Remember Joe Pendry? Chris Palmer? D-D-D-D-Dom Capers? I do. These were the guys who had to coach Corey Bradford and Seth Wand and mold Robaire Smith into a lean, mean, running back-munching, machine. These were the guys at the helm for the pitiful 2-14 season that came after the Cleveland loss, or The Worst Loss That Crippled The Franchise For Almost Two Years. These were the gentlemen who forced David Carr into becoming the most-sacked quarterback in the history of the NFL, who thought that Victor Riley could be a viable option as a starting right tackle, and who drafted Charles Hill ahead of Clinton Portis.

Then, Gary Kubiak came, riding his blue and orange Bronco from Denver, invigorating Aggies everywhere and infusing the franchise with a sense of careful optimism it had rarely felt before. With him came young Kyle Shanahan, now the offensive coordinator, and Rick Smith, who has proven to be a successful gamble for Bob McNair. Look at our coaching staff this year! If this group cant push this team with these players over the top and into the rarified air of a winning season, I dont know what will. Besides Kubiak, Shanahan, and Richard Smith, the defensive coordinator, the Texans are taught by perennial head-coaching candidate Jon Hoke, a man who bleeds the secondary of every inch of their skill. Alex Gibbs, who is widely renown as a main impetus for the Denver Broncos’ successful running game over the last ten seasons, has joined Kubiak’s staff as well, and former head coach Ray Rhodes is assisting Hoke in the secondary. Frank Bush is a former assistant head coach from the Arizona Cardinals, and Joe Marciano proved his skill by taking a rookie speedster named Jerome Mathis and transforming him into a Pro Bowl kick returner. Chick Harris, Bob Karmelowicz, Johnny Holland, Joe Benton–these are the gentlemen that Gary Kubiak has enticed to come to Houston and coach our players to surpass their previous accomplishments and reach new goals.

We’re in safe hands now. I trust Kubiak, and you should too, no matter how many times he lets 1:47 run off the clock in the first half without engaging in a two-minute drill. He has brought in the some of the most experienced minds that the NFL has to offer, men that have seen everything twice, men that have been hired and fired and have put players in the Pro Bowl or made the Rookies of the Year. This coaching staff will lead our players to a winning record, and if they dont do it…..well, they cant be worse than Joe Pendry.

Houston fans, we have long fantasized a year in which all three of our major sports franchises are successful. A year that sees the Astros go back to the World Series, witnesses the Rockets make it past the first round and into the NBA Finals, and is a host to the Texans punching through the AFC and into the Super Bowl. Of course, this is only a dream, right? It couldnt possibly happen, could it? I mean, even when the Yankees and Jets are good, the Knicks suck, so how could our local teams even conceive such a triumphant triumvirate?

I’m here to tell you that we’re on the cusp. We’re next. We are the future, we are coming, and we will not be denied. It has been more than ten years since the last Houston championship, and even then it came during Michael Jordan’s two year ‘retirement’ (read: forced by David Stern). The Texans havent been to the playoffs yet, and the last success a football franchise had in this town was well before I was able to properly appreciate the game. But, even with all that taken into account, I sit here, typing, and firmly believe that our sports teams have the potential, the drive, and the support to become the next great sports city in America, the next dominant city in the nation, wrestling the crown away from its current holders, Boston.

Let’s look at Boston. Since 2001 the sports landscape there has transformed from a perennial precipice over a sea of despair and disappointment to fields of joy and domination, and the faithful have been rewarded with NFL Super Bowls, a pair of World Series wins, and a trip to the NBA Finals. Seven years ago the Patriots were also-rans, a lucky 11-5 team that sneaked its way into the Super Bowl against the immovable object known as The Greatest Show On Turf and upset them. The Red Sox had Pedro and Nom-ah and little else, and certainly no World Series aspirations with the tyrannical Yankees securely above them in the AL East. Now theyre the closest thing to an MLB dynasty, defiantly winning two rings and exorcising the demons of Mookie Wilson and Bucky Dent. The Celtics, who are basketball royalty, arguably the greatest sports franchise in the history of, well, sports, were mired in the depths of mediocrity with no one to save them, crippled by the loss of Len Bias and deserted by success.

Look at them now. Look at the city, and look at the sports. For anyone who doubts what sports can do, just look at the crowd at the former Garden or at BoSox games. Theyre rabid, insuppressible fanatics who cannot be denied their beloved teams. Since theyve seen everything there is to see in way of losses and disappointment they will not be discouraged or denied by anything. Theyre part of the machine now, the all-encompassing spirit of cooperative success that pervades the city, bolstered by the success of their teams.

That can happen in Houston, and it will. With players like Big Puma and Hunter Pence the Astros are primed for success. The Rockets will push past injuries and bad luck once, just long enough for Yao Ming to smile with a golden basketball statue in his enormous hands. The Texans, my favorites, will follow DeMeco Ryans, Dunta Robinson, Mario Williams, and Andre Johnson to the promised land of professional football, and once again this town will know joy. There’s something missing for each franchise, but I assure you it will come sooner rather than later. Dont miss out on this, and dont be a latecomer to the festivities. There’s a party starting soon, and everyone is invited to witness the rise of Houston, riding the crest of success, to the Pantheon of sports cities. You heard it here first.

Following what mustve been poor showings at OTA’s, newly signed quarterback Quinn Gray and veteran tackle Jordan Black have been released by the Houston Texans. Black, who was brought in as a backup offensive tackle last season, did not fit in with the Texans’ system, and with the addition of Duane Brown, he was expendable.

Gray’s release is much more perplexing. He played well in relief of both Byron Leftwich and David Garrard in Jacksonville, which was the main reason that the Texans signed him. Whatever the reason, Gray is gone, leaving starter Matt Schaub, backup Sage Rosenfels, journeyman Shane Boyd, and rookie Alex Brink as the remaining quarterbacks on the roster.

Here are three things that the Texans have done correctly so far this offseason. This always hasnt been a great time for the team, with poor draft picks (Jason Babin) and even poorer trades and free agent signings (Phillip Buchanan), but it has seen its fair share of successes as well (see: Ryans, DeMeco and Capers, Firing of).  Without further adieu, here are three things Texans fans can enjoy about this offseason (so far).

1. Resigning GM Rick Smith

Smith brought some new hope to this team when he was lured away from Denver with Gary Kubiak two years ago. He and Kubiak were new faces in their respective offices, fresh blood in a medium that had thus far been dominated by the old guard of the NFL. Bob McNair made a fantastic move by resigning Smith, who has been outstanding in finding talent in the person of Andre Davis off the waiver wire, not paying outrageous sums of money for mediocre talents like Robaire Smith or mortgaging an entire draft for a bust in Jason Babin. Of course, Smith success is based on potential thus far, shepharding the first .500 team in the franchises’ history will get you some run, and following the disastrous misadventures of Charley Casserly is not a difficult assigment, even for a brand new General Manager. So far Smith’s tenure has been a successful one, but his mark on the franchise will be made as players like Steve Slaton, Jacoby Jones, and Jacques Reeves develop.

2. Dunta Robinson is running

I cannot describe the happiness I felt when I saw Dunta Robinson jogging up and down the sidelines with Charles “Oh, yeah” Spencer during OTA’s. You know that scene in Boogie Nights when Burt Reynolds sees Mark Wahlberg’s ‘gift’ to the porno industry? That’s pretty much how I reacted when I saw that footage.  Dunta seemed almost overeager to rejoin his teammates, but that’s just who the man is! He’s the guy that wishes he was alive during World War 2 so he could run with Charlie Company in Band of Brothers. He’s the guy that wants to be William Wallace’s righthand man in Braveheart. He’s Djimon Hounsou in Gladiator, and i’m cannot wait to see him kick some Roman(Vince Young) ass.

3. Steve Slaton

Here’s a guy that had ‘wow’ speed in college. He had that speed that left you wondering how he had burst through such a small hole for such a large gain. He outran safeties, corners, and even the cops that hunted down Noel Devine.  I know he benefitted from running the sprint option with Pat White under Rich Rodriquez, but no one can tell me that his speed will not translate to the NFL. Not many guys are as fast as Slaton, and he will be an excellent change of pace after the bashing, plodding, battering backs of Chris Brown and Ahman Green. I loved the pick, and I think Slaton is going to be a force for the AFC South to reckon with. Here’s hoping he survives his first encounter with Bob Sanders.

Football, thankfully, has become a year round sport. It’s more of a culture now more than ever, more of an everlasting event than any other sport. Now, this process has been aided by ESPN’s addiction to football, showing NFL Live everyday and keeping Ed Warner permanently staked outside of Texas Stadium in Dallas, not to mention the daily dalliances of the Patriots, Pacman Jones, and the Chad Johnson Show.

In Houston we dont have to worry about our players demanding trades or making it rain, and our coaching staff certainly is not as devious or diabolical as Bill Belicheck’s. Our greatest concerns have to do with Dunta Robinson’s and Charles Spencer’s knees, Anthony Weaver’s return to glory, and whether or not the Big 3 can stay healthy. To get us to training camp, where the real football begins, here are a few storylines to tide us all over until then.

1. Andre Johnson’s health

Andre Johnson missed several games last season with a knee injury, recovering during the final third of the year then shutting himself down after the Texans’ season as lost. Offseason was supposed to be a time for Andre to recover, to get himself healthy, and to return to his Pro Bowl form. Instead fans were treated to the sight of Andre not on the field for OTA’s and the news that he had undergone arthroscopic knee surgery and would require even more rest and recovery time. Will he be back in time for preseason? Wont he? Will it matter? Whatever the case, the resigning of Andre Davis and the emergence of Kevin Walter as a solid number two receiver are even more important now than they were during the season. As this upcoming season looms, Andre Johnson’s health will determine how much or how little this team can improve from their 8-8 record.

2. The Crowded Backfield

Ahman Green, Chris Taylor, Darius Walker, Steve Slaton, and Chris Brown are all fighting for about 3 spots on this team. By all accounts, the leader of the pack is the oft-injured Green, with free agent signee Chris Brown close behind. Steve Slaton has impressed onlookers with his lightning speed in OTA’s, but it remains to be seen if Slaton’s slight stature will set him at a disadvantage in the rough and tumble AFC South. Albert Haynesworth, Dwight Freeny, and other AFC South studs will eat his Fruit Loops. I personally loved what Chris Taylor showed in the briefest of flashes two years ago, but I dont expect him to tote the rock even 15 times a game this season. Two things will happen here, either Ahman Green stays healthy and has a good season or the Texans are running out different backs every week as Green steals more money on the sidelines. In the name of Tony Boselli, let it be the former.

3. The Second-Rate Secondary

We were close last year. As a team it seemed like the Texans had improved, improved enough that fans could actually begin talking about becoming a factor in the outrageously strenuous AFC South. We didnt have the best…well, the best anything, besides DeMeco, but, dammit, we were plucky, we were defiant, we were mad as hell at being the cellar dweller since 2002, and we werent going to take it anymore!

Then Dunta Robinson was injured.

I remember storming out of Dad’s apartment, images of Robinson flattening tacklers like a fucking Mack truck trapped inside a 5′10, 175 lb man’s body. Our defensive leader, our team leader, slain before the very eyes of the faithful that adored his ability to stop any runningback or wideout in their tracks. The season was over that day, and it may not even begin until Dunta returns.

However, there’s is always hope. Jacques Reeves joins the team after escaping Dallas, bringing some young legs and a bit of experience to a very green secondary corps. Will Demps was resigned only after I bribed every NFL team not to steal him away from us, C.C. Brown is still a solid veteran, and Fred Bennett came on strong last year and has had an entire year of secondary coach and maven Jon Hoke under his belt. This group is either going to be our most debilitating weakness or a very pleasant surprise this season. Brandon Mitchell is healthy after sitting out a year, and I’ve always loved players from Stanford, smart, smart guys. The Return of Dunta will be indescribably huge.

ME: Alright, we’re sitting down with Mario Williams, who is coming off his best game as a professional with 3.5 sacks. Mario, thanks for the interview.

MARIO: HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW?!?!?!?!

ME: Anyway, Mario, what a big win over the Broncos on Thursday night. National TV, against your coach’s former team, saving your slim playoff chances…how does it feel to come through with such an important victory?

MARIO: Vince who? Who the hell is Vince Young?

ME: Oh, well that’s an excellent point, Mario. Now, we all know youre story, we all know the feelings of animosity and even hatred some fans attributed to you after you were drafted with the first overall pick two years ago. Is that a source of motivation youre employing for this year?

MARIO: Overrated? Yall said I was overrated? Where is Reggie Bush today? On his couch holding his knee and being fanned by hundreds of Saints devotees?

ME: The entire team is playing excellent football in these last two games, overcoming the problems in their scheduling and winning two games in five days. Is this a testament to the leadership the veterans have on this team? Do the guys like Sage Rosenfels and Anthony Weaver help to keep the younger fellas such as Fred Bennett focused on the overall team goal?

MARIO: DO YOU LIKE APPLES?

ME:Uhhh…..excuse me?

MARIO: DO YOU LIKE APPLES?

ME: Why yes, yes I do, particularly the green ones.

MARIO: WELL, I GOT 3.5 SACKS! HOW DO YOU LIKE DEM APPLES?

ME: (silent as Mario flies away to Hawaii for his first Pro Bowl appearance)

ME: Ah, well, I suppose I have to thank Mario for allowing us this interview following the game, and I think I must make it a point to mention that IM SORRY, I DIDNT MEAN ANYTHING I SAID ABOUT YOU, YOUR FAMILY, OR YOUR UNBORN CHILDREN. ALSO I ADD MY APOLOGIES TO CHARLEY CASSERLY, WHO ,TURNS OUT, IS A DECENT GUY AFTER ALL.

To your obvious and violent dismay, there will be no blogging this week due to my exhausting lineup of final exams. In football terms, this would be as if the Texans played San Fransisco(Sociology), Tennessee(World History), Dallas(Politicial Science), and a tricky Buffalo(Geography) in three days while writing a pair of five-page essays about the how New England is the greatest team ever(Texas History).

Anyway, Ill be back on Thursday before the Texans play the Broncos on NFL Network, and I might even try to plan something a bit special upon my return.

Wish me luck, o faithful reader(s?) of my work….

Go Texans.

Hold on, Texans fans. Big news. This week, while frequenting the ESPN.com website, I stumbled across a mock NFL Draft for 2008. Todd McShay is an extremely insightful guy who combines the knowledge of the draftees with the NFL needs, schemes, and behind-the-scenes information on coaching staff issues, free agents, who is happy and unhappy, etc. So, with all of that being said, I cursed McShay’s name and his belief that the Texans would draft a cornerback in the first round IN 2008. Some Ohio State cat who name I wont know until I see Early Doucet torching him for an LSU touchdown in the NCAA Championship game. This is ruining my day. Not only do Texans fans have to suffer through a season of inept third-quarter play, injuries, and Vince Young Day celebrations, but our only reward is a slow, Big Ten cornerback who will sit on the bench for a year? No thank you, Todd McShay, you go back to that draft board and figure out a way for us to grab Darren McFadden and DONT COME OUT UNTIL YOU DO.

Preview time….

This is going to be another backup quarterback matchup, with Sage Rosenfels and Luke McCown likely starting for both teams. Greatttt……though NFL fans (might) have seen what two backups can do last night when Todd Collins(isnt this a drink of some sort?) faced off against Brian Griese on the NFL Network. Sage has played more this season, and so has the advantage here, but Bucs  head coach Jon Gruden is justttt insanely impulsive enough to pull Luke and throw in Bruce Gradkowski if McCown is following whatever haphazard gameplan Gruden has mashed together. Sage….throw the ball son!

Ahman Green, who the Texans overpaid by 12,000,000,000 dollars when they signed him this season, has finally taken his rightful place on injured reserve. While the Texans have been unfortunately struck by injuries this season, it never seemed as if Ahman was EVER healthy. Of course now Rick Smith and Gary Kubiak will have to address what fans and pundits were asking at the onset of the 2007 campaign–What were you thinking hitching the reins of youe running game to a broken down running back with surgically repaired knees and was on the downside of thirty? Any answer that starts with “we’re sorry” will suffice. On the other hand Ron Dayne had proven to be quite an effective option lately, but the depth here is sparse and the Bucs grab the advantage with youngin Earnest Graham.

Finally a Texans strength! Andre Johnson has returned to what will be as close to top form as we will see for the rest of the season, and Gary Kubiak has rewarded his patience to take the time to get healthy with a barrage of passes from whatever quarterback he’s using that week. However, in his excitement to see Andre in uniform, Gary has forgotten that Kevin Walter has been spectacular this season and Andre Davis is a prime target for deep passes. Walter has all but disappeared, and Andre Davis’ passes are going to Jacoby Jones for some inexplicable reason. Let’s try getting these guys some balls, Kubes. Maybe more than 30 yards worth of catches for Walters will diversify the offense enough to keep stray blitzes from knocking your BACKUP quarterback out of the game.

The Bucs young offensive line is led by Arron Sears and Devin Joseph. They are physical, tough, and cooperate to overcome their shortcomings. Sound familiar? It shouldnt, because that’s the exact opposite of what the Texans offensive unit has become. While Fred Weary was having arguably his best season as a Texan, Chester Pitts is going through the motions and commits more penalties than an NFL vet should. Ephraim Salaam needs to be gone at the end of this season. Kasey Studdard, who I do think will be serviceable for the last four games, replaces Weary. However, both groups will have their collective paws full with the opposition’s defensive line, and so this one comes out to a wash.

On the defensive side of the ball the Texans must take advantage of a young backup quarterback by not allowing him to get into a rhthym and disturbing his composure in the pocket. Mario Williams is having his best season as a Texan, and possibly even a better one than Reggie Bush. Fuck yall, New Orleans. This is what you get!!! Amobi Okoye is done, and Travis Johnson and Anthony Weaver have played better in recent weeks. Chris Hovan, that monster of a defensive tackle for the Bucs, must be accounted for at all times. However, he can be pushed around just enough to slip a quick running back though, which is the antithesis of the plodding Ron Dayne. They pick up the nod….again.

As far as linebackers go, the Bucs have what the Texans want. Our middle linebacker is better than Barrett Ruud, but the former Cornhusker is having a tremendous season and is the reason that Derrick Brooks is continually effective even at an older age. On the flip side Cato June is quietly living up to his contract after jumping ship from the Super Bowl-winning Colts, and all three guys have the combined abilities to drop into coverage, lead the charge on a run stop, and blitz the quarterback relentlessly. I hope they dont, but I see these gentlemen having a great day.

Fred Bennett has three interceptions in four games, but he;s also given up three touchdowns in four games. Von Hutchins is a terror on defense and flies around the ball almost quicker and more effectively than DeMeco Ryans. He is a keeper for next year. The duo of Will Demps and CC Brown are terrific run stoppers and more than decent tacklers, especially the former Giant Demps, but their coverage skills are lacking. The good news is that the Bucs only have one wideout worth covering, no tight ends, and a backup quarterback starting, so these guys’ deficiencies shouldnt be on too much of a display. They can stay with the Bucs. Ronde Barber, who is so much cooler than his twin for reasons every NFL fan knows(he’s won a ring, he doesnt throw teammates and coaches under the bus after hes in a NBC booth, he isnt unwatchable on the Today show, he isnt Tiki Barber), still demands respect from opposing teams. And that sonuvabitch Phillip Buchanon, that no-tackling, punt-fumbling, touchdown-allowing, draft pick-thieving, former Texan has somehow landed on a decent team and has reinvigorated his career. Fucking Buchanon….I must have said that every game when he was stealing money here.

Kris Brown is the shit.

Gary Kubiak has a whole mess of grits to deal with. He needs to divine how to end the deluge of turnovers the Texans have committed this season, and he needs to remember that its alright, and perfectly within the rules of football, to score a touchdown in the third quarter. The offense needs to be more consistent, the defense needs to stop suffering fourth-quarter letdowns when the score is close. The Texans have only scored more than thirty points twice this season, but have surrendered more than thirty points four times. Theyve only had a hundred yard rusher once this season, and Andre Johnson, after missing 6 weeks, still leads the team in touchdowns!!!! Such is not the stuff that dreams are made of, only the nightmares of another top ten pick in next year’s NFL Draft. I refuse to acknowledge the growing spectre of that possibility, and the Texans will win this week. 20-17.

Go Texans!

The Texans are better this year. Theyre better at pass and run blocking, theyre better at throwing the ball down the field, theyre better at pass rushing, and theyre better at playing with effort. However, this does not mean that the Texans are anywhere in the vicinity of being deemed an average team. They are not.

My father used to tell me two things that have always stayed with me throughout my watching and playing of sports. The first is that big players make big plays in big games. Yesterday was a big game. It was a chance to get back to .500 and defeat a nemesis that has the knack for winning close games and a quarterback that this city secretly adores more than their own. It was a chance to prove to the league–and I dont recall how many times I have said this previously–that they are a serious contending squad that must be respected. So where were the big players? Matt Schaub was injured and may not return for the rest of the season. Sage Rosenfels was putrid. Andre Johnson and Jacoby Jones dropped passes, Jones muffed a punt that had me hollering at Rick Smith to cut his sorry rookie self, and Kevin Walters has disappeared entirely. No big players there, and definitely no big plays. On defense the big players did have more success, as DeMeco Ryans came through with 14 tackles, including 11 unassisted, Mario Williams tore apart the Titans blocking scheme for 2.5 sacks, and Fred Bennett nabbed his third interception in four games. However, at the end of the game on a third-and-long play that, if properly defensed, would have given the Texans the ball back with four minutes, two timeouts and the two minute warning, and a more than decent chance to win the ball game, the defense choked away a pass downfield amidst four defenders that could not cover a single man. Richard Smith, for once this season, actually managed to call a decent defensive play, but the stars of the defense could not bring themselves to make a big play.

That brings me to the second axiom that Dad imparted me in my childhood:There are only a few specific plays that determine the outcome of the game. You dont know when they will happen or what will happen, so you always have to be giving the maximum amount of effort so that your properly prepared. Alright, those werent his exact words, as I dont think the 7 year old me understood what the fuck the word maximum meant, but I hope the gist is clear. Looking back, we can identify those plays. Jones’ muffed punt. The abortion on third down. Schaub going out. And so on and so forth. It doesnt only seem like the Texans come out on the short end on all of these key plays, it is reality. Thats why they lead the league in turnovers and points given up on turnovers. They have a clear ineptitude for sustaining drives without shooting themselves in the foot with a missile and exploding the hopes that they and their fans had for that game.

The taste in my mouth is getting more sour with every loss. First it was a rather tart orange, now the taste is ash mixed with blood, shit, and Arby’s. It has become commonplace, it has become expected. My father and I are resigned to the fact that SOMETHING bad will happen throughout a Texans game, and when it does, there is no question that the Texans will not recover. Their psyche is so fragile for some reason, their confidence is crystalline and can be shattered by a well-placed pass to a tight end. There was about 7-8 minutes left when Jacoby Jones fucked up that punt–I think–but I knew at that moment that the game was over. Even Dad, who is almost foolishly more optimistic than I am, acknowledged the inevitable when that happened.

This is no way to run a team, Gary. You cant have your players effort fluctuating throughout the game, and you definitely cannot have a low point at the most important points in a contest. A Texans game is a microcosm for their season. Start fast, then suffer through inexorable stretches of mediocrity that destroys your team’s confidence and fans hope with little buoys of success called Miami and Oakland. Without their two left guards the Texans are left with former University of Texas rookie Kasey Studdard. Matt Schaub may be done for the year, and even if he isnt he will not be at full health and ability. Ahman Green is no longer necessary, but the only running back that has an inkling of success is Ron Dayne. The coaching staff is in flux. Winning another game is going to be difficult, and its more likely the team goes 5-11 than 7-9 or even 8-8.

I am not a doomsayer, a Nostradamus of negativity or anything of the sort. I am simply realistic. The way the Texans have been playing, they cannot win.

Go Texans.

If you have not yet heard, Offensive Coordinator Mike Sherman has been hired to replace Dennis Franchione as head coach of Texas A&M. For those of you keeping score, the Aggies have made a shift from a slightly more than middle-aged, white-haired, bespectacled head of a program to someone who could be his stunt double. Mike Sherman and Dennis Franchione could be each other’s dopplegangers. Both have the reputation of being successful offensive minds, yet neither’s previous squads experienced a tremendous amount of improvement during their tenures. The Texans offense has been better this year to be sure, yet is still barely mediocre because they cannot run the ball consistently.

I honestly dont know what the Aggies are thinking. Yes, Sherman has some collegiate coaching pedigree as well as some previous experience at A&M. However, in a state that is dominated in recruiting by the University of Texas and being poached by Texas Tech, OU, OSU, and even Kansas and Mizzou–their respective quarterbacks are both Texans–the most serious issue that Sherman must contend with is convincing top-flight players to come to a school that hasnt won a Big 12 South title in years, does not go to superior bowl games, is looked down upon by their main rival, and has the stigma of being too engrossed with their traditions to field a decent football team.  I personally give Sherman four years, and if he doesnt bring the Ags to a Big 12 championship then he and Bill Byrne will be gone. Consequently, Byrne is facing some attacks from the Black Coaches Association for not interviewing a black candidate before hiring Sherman. Their arguments fall upon deaf ears, however, for A&M didnt interview ANYONE before hiring Sherman.

As far as the Texans go, it will be interesting to watch how the situation plays out. Everyone knows that recruiting season is heating up, and Mike Sherman will most assuredly desire to capitalize upon the suddenly indecisive high schoolers who may be reconsidering their committments to U of H(who just lost their head coach) or UT(who cant beat A&M). He will also have to make a concentrated effort not to lose any players or recruits who feels shafted or betrayed by the ‘resignation’ of Franchione. Perhaps Gary Kubiak, who has serious ties to A&M and even had his name tossed around in a bout of delirious wishful thinking, will allow Sherman to assume a portion of his A&M responsibilities and delegate his Texans’ jobs to other coaches on staff. Sherman has to put together an entire staff, get recruiting, and simply become the head coach of Texas A&M in reality rather than in only name. I do not know how this will all play out, but I believe the result will entail the Texans suffering on offense even more that they already do. Sherman cannot realistically be the head coach of a major college program and the offensive coordinator of an NFL team at the same time. There arent enough hours in the day. Enjoy two paychecks, Mike, and feels free to toss some long passes to Andre once and again.