Q: Here, the Scandinavian winter is slowly setting in, but for me, the firing of BOB was a small light in the darkness. However, I don’t think the future will be paved with Super Bowl rings unless we find the right GM and HC. How do you see the role of Jack Easterby? Shouldn’t the Texans get rid of him as well, since he was an instrumental part in some of the roster moves that backfired and left the team 0-4? Also, he seems extremely unavailable for the press, which must be frustrating. Med venlig hilsen. — Kristian S.
A: Tusen takk, Kristian. If you were in Houston, it’s in the high 70s and low 80s with some rain on the way because of Hurricane Delta that’s headed for Lake Charles again. If McNair had fired Easterby and O’Brien, the Texans would have had nobody to run the front office. Someone has to take that role until the new GM is hired. Easterby is the interim GM like Romeo Crennel is the interim coach. When the GM is hired, Easterby will continue with his current role as executive vice president of football operations and work with the new GM. If I’m the new coach, I’m keeping Crennel on the staff because of his popularity, experience and the respect he gets from everyone. As for Easteby’s role in decisions made by O’Brien, who had final say on everything involving personnel, only the two of them and Cal McNair knew if Easterby agreed or disagreed with the moves.
Q: This will be my last email! I hope you know how important it is for us as fans to count on people like yourself to give us honest opinions. You have way more access than us. I don’t think you ever gave us a honest opinion about O’Brien. He cost the franchise a lot. It will be years before they can recover without picks. There won’t be a division title this year, something you always used to defend O’Brien. I can only imagine that he is a friend of yours! There is no other explanation. I guess I respect your football knowledge too much to accept that you really thought all this was going to end in a Super Bowl. I will never understand why you never were willing to call it like the majority of the reporters around the country. When after all you are there present every day with access. I’m glad it’s over, just always expected more from you! You were still defending him on your podcast after he got fired! We’re going to have to live with all his mistakes for some time. In all honesty, it’s more the ownership to blame than O’Brien. I just hope you realize how much it matters what you say! Or what you don’t say! At least it does to me, as your fan. — Francisco P.
A: Francisco, we have had no access to anyone other than Zoom calls since the coronavirus caused so many problems. You say I never gave an honest opinion. Do you mean I gave a dishonest opinion? I’m guessing you’ve never seen my grades. I have written, broadcast, tweeted, etc. what I think of O’Brien, and I’ll do it again. I think he’s a good coach, good enough to win the division and a playoff game at home, but not good enough to get beyond that. He proved it. Anyone who thinks he’s a bad coach is clueless about football. You don’t win four division titles in five years if you’re a bad coach. I’ve never predicted the Texans to reach the Super Bowl, much less win one. I didn’t even pick them to win the division this year, but I did pick them as a wild-card team. And I never base any of my opinions on what any other members of the media report, especially those who never cover this team. I try to be fair, first and foremost, to everyone. I’m sorry my reporting has disappointed you and you’re e-mailing me again. Hopefully, you’ll change your mind at some point.
Q: One would think that for as many years you have coveted the Texans and your status as the so-called dean of the beat reporters, you would provide more insight into the inner workings of the organization, especially in the wake of the firing of Bill O’Brien. But you seem to offer no insight, anticipation of events or tic-toc that would enlighten the reader about what’s really going on within the organization. Your reporting is superficial at best. It seems I have to go elsewhere for this information, which leaks out in bits and pieces. It appears you have no real understanding of the beat except reporting the superficial and the obvious. You were not long ago asked on radio what stories you have broken that you’re proud of and you struggled to come up with anything. It was embarrassing. Either you see things you simply don’t report or you are clearly out of the loop. Readers in the country’s fourth-largest city deserve better. You clearly are not a story teller and it’s obvious that insightful reporting is either not within your skill set or interest. I come from a journalism background so I know of what I speak. Your editors should demand more. This is one of the biggest stories in Texans history and you have nothing special to offer. Did you even see this coming? We want insight. We want smart analysis. We want anticipation. We want good writing and strong narratives. You offer none of these. In the sports world, you have a great gig. It’s too bad you have wasted your opportunities. — Pete M.
A: Pete, I’m sorry I don’t live up to your high standards. I’m surprised you’re not more accurate. I was asked what was my favorite story I’ve broken during my 45 years at the Chronicle. They caught me off guard. That’s a lot to think about. By the way, just so you’ll know, I broke the O’Brien being fired story, the Hopkins trade story and the O’Brien promoted to GM story of the major ones I can think of recently. I’m sorry you missed them. Probably because so many around the country try to take credit for stories they don’t have first. After covering the NFL for 44 years for the Chronicle, I’m sorry I can’t enlighten you in a manner in which you’re accustomed because of your journalism background. Since you don’t like the way I cover the Texans, we have others at the Chronicle, including Aaron Wilson, who also cover the Texans. We have columnists like Jerome Solomon and Brian T. Smith, too. Hopefully, they’ll provide the kind of insight you’ve been missing with me.
Q: In your article in today’s Chronicle, you state toward the end that Romeo Crennel was hired by O’Brien in 2014 to be defensive coordinator. You gave a little bit of his history namely he had five Super Bowl rings. Your history is incomplete. You fail to state Romeo as head coach was fired by Kansas City before coming to the Texans because the Chiefs won two games and lost 14. If you’re going to give the history of a player or coach, then be complete. By omitting his recent failure at Kansas City you do not give a complete picture of this coach and by omission, you mislead the public. Not very professional. My point was that in THIS article, if you are going to talk of Crennel's history as a head coach, you should include all of his results, good and bad. If you check his record as a head coach, it is 28-55. Notwithstanding the above, your associate Aaron Wilson's article in today's Chronicle did what I believe you should have done, namely, the good with the not so good. See Wilson's second column, third paragraph in his article today. Anyway, thank goodness that O'Brien is gone, not that Crennel is going to turn a bad team into a good one over night or in a season. At least he and his successor may be a start to rebuild the Texans notwithstanding the absence of first and second round draft choices in 2021. — Richard K.
A: Richard, I knew Aaron was using his record, and I knew you’d read his story, too, so I didn’t want you to have to read the same thing twice.
Q: How amazing would it be to reunite Dabo and Deshaun or bring in Eric Bieniemy, Lincoln Riley, Urban Meyer or Jim Harbaugh? — David M.
A: Bieniemy is my top choice, David, but please, no Harbaugh.
Q: They need to fire unqualified and inexperienced Jack Easterby. Do you think Cal will do the right thing and fire Easterby? — Terry C.
A: Easterby isn’t being fired, Terry.
Q: I don't think many feel the Texans should keep any former Patriots organization members in the front office, but I think everyone would agree if anyone deserves a nice run as an interim head coach, it's Mr. Crennel. Did Cal McNair fire Bill O'Brien too long after the playoff loss, too soon into this season or both. — Tim K.
A: Tim, I don’t think it’s fair to fire a coach who’s coming off a division title and a playoff victory. McNair fired O’Brien because it was clear to anyone watching this team it’s been going in the wrong direction. I thought they’d beat Minnesota and Jacksonville before going to Tennessee, where they won’t last year. That loss to the previously winless Vikings was very telling.
Q: I bet it’s been a really busy but interesting week for you. Would it be reasonable to characterize Jack Easterby as Machiavellian? Between his relationship to BOB, and then Cal’s favoritism to him it seems like he knows how to play power dynamics. He also went to Robert Kraft’s house to recruit Nick Caserio after it was made public that Easterby didn’t like the Kraft incident that went down, isn’t that correct? Also, is there a chance that Easterby finds himself on Cal’s shortlist for permanent GM? Especially if he continues to impress Cal during this interim period. — Cody C.
A: Easterby won’t be the new GM, Cody, but he’ll be part of the search committee McNair will head.