NFL FanHouse

More Brett Favre Madeup News: He's Not a Good Fit for the Texans

Stephanie Stradley — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:40:00 EST

Filed under: Packers, Texans, AFC South, NFL Rumors, Houston

As you can't have enough Brett Favre news that is opined out of someone's rear end, Bill Williamson of ESPN recently wrote a list of the top potential destinations for the questionably retired quarterback. The alliterative headline of his piece reads: "Ravens, Texans, Bucs finer fits for Favre." Why the Texans?

The Texans are on the verge of good things, but they are not exactly settled at quarterback. Sage Rosenfels is waiting in the wings should Matt Schaub have issues. If Favre were available, then Texans coach Gary Kubiak, a quarterback lover, would be tempted."

I guess it is nice for Williamson to acknowledge that the Texans are a team with potential, but his one paragraph synopsis of the Texans quarterback situation and Kubiak's thought processes is way off.

The Texans salary cap situation is a little tight, and I just don't see the Texans wanting to spend their money on an old distracting quarterback rental. The Texans quarterback situation is one of the stronger positions on the team, so why would they throw money at that when they have other needs? Too bad Favre isn't a cornerback.

As the Mario Williams draft pick illustrates, the Texans aren't interested in picking players for marketing reasons. Kubiak is putting together a team that is committed to his offseason program and is not all about one player. He likes position competition on his team because he thinks it makes players better, but he also realizes that the quarterback position is a little different, that you have to pick the one guy to lead your team.

So why would Kubiak be interested in the It's All About Brett Show? I like Favre, but no matter where he goes, he is going to be the story of that team whether he wants to or not.

Anyone who wants to manufacture a quarterback controversy between Matt Schaub and Sage Rosenfels doesn't pay attention to the way that Gary Kubiak likes to handle his quarterbacks. And anyone who believes that Brett Favre would be a good fit for the Texans is smoking something or making stuff up or smoking something while making stuff up.

More Brett Favre Madeup News: He's Not a Good Fit for the Texans originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amobi Okoye Celebrates His 21st Birthday Responsibly; This Blogger Cool With That

Stephanie Stradley — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Texans, AFC South, Houston, ESPN, Blogs

According to Seth Wickersham of ESPN, Texans DT Amobi Okoye celebrated his 21st birthday on June 10th in big style but responsibly:

Okoye, who last year was the youngest NFL player in 30 years, was sober and happy and wasn't photographed doing anything stupid. Bloggers might be bummed, but kids who look up to him aren't.

I can't speak for all bloggers because we aren't a collective who thinks in lockstep (duh). Personally I would be ecstatic if Amobi Okoye and other talented athletes didn't risk everything getting stupid drunk. It would also make me happier if Wickersham hadn't promoted a wildly dangerous drinking practice in the structure of his article.

Wickersham organized his article by saying "let's do 21 shots" to discuss Okoye's birthday plans, and how he no longer wants to be defined by his age. It's an allusion to how some 21 year olds celebrate their birthday by trying to drink 21 shots.

I'm not your mom, but I think it is worth mentioning that this newish binge drinking fad kills people. Being deaded or put into a alcohol-poisoned coma isn't the best way to spend a birthday. You would think people would know that drinking 21 shots in short succession is dangerous, but apparently not. Education is the only way found to reduce the number of people doing this, and it's not a good idea to normalize this behavior in a sports article.

Oh, and belated birthday greetings to Okoye. Sorry, I didn't get you anything but I'm guessing with 400 people at your birthday party, you are doing okay in the gift department. Check out this link if you have interest in seeing Okoye photographed doing non-stupid things on his birthday. He is wearing a sweet suit. A bit heavy for June in Houston, but it can get cold in those overly air conditioned ballrooms.

Previously at FanHouse:
You Won't Want to Read This: NFL Players Doing Good in the World
Texans Defensive Line Coach Talks About Mario and More

Amobi Okoye Celebrates His 21st Birthday Responsibly; This Blogger Cool With That originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Houston Texans, Travis Johnson in Particular Not Dirty Players

Stephanie Stradley — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Patriots, Raiders, Texans, Houston, ESPN

Mike Sando of ESPN recently wrote about a survey of the league's dirtiest players and analyzed which teams received the most personal fouls. The Patriots' Rodney Harrison got the most votes for dirty play, and the Raiders received the most personal fouls.

The Houston Texans received the least personal fouls, but Sando got it completely wrong as it related to Texans defensive tackle Travis Johnson:

Former Patriots receiver Deion Branch drew a line between Harrison's hard-nosed play and the approach Houston Texans defensive lineman Travis Johnson took after knocking out then-Miami Dolphins quarterback Trent Green with a legal hit last season. Johnson stood over the fallen Green and taunted him.

"[Harrison] is not that type of dude, I promise you," Branch said. "He's not going to go into a game and try to hurt someone.

Uh, I'm guessing that Sando didn't actually see that play or maybe he just got his actives and passive mixed up writing about it. It was Trent Green who knocked himself out after Green intentionally blocked Johnson with a low but legal hit. If anyone was dirty in that play, it was Green who admitted he dove low, smashing Johnson's knee with his helmet, causing Johnson to somersault into the air and land on his head.

I'd put up some real speed video of this, but it no longer exists because the NFL pulled it. This slo-mo YouTube version above is all that exists.

I like a lot of what Sando writes, and I am not surprised he got it completely wrong relating to this because the sensationalized reports at the time were written in very misleading ways. Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle wrote a more accurate and nuanced account of what really happened with Green-Johnson.

If you watched the play in real time, Johnson never stopped and stood over Green taunting him. The still picture of Travis Johnson being angry at an immobile Green make it look like he was standing over him, but if you watch the video, he was really walking back to the bench.

And clearly, Johnson's angry, inaccurate Wizard of Oz blast at Green after the game wasn't particularly advisable and he apologized for it. Ironically, it was a rant about how dirty and cowardly Green's block was. Not smart to trash a guy who you know suffered a concussion, but it doesn't mean Johnson is a dirty player.

In sum, I think Sando repeatedly using Johnson as an example of dirty play is a bit misplaced, and Harrison's comment in the dirty players piece pretty much sums things up:

"Sometimes reputation precedes people, and unfairly at times."

I don't expect anyone at ESPN to correct the misleading impression in that article that Johnson knocked Green out, wanted to hurt him, and then stood over him while taunting him. Once something wrong about your reputation is on the internet, it is hard to correct it.

Previously at FanHouse:
On Demons and Saints: A Story About Travis Johnson and Media Hype
Did Trent Green Injure Travis Johnson?

Houston Texans, Travis Johnson in Particular Not Dirty Players originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Osi Umenyiora Rips Mario Williams

Michael David Smith — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 06:47:00 EST

Filed under: NY Giants, Texans, Houston, New York

Pete Prisco of CBS Sports came out with a list of the top 50 players in the NFL last week. Some of it was predictable (Tom Brady and Peyton Manning first and second), some of it was surprising (Kevin Williams in the top 10), and all of it was designed as a springboard for off-season arguments.

One of those arguments took place on ESPN Radio this morning, where Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora (No. 42 on the list) was a guest. When asked what about that list surprised him, Umenyiora said, "Mario Williams at No. 6." He then added, "This guy right here at No. 6 is just absolutely ridiculous."

It's easy to see why Umenyiora feels that way. Williams, the Texans' 2006 first overall pick, did have one more sack than Umenyiora last season, but is he really so much better than Umenyiora that he deserves to be 36 spots ahead?

Maybe, maybe not. But, again, these lists are really nothing more than conversation-starters, and if the list got Umenyiora to express a strong opinion, it did its job.

Osi Umenyiora Rips Mario Williams originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 06:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cedric Benson to Houston Texans Rumors

Stephanie Stradley — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:37:00 EST

Filed under: Bears, Texans, AFC South, NFL Rumors, Houston

A rumor recently surfaced on the TexansTalk message board that former Bears running back Cedric Benson was in the Houston area and that he was telling people that he was closest in his talks with the Texans. I've heard similar gossip from other places, and as fans are interested in this, I think it is worth discussing.

(UPDATE: Adam Schefter from NFL Network is reporting that the Texans have no interest in Cedric Benson. No surprise given their emphasis on acquiring high character players, see below).

Clearly the Texans situation would be appealing to Benson. He would be close to home and playing in front of a crowd that includes Longhorn fans who may be inclined to give him another chance. Kyle Shanahan, the offensive coordinator for the Texans played (!) on the same University of Texas team as Benson.

And most importantly, the Texans have a need for better running back play. Their group of backs is still not where you want it to be for a team that aspires to dominate in the running game. Here's their current lineup:

Ahman Green - Oldish and oft injured
Chris Brown - Oft injured
Steve Slaton - Inexperienced smallish rookie
Chris Taylor - Undrafted inexperienced RB coming off of injury
Darius Walker - Undrafted inexperienced RB

Doesn't exactly inspire confidence. The best analysis of the Texans running back situation as it relates to Benson is from Keith Weiland of InTheBullseye.com (formerly of now-shuttered HoustonProFootball.com):

"And while Benson has been a flop to date as a pro, he is a former first round pick capable of running inside and falling forward for four yards a carry. If Ron Dayne can have even a modicum of success in this offense, then there is certainly some hope that Benson, freed from a historically inept offense in Chicago, might be able to finally pay dividends on his draft day expectations."

It's definitely a worth reading article, if only for the discussion of the salary cap implications of cutting Ahman Green if he can't get through camp healthy.

I have no doubt that the best opportunity for Benson to try to rehabilitate his NFL career would be with the Houston Texans. The question is whether the Texans would want someone who has demonstrated questionable maturity and character in his pro and college career.

Character counts for the owner of the Texans, Bob McNair, and counts for coach Gary Kubiak. GM Rick Smith in this article written before the last draft, discussed his views on player character:

"We do exhaustive research because we realize the investment we're going to make. We gather as much information as we can on background and character. We realize that young people make mistakes. The key is do they learn from their mistakes. We believe in second chances if we think they're worthy of second chances."

The Texans typically shun players who have had repeated problems with the law. It is worth noting, however, that the lockerroom situation has become a more stable one for the team, and they would be better situated to take a look at a player like Benson than in years past. If they could negotiate a low risk contract, and believe that Benson has been humbled by his experiences and is ready to focus on football (and er sensible driving habits), maybe they take a chance on him.

For those unfamiliar with the current charges against him, the following Keye.TV video is a pretty good summary. Benson denies the charges of both his Austin arrests, and obtaining convictions on those arrests may be difficult because he did not take a breathalyzer test, and that at least with the first arrest, there may be witnesses questioning the police's version of events.

Cedric Benson to Houston Texans Rumors originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chris Cooley Thinks the NFL Offseason Schedule Makes No Sense

Stephanie Stradley — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:10:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, Texans, AFC South, NFC East, Houston, Washington, DC

Yesterday, I passed an article along that suggested that the Houston Texans were a team that compressed the time between training camp and the rest of the offseason schedule. I thought it might be an interesting experiment to watch.

Whoops, it turns out that the Si.com article was wrong about the Texans schedule. I contacted someone with the team, and they said that the official offseason workouts concluded a few weeks ago with the last day of OTAs, but added there are "a lot of players" working out on a voluntary basis.

Maybe it's too bad, because Washington Redskin tight end, Chris Cooley provides some thoughtful reasons why offseason schedules make no sense. In one of Cooley's magnificent blogs, he explains:

"If teams really want players at their highest performance level then have guys stick around until closer to two weeks before camp starts. If you want to give players a little more time away from the game, then give it to them in March and April. If I'm coaching, I'd rather find out that my players are lying around on the beach having a couple drinks earlier in the year. I certainly don't want that happening with less than two weeks to training camp."

That seems to make a lot of sense to me but the SI.com article explained that teams are reluctant to do it because it's the only time coaches get much of a break. The coaches need to be around earlier in the season because of draft evaluations.

Cooley HT to PFT

Chris Cooley Thinks the NFL Offseason Schedule Makes No Sense originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Texans Offseason Program Designed to Keep Players Out of Trouble

Stephanie Stradley — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 06:30:00 EST

Filed under: Texans, AFC South, Houston

As yesterday's FanHouse NFL Liveblog discussed, sometimes we hear more about NFL players who are getting in trouble, than the ones who don't.

Ross Tucker, in a worth-reading SI.com story talks about the temptations that NFL players face in their downtime, and the ways that NFL teams are dealing with it. One way is to shorten the time between the offseason program and training camp:

Instead of beginning in mid- to late-March and finishing in mid- to late-June, teams could easily push those dates back in an effort to close the gap of time before training camp. Teams could potentially shift the beginning of their allotted offseason time to the second week of April and finish it sometime in early July and still give the players a couple of weeks off to mentally re-charge before the rigors of training camp begins. This not only would help teams keep a shorter leash on their players, but also satisfy coaches who often worry their players are not putting the time in working out and studying their playbooks during the downtime.

One team subscribing to this theory is Houston. The Texans started their offseason program March 31 and won't conclude until the week after July 4th, leaving less than two weeks between the end of the program and the start of training camp on July 25. It's clear Texans GM Rick Smith and coach Gary Kubiak are hoping this wrinkle will pay dividends on the field.

The theory of a shorter time between the offseason program and the training camp seems to make sense to me, but Tucker cites unnamed league sources who explain why teams are reluctant to do this. It's a copycat league, and well, over-worked coaches would miss their traditional vacation time.

Texans Offseason Program Designed to Keep Players Out of Trouble originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 06:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mike Sherman Hearts the Houston Texans: 'Going to Win a Super Bowl'

Stephanie Stradley — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Texans, AFC South, Houston

Mike Sherman left his position as Assistant Head Coach-Offense at the end of last year to take over the head coaching position with Texas A&M. Even though he left, he has very positive things to say about the Texans that sound beyond just leaving a few nice exit interview words.

In this brief video interview with Anna-Megan Raley of Chron.com, Sherman talks about how impressed he is with the owner, GM and coaches, and the way the leadership and decision making is done with the Texans. He is confident in Gary Kubiak and believes this management group will go to a Super Bowl (but maybe not next year).

Sherman reduces expectations some by pointing out that the 2008 Texans schedule is a brutality, that they play in a tough division, and that their record may not reflect their progress. He pretty much sums up the team's situation well.

Mike Sherman Hearts the Houston Texans: 'Going to Win a Super Bowl' originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RT Eric Winston Discusses 2008 Texans, Line Guru Alex Gibbs: 'He's Awesome'

Stephanie Stradley — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Texans, AFC South, Houston

Last year, Texans right tackle Eric Winston quietly had a solid season for a Texans team that allowed near the fewest sacks in the league. In a recent HoustonTexans.com video, Winston talks about last year and his expectations for this year (anything but playoffs would be a disappointment).

The playoff talk is what smart players are supposed to say, but the most interesting part of the video is Winston talking about how excited he is to work with offensive line guru Alex Gibbs. Some believe that Gibbs is the most important acquisition in the Texans short history in that he will improve technique and make this line tougher. Interestingly, what Winston talks about the most is how Gibbs works to improve the lines' understanding of the mental aspects of the game.

Last year, it was surprising to me how well the Texans could throw the ball without teams having to respect the running game much. Since Kubiak has been coach, the running back group has looked like inhabitants of the island of misfit toys. A group that no other team in the league would want.

I'm not sure how many teams would covet the Texans current running backs over their own, but I'm guessing that getting Gibbs on board is likely going to improve the running game immediately. I've long been concerned that Mike Sherman's style of line play and running game wasn't terribly compatible with what Kubiak wanted to do with the passing game.

To get a better flavor of this, I would like to take you to a way back machine entry I wrote at my old Houston Chronicle blog about the creation of the Texans "Gulf Coast Offense." (boring note of little import: my name isn't on the top byline, but it is on the bottom in small print).

The purpose of that entry was to try to figure out what Kubiak was going to do to the Texans offense when he took over by looking at the Denver offense as a guide. The most interesting thing about that piece in retrospect is what was said about Gibbs role in making the Denver offense go.

Yeah, Denver's offense was better when they had key quality players on their offense (*Elway*), but it was amazing the sorts of production they could get from system players who may not have excelled on other teams or for other systems.

So, if you are Texan fan or are otherwise interested in the team, I suggest watching that video and reading that old entry, and tell me what you think. I'd also like to hear from knowledgeable Denver fans about Alex Gibbs.

RT Eric Winston Discusses 2008 Texans, Line Guru Alex Gibbs: 'He's Awesome' originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What Does the Rosevelt Colvin Signing Mean for the Houston Texans?

Stephanie Stradley — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:55:00 EST

Filed under: Colts, Patriots, Texans, AFC South, Houston

After a long courtship, the Texans signed ~~tweener~~ OLB/DE and former Patriot Rosevelt Colvin to help primarily as a situational pass rusher. Above is a HoustonTexans.com video of Colvin and his agent Kennard McGuire talking about the signing. (Transcript here).

No word on the terms of the agreement yet. And that's sort of a big deal because this is a great signing for the Texans, unless they substantially overpaid for a situational pass rusher who has been in the league 10 years and has a bit of an injury history. Colvin says that he is willing to play whatever position or role the Texans want, and will prepare like an every down player.

If you look at the Texans defense, their best players, DeMeco Ryans and Mario Williams are relatively young. The defense some older players, but none who have truly come close to what Ryans and Williams mean to their team. The only outstanding defensive player who should be in the prime of his career is Dunta Robinson, and he is coming off of a serious injury.

This means that the Texans defense is mostly comprised of a few young talented guys, try hard guys and old guys. The Texans didn't get a pass rusher in the draft, but that might not be a bad thing given that they had many other needs in positions better represented in the 2008 draft, and the defensive line had enough newbies on it learning on the job.

As was mentioned in the video, this signing is a matter of good fit between player and team. The Texans need a pass rusher so that teams can't just focus on Mario Williams. He was responsible for 45.2% of the Texans sack total last season, the largest percentage out of any player in the league. But overall, the Texans' passing rushing numbers have been abysmal. The team believes that DE Anthony Weaver will improve this season now that he is healthy, but that is more of a wish than a plan.

Weaver has never been really known as a pass rusher even when healthy, but he has a cap number that makes it hard for the Texans to get rid of him, and they had to figure out different sorts of Plan Bs for a pass rush.

The Texans also like obtaining experienced players who have played in winning programs. I've been told by a coach that was hired post-Kubiak that the hardest thing to change in the Texans locker room was getting players to learn how to prepare like pros. To understand the expectations and obligations and mindset of being an NFL player.

Coaches can explain what it takes, but having experienced players from winning teams helps create a better locker room identity and direction.

The signing is good for Colvin because he is coming to a situation where his skill set is needed. He considered the Colts, but his role there would have been more of an insurance one if established DEs Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis couldn't play.
The Texans have no obvious candidate to play the opposite part of the line from Williams. Colvin clearly relishes the passing rushing role, and I'm guessing it makes it easier if you have Williams on the other side of you.

The video suggests that family considerations were a big thing for him. I am guessing he didn't want to be one of those veterans who uproots his family and then finds out that his time with a team was just a training camp experiment. He also mentioned having a lot of extended family that lives in the region.

Your thoughts on Colvin and this signing? I'd be interested in particular to hear from knowledgable Patriots fans.

What Does the Rosevelt Colvin Signing Mean for the Houston Texans? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Houston Texans Celebrate Father's Day

Stephanie Stradley — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 13:25:00 EST

Filed under: Texans, AFC South, NFL Fans, Houston

Yesterday, the Texans hosted All Pro Dad Day Event at their training facility and are celebrating Father's Day by having Gary Kubiak ( HoustonTexans.com video above) and various players (video below) talk about fathers and fatherhood. The featured speaker at All Pro Dad Day was Texans special teams coach, Joe Marciano. If you have ever seen Marciano talk about fatherhood and the responsibilities and joys of being a dad, it is extremely uplifting and meaningful.

Mariciano writes of his moving fatherhood story in a Sporting News story in 2005. At age 45, Marciano adopted his newborn son, Joseph. As a single dad who worked NFL hours, tending to a child wasn't easy, but eventually it became more difficult. He learned that his son was autistic, and the first doctors he worked with gave him a grim prognosis. They said that Joseph would need adult supervision his entire life and may never learn to speak.

In getting a second opinion, Marciano learned that with intensive intervention, it is possible for autistic children to make terrific advances. Marciano loves spreading his message of hope to families with autism, and loves talking to people about parent's responsibilities to their children. Today's article in the Houston Chronicle discusses the progress that Joseph has made, and how he is making A's and B's in mainstreamed classes.

I've heard Marciano speak a number of times, and he is one of those people who makes you want to run through a brick wall for him. His players love him, and his special team units have always performed better than the rest of the team.

Here's some of the Texans players talking about their fathers (and some cases mothers):

I want to wish a special Father's Day to all you dads out there, including my dad. I'm the oldest of seven kids, and I have no idea how my parents didn't go completely insane.

Houston Texans Celebrate Father's Day originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 15 Jun 2008 13:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How to Become Friends with a Houston Texans Cheerleader

Stephanie Stradley — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:47:00 EST

Filed under: Texans, AFC South, NFL Fans, Houston

Recently, the Houston Texans officially launched their new social networking site, ImaTexan.com. This is a part of a growing trend of professional teams using social networking to market to fans who might not otherwise check out their official website or a message board.

Fans can create groups, email other fans, and post pictures, videos, recipes and blog posts and *friend* each other like on MySpace.

It is so easy to set up, that even I, the computer inept, luddite blogger was able to set up my own page that you can check out here. Would you like to be my friend? /dang that feels really goofy to say.

Members of the Texans staff have a group on the site, Toro the mascot, and a number of the Texans Cheerleaders have set up pages where they have been posting pictures and videos (here's a link to my friend page that has a number of the cheerleaders in it). I'm thinking that someone in the cheerleaders needs to start a group page on the site. (UPDATE: Texans Cheerleader Group has been created).

Even though the Texans haven't been around for very long, their tailgating is among the best, most friendly and elaborate in the league. One of the best parts of this social networking site may be in helping fans find other like-minded tailgaters to share BBQ and beer with on game day.

Ultimately, the more invested and informed a fanbase is, the more likely they are to become a bigger fan of a team. Social networking is a direction that more sports franchises will be heading.

Previously at FanHouse:
Houston Texans Select New Cheerleaders and Some Offensive Lineman Guy
Texans Cheerleading Judging Isn't Easy: A Photo Essay
Texans Cheerleader Swimsuit Twins Confuse Sports Illustrated
High Tech Texans Cheerleaders Meant to Distract You
Video of Your 2007 Texans Cheerleaders
NFL Bans Cheerleaders From Flaunting in Front of Visiting Players

NFL Cheerleaders

Denver Broncos

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

New England Patriots

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Kansas City Chiefs

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Oakland Raiders

Robert Laberge/Getty Images

Dallas Cowboys

Layne Murdoch/Getty Images

Washington Redskins

Win McNamee/Getty Images

San Diego Chargers

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Houston Texans

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Tennessee Titans

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

How to Become Friends with a Houston Texans Cheerleader originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mario Williams Beats His Addiction...To Cars

Stephanie Stradley — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:40:00 EST

Filed under: Texans, AFC South, NFL Gossip, Houston

Houston Texans defensive end, Mario Williams reveals in a recent Alex Marvez article that when he came into the league, he was overly obsessed with cars: The article suggests that, along with his foot injury, it affected his preparation for going on the field his rookie season:

"I know this is off the subject. But seriously, that's probably the biggest thing I had to overcome - my satisfaction of just having cars."

Famously, in April 2007, an internet video surfaced showing Williams driving his orange Lamborghini at a high rate of speed with a screeching female friend filming part of it. Williams apologized for his lack of judgment, making no excuses or blaming the internet.

The Mario Williams racing video was pulled off the interwebs (though you can still see video of Williams slowing driving his orange Lambo here). Instead of the racing video, above is a YouTube posted at the end of last season that the narrator says is one of Williams' cars. As I am not car obsessed, I have no idea what it is but am curious. A YouTube commenter says it is worth $500,000.

Can anyone tell me what kind of car that is, or how a 6'7" guy can fit into that?

Confessing about your car addiction sounds like a joke, but I guess that can be a problem you face if you love cars and are suddenly given a $54 million dollar contract. Personally, I'd be willing to risk it.

In my life, when bad things have happened to me, I try to figure out ways how I can try to make those bad things turn into being good things. Perhaps the embarrassing internet video was the wakeup call he needed to tell him he should pay more attention to his football career than his love of fine automobiles.

Or maybe his accountant talked to him or something.

I wonder if he obsesses about guns the way he did about cars. This New York Times article from the end of last season compares his love of cars to his love of guns:

Williams said that includes his passion for shooting guns, which, he says, he tries to do "every chance I get."

He said he owns 10 guns, including a .50-caliber Browning machine gun rifle, a Desert Eagle pistol and AR-10 and AR-15 rifles.

Ryan Reichert, the director of security for the Texans, said Williams's guns were legal and that he was licensed to carry a concealed weapon in Texas.

"I'm from the country, man, I'm big on that," Williams said of his interest in guns.

Williams's mother, Mary, who owns 13 guns herself, 5 of which are handguns, said she first taught her son to shoot when he was 8. She said her son handled guns responsibly.

In the article, his mom realizes the image problems that car and gun collecting have (without mentioning his pitbull ownership) and worries that people might get the wrong impression of her son.

Texans coach Gary Kubiak repeatedly praised Williams preparation and fitness last season, and all reports from the offseason suggest that Williams is in unstoppable shape. Kubiak can never preach enough about how players need to learn to "prepare like a pro," and maybe Williams acknowledging publicly about how his car obsession got out of hand is a way to say that he is understanding priorities better.

The most sports-relevant thing in that article to Texans fans (and their opponents) is Williams talking about the sorts of preparation he is doing. Williams has always had tremendous physical size and abilities, and if he is combining that with learning his craft better and focusing more on football, that could result in some amazing results if he remains healthy.

Okay, so who is going to be the first one to tell me what kind of car that is in the video?

Previously at FanHouse:

Mario Williams Runs Fast, Drives His Lamborghini Slow
Video of Mario Williams Racing His Lamborghini?
Mario Williams on Lamborghini Video: 'It Was Stupid.'
How Shaq Fits into a Lamborghini

Mario Williams Beats His Addiction...To Cars originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Houston GM Rick Smith Gets a Contract Extension, Banishes Ghost of Casserly

Stephanie Stradley — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:48:00 EST

Filed under: Texans, AFC South, NFL Gossip, Houston

Yesterday, the Texans announced that GM Rick Smith signed a contract extension with the Texans through 2012. Coach Gary Kubiak's five year contract expires after the 2010 season, and he is line for an extension if the team keeps progressing. (A good HoustonTexans.com video discussing the move is above).

Smith, the youngest GM in the league is an illustration of how often careers are built with luck and making your own luck. This is what Kubiak had to say about Smith's start in the league:

I'll tell you how Rick was hired: We were in Denver, we were going to camp, and we were looking for a defensive assistant to come in and help the defensive staff. We didn't have a guy, and we were sitting in the staff meeting, and our running back coach raises his hand. He said, 'I've got a great kid that's on his way to TCU right now. He's going there to work there as a (graduate assistant).' And Mike (Shanahan) said, 'Can you catch him halfway and tell him to come to Colorado? We'll hire him.'

So far, the general consensus of the Texans blogosphere is that folks are happy with the partnership of Smith with Kubiak. The Texans-focused BattleRedBlog conflates their name into the word "Smithiak." Why wouldn't they be pleased with the duo?

Since Smith and Kubiak have been running the team, the Texans have improved each year, from the 2-14 that resulted in their hiring to 6-10 in 2006, and 8-8 in 2007. For me, those records are particularly impressive given that 6-10 came with David Carr as quarterback, nobodies in the running game and an extremely young defense. Last year's 8-8 came despite losing their starting quarterback, running back, center and best wide receiver and cornerback for large portions of the season.

You get a sense of plan watching Smith and Kubiak work together in building the team. This isn't to say that everything they tried has worked, but you get a better sense of why decisions were made in certain ways.

If you watch the video above and listen to what owner Bob McNair says in valuing what Smith does, I believe part of it is a response to the troubles in the start of the franchise. Charlie Casserly was hired as GM, and Dom Capers was hired as head coach. They hadn't worked together previously, and it showed when they were often not on the same page as far as player acquisitions.

Rumors suggested that some drafted players weren't developed because they were Casserly picks and not Capers picks. Free agents were chosen that made you scratch your head some to see how they would fit on the team.

For what its worth, I've been told by someone close to the organization that Casserly did not work closely with assistant coaches on what they needed in players, and that this was something that ended up frustrating McNair. He wanted a better explanation of why a GM wouldn't consult more closely with the assistants other than "see...that's how they do it in the NFL...see."

McNair would never say such a thing publicly because like most good businessmen, he believes in letting people leave the organization with some dignity intact. How you treat your former employees says a lot to the employees who remain. However, if you listen carefully to what McNair says in the video, much of the praise of Smith, I believe based on what I've heard, is a reaction to some poor experiences he had with Casserly.

McNair has always expressed admiration for the Pittsburgh Steeler organization, and by giving Smith this extension, he is signaling that he wants to maintain stability in the organization.

Houston GM Rick Smith Gets a Contract Extension, Banishes Ghost of Casserly originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Houston Texans Host All Access Event; Andre Johnson Says Knee is Fine

Stephanie Stradley — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Texans, AFC South, NFL Injuries, Houston

On Thursday night, the Houston Texans hosted an event they call "All Access" that gives fans the opportunity to tour the Reliant Stadium facilities, including the locker room, weight room, player lounge, meeting rooms and stadium floor. All the Houston Texans players were there to sign autographs, and some of them said a few words to the crowd. If you want to watch, check out the above HoustonTexans.com video.

Not much of substance was said other than this comment by Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson with a message to fans, "If you are worried about my knee, my knee's doing fine."

At the end of the video, you can see the players in the background laughing when defensive end Mario Williams was speaking. I was in the front row, and I think I know what happened to crack them up. Williams was having difficulty figuring out what to say to the crowd, and defensive back Dunta Robinson decided it would be a good moment to start the crowd in a cheer of "Mar-i-o, Mar-i-o."

If you want to get a sense of what it is like at All Access, check out the following HT.com video:

I love that the Texans hold this event. Personally, I don't think the autograph lines are worth doing, especially if you show up late, but the event is fun just for just the stadium tour and seeing fans that you know. All fans appreciate seeing a bit of the players behind the helmets.

At last year's All Access, the Texans still had some gigantic David Carr pictures up, including in the players lounge, but those are gone.

Houston Texans Host All Access Event; Andre Johnson Says Knee is Fine originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 01 Jun 2008 14:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wal-Mart Makes Good With Andre Johnson Foundation Children's Charity

Stephanie Stradley — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: Texans, AFC South, Houston

Last week, I shared a story about Wal-Mart revoking their promise to help Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson's charity. As Johnson's attorney explained:

[P]roblems arose after Johnson paid nearly $26,000 retail for hundreds of children's bicycles to be given away during an annual Foundation sponsored event featuring food, music, and festivities for under-privileged children in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The bicycle purchase was to include free ice and water for the children. Wal-Mart was unable to supply all the various sizes of bicycles ordered and a Wal-Mart employee then revoked the ice and water offer without notice, citing the smaller number of delivered bicycles, even though Wal-Mart was responsible for the shortage.

After this screwup was made known to the Wal-Mart powers that be, they agreed to make good with AJ's Foundation. They are providing 400 free bicycles, cash donations to charity, and free ice, water and food for the next event for 1500 children. Everybody ends up winning, except probably the Wal-Mart employee who decided it was a good idea to withhold ice and water for a kids' charity event.

Wal-Mart Makes Good With Andre Johnson Foundation Children's Charity originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 20 May 2008 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wal-Mart Mean to Underprivileged Kids?

Stephanie Stradley — Wed, 14 May 2008 23:40:00 EST

Filed under: Texans, NFL Gossip, Houston

Like many athletes, Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson created a foundation to give back to the community, particularly to kids from single-parent homes. He loves giving away toys to children who have few things.

TMZ is reporting that Johnson ordered 750 bikes to purchase for underprivileged children, in exchange for Wal-Mart providing ice and water for the kids' event. There was a problem with the order, so Johnson purchased fewer bikes. The story says that the local Wal-Mart responded to the reduced purchase by not providing the ice and water they promised.

Wal-Mart claims that they are going to rectify the problem with the Andre Johnson Foundation, and I hope they do it, preferably in a financially generous way. In the last quarter, Wal-Mart's net income was $3.022 billion, and last year they reportedly donated $296 million to charitable organizations throughout the United States.

Hugely profitable corporation + superstar do-gooder WR buying bikes + underprivileged kids = no water and ice for event? Something doesn't add up in this story, and I'm guessing there are some strange details. Details, of course, that we want to know about because we are nosy that way.

Wal-Mart Mean to Underprivileged Kids? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 14 May 2008 23:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zone Blocking Schemes: Video Tutorial Part 2

Stephanie Stradley — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:37:00 EST

Filed under: Texans, AFC South, NFL Fans, Houston

I've been told by the Houston Texans that they will be increasing the amount of football-technical information on their team website. A recent example is this article describing zone blocking schemes, and the must-see video above with members of the Texans talking about the scheme and how helpful it is to have offensive line guru Alex Gibbs teaching it. If that's not enough ZBS info, well then, check out my previous entry on this subject called Zone Blocking Schemes: A YouTube Tutorial.

I think the trend of becoming more technical in football news coverage is a great thing, because I've always believed that the more you know about a team, the more interesting it is to watch what they are doing on the field. (Though I suspect some of you just visit the Texans site for the 360 degree view of cheerleaders. I'm not judging you, just making an observation. After internet voting, the Texans added Krista [pictures] to the squad, if you care to know such things).

Though the Houston Texans won't pander to their fans when it comes to draft picks, no one can say that they aren't fan-focused from a marketing perspective. They are about the most attentive organization I've ever come across in wanting to listen and respond to their fans.

The latest feedback they want is about their website. For about the next two weeks, they want to learn what sorts of information you would like to see on the website. They definitely listen, so it is worth filling out the very brief survey. Click on their survey here, and tell them that Steph from FanHouse sent you. Three survey participants will receive autographed items from Mario Williams, Amobi Okoye, and Jacoby Jones. (For those concerned about your privacy, they only collect your email address if you are interested in winning the prize).

Previously at FanHouse:
Zone Blocking Schemes: A YouTube Tutorial

Zone Blocking Schemes: Video Tutorial Part 2 originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 14 May 2008 10:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Houston Texans Minicamp Thoughts

Stephanie Stradley — Sat, 10 May 2008 15:25:00 EST

Filed under: Texans, AFC South, Houston

With the start of Texans minicamp, fans get a sense of themes and storylines for the year, and more information about the rookies just drafted. Here's a few minicamp links, with a few thoughts of mine next to them.

Rookie Duane Brown Gets LT Minicamp Start over Ephraim Salaam: Coach Gary Kubiak knows what Salaam can give him and wants to give Brown as many practice reps against good competition as he can. It wouldn't be too surprising if Brown got the season start over Salaam given that third round pick Charles Spencer got the start two years ago over Salaam.

Texans 2008 Story is All About The Turnover Battle: Fashion and football collide with the message on the bottom of the team's practice shorts. Offensive players' shorts read "Protect the ball" and defensive players' shorts read "Take it away." It is stunning that the Texans finished 8-8 given that they gave up 38 turnovers, second most in the league, and that they took the ball away only 25 times, with only 11 interceptions, tied for last in the league.

Status of Injured Players: Yet another reason to be shocked with the 8-8 result of the Texans last season were the number of top Texans players who missed significant time to injury. The link contains a status report of the injuries, though given some of the puffy discussions of injuries in the past, you always have to look at Texans injury updates with a view that they might be overly optimistic.

The Texans Are REALLY Going to Run the Ball This Year. No seriously. The last two preseasons, fans have heard about the commitment that Kubiak has to the running game, but it has been just awful and inconsistent. Here are my thoughts from last year about why the running game wasn't working, and hopefully offensive line guru Alex Gibbs truly will be the difference.

All About Rookie CB Antwaun Molden: I'm first in line to criticize the local paper when they whiff, but this Steve Campbell article about Molden's journey to the NFL is worth a read. Any time they can help give you information to tell you more about the guys behind the helmet, the better it is for fans. The Texans love try hard, motivated guys, and Molden sounds like a Texans kind of player.

HoustonTexans.com: Expect to see a ton of offseason content on their website as I've been told they are trying to increase it. Above is an embed of Kubiak talking about minicamp (transcript here). The increasing content found on NFL team websites really is a great benefit to fans, and once again, I would like to commend the Texans for providing embeddable video to help spread the word about their team.

Sigh, it is only May, and it has already been over 90 degrees in Houston. Who's ready for some football?

Houston Texans Minicamp Thoughts originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 10 May 2008 15:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You Won't Want to Read This: NFL Players Doing Good in the World

Stephanie Stradley — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:10:00 EST

Filed under: Bears, Buccaneers, NY Giants, Texans, Chicago, Houston, New York, Tampa Bay

A number of you aren't going read this because as Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen says, the public prefers to follow news of celebs and sports figures who are "[expletived] up." The rise of the sports blog generally hasn't be driven by fans' desire to read do-gooder stories. (Though I have to say, I think that would be an interesting niche sports blog).

In any event, I want to highlight a few stories in the news this week that talk about NFL players doing good in the world.

The New York Times had a great article yesterday about four NFL players with ties to Nigeria visiting the country in March. They must have been an impressive display of defensive linemen big people: NY Giants' Osi Umenyiora, Houston Texans' Amobi Okoye, and Chicago Bears' Adewale Ogunleye and Israel Idonije.

It was Okoye's idea for them to all go to Nigeria as a group, figuring they could do more good works together than separately. They also could get scared together as the bus they were traveling in got broadsided by a truck on the first day of their trip. The article is certainly worth a read.

Another article worth checking out is the continuing help that Tampa Bay running back Warrick Dunn gives to single parents looking to purchase their first homes. He does this to honor his police officer mother who never owned a house. She was shot while working her off-duty security job, and a 17-year-old Dunn along with his grandmother found themselves taking care of his five siblings. To date, his foundation has helped 77 single parents buy their first homes by providing a down payment and home furnishings. (Here's the donation link).

The next time you feel like ragging on athletes for being a bunch of "turds", ask yourself what you are doing to make this world a better place. Athletes are like the rest of us imperfect people. Some do good, some do bad, and some get busted for being a ~~smiling black guy who loves his mom on a boat full of white women in bikinis~~ boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest.

(Photo of Dunn as the first winner of the Home Depot Neighborhood MVP award in January. Photo Credit: Scott Halleran, Getty Images).

You Won't Want to Read This: NFL Players Doing Good in the World originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 09 May 2008 12:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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