I was reading this SI column and it pissed me off after reading it. In a nutshell it was talking about how Mario Williams has more TD's than Bush. What irked me was that the writer said that at least for 1 week HOUSTON FANS can give the Williams-Bush debate a break. When did the HOUSTON FANS make it out to be a debate? The National Media created the Bush hype while the nation jumped on the bandwagon. The TRUE Houston Fans either dealt with the reality or was still dreaming of VINCE YOUNG. I just love how this idiot lays it on us.......... SI article • The kid has taken his share of shots since Houston hung that No. 1 around his neck, so we feel compelled to note that Texans defensive end Mario Williams has more touchdowns (one) than Reggie Bush (none) this season. Williams had a big opener against the Chiefs, racking up two sacks, and returning a fumble 38 yards for his first career touchdown. For a week at least, the Houston fans can give the Williams-Bush debate a break.
Regardless of what the Texans did or should have done... it does bother me that Mario Williams was written off before he ever played a down, while Reggie Bush was annointed as somebody who would "change the game" before he ever played a down. Another thing that irks me is the Michael Jordan-Sam Bowie comparison when discussing these players... a.) Reggie Bush will never be the Michael Jordan of the NFL, b.) Sam Bowie was effected more by injury than being a "stiff"... if Mario starts needing bilateral knee surgeries, then he'll be as big of a bust, and c.) its freaking football... a game that is more team dependent than all sports (especially the individualistic NBA). Try finding some more apt comparisons.
Why exactly would this bother you? Sounds like major kudos to Mario. He just needs to keep producing to shut the critics up. If all goes well, he will still be wreaking havoc on offenses years after Bush has limped off the field.
If the Texans continue to win and Mario is average, nothing will be said, winning cures all and if Mario is a small part or a big part of it, it will not matter as long as there are more W's in the column every week.
Well, he was written off for a reason. he had never proved anything football wise outside of the combine. He is a physical specimen, but was not a great college player. He was drafted on potential, not actual football skill. He could still be a great football player, but any other gm in the nfl would not have picked him 1st.
But he may hav been picked 2nd, and likely wouldn't have slipped past #4... so all of that = to "the guy will be a bust?!?" I understand having tempered expectations... but writing the guy off, even if his combine was better than his last year in college (which wasn't as bad as you're letting on), especially for a guy who was a consensous top3-5 pick was (and still is) a bit much. It was just irresonsible/sensationalistic reporting by the media jumping on the Bush bandwagon.
Yes, that's why the Saints were going to take him at #2 had we not taken him at #1. He was the highest rated defensive player on the board on most teams charts. Just messing with you, but the fact is that Mario has more TD's this year than Bush and Vince combined. And he plays defense.
I would still pick Reggie over Mario 100%. Even though Reggie seems to be a sellout, he's on every NFL commercial possible.
It was well documented that at least seven teams had Williams No. 1 on their draft boards. Also, in his final season at NC State, he had 14.5 sacks, 24 tackles for loss and 62 tackles in 11 games. If that's not a great college player, what is? Newsflash: great college players do exist on teams other than USC and Texas.
After week 1, it looks like Bush can't run and Vince can't pass. So maybe they made the right pick. Mario was a BEAST on one of the sacks. He was double teamed and he pushed both dudes back like 3 yards!
Well, jokes about TDs aside, chances are Mario will end up with more sacks this year than Bush scores touchdowns. That would certainly be a vindication for the Texans front office.
http://vally8.free.fr/jeux/papermario/images/mario04.jpg VERSUS http://www.thesmokehammer.com/images/bush_head2.jpg
Me too. Here's the real comparison: = Both players picked because of potential. Unreal expectations on them early on. = Pick made because of player's strengths while ignoring player's weaknesses. Terrible judgment forgiven because of team success. = Player chosen because he was a champion. Very early, he easily out-performed everyone else in the draft. Definite flaws in player's game, but possibly the best player with the pressure on. Lack of interest keeps me from writing Chris Bosh - D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Dwyane Wade - AJ Hawk comparisons, but you could.
Don Banks wrote that, he also compared painted Schaub as another Rob Johnson after the Texans got him. Nothing is going to kill my mood, Schaub was who we thought he was, the Texans won a game they were favored in, and the defense (with Mario) shut down an offense they were supposed to shut down.
I'd take Adrian Peterson over Reggie Bush any day of the week and twice on Sundays. That having been said, I agree with all you Texans fans that are sick of seeing the Mario pick condemned at the age of 22. It's so funny watching Bush play. He still doesn't seem to get it that the NFL is simply too fast for a player to run around sideaways playing east/west football. These players are simply too big, too fast and too smart to fall for his little jukes and hesitation moves.
