Town Hall Conference Call: Bob McNair

[BHTEXAN]

Now that Phillips is running the defensive show, the one thing I don’t want to hear Bob say is that it’s going to take a while (couple of years) for his style to gel with the players. There have been too many teams (in recent times, notably the Dolphins going from worst to a playoff team in one year) that have been able to make adjustment/changes in a single season. NO EXCUSES!

[Wolf]

"We absolutely have to see better results next season. There's no way we can tolerate having this kind of season again. Everyone should know that. I'm confident it's not going to happen. We're taking steps to see it won't happen. Everyone understands what's expected of them." -- Owner Bob McNair, who asked about bringing back coach Gary Kubiak, who has posted one winning record and no playoff appearances in his first five seasons.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/r...t-notes-quotes

[Yankee_In_TX]

Originally Posted by Wolf

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/r...t-notes-quotes

Yeah, until we go 7-9 or worse. Then I'd like the press to ask McNair to define 'no way we can tolerate' when no one gets fired.

[Wolf]

Well, we have heard Bob say the same thing year after year, but with seeing how Kubiak's press conference went. Kubiak knows that he is lucky and it showed. I guess why I feel this is the do or die year for Kubiak.

Now it may be a year late but with wade coming in, there are no excuses. The team now needs to step up get some FA and make a run

[steelbtexan]

Texans=BoB=losing=excuses

That is all.

[Mr. White]

Back to the point of the original post in the thread....

I've been hearing for years that McNair have a real corporate approach when it comes to making football decisions. This article is proof positive. Sounds like a good way to vote on a merger, but not deciding on a draft pick.

I'd have a hard time believing that other teams do it this way....at least not the successful ones.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Mr. White

Back to the point of the original post in the thread....

I've been hearing for years that McNair have a real corporate approach when it comes to making football decisions. This article is proof positive. Sounds like a good way to vote on a merger, but not deciding on a draft pick.

I'd have a hard time believing that other teams do it this way....at least the successful ones.

From what I've seen of other war rooms, I'm sure it's pretty similar. Sometimes, the GM has the final say, sometimes the HC. Sometimes, the owner trumps everyone, like the Tacks picking Vince Young in '06.

But it's pretty similar I'm sure.

[Dishman]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

From what I've seen of other war rooms, I'm sure it's pretty similar. Sometimes, the GM has the final say, sometimes the HC. Sometimes, the owner trumps everyone, like the Tacks picking Vince Young in '06.

But it's pretty similar I'm sure.

Seen many NFL war rooms in your day?

[Wolf]

Originally Posted by Dishman

Seen many NFL war rooms in your day?

I know that it wasn't directed toward me but thanks to nfL network, I have seen a couple

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Dishman

Seen many NFL war rooms in your day?

I never sat in the middle of one, to figure out who does what or anything like that. But from reading & listening to other coaches, GMs, & owners I've got a pretty good idea.


Besides, what do you think all those people are doing in that room? Waiting for the GM to declare the gospel?

[GP]

"We absolutely have to see better results next season. There's no way we can tolerate having this kind of season again. Everyone should know that. I'm confident it's not going to happen. We're taking steps to see it won't happen. Everyone understands what's expected of them." -- Owner Bob McNair, who asked about bringing back coach Gary Kubiak, who has posted one winning record and no playoff appearances in his first five seasons.

This is the sort of stuff that tells me McNair values style over substance.

Instead of saying something along the lines of "You know, the easy thing would be to sit here and make ultimatums and produce a literal timeline on things. I've done that in the past, and what I have realized is that there is so much that goes into getting a team in position to win a title that it rests upon more than just the head coach. We are constantly trying to add to whatever incremental successes we've had, whether it's a first winning season in our history or having a league-leading offense and multiple other successes. We think we have been able to add to our team by acquiring a veteran d-coord in Wade Phillips whom we think can do for our defense what Gary and his coaches have done for the offense."

I know he has said something to that effect before, but it needs to be the mantra. It needs to be the ONLY thing he says in regards to the decision to retain Kubiak, and in relation to the future and the expectations by him and by fans.

Because this stuff of absolutes, such as "Playoffs or bust," or "Super Bowl is the bottom line," and now "There's no way we can tolerate having this kind of season again. Everyone should know that" is just not helping anybody. It's what you'd think the fans want to hear, but it's not. What we want is some blatantly obvious transparency, instead of saying the "Rah! Rah!" pep rally stuff that rings hollow.

We know you're committed to a marathon and not a sprint, Bob. So just stick with that and tell the fans to understand this is the approach you're taking and you want the fans to support it. Explain that you're shooting for legacy-type results instead of quick turnarounds that might last 2-3 years and be gone one day out of the blue.

I think the guy is feeling the heat as it relates to watching other teams' owners make "traumatic" changes and he's not doing it that way...so it renders him as potentially being perceived as not having the guts to make quick moves. If so, then he should embrace it 100% and throw caution to the wind and declare that he doesn't want to have a 3-year, one-hit-wonder team like maybe the Falcons are.

The more I read of McNair, the less I am optimistic about this teams chances at any point in the future. I've said we're going to need the blind squirrel effect to take place before seeing playoffs and a chance at a title, and I still believe that.

I'm also a bit worried about the ability to maintain cohesiveness and unity between an independently-led Wade Phillips defense and an independently-led Gary Kubiak offense. All of the best designed plans for battle go right out the door when the bullets and bombs start flying through the air. Will the plan work out as expected, or will it only create two men with two factions of players vowing allegiance to their respective leaders and having an us vs. them atmosphere brewing the whole time?

The move to bring in Wade, IMO, was just another example of McNair thinking he can tinker with existing parts and get total victory out of it. From what I remember of the 1990s-era Cowboys, Jimmy Johnson was the chief captain commander leader president and Wannstedt (sp?) was a d-coord and Turner was an o-coord and both guys were just that: Strictly coordinators, not men who were ever going to sniff head coaching for the Cowboys during or shortly after Jimmy's departure. What WE have, is the very real possibility that Wade will take over if Kubiak is ousted. And it doesn't take much to oust a guy if his successor is already in the house. Just needs a slight nudge, at this point.

Human psychology is funny that way. Sharks aren't the only creatures who can smell blood in the water, and I fear that there will be repercussions with this "grand plan" of bringing in Wade. It had to have been a blow to Gary, because up until now...Gary has been the smartest guy in the room, and I think he did that by design (no challengers to the throne, so to speak).

[Wolf]

Originally Posted by GP

The move to bring in Wade, IMO, was just another example of McNair thinking he can tinker with existing parts and get total victory out of it.

very true


signed
Tom Benson

[GP]

Originally Posted by Wolf

very true


signed
Tom Benson

Not sure what you're saying.

I don't think Tom tinkered. He gave Sean Payton the reins, at the same time Kubiak was given the reins of the Texans team, and they've seen different results.

On the Saints end, the tinkering is done under circumstances of consistent playoff appearances and a Super Bowl victory.

On our end, the tinkering is done under circumstances of one 9-7 season, no playoff appearances, and multiple losing seasons.

Sort of a big difference. In one sense, the tinkering is justified. In the other team, you get to where you question the structure of the foundation altogether.

[Wolf]

I was talking about Sean was smart enough to realize that adding Gregg Williams to the mix on the defensive side of the ball

[GP]

Originally Posted by Wolf

I was talking about Sean was smart enough to realize that adding Gregg Williams to the mix on the defensive side of the ball

Ah, you left a lot of ground for me to cover. Wasn't sure on your direction there.

I see.

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by Wolf

very true


signed
Tom Benson

Originally Posted by GP

Not sure what you're saying.

I think he is referring to the Saints bringing in Gregg Williams as DC prior to the '09 season. Which became the Saints Super Bowl year.

What people seem to forget is that Williams was Payton's 2nd DC. His first, Gary Gibbs, put together the 11th ranked defense in 2006 and the Saints got to the NFC title game. Two mediocre seasons with poor defensive efforts led Payton to give Gibbs the axe. Did he go out and hire a buddy? A coach who had never before been a DC? Nope, he found the best DC on the market. And when ownership balked at the new DC's $price tag, Payton took a pay cut to make the deal happen. Championship.

This is Kubiak's third attempt. This is probably McNair's hire and Kubiak is just going along. Like he has a choice. So Wolf is half correct in that this is McNair's attempt to replicate the Saints' '09 move. Except it was Payton, not Benson, that brought Gregg Williams into the mix and turned around the Saints fortunes.

[steelbtexan]

Originally Posted by GP

Not sure what you're saying.

I don't think Tom tinkered. He gave Sean Payton the reins, at the same time Kubiak was given the reins of the Texans team, and they've seen different results.

On the Saints end, the tinkering is done under circumstances of consistent playoff appearances and a Super Bowl victory.

On our end, the tinkering is done under circumstances of one 9-7 season, no playoff appearances, and multiple losing seasons.

Sort of a big difference. In one sense, the tinkering is justified. In the other team, you get to where you question the structure of the foundation altogether.

BoB doesn't want anything traumatic in his organization.

Well 6-10 was ppredictable and traumatic.

BoB doesn't understand that a traumatic yr. Should be followed by traumatic effect of blowing the thing up and getting a proven winner. That will excite his loyal fan base.

Either that or BoB doesn't want to pay for having to blow up the organization in a lockout yr. Anyway tinkering isn't enough to turn this oorganization around. The way his loyal fan base wants. IMHO

[steelbtexan]

Originally Posted by Lucky

I think he is referring to the Saints bringing in Gregg Williams as DC prior to the '09 season. Which became the Saints Super Bowl year.

What people seem to forget is that Williams was Payton's 2nd DC. His first, Gary Gibbs, put together the 11th ranked defense in 2006 and the Saints got to the NFC title game. Two mediocre seasons with poor defensive efforts led Payton to give Gibbs the axe. Did he go out and hire a buddy? A coach who had never before been a DC? Nope, he found the best DC on the market. And when ownership balked at the new DC's $price tag, Payton took a pay cut to make the deal happen. Championship.

This is Kubiak's third attempt. This is probably McNair's hire and Kubiak is just going along. Like he has a choice. So Wolf is half correct in that this is McNair's attempt to replicate the Saints' '09 move. Except it was Payton, not Benson, that brought Gregg Williams into the mix and turned around the Saints fortunes.

I really wonder if Gary got the choice to hire another DC what loser buddy of his he would've brought in this time.

Gary's freinds were terribly overmatched in their jobs. This will be Gary's downfall. Bob's just trying to fit the square peg in the round hole at this point.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by GP

I think the guy is feeling the heat as it relates to watching other teams' owners make "traumatic" changes and he's not doing it that way...so it renders him as potentially being perceived as not having the guts to make quick moves.

I wear my Texans' gear year round. I'll be jerseyed, jacketed, hated, and towel hanging out of my back pocket at our Super Bowl party tomorrow.

I never know what I'm going to get. Some people sympathize, some people are optomistic about the future (I don't get it either), some people are down right mean.

I can hold my own.

But I wonder how McNair feels when he walks into that room with the other 31 owners. I'm sure he gets some of the same thing.

But he can actually do something about it, where I can't.

[Wolf]

Originally Posted by steelbtexan

I really wonder if Gary got the choice to hire another DC what loser buddy of his he would've brought in this time.

Gary's freinds were terribly overmatched in their jobs. This will be Gary's downfall. Bob's just trying to fit the square peg in the round hole at this point.

Seems to be working for the offense, but don't let the full blown hate cloud your judgment .

Defensively, yes, gary's pipeline of friends have failed him on that side of the ball

Btw wade was also in Denver when Kubiak was there