To be honest, I wish I still have the same passion for local sports teams that I had as a young man. I feel that that youthful exuberance was a positive aspect in my life. I took pride in knowing not only the batting order of the Houston Astros on any given day but also the successes and setbacks of some of the farm team talent. I enjoyed sitting down on a Saturday to "scout" potential Oilers/Texans draft picks.
Oh well. Like you, I have a lot going on right now so unless I'm checking in on this board I'm not thinking about the Texans. If I was to take a guess, I think this board is how I found out how they did in about 60% of the games last year. That'll probably go up to 75-80% this season. I'm working fulltime again and just signed up for 3 classes in the Fall.
Yep. I agree completely.
As entertainment goes, this franchise does not have a lot to offer. And when life has more pressing concerns, then entertainment in general should be lowered priority for any man that is responsible.
Then take the entertainment aspect and consider everything available to us (too numerous to mention), and it becomes a very simple concept of valuing your limited time for entertainment and considering if something is worthy of that time or not.
And to be quite honest, as I get older, I value a beautiful autumn day outside more than any spectator sport entertainment. Gone are the days when I'd marathon watch an entire Sunday for football.
And good for you going back to school! I'm actually considering the same thing. Change of careers, get out of this rat race business. Might just start with one class, though, to get my brain gears going and back in the groove of studying. It's been a long time.
I'm still looking forward to the season as much as I ever have.
I'm looking forward the NFL season, just not necessarily the Texans season.
Houston has always been a front running fan base. The Texans get back to a competitive franchise the fans will support them better than ever. Like they did with the Luv ya Blue teams of the late '70's. Houston had been a sucky franchise until Bum was hired, then him getting fired and the later 35-3 so disillusioned the fan base that they have never recovered. Moving the team cost more fans. Getting a new team gave some hope for awhile, but 20 years of suck has sucked even that out of most
edit: Sorry but it sounded better in my head... there's just no way to put 40 years of frustration in a few words
I completely understand your point, but I'm not so sure if a frontrunner fanbase is going to sell out a football stadium for 20 consecutive years.
This is the first season that this franchise has ever experienced any struggle with selling season tickets since 2002. And that struggle is directly correlated with terrible ownership/management and a naked emperor surrounding himself with yes-men clowns.
The McNairs were bequeathed a ton of goodwill from the Houston sports fans for bringing pro football back to the city. And they've taken two decades to squander it. Maybe I'm overreacting to the worst offseason in Texans history. But I think this franchise is heading to the pre-Bum Oiler days. Where fans couldn't give a flip about this team, and it was totally ignored. The product is boring. There's no superstar left. And their image has become some kind of cross between corporate buffoons, a religious cult, and a S&M parlor.
Why do I care about this team? Because it's a NFL team in my city? I can't come up with another reason at the moment. I'm ambivalent towards the new coach and GM, as well as the players they've brought in. I strongly dislike the team's spirit leader. And I have zero point zero respect for the ownership. The 2002 hope for the future is a distant memory.
My fandom is hanging on by my fingernails. And I hate that.
I feel this post. I don't want to, but it is what it is. I can't fake caring about something that feels rotten to its core. Cal is basically a trustfund baby and there is nothing about him, his demeanor, or his history that would indicate to me that this franchise is in competent hands that will ever be capable of fielding a championship-level team.
And while folks might refute your "taken two decades to squander it" point, all they have to take into account is current fan apathy, struggle to sell merchandise and tickets, and the overall perception of this entire franchise from both a local and national perspective.
I feel no delight in the Texans being marginally 'better' than the Browns or Lions. There is no solace in being a member of the shitty franchise club.