Rick Smith looks smarter every day

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by tru80texan

While I can agree w/ some of this, most of contains exaggerations that would simply take to long to reply to them all. So all I can really say is...have another glass on me .

Nope. There are no exaggerations. The long list can be picked at... however, I'm only arguing that those players have a combination of youth, talent, and experience that make it likely they will contribute to a quality team moving forward and the majority can be expected to improve.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by tru80texan

That is true & how long did it take Pete Carroll to accomplish what took the kubiak & Smith combo to do since 2007?? Kinda sad if you think about it w/ that comparison.

If I were to change the GM & HC of the Bills & the Packers, which team do you think would be more successful sooner?

The Seahawks were a play-off team from 2003-2007, that's 5 years of winning. They were in the Super Bowl in 2005. We busted on David Carr in 2005, busted on our GM Caserly, & busted on our HC. You can't compare what Pete Caroll & Schneider has done since 2010 with what Kubiak & Smith has done since 2007.

Caroll & Schneider were brought in to bring the Seahawks back to a winning tradition, they didn't have to rebuild the organization from top to bottom.

What did Holmgren do in Cleveland? That's comparable.


I agree with you to some extent, that the Texans have swung & missed on a lot of opportunities. But this "baby steps" rant you've got going is misplaced. If the Oilers had never left, if Rick & Gary took over that organization, then you'd be on point. But this is totally new.

Is 10 years too long to build a successful organization in one of the most competitive professional leagues in the world? Maybe. Would it have taken 10 years had we started with Kubiak & Smith? Probably not & I say that because we've seen what they've done in the last 7, if they didn't have all that baggage left by Casserly & Capers, it's within reason to believe we'd have been successful sooner.

Right now, the only thing I'm concerned about, is if the success we've seen is sustainable (is it real) & if we have the right people in place to take it further.

I'm celebrating "baby steps" yeah... but it is what it is. I'll be happy if we get to the play offs again & lose in the divisional round. I want a Super Bowl, but a third play-off season would help me believe this is one of the better teams in the league, which is a long way from where this team was in 2007.

& yes, if we don't make the play offs in 2013, Gary or Rick should be fired. Maybe both, depending on who replaces Gary (if it's Gary that leaves).

[steelbtexan]

Originally Posted by Texn4life

Look, I said that Rick Smith hasn't been all world, but watch what happens to that Seahawk team the next few years. They're gonna lose some of their good guys just like everyone else. But I'm going to let you guys continue to debate this. I stand in the "he's ok crowd".

I expect better than OK.

Maybe that's just the way I roll with most things in life. I understand that OK is good enough for most of the Texans loyal fanbase. They've had over a decade to be conditioned to think this way by the Texans org.

Give me a duo like Carroll/Schnieder over Gary/Rick any day of the week and twice on Sundays. TThey are making moves to try to win a SB. Gary/Rick continue to sit on their hands. I think this edict comes from BoB. Rick/Gary are trying to do all they can within the perameters BoB has allowed them to work within.

Those parmeters will never lead to a SB though. IMHO

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by steelbtexan

I expect better than OK.

Maybe that's just the way I roll with most things in life. I understand that OK is good enough for most of the Texans loyal fanbase. They've had over a decade to be conditioned to think this way by the Texans org.

Give me a duo like Carroll/Schnieder over Gary/Rick any day of the week and twice on Sundays. TThey are making moves to try to win a SB. Gary/Rick continue to sit on their hands. I think this edict comes from BoB. Rick/Gary are trying to do all they can within the perameters BoB has allowed them to work within.

Those parmeters will never lead to a SB though. IMHO

Hard to argue with what they are doing in Seattle.

That being said, I think we will enter August of 2013 season and August of 2014 season as one of the two or three most talented teams in the AFC. So, I think we have a good shot at a Superbowl, despite my hangover from the New England debacles and the reality that Kubiak/Wade were totally outclassed by New England coaching staff.

[ObsiWan]

Originally Posted by Texecutioner

I said before that in hind sight I can look back at a few of his drafts and say that he's made several solid picks, but mainly in the first round. The only thing is that how much of that do I credit to Kubiak or Wade as well?

That's the thing everyone seems to be ignoring - or at least failing to acknowledge. Rick Smith doesn't make moves in a vacuum. Uncle Bob doesn't want it that way. Any move this team makes, and pretty much has been since Charlie left, is a collaboration.
- The coordinators cook up their respective schemes.
- The head coach oversees/approves what they come up with; much more so on offense than defense (thank God!).
- Then the respective coordinators and their support staffs let the scouts know what attributes the respective schemes will demand.
- The scouts go out and locate those guys then run the prospects they find by the coordinators/coaches.
- They check the reports, watch college film, then come up with a shopping list for Rick Smith to target in free agency or the draft. Mainly the draft.

I'd bet good money that Rick Smith hasn't picked a single player that hasn't been vetted by "the committee". And I know if I were the head coach or one of the coordinators, I wouldn't want him to.

Why would any coach/coordinator want a guy who doesn't call the plays or come up with the weekly game plan selecting players to execute said game plan/plays without his input?? Like Parcells said, "if I have to cook the meal, I ought to get to shop for the groceries."

All that to say Rick Smith may go get the groceries but he damn sure doesn't make the grocery list on his own. His job is to get as many of the guys the coaches tell him to get as he can and get them under contract at a price we can afford in today's constricted salary cap NFL.

The secondary (a very close second) is to keep the core players long term and retain/replace role players as necessary. When another team sees that one of your role players can be a core player for them - and wants to pay them like a core player - you have no choice but to let them walk. I'm not in favor of scrambling to keep Casey or Quin or Barwin if it means I don't have cap room to keep Cushing next year or Watt the year after that.
just my

[Dutchrudder]

Rick Smith looked really smart when Baewin took 6m a year from the Eagles! Good thing he didn't accept our offer and let us overpay him!!!! Great job Rock!!!!

[badboy]

I predicted long ago that Barwin would leave. I was a bit nervous when he was offered a Texans contract. I like him, Casey and Walter and hope they enjoy their money. Looking forward to their replacements.

[Mr teX]

Originally Posted by rolyat93

Watch more basketball, Morey is a lock for GM of the year this season.

What does watching more basketball have to do with him winning GM of the year? What's more is what does it have to do with his abilities at acquiring enough talent for us to win a playoff series? All he's done is flip rosters every year...& so far that has led to us to picking 14th in the lottery for 3-4 straight seasons. His moves just now are about to put us back in the playoffs...what do we have to wait 3-4 more years before we win another playoff series and become a true contender?

His resume thus far has yielded mediocore to below mediocore results in the grand scheme of things.

[rolyat93]

Originally Posted by Mr teX

What does watching more basketball have to do with him winning GM of the year? What's more is what does it have to do with his abilities at acquiring enough talent for us to win a playoff series? All he's done is flip rosters every year...& so far that has led to us to picking 14th in the lottery for 3-4 straight seasons. His moves just now are about to put us back in the playoffs...what do we have to wait 3-4 more years before we win another playoff series and become a true contender?

His resume thus far has yielded mediocore to below mediocore results in the grand scheme of things.

Watch more basketball and you'd know what he's done to the roster.

Flipped broken down Yao/Tracy on a team in cap hell into a 23 year old superstar that's locked up for 5 more years along with young high upside players on good contracts with cap room to go after another big name guy.


Obviously they're just now starting to pay off, but show me one team that's not a NY/LA market that's rebuilt itself like this team has in just 3-4 years. Better yet, show me one that's done what Morey has without tanking.

[eriadoc]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

If I were to change the GM & HC of the Bills & the Packers, which team do you think would be more successful sooner?

The Seahawks were a play-off team from 2003-2007, that's 5 years of winning. They were in the Super Bowl in 2005. We busted on David Carr in 2005, busted on our GM Caserly, & busted on our HC. You can't compare what Pete Caroll & Schneider has done since 2010 with what Kubiak & Smith has done since 2007.

Caroll & Schneider were brought in to bring the Seahawks back to a winning tradition, they didn't have to rebuild the organization from top to bottom.

What did Holmgren do in Cleveland? That's comparable.

In 2005, the Texans battled it out with the SF 49ers for the #1 overall pick in the last (second to last?) game of the year. The 49ers won that game and dropped all the way to #6. Still, they were just about as terrible as the Texans at that time. They went through a terrible coaching phase with Singletary since then as well.

In fact, the top six teams in the draft in 2006 (i.e., the worst teams of 2005) were the Texans, Saints, Titans, Jets, Packers, and 49ers. Four of those teams have been to championship games since then. Three of them have been to Super Bowls.

Just some counter perspective.

[C Madd]

Originally Posted by Dutchrudder

Rick Smith looked really smart when Baewin took 6m a year from the Eagles! Good thing he didn't accept our offer and let us overpay him!!!! Great job Rock!!!!

[EllisUnit]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

If I were to change the GM & HC of the Bills & the Packers, which team do you think would be more successful sooner?

The Seahawks were a play-off team from 2003-2007, that's 5 years of winning. They were in the Super Bowl in 2005. We busted on David Carr in 2005, busted on our GM Caserly, & busted on our HC. You can't compare what Pete Caroll & Schneider has done since 2010 with what Kubiak & Smith has done since 2007.

Caroll & Schneider were brought in to bring the Seahawks back to a winning tradition, they didn't have to rebuild the organization from top to bottom.

What did Holmgren do in Cleveland? That's comparable.


I agree with you to some extent, that the Texans have swung & missed on a lot of opportunities. But this "baby steps" rant you've got going is misplaced. If the Oilers had never left, if Rick & Gary took over that organization, then you'd be on point. But this is totally new.

Is 10 years too long to build a successful organization in one of the most competitive professional leagues in the world? Maybe. Would it have taken 10 years had we started with Kubiak & Smith? Probably not & I say that because we've seen what they've done in the last 7, if they didn't have all that baggage left by Casserly & Capers, it's within reason to believe we'd have been successful sooner.

Right now, the only thing I'm concerned about, is if the success we've seen is sustainable (is it real) & if we have the right people in place to take it further.

I'm celebrating "baby steps" yeah... but it is what it is. I'll be happy if we get to the play offs again & lose in the divisional round. I want a Super Bowl, but a third play-off season would help me believe this is one of the better teams in the league, which is a long way from where this team was in 2007.

& yes, if we don't make the play offs in 2013, Gary or Rick should be fired. Maybe both, depending on who replaces Gary (if it's Gary that leaves).

Come on didnt the seahawks get into the play-offs with a 7-9 record 2 seasons ago ??? Would not say that is cause the organization did such a great job haha.

[sandman]

Originally Posted by rolyat93

Watch more basketball and you'd know what he's done to the roster.

Flipped broken down Yao/Tracy on a team in cap hell into a 23 year old superstar that's locked up for 5 more years along with young high upside players on good contracts with cap room to go after another big name guy.


Obviously they're just now starting to pay off, but show me one team that's not a NY/LA market that's rebuilt itself like this team has in just 3-4 years. Better yet, show me one that's done what Morey has without tanking.

Um, you do know that this team is barely over .500 and not considered a contender right? They missed the playoffs for the last three years with barely .500 records, so while they didn't tank, he made them *just good enough to get screwed out of decent draft picks to accelerate the rebuilding process. That may actually be a worse decision than tanking.

The potential is there for future seasons with a few more key additions, but this team as built right now is not a championship caliber team. They have improved from a mediocre team not making the playoffs to a decent team barely making the playoffs.

Funny how that is considered success for the Rockets, but failure for the Texans.

[rolyat93]

Originally Posted by sandman

Um, you do know that this team is barely over .500 and not considered a contender right? They missed the playoffs for the last three years with barely .500 records, so while they didn't tank, he made them *just good enough to get screwed out of decent draft picks to accelerate the rebuilding process. That may actually be a worse decision than tanking.

The potential is there for future seasons with a few more key additions, but this team as built right now is not a championship caliber team. They have improved from a mediocre team not making the playoffs to a decent team barely making the playoffs.

Funny how that is considered success for the Rockets, but failure for the Texans.

Who needs high draft picks when you already have your superstar? We are one of the youngest teams in the league(2nd youngest to be exact) and we are in good footing to land a playoffs spot. Plenty of guys with high ceilings who've yet to reach them, plenty of cap space, no malcontents that's as good as you can ask for.


Honestly, you're over-simplifying if you only look at team records. This team is vastly different than last years even though record-wise they're similar.

[TexansCountry]

Well see how smart rick is when its time to pay Cushing and give megaswatt that ridiculous but well deserved contract

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by eriadoc

In 2005, the Texans battled it out with the SF 49ers for the #1 overall pick in the last (second to last?) game of the year. The 49ers won that game and dropped all the way to #6. Still, they were just about as terrible as the Texans at that time. They went through a terrible coaching phase with Singletary since then as well.

In fact, the top six teams in the draft in 2006 (i.e., the worst teams of 2005) were the Texans, Saints, Titans, Jets, Packers, and 49ers. Four of those teams have been to championship games since then. Three of them have been to Super Bowls.

Just some counter perspective.

For some perspective,

If the Bills & the Packers were to change the GM & HC, which team do you think would be more successful sooner?

The 49ers I think is a good comparison (not as good as the Browns) since they've had about as much success as the Texans since 2002 (blowing us out of the water in 2011 & 2012). They had 8 losing seasons before making it to the play offs. & while they had great play from the QB position, they also had great play from most of their star players as well.

Originally Posted by EllisUnit

Come on didnt the seahawks get into the play-offs with a 7-9 record 2 seasons ago ??? Would not say that is cause the organization did such a great job haha.

& that was just a blip in the radar for them at that time. If we go 7-9 next year, 2011 & 2012 are the anomaly, not the losing seasons. I know we want to think our team is as good as the Packers, Patriots, Steelers, & Colts, but we're not. Our team may have been as talented as any of them in 2011 & 2012, but what were seeing right now (in March) has just as much to do with how this team will do between September & January.

Those other teams have been around for a long time. Their plan B is usually better than our plan A. They know what works, what doesn't work & do not "panic" as much as other teams have.

Yes, in 2011 & 2012, we had a team that was talented enough to win it all, but they didn't, for whatever reason. Now it's about what they'll do in 2013 & the jury is still out.

[EllisUnit]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

For some perspective,


The 49ers I think is a good comparison (not as good as the Browns) since they've had about as much success as the Texans since 2002 (blowing us out of the water in 2011 & 2012). They had 8 losing seasons before making it to the play offs. & while they had great play from the QB position, they also had great play from most of their star players as well.



& that was just a blip in the radar for them at that time. If we go 7-9 next year, 2011 & 2012 are the anomaly, not the losing seasons. I know we want to think our team is as good as the Packers, Patriots, Steelers, & Colts, but we're not. Our team may have been as talented as any of them in 2011 & 2012, but what were seeing right now (in March) has just as much to do with how this team will do between September & January.

Those other teams have been around for a long time. Their plan B is usually better than our plan A. They know what works, what doesn't work & do not "panic" as much as other teams have.

Yes, in 2011 & 2012, we had a team that was talented enough to win it all, but they didn't, for whatever reason. Now it's about what they'll do in 2013 & the jury is still out.

My point is if you go 7-9 and make the play-offs that means you had a really really weak conf/division. It was not because of the great team the seahawks put together.

[Mr teX]

Originally Posted by rolyat93

Watch more basketball and you'd know what he's done to the roster.

Flipped broken down Yao/Tracy on a team in cap hell into a 23 year old superstar that's locked up for 5 more years along with young high upside players on good contracts with cap room to go after another big name guy.


Obviously they're just now starting to pay off, but show me one team that's not a NY/LA market that's rebuilt itself like this team has in just 3-4 years. Better yet, show me one that's done what Morey has without tanking.

Lol with all the qualifiers...building a team that can make the playoffs in 3-4 years is not hard to do guy....especially in the NBA. it's getting to that next level that's hard. Indiana put their core together and made the playoffs in about 3 years and made it to the 2nd round easily...Golden State's core took about 3 years as well. All these teams really lacked was a HC.

Still don't see what watching more basketball has to do with anything you're asserting about how great Morey is. yeah we're 1 of the youngest teams in the NBA, so what. With the way Morey flips rosters we'll never see any of this young talent stay here and develop either. Harden is the only guy guaranteed to be here in the next 3 years. Everyone else may very well be gone in 1 of Morey's not-so blockbuster deals.

We're over-simplifying it b/c at the end of the day, that's all that matters...It's the same standard that people here use when talking about Smith. & thus far Morey's end results haven't yielded much of anything to say that he's so much better than Smith.

[76Texan]

Originally Posted by TexansCountry

Well see how smart rick is when its time to pay Cushing and give megaswatt that ridiculous but well deserved contract

Everybody will look stupid when they have to sign marquis players.

You just have got to do what you have to do.
Looking at the Texans contracts over the last few years, they are pretty reasonable, I wouldn't worry too much about it... At least for now, LOL!

[Dutchrudder]

Originally Posted by C Madd

Haha, drunk posting on a phone often leads to grammatical mistakes...

I do think it's hilarious that we have a few "Trust in Rick Smith" threads, and then we find out Rick offered Barwin what the Eagles just overpaid. Just wait, in a year or so when Barwin doesn't live up to his contract, Rick Smith will be hailed for not overpaying him to stay, even though he tried to after one good year.