Does the Texans brand mean anything special to you?

Lots of great points in here. The Texans are a very pop-culturey, appeal to the masses type of franchise. Everyone has an opinion and likes to b**** about the starting QB and head coach, but to us more attentive sports fans it can be annoying to listen to.

We absolutely have our diehards but with Houston being the melting pot that it is, our teams will never have the cult following that many wish. Those type of followings usually only happen in smaller cities anyhow.

But wanting the Oilers name back, to me, is preposterous. That franchise was full of disappointment, save for two "special" years, yet didn't result in a Super Bowl appearance. In the modern NFL it is hard to build a long-lasting following like you had back then, so any increased appeal to a new "Oilers" team would be coincidental. The Texans are just as capable of being special...and we are really just a QB away from getting there.

IMO the only teams that have a "special" brand are the Packers, Steelers, and maybe the Pats and Colts. And these teams have Super Bowl wins and great QBs to go along with it. Just wait until they go a prolonged period without both of those things like we have.

 

Let's say, for argument's sake, you really don't know who I was talking about.

Out of the ones you listed...

One was the 2006 NFL Offensive ROY and took his team to the playoffs. He was a 2x Pro Bowl selection. Yes, his career went in the toilet after that and no one today argues that he should have been the #1 pick.

One was the 2012 NFL Offensive ROY and took his team to the playoffs. Injuries and a bad attitude have led to his downfall and I don't hear much of anyone defending him now.

One was a starting QB from day 1 and has been to the playoffs every season of his career. Don't think anyone would argue with having him on their team.

One was undrafted and spent a year on the practice squad...an outcome no one really disagreed with. Yeah, there are some still who think he should be a starting NFL qb.

One has been an abject failure as a professional from the moment he became one and has turned into the Justin Bieber of the NFL. Still, to this day hear how the Texans should have drafted him #1.

Which set of fans is the most irrational in regards to their player?

 

All of this is personal opinion...

If the Astros or Rockets talked about changing their name, I'd freak out. I did when Crane lobbed that up about the Astros.

If the Texans decided to change their name, colors, logo, etc...I'd be interested. I wouldn't be upset one bit.

I suppose that answers how I feel about their "brand" generally. I root for them, because they're from Houston, and that won't change. But I would welcome a change in their presentation.

 

When they were a lame duck team, of course. They were rebuilding to be good somewhere else. Who wants to show up for that?

The Oilers demanded a new stadium because they were selling at 110% capacity in the years leading up to their flirtation with Nashville.

 

Same here. To me that name is synonymous with Bud Adams. Enough said...

 

I laugh every time I think about how Bud significantly devalued his franchise by moving to the sticks. That said, I'm really glad he did, Bud was one of the worst owners in the NFL. The Texans are in MUCH more capable hands.

 

I agree with everything in this post, and I've been a season ticket holder for several years. The "typical" Texans fan is the guy who screams, "Damn, Andre was WIDE OPEN on that deep route! Why didn't the QB throw it instead of handing it off?!?!? Bill O'Brien is a dumbass!"

 

Agreed, but one thing I would be upset about is if they changed the logo. I think the Texans have the best logo in the NFL.

 

It was an incredibly short-sighted move by Bud for sure.

 

Good point, the Oilers aren't much different than the factory of sadness, all the more reason to let the brand die.

 

The Browns have been around longer than the Oilers/Texans have combined. It was clear them leaving Cleveland was not in the best interest of the NFL, thus the NFL concessions to help them out both ways (keep the name along with getting a new team). The NFL couldn't have cared less about the then Houston Oilers... and in the end, that franchise ended up being worse off with the move.

Also, the Luv ya Blue era occurred around 13 years after the Oilers had been around... I'd give the Texans more time before we start assuming they'll never reach that sort of attachment (that usually comes with a combination of success and time).

 

And that compounded his previous short-sighted move to demand a renovation of the Astrodome or threaten to move the team to Jacksonville.

The city of houston was always willing to bend over backwards for their NFL team... they just weren't going to do it for that jack-ass of an owner.

Again, the city is better off now with the Texans.. and the Oilers/Titans are worse off in Nashville. Not sure how anybody can be too broken up about that, nostalgia/memories aside...that will eventually fade along with the memories of the St. Louis Cardinals, the Baltimore Colts, and the LA Rams... three teams with more history/success than the Oilers ever had at the time of their move.

 

And the latter two are only like that because of the great years of success they've had. The Pats were a bottom-barrel franchise in the early 90's with no appeal outside Boston, and the Colts had more fans still in Baltimore than they had in Indy in the late 80's/early 90's.

Time and success will grow the brand. This city is rabid/crazy/passionate enough to sustain it once real sustained success hits. Hell, they went overboard in their support simply after some division championship teams with major flaws.

 

Not sure I'm reading anyone here who is still "broken up" about the Oilers moving to Nashville. But at the time, I absolutely was. I was also convinced that we weren't going to get a pro football team here again nearly as quickly as we did.

But if you're asking me, personally, which "brand" I identify with more: Oilers or Texans...it's the Oilers by a mile. It's what I grew up with. That doesn't mean they should change it, though.

 

I still identify with the Oilers of course. Pretty sad that Bud took that away and the Oilers are dead. We should have been allowed to keep the history like Cleveland did with the Browns.

That said, I think we're in for some good times with B'OB, especially if he can bring over his front office New England friends. May have to chear for an NE super bowl so that happens.

 

Sure... I'm pretty sure everybody who was alive and aware of sports around the Oilers time identifies with the Oilers. They were around longer and had more success than the Texans have had thus far. If I was the same age now, as I was then when I grew up with the Oilers, it wouldn't be close.

In 20-30 years, I bet I and many here will identify more with the Texans, presuming they have at least one extended run of success in that time that lasts more than 2 seasons.

Again, a function of time/success. The same thing Baltimoreans needed to get over the Colts with.

 

I hear ya. In 20-30 years I'll be thinking about retirement, and I might feel differently about it then. I suppose I was answering the question as it's being posed today, though. And as of right now, if they wanted to change the name and the colors and everything else, I'd be totally fine with that.

 

Great post man, the two teams are/were opposite ends of the same spectrum.

****ing Houston.