Lance Z’s blog

[Heath Shuler]

http://blogs.chron.com/fantasyfootba.../post_111.html

I have saved the worst for last.....

I was embarrassed for free agent signing DE Antonio Smith. He embarrassed his coach and himself and the organization as far as I'm concerned. Here is what happened.

It was getting toward the end of the one-on-one pass-rushing drills and Antonio Smith was bumped down inside to rush as a DT. If I remember correctly he was matched up against Chris White. Anyway, the defensive and offensive linemen have two reps against each other in pass protection drills and Antonio Smith jumped offsides before the ball was snapped on his first rep. The defense had been jumping offsides all morning and Bill Kollar said that tomorrow there would be "up-downs" for players who continued to jump offsides. On the next snap, Antonio Smith gave a half-assed effort. Kollar, unhappy with the effort level, asked Smith to come back and take another rep. While Kollar was displeased he didn't scream Smith down or cuss him out. Here is where it gets bad.

As Smith starts walking back toward the defensive line, he tells Kollar that this drill is bull*******, and when Kollar starts to go back at Smith a little bit, Smith just starts letting the F-bombs fly as he directs them to Kollar. He got up in Kollar's face and Mario Williams had to step in and separate things. Hey, I understand things get heated, but camp has just started and this wasn't even something that should have sparked the ire of Smith.

If this had taken place on just a regular practice day, I would have been disappointed in Smith, but probably wouldn't have written anything about it. However, this is different. For one, Smith's verbal assualt on his position coach happened in front of over 100 Texans fans who were gathered around that drill since the practice was open to the public. I've already received four e-mails from people who watched the event unfold and want me to address it so I feel like I needed to say something since it was out in full view of the public.

Cussing is part of football as far as I'm concerned, but there is a big difference between an "S.O.B." here or an S-bomb there. This was way over the top. My heart literally sank as I watched this because I couldn't help but think of the money Rick Smith and the Texans had invested in Smith, and how valuable I believe Smith can be to the Texans biggest area of need -- the pass rush.

If Smith is unhappy now, wait until Kollar gets it ratcheted-up. I spoke with scouts in the area who studied him and talked to him when he was at Oklahoma State and everyone said Antonio Smith is a good kid. I talked with someone who works for the Texans who said the same thing. It's just one incident in one practice, but I hope Antonio Smith is more coachable than this. And here's hoping that the Texans handled this behind the scenes and that they have their coach's back.

Then again, I'm a coaches son so maybe I get a little too sensitive about this stuff.

I hope this is just an isolated incident.

[Honoring Earl 34]

Originally Posted by Heath Shuler

http://blogs.chron.com/fantasyfootba.../post_111.html


I hope this is just an isolated incident.

In another thread , someone said Kollar told Smith ... if you'd made that sack , y'all might have won the super bowl . That's when Smith got irate .

[Heath Shuler]

Originally Posted by Honoring Earl 34

In another thread , someone said Kollar told Smith ... if you'd made that sack , y'all might have won the super bowl . That's when Smith got irate .

Do you remember which thread? thanks

[Honoring Earl 34]

Originally Posted by Heath Shuler

Do you remember which thread? thanks

I found it , look at post # 196 in the Official Training Camp thread .

[quicksilver]

Post #198 (penultimate post on page 10) of the Official Training Camp Thread.

[Jackie Chiles]

Originally Posted by Honoring Earl 34

In another thread , someone said Kollar told Smith ... if you'd made that sack , y'all might have won the super bowl . That's when Smith got irate .

I'm sure a lot of people are going to be upset with Antonio for this and he should surely shoulder some of the blame but we always talk about players having to be professionals and that applies to the coaches as well. That is a really childish low blow right there, I don't care if he was trying to light a fire under him either, find another way.

[Honoring Earl 34]

Originally Posted by Jackie Chiles

I'm sure a lot of people are going to be upset with Antonio for this and he should surely shoulder some of the blame but we always talk about players having to be professionals and that applies to the coaches as well. That is a really childish low blow right there, I don't care if he was trying to light a fire under him either, find another way.

Yep ... he hit a nerve .

[Heath Shuler]

Originally Posted by Honoring Earl 34

I found it , look at post # 196 in the Official Training Camp thread .

Originally Posted by quicksilver

Post #198 (penultimate post on page 10) of the Official Training Camp Thread.

thanks

[m5kwatts]

Zierlin or whatever his name is has always been an awful blogger for the chronicle. He usually offers 0 insight and most often unreadable. D-line coaches are supposed to get under their players' skin, Kollar was a d-lineman himself in the league and he knows how to light fires. He's different than Jethro Franklin in that he won't scream them down but he will push their buttons. This is what this sounds like. Would you rather have your d-lineman passive and accepting of criticisms? We don't know what was said exactly but everyone says AS is a high-motor, hard-working good guy so for Zierlin or whatever the heck to sensationalize like this is ridiculous.

[Wolf]

I like it.. Kollar got under smith's nerve and even if it were just one day at this point, I am ok with it. coaches have to push players. in truth one play can make a difference in a game

[Texan JBZ]

Originally Posted by m5kwatts

Zierlin or whatever his name is has always been an awful blogger for the chronicle. He usually offers 0 insight and most often unreadable. D-line coaches are supposed to get under their players' skin, Kollar was a d-lineman himself in the league and he knows how to light fires. He's different than Jethro Franklin in that he won't scream them down but he will push their buttons. This is what this sounds like. Would you rather have your d-lineman passive and accepting of criticisms? We don't know what was said exactly but everyone says AS is a high-motor, hard-working good guy so for Zierlin or whatever the heck to sensationalize like this is ridiculous.

Hey m5kwatts, I've never gave someone negative rep before but you were almost the first for going after LZ. Your obviously not a Gamer and haven't followed Lance the way some of us have. LZ has some of the best sources in the entire NFL. His football insight and intelligence is greater than any other sports writer or broadcaster in the city of Houston and its not that close either. If you would have followed Lance from his 610 days, you would know just how funny and entertaining he is. That's why some of his blog entries may seem odd to you. Its just Lance being Lance to me. You ought to tune into his morning show on 1560 AM or you can listen to it on the net live at 1560thegame.com.

[RagingBull]

LZ's radio show is probably the thing I miss most since moving away from H-town. I agree that his football knowledge and insight is by far superior to any other mainstream journalist in town. He is also one funny dude. I think he did the right thing in reporting the incident. It will let AS know he can't get away with acting like that. I am sure he is embarrassed by the incident being reported in the paper (at least he should be).

[Goldensilence]

Originally Posted by Jackie Chiles

I'm sure a lot of people are going to be upset with Antonio for this and he should surely shoulder some of the blame but we always talk about players having to be professionals and that applies to the coaches as well. That is a really childish low blow right there, I don't care if he was trying to light a fire under him either, find another way.

If Kollar did say that I'm not saying AS's tirade was ok, but I understand and that isn't the kind of message you want to send as a new coach. I agree find another way, the what if implications are unfair.

[J. Sean Wonton]

i don't think the coach would say something like that unless he felt there was a need. we brought kollar in to push people because we have too many d lineman getting too much money and not doing anything. i'm glad kollar is doing what he's paid to do.

i'm not saying that smith isn't doing anything right. it's early, and i have no idea what smith is or isn't doing. i'm just saying that it sounds like the coach felt smith needed a little extra motivation. i hope smith responds with improved performance rather than a bad attitude because it's really all about the team getting better and winning a championship. at least, that's what it should be about.

even individually, it can be about becoming the best player that you can be. williams is a case in point. the dude is a beast, classy, never gives less than his best, and you can see him being upset in the highlights when he feels like he didn't get the results he expects. andre johnson is the same way. just about every nfl player gets good money, but not a lot of them get hell of respect. just the guys like williams and johnson.

[ChampionTexan]

Originally Posted by m5kwatts

Zierlin or whatever his name is has always been an awful blogger for the chronicle. He usually offers 0 insight and most often unreadable. D-line coaches are supposed to get under their players' skin, Kollar was a d-lineman himself in the league and he knows how to light fires. He's different than Jethro Franklin in that he won't scream them down but he will push their buttons. This is what this sounds like. Would you rather have your d-lineman passive and accepting of criticisms? We don't know what was said exactly but everyone says AS is a high-motor, hard-working good guy so for Zierlin or whatever the heck to sensationalize like this is ridiculous.

Dude - you lost me at the criticism of LZ. Massive fail on your part!

[beerlover]

everyone needs to relax, take a deep breath....it's freaken pre-season

[mussop]

Originally Posted by ChampionTexan

Dude - you lost me at the criticism of LZ. Massive fail on your part!

Agree!

[ObsiWan]

Originally Posted by beerlover

everyone needs to relax, take a deep breath....it's freaken pre-season

Agreed.

[m5kwatts]

I have no problem with the story being reported, heck I found it amusing and entertaining. I just don't like the slant he had on it. If he hasn't seen a lineman blow up at a line coach in training camp than he hasn't been paying attention to all these training camps he claims to have seen. He's acting like this happened in the 4th quarter of the AFC championship game. He's sensationalizing something thats better off just being reported the way it happened, something Chronical writers tend to do.

I didn't mean to attack Z personally or anything, I just get annoyed when a story is being taken in a direction it didn't need to go.

[bckey]

Lance's dad is the offensive line coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers so I'm pretty sure he knows the inside skinny on coaches and players in the NFL. He has great knowledge of the game and many sources around the league. Lance is hands down the best sports writer/broadcaster/blogger in Houston as Texan JBZ said. You are entitled to your opinion but I don't think you will find anyone on this bb that agrees with your criticism of LZ.



http://news.steelers.com/team/coach/49256/