ST Coach Marciano has the right attitude

[nunusguy]

"You've got to take chances," Marciano said. "You can't come up here and win a game playing conservative. You can say, 'Look, you gave them the ball back. Ah, geez.' But you've got to take a chance to make a play."
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3458451
************************************************
The ST unit is the one group that has been consistantly solid performers
this season, maybe its because of their coach ? When we had a 4th and 2
deep in Indy territory, I think Marciano would have gone for it. But Capers
kicks a FG - I was dumbfounded by his decision. Since when do you beat
Indy with FGs. And if you're already 1-7, what's to lose anyway ?

 

[OzzO]

Um, not quite sure the spin youy're going for on this, but Marciano was talking about Orr getting some pressure on the punter... not so much the 4th down play we had.

If that's not what you were going for, apologies. No telling what Marciano would have done though in Caper's shoes. Some assistant coaches can't make it as a head coach.... um.... no buck shot intended for others.

 

[nunusguy]

Um, not quite sure the spin youy're going for on this, but Marciano was talking about Orr getting some pressure on the punter... not so much the 4th down play we had.

If that's not what you were going for, apologies. No telling what Marciano would have done though in Caper's shoes. Some assistant coaches can't make it as a head coach.... um.... no buck shot intended for others.

Spin ? Hey man, I'm not sophisticated enough to spin anything, that's best left to the more clever type posters on this Board like yourself. I'm just
talking about his general philosophy about playing Indy when he says things like "you have to take chances" when you playing in Indy and you can't be conservative, which is exactly what Capers was when he settled for 3 points
when he 4th & 2 deep in the second half (and behind by 11 points).
And that's what Marcinao was doing when the block was on and Orr did his
job and got a piece of the ball. His philosophy worked, except that the refs
blew the call.

 

[Ibar_Harry]

That's like near the end of the 1st half when I said we needed to go balls out and try to score and get within 7 by the half. The defense stoped the Colts, we had two timeouts left, and a minute or so on the clock. We don't even try to get in field goal distance knowing we get the ball to start the 2nd half. Its crazy. If we score we put ourselves in position to get within a touchdown or put ourselves into a position to take a lead after another TD. Its called stradigy. We run the clock out. Just when the Colts are vulnerable we flop. And guess what we did score starting the 2nd half. Indy would have been feeling the pressure and who knows what would have happened. No, the 1st play of the game told you how they were going to play the game and they did. As far as I was concerned that was the ball game and it was. I will tell you I would be willing to take Marciano over almost anyone else on this staff. Pendry is as big a problem as Capers and may be even more so as he is the god father of the O-line, zone Blocking, and the current offense. I still thinks he wants Caper's job and God help us if he gets it. I'm sorry, but he may be the biggest problem of all, but is thought of as the saviour.

 

[Texas]

I like the idea of "we have nothing to lose". The thing is if we do get the 1st down then everyone will love our coaches and offense for a brief minute but if we dont get it they will be hated throughout the week about why did we go for it why didnt we just settle for the field goal. Why cant we just appreciate the fact we have a team.

 

[GP]

I havebeen a public supporter on this board to give Marciano the HC job for the rest of the season, but I get laughed at.

And what is said about this guy in this thread is what I have been saying. He has the proper outlook and his unit plays at a high level with a lot of consistency week in and week out.

To not give a guy like this a chance at least for the interim for the rest of the seaosn is a travesty.

And by the way, Orr was shoved (maybe not hard) but he WAS blccked and kinda' pushed into the punter a little...so technically, the ref could have let that go. There was no blatant attempt to kill the punter, and that rule just stinks to high heaven because it gets abused by the refs too much.

Give this guy a chance, McNair. He's a heck of a lot more in tune with the players than Dom Capers is.

 

[RTP2110]

Keep Marciano and Hoke, the rest can go.

 

[OzzO]

Spin ? Hey man, I'm not sophisticated enough to spin anything, that's best left to the more clever type posters on this Board like yourself. I'm just
talking about his general philosophy about playing Indy when he says things like "you have to take chances" when you playing in Indy and you can't be conservative, which is exactly what Capers was when he settled for 3 points
when he 4th & 2 deep in the second half (and behind by 11 points).
And that's what Marcinao was doing when the block was on and Orr did his
job and got a piece of the ball. His philosophy worked, except that the refs
blew the call.

Ah, gotcha. Didn't quite follow what you were going for in the original post. Thanks. (and didn't need the sarcasm).

I agree, the "conservative keep it close till the 4th" style just doesn't do it for quite a few fans. I'd prefer the go into the game ready to slaughter the opposing team and not let up.

Even noted during Capers show on 610 yesterday that they questioned if Capers noticed that the team seems more focused to march down the field the first drive of the game and after the half... he responded he thinks it happens more after the half..... How about a full 60 minutes of focus to expect to drive down the field?

Highly doubtful that's not the expectation, I'm sure... but maybe it's the way it was phrased.

 

[eriadoc]

I havebeen a public supporter on this board to give Marciano the HC job for the rest of the season, but I get laughed at.

And what is said about this guy in this thread is what I have been saying. He has the proper outlook and his unit plays at a high level with a lot of consistency week in and week out.

To not give a guy like this a chance at least for the interim for the rest of the seaosn is a travesty.

And by the way, Orr was shoved (maybe not hard) but he WAS blccked and kinda' pushed into the punter a little...so technically, the ref could have let that go. There was no blatant attempt to kill the punter, and that rule just stinks to high heaven because it gets abused by the refs too much.

Give this guy a chance, McNair. He's a heck of a lot more in tune with the players than Dom Capers is.

I've commented on a couple of your Marciano threads (and didn't laugh ). I don't think a ST coach has ever been promoted to HC, as there is usually a lot of "total game" stuff they haven't perfected yet. But I wouldn't mind seeing Marciano stick around and I am sure he'll get a chance to coach a different area of the team and expand his total game. It would be a boon for the team, IMO.

 

[MorKnolle]

"You've got to take chances," Marciano said. "You can't come up here and win a game playing conservative. You can say, 'Look, you gave them the ball back. Ah, geez.' But you've got to take a chance to make a play."
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3458451
************************************************
The ST unit is the one group that has been consistantly solid performers
this season, maybe its because of their coach ? When we had a 4th and 2
deep in Indy territory, I think Marciano would have gone for it. But Capers
kicks a FG - I was dumbfounded by his decision. Since when do you beat
Indy with FGs. And if you're already 1-7, what's to lose anyway ?

Why is it that people are praising Marciano for saying we need to take chances, especially since we were 1-7 at the time and now 1-8 (I agree with him that we should be aggressive and take chances), and then they are complaining that Carr took a good chance on that long pass to Bradford at the end of the Jacksonville game?

 

[El Tejano]

Why is it that people are praising Marciano for saying we need to take chances, especially since we were 1-7 at the time and now 1-8 (I agree with him that we should be aggressive and take chances), and then they are complaining that Carr took a good chance on that long pass to Bradford at the end of the Jacksonville game?

Oh my! What great observation. C'mon people answer him.

 

[humbleone]

I havebeen a public supporter on this board to give Marciano the HC job for the rest of the season, but I get laughed at.

To not give a guy like this a chance at least for the interim for the rest of the seaosn is a travesty.

Give this guy a chance, McNair. He's a heck of a lot more in tune with the players than Dom Capers is.

You are spot on with this...Mr. McNair should fire the "C's" after the Chiefs game and let Marciano take them the rest of the way this season.

 

[Ibar_Harry]

You are spot on with this...Mr. McNair should fire the "C's" after the Chiefs game and let Marciano take them the rest of the way this season.

I agree with you on Marciano, but disagree on Casserly. Actually Casserly has done a good job, but its Pendry and Capers who have single handedly destroyed this ball club. In fact I feel Pendry is the biggest problem of all. I give a pass to Casserly at this point, because I believe the coaching has destroyed any and all talent he has provided up to this point. AJ is a good ball player who is being destroyed by this coaching staff. Carr is in a similar situation. You can look at other young players on this ball club and say the same thing, as well as, verterns. Look at the players this coaching staff has let go. The coaches have as much say or more in terms of who they want and why. Casserly by in large provides them with what they want. A lot of you don't agree with me, but that has been my take for a long time. Capers should have been gone last year along with Pendry. People just didn't believe these guys are that bad. They were and still are.

 

[Bullfan]

I agree with you Ibar! When the new coaches get here and this team does better we'll have our proof that Capers and Pendry are a problem. Unfortunately, alot of our players are so miserable they will probably move on if they can and we'll see them do well on other teams, which will also prove our point about these coaches!

 

[bckey]

I've been complaining about Capers since he was announced as the Texans new head coach. Never liked him. Everyone says he is a good man but that doesn't make him a good head coach and it shouldn't stand in the way of McNair firing him. He should have been fired at the end of last season but all we heard was "we are in a 5 year plan". Most of those people are now all for firing Capers.

Capers can't even bring himself to fire assistants when it is needed. He blew it when he didn't fire Palmer in the offseason and I think he has hung on to Fangio too long also. That cost the players at least being able to learn Pendrys offense (ugly as it is) in camp and preseason. Now it is learn on the fly. Mr. McNair PLEASE send Capers, Pendry, and Fangio packing. This isn't a character contest. It is about who can coach and who can't. You can't argue with the results. We see that every week.

 

[Malloy]

Keep Marciano and Hoke, the rest can go.

Move the team to LA, then all the complainers in H-town will finally get their wish, everyone is gone

 

[CoachJim]

I'm prolly gonna get roasted for this but ya know the one & only thing I miss about Palmer? It seems that we used to take a few more chances every now & then when he was here (gadget plays, 4th n goal vs Jax). Remember year one? ... Was it Gaff that threw a pass vs Jax? ... The lateral to AG on a punt return. Don't get me wrong, I'm ready to see Dom set packing too. He's a great fundamentals coach but I believe we're past that. That being said, I'd like to see Coach Marciano given the reigns for the remainder of the season too.

 

[Vinny]

I'm prolly gonna get roasted for this but ya know the one & only thing I miss about Palmer?

He was the guy that believed in the vertical passing game. Welcome to dink and dunkville.

 

[Lucky]

I'm prolly gonna get roasted for this but ya know the one & only thing I miss about Palmer? It seems that we used to take a few more chances every now & then when he was here (gadget plays, 4th n goal vs Jax). Remember year one? ... Was it Gaff that threw a pass vs Jax? ... The lateral to AG on a punt return...

Not going to roast you, but I will point out a few things. The "Leap of Faith" call in the Jax was Capers' to make. The Gafney throwback to Glenn was a special teams play, and likely cooked up by Marciano. Gafney did throw a TD pass to Bradford the previous week against the Browns. It did seem that Palmer had a fondness for gadget plays, but they're "live by the sword, die by the sword." Remember the Stacy Mack HB pass that was picked off by the Jags in that same leap of faith game? That was a bonehead call. I just don't think Palmer being here the past 7 games would have equated into more wins.

Marciano is clearly the coach of the year for the Texans. Not only for the KO returns by Mathis, but the reduction in special teams penalties. Starting from you own 10 rather that the 35 because of an illegal block makes a big difference. I'm not sure the Texans average 10 points a game without the improved play of special teams. Which is why I would be completely against making Marciano an interim head coach. Don't try to fix one thing by breaking something else. And while I'd like to see Marciano remain as special teams coach next season, that's the next HC's call.

 

[Texans_Chick]

Not going to roast you, but I will point out a few things. The "Leap of Faith" call in the Jax was Capers' to make. The Gafney throwback to Glenn was a special teams play, and likely cooked up by Marciano. Gafney did throw a TD pass to Bradford the previous week against the Browns. It did seem that Palmer had a fondness for gadget plays, but they're "live by the sword, die by the sword." Remember the Stacy Mack HB pass that was picked off by the Jags in that same leap of faith game? That was a bonehead call. I just don't think Palmer being here the past 7 games would have equated into more wins.

Marciano is clearly the coach of the year for the Texans. Not only for the KO returns by Mathis, but the reduction in special teams penalties. Starting from you own 10 rather that the 35 because of an illegal block makes a big difference. I'm not sure the Texans average 10 points a game without the improved play of special teams. Which is why I would be completely against making Marciano an interim head coach. Don't try to fix one thing by breaking something else. And while I'd like to see Marciano remain as special teams coach next season, that's the next HC's call.

Agreed.

A few thoughts:

1. I love Marciano. His players love him. I want him to stay.

2. He loves trick stuff and loves thinking about that stuff. They work on fake punt stuff all the time. He has all sorts of tricks handy in case they need something.

3. It may be that he would be a good head coach if that is what he aspires to do, but it would not be the best of circumstances--taking a coach away from the best part of your team in the middle of the season. I don't see anything in his background that suggests to me that he would be the answer to managing the entire team and improving their record. (And of course, if their record improved, was it the coaching or was it the easier schedule).

4. Has there ever been a special teams coach that has been promoted to head coach?

5. I know some folks here like all the emotional coaches and want to ditch the rest. I think you need a mix on a team. Actually, though I know there is all sorts of room to criticize him, I do think that one of the best things Capers has done is to keep the team playing, keep them level headed, and keep them from turning into total chaos. The coach speak gets on your nerves, but to be honest, I like that better than the Van Gundy style dumping your players in the grease publically, and eroding their confidence. (BTW, the Rockets hard early season schedule stinks as much as the Texans schedules did).

I think it would be fine for Capers to caretake the team until they figure out what off-season moves have to happen because it is not likely that there would be some weirdo blowup.

 

[GP]

I love the "...has a special teams coach ever been promoted to head coach?" comment.

That's the same rationale that says, "...but we CAN'T fire a head coach in mid-season...it would cause too much chaos and there's no way to a-b-c x-y-z, blah blah blah..."

It's all "We can't" and not "We can," which is precisely what McNair has got a bad case of it seems.

A "We can" attitude says that conventional wisdom gets thrown out the window when you get cranked every week and become the joke of the sports world. At that point, you gotta say enough is enough, and you gotta make a move even if it's viewed as going against conventional wisdom.

But, the "We can't" attitude is just a way for McNair to rationalize that he can't (there's that word again) make a move in mid-stream...after all, what if the move failed? Then you'd look doubly ignorant in the eyes of the sports world. And, when you're someone like McNair, you can't look ignorant twice in one year right?

Promoting from within was done with Pendry, but tsk tsk it can't be done with a great guy like Marciano. What better way, as an owner, to show that they "can" make a move by promoting an inside guy like Marciano...a guy who has his unit playing at an all-time best in the midst of other units' downward spiral into oblivion...and thus create an attitude that says that both coaches AND players are subject to the rule that says you better not think that you come here and punch the clock.

Carr is unchallenged. Capers is unchallenged. Seems liek those two guys have it pretty good to me. Yeah, I'd really bust my rear for those two guys each and every week.

A guy like Marciano would probably blow this team up the first day on the job, and make everybody earn their starting spots all over again.

 

[Texans_Chick]

I love the "...has a special teams coach ever been promoted to head coach?" comment.

That's the same rationale that says, "...but we CAN'T fire a head coach in mid-season...it would cause too much chaos and there's no way to a-b-c x-y-z, blah blah blah..."

It's all "We can't" and not "We can," which is precisely what McNair has got a bad case of it seems.

A "We can" attitude says that conventional wisdom gets thrown out the window when you get cranked every week and become the joke of the sports world. At that point, you gotta say enough is enough, and you gotta make a move even if it's viewed as going against conventional wisdom.

......
A guy like Marciano would probably blow this team up the first day on the job, and make everybody earn their starting spots all over again.

Logic v. Feeling
Facts v. Speculation
Rationality v. My Spleen Says It Will Work.

So, basically, you would do the unconventional thing because you feel maybe it would work?

You would do it because Marciano has been successful at special teams coaching.

And he is a fiery guy that his unit likes playing for.

So therefore, you say, he would be sucessful at coaching the entire team.

And maybe, you speculate, he would blow up the whole team and make people earn their spots.

What in his background makes you think he will be a good head coach?

http://www.houstontexans.com/team/coaches_detail.php?PRKey=52

The reason I asked whether a special teams coach has been promoted to head coach before is because that might be able to demonstrate whether this is a move that might be successful. I'd be interested to hear some sort of emperical argument.

And what is your response to the concern that all this move would do would be to weaken something that is a strength, by taking away the coach of that unit?

There is a reason why conventional wisdom is conventional wisdom. It isn't always right, but what you are suggesting is such a big change that maybe you need something more than saying Joe Marciano is a great special teams coach, because that is something that is known already.

With all the midseason changes that the team has had already due to the coaching change and injuries, maybe it would just be nice for them to concentrate on football instead of having yet another change to throw them off balance.

Patience isn't easy these days, I know, but this particular move I don't see happening. I do want Marciano to stay tho.

 

[HJam72]

Logic v. Feeling
Facts v. Speculation
Rationality v. My Spleen Says It Will Work.

My spleen is usually smarter than my rationality.

So, basically, you would do the unconventional thing because you feel maybe it would work?

Doesn't the unconventional always work?

You would do it because Marciano has been successful at special teams coaching.

And he is a fiery guy that his unit likes playing for.

So therefore, you say, he would be sucessful at coaching the entire team.

And maybe, you speculate, he would blow up the whole team and make people earn their spots.

What in his background makes you think he will be a good head coach?

He would blow up the team. Kaboom!

http://www.houstontexans.com/team/coaches_detail.php?PRKey=52

The reason I asked whether a special teams coach has been promoted to head coach before is because that might be able to demonstrate whether this is a move that might be successful. I'd be interested to hear some sort of emperical argument.

I love it when chicks say empirical (whatever that means).

And what is your response to the concern that all this move would do would be to weaken something that is a strength, by taking away the coach of that unit?

There is a reason why conventional wisdom is conventional wisdom.

Profound wisdom.

It isn't always right, but what you are suggesting is such a big change that maybe you need something more than saying Joe Marciano is a great special teams coach, because that is something that is known already.

Yeah, great coach. We don't want him...?

With all the midseason changes that the team has had already due to the coaching change and injuries, maybe it would just be nice for them to concentrate on football instead of having yet another change to throw them off balance.

Do players really CONCENTRATE on football. I mean do they get headaches from thinking too hard or what?

Patience isn't easy these days, I know, but this particular move I don't see happening. I do want Marciano to stay tho.

Stay where? So, this guy Marciano is a coach right. Is he a product of the system too? I think we need to change our system.

 

[HJam72]

My spleen is usually smarter than my rationality.



Doesn't the unconventional always work?



He would blow up the team. Kaboom!



I love it when chicks say empirical (whatever that means).



Profound wisdom.



Yeah, great coach. We don't want him...?



Do players really CONCENTRATE on football. I mean do they get headaches from thinking too hard or what?



Stay where? So, this guy Marciano is a coach right. Is he a product of the system too? I think we need to change our system.

Who is that *****?

 

[touttail]

"You've got to take chances," Marciano said. "You can't come up here and win a game playing conservative. ?

It's not so much as taking chances, but having a potent offense that not predictible like ours. If you have a weapon as we have in AJ, give him the damn ball. The defense knows exactly what our play calling consists of. They know and defense it. Playing Caper's conservative ball won't get er done!

Why does Carr bother to call an audible, the Def knows it's a run to the left?Capers this is not high school football, let Carr call audibles other than a damn running play!!

General Patton said that many a battle was won by the element of surprise!

bobby 119C:brickwall

 

[GP]

Texans Chick: So, basically, you would do the unconventional thing because you feel maybe it would work?

GP: Yes. What is there about our conventional "thing" has worked thus far? That one win looks nice, doesn't it?

------------------------

Texans Chick: You would do it because Marciano has been successful at special teams coaching.

GP: Yes. Success breeds success. As the saying goes: Attitude reflect leadership.

-----------------------

Texans Chick: And he is a fiery guy that his unit likes playing for.

GP: Yep. That speaks volume when you look at the deer-in-the-headlights efforts being produced by every other unit out there on Sunday.

-----------------------

Texans Chick: So therefore, you say, he would be sucessful at coaching the entire team.

GP: Maybe. But if the guy never gets a chance, all we do know for sure is that we end this season 1-15 or 2-14 at the best. And even with Marciano as HC, we probably still end this season 1-15 or 2-14. There's really not anything to lose here.

-----------------------

Texans Chick: And maybe, you speculate, he would blow up the whole team and make people earn their spots.

GP: Pure speculation on this one. Watching him on the sidelines, reading his comments, etc., I get the vibe that he's a no-nonsense guy. Capers is so darn nice that it reeks. He had the chance to dump Palmer in the offseason, but he waits to do tomorrow what he should have done last year. He doesn't bench Carr during Carr's horrible spell when he couldn't hit anything but the RB dump off. He doesn't challenge several questionable plays thorugh several games this year, I guess since he knows he needs those valuable time-outs in the fourth quarter because we're "keepin' it close to win it in the end" after all.

-------------------

Texans Chick: What in his background makes you think he will be a good head coach?

GP: Here's a more telling question: What in CAPERS' BACKGROUND makes any of us think that he deserves to be the head coach of anything other than a junior high kickball team? Your question/statement is a "how can it work?" type of question/statement and my support of Marciano is a "he's doing things right, give him a shot" type of statement that is obviously not a standard this Texans team is willing to promote and support. Logic says when somebody's doing something right, you don't re-invent the wheel...you get with the guy who is doing things right and you ask him to help you also do things right.

Success breeds success.

Some of us here are acting like special teams coordinators are a notch above the ball boy and a notch below the guy who runs out and grabs the kickoff tee after the ball has been kicked. Those guys are NFL coaches, OK?

By the way, a guy named Bill Belichick was a special teams coach with the Lions and after that, he became a defensive coordinator and a head coach after that. I know it's shocking to think that a special teams coach could make it in the league as a head coach, but it does happen.

What would it possibly hurt to give a guy like Marciano the chance of a lifetime, at least for the rest of the year?

 

[Lucky]

What would it possibly hurt to give a guy like Marciano the chance of a lifetime, at least for the rest of the year?

What would it help? If Marciano wins a few games (against a schedule with the remaining teams having a combined .365 mark), does McNair offer him the job fulltime? That's a Bud Adams type move. You learn nothing from making Marciano the interim head coach.

 

[GP]

"...You learn nothing from making Marciano the interim head coach." -- lucky

As opposed to ALL we've learned about Capers staying on as HC?

It could be perfectly stated to Marciano that there's no guarantees for next year, but if the guy DID pull off stunning wins with this dead-in-the-water team, then what would you think?

I'd think the guy needs to be considered (heavy emphasis on the "considered") for an extension.

Look, it doesn't matter. It won't happen. Why? Because of the "we can't" that exists at basically all levels of this team, from the top down.

Oh, excuse me. The only "we can" found on this team is the special teams unit which somehow has not gotten the memo that striving for excellence in 2005 is not the trendy thing to do.

 

[Lucky]

I'd think the guy needs to be considered (heavy emphasis on the "considered") for an extension.

I think that retaining Marciano as special teams coach should be strongly considered by the next head coach. By having the special teams play at a high level for the rest of the season, that has a good chance of happening.

I'm not sure Marciano would even want to be the interim head coach. He's a single parent whose son is autistic. As the special teams coach, Marciano doesn't put in the insane hours the HC, DC, & OC clock. Marciano may not be able to make that kind of commitment.

Look at the remaining schedule for the Texans:

Kansas City (5-4)
St. Louis (4-6)
at Baltimore (3-7)
at Tennessee (2-8)
Arizona (3-7)
Jacksonville (7-3)
at San Francisco (2-7)

While it's always surprising when the Texans win, there isn't a game on this schedule that would be a "stunning" victory. An interim coach would not earn the head coaching position by picking up some wins against other bad teams. Bottom line: Joe Marciano will not be the Texans head coach in 2006. But if he continues to excel at his current job, Joe may be the Texans special teams coach in 2006.

 

[GP]

Points well taken.

It's just frustrating to see a guy like him doing so well with his special teams unit, so you know the guy can coach, and yet we have the human sleeping pill as our HC right now.