I think that one of the things that bothers me the most is that at this point in time it seems that everyone is on their tiptoes trying to dance around the word "playoffs." The coaches don't want to introduce it, the players don't want to introduce it, most of the fans want to ignore it as a measure of minimum success. And the owner can only come out, after all this time, with a relatively limp statement of "expectation." I'm beginning to get strong signals that this almost universal acceptance of mediocrity (a term that I believe Vinny used in the past) is a result of people being unable to motivate themselves. Lesser teams have set their goals high........some have made them........others have not. They have exuded confidence which have given them all that one little additional advantage toward reaching their goals. The Texans are not an "F" student looking for an unlikely/unreasonable "A." They are a "C" student looking for at least a "B"............with any acceptance of a "C+" reflective solely of their own sad self-imposed limitations.
I follow what you're putting out there, but I don't agree with it. Every team throws out the obligatory "We want to dominate and win the SB!" card. No team (well, maybe the Lions are the exception) goes about things acting like they are just glad to be around for another day.
For every Detroit Lions'esque team who would be thrilled to reach .500 two seasons in a row, there is a Dallas Cowboys'esque team who is controlled by an owner/GM who can't get out of the first round of the playoffs.
The problem with being an NFL fan is that anything less than the Super Bowl trophy and you're a loser. A big loser. In fact, you could pull a Buffalo Bills and have 4 or 5 appearances in a decade, and you're seen as a
pathetic loser. This exists for the NBA and MLB, as well, in sports leagues where there is only one real trophy to win each season. But it's magnified in the NFL, and I think that has to do with the physicality of the game. Only a real man can climb that mountain and plant that flag. Only a beast of a man could end up as the Super Bowl champion. A famous car racer once said "If you're not first, you're last!"
So what does it matter if we're in the playoffs and lose in the first or second round? Because I have seen teams repeatedly fail to win the Super Bowl, making it deep into the playoffs on a consistent basis and choking in some way or another, and yet THOSE teams are still regarded as being "good" teams: Philly, for example.
I think this whole freaking conversation is a joke. To say "he should be fired if we don't make the playoffs" is such a wrong way of evaluating anything because a good team isn't measured by conquest, at least it isn't to me--I judge it on some pretty simplistic things:
1. Are we drafting in the top 5 every season? If so, there's a serious issue going on in the deep recesses of the team's facilities.
2. Are we able to put ourselves into position to win a game, and if we are, what's the talent level of that opposing team we are in position to beat? If we're out of games by the start of the 2nd quarter, then there's some serious issues going on with the coaching and planning, etc.
3. Are we scoring points, or are we squeaking by on lucky bounces and blown coverages and getting points in garbage time?
And applying the "mediocrity" tag on THIS team, when it really was only applicable to the Capers' era of Texans teams, is well...it's fairly inaccurate IMO. I still think Marcus might be right when he says this team's problem is primarily a "talent" problem. You get enough talent, and stay the hell out of their way, and they can do some amazing things. I wonder if the Cavs are doing so well because of their coach, or because LeBron is a whole team unto himself? Or maybe it's a combination of coaching, stars, and support players? Looking back on the Capers team, I don't see ANYBODY who could play with the Texans team we have today--If we could put those two teams together, I know which team would win. And it wouldn't even be close.
I honestly think some of you guys are so on edge about the chances of us making the playoffs that you've now gone and hocked your wedding ring to add another few hundred to the poker pot you've put yourself into.
It isn't an acceptance of mediocrity to be pleased with 8-8 for two seasons. 2-14 was an embarassment, and THAT was the height of mediocrity. Kubiak has faults. Maybe he'll get over them this year. I don't desire a change until this season has played out and we see what he and Rick Smith have been putting together.
Isn't this the first year that we even have e-x-p-e-c-t-a-t-i-o-n-s for our defense? I mean, it was always a lost cause from the get-go every time this year. The biggest fault of Kubiak was allowing Richard Smith to stay more than 1 1/2 seasons. He has 1 1/2 seasons too late, but at least he's showing that he's not going to go all crazy all of a sudden. Nobody thrives in that sort of environment.
The Raiders, the Cowboys, the Redskins, and a few other teams are teams that make a lot of noise and don't produce a damn thing. Everybody else is just hoping that they do the best they can do, and that the bounces fall their way, and it all ends in a destiny-driven march to the title. I mean, it's 32 teams in a 16-game season! Only a few even make it to the playoffs, and then only 1 of those teams can survive the process.
No other major professional sports league (NHL, NBA, MLB) has a one-and-you're-done playoff structure. In the NFL, you have no second chances...and that's brutally unforgiving if your team just has an off day.
If the pulse of this board is already at this rate...in early May...I can't imagine what it'll be like in training camp and preseason. We might have to take a collection and provide professional counseling if things don't go perfectly for us.
