Charley Casserly?

by EnglishTexan on Oct 13, 2011 7:17 PM CDT

This is my first time posting so please bear with me, but I have just read this on NFL network (written by Albert Breer) and was curious as to what the BRB community thought about it?

Charley Casserly doesn't get the credit he deserves for forming the core he did in Houston. And yes, I'm serious. Casserly was doomed by his selection of David Carr at the top of the 2002 draft, but if you look hard enough, you see, four years after his departure, that the ex-GM's fingerprints remain. Mario Williams may be out for the year, and Andre Johnson's hamstring may limit him for a while, but both those guys figure to be big-time pieces for years to come in Houston. Ditto on DeMeco Ryans, and Owen Daniels is another Pro Bowl selection drafted by Casserly. Two other holdovers, receiver Kevin Walter and tackle Eric Winston, also started last Sunday. Overall, that's not a bad haul. Now, in addition to missing on the quarterback, Casserly also struggled in building the roster's middle class. But the above group shows how his tenure in Houston was actually underrated.

I've only been aware of the Texans in the post Casserly era and so am largely unaware of his achievements, or otherwise, and was just wondering if you all thought this was a fair assessment or not? I've seen a lot posted about him in the comments of many other FanPosts before and would just like to broaden my knowledge a little about the Texans before I followed them.

Any Opinions?

Tweet Comment 19 comments | 1 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Flagged for Casserly.

He didn’t do shit in 2006.

Canal Street Chronicles-A place of great Saints news and information. Oh and the stuff I write!
Bring back Aaron Brooks! He's the only one who can save us from the evil that is Drew Brees!!

by Jon Banks on Oct 13, 2011 7:48 PM CDT reply actions

Well, if you take into consideration that technically,

Mario Williams, DeMeco Ryans, Owen Daniels, and Eric Winston were not his picks, this is not the most accurate portrayal of his tenure.

The only thing Casserly got right was Andre Johnson, and personally I think he lucked into that because former Lions GM Matt Millen was nothing short of a fucking imbecile as GM.

Despite my better judgment, a manager at Battle Red Blog.

Supreme Galactic Editor of Battle Red Onion.

I am a visionary, I am a genius, and now I am angry! Now where are those pants at?!

Football is war by other means. - Carl von Clausewitz...sorta.

by UprootedTexan on Oct 13, 2011 7:50 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs

Not arguing, just don't know

but how were they not his picks? Did Kubiak/ Capers (?) pick them instead?

by EnglishTexan on Oct 13, 2011 7:54 PM CDT reply actions

Kubiak and then-consultant Dan Reeves picked them.

Smith hadn’t been hired yet, and Casserly, I believe, had been canned by then.

Despite my better judgment, a manager at Battle Red Blog.

Supreme Galactic Editor of Battle Red Onion.

I am a visionary, I am a genius, and now I am angry! Now where are those pants at?!

Football is war by other means. - Carl von Clausewitz...sorta.

by UprootedTexan on Oct 13, 2011 8:34 PM CDT up reply actions

Casserly was still the general manager at that point.

And I’ve never read any legitimate proof that he wasn’t involved in the draft; only blogger speculation based on round-about logic. It just doesn’t make any sense to fire Capers and keep Casserly on the pay-roll through the draft unless you’re actually going to let him do his job.

by Nashmeister on Oct 13, 2011 8:49 PM CDT up reply actions

Though at the same time when you fully intend to fire someone and they know it

Would you really hand them the keys to a draft as an “Oh, before you go…”?

by Karsh on Oct 13, 2011 9:27 PM CDT up reply actions

Casserly remained through the draft

But that had do with McNair making up his mind a little late, and not thinking they had enough time for a new GM to come in and get acquainted with the team. It was common knowledge that Casserley was gone. It was still his scouts putting together the reports, and Casserly definitely had input, but he was a lame duck and Kubiak was making the final calls.

Nothing but round about speculation by bloggers? Not true. Casserly was interviewing for a job in the league office well before the draft. There was plenty of evidence that Casserly was gone after the draft….whether by his own hand or McNairs is up for debate. He should get some credit for the draft, but considering he was a lame duck he shouldn’t get the bulk of it.

"If my hips had pockets, I wouldn't wear pants at all." @NotBurtReynolds
64 percent of all the world's statistics are made up right there on the spot
82.4 percent of people believe 'em whether they're accurate statistics or not
I don't know what you believe but I do know there's no doubt
I need another double shot of something 90 proof
I got too much to think about

by papabear on Oct 14, 2011 9:14 AM CDT up reply actions 3 recs

MDC did a pretty good deconstruction of this some time ago

And it basically comes down to the fact that Casserly was GM in name only for that draft. He actually managed to dig up a fair amount of sources that corroborated it. Every once in a while some yahoo comes along and spouts it out and MDC rousts himself from his slumber to slap them down.

Those picks don’t go on Rick Smith’s watch, but they also don’t go on Casserly’s either. It was basically Kubes and Reeves that put that draft together.

Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
Never use a long word where a short one will do.
If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
Never use the passive where you can use the active.
Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

-Orwell, Politics and the English Language

www.battleredblog.com

by tehGrindCrusher on Oct 14, 2011 3:33 AM CDT up reply actions 3 recs

Reeves had nothing to do with that draft.

Reeves said at the time he was surprised that Mario Williams was picked. He was out of the picture by that point. Maybe I can dig up the FanHouse articles I wrote about that when Reeves spoke about that—I wrote a couple.

Casserly’s role was more of a facilitator. Getting the information together on the picks. Trying to find people that fit what the coaching staff wanted. But Kubiak pulled the trigger on the picks with Casserly’s imput.

by StephS on Oct 14, 2011 7:28 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Here's the articles I wrote near the time...

http://www.aolnews.com/2007/01/14/texans-consultant-dan-reeves-wanted-to-draft-vince-young/

http://www.aolnews.com/2007/01/17/dan-reeves-futher-explains-his-view-on-vince-young-reggie-bush/

Reeves was not involved by the time the draft stuff was happening. They weren’t going to fire Casserly early, because that whole draft staff was his guys. So they did something collaborative where Casserly was directed to do the draft more the way that Kubiak was accustomed to it. I was told by some at the time that they thought Casserly’s Redskins imperial-I’m-the-king-don’t-care-what-assistants-say way of doing drafts in the past was bizarre. But they DIDN’T do the draft that way.

Casserly didn’t have the final call on any of the picks. He made recommendations.

by StephS on Oct 14, 2011 7:45 PM CDT up reply actions 3 recs

Steph always brings reason to this

I am now drinking the koolaid. Texans are making their turn for the best. Screw pessimism!

by Barryfromtexas on Oct 15, 2011 9:02 AM CDT up reply actions

Thanks, Steph.

For some reason, I feel the need to chime in whenever somebody makes the claim that Casserly had nothing to do with the 2006 draft. Not because I have any particular affinity for the double-C, but just because I’m not a fan of heaping the blame on somebody when things go wrong, then diverting the credit when they go well. The same generally applies to Rick Smith (i.e., the 2011 draft was entirely Wade’s doing), Shaun Cody, and anybody else who has generally underperformed. These people have all screwed up enough to the point that there’s already plenty of real things to criticize about them. No need to invent new ones or try to diminish their meager accomplishments.

Just one of my pet peeves, I suppose.

by Nashmeister on Oct 15, 2011 9:15 AM CDT up reply actions

/spits on ground

"Fanaticism consists in redoubling your efforts when you have forgotten your aim." - George Santayana

by DilloTex on Oct 14, 2011 3:19 PM CDT reply actions

NO NO NO NO and NO

Casserly’s traditional approach to the draft was to put together a draft board that had very little to do with assistant coach input of what the Texans needed. Looked mainly at value. Hence picks like Dave Ragone. The offensive line was put together with very little rhyme or reason as far as what sort of offense was being run. Sometimes Casserly would pick guys the coaching staff wanted, but would repudiate the picks to the media after they were done. Sometimes Casserly would pick guys the coaching staff didn’t want, and they were sat on the bench. It was dysfunctional.

When Kubiak came in, he was more accustomed to a collaborative approach that picked players based on how they fit with team philosophy.

So the 2006 draft was VERY collaborative. They worked closely together to get the players they wanted. Originally, Casserly wanted Bush and wanted to sign him early. But the brakes were put on that, and Casserly was directed to look at all the options. The final decision was Kubiak/McNair.

As for the other picks, the pick that Casserly got big credit for from Kubiak was Owen Daniels.

But that ultimately was Casserly’s most collaborative draft—a blend of his Redskins way of doing things and the Denver way.

To give Casserly all the credit for that draft is messed up. Because Cass screwed up doing things the Cass way. They both said at the time that they learned from each other during that draft.

That’s how I remember things. I was at the post-draft luncheon after. It was weird. The room was packed, mostly with people who bought their tickets when they thought Bush was going to be the pick. Kubiak gave a really good speech that day and explained the picks.

by StephS on Oct 14, 2011 7:25 PM CDT reply actions 4 recs

Great post, rec'd

Also much respect to Kubiak for being smart enough to draft Mario despite being an offensive guru. I think many others in that situation would make the wrong decision. You know, like Jeff Fisher.

by WhiskeyR on Oct 16, 2011 10:29 AM CDT up reply actions