4 out of 5 Pro Football publications think we LAST

[BigDTexansFan]

I was in grocery store today, went past newsstand and decided to see how highly pro football prognosticators thought of Texans hires, draft and offseason acquisitions. Athlon, Pro Football Weekly and a couple of others all predicted a solid 4th place finish for us, only Street & Smith thought highly of us.
Why they had us 3rd and Tennessee Titans in 4th, funny thing is last season no one had Steelers and Seahawks finishing up on top. Indianapolis seems to be favorite to win division, AFC and Super Bowl, well guess we need to do all we can to embarrass these EXPERTS

[TexanFan881]

We haven't earn the respect from them yet. But as Robert Yates said a few days ago, "They can bite my *** when he says we'll never get it fixed."

[South Texan]

From Publishers Weekly
The New York Mets joined the National League in 1962 and for the next seven seasons established themselves as the team of lovable futility. It is no wonder, then, that as the 1969 season dawned, the odds against the Mets winning the pennant were 100 to 1. Yet win they did, and the World Series as well, and in this fine contribution to baseball history Cohen (The Game They Played) shows how they did it. With no real star except Tom Seaver, the team's combination of youth and age was unified by manager Gil Hodges, who had the respect of all and juggled his lineup almost daily. In addition to writing an account of the season, Cohen also interviewed 23 of the 25 players on the squad. They add interesting insights into the Miracle Mets, whose climactic victories drove New York into a frenzy and who proved that losers can be winners, as the author emphasizes in his affectingly written conclusion. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

I am an old phart, and remember all the jokes, cartoons, etc. in the press about the laughable '69 Mets going into the season. As the season progressed and the Mets were doing better than expected, many in the press still gave them no credit, calling it a series of flukes that they were doing as well as they were.

By the time they won the world series, sports experts were touting Crow Under Glass and crows became an endagered species.

My point is it doesn't take the press beleiving in the team, it takes the team beleiving in themselves, and from player interviews I am hearing, I think we may just have that this year.

Here's hoping they will be talking about the Miracle of the '06 Texans for years to come!

[WiiBrawler]

Originally Posted by BigDTexansFan

I was in grocery store today, went past newsstand and decided to see how highly pro football prognosticators thought of Texans hires, draft and offseason acquisitions. Athlon, Pro Football Weekly and a couple of others all predicted a solid 4th place finish for us, only Street & Smith thought highly of us.
Why they had us 3rd and Tennessee Titans in 4th, funny thing is last season no one had Steelers and Seahawks finishing up on top. Indianapolis seems to be favorite to win division, AFC and Super Bowl, well guess we need to do all we can to embarrass these EXPERTS

After the colts were nearly perfect last year, lost a playoff game at home to the Steelers, and lost their "Edge" they still pick them to win it all? Sportswriters play Madden too much

[edo783]

So much of what the sports gurus pump out is all based on last years records with little looks at what has been done in the offseason, unless they are talking about an east coast team. Then they just spout what the other guy says about a team and then another guy regurgitates that and pretty soon you have an "Urban Legend" type thing where its an absolute fact just because everyone says so and no one has actually analysed the situation and looked at all the factors.

[threetoedpete]

Welll one things for sure, we're under everybody's radar. Not going to throw the "R" word up here. But, let's just worry about upsetting the Eagles. We get off to 1-0, we're heading in the right direction. Get out of the gate 3-2...who knows ?

[BigDTexansFan]

Originally Posted by South Texan

From Publishers Weekly
The New York Mets joined the National League in 1962 and for the next seven seasons established themselves as the team of lovable futility. It is no wonder, then, that as the 1969 season dawned, the odds against the Mets winning the pennant were 100 to 1. Yet win they did, and the World Series as well, and in this fine contribution to baseball history Cohen (The Game They Played) shows how they did it. With no real star except Tom Seaver, the team's combination of youth and age was unified by manager Gil Hodges, who had the respect of all and juggled his lineup almost daily. In addition to writing an account of the season, Cohen also interviewed 23 of the 25 players on the squad. They add interesting insights into the Miracle Mets, whose climactic victories drove New York into a frenzy and who proved that losers can be winners, as the author emphasizes in his affectingly written conclusion. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

I am an old phart, and remember all the jokes, cartoons, etc. in the press about the laughable '69 Mets going into the season. As the season progressed and the Mets were doing better than expected, many in the press still gave them no credit, calling it a series of flukes that they were doing as well as they were.

By the time they won the world series, sports experts were touting Crow Under Glass and crows became an endagered species.

My point is it doesn't take the press beleiving in the team, it takes the team beleiving in themselves, and from player interviews I am hearing, I think we may just have that this year.

Here's hoping they will be talking about the Miracle of the '06 Texans for years to come!

I too am an old phart, so I remember 1969 Mets and numerous other teams (NY Jets/Joe Namath) who media darlings all ignored and laughed off. I remember being told by sports media types to forget about beating Dallas Cowboys, #1 no team since 1961 Vikings has an expansion team won season opener, #2 Dallas is a very veteran and seasoned team, #3 you guys are an expansion team just hope not to be embarassed.

Amazingly enuff replied to their sage words of wisdom and heard NOTHING back ROFL (did I mention ALL these experts were Dallas Sports Media), so I am glad no one picks us to do anything. It will be that much sweeter when we surpass last season and prove we are that good.

[Hervoyel]

This is the 5th year in a row I've seen the Texans picked to stink up the division and in all 5 of them I can't take issue with anyones prediction.

When we give them something to spin about us in a positive direction then we'll get some positive spin. Until then I can't figure out how there's always people who are surprised that the team that sucked last year is picked to suck this year. It's the safe pick and rarely (if ever) do you find a sports writer willing to make a risky pick before preseason even starts.

[Vinny]

When you are dead last in defense and 30th in offense....who is going to pick you to win a division or to find a wild card spot? We are picked low because we haven't proven we can win yet.

[Wolf]

Originally Posted by Carr2Johnson

After the colts were nearly perfect last year, lost a playoff game at home to the Steelers, and lost their "Edge" they still pick them to win it all? Sportswriters play Madden too much

Colts will win our division, but there was valuable game film of their losses on what to do.. smashmouth football.

I think we might come in last, just depends on how fast we pick up the system yet, I feel the Titans may be below us.. yes they got VY yet lost their leader (McNair) and Volek might start the season for them.. I say they have an advantage,because the team knows Jeff Fisher's system.. we are starting from scratch on both sides of the ball

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by Vinny

When you are dead last in defense and 30th in offense....who is going to pick you to win a division or to find a wild card spot? We are picked low because we haven't proven we can win yet.

............but we HAVE proven that we can lose in the midst of exuberant optimism........thus the pessimistic "prognosticators."

[Texan Asylum]

Originally Posted by South Texan

[i]From Publishers Weekly
The New York Mets joined the National League in 1962 and for the next seven seasons established themselves as the team of lovable futility. It is no wonder, then, that as the 1969 season dawned, the odds against the Mets winning the pennant were 100 to 1. Yet win they did, and the World Series as well, and in this fine contribution to baseball history Cohen (The Game They Played) shows how they did it. With no real star except Tom Seaver...

Quick, tell me who the other up and coming SUPERSTAR that was on that team and eventually got traded. Shouldn't take you guys too long.

[South Texan]

Originally Posted by Texan Asylum

Quick, tell me who the other up and coming SUPERSTAR that was on that team and soon got traded. Shouldn't take you guys too long.

Wasn't there some unknown guy named Nolan Ryan on that team??

[Texan Asylum]

Originally Posted by South Texan

Wasn't there some unknown guy named Nolan Ryan on that team??

AND WE HAVE A WINNER!!!

[Brandon420tx]

Originally Posted by Wolf

Colts will win our division, but there was valuable game film of their losses on what to do.. smashmouth football.

Disclaimer: This is not a crack on Wolf at all, I personally respect Wolfs post as he usually provides great insight and links.

That said, I'm sick of everyone saying the Colts will win the division when NO ONE HAS PLAYED A SINGLE GAME YET, Now, if you say that the Colts have the best chance of winning, I'm fine with that, but nothing definate like they "will".


<--- me

[The Pencil Neck]

Originally Posted by Brandon420tx

That said, I'm sick of everyone saying the Colts will win the division when NO ONE HAS PLAYED A SINGLE GAME YET, Now, if you say that the Colts have the best chance of winning, I'm fine with that, but nothing definate like they "will".

OK. That's a point. But... I mean... at this point, I think a little bit of hyperbole when it comes to people making their predictions is fine. People say "will" at this point just to communicate what they consider to be a very, very, very high probability.

I wouldn't let it get under your skin.

[rittenhouserobz]

I believe sportwriters are using last years team to grade this years. The problem I have is that we are in a real transition year. This could mean real good or real bad.

For the most part, I believe that if the Texans overachieve sportswriter can say, "It was hard to see with all the transition"; whereas, if the Texans lose, then they are right on. It would take real guts to stand up now and write that the Texans are going to finish higher than last in the division.