Overall fan response not what I expected

[badboy]

It is probably just me but Texans just don't seem to be getting the fan explosion I expected and hoped for. Perhaps if I am correct, it is just caution by many fans to avoid that let down of "fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice...".

Even on this MB where I've come to expect rabid and vociferous comments defending a writer's opinion, the tone just seems to be flat recently. Maybe it is just the bye week, midseason spot we find ourselves in. 7-1 going to Chicago I was expecting an explosion of chest thumping. I have not seen the avalanche of new fans (so called bandwagoners) to this message board. I have even decreased my listening to radio talk shows as it is the same blah blah but seemingly little fan excitement. This is despite getting the "all important" national coverage and some admisssion that Houston does have an NFL football team. Heck we are even picked by some experts to go to that Heaven on earth called Super Bowl.

This came to an head after the game against Buffalo as the team played (what is the right word?) not as well as I expected. Well the fans did not react as I expected either; more like "well glad that one is behind us, but not a looking forward to Bears either". I am basically a take it one game at a time guy but where is the maniacal fan base that I lived through during Luv Ya Blue era?

[Stemp]

I think the term is cautiously optimistic.

I'll feel a lot better about this season if we win in Chicago. But we need to beat Chicago and/or NE for me to really good about this team heading into the playoffs.

[Texas T]

I agree with Stemp. Win or a really good showing this week and I'll be much more comfortable with our chances.

I think we are all kind of looking at who we've beaten and seen that it is not a great group of teams. We've also come out flat in a couple of games-one we lost.

[HJam72]

I think the confidence in the idea that we are going to the playoffs has made the regular season start to feel a tad boring. Not saying it will be boring the whole rest of the season, but it just feels kind of "blah" in a relaxed and good way right now. We just beat somebody pretty handily without bringing our A game. I think we'll be up for the Bears, but it isn't game-day yet...

Presidential race might have something to do with it too. Most Texans ain't too happy right now.

[GuerillaBlack]

Originally Posted by badboy

It is probably just me but Texans just don't seem to be getting the fan explosion I expected and hoped for. Perhaps if I am correct, it is just caution by many fans to avoid that let down of "fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice...".

Even on this MB where I've come to expect rabid and vociferous comments defending a writer's opinion, the tone just seems to be flat recently. Maybe it is just the bye week, midseason spot we find ourselves in. 7-1 going to Chicago I was expecting an explosion of chest thumping. I have not seen the avalanche of new fans (so called bandwagoners) to this message board. I have even decreased my listening to radio talk shows as it is the same blah blah but seemingly little fan excitement. This is despite getting the "all important" national coverage and some admisssion that Houston does have an NFL football team. Heck we are even picked by some experts to go to that Heaven on earth called Super Bowl.

This came to an head after the game against Buffalo as the team played (what is the right word?) not as well as I expected. Well the fans did not react as I expected either; more like "well glad that one is behind us, but not a looking forward to Bears either". I am basically a take it one game at a time guy but where is the maniacal fan base that I lived through during Luv Ya Blue era?

Just waiting for the playoffs.

[Playoffs]

I think the base and the muff-hugga bandwaggoneers -- as Dread calls them -- were a bit sidetracked by the election. I expect sports will find its way to the top of the local news and public discourse once the O-hangover wears off.

[TexanSam]

Do any cities who have a dominant football team display chest thumping? Fact is, when a team is terrible everyone has their own opinion on how to fix things so it leads to a lot more discussion. When the Texans are rolling along, doing what they're supposed to do, what are as fans supposed to say? We all agree that they're doing great and that special teams sucks.

[Perki-Perk]

I don't know about everyone else, but once we got past that farce of an election, I am really pumped about the Bears game!

I'm going to be at On The Rocks in the Woodlands with the Battle Red Freaks cheering on my Texans!!

Fan Up, baby! Go Texans!!!!

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by Stemp

I think the term is cautiously optimistic.

I'll feel a lot better about this season if we win in Chicago. But we need to beat Chicago and/or NE for me to really good about this team heading into the playoffs.

This^^^^

Each team we've beaten thus far, even the best ones, has either had overwhelming warts or have been beaten with an ugly stick immediately prior to coming to the dance.

We are meeting the one loss Bears in the midst of their successful 6 game run. Although their schedule of wins have also been against teams with questionable strength, if we manage to come out showing less of our warts and revealing more of theirs, you will probably begin to see more "rah rah" than you can stand.

[Vinnie]

I hear what your saying from a "general populace" standpoint, but I've never experienced a season like this one from a stadium attendance standpoint. People are coming out to the games and sticking around until the end like never before.

[Cjeremy635]

Originally Posted by Vinnie

I hear what your saying from a "general populace" standpoint, but I've never experienced a season like this one from a stadium attendance standpoint. People are coming out to the games and sticking around until the end like never before.

That's BS! I commented to my wife how embarrasing it was that the stadium was half empty during the 4th quarter of the Bills game. We have a city full of fair weather fans. I could understand if we were getting blown out, but we were winning. I don't see the mass exodus from other stadiums when I see them on TV. It's quite strange IMHO.

[Rey]

I think some of the enthusiasm was lost when the Packers came in and stole our lunch money.

Bears aren't really battle tested either, so why would a win over them mean much?

Of course I'd rather win than lose, but I'm just sayin'....

[chicagotexan2]

Originally Posted by Rey

Bears aren't really battle tested either, so why would a win over them mean much?

Of course I'd rather win than lose, but I'm just sayin'....

This is true. This is a good indicator where both teams stand.

[Grid]

We made the playoffs last year with a ton of injuries. Going into this year.. we have talked about going deeper in the playoffs and staying healthy.

I think that most folks are excited about the Texans and see us as a team capable of playing in the superbowl.

But we also look at last year and see how easy it is for a great team to become a "good" team with a few key injuries.

Basically.. until we are in the playoffs with all of our important starters playing.. im going to be a little subdued in my fanaticism. 1 or 2 injuries could easily turn this into a replay of last year. Which was great...dont get me wrong.. but I think we would all like to see us accomplish more this time around.

[ATXtexanfan]

Originally Posted by Stemp

I think the term is cautiously optimistic.

I'll feel a lot better about this season if we win in Chicago. But we need to beat Chicago and/or NE for me to really good about this team heading into the playoffs.

Yup

[2slik4u]

Bears opponents winning % is .368

Texans opponents winning % is .438

Kind of puts it into perspective when they say "we" havent played anyone. The longer the season goes on, the better/stronger the schedule looks. Miami didnt turn out to be as bad as anyone thought they were going to be and Indy looks like its actually going to be a little test as they are very much in the hunt for the one of the wild card spots. We play them weeks 14 and 16. I secretly wished we played Indy in the beginning of the season before Andrew Luck got 13 NFL games under his belt but, oh well.

We shall crush him anyways...

[Stemp]

Originally Posted by Cjeremy635

That's BS! I commented to my wife how embarrasing it was that the stadium was half empty during the 4th quarter of the Bills game. We have a city full of fair weather fans. I could understand if we were getting blown out, but we were winning. I don't see the mass exodus from other stadiums when I see them on TV. It's quite strange IMHO.

Most stadiums start to empty when the game in hand, either way.

But there is usually a larger exodus when the home team is losing.

[Malloy]

I still dont get why there were so many empty seats last week... are people having trouble getting into the stadium, are y'all dead drunk in the parking lot or are people just not showing up for the game?

[Big Lou]

I live in Vegas, and most Texas transplants are from the Southern Oklahoma city of Dallas, so lots of Stars on the cars. However in a 2 week period I saw 3 cars with some form of Texan advert, and one dude walk in to Wal Mart with a Texans Hat.

Used to be the only thing I saw was the occassional tourist with a Texans jersey or hat roaming the Casinos.

Not sure if the success is drawing them out, or maybe a couple of more folks moved he from H-Town.

Either way sure would be nice to get a "Texans Bar" so I could hang out with like minded people.

[Vinnie]

Originally Posted by Cjeremy635

That's BS! I commented to my wife how embarrasing it was that the stadium was half empty during the 4th quarter of the Bills game. We have a city full of fair weather fans. I could understand if we were getting blown out, but we were winning. I don't see the mass exodus from other stadiums when I see them on TV. It's quite strange IMHO.

I didn't say it was perfect, but it has been markedly better than years past. Both with people being in their seats before the game and staying until the end. This has been my honest observation on the season as a whole. I know people were taking off a little early during the Bills game, but come on. If you can understand people leaving if the Texans are getting blown out, you certainly can see it the other way as well, right? We were joking with each other in the seats about the only thing the Bills had left to try for in the 4th quarter was a 10.5 point cover and they couldn't even pull that off.