H-Town Sports

Needs more confidence

2008-09-25T13:56:00.002-05:00

After entering in my Yahoo NFL Pick'em picks for this week, I glanced at the sidebar to see what the consensus picks were among other participants. This is straight-up, not against the spread. Two teams are considered to have a 95% chance of winning their respective games this weekend: Denver (at Kansas City) and Jacksonville (versus Houston). Ugh.

Bobcats offer Landry

2008-09-25T11:40:00.002-05:00

Restricted free-agent Carl Landry was offered a three-year, $9M contract by the Charlotte Bobcats yesterday. The Rockets get one week to match the Bobcats' offer. As Jonathan Feigen writes, the Rockets' concern regarding Landry is less the potential luxury tax ramifications and more related to Landry's right knee. Landry was a very pleasant surprise last season, emerging not so coincidentally as a valuable role player during the Rockets' record 22 game winning streak. Landry's efficiency ratings were pretty good last year, and he provided athleticism around the rim that has been sorely lacking for years and is not going to be provided by Yao, Scola, Mutombo or Hayes.

A Word from #8

2008-09-24T12:08:00.004-05:00

I made sure to DVR the Texans-Titans game on Sunday so that I could watch my ol' buddy Matt Schaub take on the ol' rival Titans. Most of it recorded pretty good, except for the last few minutes, which were cut off when my Season Pass cut over to catch an episode of Mr. Belevedere. That crap's hilarious, man. Still today. Never miss a night of it. Brings back some real memories...back when those episodes were fresh. Mom, in the kitchen making some lemonade and rinsing out my wetsuit. Dad, outside yelling at the old lady next door for not moving her dead husband's car so that the bumper didn't extend out over the sidewalk. Dad, on the phone with the minister, yelling at him about how he didn't like the way he was looking at him while he was being an usher that Sunday morning. Yeah, those are some rad memories.

Speaking of memories, man, did I have fun watchin' the ol Texans this weekend. Ol' Schaubby man, I got to give him some props for representin' like he did. It's nice to see the ol' #8 still out there scamperin' about in the backfield, firin' the ol' check-down pass to the fullback. Funny that the fans down there in H-Town acted like I didn't know what I was doin', and now who's laughin!? They like to think that they got rid of me and are better off, but now they are prolly realizin' that I played ball the right way, just like Schaubbie. I text with him every now and then, let him know some things that I think he could improve on. We all do that - like a brotherhood, y'know? For example, last week, some of times that he dropped back to pass, it seemed like he hesitated for a moment, thinkin' about flingin' one five or ten yards past the line of scrimmage. He'll learn, but he's got to check that. Also, I noticed on some of the plays where there was a Titans' D-lineman within 25 feet of him or so, he stayed in the pocket for a second or two before skedaddlin' to the sideline or chuckin' it at the closest set of cleats he could find. Those things'll come with time. Trust me, I may be on the defendin' world champs right now, but it wasn't always this good for me. Texans' fans will understand - Schaubby just needs some time to grow...develop...y'know? Kubiak's a great QB coach. He didn't give up on me when he showed up, cuz he knew that I had talent. He'll do the same for Schaubby...you just wait and see.

All right, y'all - I got to bounce. Lil' bro just jacked my Sugar Ray CD. If I don't get that back, I'll never be ready in time for Pops to pick me up and take me to practice. Peace!

Not sure which Bud I hate more now.

2008-09-23T09:19:00.007-05:00

Adams or Selig....

Adams is pure evil and will certainly burn in hell for all eternity. I honestly can't hate a human being more than I hate Bud Adams.

And then Bud Selig goes and sends your beloved Astros to Milwaukee to play 2 home games against the Cubs in the middle of the playoff race. Stupidest, most ridiculous, most unfair decision you can recall being made by MLB or any other professional sports league??? Not so, says Bud.

Apparently Bud's hands were tied, and he had no other choice. DO YOU REALLY THINK WE ARE THAT STUPID, BUD??? This is easily the most patronizing thing I've seen since the other Bud cancelled a Monday Night game due to an "unsafe playing surface" in order to blackmail the citizens of Houston into building him a new stadium.

I think my boy Mitch is trying to make a very good point here, unless the double-negative is intentional. There is NO CHANCE that the Yankees or Red Sox would have been forced to play a home game on the road ONE DAY after a natural disaster (or a terror attack) hit their city. Bud, if you're truly sorry, you would admit that this was the wrong decision, rather than trying to sell us on it after the fact. Obviously there's nothing that can be done at this point--so what's the harm in admitting a mistake?

Miraculously, your Stros are only 3.5 games out with 7 to go due to the historic meltdowns of both the Mets and Brewers. Here's hoping they can win out and get some help from NY and Milwaukee. Because if they end up missing the playoffs by a single game, the blood will be on Selig's hands.

For those Houstonians Teetering on the Ledge

2008-09-22T15:33:00.002-05:00

This should solidify your decision to jump. Go ahead, tell me in 10,000 words (a) how good Jose Valverde's been and (b) how Lidge needed a change of scenery to thrive. "Greatest statistical season by a closer in history". Well, at least you obtained Michael Bourn (.226/.287/.296 makes Wily Taveras look like Joe D.), Geoff Geary (very solid 2.32 ERA as a utility reliever) and Mike Constanzo (very, very average in AAA...at the age of 25) as consolation, and it's not like Lidge's near perfection had any impact on the Phillies solidifying a postseason berth a handful of games ahead of the Astros.

Thoughts from around the Web - Texans/Titans recap

2008-09-22T13:50:00.002-05:00

Lance Zierlein from his Chronicle blog: Agree with Lance on most of his points, especially with respect to the failure to challenge the out-of-bounds catch (not to mention the proceeding TD run by LenDale White), #80 going through the motions, Schaub's lack of poise in the pocket (which expounds significantly in the red zone, where handling a snap becomes a freaking adventure) and Jacques Reeves' failure to cover proficiently. I would disagree with Lance with respect to the interior of the Texans' O-line - I think they were a sieve, especially right up the middle. I'll admit that Haynesworth is an absolute, blood-feasting beast who loves to destroy the hated Texans, and I know that Chris Myers' dad is a nice guy, but at this point, I'd rather have Jeremy Foster under center.

Paul Kuharsky: More bashing of Kubes for failing to challenge the McCairens non-catch. No question in my mind that the evolution of Steve Slaton from a dangerous third-down weapon to a possible every-down back is one of the few (only) positive developments at this point in the season.

Peter King: Five pages of banter and blather, and the two Texans-related thoughts are (1) Bob McNair is philanthropic and (2) Matt Schaub is shell-shocked. If you have insomnia or are just self-loathing, there's plenty more in there about a Derek Jeter commercial, Krispy Kreme doughnuts and his movie menu. FYI, Pete, using Micah Owings as a pinch-hitter is not a result of depth issues - he has a .322 career batting average in 115 at-bats in the bigs.

The Lazarus of Sports Sites

2008-09-22T13:28:00.002-05:00

Dear Readers,

It has been brought to my attention over the past several months that the unfathomable has been fathomed - the intelligence level of sports coverage in Houston has dropped below that of the average E! News Daily viewer. Inspired by things like this, this and this, H-Town Sports is back! We encourage, as always, comments and suggestions from our dozens of readers, and we promise to continue to relentlessly provide non-corporatized, non-bullshitful accounts, analyses and opinions of matters related to the gamut of sports in Houston.

XOXO(with tongue)X(fondle)O,
H-Town Sports

Calendar Changes Over, Garner Still an Idiot

2007-03-31T21:25:00.000-05:00

Scrap Iron continued to defy logic, intelligence and rational thought by incorporating Wandy Rodriguez in the Astros' Opening Day rotation (at the #4 slot, no less). Jesus Ortiz, clearly excited by the inclusion of a non-white on the 25-man roster, determined that Wandy was "markedly better" on Saturday, allowing only ten hits over six innings to the mighty KC Royals. There is a shred of credibility in this statement, since Wandy allowed 22 hits in 17 innings in spring training and had more walks than strikeouts. Regardless, his numbers are consistently awful, and with the aging Woody Williams and unproven Chris Sampson in the rotation, mental case Brad Lidge in the closer's role and impotent Adam Everett, Brad Ausmus and Craig Biggio in the everyday lineup, Astros' fans should enjoy the Chase for 3000 because it is going to be the only reason to watch games after July 1 in Houston.

Season Over--We Lost Zeke!

2007-03-26T14:09:00.000-05:00

Opening Day is still a week away, but Houston fans may as well fold up shop before the first pitch. The 2007 season is over. Ezequiel Astacio is no longer an Astro. And in the cruelest twist of irony, Tom Hicks has snatched him up. Our worst fears have been realized. Sure, Roger Clemens says he won't pitch for the Rangers, but so what? They got Zeke, man!

Zeke's numbers in the bigs--86 2/3 IP, 107 H, 63 R (58 Earned), 72 K, and 31 BB.

Talent like that doesn't just grow on trees. We'd better have a big trade in the works to replace what Astacio would have brought to to the club.

Seriously though, let's also note that all three (3) "young arms" acquired in the Wagner deal are now officially with other teams or pumping gas. I know that trading Wags was more of a salary dump/ridding the team of a malcontent, but it bears mention.

Hidalgo Gone

2007-03-24T16:02:00.000-05:00

In other news, the sky is blue and the Earth rotates around the sun. It ain't 2000 anymore, and hitting .136 is going to get you canned, regardless of how much Milo loves saying your name.

Too bad to see him go, but the 'Stros didn't have a choice. Scott and Lane are hitting far too well to justify Hidalgo's presence on the big league roster. Oh, and there's some kid in Round Rock who might merit consideration for a spot on the squad as well. Not now, of course; he only hit .571 in spring training, so he's clearly not ready.

Current Roster in Kissimmee

2007-03-14T11:11:00.000-05:00

The 'Stros are starting to trim the roster in earnest; they are now down to 43 players in their major league camp. Once they get rid of that pesky, no-talent Hunter Pence, they can really kick off spring training.

I just threw up in my mouth.

Pence to Round Rock Already A Done Deal?

2007-03-14T11:06:00.000-05:00

I guess hitting .652 just doesn't cut the mustard anymore. Today's Chronicle features an infuriating article that features Astros management more or less assuring the fans that Hunter Pence is bound for Round Rock, regardless of what the rest of the spring holds. Well, he isn't hitting 1.000, so I guess Pence should be demoted. Makes total sense, right?

What? I've said it once, and I'll say it again: How can you field your "best team" (as Garner says he intends to do) and not include the guy who is easily having the best spring? This is maddening.

Clemens--$4,000,000.00 Per Month?

2007-03-09T13:48:00.000-06:00

That's what SI.com is reporting. As noted in the article, New York and Boston probably wouldn't even blink at that rate. Uncle Drayton, however, might get a bit of sticker shock.

Nevertheless, I cannot imagine that McLane would lose a bidding war over Clemens unless it got completely out of control. And for that matter, I don't think Houston would lose the Rocket over money. We'd lose him because of (a) not contending and/or (b) not having Pettitte. The latter can't be changed, and I think it may ultimately be the deciding factor in where Clemens pitches come June.

Battle Red Blog RSS Up and Running

2007-03-09T13:38:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Kevin for pointing out that Battle Red Blog's RSS function wasn't working. We should have it resolved now, so be sure to sign up for all the latest unintelligible ranting about your Houston Texans over at Battle Red Blog now.

You Won't Get This In The Bronx, Rocket

2007-03-09T13:09:00.000-06:00

I'm undecided as to whether this is charming, frightening, or embarrassing. I'm going to go with the first option.

Hey, whatever it takes to get the Katy Rocket to return to the Houston rotation. I for one am certainly willing to offer up our esteemed owner's noggin if it means Clemens laces 'em up for the 'Stros one more time. Given his appreciation for the bottom line and the revenue that Roger Clemens brings in, I'd bet that Uncle Drayton would sacrifice a broken rib or fractured skull for another "cha-ching" season of gate receipts for Clemens starts too.

Jason Lane: Rising From the Ashes?

2007-03-09T13:03:00.000-06:00

Zuh? Jason Lane is hitting .400 with 3 HR this spring? Is there really a chance that Gerry Hunsicker's Can't Miss Kid could be in RF come Opening Day? I doubt it, yet you wonder if Luke Scott is starting to hear footsteps. Nevertheless, it says here that Scott has to get the nod in RF, purely based upon his numbers last year. Lane's spring stats are impressive, but it's not like he's facing Carpenter in September in Kissimmee.

Backe Returns

2007-03-09T12:51:00.001-06:00

No, not to the rotation. Not yet anyway. But in a development that is nothing short of amazing, Brandon Backe will begin throwing off the mound today, a mere six (6) months after Tommy John surgery. Wow.

Tommy John recovery typically takes twelve to eighteen months, so I'm a bit wary that Backe might be pushing too hard. Still, the idea that there's even a 1% chance he could contribute this season has to be considered a boon to the 'Stros rotation. Call me a sucker, but I'll grasp at any straws that could keep Houston fans from having to see Wandy trot out to the hill every fifth day.

This Diamond is Awfully, Awfully Rough

2007-03-07T10:01:00.000-06:00

T-Poo's nostalgic journey back to the Doggie Era has hit a bit of a snag, and in baseball terms, it's a rather substantial one. Richard Hidalgo cannot hit a baseball. Shocking, isn't it? I mean, he had such a stellar season last year...when...he...was...out...of...baseball. Oh - hmmm...well, maybe he'll rekindle the magic of 2004 when he...hit .228 for the Mets. [Blogger scratches head].

Doggie is getting plenty of ABs (13) but not exactly producing (zero hits). Of course, hitting is not necessarily a prerequisite for entrenching yourself in the everyday lineup (Adam Everett is 1-10), but the fact that Dave Borkowski is tied with Dickie in RBIs and he is tied with Zeke Astacio and Paul Estrada in the Hits category is certainly not encouarging. Eventually (read: today), Gar and T-Poo (at least on paper) will have to end this ridiculous dog-and-pony show and give some (read: all) of these ABs are to legitimate candidates for a starting OF position (Scott, Lane and Pence). In the meantime, tune into the Astros Radio Network on your lunch break today if you want to hear Milo trot out the "Doggie" call because it is not likely to be around much longer.

Battle Red Blog

2007-03-07T09:28:00.000-06:00

Scott has mentioned this on a couple of occasions, but I can't imagine anyone reads or listens to him. Therefore, I'm going to say it again.

The minds behind H-Town Sports have begun a new blog that deals exclusively with your Houston Texans. We were asked to do so by the good people at SB Nation, who are undertaking the noble effort to have every major team or sport covered by fans. A couple of their NFL team writers saw our work here and decided a team as wretched as the Texans nevertheless deserved a whole site to be criticized (and occasionally praised) by a couple of emotionally-crippled smart alecks.

Hence, we give you Battle Red Blog! Same judgmental, angry Texans coverage, but with better management and links courtesy of the guys at SB Nation. And, of course, it's still free. The best part of it, in my opinion? It'll make it easier for you to read the thoughts of other fans from other teams. Specifically, we can't wait until we can get into it with the writers from our AFC South rivals. And the Cowboys. Oh, how we loathe the Cowboys...

What does this mean for H-Town Sports? Well, not a whole lot, really. We'll keep ranting about everything that tickles our collective fancy here, save the Texans. If you want to read about my ever-changing position on David Carr, head over to Battle Red Blog. If you want to read about how Scott will still defend Charley Casserly to his dying breath, head over to Battle Red Blog. If you want to read thoughtful analysis about the NFL Draft, head...somewhere else. But if you want to read about how I will down a bottle of Drano if the Texans draft Brady Quinn, take a gander at Battle Red Blog.

Hope to see everyone there. It's been a blast thus far, and it's only getting better.

That Pence Kid Does Not Suck

2007-03-07T09:19:00.000-06:00

After a nice break, H-Town Sports is back. And what better time to return, now that the 'Stros have begun spring training in earnest? Seriously, we are less than a month away from Opening Day. I'm beginning to get giddy. Well, as giddy as I can get, anyway.

And the Astros seem to be doing everything they can to temper my excitement. By all indications, Hunter Pence will not be making the big league club. That's right, the same Hunter Pence who is hitting .750 in spring training. Now, I know spring training at-bats are not necessarily indicative of immediate major league success (see, e.g., Luke Scott tearing up Kissimmee in 2005), but wow.

Nevertheless, T-Poo & Co. want Pence to play everyday, which is something they don't think he can do with the 'Stros. I'll grant you that the starting outfield is probably set with Carlos Lee in LF, Chris Burke in CF, and (probably) Luke Scott in RF. But don't you want your best players on the major league roster? Can't Garner figure out a way to give Pence a couple of starts each week by keeping Burke and/or Scott fresh? Why sentence the kid to face minor league pitching if you don't have to? It doesn't make any sense to me.

Free Pence!

Will Anti-Pettitte Backlash Affect Rocket's Decision? In a Word, Not at All

2007-02-07T16:44:00.000-06:00

Andy Pettitte transformed from a Yankee postseason legend to a hometown hero overnight when the Deer Park native returned to Houston three seasons ago to pitch for the Astros. Just as quickly as he became a local hero, his reputation was just as immediately destroyed upon making public his decision to return to the New York Yankees for the 2007 season. One has a hard time ever being sympathetic to the modern-day athlete considering the exorbitant amount of money that he makes on average (or well above average for a star like Pettitte), but Pettitte consistently portrays himself as a humble, hard-working family man, so it is quite fair, one thinks, to give him a bit more sympathy than, say, this guy. His press clips following his signing with the Steinbrenners revealed a caring guy, who seemed to be truly torn by the consequences of his tough decision. I was honestly somewhat surprised by the immediate, violent backlash against Lefty around the city, as fans took out their anti-Yankee angst on Deer Park's finest, despite the often-outstanding pitching performances that he treated the fans to throughout three injury-plagued seasons, seasons which of course included the Astros' first-ever World Series berth in 2005, promising to never forgive him for turning his back on the Killer Bees in search of yet another endless pile of cash.

Knowing what Andy endured following his decision to move north in the spring, will his close friend Roger Clemens consider that in deciding for whom he shall pitch for the last few months of the 2007 season? Of course not. Sure, Roger signed a 10-year, $2 million personal services contract in 2004. Sure, the Astros seemingly did his family a favor by drafting his 18-year old son in the eighth round out of high school, a prospect who is currently toiling rather unsuccessfully in the bowels of the farm system. Sure, the Astros bent over backward to reward him with a customized travel schedule that considerably limited the amount of time that the Rocket spent away from home during the season. Sure, Roger's reputation in this city is nearly flawless to date - only Neil Frank or Jim McIngvale has more pull in H-Town than the Katy Rocket, and leaving for the Yankees solely upon his own discretion seems quite likely to significantly tarnish said reputation.

In the end, though, there are two constants when it comes to Roger Clemens: (1) excellence on the mound and (2) confident, if not arrogant selfish motivations. I, personally, will not begrudge the Rocket should he ultimately decide to wind up his career with the Bronx Bombers in 2007 and beyond. They will undoubtedly pay him more money, allow him to play in front of a broader national audience, re-unite him with Andy P and give him a better chance to make the postseason. In the end, Roger's history indicates that he will absolutely not concern himself with what the Houston fan base thinks, and maybe he shouldn't, but it will certainly be interesting to see how the local fans handle the Rocket once his decision is finally announced.

It's Almost Signing Day

2007-02-06T13:41:00.000-06:00

High school seniors can begin signing letters of intent for college football tomorrow, and according to Rivals, the usual suspects are prepared to rack in yet again, as Florida, Tennessee, Texas, LSU and Southern Cal make up the top-five nationally according to Rivals.com. Other schools of local interest: Nebraska (#10), Oklahoma (#21), Oklahoma State (#24), Texas A&M (#41), Kansas State (#42), Texas Tech (#47), Kansas (#51), Baylor (#62), TCU (#78), Houston (#81) and Rice (#102).

Someone Please Rip Purpura's Phone Cord Out of the Wall

2007-02-02T15:25:00.000-06:00

The longer this offseason lasts, the more Tim Purpura's incompetence continues to destroy the Astros' hopes of a winning season. The latest bold, imbecilic move by the Astros' braintrust is to consider offering minor league contracts to degenerate relievers Ben Weber and Kelly Wunsch. Purpura continues to tug at the heartstrings of the local fan base by chasing local "talent", as Weber is a former UH Coog and Wunsch is an Aggie from Bellaire H.S., but sadly, the geographical connection to the franchise is much stronger than the qualifications of either pitcher to actually perform as a major-league pitcher.

Weber was scintillating in 2005 for Cincinnati, and by 'scintillating', I mean an embarassment to the sport and to his family (8.03 ERA in ten games). He split last season between the Independent League Atlantic City Surf (where one of his pen mates was 60 year old Tony Pierce) and AAA Syracuse (Toronto), where he attempted to battle back from neck problems, possibly the result of either his incredibly unorthodox/painful windup or post-pitch whiplash. Purpura was quite gentle in mentioning that the 37-year-old Weber was "looking to regain his career". Just the guy you want your GM chasing down, eh? Weber's prospects for 2007 make Dan Miceli appear to be an attractive option.

Wunsch was actually once a fairly effective lefty reliever - not Gallo-effective, mind you, but effective in his own, gets-batters-out-on-a-regular-basis kind of way. Last season, however, he was terrible for the Dodgers (8.31 ERA), problems that he'd like to have you believe are the result of shoulder issues, which he'd like to have you believe have been cured by offseason shoulder surgery. Wunsch is a potentially decent guy to stash away at AAA - see if he can regain enough mustard to get the occasional lefty out. Hell, if Trever Miller's slop can mesmerize Adam Dunn, Geoff Jenkins and the like, why not give K-Wuncsh a shot? In the big picture, however, moves like this really only place further hurdles between guys like Nieve, Albers, Patton and Estrada and the major league roster, which by definition makes them idiotic.

BP Takes on Morgan Ensberg

2007-02-01T14:37:00.000-06:00

Marc Normandin has written a very thorough analysis ($) and projection piece on Baseball Prospectus this week regarding Astros 3B (?) Morgan Ensberg. Trivia Question #1 from the article: What three USC Trojans rank ahead of Morgan on the all-time HR list for the school? Answer at the bottom of the page...

As for the look at Ensberg himself, Normandin takes a look at every season in Ensberg's professional career, beginning with his pro debut in 1999 for Auburn (Low A). One interesting note, though not that surprising, is that the percent of balls that Ensberg pulls to LF has increased every season, from 20% of fly balls in 2004 to 30% of fly balls in 2006 and from 39% of line drives in 2004 to 66% of line drives in 2006. BP's prediction formula, PECOTA, projects a good season from Ensberg in 2007 (.263/.374/.520), though the writer admits that it is difficult to project how Ensberg will bounce back from his shoulder issues that obviously bothered him in 2005. Pitchers seemed quite capable of blasting a fastball past him on any count, and Ensberg was visibly guessing at the plate, apparently in an attempt to compensate from his loss in bat speed. Ensberg at times has begun to remind me of Adam Dunn at the plate; his plummeting batting average but high walk totals and power make him a frustrating, though dangerous, offensive performer.

ANSWER: Thanks to astute H-Town Sports reader Brent for pointing out that I failed to include the answer to the trivia question: 1. Mark McGwire, 2. Geoff Jenkins and 3. Eric Munson.

Ensberg, Everett, and Lane Reach Deals; My Head Explodes

2007-01-26T09:15:00.000-06:00

It appears the 'Stros have avoided arbitration by signing Mo Ensberg, Adam Everett, and Jason Lane to one-year deals. The numbers, you ask? Read it and weep:

Ensberg--$4,350,000.00
2006 Statistics: .235 BA, 23 HR, 58 RBI

Everett--$2,800,000.00
2006 Statistics: .239 BA, 6 HR, 59 RBI

Lane--$1,050,000.00
2006 Statistics: .205 BA, 15 HR, 45 RBI

I understand that pigs will fly before a player makes less the following year than he did the year before, but are you freaking kidding me? When you're supposed to protect Lance Berkman in the line-up, .235 ain't gonna cut it. Mo had an absolutely torrid April and a very nice May last year before completely imploding, admittedly in large part due to an injury, albeit one that he refused to let heal and insisted on playing through despite its obvious effect on his performance. Lane, after an extremely solid 2005, may have been the biggest disappointment on the entire team last year. He spent a good chunk of time in Round Rock, for chrissakes. And now he's a millionaire? I'll close with this...Adam Everett had a higher batting average and more RBI than either Ensberg or Lane. Adam Everett. The guy who hit. .239 with 59 RBI last season. Wrap your mind around that for a minute.

Needless to say, the only figure that even approaches reasonableness is Everett's salary, and that's primarily because you're paying him for his glove (.990 fielding percentage at a premium defensive position). I realize that management's hands are tied to a large degree in arbitration (e.g., you have to walk a fine line between arguing what a player is really worth and demeaning him to an extent that he'll refuse to re-sign with you when he becomes a free agent). But if .235 will get you a raise to $4.35 million, I need to reevaluate my career choice.

Texans Hire Two New Coaches

2007-01-23T17:24:00.000-06:00

The Texans added two new coaches to their staff today: Jethro Franklin (DL) and Larry Kirksey (WR). See more over at Battle Red Blog.

If Rivers Pulls Out..

2007-01-23T10:58:00.000-06:00

If it's true that Phillip Rivers aggravated a foot injury in the Chargers' loss to the Patriots and will thus be forced to pull out of the Pro Bowl, sources tell H-Town Sports that David Carr will NOT be chosen as an injury replacement, despite his "statistical progress". It's unfortunate for Carr supporters that #8 will NOT be getting the Maui nod, as much has been made of how good Carr could be with a great offensive line, great running backs, great receiving corps and great coaching, elements that a Pro Bowl team would seem to incorporate quite nicely.

In a related story, who will replace Rivers as the third AFC QB? Tom Brady would seem to be the favorite, but wouldn't it be sweet to see VY get the call? I would certainly be much more likely to watch the Pro Bowl (for the first time in my life) if Vince was participating.

MLB Appears Ready to Further Screw its Fan Base

2007-01-22T14:43:00.000-06:00

As reported by The Biz of Baseball and Maury Brown at Baseball Prospectus, Major League Baseball and Direct TV appear close to signing an agreement valued at somewhere near $700 million over seven years, with said agreement making Direct TV the exclusive home for the MLB Extra Innings package and eventually (in 2009) the 24-hour MLB channel. This would result in all cable or Dish Network subscribers being left out of the market for the MLB EI package, a move that unquestionably cements baseball's reputation as money-hungry sport that is repeatedly willing to ditch its fans in search of another dollar.

As Brown writes and as I, a consistent MLB EI subscriber, can personally attest, the MLB EI package already has a significant flaw in that its blackout rules prevent a MLB EI subscriber from watching games involving those teams which are geographically local to his registered address. This ridiculous rule prevents me from being able to watch any games included in the MLB EI package that involve the Astros or the Rangers. Now it appears that as a Dish Network subscriber, I am likely going to get the knife twisted just a little bit deeper starting this season, as I am simply going to be disqualified from the potential subscriber base for the MLB EI package since I am not a Direct TV subscriber. This is just the latest example of why Richard Justice is an idiot. Bud Selig is obviously a popular commissioner in the eyes of his fellow owners and the players, who are both stuffing bills in their pants like a ten-armed Sandy Berger, but the ever-loyal fans of America's Pasttime continue to get taken out behind the woodshed and beaten relentlessly. Justice fails to understand that the success of a sport like baseball must be measured in a much broader context than simple gross revenue flow; in the eyes of its fans, the sport is dying a painful death, and unless a commissioner is brought in who is a pure, true fan of the sport itself rather than the money that flows from it, it may be too late to hope for a successful ressucitation.

UPDATE: Deadspin has now got a post on this story as well.

Can't Wait to See Ted's Reaction...

2007-01-22T11:07:00.000-06:00

...to this breaking news story. Next? Bob Stoops from Norman, if you ask me.

And a Resounding "Meh" Echoes Down South Main

2007-01-19T09:13:00.000-06:00

Rice acted quickly, if not questionably, in hiring Texas State coach David Bailiff yesterday to replace the departed Todd Graham. Bailiff, whose name suggests he would be better suited for a position on Marvin Lewis' staff in Cincinnati, went 21-15 in three seasons at Texas State, including a ride on Barrick Nealy's shoulders to the 2005 I-AA semifinals. According to the Chronicle, 'Rice officials' believe that Bailiff has a 'stellar reputation as a recruiter and one with unquestionable character.' Bailiff also served as the defensive coordinator for TCU in the 2002 and 2003 seasons.

I'm not here to say whether or not Bailiff will be a good hire; color me skeptical, but uninformed. I'm just curious as to what happened to "serious candidates" Bo Pelini, Willie Martinez and Mark Stoops, all three of which, in my humble opinion, would blow the Bailiff signing out of the water.

Deke Wags His Finger at Age Jokes

2007-01-18T12:49:00.000-06:00

We've all heard the ongoing joke that Dikembe Mutombo is older than Methuselah. Suspicions have surrounded him since he was drafted by the Nuggets back in 1991, largely because he didn't come to the United States for college until he was 21. Well, after sixteen (16) seasons in the NBA, the man has had enough.

Personally, I don't see what the problem is. His age, whatever it is, surely hasn't hindered his career or his finances. He's playing like he's 25 years old right now, rebounding like a madman and ably filling in for Yao. Why does he care if the talking heads question his age? All he's got to do is point to the latest box score. Or his Merrill Lynch account balance. Either should shut the haters right up.

It's like when people say that I look like I'm twelve years old. I just whip out the "Spiderman" ticket stub that I always carry around in my wallet. That film was rated PG-13 when it was released back in 2002. So there.

More Expected Astros News: Brad Lidge Re-Ups

2007-01-16T14:43:00.000-06:00

It's been a busy couple of days for T-Poo. Love it or hate it, H-Town, but Brad Lidge will be back with the 'Stros in 2007.

Count me among those who are shocked that Purpura didn't aggressively shop Lights Out Lidge this off-season, but I'm glad to see him back. Though he is purely a victim of his own unbelievable success in 2004 and 2005, Lidge is a definite talent and has always stood accountable for his failings, no matter how big the stage (e.g., NLCS; World Series). In a sports world that repeatedly features the finger-pointing of degenerates like T.O., it's impossible not to root for dudes like Lidge. I for one will be praying for him to get his mojo back in '07. Admittedly, I may forget that pledge the first time he leaves one across the plate with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Hey, I'm only human.

Choose your HOF'er

2007-01-16T11:14:00.000-06:00

Rank the following three players in terms of Hall of Fame worthiness:

Player A:
2627 career games
.279 avg/.323 obp/.482 slg
2774 hits, 503 doubles, 98 triples, 438 HR, 1373 runs, 1591 rbi, 314 sb
3 postseason appearances, no World Series appearances
8 All-Star Games, 1 Rookie of Year, 1 MVP (3 top-5 finishes)
8 Gold Gloves, 4 Silver Sluggers

Player B:
1785 career games
.307 avg/.358 obp/.471 slg
2153 hits, 442 doubles, 20 triples, 222 HR, 1007 runs, 1099 rbi, 14 sb
1 postseason appearance, no World Series apperances
6 All-Star Games, 1 MVP (3 top-5 finishes)
9 Gold Gloves, 3 Silver Sluggers

Player C:
2150 career games
.297 avg/.408 obp/.540 slg
2314 hits, 488 doubles, 32 triples, 449 HR, 1517 runs, 1529 rbi, 202 sb
6 postseason appearances, 1 World Series appearance (1 hit)
4 All-Star appearances, 1 Rookie of Year, 1 MVP (3 top-5 finishes)
1 Gold Glove, 3 Silver Sluggers

Player D:
2089 career games
.298 avg/.352 obp/.502 slg
2452 hits, 373 doubles, 79 triples, 382 HR, 1249 runs, 1451 rbi, 58 sb
2 postseason appearances, 1 WS apperances (nine hits)
8 All-Star appearances, 1 MVP (6 top-5 finishes)
0 Gold Gloves, 2 Silver Sluggers

Player E:
2180 career games
.265 avg/.346 obp/.469 slg
2111 hits, 350 doubles, 39 triples, 398 HR, 1197 runs, 1266 rbi, 161 sb
1 postseason appearance
7 All-Star games, 2 MVP (2 top-fives)
5 Gold Gloves, 4 Silver Sluggers

Salary of the Lambs

2007-01-16T09:18:00.000-06:00

In a move that surprised absolutely no one, the 'Stros have agreed to terms on a one year contract with Mike Lamb. I've said it since he first arrived at Union Station, and I'll say it again: I'll never understand why every American League team that doesn't have an All-Star at DH isn't begging the Astros to part with Lamb. The guy would be a monstrous designated hitter. And while his fielding used to be abhorrent, he's improved it to a point that no longer frightens small children.

Lamb's signing also brings us back to the 3B situation. Apparently, the initial plan is to platoon Morgan Ensberg and Lamb at 3B, with newly signed Mark Loretta moving all around the infield. Sounds good in theory, but I still don't think Loretta signed with the 'Stros with the intention of starting two (2) days a week. Maybe he thinks 2B will be his once Bidge gets to 3,000. Or maybe he's counting on someone to go into an Ensbergian slump, thus making an everyday spot ripe for the picking; given this team's history, that's probably a pretty good bet. Truly, I don't know. I'm still inclined to believe that Loretta's signing, combined with Lamb's return, might push Ensberg out the door. The question is what the Astros could really get for him after he bottomed out for the last four (4) months of the 2006 campaign. Probably not anyone who could help the big club this year.

Magic? Lack of Humidity? Running Faster Sans Handgun?

2007-01-15T09:25:00.000-06:00

Please submit your suggestions as to why Jabar Gaffney - a 2nd round draft pick of the Texans in 2002 - is suddenly capable of back-to-back magnificent performances (in the postseason, no less) as he has had the past two weeks against the Jets and Chargers. Judging from the general consensus of the Houston fans that I know, it must certainly be true that (a) Charley Casserly had no idea what he was doing when he drafted Gaffney in 2002, and (b) it was absolutely not David Carr's fault that Gaffney never had a single game like his last two. So in that case, what gives?

Obviously, two games doth not a career maketh, but I need some help in understanding what has happened to make Jabar Gaffney capable of getting open all over the field, when he was ne'er found open downfield in four full seasons in Houston. It cannot possibly be that either Casserly actually drafted a productive player whose talents were wasted by a terrible coaching staff and terrible quarterback, could it? What will you try to tell me next, an ice storm will envelop the Gulf Coast?

Retraction: Mike Sherman Ain't Gonna Be the Cardinals' Next Coach

2007-01-15T08:58:00.000-06:00

Although I cited a source for the report, it appears that I was way off in trumpeting Mike Sherman's departure for Arizona. Instead, it seems that the Cards have hired Ken Whisenhunt to be Denny Green's successor in the desert. Ouch.

Sure, I could make a paltry attempt at analogizing my incorrect story to the purchase of furniture, but that would be ridiculous and insulting to the H-Town Sports readership. As such, I simply humbly apologize for my error.

Purpura's Quest to Destroy Franchise Continues, Takes on Nostalgic Twist

2007-01-11T16:30:00.000-06:00

Astonishing. Impossible. Deranged. Those are several adjectives that leap to mind after reading Jose de Jesus Ortiz's latest filing with the Chronicle. I will grant you that a minor league invite, as the article suggests was offered, is not a big deal. Obviously, this is a low risk decision, unlike the $40M+ contract that the Astros inked Hidalgo to after the 2000 season. Hidalgo's last major-league season was 2005 with the Mets, where he batted .221 with a .289 OBP and 16 HR in 308 ABs. Last season, Hidalgo posted a .173 average (.489 OPS) in 110 at-bats with the Rookie League Gulf Coast Nationals. Yes, Rookie League.

Nothing against Richard, and God himself knows that the Astros need help in the OF. It just seems like a GM whose team has automatic outs at SS and C and three pitchers in its starting rotation could be acting more productively than negotiating with Richard Freaking Hidalgo's agent! Like for instance, bringing Chris Holt in for a tryout or signing Mitch Meluskey to back up Ausmus.

Who Will Replace Sherman as Texans' OC?

2007-01-11T15:38:00.000-06:00

My prediction? Pat McPherson - current QB coach in Denver. I'm only half-kidding. Sure, it's a jab at the Texans for becoming a destination for ex-Broncos staffers, but I'm also somewhat serious that McPherson may be a solid candidate, especially if the rumors of Jake Plummer-to-Houston are true. This is the guy who apparently worked night and day with The Other Snake during his early (read: pre-benched for a rookie) days in Denver. The kid's got a nice enough resume, so assuming Kubes has a nice rapport with him, don't be surprised to see his name pop up as a candidate.

Of course, if Houston's going to be "Broncos South", let's be even more creative. How about Bryan Harsin for Offensive Coordinator? Here's one last name - Mike Dunbar, OC at Cal, formerly at Northwestern and Toledo. I can make no link to the Broncos for Dunbar, so he's probably not a reasonable candidate, but he's headed some very productive offenses over the past six seasons.

Coming Soon: Battle Red Blog!

2007-01-11T15:01:00.002-06:00

The fine folks over at SB Nation have invited Tim and me to be their official Texans correspondents, beginning as soon as we can get all of the administrative hurdles cleared. Our plan is to continue operating H-Town Sports under the status quo and to simply move our Texans-related commentary over to Battle Red Blog beginning around the time of the Super Bowl. We'll keep you posted on the status of the new site, and we look forward to seeing you both here and over there in the near future. Hopefully our first post at Battle Red Blog will be celebratory prose trumpeting the termination of David Carr's contract!

Mike Sherman, We Hardly Knew Ye

2007-01-11T14:58:00.000-06:00

As is the case with all first-rate staffs, the Texans are being plundered this off-season. First, it was Troy Calhoun leaving for the Air Force gig. Now, it's former Packers head coach (and more importantly, Texans assistant head coach/offensive line guru) Mike Sherman departing Space City for Arizona.

While it would be easy to make a crack about how Sherman must have a death wish, an irrational hatred of Tex-Mex, and/or some sort of complete disregard for the welfare of his own career, we here at H-Town Sports congratulate him on a return to the head-coaching ranks in the NFL. Sure, it means working for Bill Bidwell. Sure, it means coaching a team that is one of the standard-bearers for futility in professional sports. But it could also mean being Paris Hilton's 1,000,000th customer (courtesy of a proper introduction by Matt Leinart), and who can pass that up? Not Mike Sherman.

So vaya con dios, Coach Sherman. We wish you the best. Until you play the Texans, that is, when we'll be wishing you the absolute worst while simultaneously screaming that Gary Kubiak made you.

1836 Makes its Own Splash to Counter Beckham Signing

2007-01-11T10:01:00.000-06:00

The Houston 1836 obviously did not want the avalanche of momentum that has coincided with their thrilling MLS Cup victory to be forgotten in the minds of the American Soccer Fan. Concerned that the L.A. Galaxy's recent signing of global superstar David Beckham would tilt the focus of the American soccer world too far to the West, the 1836 made a free agent splash of its own today, signing Andy Richter to a four-year, incentive-laden contract. Richter is expected to spend most of his time in the goal due to his rather plump physique and his troublesome chain-smoking habit. Richter's agent states that there are several creative clauses in his client's deal with the 1836, including a requirement that the halftime orange slices be soaked overnight in Grey Goose and that the postseason awards banquet be held at The Men's Club rather than its usual location, Mr. Gatti's Fun World off of FM 1960.

Rice Owls Preseason No. 1 in Collegiate Baseball

2007-01-10T13:39:00.000-06:00

Baseball America has released its 2007 Preseason Top 50 rankings for NCAA baseball and the Rice Owls hold the top spot. The Owls return a strong nucleus from a 57-13 team that last year had its run in the College World Series ended by the eventual National Champions, the Oregon State Beavers. The University of Texas Longhorns enter the season ranked fourth. The Longhorns and the Owls will play in Austin on March 27th and in Houston on April 17th.

Blue Light Special on Washed-Up, Injury-Prone, Selfish, Never-Won-Anything NBA "Super"-Stars

2007-01-10T12:07:00.000-06:00

Want Chris Webber? How about Steve Francis? Apparently both players are about to be made available, as their respective teams are prepared to negotiate a buyout of the remaining contracts for each player in order to get them the hell off their roster. Interestingly enough, or maybe not-so-interestingly if you regularly follow the black holes that are the Knicks and 76ers, these two legends in their own minds may end up simply swapping roster spots, as the Sixers have reportedly shown interest in Francis and Isiah has shown interest in C-Webb. Could there be any more perfect fit in New York than Webber? I might have to purchase NBA League Pass. Something tells me that Bill Simmons may have something to say on this issue...

Would/Should the Rockets have any interest in either of these two? While Rafer Alston continues to brick away from all angles of the perimeter like it's his life mission, it is clear that the Rockets need help in the backcourt. The return of Steve Francis to The House that He (Allegedly) Built, however, is the worst idea since New Coke. The Rockets have become a winning team based on their JVG-inspired identity as an unselfish offensive team who prides itself on outstanding defense. Steve Francis fits as well into that equation as Rosie O'Donnell does into a child-sized wetsuit.

Webber, however, is another matter. I could envision Webber as being a dangerous offensive weapon off the bench and becoming a very dangerous high-low option to pair with Yao Ming. Defensively, however, Webber obviously leaves much to be desired, especially now that his knees are virtually cartilage-free. For a small amount of money, though, I would not be opposed at all to Webber becoming a Rocket. With Yao out, the Rockets need some interior scoring, and I think Webber could provide that in short bursts, much like Juwan Howard has proven capable of doing in recent games.

One other Rockets note: John Hollinger lists the Rockets' draft-night acquisition of Shane Battier as the #3 move of the offseason, in hindsight, trailing only the Magic's signing of Trevor Ariza and the Nuggest deal for J.R. Smith, both of which netted valuable players at even lower costs than the Rockets paid for Battier. Hollinger also gave the Kirk Snyder deal "honorable metnion" status, and I agree that Snyder's return from his broken wrist will be a welcome sight. Any minutes that can be removed from No-Fer's column constitute a positive move.

Now, This Signing Makes Sense...

2007-01-08T17:27:00.000-06:00

This may not have received the fanfare of the Carlos Lee contract (or even the Mark Loretta deal), but the Astros re-signed Dan Wheeler to a one-year contract today.

This was a no-brainer. Wheeler has been one of the most consistent performers in the Houston bullpen for the past couple of seasons, and his ability to close in a pinch (read: when Brad Lidge gets shelled like Berlin in November of 1943 and subsequently loses his mojo) only enhances his value. T-Poo could not let Wheels get away. Nice to see management nail this one down. While I fimrly believe that we'll live to regret letting Russ Springer walk (especially to the Cards), this move makes me feel slightly better about the state of the bullpen in 2007.

Now onto the next issue--signing Jason Jennings to a long-term deal.

Texas Legend/Rice Offensive Coordinator to 'Bama?

2007-01-08T15:44:00.000-06:00

Major Applewhite or Chris Simms? For several years, this debate tore the University of Texas apart and destroyed marriages and entire families. Now, the new question could be: Rice University or the University of Alabama?

Major Applewhite, fresh off his first year as the Offensive Coordinator for the Rice Owls, has been contacted by Nick Saban to discuss the possibility of joining Saban's staff. Rumors suggest that Applewhite would share Offensive Coordinator duties with former Houston Texans offensive line coach Steve Marshall. Major says that he would be interested, but has not been formally offered a position yet.

Applewhite was responsible for directing a spread attack that scored the most points (350) and amassed the third-most yards (4,486) in Rice history. The Owls produced a 1,000-yard passer (Chase Clement), a 1,000-yard rusher (Quinton Smith), and a 1,000-yard receiver (Jarett Dillard) for the first time in their history, all while earning the right to get destroyed in the New Orleans Bowl.

Conspiracy theorists may suggest that this hire could be the opening shot across the bow by Saban in constructing a pipeline from Texas to Tuscaloosa to transport high school talent. Then again, maybe that's just a rumor started by Chris Simms...

A Head-Scratching Acquisition by the 'Stros

2007-01-04T10:09:00.000-06:00

I was shocked to read this morning that Mark Loretta will be signing a one-year deal with the 'Stros. Don't get me wrong--Loretta is a very nice player, a career .299 hitter with a great glove. But where is he going to play? Berkman is firmly entrenched at 1B. Bidge will get the majority of the starts at 2B. Despite his below average stick, Adam Everett's glove demands that he handle SS. And you've already got a platoon situation at 3B with Ensberg and Lamb. So where does Loretta fit in?

I really like the idea of adding another bat, but I can't imagine that Loretta is signing up to be a utilityman off the bench. The obvious conclusion is that someone is being shopped, but who? Ensberg? Lamb? This move befuddles me. Regardless, I'm pretty excited that T-Poo just afforded me the opportunity to use "befuddles" in a post.

Houston Loses a Big-Time Winner: Chancellor Steps Down from Comets Post

2007-01-04T09:51:00.000-06:00

Let it not be said that H-Town Sports does not make every effort to cover all sports in the area as part of its appreciation for the fine men and women who compete on behalf of the city at all levels. The fiery and wise-cracking Coach Van Chancellor of the Houston Comets stepped down from his position on Wednesday afternoon citing the need to give the program a fresh start as Leslie Alexander negotiates to sell the team to Houston furniture mogul Hilton Koch.

Chancellor remained a constant face in the ever changing WBNA and has largely kept the Comets in the championship hunt for the better part of a decade. In his tenure, Chancellor won the first four WNBA championships, secured three Coach of the Year honors, amassed a 211-111 record in league play, coach two players to five WNBA MVP honors, and was selected as the coach of the WNBA All-Decade team. Additionally, Chancellor led the US National Women’s’ Basketball Team to a 38-0 record in international play and a Gold medal in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Chancellor publicly had indicated that he currently has no plans to coach elsewhere, but rumors persist that he is being interviewed for a position on the Houston Texans coaching staff to help toughen up some of the offensive players. When prompted about this rumor, Chancellor smirked, "I might do a lot of things."

Was there ever any doubt? Young named Offensive Rookie of the Year

2007-01-03T13:20:00.000-06:00

Contrary to the belief of the obviously wise and prophetic pundit, Merrill Hoge, proud Houston native Vince Young has been selected by virtue of a landslide vote as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Young joins Ben Roethlisberger as the only rookie quarterbacks to earn such an honor in the 49-year history of the award. The Tennessee Titans were floundering with a 0-5 record when Coach Jeff Fischer was forced to play Young a bit earlier than he would have liked. With Young at the head of the Titans offense, the Titans finished the year 8-8 and were still in contention for an AFC Wildcard Birth the last week of the season. Offensive Coordinator Norm Chow observed, "Besides the physical skills, it's the will and the strength inside, the 'it' factor that a quarterback either has or doesn't have … obviously, he [Vince Young] has it … the quickness in which he won the team over and the quickness in which he became the leader, the guy everybody looked up to, that was special.” Young finished the year passing for over 2100 yards and 12 touchdowns as well as rushing for over 500 yards and 7 touchdowns. He became the first NFL rookie quarterback to rush for over 500 yards in a season.

Young beat out Marques Colston (New Orleans Saints), Maurice Jones-Drew (Jacksonville Jaguars), Marcus McNeill (San Diego Chargers), and Reggie Bush (New Orleans Saints) for the award. Young garnered 23 of 50 votes and enjoyed a 14 vote lead over both Jones-Drew and Colston who tied for second. Congratulations to Vince Young – Proud Longhorn and Proud Son of Houston!

DeMeco: The Man, The Myth, The Defensive Rookie of the Year

2007-01-03T08:59:00.000-06:00

We've been trumpeting DeMeco Ryans' candidacy for sainthood since he was drafted with the first pick of the second round back in April. Nice to see the NFL was listening. A hearty congratulations to DeMeco; this couldn't be more deserved. I only have one question...how did he not receive every stinking vote?

What A Way to Start The Off-Season!

2007-01-03T08:51:00.000-06:00

You didn't really think that God would allow the positive mojo of consecutive victories to linger, did you? Of course not. And there's no better way to crush the spirt of a Texans fan than by pouring salt in the open wound that is the offensive line. Today's Chronicle reveals that Charles Spencer may never play again. Are you freaking kidding me? The left tackle spot on that line is akin to getting diagnosed with Ebola. Heretofore, Kubes should mandate that the starter at left tackle has a daily visit with a shaman to ward off the Curse of Tony Boselli.

Most importantly, this has a huge impact on what the Texans do in the draft. Joe Thomas will probably be gone by the time the Texans pick at No. 8, but what was likely a focal point of the team's draft strategy now has to become the focal point.

Mr. Alder, Please Turn In Your "Expert" License at the Front Desk Immediately

2007-01-02T14:09:00.000-06:00

James Alder, author of the famous Your Guide to Football newsletter and resident draft expert for About.com, has quite the interesting selection predicted for the Texans in the 2007 Draft: Frank Okam. Sure, he has not revised his draft order to reflect the end-of-the-season results, but that's no problem - James had the Texans taking Okam back when they were slated to draft #3 overall.

The possibilities are endless

2007-01-01T21:38:00.000-06:00

1. In a similar story, QB David Carr had his name changed to "Unrestricted Free Agent".

2. In a similar story, CB Dunta Robinson had his name changed to "Blown Coverage".

Actually, Dunta had the line of the day, without question, commenting that he hoped that Domanick W. had his knee replaced at the same time that he had his surname changed out. After watching the first half of the Fiesta Bowl, I'd be happy to see Jared Zabransky change his name to "Texans Starting QB".

Quick Question

2006-12-31T20:09:00.000-06:00

What exactly did the Titans do this season to "give Vince Young a chance to succeed?" I've heard plenty about the Texans' failure to put the tools around David Carr necessary for him to be successful. What tools did Vince get? Ben Troupe? Travis Henry? A lockdown defense? I don't think so. Andre Johnson is a definite #1 WR, right? Domanick Davis was a 1,000 rusher, right? I realize that the line had definite holes and Corey Bradford stinks, but the pantry was not complete empty, was it?

Maybe it's not a fair question. If not, let me know. I'm just not totally convinced that such an injustice was done to DC. Not many first-round QBs are handed the keys to a gassed up Ferrari their first few seasons in the league, basd on the fact that they're being drafted by a team with a bad record the season before. Sure the team had a lot of holes, but my feeling is that a lot of QBs would have fared much better than Carr did under the same set of circumstances.

So David Carr DIDN'T Have a Good Game on Sunday?

2006-12-28T10:13:00.000-06:00

The increasingly readable Jerome Solomon made some great points about the city's much maligned quarterback in his latest blog post. Namely, that everyone trumpeting Carr's performance on Sunday as "flawless" should take a deep breath and watch the game a little closer:

"I watched the Houston-Indianapolis game with an NFL defensive back, and he pointed out several interesting things about Carr's play. Carr checked off his first option perhaps three times in the game. When his first option was covered, he threw the ball away (assuming all of his wildly wayward throws were intentional). Now that could be coaching or game plan or fear ... or all of the above could be one in the same."

Five years into his career, I have to admit that I'm a wee bit concerned that the Texans' starting QB is still apparently incapable of going through his progressions. Memo to Bob McNair: Please take this into account when you're wrestling with D.C.'s future in a few days. And by "wrestling with D.C.'s future," I mean "buying him a bus ticket back to Bakersfield."

Game-Winning Field Goals Get You Noticed

2006-12-28T09:55:00.000-06:00

Funny how that works. Kris Brown has been named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Oh, and some dude who used to play QB for the state's flagship university was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week. I'm just glad that the Texans are set at QB, or else I'd be...what's that? We're NOT set at QB? Crap.

One Less Option To Take Over the Texans QB Job

2006-12-28T09:51:00.000-06:00

Looks like Tampa Bay has eliminated one contender from the pool of free agent candidates that could replace David Carr at QB next season by re-signing Texas Ex Chris Simms. I'm not saying he would have been the best choice, but the Bucs have made Simms' fit with Kubes moot with this move.

Hell Freezes Over: Texans 27, Colts 24

2006-12-26T16:49:00.000-06:00

Even two days after the fact, I still can't believe it. After losing nine (9!) straight (a/k/a every game) to the Indianapolis Colts over the last five (5!) years, your Houston Texans cast off the yoke of their horseshoed oppressors with a rousing last-second victory over Peyton Manning & Co. on Christmas Eve. And you know what? The Texans deserved to win. They were the better team. I almost blacked out from typing that last sentence, but it's the truth. Sure...if the Texans and Colts played 100 times, the Colts would probably win about 98 of them. Yet on one December afternoon, the Texans pulled off the second biggest win in franchise history against a vastly superior team. For a franchise with far, far, FAR more crushing and ugly defeats than victories, this was huge. I'm not ready to anoint it as The Game That Turned Around the Franchise; there's still a good chance the hometown team spits the bit against the Browns on Sunday, a la the final game of what was a promising 2004 campaign. Regardless, it's the first glimmer of substantive improvement we've seen in a good long while, and it's cause for celebration around these parts. Without further ado, a brief holiday recap:

1. RON. FREAKING. DAYNE. 32 carries. 153 yards. 2 TD. The dude was unstoppable. I know that many pundits will attempt to minimize the effort by citing Indy's season-long inability to stop the run, but give the guy his due. Dayne was a machine. I can't believe I'm saying this, but he has to be your starting RB come training camp? Right? Right?

a. Does Dayne's emergence, coupled with Lundy's flashes of promise, mean that the Texans would pass on Adrian Peterson in the draft? It's probably irrelevant, as Peterson should be gone by the time the Texans pick, but it's an awfully interesting question.

b. Scott's text message to me during the game: "More Chris Taylor, please." Very limited touches for the undrafted rookie, but he looked like a dual threat running and catching the ball. Enough to get me to say that Reggie Bush is a poor man's Chris Taylor, anyway.

c. Yes, Battle Screwdriver Day returned to Reliant on Sunday.

2. David Carr has taken a whole lot of heat in every corner of this city for the past several weeks (if not the past two seasons), and it's been mostly deserved. Again, however, give the guy his due. He played a tremendous, mistake-free game. I think it's too little, too late for D.C. in Houston, but his performance on Sunday will surely get coaches and offensive coordinators around the league salivating at his potential once again.

a. I'm going to be awfully pissed if Sunday's game trumps everything else that he's done this season and results in a new vote of confidence from Bob McNair. There's no doubt that Carr is a helluva human being, but one game does not a career make.

3. Andre Johnson quietly passed the 100 catch mark on Sunday. That's just ridiculous. At least he didn't get the Pro Bowl shaft like a certain Texans linebacker that wears No. 59.

4. Hello, Eric Moulds? Are you there? Hello?

5. Really liked what I saw from Kevin Walter (2 catches, 21 yards) on Sunday. He was signed to be the No. 3 WR, but the guy goes weeks at a time without a pass thrown to him, much less an actual catch. You have to think that's more a reflection of the offensive philosophy (a/k/a Kubiak's lack of trust in Carr's decision-making and subsequent shift to a run-heavy gameplan), yet I wonder why he's not a bigger part of the gameplan every week.

6. I'll say it: Thanks for the nightmares, errrrrrrrrr, memories, Jameel Cook. Vonta Leach did more in one start on Sunday than you've done all season. His ability to hold onto the football did not go unnoticed by this observer.

7. Unbelievable game by the offensive line. The run blocking could not have been any better, and Carr usually had plenty of time to throw. Given the ridiculous spate of injuries they've suffered this year, I think this is a testament to Mike Sherman, who should become the offensive coordinator now that Troy Calhoun is taking the Air Force job.

a. Nice to see you, Steve McKinney. What a game!

8. Mario Williams is the greatest defensive end since Reggie White. There, I said it. Sure, maybe I'm overreacting to the HUGE fumble he forced off Dominic Rhodes that was recovered by Anthony Weaver. Sure, maybe I'm more than a little pumped that he displayed his usual freakish athleticism on one foot while disrupting the line of scrimmage. Sure, maybe I'm grasping at straws after VY led another comeback win for the Oilers. But I don't think so.

a. From Peter King's MMQB:

"I think the Texans made the drafting of Mario Williams and DeMeco Ryans look very, very good Sunday. Both were vital in the win over the Colts. 'I don't care how people judge me,' Williams said afterward. "I know I'm a part of building something good for this franchise.' He showed it Sunday."

9. Speaking of DeMeco, he only had eight (8) tackles on Sunday. Guess that Pro Bowl snub was deserved after all (choking on own rage)...

10. The secondary, particularly Dunta Robinson, handled what is quite possibly the best receiving corps in the NFL reasonably well. Sure, they got burned by Marvin Harrison, but they kept Reggie Wayne entirely in check. When some dude named Bryan Fletcher is the second leading receiver for Indy with two catches for 29 yards, you've done your job.

11. Kris Brown is Santa Claus.

a. Game-winning 48 yarder with three seconds left? That's no chip shot. That's clutch, baby.

12. Congratulations to Gary Kubiak and his staff. Great gameplan, great strategy, unbelievable win. The City of Houston thanks you for doing what Dom Capers could never dream of doing...beating the Colts.

13. 6-10 after Sunday's season finale against the Browns, thus TRIPLING last season's victory total? You'd better believe it!

Nick Anderson Takes on David Carr

2006-12-21T14:26:00.000-06:00

It’s just possible that when your local newspaper creates an electronic cartoon mocking your inability to avoid a pass rush or complete a pass that it is pretty likely that the local fans have turned on you and your days as a Houston Texan are numbered. Was it so long ago when he was drafted and Houston fans were excited about the promise of a bright future that David Carr would usher in?

I have to confess I was shocked to see some of the comments posted alongside this cartoon especially this one taking Carr hatred to a geopolitical level:

“If you ask me Carr is about as good at being a quarterback as Bush is at being a president. Carr's career and Bush's presidency are mirrors of each other....filled with mistakes, excuses, denial and both clearly incompetent. The U.S. had the chance to vote Bush out and the Texans could have drafted VY...but no.

The world would have been much better off without Bush and the Texans without Carr. Hey, maybe they are the same incapable person.”

I have to say that I feel sorry for David Carr. He has talent. He seems like a good guy. He treats his family and the City of Houston well (outside of Sundays). He has taken beating after beating and not bad-mouthed the organization or his teammates. Of course football is not about nice guys and family men, it’s about results. Right or wrong…supported with sufficient personnel or not…Carr is the QB and responsibility falls on his shoulders.
Time for a fresh start…and new cartoons…

Also on the News at 6:00 - The Sun is Hot

2006-12-20T13:39:00.000-06:00

The Baseball Prospectus today ranks NL starting pitchers in terms of the "luck" from which they benefited in 2006. Not so surprisingly, the Astros were represented on this list by Wandy Rodriguez, who ranked 24th. BP defines "Luck" for starting pitchers by comparing the number of extra wins and short losses that pitchers earn to his expected record. According to BP, Wandy's pitching was equivalent to a pitcher with a 7-10 record, though he actually recorded a 9-10 record on the season.

Also in the "Sky is Blue" category is the fact that Roger Clemens ranked as the unluckiest Astros SP in 2006. BP's theory is that Clemens "should" have been about 10-3, considerably better than his actual 7-6 mark. One other note - the unluckiest pitcher in the NL? New Astro Jason Jennings, who BP slotted as worthy of a 15-10 record, much more respectable than the 9-13 hand that he drew.

Enough of This Season...Where Will the Texans Draft?

2006-12-20T09:48:00.000-06:00

You know you're a Texans fan when you're analyzing draft position when the majority of teams are fighting for playoff spots. So while everyone else is worrying about division titles and wild card berths, H-Town Sports will take a look at how the other half lives. Actually, the dregs of the NFL this season are comprised of seven (7) teams. Here they are, along with their current record and remaining opponents:

1. Detroit (2-12): CHI, @DAL
2. Oakland (2-12): KC, @NYJ
3. Tampa Bay (3-11): @CLE, SEA
4. Arizona (4-10): @SF, @SD
5. Cleveland (4-10): TB, @HOU
6. Houston (4-10): IND, CLE
7. Washington (5-9): @STL, NYG

And here's my prediction on their final records:

Detroit (2-14)
Oakland (2-14)
Tampa Bay (3-13)
Arizona (4-12)
Cleveland (5-11)
Houston (5-11)
Washington (5-11)

Aside from my admittedly absurd selection of the Texans to defeat the Browns in the season finale, I don't think there's a whole lot of room for debate, given the remaining opponents for each team. Regardless, the Texans should be picking somewhere between fourth and sixth overall come April 28, 2007. And yes, I have already marked my calendar. It's my Super Bowl.

{NOTE--Thanks to reader Bouj, who opined as follows:

"FYI the draft tiebreaker is strength-of-schedule, not head-to-head (so no one can throw games). Under your scenario, the Texans and Cleveland would be close for #6/7 and WAS picks #5, but the edge probably goes to Cleveland because the Texans plays in a strong division. So Houston probably picks 7th unless something weird happens. Incidentally, the Cardinals have a weak SOS. Remember, being bad with a weak SOS gives you a better spot in the draft."

I stand corrected. We can't even lose right.}

City of Houston - Happy Holidays From a Dallas Fan

2006-12-19T16:08:00.000-06:00

I feel your pain, City of Houston. The Houston Texans have struggled this year. Vince Young is playing football for the former Houston Oilers. The Astros off-season moves have made you wonder whether the franchise is secretly run by the Chicago Cubs front office. Trust me...I care about you.

The Holiday Season should be a time of happiness and family where cookies are laid out for Santa Claus, gifts exchanged, and trees glow brightly with all manners of trinkets and lights. For this reason, though I am a Dallas Cowboys fan, I, in the spirit of this Holiday Season, offer to you a few gifts that Houston should recognize and treasure. Consider this a small gesture of goodwill from Dallas Cowboys fans all around the world. In no particular order:

(1) DeMeco Ryans – It cannot be argued that Mr. Ryans was among the greatest steals of this past draft. It is not enough to simply observe that with 135 tackles on the season, Mr. Ryans is currently ranked second among NFL defenders for total tackles and that he is clear favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year Honors. He is, even to an admittedly biased Dallas Cowboys fan, a fantastic talent that should be a Pro Bowl selection this year. The City of Houston should be thankful that the gods of the NFL draft took pity on your hapless program and gave you a man-child that should be the heart and soul of the Houston Texans defense for years to come.

I can only whimsically wonder how the City of Houston would have responded if a certain No. 10 had been drafted with the first pick. Imagine, purely as a hypothetical exercise, a Texans offense led by Vince Young, who would have weapons like Johnson and Moulds at his disposal. It sure would have been swell to have had both the Offensive and Defensive Rookie of Year award winners out of the past draft class as well as a much anticipated playoff spot. Oh well. At least you had Ryans – and he has 136 tackles – wait, he only has 135 - I’m sorry I gave him credit for one extra tackle – I think it must have been the one in overtime he missed as a certain Superman raced 39-yards to glory.

(2) The Concept of the First Down – I am not a particularly well-traveled individual, but I dare say that communities celebrate different things. In some cities, the citizens have a Founder’s Day or a Multi-Culturalism Day. In other cities, sports fans have victory parades honoring the Super Bowl Champions, World Series Champions, or NBA Champions. Of course, the number of championship that are available in a given year is a finite and relatively small number. So, in the case of NFL cities, some less fortunate communities still find a cause for happiness in the touchdown. Pyrotechnics and gaudy electronic graphics salute the team for capping a fine drive. Players will do their dance, Ocho-Cinco style, and coaches will pump their fists into the air knowing that their offense has physically manhandled or skillfully outmaneuvered the opposing defense. Ladies and gentleman, the touchdown is for all intents and purposes an illustration of America’s greatness. God Bless America!

Then, there is the City of Houston, where touchdowns are so scarce that when they occur the casual observer will scoff and treat the event with skepticism like a scientist examining the footprints of the Yeti or a grainy photo of Bigfoot. No, the touchdown might as well be as common an occurrence as Haley’s Comet for the Houston Texans and their fans.

Ladies and Gentlemen, thus I introduce you to the concept of the first down. Yes, the successful movement of a ball ten yards from the original line of scrimmage. Or better yet, by virtue of a penalty. Sure, it doesn’t put points on the board and it won’t make ESPN highlight reels, but beggars can’t be choosers. This Holiday Season, I for one will be thankful that some thoughtful rule-maker in NFL years past crafted up the idea of the first down and gave the City of Houston something to celebrate, if somewhat sparingly, on Sundays. That’s another Houuuuuuston Texxxxaaaaannnnsss...First Doooowwwwnnnn!!!!

(3) Drew Bledsoe – I know you are wondering why I would include Drew Bledsoe among the City of Houston’s gifts this holiday season. It’s simple. Drew Bledsoe is only the reason that certain Houston Texans fans are still alive today. I have a friend, who for the purposes of anonymity I shall refer to as Tim, who was more than a bit distraught with the 34-6 outcome of a certain game on October 15, 2006. I dare say he is a good friend despite his allegiances and as such, I would certainly miss his company should he meet an untimely end. Now, Tim has suggested that at times this year he has come frighteningly close to standing in a full bathtub and dropping a toaster in the water to end the misery that has been the 2006-2007 Houston Texans season. While greatly amused by this mental image, I would never want this to occur, and I am sure that the great City of Houston would not want to lose one of its finest in a fit of Phillip Buchanon inspired depression.

Thus, the City of Houston and I should appreciate the gift that was Drew Bledsoe, because I can only assume that if Tony Romo had been the starting quarterback that fine October day two months ago that the score could have been even more one-sided, and this blog would be almost exclusively the pulpit for Scott and his world views.

Houston, have a safe and wonderful Holiday Season! I hope you all spend a lot of time with your families, because you have no excuse not to. It’s not like you have to travel for a playoff game.

Bittersweet Pro Bowl Announcement for Texans

2006-12-19T15:45:00.000-06:00

Andre Johnson was deservedly named to his second Pro Bowl team today. Despite being handicapped in performance by being paired with a heartless, yet smiling, Nancy of a quarterback on his regular season team, Andre will join Marvin Harrison, Chad Johnson and Reggie Wayne in the AFC's receiving corps.

In a very disappointing turn of events, Texans' rooke sensation DeMeco Ryans will (for now) not participate in the 2007 Pro Bowl, as he was not selected by his peers. The "for now" is included because, inevitably, a handful of invitees will either become injured, intoxicated, indicted, incarcerated or deceased by the time February '07 rolls around. Certainly it's in DeMeco's favor that the Texans are in the same conference as the Bengals, whose representatives are a sure shot to miss the festivities in Maui due to legal obligations. It's quite probable that even though Reggie McNeal wasn't invited, he'll be sure to show up with about 30 seconds left in the game with a laced cigarette and a Glock, ready to get his schwerve on. FYI - Zach Thomas and Al Wilson were the inside linebackers selected to the AFC squad, both of whom are certainly deserving candidates. As best as I can tell, Chicago Bear KR Devin Hester was the only rookie named to a Pro Bowl squad.

Our calls to the National Association of Professional Punters have yet to be returned. We are expecting their office to release a statement shortly concerning the Chad Stanley situation. Despite embarrassing his team the entire season by kicking the ball as if it was a cinder block and his foot was made of wet newspaper, Stanley was somehow still included on the Pro Bowl ballot for punters. That's an injustice of egregious magnitude which surely offended truly professional punters across the world.

The Houston Texans Are The Worst (Expansion) Team of All Time

2006-12-19T10:45:00.000-06:00

John Lopez's column this morning contained this interesting, yet morbidly depressing, statistic:

"The three biggest joke expansion teams in the history of the NFL have been the New Orleans Saints, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Texans.

And of those three, the numbers say the Texans are bringing up the rear in futility, having won just 27.5 percent of their games in their first five years of existence, compared to 28.5 by the Saints over the same span and 28.9 by the Bucs."

Egad. Didn't the Buccaneers once go an entire season without winning a game? And we're worse than them? If I wasn't so hopped up on David Carr's holiday cheer right now, I'd be irate. Not only are the Texans one of the perennial laughingstocks of the NFL, they're the premier laughingstock in NFL history. We're Number One! We're Number One!

David Carr Is Still Smilin'

2006-12-19T10:10:00.000-06:00

It's nice to see that the embattled Texans QB has some semblance of perspective about the true spirit of the holiday season. Carr's right. There are more important things in life than football. Sometimes I forget that. Actually, I seem to forget it every Sunday from September to early January at approximately noon CST. As such, I appreciate ol' D.C. yanking me back into reality.

At the same time, it's fairly infuriating that your franchise QB answers questions about his abysmal play with gems like this:

"Don't let what the Texans are doing, what I'm doing, ruin your Christmas. That's the message I want to send out." [Editor's Note: Well said, Dave. I'll make sure not to drop that toaster in my bathtub on Christmas Eve after the Colts put 50 on the scoreboard, and I am left to wonder how I can be so galactically stupid as to keep renewing my season tickets when the team has made virtually no progress in five years. Yeah, that definitely won't ruin my Christmas. Tra-la-la.]

"That's one of the reasons I do have a smile on my face." [Editor's Note: Newsflash, dude. You're 4-10. You're about to be 4-11. Try to contain your joy.]

"Show up for the Indy game — boo, cheer, whatever you want to do. But at the end of the game, hopefully, we'll put a smile on your face because we're going to play some aggressive football. We're going to play loose, with a smile on our face." [Editor's Note: Whole lot of smiling for someone who's 4-10 this season and hasn't ever won more than seven games in his five years here. And since when did dumping off to the running back on all twelve (12) passing plays become "aggressive football?" Sorry--I'm losing perspective again.]

"I'll have the best holiday ever because I have so many things to be thankful for. We've had a rough stretch these five years. This season hasn't gone the way we wanted it to. But I still have my family, my friends, my boys, my wife. And nothing can take that away, so I'm going to smile." [Editor's Note: Yeah, these last five years (a/k/a the entire life of the franchise) sure have been rough. But I appreciate your perspective about the family. I'll remember that when I'm writing another check in a few months for the privilege of watching you prance around Reliant next year. Sweet Jebus...my eyes are bleeding.]

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a smooth forty point loss on Sunday!

Texans-Colts 12/24/2006 - A Review of the Game

2006-12-18T15:04:00.000-06:00

Thanks to the redundant, miserable monotony that is being a Texans fan, we here at H-Town Sports are happy to be the first media outlet to provide an in-depth review of the Christmas Eve tilt between the Texans and Colts, which the Colts won in a rout. Here's a quick overview:

1. [Choose from: embarrassing, humiliating, uninspired, gutless] performance by the Texans, which has become routine at this point in Year Five.
2. [Choose from: Ron Dayne, Wali Lundy, Chris Taylor, Samkon Gado] looked pretty decent at RB – maybe not a franchise back, but decent production for a [choose from: waiver pickup, 6th round draft pick, undrafted free agent]. If he could do this on a weekly basis, maybe the Texans could address other needs in the 2007 Draft.
3. Morlon Greenwood is better than last year. Maybe he isn’t a disaster after all.
4. DeMeco Ryans [choose from: is a Pro Bowler and future Hall of Famer, may be direct descendant of Christ, makes me forget Dick Butkus, is the new face of the franchise] If he does not win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, there should be riots in the streets.
5. Mario Williams shows considerable promise. He's not Reggie White yet, and his numbers don’t necessarily reflect it, but he sure [choose from: penetrated the line of scrimmage, took on double teams, forced the run game to the opposite side of the field] consistently on Sunday.
6. Chad Stanley clearly has compromising pictures of Joe Marciano and kicks like a handicapped Rockette.
7. Has the shine been tarnished off of any star moreso than Dunta Robinson? He’s regressed significantly this season.
8. Owen Daniels seems to have promise at TE. It’d be nice to see him become more involved in the offense. Of course, it'd be nice if any offensive player became more involved in the offense at this point.
9. News Flash: David Carr [choose from: exhibits no on-field leadership, cannot feel pressure in the pocket, makes terrible decisions, sure took a wallop to the midsection, cannot read defenses, is hated by his coach, cannot possibly be the starting QB next season].
10. Gary Kubiak is still the man, despite all of this mess. He’s going to get this thing turned around and win a lot of games in Houston. Count on it. Oh, and start soon please.
11. I expect Reliant Stadium to be at about 40% capacity this week. I’m going to have to drink heavily to endure this week’s game with [insert opponent here].

Don't You Love Smartass Sportswriters Attempting to Enforce Double Standards?

2006-12-18T13:30:00.000-06:00

Richard Justice had this prose in his column regarding yesterday's execution at Gillette Field:

Afterward, Gary Kubiak said he was the man to blame. No kidding. Don't you love it when the person in charge acts like he's playing the role of martyr by accepting the responsibility for things going south?

What do you think Dick would have said had Kubiak not verbally shouldered the blame for Sunday's debacle? What a snide piece of crap Justice is. The team plays like crap, especially the quarterback, and the coach admits it and takes the blame for it, and Richie takes a cheap at the coach for honesty and candor. Unfortunately, this, of course, is not surprising anymore. Justice is lucky that Kubiak is a classy guy whose focus is on building a winning franchise in Houston; I'd have enjoyed the YouTube footage of Kubes smashing today's sports page across Justice's delicate knuckles in such a fashion that today's crappy column would be Justice's last without the aid of a dictaphone.

The Texans Are Excruciatingly Horrible

2006-12-18T13:23:00.000-06:00

I'm getting a bit sick of beginning every Texans post with something to the effect of "Words cannot describe how pathetic..." But the hometown team hasn't given me much of a reason to deviate from that practice, and yesterday's 40-7 abomination was definitely not the exception to the rule. In fact, after careful consideration, I'm of the opinion that yesterday may well have been the worst game in franchise history. And that's saying a lot for a team that has a lifetime record of 22-56. Despite above-average play from a defense that constantly took the field already in its own territory, the Texans never put forth the slightest bit of evidence that they could compete with the Patriots. Not that anyone thought they'd pull out a win, but the Texans offense didn't even show up. If I wasn't already dead inside from last week's loss to VY & Co., I would be apoplectic. Instead, I'm simply resigned to my fate. Given the team's performance over the last several weeks, I'd be absolutely shocked if Reliant Stadium is at 40% capacity for the remaining games against the Colts (on Christmas Eve) and the Browns (on New Year's Eve). I think the loss to Buffalo on 11/19/06 was the beginning of the end of this season; the Texans haven't put together anything resembling a quality game since then. As a result, the games every Sunday are the equivalent of water torture. A few more thoughts:

1. David Carr threw four (4!) picks and fumbled once. Though the fumble was recovered, I don't think it's possible for Carr to have played any worse. Even if he had run backward out of the Texans' end zone after every snap, shrieking the entire time, before finally falling down into a fetal position and sobbing on the sideline.

a. I'll bet Carr still doesn't see Tedy Bruschi dropping into coverage when he watches the film.

b. The offensive line has played poorly the last few weeks, but Carr's performance is not on them. Bakersfield's Finest is simply beyond done as a Texan.

c. There's no way another team will offer anything, including a complimentary punch to Charley Casserly's face, for Carr this off-season. Assuming another team is even interested, why give up anything when everyone KNOWS the Texans are going to be forced to cut him? Why willingly inherit Carr's contract? The Lions got a freaking sixth round pick for Joey Harrington. The Texans aren't even going to get that for a guy with five (5!) years experience as a starting QB.

d. Memo to Bob McNair: If you have any respect for David Carr at all, don't let the offense get introduced before the last two games of the season. But if you have any love for the fans that are still shelling out hard-earned money for a completely unwatchable product, give the fans a chance to exact a pound of proverbial flesh by booing their "franchise QB" before he leaves town for greener pastures.

2. Every week, it becomes clearer and clearer that Gary Kubiak hates David Carr. Between the ridiculously scaled back playbook and the look of complete rage after every turnover, Kubes may actually want Carr gone even more than the rapidly shrinking fan base.

a. Speaking of Kubes, I still love the guy. Despite everyone laying an egg almost every week, Kubes always willingly takes 100% of the blame to deflect it off the team and coaches. The guy is going to get it done in Houston. Count on it.

3. I guess Andre Johnson and Eric Moulds have entered the witness protection program. Those guys were ghosts yesterday.

4. I still don't think Ron Dayne is an every-down back, but wow. He has carried the offense the last few weeks. Regardless of how the Domanick Davis/Wali Lundy/Chris Taylor thing plays out, I hope Dayne is on the roster next year as a change of pace RB.

5. DeMeco Ryans--another ten (10) tackles. Every Sunday, I can't shake the feeling that we'll be bragging about having watched him play twenty years from now.

6. I'm officially a fan of Morlon Greenwood. And I'm also a confirmed idiot for questioning whether he could be a consistent force. The dude is stringing together nine (9) tackle performances like it's child's play.

7. I get more and more worried about Dunta Robinson's regression every week. He is literally a shell of what he was as a rookie. Was Aaron Glenn really that much of a positive influence on him? Dunta hasn't been the same since the Texans waived Glenn last year.

8. A few guys the Texans passed on in 2005 so they could select Travis Johnson with the 16th pick in the first round: Derrick Johnson (went 15th, but remember that the Texans traded back with the Saints; he was available when they originally picked), Lofa Tatupu (second round pick), Frank Gore (third round pick). I know he's been on injured reserve for a few weeks now, but I sure am glad that Casserly saw something in "The Next Deacon Jones!"

a. Every time I think of DJ, Tatupu, or Gore in a Texans uniform, I die a little inside. And it happens every Sunday, regardless of whether Tr. Johnson actually suits up.

9. Chad Stanley must have compromising photographs of Joe Marciano's family. There's no other explanation for his continued employment with the Houston Texans.

10. I think Peyton Manning could beat the Texans with residents from a local retirement home lining up at WR on Sunday. It's going to be the equivalent of getting dog poop in our collective Christmas stocking. Happy Holidays, H-Town!

Don't Count on ESPN Telling You This...

2006-12-18T11:44:00.000-06:00

...but Reggie Bush had a grand total of 33 "all-purpose yards" against the Redskins yesterday: seven carries for 14 yards, five catches for 19 yards and zero return yards.

Bush's best game on the ground was in Week One against Cleveland (67 yards), and the #2 overall pick has had exactly three games on the season with more than 50 yards rushing (average 30 yards per game). Five of his six TDs (83%) and 256 of his 706 yards receiving (36%) came in his two outstanding performances against San Francisco and Dallas in Weeks 13 and 14, respectively. Take out those two games, and Bush has averaged 2.97 yards per carry, 28.75 yards rushing per game, 5.75 catches for 37.5 yards per game and 0.083 TDs per game. Don't forget that this has been with Joe Horn and Marques Colston at receiver, Deuce McAllister in the backfield and Drew Brees behind center. Are you sure that Bush's impact on the Texans' offense would have been all that noticeable?

Wow - Now Who Saw THAT Coming?

2006-12-17T20:28:00.000-06:00

If nothing changes, and I mean immediately, then Texans' fans should boycott the game Sunday against Indy. Five times this season, the Texans have not even resembled a competitive team, the latest being today. The team as a whole showed fight and desire, looking determined to bounce back from last week's devastating loss to the Vinces. The whole team, that is, except for the most important player on the team - the starting QB, who looked scared, defeated, inept and emotionless.

The defense played pretty well, considering the Patriots' field position all day long. Chad Stanley should get be cut immediately. He's been terrible not just for a few games, but for months. It makes no sense whatsoever that he is still on the roster. Hold open tryouts. Hell, hold open tryouts for season ticket holders. Toro could lineup to kick and experience similar results.

As much as I like Kubes, he deserves some blame as well, and not just for betraying the 52 non-starting QBs on his gameday roster by refusing to bench Carr for his incomprehensibly bad performance. The Texans continue to be whistled for penalties that cause announcers around the league to reach cluelessly for their rule books. Junior high co-ed teams do not make these plays - lining up wrong, too many players on the field, etc.

Finally, there's David Carr. There's nothing to say. His protection was bad at points, something that all NFL QBs expereience at different points throughout their games, but Carr's turnovers were flat out inexcusable and had absoutely nothing to do with bad pass protection. Rich Gannon, for the second time this season, did a masterful job of describing what Carr was not doing - not leading his receivers, not anticipating receivers breaking open, not stepping up into the pocket, not sniffing out the rush or failing to get a pass clear of the defensive line. You name it, Carr didn't do it. Why was Carr not benched? The only rational excuse that I can come up with is that Kubes was attempting to send Bob McNair a message. No matter how nice, now matter how "tough", Carr must go. Bradlee Van Pelt could have been signed during the second quarter and bet his signing bonus on the Pats; he could not possibly have been worse than Carr. With a merely average NFL QB today, the Texans would have been in this game thanks to Ron Dayne and the Texans' defense. With Carr at the helm, they were murdered for sixty consecutive minutes.

What about next week against Indy? To me, the only legitimate option is to essentially open the QB job up for one week of practice. Four days of practice - the best QB in practice this week plays on Sunday. Odds are that the stands will be about 40% full, at best, but to send Carr back on on Christmas Eve as if nothing has changed would be an insult to the paying customer. Come out Monday morning and tell the community that you are giving them a reason to show up. Tell your defense that you are respecting their effort by playing the best QB on the roster, regardless of seniority or contract status, because you want their outstanding efforts to be rewarded with a chance to actually be in a football game. There is no other option.

- Yao Ming is the most dominant player in the NBA right now. Kobe is the most electric, LeBron the most talented, but no player in the NBA is having an impact on every game in which he plays like The Great Wall. In the best of scenarios, T-Mac's back flare-up has allowed Bonzi a chance to get into JVG's good graces and into the normal rotation, which will certainly benefit the Rockets through the remainder of the season.

- QB for next season? How about Jeff Garcia? He'll be a free agent, and I'd hand him a two-year contract and the starting QB job in a heartbeat.

Thanks, Baggy

2006-12-15T14:49:00.000-06:00

In a move that has been expected for months, Jeff Bagwell finally announced his retirement today. Career stats?

.297 BA
449 HR
1,529 RBI

Them's Cooperstown numbers, but perhaps Baggy's greatest influence has been on the Astros organization itself. Along with Craig Biggio, he established what is widely considered to be the most professional clubhouse in all of baseball. The example he set for countless young Astros of playing hard and keeping your mouth closed cannot be overstated, and it's no coincidence that Drayton McLane called him the heartbeat of the franchise. Bottom line is that Bagwell's play, class, and character made a whole generation of people fans of the Houston Astros. There aren't many players in any sport that you can say that about. We were exceedingly lucky to have watched the man ply his trade for fifteen years, and it'll be a crime if #5 isn't retired at Minute Maid on Opening Day. Thanks for the memories, Bags.

Finally, God Tosses Astros Fans A Bone!

2006-12-15T13:49:00.000-06:00

It's been a rough week here in Astros country. A deal for Jon Garland falls through. Andy Pettitte takes his act back from whence he came. The 'Stros acquire Jason Jennings, who doesn't have a contract past this season, for their starting centerfielder and two of the best young arms in their organization. But just when things looked the darkest, a beam of sunlight bursts through.

That's right, H-Town! The Rooster signed with the Rockies! Oh, happy day! Christmas came early for every Astros fan today. And what does Colorado's director of player development think about his newest acquisition?

"He was in the World Series not long ago, but did not have a very good year last year," Gustafson said.

Uh, Marc? Normally, I might comment on how you maybe should have looked at a bit more tape, but I won't. I'm just so damn happy that you took Gas Can off T-Poo's hands. I mean, you have to think that this was part of the Jennings deal, right? As in, "No Hirsh unless you agree to sign Gallo too." Brilliant. T-Poo has taken some heat for his bold moves this off-season, but I happen to think the Rockies may have just rendered his reign a success, no matter how the 'Stros do next year.

Purpura Refuses to Cease Attempting to Destroy Astros

2006-12-12T17:02:00.000-06:00

We will surely go into greater detail tomorrow, but Tim Purpura proved today that he's nothing if not persistent. Refusing to be stopped from adding an expensive, mediocre arm to the Astros' rotation, Purpura consummated a deal with the Rockies sending Jason Hirsh, Taylor Buchholz and Willy Taveras to Denver in exchange for Jason Jennings and Miguel Ascencio.

My quick impression? Jennings must have seen the news that Gil Meche, Ted Lilly, Jason Marquis and Vicente Padilla are all breaking the bank this offseason, and as a result, I would not expect him to do the Astros any favors when negotiations commence for a contract extension beyond this season (Jennings is a free agent at the end of this coming season). If Jennings does in fact choose to stay in Houston long-term and pitches well, this deal could be just fine for Houston. However, if he commands $12M+ for a long-term deal or if he leaves town come the end of the year, the odds of this deal working out well for the Astros are abysmal. More tomorrow...off to Toyota Center. The way this week's going, Tim may be right...I expect to see Yao in handcuffs in the parking lot pre-game.

MLB Non-Tender Deadline is Here

2006-12-12T15:16:00.000-06:00

Today is the deadline by which MLB teams must decide whether or not to offer a contract for 2007 to arbitration-eligible players. Baseball Prospectus mastermind Joe Sheehan highlights the Astros' situation in particular in his column today, which as always, I highly recommend.

Sheehan suggests that Mike Lamb, Morgan Ensberg and Brad Lidge present interesting dilemmas for the Astros at this deadline because they have performed well in the past but are coming off of disappointing seasons (especially Ensberg and Lidge). As Sheehan writes about Lidge:

To get an idea of the thought process, consider what would happen if the Astros were to non-tender Lidge. His arbitration salary will likely be between $5 million and $8 million. (The broad range is one reason teams non-tender players; they don’t like the uncertainty.) If Lidge were to go on the market, though, he'd be in line for a multi-year deal, most likely at $7 million or more. Danys Baez isn’t nearly as good as Lidge is, and he got three years, $19 million from the Orioles. That's the absolute floor for Lidge.

As Sheehan points out in his piece, the skyrocketing free agent market makes it nearly impossible for a team to let a player of any consequential value walk at today's deadline. Sheehan compares Lidge to Danys Baez, who signed a three year, $19M contract with the Orioles this offseason, and rightly suggests that Lidge would attract offers much, much greater than Baez's deal if he hit the open market. Sheehan also writes that in years past, the Astros could have chosen to keep either Ensberg or Lamb, but not both. This year, thanks to the inflated salaries and the Astros' abysmal offense, the Astros will likely cling on to every bat within their grasp, meaning that it would be quite surprising for Ensberg or Lamb to be non-tendered at today's deadline. The consequence would be that the Astros would have to out-bid other teams for another hitter's services, a feat that already resulted in one of the most outrageous free agent deals in the history of baseball, Carlos Lee's new deal with Houston.

Tomorrow's Lead: HBU Economics Professor Teaches Van Gundy the Pick and Roll

2006-12-12T14:56:00.000-06:00

Neat idea by David Barron in the lead story on the front page of today's Chronicle - writing about the incredibly somber mood of the City after Sunday's Vince-trosity at Reliant Stadium. I know that I was among many Texans fans who were dragging a bit yesterday morning, and as Barron noted, sports talk radio hit even newer lows in terms of fan morale. But for some real, in-depth football analysis, Barron provided this gem of an outtake:

"Young was terrible. He should have had at least two or three more passes intercepted. And on the touchdown run, he wasn't touched by a single defender. It was a total defensive breakdown," said University of Houston sociology professor Russell Curtis."

I'm admittedly not much of a sociologist, but my thesis is that VY may in fact deserve a bit of the credit for making it to the end zone untouched, Russell. I wonder how Russell would categorize David Carr's performance on Sunday, given that DC did complete an impressive 73.9% of his pass attempts compared to Young's 65.5%. According to his website, Russell has done some study in the areas of substance abuse and concentration issues. In that light, I'd like to respectfully suggest that Russell put down the crack pipe and re-watch that football with a more attentive mind. He may be surprised at the resulting enlightenment.

The Latest Kick to the Collective Groin of H-Town

2006-12-11T14:37:00.000-06:00

Did anyone who ever watched Vince Young play at Madison or Texas have ANY doubt that he was going to win yesterday's game against the Texans? No way. It was a done deal the minute he stepped onto the turf at Reliant. The guy just wins. And if there was a more fitting way to rip the heart out of his hometown than by scrambling nearly forty yards for the game-winning touchdown in overtime, I don't know what it is.

As Scott so eloquently posted below, this was a terrible weekend to be a fan of Houston sports. The only thing that could have made it worse would have been Yao or Berkman getting arrested. I'm not sure I would have gotten out of bed today if not for the Horns upsetting LSU at the Toyota Center last night. That's really the only thing that kept me from dropping a radio in the bathtub.

I just feel defeated. Spent. Crushed. I really need to take up a hobby, because the Texans are taking years off my life. Nevertheless, a brief review of the latest loss that made me question the existence of a kind and merciful God:

1. David Carr didn't lose the game. That's because Kubiak won't give him the opportunity to do so. I do not see any way that D.C. is a Texan next year. It's patently clear that Kubes doesn't trust him, and it looks like the two of them are just playing out the string until they can make a clean break in the off-season. It's like a bad marriage.

a. The line of scrimmage is back there, Dave. Please don't throw/shovel/pitch/drop the football after you cross it.

2. Another nice game for Ron Dayne. That's two in a row. Most franchises wouldn't celebrate consecutive solid outings from their running back, but that's stop-the-presses type stuff here. And people wonder why I'm so bitter.

3. Yet another great effort from Morlon Greenwood (10 tackles and a forced fumble). He has transformed from contractual albatross to solid starter.

4. DeMeco Ryans had another 14 tackles. I wish he played QB.

5. Super Mario didn't fill up the stat line, but it's fun to watch offenses run away from his side. The guy is a monster.

a. It's not Mario's fault that he's not Vince. I wish people would stop holding that against him.

6. Petey Faggins was dynamite, coming up big with a forced fumble and VY's only pick of the day. I'm still not sold on him as a starting corner though.

7. Nice game from Kris Brown.

8. Another bad game by Chad Stanley. How has he gotten so much worse since last year?

9. Vince Young rules.

10. New England is going to destroy the Texans on Sunday. I just hope no one gets hurt.

The Weekend from Hell

2006-12-11T10:43:00.000-06:00

Andy Pettitte bails for the Evil Empire, apparently because the Astros were comfortable enough with the state of their current starting rotation that they felt that an additional $2M and a player option for 2007 was too hefty of a price to pay to retain a solid #2 starting pitcher (in addition to, more than likely, the pitcher who had the best ERA in MLB each of the past two season). Saturday night in DC, Tracy McGrady landed funny while defending a three-pointer and had to be taken straight to the locker room with back spasms. And then there's yesterday's event at Reliant Stadium, which I was forutnate enough to attend in person.

Theories abound as to why David Carr's option was picked up in early 2006, rendering the glorious thought of VY donning the Battle Red and Deep Steel Blue nothing more than a pipe dream. My personal belief, for what it is worth, is that Bob McNair told his football people that he did not want to start all over again at QB four years into the franchise's existence and that he believed in the first and only face of the franchise, David Carr. McNair first asked Dan Reeves and then (and most importantly) Gary Kubiak to confirm for him that David Carr was salvageable, and as we hear and read daily, there were plenty of reasonable excuses that could be made for David's lack of production during his first four years. Kubes, eager to please his boss and show his Midas touch with quarterbacks, agreed that there was enough to work with to keep Carr around, such that the #1 overall pick could be used to fill another of the Texans' gaping holes. Thus, VY was never an option for the Texans. That's how I think the story unfolded. But really, who cares at this point.

Then came Sunday, the 10th (ouch) of December, 2006. VY showed yesterday that miracles can apparently happen. A single player, without the benefit of any All-Pro caliber complementary players on his side of the ball, can make plays (in his rookie season, no less) that change the entire attitude of the franchise and win football games for an otherwise mediocre football team. The argument by Carr apologists for keeping Carr around as starting QB has generally been that he has not had a chance to succeed because the parts around him have not been properly put into place. That argument is inherently flawed, and VY's performance yesterday is Exhibit A. Quarterbacks that win championships in the NFL carry their teams on their backs. They do not come with a caveat that above-average talent will be required at every other offensive position in order for them to be successful. Instead, real NFL QBs raise the level of their teammates' play on their own. They do not require coddling, special circumstances or extra coaching. They simply have an innate ability to rise to the occasion, to put points on the board when their team need them most, and that's precisely what VY did at Madison High School, at the University of Texas and now for the Tennessee Titans. On several plays yesterday, when VY's receivers were covered, he released the ball on a downfield pass ahead of the receiver making a cut, allowing the team to move the ball downfield a considerable distance. Carr has NEVER done that on a consistent basis. Instead, Carr's only viable options in the passing game are guys who are wide-open in space, and since the Texans do not have five Jonathan Ogdens on their O-line, they cannot provide Carr with the ten seconds necessary for a Texans' WR to get five yards of space at least fifteen yards downfield.

It was clear to all of us who had the joy of watching VY play in college that he was a special player, but the Texans chose to go a different direction in the draft. Clearly, that was a mistake. All is not lost, as Mario shows signs of promise and the rest of the draft class has performed quite admirably upon being thrust into the lineup during their rookie seasons. The biggest problem now is two-fold, however: (a) Carr has not progressed, such that the starting QB slot will remain an issue heading into Season (FREAKING) Six; and (b) this year's draft and free agent class is not exactly brimming with strong candidates to replace him. Over the next few months, we will surely analyze each potential candidate to replace DC and argue which direction is best for the franchise, but none of them will provide the production, the buzz and the wins that VY is sure to bring to the city of Nashville for years to come.

Is all lost? Certainly not. However, the Texans cannot afford to miss another slam-dunk the next time it presents itself, and for the sake of its loyal fan base, I certainly hope that opportunity is soon because with each passing day, the dreams of "what might have been" hurt worse and worse. Remember, this time last year, the Texans were without Mike Flanagan, Mario Williams, Owen Daniels, Eric Moulds, DeMeco Ryans, Sage Rosenfels and Anthony Weaver, to name a few. The ball is in Rick Smith's court; the Texans need another 2006-type offseason in 2007. If Smith and his team can add another six starters this offseason, especially in the secondary, in the offensive backfield and on the defensive line, the team will continue to grow, and success will come sooner rather than later. VY would certainly have been nice, but he's not coming anytime soon, and beating him twice a year will now have to become our saving grace. I'm personally excited to see how this new regime handles itself during the offseason, and if they continue the trend of last season's draft and free agent period, beating VY could come sooner than the rest of the nation would have you think.

Seems like a nice time for...

2006-12-11T09:54:00.000-06:00

...this May 1, 2006 post to be unburied:

An Open Letter to Vince Young.

Dearest Vincent-

By now, you are likely taking a few days of well-deserved rest after the insanity of the NFL Draft. At the outset of this missive, allow us to congratulate you. Your accomplishments on the collegiate level have led to you being the third player taken overall in the entire draft. Kudos to you. You deserve it. You brought great joy to us throughout your time at Madison High School and the University of Texas, and we look forward to watching you on the next level.

Of course, we're not very excited about your new employer. As you know, your boss left us (and that includes you, fellow Houstonian) high and dry some nine years ago. We're fairly certain Bud Adams is the spawn of Lucifer and selected you purely to spite an entire city. Indeed, one can almost imagine him cackling maniacally, turning toward Reliant Stadium, and extending two middle fingers skyward before telling his minions to take "that Vance Youngblood feller." If you wanted to push him down a flight of stairs at the Oilers' training facility in Nashville, that'd be fine by us. Hell, it'd just add to your legend. We're pretty sure it would result in you getting the Bagwell and Biggio treatment outside Reliant Stadium, thus breaking their record of "fastest time to be immortalized in bronze during an active career."

Although we must now be on opposite sides in the AFC South, please rest assured that we will be rooting for your success fifty out of every fifty-two weeks of the year. And if you don't mind, take a knee a couple of times a game if you see Mario Williams in your vicinity. Dude's gonna need to pad those sack statistics to keep us from calling him Mike Mamula II.

Very Truly Yours,
The City of Houston

P.S. Feel free to sign a short contract with the Oilers. We're probably going to be looking for a QB in a couple of years.

The Hits Just Keep On Comin' from T-Poo

2006-12-09T12:01:00.000-06:00

I'm still in a state of shock over Pettitte's departure. How McLane failed to see the impact that this would have on his team is beyond my comprehension. The rotation now consists of Roy Oswalt, ________, __________, Woody Williams, and _________. Given Lefty's return to the Bronx, you have to think that one of those blanks won't be filled with "Roger Clemens." This was just a terrible, terrible move on every level.

And to add insult to injury, it appears the sage of the 'Stros bullpen, Russ Springer, has agreed to terms with St. Louis. I've never been enamored with Springer's stuff, but he was pretty solid in middle relief and always took the ball. And I love the guy for throwing at Bonds last season. Most importantly, the younger guys in the pen looked up to him for guidance, and all of them raved about Springer's professionalism. How McLane and T-Poo would let this guy walk for $1.75 million is merely the latest disgrace. They're making it awfully hard to be an Astros fan right now.

Unbelievable--Pettitte Signs With Yanks!

2006-12-08T15:14:00.000-06:00

Sweet Jebus:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sportsd/4389076.html

If what Hendricks says is true, this is one of the worst decisions in the history of the Houston Astros organization. I just...I can't believe this. You're really going to let Andy Freaking Pettitte (and Roger Clemens, by the way) walk over $2 mil? Are you kidding me?

What a fine way to go into the weekend. First this, then Vince comes back to kick the Texans in the teeth. Why have you forsaken me, Lord?

Jesus In Cleats Returns: Pre-Game Thoughts

2006-12-08T13:25:00.000-06:00

The moment I've been dreading for almost eight (8) months is finally upon us. Native hero Vincent Paul Young, Jr. returns to his hometown to compete against the hometown team that shunned him after he won a national championship at the state's flagship university. Oh, and he's leading the team that left Houston for Nashville to boot. In a season that has been short on big games and national stories concerning the Texans, this is the exception to the rule.

The Chronicle has hosted quite a debate, more or less led by the great John McClain, about how fans should treat Vince's return. McClain has written extensively on this subject; I'm not going to link to all of the stories he's penned, but rest assured they are easily found or linked to at his blog on the Chronicle website (http://blogs.chron.com/nfl/). McClain thinks that anyone who roots or cheers for VY isn't a true Texans fan. While I appreciate his stance, I don't agree with it. Vince brought the State of Texas its first college football national championship in thirty-five (35) years. He became the face of a national program, a city, and a state. He gave me the most joyous sports-related moment of my young life in Pasadena, California on January 4, 2006. His postgame dance during the trophy presentation is one that every Texas fan should attempt to recreate at some time in his life. So I'll be damned if I'm not going to cheer for him. That doesn't make me any less of a Texans fan. But does that mean I'm cheering for Bud Adams or the Oilers? Hell no it doesn't.

I will stand, clap, and yell for VY in pre-game introductions. I owe him that.

I will sit silently when/if Carr is introduced. Not because I'm not a Texans fan, but because he has given me nothing to cheer about for several weeks. As much as I might want to, I won't boo him.

Will I cheer for every Vince run, pass, or TD? No, I will not. I will merely sit in my seat, crestfallen, as I dream of what could have been had Houston drafted him.

For that matter, will I cheer for any Titans play? Absolutely not. They are owned and operated by Bud Adams, this city's version of Art Modell. You know, if we were Cleveland. Which we might as well be, what with the horrible football team and all.

Will I continue to cheer for every Texans play? Without a doubt. As much as I'd like say I can sit ambivalently and protest the direction of the franchise with my silence, it's just not in me. I'll be as ridiculously excited as I always am after a DeMeco hit, a Mario sack, or an Andre catch. I can't help that. It's in my soul. And thanking Vince for all that he's done for my fanaticism with some cheering before the game does not change that devotion one iota.

Plus, I honestly do believe the Texans are on the right track. McNair & Co. might have screwed up by passing on Vince, but Mario Williams is a helluva consolation price if they did. Additionally, the 2006 Draft gave us DeMeco Ryans, Eric Winston, Charles Spencer, and Owen Daniels. That's five (5) likely starters pulled from one draft. As much as I'd like to see Vince Young wearing a Texans uniform while making the opposition miss for the next ten years, I will state that I'm happy with the direction of the team.

That said, we're going to lose. It'll probably be close, but I fully expect VY to account for a minimum of 300 yards of total offense in leading the Oilers to victory. The Titans are essentially playing a home game on the road by virtue of their QB; the cheers for him will actually provide the visiting team with an edge. You don't see that every day, and I think Houston's favorite son will reward that lovefest with a win. I hope I'm wrong.

This is the Kind of Column that Bad Columnists Write

2006-12-08T10:04:00.000-06:00

Renowned baseball writer D. Justice had this analysis of the rumored trade proposal between the Chicago White Sox and the Houston Astros, which according to Justice consisted of Wily Taveras, Jason Hirsh and Taylor Buchholz going to the Sox in exchange for Jon Garland:

"[The proposed trade] was a huge, smart one. [Purpura] was going to get White Sox righthander Jon Garland for Willy Taveras, Taylor Buchholz and Jason Hirsh. That's the kind of deal good general managers make. It's one that makes sense but also has risks.

Purpura could look bad if Hirsh becomes a star, if Taveras continues to get better and if someone in the White Sox organization can get Buchholz straightened out.

On the other hand, he'd be getting Garland, a 27-year-old pitcher who has averaged 216 innings the last three seasons and gone 36-17 the last two. He also has a reasonable contract — $22 million the next two seasons."

Let's take a look for ourselves, and if you don't mind, I'm going to go just a tad bit more in-depth than ol' Dicky decided to go in his feature column today.

Jon Garland: One thing he does is eat innings - an average of 33 starts and 206 innings pitched over each of the past five seasons. A couple of things are constant: he gives up hits (10.52/9 IP last season, 9.31 for his career) and baserunners (1.38 career WHIP, 3.07 BB/9 IP) and he does not miss many bats (4.89 K/9 IP for his career). Those are not numbers indicative of a solid #2 or #3 starting pitcher. But like Wandy, he wins games, right? Give me a break, Justice. Garland's a below-average #3 and a decent #4 for a good team. Comparables from Baseball Reference include Paul Byrd, Cory Lidle and El Duque. That's not very elite company. Garland is due to make $10M in 2007 and $12M in 2008.

Jason Hirsh: Last year's PCL Pitcher of the Year and 2005's Texas League Pitcher of the Year, credentials are certainly not lacking for Mr. Hirsh. During 2005 and 2006 between stints at AA and AAA, Hirsh allowed about 6.6H/9IP, struck out about 8 per 9 IP and walked 2.5 per 9 IP, with a 26-10 record and an ERA in the mid-2.00's. He was inconsistent last season for the big league club, but he did put together a nice stretch of four consecutive starts between August 27 and September 16, going at least six innings and allowing two runs or less each time out. Obviously, Hirsh is a much cheaper option than Garland with a very impressive minor-league pedigree, though his makeup has been questioned at times by Astros' management.

Taylor Buchholz: As I mentioned in a post yesterday, during his major-league debut season in 2006, Buchholz posted lower H/9 (8.52) and WHIP (1.25) than Garland and struck out batters at a higher rate (6.13/9 IP). He did have a proclivity for giving up the long ball, which crushed his ERA (5.89). Buchholz did just turn 25 years old in October, and he did not have such an inability to keep the ball in the park in the minor leagues. Comments have been made consistently by Astros' hitters about the nastiness of Buchholz's stuff, and such nastiness was exhibited on several occasions last season, including a pair of shutout stints against the Texas Rangers. He does have a history of injuries, but his peripheral numbers seem to indicate that he is quite capable of posting a 4.50 ERA or better given a chance to develop in the Astros' rotation.

I'm not going to break down Willy Taveras, mostly because I don't have a problem at all with giving up Taveras for the right package in return (which does NOT include packaging him with two solid young pitchers for an average #4 starter, by the way). Willy's OBP and plate discipline, to me, are simply not good enough to make his speed as dangerous as it could be. With Everett and Ausmus seemingly locked in for the duration and Biggio certainly sliding offensively, CF is a position that the Astros desperately need to upgrade (calling Vernon Wells), so I could not care less if Taveras is dealt. If dealing Taveras puts Chris Burke in the everyday lineup in 2007, then I am fine with it, though there will likely be a relatively considerable defensive dropoff.

Houston Astros' fans deserve a much more accurate and in-depth analysis of such a "huge" trade, as Justice calls it. The fact is that Garland stands to make about 2000% more money than Hirsh and Buchholz will combined over the next two seasons, and the chances are good that Buchholz and/or Hirsh could post similar, if not better numbers, if they are slotted in the rotation and developed properly by new pitching coach Dave Wallace. This is a terrible trade from the Astros' perspective, and the White Sox should be cursing their GM for not closing the deal on what would have been a heist for the Sox. As for Justice, sadly I am not surprised that he was unable to take an objective look at this trade, as he has shown for years now that emotional rants and baseless rhetoric are the only style of writing styles of which he is capable. He does not have the time or the attention span to engage in critical thinking, and that is a real loss for this teams' fans. Richie, this is not a deal that "good GMs make"; it's a deal that gets bad GMs fired.

Accountability Is Waaaaaaay Overrated at the Chronicle

2006-12-08T09:46:00.000-06:00

After "breaking" yesterday's story that the 'Stros had called a press conference to announce the acquisition of Jon Garland, Jose de Jesus Ortiz has reneged in a big way:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4387786.html

It bugs the hell out of me that the town's only major newspaper was reporting that the deal was done when it clearly wasn't. In fact, the talk now is that the deal may be dead entirely. In that vein, Richard Justice confirmed that the proposed trade was indeed Hirsh, Buchholz, and Taveras for Garland:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/justice/4387865.html

As I posted yesterday, that's a helluva lot to give up for Garland. If T-Poo doesn't believe that Hirsh or Buchholz will ever be more than a bottom-of-the-rotation arm, then make the deal. But we've been led to believe that Hirsh and/or Buchholz are the future studs of the big squad. And if the deal means that Andy Pettitte heads to New York, I'm fervently against it. I think Pettitte is better than Garland, and you'd better believe that any prayer of The Katy Rocket returning goes up in smoke if his buddy Lefty isn't at Union Station.

You Know You Want It

2006-12-07T17:17:00.000-06:00

How about...a BEN ZOBRIST UPDATE!!!

Zobrist was third in the Arizona Fall League in batting average, hitting .366 in 27 games, with an OBP of .469 and a nice SLG of .515. According to Baseball America, he also was six players nominated for the 2006 Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award, which is handed out to the AFL player who "best exemplifies unselfishness, hard work and leadership".

AFL players from the Astros:

Mark McLemore: 2-0, 4.76 ERA, 17 IP, 13 H, 8 BB, 16 K, 1.24 WHIP
Matt Albers: 0-1, 3.94 ERA, 16 IP, 14 H, 6 BB, 9 K, 1.25 WHIP
Troy Patton: 2-0, 4.80 ERA, 15 IP, 12 H, 8 BB, 17 K, 1.33 WHIP
Chad Reineke: 1-1, 6.39 ERA, 12.2 IP, 16 H, 6 BB, 15 K, 1.74 WHIP

UPDATE--No Garland After All?

2006-12-07T12:48:00.000-06:00

SI.com's Jon Heyman reports that the proposed deal that would bring Jon Garland to Houston fell through after Taylor Buchholz failed his physical. The most interesting part of this story? Heyman reports that the Astros were going to give up Buchholz, Taveras, AND Hirsh for Garland. That's completely different from what Jose Ortiz was reporting. And it's an absolute ton to give up for a dude with a 4.51 ERA. This is making my head spin.

BREAKING NEWS--Astros to Acquire Garland?

2006-12-07T10:30:00.000-06:00

Wow! Nothing's been announced yet, but this is freaking huge. I'm speechless. Garland would be a big-time acquisition, though one has to wonder if his 4.51 ERA will skyrocket at Minute Maid while simultaneously wondering if he'll benefit from getting to face NL line-ups that are devoid of DHs. Assuming what's being reported is accurate, you hate to give up Willy T., but I'm fine with sending Taylor Buchholz to Chicago. All things considered, I'd have to think this is a great deal for the Astros.

The biggest issue, of course, is whether this affects the 'Stros efforts to sign Andy Pettitte. As an Astros fan, you'd have to hope not. But Uncle Drayton might not be too geeked about committing to another $12,000,000.00 to $14,000,000.00 for Lefty. Interesting to see how this story develops...

Rule V Draft - Astros take Cubs Minor League Pitcher

2006-12-07T09:31:00.000-06:00

Picking 17th in the major league edition of the Rule V Draft this morning, the Astros selected RHP Lincoln Holdzkom from the Chicago Cubs farm system. Jim Callis of Baseball America was among those broadcasting the Rule V Draft live from Orlando on XM Radio this morning, and he described Holdzkom as having a live arm with shaky control and as a guy who has a reasonable shot of sticking with the big-league club. Holdzkom moved from Rookie ball to High-A and up to Double-A last year in the Cubs organization, making 18 apperances at Double-A West Tennessee and posting a 1.95 ERA. In 206 minor-league innings, Holdzkom has a 2.62 ERA and 237 Ks opposed to 111 BB and only 6.24 H/9. The most amazing number? According to the Baseball Cube, Holdzkom has NEVER given up a home run in the minors. I'll try to get confirmation of that seemingly impossible number somewhere else. Smells a little bit like Chad Harville did a few years back, but hopefully for Astros' fans, Lincoln will prove a better fit. With Russ Spinger gone, there is certainly a hole in the pen for someone to fill.

The Rule V Draft allows teams to pay $50K to pluck a minor-leaguer from another team's roster who has not yet been added to that organization's 40-man roster. Determining when a player is eligible to be selected in the Rule V Draft if he has not yet been added to the 40-man roster depends on the player's age at the time that he originally signed his professional contract. The team that selects a player in the Rule V Draft must keep that player on its 25-man major league roster for the full length of the following season or else the team who lost him in the Draft has the right to buy him back for $25K. The Astros did not lose any players to other teams in this year's Draft.

Other notable selections include Joakim Soria, a Padres righty who was selected by Tampa Bay and then sold to Oakland. Soria is 22 years old and pitched in Low-A last season but has had a splendid winter in the Mexican League and Josh Hamilton, the former #1 overall pick by Tampa Bay who has been plagued with injury and drug abuse issues, who was selected by the Chicago Cubs. However, the guys at Baseball America point out that Hamilton will apparently be traded by the Cubs to the Cincinnati Reds. This seems like a very low risk move for the Reds with a potentially limitless positive payoff.

This Is a Bit Off-Putting...

2006-12-06T09:29:00.000-06:00

Is this really what you want to hear from your franchise QB, presumably in response to a question about one of the worst performances in his career (in this case, the game at Nashville where he was yanked after fumbling twice and throwing a pick into quadruple coverage)?

"I remember that game vividly — every snap," Carr said. "I remember the way the grass tasted, the way it was in the stadium, everything. And I won't forget that. I'll be ready to go."

Yeah, we're definitely in good hands with ol' D.C. I don't know much, but I know Sunday will be another Battle Screwdriver Day. As a show of solidarity with my QB, I'm going to ask the good people at Reliant to sprinkle some grass clippings in my drinks.

DeMeco Gets His Props

2006-12-06T09:18:00.000-06:00

Franchise stalwart DeMeco Ryans has been named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl//4382284.html

Makes sense, considering the guy did everything but drive the team bus to the stadium. And this is even more impressive when you remember that Ryans is just a rookie. It's pretty easy to forget that when he's flying around the field making plays every week. How he lasted until the second round of the draft is one of the great mysteries of the universe.

In other news, David Carr still makes me want to jump off a tall building. More on this later, but I have no doubt that Vince Young is going to make Sunday's game very, very ugly for the hometown team.

I've Finally Had It

2006-12-04T16:20:00.000-06:00

December 3, 2006. That's the day I finally came to grips with David Carr's tenure as a Texan. That's the day I finally realized that the Texans won't win a Super Bowl with Carr at the helm. I have defended him throughout his entire career, but I'm done now. Fin. And why? Because it's clear to me now that Gary Kubiak is done with him. Kubes doesn't trust him any further than he can throw him. Witness the play-calling in the second half, immediately after Bakersfield's finest had fumbled the ball away twice on the two previous possessions. Kubes only had Carr throw three (3!) times in the entire second half. No one, and I mean no one, does that if he has even the slightest amount of faith in his QB. The run was working, sure, but even Ron Dayne's gutsy performance (more on that later) is no excuse to completely abandon the passing game. Not only does Kubes not trust Carr to win the game, he doesn't even trust him not to lose it. Hence getting the ball out of Carr's hands quickly on every snap. I've never seen anything like it, and it told me all I need to know about the Texans' QB situation. Carr will probably start the remainder of the season because of Rosenfels' injury, but I'd be shocked if he was the starting QB next September. If you couldn't tell, I've never been this depressed or forlorn after a win. But seeing years of faith dashed to bits can do that to you. Some other thoughts:

1. I am now convinced that DeMeco Ryans is the product of a modern-day Immaculate Conception. And I'm Catholic, for crying out loud.

a. 15 tackles.
b. 1 INT.
c. 1 sack.
d. 1 forced fumble.
e. 1 fumble recovery.
f. And dozens of Texans fans (I think we may be down to under 100 in number) who are thanking their lucky stars he's wearing the steel blue.

2. Speaking of linebackers, how about Morlon Greenwood? Another nine (9) tackles for him.

3. Anyone who thinks Mario Williams isn't impacting the game on every snap is out of his mind. The Raiders ran away from him on nearly every possession, and he again was in the backfield all day. I freaking love the guy.

4. The secondary is still heinous, but there were a few bright spots yesterday. Petey Faggins' fumble recovery for a TD was huge in terms of momentum and getting an early jump on the opposition. Dunta Robinson still seems to have regressed, but he played a reasonably solid second half. Glenn Earl had a big sack. But C.C. Brown's unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was inexcusable. Despite the need at QB, I still am in favor of taking the best DB on the board come April.

5. Jason Babin is still a bust in my book, but he's becoming an increasingly less abhorrent bust. Still, you don't want your first round picks to be back-ups. Thanks again, Casserly.

6. How many people made the "Dayne must think it's 1999!" joke yesterday? I'd bet almost everyone that was watching. Nevertheless, the Texans don't win that game without his 18 carries and 95 yards. He literally carried the whole team for the vast majority of the second half and the entirety of the fourth quarter. Everyone knew he was getting the ball, and the Raiders still couldn't stop him. If not for DeMeco, he'd get my game ball.

a. Is anyone else a bit disturbed by the musical chairs approach at RB? It'd be a real treat if someone would consistently step up. I still think Wali Lundy can be that guy.

7. When only fourteen passes are attempted and the longest completion is for nine yards, there's not much to say about the WRs. So let's just take this opportunity to once again pimp Andre Johnson for the Pro Bowl. He'd better be in Hawaii, or Scott has threatened to abandon his daily reporting on the Astros' minor league affiliates for H-town Sports. That should buy him a vote, maybe two.

8. How Chad Stanley has not been cut is completely beyond my comprehension. He's just awful. The Texans would have been better served in asking Carr to heave it fifty yards to the Raiders secondary on fourth down. Well, he probably would have fumbled away the snaps, but you get my point.

9. Kris Brown certainly redeemed himself after missing that first field goal attempt. Dayne did the heavy lifting, but Brown had to make the clutch kicks to win that game. Kudos to him. He'd be special teamer of the week if not for...

10. Jerome Mathis. Wow. Nice to see him in action again. Sure, I briefly doubted his addition to the active roster when he opted to run that ball out of the end zone after fumbling, but an 87-yard return gets you a mulligan in my book.

11. Carr's final line: 7-14, 32 yards, 3 fumbles (2 lost). You'd get benched in Pop Warner for those numbers.

12. Many people have assumed that I'm going to make the VY comparison here and belabor the fact that he's now 5-4 as a starter, but I won't. Except to say that Vince Young wins football games and David Carr does not. Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

Will I sob anew on Sunday when Vince single-handedly destroys the hometown team? Yes. But do I regret the Texans taking Mario Williams with the first pick of the draft? No, I do not. Not anymore. Mario is the real deal, and I think Kubiak thought he had to take a chance on Carr. Has that chance worked out? Well, uhhhh, you see, it's only been, uhhh, four and a half seasons, and, uhhh...I need a drink.

Raiders Fumble Away Game, Secure #1 Overall Draft Pick

2006-12-04T10:18:00.000-06:00

Hard to believe that the Fox/NFC game and CBS/AFC game being broadcast in Houston simultaneously involved members of the same league. I was ready for He Hate Me to come dashing out of the Oakland locker room at any moment. Unfortunately, I am running quite low on clever comments to describe the continuing embarrassment that is currently Houston Texans' football. Clearly, the offensive line and quarterback positions are still major problems for the hometown heroes.

- Observation #1: on multiple occasions in Sunday's game, David Carr had little time to throw because of Oakland's relentless pass rush. David Carr's reaction: dancing frantically around the pocket as if both his helmet and shoes were ablaze. This is precisely how QBs lose games (and how rookie Jay Cutler played in his first NFL start later that night - in a loss).

- Observation #2: on multiple occasions in Sunday's game, Tony Romo had little time to throw because of the Giants' relentless pass rush. Tony Romo's reaction: moving deftly in the pocket to a spot that bought him another half-second and trying to make a play downfield, even if the result was a NY helmet being implanted in his ribcage. This is precisely how NFL QBs win games for their team - by turning difficult situations into winning plays.

- I wanted to picket outside Reliant Stadium when I heard that Ron Dayne may be "getting some more touches" in Oakland. I would have rather seen Merciless himself, after Dayne's pathetic plodding in each of his previous chances to play. Kubes either hit the lottery or saw something substantial in practice, as Dayne ran like a Dayne circa 1996. Without his powerful ground attack, the Texans probably find a way to lose that game.

- DeMeco Ryans is not just the best defensive rookie in the NFL this year; he's a Pro Bowler, by any definition of the term. If he is not in Maui in late February, then there has been a tremendous injustice done.

- Nice to see you, Jerome Mathis. This guy is a weapon unlike any other kick return specialist I have ever seen. Even more amazing, of course, was the fact that ex-Coog Stanford Routt horsecollared JM from behind on his second half return. Edell Who?

- The decision by Kubes to not throw the ball in the second half was as brilliant as any in-game decision he has made so far in his tenure in Houston. As each play materialized, it became clearer and clearer just what was going to happen for the remainder of the game, and it was quite a joy to watch. Here's hoping for 75 carries for Gado/Dayne/Lundy this week against the Vinces.

- Notice any difference between Chad Stanley and Shane Lechler? CS - 40.4 yards per kick and zero inside the 20. SL - 56.8 yards per kick and zero inside the 20. On a team with a putrid offense, 15+ yards per punt becomes all the more important. Danny Sepulvada? Welcome to Houston. Never thought I'd be so happy to see you.

- Mario Williams was much, much better than his numbers indicated yesterday. I watch Mario on virtually every defensive snap, and he was consistently either in the backfield or double-teamed all day long (again). I am sick and tired of reading Sammy SeasonTicketHolder's critique of Mario's play. I'd like to hear whether or not Aaron Brooks felt Mario's presence yesterday.

- Prediction: Either Brad Lidge or Morgan Ensberg will not be an Astro come Opening Day 2007. My money's on Lights Out taking up residence elsewhere next season.

- Early lines I like: LSU -9 v. Notre Dame, Kentucky +10.5 v. Clemson, Tennessee -4.5 v. Penn State.

Astros Have No Room on 40-Man Roster for Young, Effective Pitching?

2006-12-01T09:33:00.000-06:00

According to the email newsletter sent out periodically by the Corpus Christi Hooks, the Arizona Diamondbacks recently came to terms on a free-agent deal with ex-Hooks closer Jailen Peguero on a free-agent deal. Apparently, the Astros did not believe Peguero was worthy of a prestigious spot on the team's 40-man roster, but the Snakes did. I side with the Snakes, at least from the looks of the numbers.

Peguero, who is 25 years old, had a 2.94 ERA in Corpus in 2005 and split the 2006 season between Corpus and Round Rock (0.70 ERA in Corpus and 3.47 ERA in Round Rock). Peguero allowed only three HR in 75 innings in 2006, striking out 78 and walking 34. Instead of Peguero, the Astros opted to keep, among others, Eric Bruntlett, Brooks Conrad, Charlton Jimerson, Orlando Palmeiro and Mike Rodriguez. Never having seen Peguero pitch clearly puts us at a disadvantage, but his minor-league numbers are stellar, making the Astros failure to add him to their 40-man roster certainly seem on the surface like a questionable decision.

Worst Game of the Season

2006-11-27T17:14:00.000-06:00

Every time I think the Texans have reached their nadir, they surprise and horrify me anew. Yesterday's abomination at the Meadowlands was quite simply the worst game I have seen the Texans play all season, and it might have been the worst game they've ever played. Although words can't describe the depth of their putrid performance, I'll give it a try:

1. The Texans accumulated a whopping 25 yards rushing. On 14 carries. Over the course of sixty minutes. At a rate of 1.8 yards per carry. Enough said.

a. Well, not quite enough said. How do you go from 188 yards one week to 25 yards the next? Can anyone tell me? What the hell happened?

2. David Carr's line=39-54, 321 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. I feel confident saying that anyone who watched the game would agree with me that it was least impressive 300+ yard performance ever seen. The vast majority of those stats (including the TD pass) were posted when the game was well out of reach. Stats are stats, but these are really misleading.

a. The interception was terrible. Just a horrible decision, and a nauseating throw. What's worse, it occurred when the Texans really needed a big play to stay in the game.

b. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I found myself nodding when reading Scott's dissection of Carr this morning. It physically pained me to type that last line.

c. Carr dumps off to his safety options way too quickly and way too frequently. I know that he's been shellacked over the course of his career, but man...give the WRs time to get open.

d. I'm not jumping off D. Carr's bandwagon just yet, but I have to admit that his inability to make a big play when he has All-Pro caliber WRs is troubling me.

3. Andre Johnson (10 catches for 98 yards and a TD) and Eric Moulds (10 catches for 79 yards) had solid days, but neither had a game-changing play. For the life of me, however, I don't understand why the Texans don't take more shots down the field with those two guys. The vast majority of their catches came on short routes and quick slants.

a. Andre dropped one pass that actually made me gag on my beer and shake my fist at God.

4. DeMeco Ryans had another 14 tackles. He'd better get some Pro Bowl consideration.

5. Morlon Greenwood had another nice game with 9 tackles. He hasn't been able to string strong games together with any consistency, but he occasionally justifies the contract Casserly gave him.

6. The secondary's play defies description, so I might have to make words up to summarize their play. Craptastic? Patheterrible?

a. Petey Faggins was awful yesterday, and the Jets picked on him like they watched tape of his tussle with Lee Evans from the week before.

b. Dunta Robinson has gone from stalwart to liability. There, I said it. I hate myself for writing that.

c. Glenn Earl and C.C. Brown HAVE to be the two worst starting safeties in the NFL. There isn't anyone who's even close to as bad as they are.

d. I don't envision a scenario where the Texans don't take the best DB on the board come April. On a team with many weaknesses, the secondary is easily the most glaring.

7. Chad Stanley continues to make me question his inclusion on the Texans roster. His fumble yesterday made me reach for the Drano to chug.

8. As many who read this space know, I'm often criticized for being too optimistic about the Texans. I always manage to find some good in each game. Well, yesterday's game finally did it. I am officially distraught for the first time all season. Even last year's 2-14 debacle didn't beat me down like the last two weeks have. Combined with the Horns losing to That Team That Has Lassie As A Mascot on Friday, this was the worst football weekend of my life. I am a broken man.

9. I really hope Kubiak keeps the Texans within ten points of Oakland on Sunday.

No More QB Controversy This Season

2006-11-27T17:12:00.000-06:00

Because Sage Rosenfels (and Mike Flanagan) are out for the season after yesterday's game:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4362691.html

Has any other team lost three starters on the offensive line for the season? Or is it just one more case of the Almighty laughing at Texans fans? This is freaking ridiculous.

[ESPN] Chizik to Ames

2006-11-27T11:36:00.000-06:00

Horn fans hope that Gene takes the entire secondary with him, right? Or would they rather him take Frank Okam and rest of the Disappearing D-Line? Or Scott Derry? The possibilities seem endless.. Nonetheless, seems like a great hire for Iowa State. Color me a bit surprised that Chizik jumped at this particular opening. Maybe he realizes that the shine of last year's title is already fading, and he'd better get while the gettin's good?

A Cornucopia of Sports

2006-11-27T09:30:00.000-06:00

- For five years now, David Carr has not been permitted by his truckload of offensive coaches (with the exception of six quarters of football in 2005) to call his own plays on offense at the line of scrimmage. Carr is apparently given a run/pass option from the sideline and is allowed to check from pass to run or run to pass, but he has generally not been authorized by any of the various coaching staffs to check to an entirely different play based on the defensive alignment that he reads pre-snap. To me, this is probably the most glaring example of why the Texans offense is permanently stalled. This is a major handicap that winning NFL teams (and even college teams) would never tolerate, and the root cause of this problem (Carr's football IQ) is also allowing the Cover-2 defense to throttle the Texans' offense on a weekly basis.

Opposing defenses consistently play a Cover-2 zone defense against the Texans, rolling a safety over to double-team the Texans' receivers if they choose to run a route penetrating more than about seven yards downfield. This is not some uniquely designed scheme specifically created to attack the Texans; it is a common, conservative defensive strategy that was made popular by Tony Dungy in Tampa Bay and has subsequently spread throughout the NFL. The Cover-2 allows opposing teams to complete passes of five yards or less and relies on its defensive secondary and linebackers to prevent yards after catch, and at the same time, tries to limit the offense's ability to make plays downfield by rolling the safeties over to double-team downfield receivers.

In order to beat the Cover-2, the QB must occasionally be able to pick out a favorable situation downfield and put the ball in a spot where his WR can catch it BEFORE the safety rolling over to that WR's side can create the double-team. The defensive philosophy is that an offense that dumps the ball off to a receiver 90% of the time is not going to produce enough yardage to score points at a winning level, and forcing the ball into double-teams is obviously a risky proposition that will likely lead to a significant number of turnovers, two qualities that have sadly become the identity of the Texans' offense. Therefore, winning teams must (and routinely do) thwart the Cover-2 by having their QBs make throws downfield before the double-team materializes. The Texans, however, have NEVER made these plays, dating back to the franchise's inception.

It is apparent from reading the reports, listening to the coaches and watching the games that David Carr cannot read NFL defenses successfully enough to make play-calling decisions at the line of scrimmage or to execute successful passing plays downfield against the Cover-2. Carr is not able to anticipate where the defense and his receivers are going to go, so that he can put a ball to a spot to meet the open receiver, but instead he only can react to the play as it develops, which is an approach that would not permit any QB to produce winning plays downfield. The Cover-2 works against the Texans because Carr cannot mentally make the right decisions downfield in a quick enough fashion to make the throws necessary to force the defense out of the Cover-2. Therefore, the results are consistently three-fold: (1) Carr holds the ball too long, waiting for the WR that he has isolated as his chosen target to beat the double team that has been caused by the safety that has rolled over, such that either the pocket collapses or Carr's bad footwork is exposed; (2) Carr forces a ball into the double-team at the wrong moment, leading to an incompletion or a possible interception; or (3) Carr dumps the ball off short. Carr may be tough enough to take a hit or talented enough to fire a ball into traffic, but it is quite evident that he is not mentally equipped to lead an NFL offense.

Watch the QBs on winning teams and the plays that those QBs make downfield. Rarely is it as simple as a Lee Evans v. Petey Faggins situation, where the receiver simply breaks free behind the entire defense. More often than not, these type of plays are made when the QB makes a quick read and threads a ball to his WR in that instant when the WR has shaken the cornerback and just before the safety has locked down the double-team. Against a Cover-2 zone, the downfield passing game requires precise, instant reads as much as it demands pass protection and a strong throwing arm. Even when the pocket holds, the Texans have never been able to beat the Cover-2 zone, and until they figure out how to do so, they will never be able to move the ball quickly enough downfield to score a winning number of points on a regular basis.

- Congratulations to the Astros for adding Carlos Lee and Woody Williams. It is certainly nice to see ownership rewarding their loyal fan base by spending some of those surplus revenues on talented players. Personally, I think both contracts are considerably excessive, especially Carlos Lee's, as I have commented on this blog before.

Woody Williams, famed ex-Cougar, is coming home, but certainly not for a discounted price. Paying $6.5 million per season for two years to a guy who is turning 40 next season and who was far from dominant outside of the spacious confines of Petco Park (1.45 road WHIP in 2006, 1.64 road WHIP in 2005) is not a slam-dunk winning decision, but clearly the Astros need some help at the back-end of their rotation. For $13 million, is Williams going to be that much better than Jason Hirsh, Taylor Buchholz, Fernando Nieve or Troy Patton could be, given their chances? I don't think so, but signing Williams' contract is certainly defensible and could prove to be a bargain if he provides 200+ productive innings each of the next two seasons.

Carlos Lee is a nice player, but he is not an elite player, and paying Lee an average of $17M per season through the age of 36 demands that he be more than just a nice player. If Lee hits 40 HR and drives in 130 and the Astros score 5+ runs per game for most of the span of his contract, then the signing will likely be considered a success in hindsight. If Drayton expands his payroll to $115M+, such that Pettitte and Clemens can be re-signed and guys like Lidge, Wheeler and Ensberg can be kept on the roster, then the move is even more defensible. More likely, Lee's signing will result in the departure of several players due for pay raises (like Taveras, Ensberg, Huff, Wheeler and Lidge), which may or may not result in a better team on the field. The early hands have been dealt, but whether or not the Astros' offseason is a successful one is yet to be determined. There are still a lot of moves on the table, and Purpura and his staff have a lot of decisions to make. Don't start saving up for playoff tickets just yet.

- Quietly, the Rockets have won another three games in a row and sit one game behind San Antonio in the Midwest. Tracy McGrady's game is progressing beautifully from a scoring machine to an all-around All-Star, and I believe that this transformation is going to benefit the Rockets' tremendously in the playoffs. Rafer Alston's inconsistency both with the shot and off the dribble demand that the Rockets have a second playmaker on the perimeter, and T-Mac is fitting that role perfectly. Plus, McGrady's jumper is still off the mark (42% on jump shots, which make up 82% of his shots), so a diversified offense that involves more of Tracy-creating and less of Tracy-shooting is proving to be a successful strategy.

The Rockets' defense continues to be its calling card, leading the league in points allowed, third in the league in opposing FG%, fourth in the league in TO differential and fifth in the league in rebounding margin. These are all very important categories that collectively represent a broad range of the game, and the Rockets are faring well above average in all of them. That bodes quite well for the rest of the season, as long as the core players can remain healthy.

Is Carlos Lee Worth $100,000,000.00?

2006-11-22T10:06:00.000-06:00

No. No, he's not. But it's looking like there' s an excellent chance he's going to get it. In the wake of the Cubs breaking their piggy bank with Alfonso Soriano (8 years, $136,000,000.00--are you freaking kidding me?), the buy-in for an impact free agent bat has spiraled out of control. The 'Stros allegedly have an offer of at least five years for $60,000,000.00 on the table to Lee, but word is that another team has offered five years for $70,000,000.00 and a third has offered a six year deal:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4353142.html

I'm going to get on record now about this. The Astros should NOT go any higher than five years and $75,000,000.00 for Carlos Lee. Frankly, even that hefty price tag terrifies me. If I was Uncle Drayton, I'd probably walk away from the bidding right now. Although you'll rarely hear me say that I agree with the Chronicle's John Lopez, I think he's right on the money with his column today:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4353193.html

While we may be dreaming that Vernon Wells or Carl Crawford are legitimate possibilities to be plying their trade at Minute Maid in April, I'd much rather have either of them than Carlos Lee, and I'd rather pay either of them bigger dollars than Carlos Lee. Neither will come cheap, but if the Jays or Rays are willing to take a package of Burke, Everett, Ensberg, and Hirsh, T-Poo has to make that deal in a second. If they want Patton instead of Hirsh, I'd have to think long and hard about it, but I still think I'd pull the trigger. Wells or Crawford for $15,000,000.00 per year sounds a whole lot better than Carlos Lee for that kind of money.

Soul-Crushing Defeat

2006-11-20T18:02:00.000-06:00

I'm still not really ready to talk about yesterday's loss to the Bills, but I feel like I have an obligation to the Texans fanbase to post my thoughts, even if doing so will require frequent breaks to refrain from punching out my laptop screen and/or to wipe the tears of disgust off my keyboard. I wouldn't call yesterday's debacle the most painful loss I've ever witnessed; after all, I did attend The University of Texas from 1997-2001. But it's definitely top five for me, and that' s really saying something for someone who fervently backs a franchise that's lost games at an alarming clip over the past five years. Without further ado:

1. I hate you, J.P. Losman. More than that, I hate the Texans secondary giving up 340 passing yards and 3 TDs to a quarterback who's lucky to post those stats over the course of three games. God, I think I just threw up in my mouth.

2. I hate you too, Lee Evans. 11 catches for 265 yards? With two touchdown catches of 83 yards apiece? On the exact same play? When did this become Madden '93, and when did Lee Freaking Evans become Jerry Rice?

3. I don't hate you, Petey Faggins. But I seriously thought about running down to the field to reprimand you after Evans' second arson at Reliant. And by "reprimand you" I mean "beat you about the head and shoulders until the security guards on the field went Fred Weary on my arse."

a. Getting burned twice by Lee Evans on the same play is inexcusable, but how about the complete lack of safety help? Unless you consider the safety letting Evans get behind him "help." Oh, this bile does not taste good at all.

b. Although the screw-ups cost the Texans 14 points, nice job of adjusting by Richard Smith in making sure that no one got behind the secondary again. You know, until...

4. Congratulations to Peerless Price, who decided to come back to life just in time to stab me in the heart. What a catch.

a. Nice coverage, defense.

5. Kudos to Dunta Robinson on his INT for a TD in the third quarter. Said kudos, however, are tempered by the fact that he got burned on a few big plays. Not Petey Faggins burned, but beat.

6. Mario Williams is still a force to be reckoned with. No sacks, but he was disruptive and frequently commanded double teams. His progress has been one of the real joys of this season.

a. Obligatory "I have a man crush on DeMeco Ryans" mention. Thanks for your patience.

7. Two close losses, two HUGE fumbles by Jameel Cook. His turnover at the seven yard line right before halftime almost moved me to tears. And I'm not talking about happy, "Rudy" type tears. I'm thinking more "Old Yeller" style. I'm officially concerned about Cook.

8. Memo to Chester Pitts: Please don't hold. Especially not when your team can put the game away. Sweet Mariah.

9. Eric Moulds had a nice game with five catches for 68 yards, and it was obvious that Carr was trying to get him involved against his old squad. It'd be nice if he was featured like that against teams from cities that don't end in "-uffalo."

10. Andre--another six catches for 76 yards. Just punch his ticket to Honolulu already.

11. David Carr had a record-tying 22 straight completions (take that, Mark Brunell!) and finished 25-30 for 223 yards but no TD passes and 1 INT. A steady but unspectacular day for him. Thankfully, we should be spared "Carr is the reason we lost" rants for a week.

12. Don't look now, but the Texans' offensive line is legit. Look at the number of sacks given up the last few weeks. The improvement is noticeable, despite a crippling spate of injuries up and down the line. I think we have Mike Sherman to thank for the vastly improved play.

a. GREAT debut by Eric Winston. You hate to lose Zach Wiegert, but the silver lining is that Winston will get to show that he is one-fifth of the offensive line for years to come.

13. In large part because of Point 12, the Texans had another successful day running the ball with 188 yards on 27 carries (7.0 yards a carry). Wow.

a. Samkon Gado--10 carries for 69 yards, including a pretty 34 yard run and a TD.

b. Wali Lundy--8 carries for 61 yards and a TD. Reggie who?

c. I feel really good about the running game with those two guys.

d. There's no way Domanick Davis is a Texan next year, right? You have to figure he'll be cut if they can't trade him.

14. In light of the success the Texans had running the ball, Kubiak's decision to throw on 3rd and 2 with less than two minutes is admittedly puzzling. Conventional logic says you pound the ball and make Buffalo burn their last timeout. I look at it this way: I applauded Kubes for being unconventional last week against the Jags, so I'm not going to attack him for calling the risky play this week. It didn't pay off this time, but I'd rather have a coach with cojones than a Dom Capers clone. Don't forget that Kubiak is still finding his way as a head coach; Mike Shanahan made those tough calls in Denver. I still love the guy, and I don't love many people after yesterday.

15. Swirling winds in the Meadowlands against the Jets? No problem. Watch for the Texans to continue to defy fans and Vegas alike with a win on the road. Believe it!

Some Tips for T-Poo

2006-11-16T13:45:00.000-06:00

Soriano, Lee, Schmidt and Zito. While certainly a quartet of talented players, none of these will wear an Astros jersey in 2007, and that's not all bad. While any of these four would certainly prove a boon to the Astros' on-field success, all four will sign with a team for a excessive amount of money, and in a year or two, whichever team signs each of these year may well find itself desparately trying to shed salaries to absorb the blow. A budget-conscious franchise like the Astros simply is not going to win a bidding war for one of the big name free agents this offseason, but there are alternatives, and here are a few that are not only practical, I believe that they would prove more beneficial than signing one of these four to a monstrous deal.

1. Upgrade the bullpen depth via free agency. This is one area where there is significant value available. Bring in JC Romero or Alan Embree as lefty specialists. Look at David Aardsma, Danys Baez, Justin Speier and Chad Bradford as additional bullpen depth behind Qualls and Wheeler. Qualls and Wheeler...am I forgetting someone? Nope...

2. Trade Brad Lidge. I still believe that Lidge will prove valuable again, but I just think it won't be in Houston. I love Lidge's toughness, his stuff and his personality, but he's going to be attractive to one of the multiple teams in baseball who need a shutdown closer, and he's obviously accumulated a fair amount of baggage here in Houston. He's too good (potentially) and too expensive to keep for the 7th inning, and you have a couple of reliable guys in Qualls and Wheeler at the back of the pen. There are plenty of holes on this team, and you've got to part with something of value to obtain a valuable return. Lidge is a guy who it makes sense to trade. Ideally, T-Poo can spot a team who has an excess of young positional talent available with whom a match can be found (Tampa Bay, Arizona and Atlanta spring to mind).

3. Bring in some bench guys who can actually hit. Mike Piazza, Todd Greene and Gregg Zaun are available at the catcher spot. For the record, if I was truly in charge, I'd already have bone in a direction other than Ausmus at starting catcher, but I'm dealing with the cards that have been dealt already, so let's have one of these three guys on the bench as an offensive threat. Also, please...no more Palmeiro or Bruntlett. There are some guys available like Frank Cattalanotto, Tony Graffanino, Jay Payton and Todd Walker who I'd like to see on the Astros' bench ahead of those two, and it shouldn't cost too much to make these moves.

4. One of the punchless trio of Ausmus, Everett or Taveras cannot start everyday. Having four spots in the lineup (including the pitcher) with < .600 OPS cannot continue any longer. To me, Taveras is the guy that goes, as he is the youngest and most exciting of the three and thus will generate the most interest on the trade market. Naturally, trading a young, exciting player is risky, but I am willing to take that risk. All the speed in the world is not too dangerous with .320 OBP. But who's going to play CF now with Taveras gone?

5. Trade for Vernon Wells. He's only 27, plays an above-average CF and has put up very good numbers for several years, albeit in the AL. This is a guy who is worth $85-$100 million, I think, and he'd fit perfectly in Houston's lineup. Dangle Pence, Hirsh and Taveras at the Blue Jays and see if they'll bite. Mix and match some young pitchers (or even possibly Chris Burke) and see what you can work out. I think that there's enough on both sides of this equation to suggest that a deal could be worked out. Wells is a free agent at the end of '07, so acquiring him obviously hinges on getting him to sign a long-term deal in Houston, but let's assume that 5 years, $85-95 million or so would get it done. If it does, this is a move that makes a whole lot of sense.

If the above all worked out, then I think you could quite easily convince Andy and Roger that another shot is worth their effort. Sign Andy for a two-year deal worth about $22M, and do another 1/2 year special with Roger.

Lineup:
Burke - LF
Lamb/Ensberg - 3B
Berkman - 1B
Wells - CF
Scott/Lane - RF
Biggio - 2B
Everett - SS
Ausmus - C

How I Spent my Off Day...by Fred Weary

2006-11-14T16:09:00.000-06:00

Taking a page from ex-teammate Steve Foley, Texans RG Fred Weary was detained by the Houston Police Department today, but not until police decided that it was necessary to use a FREAKING TASER! Weary was reportedly pulled over at 610 and Westpark at about 1:00 today.

No comment from Steve McKinney yet on the possibility that he may now regain ownership of the starting RG position. Personally, as long as no one was hurt and no illicit substances are found in Weary's blood or console, I think that Weary should be signed to a contract extension and promised part ownership in the team. It's nice to finally see a Texans player show some passion, even if it is on a Tuesday lunch hour...during a traffic stop.