dalemurphy
Hall of Fame
I do realize it is early in the season… and making broad, enthusiastic statements about how much success this team is about to have and how good it is will be met with some skepticism. That’s fine. However, the beauty of the blog that Barrett and I have created is that it records and captures our perspective at a given time. We can all look back in a month, a year, or three years and see how we viewed the NFL and the Texans at this moment… or, at any other. So, I think this is a great opportunity to share some thoughts on record. We are on the precipice of an amazing five to ten year ride with this team and I am absolutely ecstatic (for the record, I am currently ignoring the prospects of a 2011 work stoppage for the purpose of my mental health). This team has worked hard to get here. Many very good decisions by the organization led us to this point. Yet, still, just like the win against Washington on Sunday- all of what is about to happen almost never did.
Think back to 2008. Barrett bet a Steeler fan friend of ours $100 (with no points) that the Texans would beat Pittsburgh on opening day in Pittsburgh (nobody needs to tell me how silly my pal is). Anyway, by the end of that first quarter of the opening game, I realized how bad our defensive system and coaches were. I also defeatedly accepted the supposition that Matt Schaub was as brittle as Chris Chandler. Things were looking grim. Then the hurricane hit. Following the hurricane and reshuffling of the schedule came a physical beating by Tennessee and two painfully frustrating losses to Jacksonville (4th and 8 by Garrard) and Indianapolis (Rosencopter). I was so beat down and devastated by the confluence of losses that I gave away my tickets to the Miami game and stayed home (in Austin) pacing, flipping to the other game, biting my nails, and struggling to resolve another six win season. When we lost the lead late in the 4th quarter, my heart sank. Part of me continued to watch, hoping for a miracle, but, mostly I was attempting to emotionally accept the emerging reality that this organization led by Gary Kubiak and Rick Smith was going to be sent packing before it ever really took off. And, I had become huge fans of those guys, the way they operated, what they believed, and simply who the men were. But, this team was headed to another deadend losing season and some of the responsibility laid right on Coach Kubiak’s decisions (like the decision to retain Richard Smith) and Rick Smith’s as well (his inability to acquire quality RBs and Safeties). Oh well, here we go. It’s 4th and 10 with less than a minute left.
CONTINUE ARTICLE
Think back to 2008. Barrett bet a Steeler fan friend of ours $100 (with no points) that the Texans would beat Pittsburgh on opening day in Pittsburgh (nobody needs to tell me how silly my pal is). Anyway, by the end of that first quarter of the opening game, I realized how bad our defensive system and coaches were. I also defeatedly accepted the supposition that Matt Schaub was as brittle as Chris Chandler. Things were looking grim. Then the hurricane hit. Following the hurricane and reshuffling of the schedule came a physical beating by Tennessee and two painfully frustrating losses to Jacksonville (4th and 8 by Garrard) and Indianapolis (Rosencopter). I was so beat down and devastated by the confluence of losses that I gave away my tickets to the Miami game and stayed home (in Austin) pacing, flipping to the other game, biting my nails, and struggling to resolve another six win season. When we lost the lead late in the 4th quarter, my heart sank. Part of me continued to watch, hoping for a miracle, but, mostly I was attempting to emotionally accept the emerging reality that this organization led by Gary Kubiak and Rick Smith was going to be sent packing before it ever really took off. And, I had become huge fans of those guys, the way they operated, what they believed, and simply who the men were. But, this team was headed to another deadend losing season and some of the responsibility laid right on Coach Kubiak’s decisions (like the decision to retain Richard Smith) and Rick Smith’s as well (his inability to acquire quality RBs and Safeties). Oh well, here we go. It’s 4th and 10 with less than a minute left.
CONTINUE ARTICLE
I'm LOVIN IT!!