Ahman Green vs. Rick Smith

[Keith]

Ahman Green called KGOW (1560 AM) host Sean Pendergast on Thursday to say that Texans general manager Rick Smith asked him in 2007, when he saw limited action because of a hamstring injury after signing a four-year, $23 million contract, if he was faking the injury.

“I kind of took a step back,” he said. “It was kind of a ‘wow.’ It was probably the biggest eye-opening thing I’ve ever experienced in my professional career. … When he said that, it took everything in my power not to do something that I would have regretted.”

Green, who said he was not faking the injury, said Smith’s attitude toward him “left a bad taste in my mouth, and it was a strange experience from there on” with the Texans. He also said that before he came to Houston, other players warned him to be “leery” of Smith. “See the curve ball coming at you. Be ready for that,” he said he was told. The Texans had no comment.…

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/barron/7614612.html#ixzz1PYoZH81O

...anecdotes like these are not helping the Texans attract free agents. My patience is wearing thin with this general manager.

[NBT]

I listened to part of that interview. Green came across to me as a whiney pout that didn't think he was given the proper respect due his lofty status. As for GM Smith, I am willing to give him the break and say he was trying to get the personnel that Kubiak said he needed. I want to see how this draft plays out on the field now that Phillips is doing the choosing. You can't really fault the job the offense has been doing, what with a QB with over 4000 yds and 28 TDs last year. A RB with 1600+ yds, and the leading receiver in the league in AJ with over1200+ yads.

[Nconroe]

I guess I'd have to see doctor medical reports and opinion of coaches to know if the GM or the worn out runner were correct on the story. I guess it was a mistake in hindsight to bring Ahman here, age, injury, to much money.

Seems a whiny story to be putting in public, but those are the days of nothing else to talk about.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by NBT

I listened to part of that interview. Green came across to me as a whiney pout that didn't think he was given the proper respect due his lofty status.

He DID come across as whiney. I'm very sorry about your personal issues and so on but stay on the field and produce and keep quiet. (That may be what I love about AJ, by the way, is that he keeps quiet and lets what he does on the field speak for him. And how loudly it speaks...)

But a GM simply does not behave that way, accusing a player of faking an injury. It reminds me of the idiot the Astros have as GM currently (and for not much longer). If you are a PR goon who has somehow talked yourself into a management position you do not verbally confront a player. You make very clear the rules and the consequences for disobedience but you do not challenge a player publicly. Unless you want to get your button-down, plaid, Dockers ass kicked.

And, as Keith says, you do not accuse a player of faking an injury (especially if he's a RB with very little tread on the tires, which makes one ask why the hell that idiot signed him, anyway) unless you want the entire FA marketplace to know what a prick you are.

Think about it. The current regime is completely incompetent in every way. They have proven that abundantly. Assuming there is a season they will fail, again, and presumably the idiot owner will have no choice but to clean house. Which means in all likelihood another two or three years before the team is any good, if they in fact get good under whoever the idiot owner hires. Which will mean that AJ's career is coming to a close. What an absolute waste of a once-in-a-lifetime player.

[Joshua]

Marcus Coleman was on 1560 the next morning and basically said most people around the league think the Texans are a joke and made it very clear that he does not think much of Rick Smith. Said that the only reason Smith got a front office opportunity was because he was basically a mole in the locker room in Denver. Not encouraging.

Since Smith has been here, what contracts has he had to negotiate with good players who actually had some leverage? Off the top of my head, Dunta, Demeco, Owen, and AJ. There were significant issues with all of these negotiations. Dunta blew up. Demeco and Owen eventually signed but it was not easy and it looked like both of them might blow up for a while. All of these things are adding up to a not-so-pretty picture.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by Joshua

Marcus Coleman was on 1560 the next morning and basically said most people around the league think the Texans are a joke and made it very clear that he does not think much of Rick Smith. Said that the only reason Smith got a front office opportunity was because he was basically a mole in the locker room in Denver. Not encouraging.

Thanks for the heads-up about the 1560 podcast, because I went ahead and listened and it was interesting to say the least. Quite a story about Glenn Earl - sure would like to know who cleaned his clock ?
They ended the interview by stating MC was a "Texans Ambassator", and sure enough he's there in the group picture with 15 to 20 other guys on the Texans website and I'm going to keep track to see if he remains on that list after his scathing remarks about Rick Smith ?

[HPF Bob]

Did he ask Dunta or OD if they were faking?

[popanot]

Originally Posted by chuck

Which means in all likelihood another two or three years before the team is any good, if they in fact get good under whoever the idiot owner hires.

Meet, Wade Phillips... The new Head Coach and GM of YOUR 2012 Houston Texans!!!

Does anyone seriously believe they'll go any other direction in light of how this franchise has been managed to this point and how they pulled off the recent dog-and-pony show with Bum? The planets are aligned perfectly... We'll miss the playoffs but the defense will improve just enough for McNair to think Wade deserves another shot.

That's my crystal ball moment, folks. Please leave your donations in the fish bowl on your way out...

[NBT]

Wait a minute! I will not donate because I do not subscribe to your view. Kubiak has proven the offense can be good. Phillips, in other coaching stints, has proven he can turn a defense around. we lost several games over the last couple of years because of defensive collapses in the final quarter. The two have coached together before at Denver, I believe, and they got along as far as I can see. So, if you don't like Rick Smith, that is your right, but I just fail to see why this team can't make the playoffs this year.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by NBT

The two have coached together before at Denver, I believe, and they got along as far as I can see. So, if you don't like Rick Smith, that is your right, but I just fail to see why this team can't make the playoffs this year.

Just to correct your assertion, Phillips and Kubiak have never coached together before. Kubiak was a ball boy back in the Luv Ya Blue days of the Oilers, and Wade was a defensive coach.

In Denver, Gary was a backup QB and Wade was as DC in 1989, 1990, and 1991. They did not have much interaction during this time. Gary retired from playing and went to A&M as a RB coach, and Wade later became the HC of the Broncos in 1993.

Kubiak has coached against Wade for years, especially when Wade was with the Chargers and Gary was the OC of the Broncos.

This is the 1st time they have coached together on a team.

[popanot]

Originally Posted by NBT

Kubiak has proven the offense can be good.

I don't have time to look up the stats, but as I recall, the offense was pretty much a stinking pile of dung last year in the first quarter (first half in quite a few of their games) when defensive ineptitude shouldn't be much of a factor. Of course, Foster was awesome anytime/anywhere, but the rest of the offense had a subpar year, IMO. I'm not disagreeing with your point overall, because the D was obviously awful and the primary reason this team tanked last year. I just don't think offensive performance is a good justfication for keeping Kubiak around. I think there are a lot of other coaches who could keep this team in the Offensive Top 10 with the talent they have on that side of the ball.

Originally Posted by NBT

So, if you don't like Rick Smith, that is your right, but I just fail to see why this team can't make the playoffs this year.

Don't like Kubiak much now either. I hope they do make the playoffs, but I can certainly see where they could miss out. That is, if I use their history as an indicator.