that once hosted PGA events and the 1979 Ryder Cup – and homes for days that surround the resort.

Mike D’Antoni is a fan

Former Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni ‘summers’ there and was a guest at a couple of Texans events when they visited in the ‘teens.’ We interviewed him on Texans Radio. We also interviewed former resident, the late Jerry West – and Greenbrier owner Jim Justice, the former West Virginia Governor who is now a senator.

The football fields and facility are across the street from the resort and are fully equipped with just about everything an NFL team could need.

The biggest advantage is the weather. Temps should top out at about 75 degrees in the coming week. I remember interviewing players after Greenbrier practices and everyone was talkative, energetic and not as spent as you get working out in the Houston inferno.