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Chronic: The scoop on Travis Johnson

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Marcus

Marcus

Windmill cancer survivor
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Johnson tackles tough times

When I looked at the picture of him of him in that link, that said all I needed to know about why he's at the bottom of the depth chart. He's got maturity issues. But I guess the positive thing, is that his coaches are recognizing that, and aren't sweeping it under the rug.

It will be real interesting though. Two of those DTs won't make the team. Wonder which two it will be?:hmmm:
 
This is probably the best thing that can happen to Travis...either he steps up and competes or he heads to the bench or worse waiver wire. I hope he gets it, I'd hate to think we wasted that pick!
 
This pretty much confirms the bad feeling I've been having about him and his performance so far this year.
 
at least that 3rd. rd. pick aquired from New Orleans turned into Eric Winston :rolleyes: otherwise last years lack of performance and now this I would slash the caps off my beer bottles. :brickwall
 
I don't know.. looks like a young Warren Sapp to me.

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sapp_20021211.jpg


sapp2.jpg

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Don't forget...... he is effectively a rookie this year.
 
I think Megan Manfull should have not danced around the subject and called Johnson a grotesquely out-of-shape immature unmotivated slacker, living high on the hog on his 1st round draft pick money. Because of all the turmoil and turnover this offseason, there was apparently nobody around to hold his hand, and say that there is actually such a thing as an off-season conditioning program.

I'm absolutely that last person in the world that would prematurely label a 1st round pick a bust . . . but he's pissing me off.
 
thunderkyss said:
I don't know.. looks like a young Warren Sapp to me.
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Warren Sapp has been there and done that. I wouldn't go there.
 
Marcus said:
Warren Sapp has been there and done that. I wouldn't go there.
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Yeah and I doubt Sapp ever practiced behind someone from the practice squad in his career. I just hope TJ can get his act together.
 
I hope this is just a "period of adjustment" thing TJ is going thru, because after the huge disappointment of giving up 2 other first day picks for P-Burnt last year and the way he performed, if TJ doesn't work out it would make the 2005 Draft nearly a complete bust, with the exception of KR Mathis.
Its especially bad when you consider the likes of OT Alex Barron and WR Mark Clayton, 2 guys who had really good rookies years in 2005 and were arguably at bigger need positions than DT, were both left on the Board last year after we took Johnson.
 
nunusguy said:
I hope this is just a "period of adjustment" thing TJ is going thru, because after the huge disappointment of giving up 2 other first day picks for P-Burnt last year and the way he performed, if TJ doesn't work out it would make the 2005 Draft nearly a complete bust, with the exception of KR Mathis.
Its especially bad when you consider the likes of OT Alex Barron and WR Mark Clayton, 2 guys who had really good rookies years in 2005 and were arguably at bigger need positions than DT, were both left on the Board last year after we took Johnson.
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throw gasoline on the fire & beat a dead :deadhorse

16 Houston Travis Johnson DE Florida State
17 Cincinnati David Pollack OLB Georgia
18 Minnesota Erasmus James DE Wisconsin
19 St. Louis Alex Barron T Florida State
20 Dallas Marcus Spears DE Louisiana State
21 Jacksonville Matt Jones WR Arkansas
22 Baltimore Mark Clayton WR Oklahoma
23 Oakland Fabian Washington CB Nebraska
24 Green Bay Aaron Rodgers QB California
25 Washington Jason Campbell QB Auburn
26 Seattle Chris Spencer C Mississippi
27 Atlanta Roddy White WR Ala.-Birmingham
28 San Diego Luis Castillo DE Northwestern
29 Indianapolis Marlin Jackson CB Michigan
30 Pittsburgh Heath Miller TE Virginia
31 Philadelphia Mike Patterson DT Southern California
32 New England Logan Mankins G Fresno State
 
Marcus said:
I think Megan Manfull should have not danced around the subject and called Johnson a grotesquely out-of-shape immature unmotivated slacker, living high on the hog on his 1st round draft pick money. Because of all the turmoil and turnover this offseason, there was apparently nobody around to hold his hand, and say that there is actually such a thing as an off-season conditioning program.

I'm absolutely that last person in the world that would prematurely label a 1st round pick a bust . . . but he's pissing me off.
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Megan was reporting not opining--an article not a opinion column. (Wonder if Megan reads over here--there were a number of us wondering about TJ).

Actions speak louder than words. They are making sure everyone on the team knows that it doesn't matter where you were drafted, if you are working hard, you will play, and if you aren't you won't.

It's May. I wouldn't get too freaked out about this. They are getting his attention. Personally, I am rooting for him--he is a likable personable guy. (We should all be so lucky not to have our immaturities played out in the newspaper).

Karmelowicz insists Johnson has all the physical qualities and athletic ability he needs to become an impact player in the NFL. Johnson's mental approach to the game may be all that's standing in the way of his making the necessary changes in technique.......

With Payne 31 years old and Robaire Smith turning 29 this season, Johnson is slated to be an integral part of the team's future.

"This is a big year for him," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "It's year two. Most of the players in this league make their biggest jump from year one to year two if they are going to be a great player and play a long time. So it's time for Travis to do that."
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Everybody on the team has new expectations for them. And they are hearing them.
 
beerlover said:
throw gasoline on the fire & beat a dead :deadhorse

16 Houston Travis Johnson DE Florida State
17 Cincinnati David Pollack OLB Georgia
18 Minnesota Erasmus James DE Wisconsin
19 St. Louis Alex Barron T Florida State
20 Dallas Marcus Spears DE Louisiana State
21 Jacksonville Matt Jones WR Arkansas
22 Baltimore Mark Clayton WR Oklahoma
23 Oakland Fabian Washington CB Nebraska
24 Green Bay Aaron Rodgers QB California
25 Washington Jason Campbell QB Auburn
26 Seattle Chris Spencer C Mississippi
27 Atlanta Roddy White WR Ala.-Birmingham
28 San Diego Luis Castillo DE Northwestern
29 Indianapolis Marlin Jackson CB Michigan
30 Pittsburgh Heath Miller TE Virginia
31 Philadelphia Mike Patterson DT Southern California
32 New England Logan Mankins G Fresno State
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I haven't followed all of these players so I'm not going to rate them, but going by your bolding/not bolding there was only about a 56% hit ratio (not counting TJ). I understand that this is an evaluation after just one year and I expect some of the misses to end up being good players. Interesting none-the-less.
 
I am glad to hear that these coaches aren't BSing. They are letting people know when they aren't getting what they expect of them.
 
Texans_Chick said:
Megan was reporting not opining--an article not a opinion column.
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I realize that. I guess I should have used a :rolleyes:, but facetious would be better suited.
 
"This is a big year for him," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "It's year two. Most of the players in this league make their biggest jump from year one to year two if they are going to be a great player and play a long time. So it's time for Travis to do that."

Very odd statement given the lack of production for a number of first round picks on this team. Just hope TJ stays with the program, got to have depth and he will be a player eventually.
 
I really felt that the 2005 draft class was like 2002. Fairly weak with a few scattered gems that we won't find out about for a few years. I'm not shy about who I wanted and will stick to it. I wanted DJ and would still take him today over TJ + the 3rd round pick. The 3rd round pick was for Spencer (imo) not Winston. They took Winston with the Saints pick to justify the tradedown for TJ (imo). There is no other reason to take Spencer before Winston other than that (imo).

I still hope TJ proves to be worth his first round status but work ethics aren't something that are easily taught. You either have them or you don't most of the time.
 
"A lot of times guys go, 'Hey, come on; it's May. We have no pads,' " Karmelowicz said. "They give you a list of reasons why they shouldn't do anything hard. But you must give yourself permission to do it. That's what's got to click on with him right now. That's what he's fighting. As soon as he allows himself to do it, he'll pick it up in a New York minute."
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I think the WORST thing that could have happened to him was having Gary Walker being his mentor his first year in the league.........Lord I hope none of Garys attitude rubbed off on Travis. Mentaly speaking and how Gary approached practice, sometimes I think Gary just thought he could show up and everything would take of its self.:spy:

I really think Travis will do fine being in the 4-3 again.
Sound like someone to you............G-FUNK
 
:fridge: The good news is that TJ has first round talent . Lombardi said winning is not a sometimes thing its an all the time thing ... I think this also applies to being a premier player . This is what the DL coach meens by TJ making up his mind and doing whats needed to fullfill his potential .

Translation , get off your fat ass and be in shape year around . If you are not bigger , stronger and faster than you were when you arrived here your losing ground . A quality DL over a ten year period can make 20 million dollars and your throwing it away . God only makes so many 300 lb men who are quick and agile enough to be NFL linemen and you still think NC State is on your schedule .
 
Texans_Chick said:
Actions speak louder than words. They are making sure everyone on the team knows that it doesn't matter where you were drafted, if you are working hard, you will play, and if you aren't you won't.
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Make no mistake about it, IMO Kubiak and his people are not immune from playing politics and having favorites players just like Capers and his people did and every other coaching regime does. They have a vested interst in their
Draft picks and FA players succeeding. It simply makes them look smarter if
for example D. Ryans and Eric Winston are successes vs TJ and Babin ending up as NFL failures.
Having said that, I give them much credit for making a real effort to resurrect the career of Seth Wand. He is not their boy, and was inherited from the previous regime. They obviously seem to think he could help them, and its all about winning ultimately and they will keep a player if he's a contributor.
But I'm confidant that they will have less patience, cut a player quicker if he was not acquired by them as compared to one of their own.
 
Texan in Japan said:
This is probably the best thing that can happen to Travis...either he steps up and competes or he heads to the bench or worse waiver wire. I hope he gets it, I'd hate to think we wasted that pick!
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Add another high pick tossed to into Capers Casserly dogpile. These guys were TERRIBLE draft managers.
 
Exascor said:
The 3rd round pick was for Spencer (imo) not Winston. They took Winston with the Saints pick to justify the tradedown for TJ (imo). There is no other reason to take Spencer before Winston other than that (imo).
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I know that it is debating almost nothing to compare who was picked first, Winston or Spencer and why....but

They may have picked the better player first. We've all seen the scouting reports that say Spencer is raw and needs a lot of seasoning to reach his potential. However, I've heard in practices that when Spencer gets it right he really pushes the defense back with his first punch and could be very good. I've heard that Winston also has a lot to learn about technique at the NFL level, and he has a long way to go to be ready to play. This is probably why he fell to the 3rd round.

So - each of the players need a lot of seasoning, as we should expect for 3rd round o-lineman. Spencer may have the higher upside if they both reach their potential.
 
I was just happy to hear that A. Malone was in front of T. Johnson. I really like this guy and think he can provide the push we need from our DT's.
 
nunusguy said:
Make no mistake about it, IMO Kubiak and his people are not immune from playing politics and having favorites players just like Capers and his people did and every other coaching regime does. They have a vested interst in their
Draft picks and FA players succeeding. It simply makes them look smarter if
for example D. Ryans and Eric Winston are successes vs TJ and Babin ending up as NFL failures.Having said that, I give them much credit for making a real effort to resurrect the career of Seth Wand. He is not their boy, and was inherited from the previous regime. They obviously seem to think he could help them, and its all about winning ultimately and they will keep a player if he's a contributor.
But I'm confidant that they will have less patience, cut a player quicker if he was not acquired by them as compared to one of their own.
Click to expand...


The thing that makes them look the smartest is getting the best guys on the field to win.

I'm not an Oklahoma fan by any stretch of the imagination, but the best thing that Bob Stoops did when he came to the program was to not make excuses for the talent he inherited, he practiced them up hard, made them his team and won immediately. (And the worst thing he did was continue to sport a visor. Visors on guys is kinda effete. Only Fred Couples can get away with it and remain just about the coolest guy on the planet).

I'm not expecting that sort of quick turnaround here, I am just saying that the thing that makes you look smart is winning with what you have. Your Wand example indicates that this is what they are trying to do.

If the older players fail it is likely because of their non-adaptability to a new scheme rather than politics.
 
Silly that the Chronic has to report it before pretty much any one believes me when I've been saying the same damned thing for months now.

But noooo, TJ is this, TJ is that, TJ is great, TJ just needs time and a new coach ... BS. TJ needs a treadmill and a brain transplant.

Okay, done on my soap box now. Carry on.
 
Texans_Chick said:
The thing that makes them look the smartest is getting the best guys on the field to win.
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Which is basically what I said at one point in my remarks, just don't be a
"Utopian Dreamer" and think for a moment that Kubiak can't be prejudice
and his picks aren't "first among equals" in scenarios where competing players have approximate ratings.
 
Kaiser Toro said:
"This is a big year for him," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "It's year two. Most of the players in this league make their biggest jump from year one to year two if they are going to be a great player and play a long time. So it's time for Travis to do that."

Very odd statement given the lack of production for a number of first round picks on this team. Just hope TJ stays with the program, got to have depth and he will be a player eventually.
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So, AJ, and Dunta have a lack of production for us? *Given last year was pretty bad and AJ got injured*, I know how you feel about Carr, but many people don't see him as a wasted 1st round pick.:twocents: oh and please, I have no intention of this post creating a Carr questioning thread, I was just stating that we normally get value out of our first round picks, of course usually our first rounders start for us at the beginning of the year... TJ didn't.

From the link
Johnson is the Texans' only first-round pick who didn't start every game as a rookie.
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And on the subject of TJ's baby, I think it was born yesterday... can't remember where I heard it though..... poo
 
jerek said:
Silly that the Chronic has to report it before pretty much any one believes me when I've been saying the same damned thing for months now.

But noooo, TJ is this, TJ is that, TJ is great, TJ just needs time and a new coach ... BS. TJ needs a treadmill and a brain transplant.

Okay, done on my soap box now. Carry on.
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So he needs to hang from a mill (Treadmill), :chicken: -dance, and lay off the barbaque wings, all the while working his way back into the rotation.
 
jerek said:
... BS. TJ needs a treadmill and a brain transplant.

Okay, done on my soap box now. Carry on.
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It's weird how I didn't get that out of this article at all......... I know that appears to be the general consensus of folks on this thread.....


But I didn't get that from the article.
 
nunusguy said:
Which is basically what I said at one point in my remarks,
Click to expand...

Didn't see it. Reread it. Still didn't see it.

just don't be a
"Utopian Dreamer" and think for a moment
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Yes, I am acquainted with reality. I've been known to think. Thinking is not incompatible with also dreaming. :)

that Kubiak can't be prejudice
and his picks aren't "first among equals" in scenarios where competing players have approximate ratings.
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It is possible that he is that way. He is a human making judgments based on what he sees and what his assistants see. It is also possible he is working from his rational self-interest and is trying to put the best players on the field no matter who drafted them so that we can win some games.

If TJ can play, Kubiak is gonna want him to succeed.

It is too early to tell how political things will be for Kubiak versus other coaches in the league. There is no track record to determine that. From what I've seen so far, he is just putting the people on the field and letting them compete. Under your political theory, Wand woulda been thrown under the bus before the OTAs.



Great. We are all back to parsing statements by players and coaches because there are no games going on. Those statements get blowned up because it is in the Chronic.

Usually I read articles like this and go, hmmm interesting, file that away, let see what comes of this, instead of what a lot of folks in this thread are doing--pronouncing busts, predicting pregnancies or saying that Capers guys are gonna get whacked or whatever.

TJ done got a fire lit up under him. Let's wait and see what happens.
 
Brandon420tx said:
So, AJ, and Dunta have a lack of production for us? *Given last year was pretty bad and AJ got injured*, I know how you feel about Carr, but many people don't see him as a wasted 1st round pick.:twocents: oh and please, I have no intention of this post creating a Carr questioning thread, I was just stating that we normally get value out of our first round picks, of course usually our first rounders start for us at the beginning of the year... TJ didn't.

And on the subject of TJ's baby, I think it was born yesterday... can't remember where I heard it though..... poo
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Four drafts, five first round picks. Three of them, which constitute 60% of those picks, had less than spectacular first years.
 
thunderkyss said:
It's weird how I didn't get that out of this article at all......... I know that appears to be the general consensus of folks on this thread.....


But I didn't get that from the article.
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I don't think Manfull wrote the article as an overt criticism of TJ. That was me reading between the lines. That has been me pretty much since we drafted the dude. TJ always has been a lazy half-ass with an attitude problem, and he isn't showing any signs of change. Physically he has the tools to succeed, but until he commits to utilizing them, he will continue to be an also-ran who will barely crack the roster.

Kaiser Toro said:
That would be correct.
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Still not sure what to think of Babin. I think we reached when we drafted him (was a projected 2nd rounder at the time, if I'm not mistaken) but physically he is an exciting specimen. Same as for TJ, though ... mental problems are getting in the way of him ever making good on that potential. As far as Carr, well we can agree to disagree, but I respect your opinion as a football mind and I hope that this will be the year where he makes good on both yours and my expectations.
 
I knew you would be, but thats where opinions start to get put in... I didn't count Carr, and I was impressed with Babins first year.... and at the end of last year ... but there was that 10 game waiting period for me..... anyways, yea, I only counted 2 for me, but once again that all comes down to opinions and differing viewpoints.

:fishing: <--- My official, lets make peace smiley lol.
 
Brandon420tx said:
The three your counting are Babin, TJ, and Carr right?
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Not many players excel in a losing atmosphere, playing for coaches that don't teach well and don't scheme to your strengths and put you in a position to succeeed.

I think we'll get a better idea of the talents of these three this season. One of them may be a bust but I don't think all three of those guys will turn out to be.
 
jerek said:
Still not sure what to think of Babin. I think we reached when we drafted him (was a projected 2nd rounder at the time, if I'm not mistaken) but physically he is an exciting specimen. Same as for TJ, though ... mental problems are getting in the way of him ever making good on that potential. As far as Carr, well we can agree to disagree, but I respect your opinion as a football mind and I hope that this will be the year where he makes good on both yours and my expectations.
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I was simply making a point based on 1st year results, this is not a potential discussion.
 
Texans_Chick said:
Great. We are all back to parsing statements by players and coaches because there are no games going on. Those statements get blowned up because it is in the Chronic.
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My reference to the importance of winning was exactly this, "its all about winning ultimately", so I don't know how I could have explicitly assigned a higher priority to what the W-L record looks like at seasons end ?
As far as parsing, second-guessing, speculating etc. until the Chronicle gets
somebody over there who can write a definitive story about the DL and other Texans topics, were gonna be left to do that in the offseason until we see for ourselves how the team is doing, preseason games being the earliest.
M.Manfull is a solid journalist, but she's still got some stuff to learn about her subject matter when it comes to NFL football. Todays article is really a clarification re the ommission of TJ in the earlier article this week about
Babin/the DL. I'm glad she followed up with it, because it was important to
all of us to get the lowdown on TJs present status, disappointing as it may have been.
 
Compare this guy against Mario Williams, or even Domanick Davis in terms of personality.

TJ, from the very first time I saw him on a TV camera (arriving into Houston, for example) just had a weird countenance about him.

I would call it "brooding," meaning that he looked to be a very solemn and almost depressed-looking man. I saw burts of emotion, such as when he got the call on draft day and the TV camera showed his reaction...but outside of that, it seems to me that he does not have the outgoing and bright-faced attitude of most players today.

Now he's spiraled into Anna Nicole Smith territory...and I just think he's got emotional/mental issues. Call it an inferiority complex, or even depression, but something is out of whack with TJ.

How do you let yourself go, like he did? How do you get drafted in the first round and allow this to happen? Maybe it was a guy just feeling lost in the midst of a sinking coaching staff...had to be tough for those guys, espcially the ones drafted right before the big implosion of the 2005 season.

I'm more worried about his state-of-mind right now more than I am worried about his performance. Guy's gotta' get his head right, and for a lot more than playing the game. Think Barrett Robbins.
 
gpshafer_1976 said:
Compare this guy against Mario Williams, or even Domanick Davis in terms of personality.

TJ, from the very first time I saw him on a TV camera (arriving into Houston, for example) just had a weird countenance about him.

I would call it "brooding," meaning that he looked to be a very solemn and almost depressed-looking man. I saw burts of emotion, such as when he got the call on draft day and the TV camera showed his reaction...but outside of that, it seems to me that he does not have the outgoing and bright-faced attitude of most players today.

Now he's spiraled into Anna Nicole Smith territory...and I just think he's got emotional/mental issues. Call it an inferiority complex, or even depression, but something is out of whack with TJ.

How do you let yourself go, like he did? How do you get drafted in the first round and allow this to happen? Maybe it was a guy just feeling lost in the midst of a sinking coaching staff...had to be tough for those guys, espcially the ones drafted right before the big implosion of the 2005 season.

I'm more worried about his state-of-mind right now more than I am worried about his performance. Guy's gotta' get his head right, and for a lot more than playing the game. Think Barrett Robbins.
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I think you hit it right on the nose...
 
From the Chronic article linked:
"A lot of times guys go, 'Hey, come on; it's May. We have no pads,' " Karmelowicz said.
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Still, it is May. They aren't wearing pads. A Seth Wand will always look better when it isn't live. Conversely, some guys aren't going to look as good until the pads go on.

I'm not giving TJ a pass. He needs to lose about 20 pounds of goo if he wants to see the field. Just that we may give too much credence to these spring camps.
 
From the link
This season, defensive coordinator Richard Smith is implementing a game plan similar to the one Johnson excelled in at Florida State. It centers on being aggressive and getting up the field.
Click to expand...

Sorry I had to do this,:yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:
 
jerek said:
Silly that the Chronic has to report it before pretty much any one believes me when I've been saying the same damned thing for months now.

But noooo, TJ is this, TJ is that, TJ is great, TJ just needs time and a new coach ... BS. TJ needs a treadmill and a brain transplant.

Okay, done on my soap box now. Carry on.
Click to expand...

one of the very few things we have always agreed on.
 
thunderkyss said:
It's weird how I didn't get that out of this article at all......... I know that appears to be the general consensus of folks on this thread.....


But I didn't get that from the article.
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I think the bit about TJ needing "to give himself permission" to do the things they are asking him to do is their way of saying that so far he has been unwilling to accept any of their coaching advice. That to me is someone who is too dumb to see the writing on the wall. If I were TJ and noticed that I was doing my reps with someone from the practice squad, I'd be getting it in gear real fast.
 
Motivational issues it seems... not what you want to see. They are obviously pushing buttons to see if any of them work.
 
aj. said:
Motivational issues it seems... not what you want to see. They are obviously pushing buttons to see if any of them work.
Click to expand...

Maybe they should try smearing the QB with a pizza. Better yet maybe Mario could give a whiff of a subway sandwich before TJ gets in his stance.
 
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