Official Texans vs. Rams Game Thread, 10/13/2013

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

My only real knock on McNair is that he's probably too patient but he made changes after the 2-14 disaster in 2005 and maybe he will again after this year's collapse.

Bob, I'm right there with you on your comments about McNair. I still think he's one of the best owners in the NFL and I'm still very grateful that he brought that sports league back to Houston. And eventually when Kubiak needs to go whenever that is, McNair might be a bit too deliberate getting it done but he'll probably make the right move when it happens.

[barrett]

I'd rather have McNair than an owner who wanted to be involved. McNair makes a decision that affects the team once or twice a decade (HC/GM hire/fire). That means a guy with no real football background and no professional training makes a decision twice a decade. Compare that to the Cowboys, Jets, Redskins, etc... where an unqualified guy meddles constantly. Where Woody Johnson sinks a whole season to get a piece of the Tebow media coverage. Where Jerry Jones runs the franchise like its John Madden and dumps obscene contracts on skill positions and never has adequate line play because he is an amateur play acting at GM. Or Washington where the owner will do anything to win except be patient so the team is always re-uppin on the fly and looking for short cuts rather than building.

We may not like the professional decision makers in Houston, but it is better than having some guy with a business sense acting out his whims as a fan because his bank account lets him.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by barrett

We may not like the professional decision makers in Houston, but it is better than having some guy with a business sense acting out his whims as a fan because his bank account lets him.

I don't view it as an either/or proposition.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by chuck

I don't view it as an either/or proposition.

I agree with you that they are not entirely mutually exclusive. But I do think owners who value winning first do not truly exist. These are guys who are all about money. That is how they got where they are. They do not throw away money in the name of ideals. They might be willing to spend short term to secure a superbowl, but every owner in the NFL is self serving and business first. They use public money to build stadiums, and then they charge the public for the right to buy tickets in public funded stadiums (PSLs). Owning an NFL team is basically a right to print money (at taxpayer expense).

Now some owners are content to own a franchise and be a part of the club. Clearly Bob McNair values being a "well respected" member of the owners fraternity more than the W/L record of the Texans. I am fine with that. I don't think Bob Kraft is any different. He just made 1 really good hire a decade into his ownership. Same thing with any of the other generally quiet owners who have won superbowls. They keep their head down, collect mountains of cash, and enjoy the perks of being filthy rich.

NFL owners as a group know very little about the game of football and should have nothing to do with game of football decisions. I like the ones who are content to fleece the paying customers on the business end, and not play amateur football "genius".

I don't know of a single NFL owner who is proactive about winning first, but smart enough to let actual professionals make the decisions.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by barrett

I am fine with that.

Really? No, really?

You view this whole thing as a random lottery?

[barrett]

Originally Posted by chuck

Really? No, really?

You view this whole thing as a random lottery?

Not at all. I just think owners have little positive influence and best serve a team by staying out of the way and cutting checks (even if they spend more to make more). McNair does both of those and because of that is no obstacle to winning. Any good head coach could win with an owner like McNair. Even Kubiak with all his flaws has won with McNair as an owner.

[BigBull]

Originally Posted by barrett

Not at all. I just think owners have little positive influence and best serve a team by staying out of the way and cutting checks (even if they spend more to make more). McNair does both of those and because of that is no obstacle to winning. Any good head coach could win with an owner like McNair. Even Kubiak with all his flaws has won with McNair as an owner.

^^^this^^^ My only problem with McNair is that in my opinion he is to patient with his coaching staff. I think he needs to put them on a shorter leash.