Kuharsky blog: Laughs at Texans attempt to act as if Wade wasn't targeted

[GP]

Not much in this blog that will shock you. A good one-liner ZING! by Lance Z that I hadn't known about until now, among other things from Paul Kuharsky.

The Texans shot down a report Tuesday that Wade Phillips had been hired. Crazy, the tone was. He hasn’t even interviewed.

So today he interviewed and he’s hired.

How could anyone have jumped the gun like that?

I poured out my thoughts on Phillips as the Texans defensive coordinator last week when his name was first reported. That’s here.

He’s obviously steeped in 3-4 defenses, but it sounds like he and Gary Kubiak will look at what the Texans have and decide what kind of team to be. Phillips is known as 3-4 guy but has worked some 4-3. I’d envision them staying in a 4-3 only as part of a transition.

Houston radio guy and blogger Lance Zierlein had a good line recently about the decision. Paraphrasing, he asked what does it matter if they don’t have the personnel for a 3-4 when they don’t have the personnel for a 4-3 either?

Mario Williams isn’t ideally suited for it. But people probably said the same thing about Bruce Smith, and I don’t remember a major career derailment when he played for Phillips in Buffalo.

While the change could take some time, it might be a good thing. Give Peyton Manning and the rest of the division something different to dissect, be the one team deploying people differently.

"How could anyone have jumped the gun like that?" - Kuharsky sarcasm

You see, this Texans organization doesn't do anything that surprises anyone. Not in the form of hiring, nor in how we gameplan for opponents, nor in how we retain people. Predictable, consistent, narrow-minded, comfy.

[DerekLee1]

Originally Posted by GP

Not much in this blog that will shock you. A good one-liner ZING! by Lance Z that I hadn't known about until now, among other things from Paul Kuharsky.



"How could anyone have jumped the gun like that?" - Kuharsky sarcasm

You see, this Texans organization doesn't do anything that surprises anyone. Not in the form of hiring, nor in how we gameplan for opponents, nor in how we retain people. Predictable, consistent, narrow-minded, comfy.

Look, everyone knew it was coming. But they still had to go through the formality. It would be disrespectful to lots of people to do it differently. Hiring Wade while you still have a DC? Hiring a DC without publicly allowing your HC to interview him? You can't undermine people like that. It goes against coaching etiquette and you'll run off potential future coaches if you look classless.

[tedr]

Originally Posted by DerekLee1

Look, everyone knew it was coming. But they still had to go through the formality. It would be disrespectful to lots of people to do it differently. Hiring Wade while you still have a DC? Hiring a DC without publicly allowing your HC to interview him? You can't undermine people like that. It goes against coaching etiquette and you'll run off potential future coaches if you look classless.

Good point.

[GP]

Originally Posted by tedr

Good point.

No, not a good point.

Look, all the Texans had to do was admit that Wade Phillips was at the top of their list. Is that so hard to do? Texans should just be honest, for a change.

I receive a fail for believing that some transparency is still a good thing? Oh, OK.

Nobody was surprised by this, that's true, so why the reindeer games? That's the point, I think, that Kuharsky was making. He said he called them and asked for comment, and they replied with a "You're crazy!" tone for assuming, as we all did, that all signs pointed to Wade Phillips.

LOL.

[Double Barrel]

Shoot, I called the Wade hiring the week he was fired by Jerrah.

It was just so obvious, so made-to-order for Boob's fairy tale that he desires for this franchise, that it was a no-brainer. I would have been shocked if it had worked out any other way.

I'm not claiming to be a guru or prophet, but after watching this floundering franchise since it's inception, some things are are easy to call a mile - or a couple of months - away.

What's disappointing is McNair's handling of it. Instead of being a man and treating his customerfans with respect, he lies to Bob Allen like a slimy politician and marketing trots out the dog and pony show once again. It's a chump move and while I'm a Texans fan for life, I don't have to care for ol' Boob anymore [oh, yeah, eternal gratitude statement goes here] .

I'm fine with Wade being DC, because what choice do I have? Hope for the best and expect...well, expect the Houston Texans.

[Dutchrudder]

So did they interview anyone else for the job? I have not heard a single other name linked to the Texans DC job.

[scourge]

Originally Posted by GP

Not much in this blog that will shock you. A good one-liner ZING! by Lance Z that I hadn't known about until now, among other things from Paul Kuharsky.



"How could anyone have jumped the gun like that?" - Kuharsky sarcasm

You see, this Texans organization doesn't do anything that surprises anyone. Not in the form of hiring, nor in how we gameplan for opponents, nor in how we retain people. Predictable, consistent, narrow-minded, comfy.

nice find, hadn't seen it before. I agree with you on your take as well.


*edit*

Originally Posted by Double Barrel

Shoot, I called the Wade hiring the week he was fired by Jerrah.

It was just so obvious, so made-to-order for Boob's fairy tale that he desires for this franchise, that it was a no-brainer. I would have been shocked if it had worked out any other way.

I'm not claiming to be a guru or prophet, but after watching this floundering franchise since it's inception, some things are are easy to call a mile - or a couple of months - away.

What's disappointing is McNair's handling of it. Instead of being a man and treating his customerfans with respect, he lies to Bob Allen like a slimy politician and marketing trots out the dog and pony show once again. It's a chump move and while I'm a Texans fan for life, I don't have to care for ol' Boob anymore [oh, yeah, eternal gratitude statement goes here] .

I'm fine with Wade being DC, because what choice do I have? Hope for the best and expect...well, expect the Houston Texans.

Agree with this as well.




On a side note, is the Rooney Rule for HC jobs only? I honestly don't care and think it's a rather stupid policy, and should instead just be about qualifications. Not to mention I have no doubt that many just interview a minority with no intention of hiring just to say they did, but that's besides the point. I'm just curious if only HC jobs are bound by Affirmative Action.

[Malloy]

I would deny everything too until the contract was signed

[DerekLee1]

Originally Posted by GP

No, not a good point.

Look, all the Texans had to do was admit that Wade Phillips was at the top of their list. Is that so hard to do? Texans should just be honest, for a change.

I receive a fail for believing that some transparency is still a good thing? Oh, OK.

Nobody was surprised by this, that's true, so why the reindeer games? That's the point, I think, that Kuharsky was making. He said he called them and asked for comment, and they replied with a "You're crazy!" tone for assuming, as we all did, that all signs pointed to Wade Phillips.

LOL.

They DID admit that Wade was on their list. And if Kuharsky called ANYONE about a coaching vacancy before a coach has been interviewed, they'd get the same response. Jerrah did the same thing about Garrett.

I don't see why everyone thinks they're being "lied to". No one from the organization came out and said "Kubiak's fired" and then went back on it. No one said "Wade will not be our next DC" and then hired him. No one is lying; they're just going through etiquette and contractual obligations and processes.

Why's everyone gotta find something to ***** about?

[DerekLee1]

Originally Posted by Dutchrudder

So did they interview anyone else for the job? I have not heard a single other name linked to the Texans DC job.

There was a report that they called Marv Lewis, but he was out once the Bengals extended his contract.

[nero THE zero]

Originally Posted by DerekLee1

There was a report that they called Marv Lewis, but he was out once the Bengals extended his contract.

AJ says it best, as per usual:

Shortly after Allen's report hit the wire, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle published an article that disputed Allen's report but I sense the deal is done and Wade's 'interview' on Wednesday is simply a formality.

Highly conspicuous in McClain's article, and all the more reason to believe Allen's report is true, is the somewhat odd, and out-of-the blue lead sentence that Gary Kubiak contacted Marvin Lewis before he was re-hired by the Bengals.

And uh...err...uh...Wade Phillips is up next.

Sounds like a cover to me.

[Double Barrel]

Originally Posted by DerekLee1

I don't see why everyone thinks they're being "lied to".

Did you watch the Bob Allen interview?

McNair came across like a politician and was plain disingenuous. And we all know that politicians don't lie, they just misrepresent the truth.

But hey, like we've been reminded time and time again, it's his team so screw what the fans think. Hmmmm, just like a politician and government, come to think of it.

[GP]

Originally Posted by DerekLee1

They DID admit that Wade was on their list. And if Kuharsky called ANYONE about a coaching vacancy before a coach has been interviewed, they'd get the same response. Jerrah did the same thing about Garrett.

I don't see why everyone thinks they're being "lied to". No one from the organization came out and said "Kubiak's fired" and then went back on it. No one said "Wade will not be our next DC" and then hired him. No one is lying; they're just going through etiquette and contractual obligations and processes.

Why's everyone gotta find something to ***** about?

I think it's this idea that the Texans have, that they are super-secret and nobody knows what they are doing...when we know, by now, damn well what they are doing. It's the whole "don't insult my intelligence" thing.

And apparently, Paul Kuharsky doesn't like it either.

Look, we're not exactly ripping up the NFL here are we? I mean, is our grand plans for global domination going to be compromised just because someone with the Texans decides to admit some things.

The word is out. We all know, now, how this owner thinks. There's no more mystery. No more intrigue. No more speculation. The book is at the printing press, it's hitting store shelves in 2011.

Furthermore, IMO, all the Texans did was put out a fluffy feeler to Marvin Lewis' agent...asking if he'd even be interested--that is, IF and only IF he was done in Cincy--about being the d-coord here. Knowing, all the time, that by the time anything was done up in Cincy...Wade would have already interviewed and be hired. And if Lewis agent bit the bait, you can bet your butt that the Wade interview would have been ramped up to an earlier time.

We used Marvin Lewis as a cover, which is funny when we sit here and discuss how free agents have used the Texans as leverage with other interested teams. Yeah, I bet Kubiak called Marvin and they went and played golf and it was just almost a done deal until Marvin decided to re-up in Cincy. Keyshawn Johnson time....

Instead of just going out, and grabbing their guy, they put on the pretense that there was an actual "race" and that actual candidates existed.

One year, Kubiak gets stuck with Richard Smith. Kubiak says that's not working out, and he wants HIS guy in there (Bush) and McNair lets him get his guy. Then, Kubiak's guy didn't pan out...so McNair says "OK, Gary, now it's my turn to spin the bottle and choose a guy."

This team's management is like fourth grade recess crap. Your turn. My turn. Ooo! You suck! OK, now it's my turn. Elderly leading kids. It's like putting your 80-year-old grandfather in charge of the 8-year-old for the weekend. There's no limit to the shenanigans that will go on.

[Doppelganger]

Originally Posted by Dutchrudder

So did they interview anyone else for the job? I have not heard a single other name linked to the Texans DC job.

They "talked" to marvin lewis before he stayed with Cincy.

I am sure they also "looked" at Bush. So there you go three candidates!

[GP]

Originally Posted by Doppelganger1

They "talked" to marvin lewis before he stayed with Cincy.

I am sure they also "looked" at Bush. So there you go three candidates!

I think you also see the disingenuous nature of it all.

Yep. We had three candidates, everything was done above level.

Carry on.

[GP]

I imagine that this is what it's like to be a career military man.

Does Bob have a background in military? I hear lots of goofy stories about how the system works and how it's broken and abused by its inherent flaws that allow the abuse to occur over and over in a state perpetuity.

General McNair. Captain of the Good Ship Lollipop. edit: LOLlipop.

[Yankee_In_TX]

Originally Posted by Double Barrel

Did you watch the Bob Allen interview?

McNair came across like a politician and was plain disingenuous. And we all know that politicians don't like, they just misrepresent the truth.

But hey, like we've been reminded time and time again, it's his team so screw what the fans think. Hmmmm, just like a politician and government, come to think of it.

...and things like if McNair truly said in one interview that the lockout would NOT affect coaching decisions and with Bob Allen said it was deiniftely a part off their decision.

[GP]

This team's actions betray their words.

Hence, the lack of trust and the less-than-flattering things we are saying right now.

The book is out. Anybody can read it now. Not sure what all the hubbub is about. It is what it is.

[michaelm]

Historically, the Texans have never announced any kind of signing until it was 100% official.
I can't recall a single instance where they announced any kind of personnel move until it was official, despite the fact there there were various credible sources saying that deals were already agreed upon, or signed.
I know there have been many instances on these board where people wondered why player acquisitions haven't been announced by the team despite the fact that it was common knowledge that the deals were done.

This was handled poorly, thats for sure, but in my mind it follows their established MO of not announcing anything about personnel moves until they are officially done.
Admittedly, they did look like asses by denying it they way they did...

[GP]

Originally Posted by michaelm

Admittedly, they did look like asses by denying it they way they did...

Number one rule in Public Relations: "Perception IS reality."

A commonly-held perception will define your organization.

Until you decide to change the perception to something YOU want it to be.

And things like this, what the Texans did (and what they do constantly), provides the public with a perception that is not flattering.

Over time, the undesirable perception can erode the organization's clout and influence upon its customer base. In this instance, it will lead to the owner (McNair) being forced (at some point) to TRAUMATICALLY alter the perception that is held by his fan base.

Players fall victim to it, as well, meaning it will become harder to attract top-flight free agents. They want money, no doubt, but they want glory too. Bob cannot offer this to them at the current moment. He offers them a fancy, nice facility and no state sales tax.

And if it continues, the perception might be impossible to break until a true Super Bowl-contending team is consistently produced here every season. And please tell me how this is done without grabbing several key free agents who are not risks/gambles, but rather a proven commodity?

Therefore, "perception" IS reality. Until the owner/management decides to change it in traumatic fashion. It's an uphill climb, I'm afraid. Both ways, and every day that ends in "Y."