AJ:Texans not very accomodating when it comes to open

[Wolf]

When the Texans built their new practice facilities across the street from Reliant Stadium, one of the selling points was that it would make it easier for the team to connect with it's fans.

Our old team held training camp in places like San Marcos, San Antonio and San Angelo before we went Sans-a-team, so it made it difficult to connect with the team outside of Sundays during the season.

But despite the convenient practice digs, the Texans remain below par compared to the rest of the league when it comes to training camp practices open to the public.

In 2009 the Texans had only five open sessions and this year there will be only six sessions open to the public according to a tweet on the Texans official Twitter account at 5:42 PM Jun 8th .

Since there are so few practices open to the public, tickets 'sell out' quickly (tickets are free but you need one to get in).

Texans fans are a crazy and passionate lot and by the time late July rolls around, they are so ready for football, they are crawling all over each other for those tickets. As you would expect, the sessions are always jam-packed and beyond standing room only. Texans open camp sessions typically span one week so tough luck if that's your week for vacation or you have a work conflict.

Texans have fan events such as All Access, team breakfasts, bowling events, etc, during the offseason and they are great (and not all free) but how do the Texans compare with other NFL teams in terms of openness, fan access and accommodations when it comes to training camp? Pretty awful, really.

Here's a sample of other NFL teams and their number of training camp practices open to the public.

http://www.examiner.com/x-778-Housto...exans-Examiner

[Hardcore Texan]

If it is less distracting for the team to have fewer open practices then I am all for it. Whatever gives us the best chance to win.

[gary]

I don't mind less open practices but if there were more of them just to watch the team and then have the players appear at places through out the area to meet and greet fans and sign for them JMO.

[Joe Texan]

Screw Practice lets play a game

[steelbtexan]

These closed practices have contributed to how many playoff victories?

[Carr Bombed]

Originally Posted by Joe Texan

Screw Practice lets play a game

I feel the same way...

I've been very edgy this offseason (incase some of y'all haven't noticed).

Usually a decent Stros team would hold me over and give me my fix and even when they have sucked, atleast I was able to watch a playoff Rockets team, but this year has been very tough.

The end of last season really left a bad taste in my mouth and kind of pissed me off. 9-7 was never the goal and it really rubbed me the wrong way in how the team celebrated being "9-7", like it was some kind of playoff berth or their original goal. Honestly it made us look like some kind of bush league team and I had flashbacks of the famous "David Carr pledge press conference" where he promised to not cut his hair until the team won back to back games.

If this team doesn't do something this year, I might kill somebody. I don't give a crap if they don't have any open practices....just win. For Christ's sake, for the first time in y'all's history...just win and get past all this (For the first time in the franchise's history, did we turn the corner?, I think we turned the corner?, oops I guess we didn't turn the corner", WAIT! now I know we turned the corner, and just when I thought we turned the corner we lose to that team) bullcrap. Hopefully this is the year where we become a legit NFL team, that won't celebrate or settle for mediocrity when initial goals were set MUCH higher.

[JB]

Originally Posted by Carr Bombed

I feel the same way...

I've been very edgy this offseason (incase some of y'all haven't noticed).

Usually a decent Stros team would hold me over and give me my fix and even when they have sucked, atleast I was able to watch a playoff Rockets team, but this year has been very tough.

The end of last season really left a bad taste in my mouth and kind of pissed me off. 9-7 was never the goal and it really rubbed me the wrong way in how the team celebrated being "9-7", like it was some kind of playoff birth or their original goal. Honestly it made us look like some kind of bush league team and I had flashbacks of the famous "David Carr pledge press conference" in he promised to not cut his hair until the team won back to back games.

If this team doesn't do something this year, I might kill somebody. I don't give a crap if they don't have any open practices....just win. For Christ's sake, for the first time in y'all's history...just win and get past of all this (first for the franchise, did we turn the corner?, I think we turned the corner?, oops I guess we didn't turn the corner", wait now I know we turned the corner, and just when I thought we turned the corner we lose to that team) bullcrap.

Nice post! I feel your pain also! time to put up or shut up!

[CloakNNNdagger]

Kubiak has said that he and his staff will be expecting much more from his players this year. I guess he wants to be able to use unorthodox methods to prod them in the right direction............without outside interference by the league.

[Speedy]

"We're talking about practice, man. I mean, how silly is that? We're talking about practice. . . . . . .I know it's important, I honestly do. But we're talking about practice, man. What are we talking about? Practice?"

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by Speedy

"We're talking about practice, man. I mean, how silly is that? We're talking about practice. . . . . . .I know it's important, I honestly do. But we're talking about practice, man. What are we talking about? Practice?"

Thought you were going a little nutso on us until I recognized.........

We're talking about PRACTICE

But we're talking about practice mugs, tshirts and magnets

1.) A discussion focused on trivial matters, not related to the big picture

2.) A meaningless exchange

3.) A downplay of a criticism of oneself

[El Tejano]

I miss those days with The Oilers. I remember being able to go up to any player I wanted to and get their autograph because hardly anybody was ever at those practices in San Marcos and San Antonio. I actually shook hands of Ray Childress, Bruce Matthews, Warren Moon, Ernest Givins, Drew Hill etc....

Sure having practice facilities at home really helps the city of Houston get closer to the team but I feel like the Oilers made a real good effort to try and connect with ALL of Texas. Having practices in San Antonio and San Marcos really helped that.

One time The Oilers had Jeff Alm and Al Smith come to Austin. I took two of Al Smith's rookie cards to sign. When he told me he didn't even know he had a card, I let him keep one of the cards. Well next thing you know, he's asking me to sit next to him for the duration of the signing and then later that week when I went to camp he remembered me and my name and he even got me a pass to go on the field so I could get more autographs.

I think only my wife's happy that they practice in Houston.

[nero THE zero]

Originally Posted by steelbtexan

These closed practices have contributed to how many playoff victories?

You mean to tell me we've been suffering for all (8 of) these years and the only thing we needed was more open practices!? Quick, someone alert McNair and give this guy a high paying job.

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by Hardcore Texan

If it is less distracting for the team to have fewer open practices then I am all for it. Whatever gives us the best chance to win.

The Saints will have 22 open practices. The Colts will open up 24. Will that keep these teams from winning?

Kubiak's been on record as disliking open practices. We're lucky to get 6. Luckier if none are rained out, as there will be no makeup dates. The year the Cowboys won the 1st Super Bowl under Jimmy Johnson, 1992, they held camp at St. Edwards University in Austin. I could walk my dog from my house about a half mile away, stand next to the fence, and watch Aikman, Irvin, and Smith do their thing. I guess if they didn't have the distraction of having every practice open that summer, Dallas would have gone undefeated?

[CloakNNNdagger]

I wonder how much limitation of media presence is behind Kubiak's "paranoia?"

[NitroGSXR]

I'm actually glad it's only 6 practices. I can't control myself. If they all were open, I'd bankrupt my famly.

[Texan_Bill]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

I wonder how much limitation of media presence is behind Kubiak's "paranoia?"

Nope... It's because Bob McNair is too cheap and trying to maximize his profits!

[HJam72]

Originally Posted by NitroHonda

I'm actually glad it's only 6 practices. I can't control myself. If they all were open, I'd bankrupt my famly.

See, there's Kubiak's whole reasoning. Gotta watch out for guys like Nitro.

[TheRealJoker]

I got to watch the Super Bowl champions practice twice last season... unfortunately they were practicing against us before we spent another year watching the playoffs

[ChampionTexan]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

I wonder how much limitation of media presence is behind Kubiak's "paranoia?"

I think it's the other way around (That is to say, you just wondered ifof Kubiak's paranoia is caused by limiting the media).

Although I guess you could be right:

McNair: Gary - we're limiting the public exposure of our practices this pre-season.

Kubiak: Why - are you ashamed to have me demonstrate my coaching skills in front of people?

[Hardcore Texan]

Originally Posted by Speedy

"We're talking about practice, man. I mean, how silly is that? We're talking about practice. . . . . . .I know it's important, I honestly do. But we're talking about practice, man. What are we talking about? Practice?"

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

Thought you were going a little nutso on us until I recognized.........

Here ya go CND, in case you haven't seen this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exOxU...next=1&index=6

Originally Posted by Lucky

The Saints will have 22 open practices. The Colts will open up 24. Will that keep these teams from winning?

Kubiak's been on record as disliking open practices. We're lucky to get 6. Luckier if none are rained out, as there will be no makeup dates. The year the Cowboys won the 1st Super Bowl under Jimmy Johnson, 1992, they held camp at St. Edwards University in Austin. I could walk my dog from my house about a half mile away, stand next to the fence, and watch Aikman, Irvin, and Smith do their thing. I guess if they didn't have the distraction of having every practice open that summer, Dallas would have gone undefeated?

Ask rhertorical questions much? Much too much. Fancy stats though and cool story bro. When you know my point was the same as others after, which was "who cares, just win". Whether that would be less distractions (I mentioned that as a possiblity) or to coach getting his way because he doesn't like them. Whatever contributes in any fraction of a way towards a W, MAN!

But sure quote me and try to make me look like a dumbass. Whatever blows your skirt up.

P.S. there are about a dozen threads in NSZ that could use some merging, when your done spending time belittling my comment.