Let's Call This One IllegalContactGate

by Tim on Feb 6, 2009 12:51 PM CST in News Comment 19 comments

If nothing else, part of me wants to thank your Houston Texans for giving us something to talk about during the dregs of the sporting calendar year. Sure, I wish it was something more positive, but beggars can't be choosers. Especially in post-Super Bowl February. After having a bit of time to digest the allegations levied against the organization and/or coaching staff, I have a few thoughts:

1. Are the allegations true? I have no idea. Gun to my head, I'd bet they are. Coaches are constantly looking for every edge they can get, and I wholeheartedly buy the notion that these sort of prohibited contact drills are far more commonplace than not. That leads to the question of whether "everybody's doing it" is a legitimate defense. Your opinion may differ, but that sort of justification rings hollow to me. It reverts back to the old question my parents always used to ask about whether I'd jump off a bridge just because everyone else was doing it. The herd mentality doesn't persuade me that there's an excuse for breaking the rules.

2. Are the allegations serious? Absolutely. Rules are rules. You break 'em, and you pay the consequences. Here, the consequences range from a monetary fine to possible loss of team activity time to the forfeiture of a fourth-round draft pick. Obviously, that last penalty is the most serious. Imagine, if you will, your Houston Texans missing out on the chance to add another player of Owen Daniels' or, to a lesser extent, Xavier Adibi's or Fred Bennett's caliber. Each of those current Texans were fourth-round picks. We all love to pat Smithiak on the back for their middle and later round draft finds, so the thought of losing the opportunity to add another diamond in the rough in April should underscore that this transgression has the potential to really sting.

3. Are the allegations a bit tougher to believe considering the source(s)? The veracity of the allegations, not really, though you have to question Dan Stevenson's motivation for coming forward. The guy was a fringe player in the NFL, and this whistleblowing (including but not limited to the subsequent lawsuit against the Texans he's purportedly set to file) could simply be his way of earning a living and/or saving for retirement for the next few years. I definitely don't buy the notion that Stevenson is some sort of crusader for workers' rights. Do you think he'd have blown the whistle if he had a guaranteed contract or roster spot? In other words, would he really bite the hand that was feeding him if it was still feeding him? I don't think so. Call me a cynic.

4. I do know this: Stevenson, Jordan Black, and Fred Weary just made it a whole lot more unlikely that they'll be plying their trade in the NFL come September 2009. When deciding on those last few roster spots, I have a hard time believing NFL teams are going to stick with guys who now have a well-publicized history of raging against the machine. Superstars can get away with being the squeaky wheel. These guys aren't superstars.

5. Smartest dude in the bunch? Chukky Okobi. His silence has been golden thus far.

6. I am a bit disappointed in the Texans organization, though. I know there are all sorts of policies that govern responding to these sort of allegations, and I respect the idea of waiting until the issues are evaluated thoroughly before disseminating some half-cocked response. Still...the Texans know if they broke the rules. If they did, Bob McNair, Rick Smith, and Kubes need to issue statements apologizing for their conduct and take their medicine. In short, they need to be the stand-up organization that we believe they are. Any sort of waffling or tap-dancing is weak sauce.

Thoughts?

1 recs | Comment 19 comments | Share

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

About point 6.

McNair is the only one on the hook there. Lawyers run the show below him. Kubiak very well could be screaming to tell the truth, or his side of the story, but the ‘representatives’ won’t let him.

BigBadBob is the only one with the trump card, albeit with the advice of the same lawyers could be making a judgment call.

On #6 I think its best to wait and see. Maybe the allegations are totally false. Probably not, but innocent until proven guilty works on everyone except MLB players, right?

Please draft some defensive stars for the next DC.

by texanphil on Feb 6, 2009 2:22 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

to be fair to fred weary

he did say that he signed the affidavit because he thought stevenson would be using it internally, and he sounds kind of pissed that stevenson went public in such a spectacularly douchey fashion

by cubic on Feb 6, 2009 3:05 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

There is the right way, wrong way, and the way we do it...

The USAF is wrought with rules and regulations, as well it should be… but certain protocols are overlooked for the betterment of the mission. But when the risks outweight the mission reward, then the plans are scrapped.

I don’t know if these off-season drills are worth the risk, but for me as a fan, that’s where the degree of culpability lies.

**have more to say, but gotta run – it’s 0’Beer30

Got Texans? Visit BattleRedBlog.com for the latest on your Houston Texans!

by SOLIS on Feb 6, 2009 3:55 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Regardless of whether or not this is common in the NFL,

the Texans shouldn’t break the contract they (and the rest of the league) hold with the NFLPA. If the Texans required (and that hasn’t been established) players to come to these OTAs, then they broke the rules and should be punished.

Frankly, the tone a lot of Texans fans are taking about Stevenson is pretty bad. It doesn’t matter if he was a scrub, or if what he did was counter to the Texans’ interests, he shouldn’t have been required (but, again, that hasn’t been established) to attend the practices. I know that, were I working at a job that required me to waive part of my contract, and I was injured, I’d be pretty pissed, too. In my eyes, he has taken the appropriate action (however, talking to ESPN probably wasn’t wise; just take legal action against the Texans and let your lawyers handle it; publicity will probably only hurt you). The way Texans fans are talking reminds me of the stuff with the Trailblazers and that player they tried to screw over – blazers fans acted like Darius Miles was out of line in attempting to get work.

by Only_A_Lad on Feb 6, 2009 4:31 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

ok, so Stevenson deserves a defense

my first question is why is this being brought up now?

Did he sit on this, or is this when it comes out because of ESPN? Why are LAST YEAR’S OTA’s being disputed nearly a year later?

Did he dispute this while still a member of the Texans, or did he film the film room IN CASE HE GOT CUT? Big difference in my mind to pin the proper label on Mr. Stevenson. Whistleblower or whiner.

Please draft some defensive stars for the next DC.

by texanphil on Feb 6, 2009 6:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Look at it from his perspective.

He gets injured at a non-NFLPA-sanctioned practice. Then, months later, he’s cut. Now, he was probably cut because he’s not very good, but it’s not like the Texans have the greatest depth on the o-line (obviously, the Texans’ line has improved unbelievably over the past year, but it’s definitely not a line stacked with talent). But I’m sure his view is that he never got a chance to prove himself in the new system, and that he deserves more than simply losing his job after his employer got him injured at that non-sanctioned practice.

If I were him, I’d be pissed, too. And I’d probably be pissed that my union ignored/dismissed my complaint. I think he definitely has a legitimate beef with management.

I think that, if this is something that routinely happens, and if the NFLPA thinks this isn’t a big deal, then the it needs to change the rules with the owners when the next CBA is negotiated.

And he clearly contested the legality of the practice while a Texan – he (and the team’s player representatives) brought this up to Kubiak.

Kubiak, Gibbs, and Co. are to blame for this. I don’t mean this in the “Kubes sux lol” way that Justice probably does; I mean that, when doing anything in business, one shouldn’t do anything that runs contrary to the contract you have agreed to. Even if ignoring that agreement is common practice, you’re only setting yourself up for problems later.

by Only_A_Lad on Feb 6, 2009 6:52 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Here's the problem with your theory

Stevenson wasn’t cut from the team. He was on IR and getting paid the whole time.

by b0ng on Feb 7, 2009 1:28 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

you're right

but I think, regardless of when he filed the lawsuit, he has a legitimate complaint.

by Only_A_Lad on Feb 7, 2009 4:52 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

OTA gate, dammit!

GATE FIGHT!

Chris - www.HoustonDiehards.com

by HoustonDiehards on Feb 6, 2009 5:10 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

As I understand it...

…the drills were “optional” and the players were “warned” that they could go less than full-speed. I can surely envision a scenario where a mediocre lineman such as Stevenson, on the fringe of being cut, can overexert himself trying to win a roster spot. i know this is complete speculation, but at this point so is the whole situation. nothing has been proven for or against the Texans. the situation will ultimately be resolved in a court of law, but due to the story being broken by a media outlet as influential as ESPN it is already being tried in the court of public opinion, which is a shame. remember all the T.O. suicide nonsense? until the dust settles, we can be sure of nothing. The fact that Stevenson broke this story to the media before it had been settled suggests an agenda against the organization. If the first sentence of this paragraph is true, then the Texans will have their asses covered, right or wrong. this is an unfortunate situation because of the negative attention it is getting and no matter what comes of it this will reflect poorly on the Texans. either way, I personally don’t care. we have all had to face tough decisions in our lives, in our careers, etc. the bottom line is that if Stevenson et al had a problem with the drill then they should not have participated. period. i’m sorry but that is how the real world works.

by tubbsmoya on Feb 7, 2009 1:49 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Can't find the link now...

but Fred Weary (he of the signed affidavit) has since said that the coaches were explicit that it was a half-speed drill, but that the players were going faster than that on their own.

Also, here’s my main beef with the thing. Stevenson tore a labrum in a half-speed drill. That is not something that wearing shoulder pads would have prevented and certainly something that would be more likely in a full-speed contact drill.

Yay, sports.

by MDC on Feb 7, 2009 9:41 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

the first line says it all, if true

I don’t know the facts, but the Texans response seems to point to this being their ‘out.’

If this was the case, the lawsuit goes away, and we move on. If this wasn’t the case, then Kubiak and the Texans will probably be punished, and we’ll find out how he handles the situation. I think if its the latter, Kubiak will take his medicine, and man up. His character to this point has shown this type of attitude.

I hope its the former.

Please draft some defensive stars for the next DC.

by texanphil on Feb 8, 2009 8:12 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Catch 22

Look, no one is going to complain about this if they have a roster spot, particularly if complaining is going to lessen their chance of getting one, given the NFL’s largely non-guaranteed contracts. The only people who are ever going to complain about this are exactly the ones who did. I’m sure almost everyone does this, and not just the Texans, but “questioning Stevenson’s motives” just plays into the hands of the powers that be (you know, those who preside over a league whose players have an average life expectancy of something like 50 years). This shit shouldn’t happen, and good for the players who stood up for themselves.

by killtacular on Feb 8, 2009 12:12 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

the whole concept of your reasoning is what I don't like

if the guy didn’t like it, whether its a pro-bowl lineman or Stevenson, he should have filed a grievance right then and there.

If that happened, then DS is within his rights, and both sides should be able to present their case to whomever judges over these matters.

The system may be stacked against them, but you won’t get any sympathy from me if they only complain after they are cut. That stinks of other motives, and doesn’t let the contract that offers them the protection work as it should. If these drills are indeed dangerous, and illegal by the CBA, then DS should stop them right then and there not only for his career, but for all the players on the team. If DS grieves it right there, regardless of his situation on the team (on the bubble, starter, whatever) then I would feel a lot better about ‘siding’ with DS.

Please draft some defensive stars for the next DC.

by texanphil on Feb 8, 2009 8:07 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Yeah

It’s the idea that he went in and taped the practice so he would have evidence, but waited to file until after the season—-a season in which he was paid all year for being on IR, I might add—-and after he got cut that pisses me off. That’s a bitch move. If you don’t like the drill, say something to the coaches. If they don’t listen, file a grievance in a timely manner. Simple.

Yay, sports.

by MDC on Feb 9, 2009 8:58 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

ESPN Outside the Lines at 8AM central time will carry this story

34 minutes from now. Check it out.

by oiler-texan diehard on Feb 8, 2009 7:26 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

OTL

I’m a total asshat and missed it. Anyone watch it and have (1) a summary and/or (2) a link to the telecast? If not, what do those that saw it have to say?

Looking forward to a day when being a Texans fan doesn't mean that April is the highlight of my season...

by Tim on Feb 8, 2009 10:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

you can watch it in on the OTL website

It didn’t really add anything that we didn’t already know. Stevenson added that Rick Smith confronted him when he failed his physical a few months ago and questioned his effort and desire to be there. While that makes Smith look like an asshole, it also sounds like there’s more to it than simply the injury.

by Only_A_Lad on Feb 9, 2009 8:39 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs