[Chron] Andre Johnson no longer wants to be a Texan

Hey now! You're fighting an impossible battle, good effort though.

 

Just because tickets are sold doesn't mean the stadium is filled every game day. Owners make a big chunk of profit on concessions. It's not just about the money a fan spends to get into the stadium but how much they spend once their inside... Parking, food, drinks, maybe buy a jersey or a hat and you could end up spending a lot more than the ticket you paid for to get in.

Bob McNair experienced not having a full stadium the year before they went out and spent big money in free agency and brought in Wade.

This is Houston and eventually the new car smell will ware off if the Texans aren't producing on the field.

You can't be seriously worried about Billionaire Bob's budget. And to a billionaire owner with only 3 winning seasons having a potential HOF all time great player that was drafted and raised under him may be the next best thing to having a super bowl ring. A billionaire owner's priorities may be different from the priorities of the typical fan. Of course McNair wants to win a championship but that may not be an obtainable goal to achieve in the next 2-3 years so why should he let AJ go... Especially considering he's still a highly productive "luxury."

 

The Texans have produced on the field exactly twice in a dozen seasons. They sold out every game the very same day all tickets went on sale. Not even knowing if AJ was going to report.

 

People in Katy simply can't wait to put down 36% of their salary to drive 30 miles and sit around with a bunch of pudgy, smelly, rowdy drunks and pay $32 for Budlight and a hot dog.

 

I don't think you're that pudgy. Smelly? Yes.

 

And that $100-$200, while nice, is a drop in the ocean compared to whatever the person who's selling the ticket paid for the PSL + yearly season ticket cost. And it's a drop in all the bodies of water combined compared to the money McNair gets from TV contracts, licensing, etc.

McNair would obviously prefer a full house; that goes without saying. Saying AJ plays a significant part in filling that house, however...

Uh-huh... OK. Every single ticket to every single game in 2014 is sold, despite a 2-14 2013 season; despite a summer-long hold-out from AJ, when renewals were due before he had reported.

They could literally send out a team of ballerinas and Bob McNair would cash a giant paycheck at the end of the season.

Sorry. Budget, in this case, means "salary cap" - I assumed that was obvious. And yes, McNair is worried about it because he's mandated to stay beneath it.

Andre Johnson had one of his best seasons in 2013 and the Texans went 2-14. If you don't think McNair would hesitate longer than .00000000000001 seconds to jettison AJ if he could use his salary to sign five guys that would make the Texans legitimate SB contenders, you're delusional.

Look, I get it- you’re very obviously a giant Andre Johnson fan and that’s cool; he’s a great player. But I think you’re projecting your depth of appreciation for him onto, well, everybody else – McNair, Texan fans, America…

 

Is Fitzpatrick one of those 5 guys you speak of that would make the Texans legitimate super bowl contenders I'm sure McNair would as well but that hypothetical you speak of is highly unlikely. And big time free agents probably aren't running to a 2-14 team and the Texans would probably have to overpay to get them if there where any of these players you speak of available.

No... Like I said, I'm just looking at it from a billionaire owner's point of view and not the typical fan. As a Texans fan, I wouldn't mind if the Texans traded AJ today and got a draft pick that would help us in the future. Which would probably be the best thing for AJ as well so he could be in a better situation. But I completely understand why McNair would want to hold on to him... Besides the fact that AJ is still productive and the Texans have a better chance of turning things around this year with him than without him.

 

Uhm, no...

Man, you can turn left on a dime, huh?...

For someone who claims to be speaking from McNair's perspective, you don't seem to have even a rudimentary understanding of what drives a sports owner.... McNair wants to "hold on to him" because any scenario in which he doesn't hold on to him significanty eats further into an already fragile cap situation, making it even harder to win.

So yeah, sure - they're better with him than without him; he's a franchise icon with AIS appeal, etc. But the bottom line is that the Texans have zero financial incentive to do anything beyond keeping Andre Johnson. *That* is what's motivating Bob McNair and the organization. Everything else is gravy.

 

You said if McNair could cut AJ and sign 5 free agents that would make the Texans a super bowl contender than he would. And I agree with that statement... What I don't agree with is that there are 5 free agents the Texans could get their hands on that would make us super bowl contenders.

But yet you think a cap situation for a team with no hope of a super bowl in the next 2-3 years is what's driving McNair. We'll see what happens. If the Texans cut or trade AJ and he's no longer a part of this team than you are right... If they don't... Well...

 

Let him go we are not contending for a SB in the next two years. Give him a chance to to contend I know the contract but if he's on a team that's contending he can restructure his contract. If we get ride on dre I think we will be soo bad next year we will have a top 5 pick for sure.

 

the Colts, let go Peyton Manning, a sure HOF, that was drafted and raised under him, and the Colts, were already a contender, and they still would had the 1st overall pick since was hurt, so they could still had Luck and Manning, or traded for more weapons for Peyton, or drafted other player.

and why they did Peyton go... especially, considering he's still a highly productive "luxury".

 

I was speaking hypothetically to illustrate the depth of McNair's committment to AJ. All-time franchise great, etc., would not trump Super Bowl contending.

McNair doesn't share your opinion; he doesn't believe this is a team "with no hope" in the next several years. Which is why his committment to AJ has a limit that hasn't thus far stretched beyond 2014.

 

Wasn't Manning a free agent coming off a series of surgeries on his neck...??? Different situations but I get your point because I even brought up drafting Sammy Watkins and trading AJ before all of this stuff came out about him not wanting to be a Texan anymore.

That's one hellofa hypothetically to illustrate you assumption of the depth of McNair's commitment to AJ... Especially after he came out in the media and said he wants AJ to retire a Texan. So we'll just have to sit back and see what happens.

 

Right; which McNair was unwilling to actually commit to, in terms of contracts, guarantees, etc., prompting AJ to issue this iron-clad guarantee he'll retire a Texan

 

Manning was under contract for another year, and would have had a salary guarantee if he was on the roster after a certain date, and since his future ability was uncertain, the Colts cut him free before that date.

 

Andre is still a Texans therefore thread should be put on lock down. Lol

 

Thanks Jake. Did the Colts take a big cap hit when they cut him...?

From the outside looking in if I was a Colts fan I would have been cool with Manning being cut considering his health and having a replacement in Luck.

I'm paying more attention to what the billionaire said than what the millionaire said... But maybe McNair is a liar. We'll find out soon enough.

 

Of course you are... The billionaire said, "No," BTW - a lot. Which you keep ignoring. No to guaranteed money. No to guaranteeing a roster spot. No to paying him for a bonus he didn’t earn. No to trading him.

No.

If AJ retiring a Texan was *that* important to McNair, well - he's the owner and could have made it happen.

 

I'm not ignoring anything. How can I ignore something that I haven't heard McNair say. If he did say it I must have missed the interview... Do you have a link...?

AJ is still on the team. They could trade him during the year, keep him and cut him at the end of the year, or work out a new contract. I can't see into the future and not as confident as you are that it's a foregone conclusion that AJ is gone. So I guess I'll just have to wait to see what happens then.

 

Read between the lines, Remii; read between the lines. Nothing changed and when asked about retiring a Texan, AJ confirmed: nothing changed. No, I can't literally produce McNair quotes (though McClain was sourced heavily on the inside story that was almost certainly orchestrated by McNair) - but, WADR, it's not terribly difficult to piece this together.

I've never said that; I have no idea what's going to happen. I just happen to disagree with the value *you* place on AJ, which you have assumed is in line with McNair's. Andre Johnson doesn't move the needle on this team's bottom line (beyond being a very good WR that makes the team potentially better) and therefore, while his longevity and career accomplishments are likely valued, there's a limit to that value, which was illustrated to all of us this summer when McNair refused to give-in to *any* of Andre Johnson's demands.

Look, again WADR, we're spinning wheels and I sort of, kind of feel like I'm figuratively having to shout so you'll hear me through the sand. I get that you're a big fan of AJ's and that's cool - he's a great player. But I'm running out of gas to keep circling back on this. So, it's all yours; have fun; enjoy the 2014 season - glad it'll involve AJ.