I realize this was on the lips and tongues of many’o Texans fans in 2009, but I think it’s worth reliving (briefly, don’t worry. It won’t hurt… much).
After the complete and total failure that was the Richard Smith defense, how did what amounted to a Smith disciple get the job to follow him? Oh, right, because Frank Bush is the guy Gary Kubiak wanted when he took over the Texans in 2006. Well, that’s just about the worst reasoning I can think of.
When Gary Gibbs didn’t work out as Sean Payton’s defensive coordinator in New Orleans, he was fired after the 2008 season (just like Richard Smith). Instead of trying to be a genius and get a guy who might be on the rise as a defensive coach, he literally took a pay cut to hire renowned defensive mind Greg Williams. Williams’ defenses don’t get the best stats, but they are an aggressive, playmaking bunch. At least they were when New Orleans, you know, won the Super Bowl.
When Bob Sanders didn’t work out as Mike McCarthy’s defensive coordinator in Green Bay, he was fired after the 2008 season (just like Richard Smith). McCarthy also didn’t try to outsmart anyone. All he did was go out and get renowned defensive mind Dom Capers. Capers’ turned that defense around quickly, with the help of what may be the best talent evaluators in the NFL. Their aggressive, relentless (and crazy-talented) defense helped to win Green Bay a Super Bowl.
Kubiak wanted Bush in 2006, and couldn’t get him. When he had the opportunity, he jumped on it. Why? For the love of GOD, I don’t know. You can talk hindsight all you want, but I don’t remember anyone – anyone – who thought the Bush hire was a good one, and all of us were annoyed by the “coaching search” charade the Texans put on. It was always going to be Bush, and Gary got his man. Well, that was disaster, wasn’t it?
It’s a very frustrating element of being such a huge, unflinching fan of this team. NFL franchises are generally run by alpha-males, and guys who are more set in their ways than your grandfather. The Texans have such an “aw shucks” reputation, yet they may be one of the most stubborn, thick-headed franchises in the NFL. Bob McNair sticks with his head coach, which is something I don’t rail against, but pretty much the entire NFL world thought Kubiak should be gone. Gary himself sticks with his defensive coordinator, Richard Smith, for far too long – and then when he finally, mercifully goes in a different direction, he goes with Richard Smith’s even crappier sequel. Rick Smith sticks with his draft picks too long instead of cutting bait. The defensive coaches stick with players even after repeated, disastrous failures. Why? Because they got drafted high, and make a lot of money, I suppose.
Any number of experienced, respected defensive minds were available before the 2009 season, but true to form, the Texans did what they do. Everyone is excited to see if Wade Phillips can turn this team around. I am certainly in that group. I have allowed myself to get excited about the possibilities, even all these months away from the start of the season. But it should absolutely not be overlooked that this franchise screwed itself over for two years with the Frank Bush hire, rather than admitting the mistakes of the past and doing something to correct them as the aforementioned teams did.
Next time, something a little more positive, and a little less crying over spilled milk.
May 24, 2011 at 08:17:40
spot on! nice read and it kind of makes me a little sick to my stomach. its pretty bad when, in the midst of a lockout, we can still find ways to rip this franchise. oh well, such is life as a texans fan.
May 24, 2011 at 09:15:18
This article would have been more interesting if you had offered more alternatives other than Capers and Gregg Williams. Capers would have never come to Houston as a coordinator after being fired as the head coach. Williams had a decent resume but never the kind of success that the Saints defense had in their Super Bowl year.
I agree that the Texans should have pursued an experienced D coordinator before the ninth year of their existence. But this article doesn’t really bring any new insight to the conversation.
May 24, 2011 at 10:22:52
I’m not sure if I agree with your blanket assessment of Kubiak as being somebody who pretty much the entire NFL world wanted gone. (-Please cite facts and examples to support your argument.)
For example, while I am not the biggest fan of his passive behavior and poor coaching hires, even the Broncos after this previous season’s debacle wanted to hire Kubiak.
Certainly that’s no reason to retain him, but the fact remains Kubiak is an offensive mastermind who is a poor evaluator of coaching talent.
Are you saying that if the Texans should fire Kubiak or Phillips midway through next season if they fail to perform? Do you want an apology for the coaching choices they’ve made? Are you sure that the problem isn’t that you are getting your hopes too high with Phillips in the first place?
May 24, 2011 at 19:39:21
I also did not see Dom Capers as an option for our defensive coordinator role at that point to work with the guy that replaced him. These coaches have egos and it would have taken alot for him to check is ego at the door and work with kubiak. HOWEVER, I was pretty big proponent of Gregg Williams at that time. He had some great defenses in Tennessee. He ran the 4-3 which was still the defense we ran during the said period.The only other option that was appealing to me was Jerry Gray. Other than that there was nobody that was appealing. I did not like the Frank Bush hire. He kind of surprised me his first year and then when he had to actually coach up he failed miserably.
May 25, 2011 at 23:31:26
@Lee: Can you cite facts to support your claims that Denver wanted to hire Kubiak? Do you have emails from the Broncos to Kubiak that tell him they’re going to fly him out to Denver for an interview if he was fired? Seems like you are making a pretty big assumption yourself.
Also, just because Kubiak would have gotten an interview in Denver – as I’m sure he would have – doesn’t mean he would have gotten hired.
It is pretty common knowledge around the NFL that Kubiak is a mediocre coach at best.
May 26, 2011 at 11:18:58
@me
My understanding was that Kubiak is regarded as great at coaching up quarterbacks and a good to great offensive coordinator.
http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/19824/keep-or-sweep-kubiak-fisher-del-rio
for example
That “source” also notes rumblings about Denver being interested in a Kubiak hire previously.
and again:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5966936
May 27, 2011 at 09:36:11
@Chris,
Kubiak being a great offensive coordinator is old news. Everyone knows he’s a genius.
But his reacord as a head coach has been exposed, and all owners will see now is five years (and counting) with no playoffs. If he gets fired from this job, he will never be a head coach again – ever.
May 28, 2011 at 07:36:28
This may be an unpopular belief, but you guys are missing the point here:
Bob McNair does not stick with his coaches too long, at least based on the evidence of Dom Capers. Texans 1.0 was on the rise until the epic collapse that led to a 2-14 season, then he was immediately shipped off, but until that disaster, and this was before I started giving this franchise the fine-toothed comb treatment, my understanding is that the team was on a slow ascent through the NFL (FWIW, the Texans are a pretty decent team in Madden 2005)
Also, FWIW, you mentioned Gregg Williams and Dom Capers, but there were some other epic fails in that offseason. Eric Mangini, Josh McDaniels, and Mike Singletary were all given head coaching jobs that offseason, so it would be wrong to act as if we were the only ones who made bad decisions.
Finally, Just because Bush ran a system derived from Richard Smith doesn’t make them the same coach. It is not farfetched at all to think that when Smith failed, if Kubiak believed in Bush’s coaching ability (cue the hashtag), then hiring someone who already would have the right personnel fit for his system but could better coach them would have made sense.
Now, after all that, here’s the problem, here’s why Kubes is still there, and here’s why “Bob holds onto coaches too long”
We have been the sexy sleeper of the NFL since the 2008 preseason. Ever since we turned that #1 pick into an 8-8 season, any media guy who understands the revolving door that is the NFL playoffs would pick Houston as one of the 5-7 teams that enter the playoff every year after sitting out the one before.
You don’t blow up a team that is on the cusp of greatness.
Don’t sugarcoat it: the Wade Phillips hire is a 50/50 split of “improve the defense” and “Kubiak, you better get your $#!+ straight”. This move didn’t occur in 2009 because Bob didn’t feel the need to fire a warning shot (and/or Rick Smith didn’t feel the need to distance himself from Kubes). Now, with the team’s first losing season since 2006, it was time to threaten a reboot.
And, for those of you who want a reboot, I GUARANTEE Kubiak will not survive another playoff-less season.
May 31, 2011 at 15:17:27
Man, you can tell there is a lockout and we are bored to death with nothing to talk about. I mean people are talking about a DC that is no longer with the team, that was hired two years ago. Can we all just get a CBA and get along!
Jun 2, 2011 at 15:42:02
@Kyle: When will that greatness occur,exactly? I have the feeling that in 10 years, when Kubiak is 60 and still cranking out 8-8′s, we will STLL be talking about how “close” we are.
Give me a break. The NFL is the most result-driven, and equity-based league in all of sports. ANYONE can rebuild and win. ANYONE.
Jun 13, 2011 at 10:33:43
@ everyone
we have only been around 11 seasons. you cant say bob doesnt hold onto coaches to long or not. We havent been around long enough to compare with other teams.
If we dont make the playoffs this year, kubes will be gone