Pinky: Gee, Brain. What are we going to do tonight?
The Brain: The same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try to take over the world.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Friday, January 06, 2006
Quote of the Day - January 6
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Quote of the Day - January 5
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Quote of the Day - January 4
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
State of the Texans Address
As many of you are aware, the Houston Texans had a relatively rough year, finishing with an NFL-worst 2-14 record, including a 3 game span where they lost on the last play of the game. There is no question that this team was competitive at points during the season, but they have seemed to be missing something. The lone bright spots on the team this season were rookie kick returner Jerome Mathis (the team's only Pro Bowler) and cornerback Dunta Robinson. The Texans now sit with the first pick in the upcoming NFL draft and without a head coach (and some assistant coaches). General Manager Casserley came through the season seemingly unscathed, but if the talent on the team doesn't improve, he may be exiting at some point real soon. So what exactly do the Texans need to become more competitive and possibly make the playoffs next year?
More Likely Head Coaching Prospects
1. Gary Kubiak - with Dan Reeves serving as a consultant, Kubiak, a longtime Denver Broncos assistant, seems to be the leading candidate according to the so-called experts. I think Kubiak would be a good fit and at the very least, the offensive line would have to get better to allow for a more dynamic running game. May be
2. Wade Phillips - HELL NO!!! Another Reeves guy, but sucked the last time as a head coach with Buffalo
3. Pete Carroll - Don't want him and why would he leave USC?
4. Current very sought-after Assistant Coaches (Ron Rivera {Bears, Tim Lewis {Giants}, etc.) - Too much competition for these assistants and teams with a little more in the cupboard than the Texans.
Now, for a few potentials that may be more of a pipe dream.
1. Kirk Ferentz - Current University of Iowa head coach - There is just something about this guy. He reminds me of guys like Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville and Nick Saban in Miami. Tough, smart football guys that get the most out of their talent. Something the Texans need.
2. Maurice Carthon - Parcells' boy - more likely to hold out and take over for Parcells in Dallas
3. Norm Chow - Offensive genius behind USC and current assistant in Tennessee - would be the first Asian-American head coach in the NFL and could turn David Carr into a real NFL QB. Would be a great fit, especially if the Texans take Reggie Bush with the first pick.
4. Jerry Glanville - assistant coach with June Jones at Hawaii - just kidding, but Elvis might like Reliant Stadium
5. Myself - My fantasy football teams came in 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th, so imagine what I could do if I put all my attention on just one team. I could also help out with the Astros (finished both leagues in 2nd place) and the Rockets (currently #1 in my only league). Also, I have recently won back-to-back-to-back National Championships (winning 37 games in a row and my defense only giving up a total of 13 points in the 2011 season) with Georgia Tech on NCAA 2005 for the XBOX. I had already 4-peated with the University of Florida, turned the University of Houston into a perennial power after just one season and helped Notre Dame become a dominant member of the Big 10.
Personnel and #1 Pick in the Draft
The Texans do have some salvageable talent, but there are key areas where they need help. The most glaring weakness is in the trenches with the offensive and defensive lines, but a bigger problem is the fact that the Texans and Andre Johnson and a bunch of #4 receivers. Andre Johnson will be one of the best wr's in the NFL, but he can't if he is always double-teamed. This is why the Texans must find a way to get a #2 wr either in the draft or in free agency. They are out there, so get one. I also think the Texans would benefit greatly if the defense was to switch to a 4-3 from the 3-4. They just don't have the linebacker talent to efficiently run the 3-4.
So who should the Texans take with the #1 pick? They really have 2 choices, Reggie Bush or trade the pick. Reggie Bush will sell tickets and is electrifying, but if the Texans can make a Hershel Walker-esque trade, for a trunkload of draft picks, perhaps a wr, and some oline help, then it may make sense. Wins put more butts in the seats than one player, especially here in Clutch City. The interesting thing is that the Texans don't even need Bush to return kicks. Jerome Mathis is not just decent, he is borderline fantastic. He almost single-handedly kept the Texans in some games this year. Of course, a two-headed return monster like Mathis and Bush could spell all kinds of trouble for opposing special teams. My big question is stability. The one question that hasn't been answered yet is can Bush run the ball 25 times a game for 16 games? With another potential top-5 running back in LenDale White @ USC, Bush hasn't needed to do this. Also, NFL defenses are so much stronger and faster than those in the Pac-10. Bush is by far the safe choice and people will only question the Texans franchise if they don't. I'll tell you, look at how the Michael Vick trade ended up. The Chargers gave up Vick and got Drew Brees and LaDanian Tomlinson (and allowed them to get Phillip Rivers who we will probably be watching starting for the Bolts in '06). The real winners of the draft are going to be the Saints who will be taking Leinart (who will be surrounded with a lot of talent including Deuce, Horn, Stallworth et al) and whoever ends up taking DeAngelo Williams out of Memphis. HELLO SAN FRANCISCO AND ARIZONA - make sure to keep an eye on Williams. The only way Reggie Bush is not wearing a Texans jersey next season is if he is donning the Maroon and Gold of the Trojans or if the Texans can pull off a blockbuster (call Jimmy Johnson to serve as a draft consultant - he can help more than Reeves).
Damn, that was a long post.
More Likely Head Coaching Prospects
1. Gary Kubiak - with Dan Reeves serving as a consultant, Kubiak, a longtime Denver Broncos assistant, seems to be the leading candidate according to the so-called experts. I think Kubiak would be a good fit and at the very least, the offensive line would have to get better to allow for a more dynamic running game. May be
2. Wade Phillips - HELL NO!!! Another Reeves guy, but sucked the last time as a head coach with Buffalo
3. Pete Carroll - Don't want him and why would he leave USC?
4. Current very sought-after Assistant Coaches (Ron Rivera {Bears, Tim Lewis {Giants}, etc.) - Too much competition for these assistants and teams with a little more in the cupboard than the Texans.
Now, for a few potentials that may be more of a pipe dream.
1. Kirk Ferentz - Current University of Iowa head coach - There is just something about this guy. He reminds me of guys like Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville and Nick Saban in Miami. Tough, smart football guys that get the most out of their talent. Something the Texans need.
2. Maurice Carthon - Parcells' boy - more likely to hold out and take over for Parcells in Dallas
3. Norm Chow - Offensive genius behind USC and current assistant in Tennessee - would be the first Asian-American head coach in the NFL and could turn David Carr into a real NFL QB. Would be a great fit, especially if the Texans take Reggie Bush with the first pick.
4. Jerry Glanville - assistant coach with June Jones at Hawaii - just kidding, but Elvis might like Reliant Stadium
5. Myself - My fantasy football teams came in 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th, so imagine what I could do if I put all my attention on just one team. I could also help out with the Astros (finished both leagues in 2nd place) and the Rockets (currently #1 in my only league). Also, I have recently won back-to-back-to-back National Championships (winning 37 games in a row and my defense only giving up a total of 13 points in the 2011 season) with Georgia Tech on NCAA 2005 for the XBOX. I had already 4-peated with the University of Florida, turned the University of Houston into a perennial power after just one season and helped Notre Dame become a dominant member of the Big 10.
Personnel and #1 Pick in the Draft
The Texans do have some salvageable talent, but there are key areas where they need help. The most glaring weakness is in the trenches with the offensive and defensive lines, but a bigger problem is the fact that the Texans and Andre Johnson and a bunch of #4 receivers. Andre Johnson will be one of the best wr's in the NFL, but he can't if he is always double-teamed. This is why the Texans must find a way to get a #2 wr either in the draft or in free agency. They are out there, so get one. I also think the Texans would benefit greatly if the defense was to switch to a 4-3 from the 3-4. They just don't have the linebacker talent to efficiently run the 3-4.
So who should the Texans take with the #1 pick? They really have 2 choices, Reggie Bush or trade the pick. Reggie Bush will sell tickets and is electrifying, but if the Texans can make a Hershel Walker-esque trade, for a trunkload of draft picks, perhaps a wr, and some oline help, then it may make sense. Wins put more butts in the seats than one player, especially here in Clutch City. The interesting thing is that the Texans don't even need Bush to return kicks. Jerome Mathis is not just decent, he is borderline fantastic. He almost single-handedly kept the Texans in some games this year. Of course, a two-headed return monster like Mathis and Bush could spell all kinds of trouble for opposing special teams. My big question is stability. The one question that hasn't been answered yet is can Bush run the ball 25 times a game for 16 games? With another potential top-5 running back in LenDale White @ USC, Bush hasn't needed to do this. Also, NFL defenses are so much stronger and faster than those in the Pac-10. Bush is by far the safe choice and people will only question the Texans franchise if they don't. I'll tell you, look at how the Michael Vick trade ended up. The Chargers gave up Vick and got Drew Brees and LaDanian Tomlinson (and allowed them to get Phillip Rivers who we will probably be watching starting for the Bolts in '06). The real winners of the draft are going to be the Saints who will be taking Leinart (who will be surrounded with a lot of talent including Deuce, Horn, Stallworth et al) and whoever ends up taking DeAngelo Williams out of Memphis. HELLO SAN FRANCISCO AND ARIZONA - make sure to keep an eye on Williams. The only way Reggie Bush is not wearing a Texans jersey next season is if he is donning the Maroon and Gold of the Trojans or if the Texans can pull off a blockbuster (call Jimmy Johnson to serve as a draft consultant - he can help more than Reeves).
Damn, that was a long post.
Quote of the Day - January 3
Monday, January 02, 2006
Quote of the Day - January 2
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Quote of the Day - January 1, 2006
In honor of my first New Years spent in Houston, a little something from The Alamo.
There have been many ideas of what Texas is, what it should become, and we are not all in agreement. But I'd like to ask each of you what it is you value so highly that you are willing to fight and possibly die for. We will call that Texas. The Mexican army hopes to lure us into attempting escape. Almost anything seems better than remaining in this place, penned up. If, however, we force the enemy to attack, I believe every one of you will prove himself ten in return. We will not only show the world what patriots are made of, but we will also deal a crippling blow to the army of Santa Anna.
- Colonel William Travis, The Alamo
There have been many ideas of what Texas is, what it should become, and we are not all in agreement. But I'd like to ask each of you what it is you value so highly that you are willing to fight and possibly die for. We will call that Texas. The Mexican army hopes to lure us into attempting escape. Almost anything seems better than remaining in this place, penned up. If, however, we force the enemy to attack, I believe every one of you will prove himself ten in return. We will not only show the world what patriots are made of, but we will also deal a crippling blow to the army of Santa Anna.
- Colonel William Travis, The Alamo
Syriana - movie review
I really enjoyed this movie the first time I saw, but that time it went by the name Traffic. The structure of the two films were very similar - a group of seemingly unconnected stories that eventually come together near the end (which would seem to make sense as the two screenplays were written by Stephen Gaghan and Stephen Soderbergh was also involved in both). This movie also seemed to be a little too big for its britches. It attempted to tackle a number of complex issues, everything from oil economics to terrorism, etc. This movie would've been much better had they tried to slimline the plot and not include so many stories and subplots.
The acting was incredible, which should be expected from a cast that includes Chris Cooper, Christopher Plummer, George Clooney, Matt Damon, William Hurt and Amanda Peet. This movie had the potential to be amazing, but in the end just didn't live up to expectations. One thing that I was afraid of was that it would be too political, but thankfully, the politics were subdued and utilized quite efficiently in the movie.
This was an important movie and one that I enjoyed watching, but in the end, I think it just missed the mark and tried a little too hard.
4 out of 6 beers.
The acting was incredible, which should be expected from a cast that includes Chris Cooper, Christopher Plummer, George Clooney, Matt Damon, William Hurt and Amanda Peet. This movie had the potential to be amazing, but in the end just didn't live up to expectations. One thing that I was afraid of was that it would be too political, but thankfully, the politics were subdued and utilized quite efficiently in the movie.
This was an important movie and one that I enjoyed watching, but in the end, I think it just missed the mark and tried a little too hard.
4 out of 6 beers.
Fun with Dick & Jane - movie review
This movie was lots of fun, but unfortunately did not live up to my expectations. Such brilliant comedies this year with Wedding Crashers and the 40 year old Virgin have raised the bar for comedies in the near future. The funniest part of this movie besides the premise itself was the kid playing the Dick and Jane's son. His part wasn't that big, but everytime he was on screen, he simply outshined both Jim Carry and Tea Leoni. Jim Carrey did a decent job getting back to the physical comedy we loved from him back in the Ace Ventura and the Mask days. Alec Baldwin did a great job playing the Bernie Ebbers/Ken Lay-esque CEO. Baldwin is on a roll especially after he single-handedly made an episode of Saturday Night Live enjoyable (The reenvisionment of Glengarry Glen Ross set up in the North Pole with the elves was simply brilliant). I loved the premise of the movie with the corporate scandals and the last line in the movie was simply brilliant.
3.5/6 beers
3.5/6 beers
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
