Rick Smith Speaks

^^^ Just giving you more of what you want....

Foreword (Warning): I can be cynical sometimes.

Houston Texans GM Rick Smith has incurred praise and contempt here on BattleRedBlog. Much of it is deserved and earned. Some of it is fabricated and blown up. We are a blog and we tend to be reactionary, sometimes. I can not make any apologies for that. Life goes on. Ultimately, Rick Smith is part and parcel of every player and coaching personnel decision made for our team. Recently he sat in for an interview on SportsRadio 610. The Texans website has Part I and Part II of the interview transcript. I read it and I came away thinking Rick Smith said a lot but he really didn't say anything about topics such as scouting and the draft; free agency; the Collective Bargaining Agreement; the roster size; the 18-game schedule; Kareem Jackson; his day-to-day relationship with Bob McNair; Bernard Pollard; Wade Phillips' 3-4 D and his (Smith's) lack of experience with the 3-4; and, DeMeco Ryans' rehab.

What did I learn? Really nothing. Like I said. He said a lot, but he really didn't say anything. He chose his words carefully. No secrets were revealed. No real deviant opinions or philosophies became exposed. His answers were casual, yet measured. Details were not forthcoming. I needed a second cup of coffee to get through it.

Except, we learned that Rick Smith has no firsthand experience with any 3-4, let alone a Wade Phillips 3-4. Aha! Loose lips, Rick! You've been caught! But wait. We found out that he has talked to and watched tape for hours with Wade Phillips. And, Wade Phillips told him what he wants in a player. That info is being passed onto the scouts. Okay. You covered yourself, Rick. Thought I had you there for a moment. Now that you and Wade have spoken and watched film together, you are now a 3-4 genius and that base is covered ....right! Meanwhile, in the background, Wade Phillips is measured for his cape, size XXXL.

The interviewer tried to trap Smith on the subject of Kareem Jackson. We all know that rookie CB Kareem Jackson was a huge fail in the overwhelming fail of a D that HC Kubiak and DC Bush rolled out week in and week out last season. Rick Smith pulled the strings on that first round draft deal, bringing in the pro-system guy who was going to fit right in from day one. What's that, Rick? "Yeah, absolutely it was (a difficult rookie season for him)." Smith explained it away as growing pains and "he’s capable of playing at a higher level." So, I can only surmise what we all might surmise; Wade Phillips has arrived, he is wearing a cape, and Texans-World will be a better place "next year" because of that.

When asked about stating his case to Bob McNair at the end of the year, that he and Kubiak deserve one more chance; Rick Smith's emotions started flowing. Smith provided the expected cliche answers: "it’s disappointing", "we were committed to making sure we do the things that we need to do", "If we make some corrections", "We’ve got a chance to be good", "if we just make sure that we keep the group of guys that we have together that are producing and add some players", "and hopefully a scheme on defense"....yada, yada, yada. And then, Wade Phillips flies in with his cape and fixes things with his super "3-4" powers..... Yes, he said "hopefully a scheme on defense." That phrase deserves some repeating. "Hopefully a scheme on defense." Is there any other part of this interview that we really need to read? Sure, why not? (I am being very cynical right now, even by my standards. You can feel it, can't you?)

On other topics, Rick Smith told us the obvious and we were all dimly enlightened. The Cleveland Browns just cut a bunch of players the other day; Rick Smith, "You’ll see a little bit more of this as the month continues to develop." What about the 18-game schedule?; Rick Smith, "You’ve got to look at roster sizes... You look at injured reserve rules....all of those things are on the table and (we) are contemplating and studying." Bernard Pollard isn't confident about coming back; Rick Smith, "it’s hard to try to sit down and try to put a contract together for a player when you don’t know what the parameters overall are going to be. And so that’s what our situation is here." On Mario and Cushing being productive in the Phillips 3-4; Rick Smith, "(On) Mario, Wade’s got a game plan for him and... he’s very confident." "And Brian certainly is prototypical (at) more than one (position). So I think wherever we put him,... (he will) just play overall better defense." Is anyone getting the feeling that this interview is more about how Wade Phillips will be donning a cape and just make things better, because he can? Or, is it just my imagination and editorial slant.

So folks, don't underestimate the power of the caped one, Wade Phillips. Order is being restored to Texans-world as we sit by here in this off-season of elusive sound-bites. All of our hopes are on Phillips' broad shoulders and the jobs of Rick Smith and Gary Kubiak are relying on that, too. So, while Rick Smith really said nothing, my cynical eyes were scanning his words and his message. And what I have derived and decoded is; I hope Wade Phillips cape is big enough for all of us!

I want to close by saying that I share Rick Smith's dream of peace, harmony and winning in Texans-World. And, I say that without an ounce of cynicism.......