Hmmm... I probably have a decent idea where you're coming from - but would be curious to read your expanded thoughts ...
What about Vince Ferragamo? My favorite running back of all time was Eric Dickerson! I started watching the Rams when I was 8 years old when they were in LA. My mom was into horoscopes, and explained to me that I was an Aries. When I first saw that helmet I was sold. I had Rams everything!
Put succinctly, there is no American city that has had its pro sports teams serve up less success (as measured in winning the "big one" in their respective sport) than Houston, Texas...save maybe Cleveland. There are cities that don't have 3 sports teams that have won more than our 3 have collectively combined to win...and by a pretty big margin. That frames the viewpoint of most of the fans in Houston, honestly. How could it not? Is that fair to Rick Smith? Of course not. But it's the reality of the situation, regardless. I certainly don't think it's unfair for Houston sports fans to be frustrated. Geez, I don't think that's even a little bit unfair.
Wendell Tyler was also a good RB (later played with SF). I don't think I ever saw a RB hit the hole faster. Biggest question was whether he had the ball still in his hands afterwards. But Dickerson was a load...
I am going to follow up one more time since it seems some have appreciated your post. And while I appreciate it, I think it is not objective. It ignores, well.. facts. So to highlight this point precisely... Since the Texans have been in the league, these teams have at least played in a Superbowl: Pats, Seahawks, Broncos, 49ers, Ravens, Giants, Steelers, Packers, Colts, Saints, Cardinals, Bears, Eagles, Panthers, Raiders, Bucs, Rams, So that's more than half the league. If we expand to include championship games, we also add Falcons, Jets, Vikings, Chargers More than 2/3 of the league. Your statement is just wrong. They are not normal, they are in the bottom. That is the point. The reason this thread turned into somewhat of a place to make this point was because this move makes me "yawn"... it's indicative of a franchise that has been in the bottom half of the league. It's a QB your picking up from one of the very few teams that have been consistently worse than you because they didn't want him anymore. But I don't want to discuss this particular move anymore. I just don't really understand the theory of fandom that is you root your hardest, and hope for the best. Houston is a huge market, with a enormously wealthy owner, in a huge city, that is football crazy. Fans deserve better.
For starters, the Rams' last Super Bowl was the year before the Texans' debut season – so… it's exactly half the league. And that feels about right; they haven't been an appreciably good organization for the majority of what is still a very young existence. I don't think many would argue otherwise. Having said that, would you really trade the Texans' past 13 years with the Raiders (who haven't posted a winning season since 2002)? Bucs (who have as many winning seasons - 4 - and two fewer playoff wins since 2003)? Rams (who haven't posted a winning season since 2003)? Panthers (who have two fewer playoff wins since 2004, despite going to the postseason twice as many times)? You're jamming two entirely separate thoughts together. In terms of making mistakes - personnel, coaches, front office - the Texans are normal. In terms of overall organizational success, the Texans are obviously below average, though they've had a better most recent five-year stretch than a lot of the teams you've listed. I’m truly at a loss – and a little frightened of what you think is a preferable alternative. It’s a game. To ascribe much more meaning to it than that is, frankly… well, I’ll say this: it’s just not a terribly high priority in my life. I love watching and talking about them but it doesn’t really go much deeper than that. My family, my friends – those are things worth getting worked up about. The Texans provide fleeting breaks from those worries and concerns. And I appreciate it. But that's about the extent of my fandom. Honestly? A large portion don’t. The angry Pavlovian response to virtually any and everything the Texans accomplish makes me think the fans are getting exactly what they deserve. And, frankly, what they seem to overwhelmingly want. Nothing seems to satisfy them. I could cite a dozen-plus examples, probably none greater than the fact that we have a *new* “Should we take a look at Vince Young” thread – but, frankly, it wears me out and makes this entire process decidedly less fun. I wish more fans were realistic, curious, open-minded… most seem to just want to watch the whole thing burn. And I think that’s been far more disappointing than the Texans.
Lol... You think I'm too invested when my whole entry into this thread was a representation of my investment level... YAWN. I am casual fan at best... You can only watch the same mediocrity so much. Lol... You think I'm too invested when my posting in this forum is super sporadic... When you pretty much love in this forum. Dude... You're way more invested in this than me... Probably more than most. I falling off the wagon... And explaining why. still on the ride but hope there aren't many more bumps. Lol... You think management, personnel, coaches are ok, but results are below average... As if the two aren't completely tied to each other. Lol... You think it is a ok for fans to completely fund a stadium, constantly consume, spend money on and fully support a product and deserve nothing more than average. Forbes has the Texans as the fifth most valuable team. They had an operating income (per Forbes) in 2013 of $103 million... After paying crazy money to all those average managers, personnel, coaches. You're like the critic who's really holding on to M. Night turning it around. Not the way he's been making movies that's for sure.
And it hammers home the point that he's not really a fan and that we shouldn't take anything he says seriously. I'm not going to argue with him.
http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/houston-texans/brian-hoyer/ No guaranteed money after Year 1. Can cut ties with either Mallett/Hoyer with no dead money.
Also according to Spotrac, the Texans should have a little over 6 million left to spend on FA. Not terrible.
Read much? Are you incapable of comprehension? I said in still on the wagon... But hanging on. Please point out where I said I'm not a real fan? Lol... I said I'm not as invested as Hey Now... Who is? The Texans are his deal on this BBS. Care to respond to anything I ACTUALLY said? Mediocre is mediocre. A highly profitable organization despite a bad product is what it is. Feel free to judge that your way. I'm good with my position.
Next year we will be flush with cap space. The sheet looks pretty good going forward, only Foster and Cushing seem to be jumping off the page as egregious. Maybe Graham too.
Yeah, you’d think an admitted casual fan would appreciate hearing the perspective of a more invested fan. But you’re not really interested in greater insight, different perspectives or critical thought; you just want your anger and negativity confirmed. You're essentially a Fox News viewer. That’s not what I said. I said the hit/miss ratio of the Texans’ hiring, signings and draft picks is about the same rate as every other NFL team. There are exceptions both ways –exceptionally good franchises (like the Packers) and exceptionally bad franchises (Raiders). But most franchises have some hits and they have some misses. I assure you – the Texans are not abnormal. You love to lazily harp on monumentally silly crap like the Texans passing on Aaron Rodgers – well, 10 teams passed on JJ Watt. The fans deserve an organization that strives to be great. Unfortunately, too many fans are allergic to critical thinking and it breeds this irrational sense of entitlement. I don’t believe bad decisions invalidate commitment or purpose. And I don’t view the franchise as a continuous entity. Bill O’Brien gets a clean slate from me; a totally fresh start – why shouldn’t he? What’s happened prior to his regime is in the past; I don’t harbor any lingering anger, frustration or impatience. I don’t horde the team’s mistakes and I don’t carry a grudge. I’m not still upset, 10 years later, that the team, like 22 others, didn’t recognize that Aaron Rodgers would be one of the greatest QBs in NFL history. Or that they didn’t draft Vince Young. Or sign Peyton Manning. I think it can be fun to discuss those decisions in the proper context – but a heaping bowl of bitter doesn’t really do a lot for me. No; I’m the critic who’s able to still enjoy The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, recognize the ambition but failed execution of Signs, and hasn’t seen an M. Night film in 11 years and, frankly, don’t ever think about him because he hasn’t been a relevant filmmaker for a long, long time. That he’s the subject of your analogy, though, seems fitting.
I always felt Atlanta to be worse than either of those cities.... mainly because you mix underachieving teams along with more fan apathy than Cleveland or Houston shows. Cleveland is definitely the longest-suffering of the three. Houston isn't far behind, but doesn't have the longevity of teams that Cleveland has gone through.
Haha. First, you complain that I'm too invested. I point out that's a strange comment coming from the "Texans guy" on this forum, and directed to someone who only pops in occasionally. Now, I guess recognizing how bad a comment it was, you're switching to the, "yeah, I am a more invested fan, so I know better" approach. Which is it dude... my opinions are wrong because I'm too invested, or my opinions are wrong because I'm not invested enough. Just make up your mind... You said the hit/miss rate is normal. You said their coaching and management has been normal. Here, I'll quote it for you: "In terms of making mistakes - personnel, coaches, front office - the Texans are normal." You then said their performance has been obviously below normal. Here: "In terms of overall organizational success, the Texans are obviously below average" The only conclusion I can draw is that you think the Texans have had really bad luck. Let's have a rational argument. Please don't respond with "that's not what I said" when I am literally quoting what you said. Perhaps you are trying to say "that's not what I mean".. which is fine, then say what you mean, not something else. Here's a simple question for you: Do you or do you not think that this organization, continuing to employ Rick Smith, based on his job performance, is indicative of striving to be great? Are we judging O'brien as a coach? Yeah, I've already mentioned I generally like him as a coach... I'm not blown away or anything. that's your prerogative. You're probably more exception than rule in that way. Nor am I bitter. I've used these as examples. Some of which are 10 years ago, some of which are 5 years ago, some of which may turn out to have been as recent as 1 year ago (depending on how Teddy B turns out... only time will tell... I feel really good about saying he'd been a heck of a lot better pick than what Mr. Smith consistently does at this moment, but we'll see) Why did I throw these out as examples? Because I kept getting told that this was really really really hard.. to the point where it is almost entirely luck!! I kept getting asked... "what's your plan?" And I've continued to be critiqued for being too negative and not thoughtful enough in my analysis of the team. I'm not running the team. I AM pointing out the team has missed a lot of opportunity, over various time frames. You seem to think that's ok because other teams also missed out on that opportunity. you're right!! But some other teams didn't... and those other teams have been in the superbowl and/or made many many deep playoff runs. I'm just telling you what side of the table I'd prefer to be on... The Texans have rarely, if ever been relevant. They got close for a couple of years there... in the sense that they were briefly a thorn in the side of teams that have been way more relevant, but even then, few truly thought that thorn would fester... the team didn't draw huge ratings outside of the local areas. The Texans-Ravens playoff game was the least watched of the 4 that year, for example.
Right... fair enough. Point still stands. I think the final funding sources were complex, but something like $400 million of $450 million stadium was funded by taxpayers. Source: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/new...used-Texans-punt-on-opening-their-4723331.php
Yeah, you can make a nice argument for any of those cities, for sure. It sucks to be in that discussion.
