Steph and Football Outsiders Talk Texans

Yes, I'm breaking the rules with a Chron link, but there's too much goodness here to pass up. Also, too, Rivers. And it's Steph!

9 months ago bigfatdrunk 74 comments 0 recs |

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Steph is a beacon of common sense...

…shining from the cesspool that is the Comicle.

"Let’s leave all the football talk to knowledgeable experts who have played the game, like Matt Millen and Emmitt Smith."
- tehGrindCrusher

by DilloTex on Aug 25, 2011 11:58 AM CDT reply actions 3 recs

She and BigRon

And that’s about it.

A Texans fan. Really. No, I'm not kidding.
http://www.battleredblog.com
"Blind fandom is all I got left." - LoneSpot

by bigfatdrunk on Aug 25, 2011 12:03 PM CDT up reply actions

BigRon isn't there anymore.

That’s some other dude, right?

by ahem! on Aug 25, 2011 12:05 PM CDT up reply actions

LZ says WTF, BFD?

"Lord, beer me strength."

by TexansDC on Aug 25, 2011 1:05 PM CDT up reply actions

LZ is easily the best of the crew over there, imo.

Nothing against Steph. But LZ is very good/

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 Aug 25, 2011 1:10 PM CDT up reply actions

LZ's cool and all, but...

Steph is rad to the bone, due to her propensity for keeping it real.

Bacon tastes good... Pork chops taste good.

by beefy on Aug 25, 2011 2:16 PM CDT up reply actions

Thank you.

And as long as appreciations are happening, I’d like to make this one a mutual.

When I started blogging in 2006, there were very few places on the web to find anything about the Texans other than punchlines saying that they sucked. Wasn’t like that was a profound point of view given that they were coming off of a 2-14 season.

And I like now that there are many more places where Texans fans can get their info and be a part of communities. I like that there’s more places where I can read different points of view than mine because I already know what I think. Well, and y’all are fun peoples.

What’s also nice is that we have various platforms we could use to mobilize the fanbase if there were ever a need to mobilize the fanbase. You never know when that could come in handy.

In some ways, I see my role as more of a facilitator than a writer. Trying to encourage good things for the fanbase because goodness knows, we deserve it. Good things = more info from team, more smart info from outside of Houston, messing with BESF etc, encouraging thoughtful sports talk in an age of Baylessing, page hits and pot stir.

I started writing at the Chronicle because I love newspapers. Realistically, they have the most resources and access to cover teams. If we are going to have one daily Houston paper, well I was going to try to encourage my local paper to be the best one it could be. Maybe that’s tilting at windmills but I believe you can push for changes from within and outside of an organization. That doesn’t sound like an appealing option for some, but I don’t like the alternative to only having to rely on team sources for news (though I like that the Texans over the last couple of years have provided much more of this information).

Here’s one nice change that I encouraged through my feedback though I don’t know if my comments on this provoked the change. It used to be that the Chronicle mixed their NFL and Texans coverage all on one webpage, which sucked if you were looking for Texans-specific info. Now the Texans stories are all on one page: http://www.chron.com/sports/texans/

The reason why LZ or I exist at the Chronicle at all when various Chron blogs are getting wiped out or not promoted is because of page hits, links and social media shares. So I thank places like BRB and the individuals who send eyeballs my way. You, in essence, tell the Chronicle what you value in a hometown paper by your page clicks. For better or for worse.

So, I’ll just keep trying my best with the time and resources I have, and hope for that beautiful day when we as a fanbase have nothing to bitch about other than having a hard time finding parking for a victory parade. Think it is totally okay being a cynic who likes to dream.

by StephS on Aug 26, 2011 10:00 AM CDT up reply actions 7 recs

Your doing a great job Steph!

Your articles have a lot of relevance and you are a very optimistic writer.

Mario Williams will have 2 sacks and 6 tackles against the 49ers

by Tony Ung on Aug 26, 2011 10:12 AM CDT up reply actions

Now, if only the Texans could start winning and developing a tradition of winning, then it will all pay off in ways that we have all been dreaming

and ways that you have been working for.

I didn't do anything wrong!.... and, I won't do it again.

by Rip Jersey on Aug 26, 2011 10:50 AM CDT up reply actions

Don't change a thing, Steph

Other than maybe stopping by a little more often.

It’s not as cozy around here as DGDB&D was, but you’re also exponentially less likely to contract a disease.

If the Treasury Secretary doesn't have to pay taxes, then why do I?

by Shake on Aug 26, 2011 12:54 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

This is true.

….or at least I hope it is true. For some diseases, they don’t have medicine.

by StephS on Aug 26, 2011 1:11 PM CDT up reply actions

Re: You, in essence, tell the Chronicle what you value in a hometown paper by your page clicks

If that were only true for John McClain.

I'm a man!! I'm forty!!

by Hydroshock on Aug 26, 2011 2:48 PM CDT up reply actions

It is true.

For a variety of reasons, McClain gets a lot of page clicks on his articles.

by StephS on Aug 26, 2011 6:15 PM CDT up reply actions

She's good.

She talks sense. She tries.

Generally you get “None of the above” when it comes to those things at the Barnicle.

"Each in turn... volunteered his suggestions, his invaluable suggestions."

Twitter - xiane1
The Dreamshake

by Xiane on Aug 25, 2011 9:01 PM CDT up reply actions

Her blog is a must read on a regular basis, if you're a Texan fan.

Timely, topical, relevant.

Also:
LZ’s blog
Alan Burge’s blog
Paul Kuharky’s blog
The Sideline View
Pendergast’s blog

by ahem! on Aug 25, 2011 12:04 PM CDT reply actions

I spend way too much time on this shit, don't I?

by ahem! on Aug 25, 2011 12:06 PM CDT up reply actions

PK is hit or miss

but thats ESPN for you

Steph and LZ are the only reason i dabble on chron.com

@THEREALALLENOU on twitter - "The man, the verb, the legend" OU'd

by AllenOU on Aug 25, 2011 12:10 PM CDT up reply actions

This.

Steph and LZ are must read items.

by USMC_JA on Aug 25, 2011 12:11 PM CDT up reply actions

LZ is definitely helping the mix...

…with his somewhat more fact-based writing. But I don’t enjoy his stuff as much because of the MMA tangents and the non-glossary-supported inside jokes that are just tiring after about the third or fourth one that goes whizzing over one’s head.
But I do basically enjoy his stuff and certainly have no problem with his accuracy.

"Let’s leave all the football talk to knowledgeable experts who have played the game, like Matt Millen and Emmitt Smith."
- tehGrindCrusher

by DilloTex on Aug 25, 2011 12:17 PM CDT up reply actions

No doubt he dabbles in MMA and...

pop culture. But his football analysis is outstanding; especially when he breaks down plays and/or game action. I really enjoy the more technical explanations/evaluations of the game.

by USMC_JA on Aug 25, 2011 12:20 PM CDT up reply actions

I like the MMA.

It’s all entertainment, to me. I don’t get paid to read it… The converse is actually true.

by ahem! on Aug 25, 2011 12:25 PM CDT up reply actions

just LZ.

I don’t need prose, just the facts like LZ writes them. that’s just me tho.

by semihard@texans on Aug 25, 2011 6:06 PM CDT up reply actions

Kuharsky is irritating.

Example: “Mario Williams is struggling at OLB!” vs “Titans don’t need CJ because Jamie Harper (or whatever) is the second coming!”

He is a Titan’s apologist.

"An open mind is like a fortress with it's gates unbarred and unguarded."

by TexansForever on Aug 25, 2011 1:50 PM CDT up reply actions

I somewhat agree, though they are paid to have an opinion (and opinions are like a$$holes)

Redeeming quality of that blog is that he links to other sources, including BRB. I find this VERY useful.

by ahem! on Aug 25, 2011 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions

I love that Pauly K

links to us all the time. He understands that as homers we are the best source for information. especially since he tends to be a BE-SF homer :D

"Taco Joe - the beacon of optimism" TexansDC
"Great, you've doomed us all!" - UprootedTexan
God blessed Texas, but he has forsaken the Texans

by Taco Joe on Aug 25, 2011 7:51 PM CDT up reply actions

Titans fans seem to think he hates them

by WhiskeyR on Aug 25, 2011 6:21 PM CDT up reply actions

I noticed that too.

-Orwell, Politics and the English Language

www.battleredblog.com

by tehGrindCrusher on Aug 26, 2011 4:43 AM CDT up reply actions

I don't know of anyone with a national voice that doesn't get accused of being a homer/hater

It’s kind of like that Dad who coaches his son’s little league team, and goes out of his way to make sure his son doesn’t get any extra attention….but still gets accused of playing favorites by half the parents, and the other half are mad because he has his son too far down in the lineup even though he’s one of the better players.

"If my hips had pockets, I wouldn't wear pants at all." @NotBurtReynolds
sɐxǝʇɯoɹɟʎɹɹɐq sɐ ןooɔ sɐ ʇsoɯןɐ ɯ,ı

by papabear on Aug 26, 2011 9:07 AM CDT up reply actions

Trust me, this kind of thing doesn't just happen in sports.

My dad taught 7th grade Texas History and was the Social Studies department head. He always taught the top-ranked class, and guess where I was ranked in the 7th grade? Yep, I was in the top 20 or so of the 7th grade class, which meant I had my dad for Texas history.

Although he went out of his way to make sure that I was not given any special treatment, the students in the class all assumed that I was. I had to work harder than anyone else in the class for my grades, and he was harder on me than anyone else.

I can tell you from experience that it sucks to have one of your parents as a teacher.

"My idea of an agreeable person is a person who agrees with me." -- Benjamin Disraeli

"If you really want something in life you have to work for it. Now quiet, they're about to announce the lottery numbers." -- Homer Simpson

"There is no rehab for stupid." -- Chris Rock

Never try to baptize a cat.

by texanslady on Aug 26, 2011 1:44 PM CDT up reply actions

Oh, and I did make an A in that class.

"My idea of an agreeable person is a person who agrees with me." -- Benjamin Disraeli

"If you really want something in life you have to work for it. Now quiet, they're about to announce the lottery numbers." -- Homer Simpson

"There is no rehab for stupid." -- Chris Rock

Never try to baptize a cat.

by texanslady on Aug 26, 2011 1:44 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

What did you have to do for extra credit?.....

I didn't do anything wrong!.... and, I won't do it again.

by Rip Jersey on Aug 26, 2011 1:45 PM CDT up reply actions

No extra credit.

ISWYDT

"My idea of an agreeable person is a person who agrees with me." -- Benjamin Disraeli

"If you really want something in life you have to work for it. Now quiet, they're about to announce the lottery numbers." -- Homer Simpson

"There is no rehab for stupid." -- Chris Rock

Never try to baptize a cat.

by texanslady on Aug 26, 2011 1:50 PM CDT up reply actions

Burge is ok

I like him and everything, but he seems like he just states the obvious. Like he’s reporting and not very insightful.

by WhiskeyR on Aug 25, 2011 6:21 PM CDT up reply actions

i am just wondering if we have let any guys go?

i see some team letting people go already.

by southpaw70 on Aug 25, 2011 12:43 PM CDT reply actions

Been keeping an eye out

But I haven’t seen anything yet.

A Texans fan. Really. No, I'm not kidding.
http://www.battleredblog.com
"Blind fandom is all I got left." - LoneSpot

by bigfatdrunk on Aug 25, 2011 12:57 PM CDT up reply actions

Don't have to cut down until the 30th, IIRC

"Lord, beer me strength."

by TexansDC on Aug 25, 2011 1:05 PM CDT up reply actions

for some reason, I thought I saw a date of Sept 3

Is it possible that, because of the recently signed CBA and the abbreviated preseason, the date is different for different teams based either on when their first preseason was or theirast preseason game is?

I didn't do anything wrong!.... and, I won't do it again.

by Rip Jersey on Aug 25, 2011 1:35 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

Have to be at 80

At 4 pm eastern

@THEREALALLENOU on twitter - "The man, the verb, the legend" OU'd

by AllenOU on Aug 25, 2011 1:52 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

We're both right

The 30th is to get down to 80…the 3rd is to get down to 53.

"Lord, beer me strength."

by TexansDC on Aug 25, 2011 1:57 PM CDT up reply actions

That 4th game is huge for a lot of people.

"Lord, beer me strength."

by TexansDC on Aug 25, 2011 1:58 PM CDT up reply actions

Short, short time frame! Little time to make decisions based on what other teams are doing.

I didn't do anything wrong!.... and, I won't do it again.

by Rip Jersey on Aug 25, 2011 2:24 PM CDT up reply actions

and we still need a backup NT behind big earl

@THEREALALLENOU on twitter - "The man, the verb, the legend" OU'd

by AllenOU on Aug 25, 2011 2:54 PM CDT up reply actions

i wonder what good players going to get released.

by southpaw70 on Aug 25, 2011 3:21 PM CDT up reply actions

...and a starting Nose Tackle in front of Earl

"Let’s leave all the football talk to knowledgeable experts who have played the game, like Matt Millen and Emmitt Smith."
- tehGrindCrusher

by DilloTex on Aug 25, 2011 5:18 PM CDT up reply actions

lolwut?

you mean I did a 53 man projection early? I never do anything early! Does this mean we have to project the 80 man one now too?

"There is nothing in that one preseason game that tells me that Shaun Cody is total suck." by Rip Jersey Aug 25, 2011 12:55 PDT

by Still Blue on Aug 25, 2011 3:33 PM CDT up reply actions

yea i know but why some team are letting players go already?

i was thinking they do it so players can have a chance to get on somewhere else. So was just wondering we keeping all these backs?

by southpaw70 on Aug 25, 2011 3:20 PM CDT up reply actions

I think when it comes to the RBs, the Texans will wait as long as they can for the reason that they can't predict injuries

What if one of the top three comes up lame where they need to go on IR or just sit on the shelf for two regular season games, even. They need to keep the backups/ cuts as long as they can.

I didn't do anything wrong!.... and, I won't do it again.

by Rip Jersey on Aug 25, 2011 9:21 PM CDT up reply actions

i want Trindon on the first bus back to lousiana.

and take Demps with you sir.

"It's very SIMPLE angela!!!!! LOOK AT WHAT I'M DOING... AND GO TELL SOMEBODY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!" - Andy

@doobieman21

youtube/chrisdogan

by chrisd21 on Aug 25, 2011 3:00 PM CDT reply actions

maybe we could get Smith to pay them

to abduct Antwuan Molden (I would suggest KJax or Cody, but then I would get doused in gasoline and lit ablaze by their relatives, agents and members of their respective entourages.

By the way, I just wanted to try out my new sig…

"There is nothing in that one preseason game that tells me that Shaun Cody is total suck." by Rip Jersey Aug 25, 2011 12:55 PDT

by Still Blue on Aug 25, 2011 3:36 PM CDT up reply actions

Awesome!

I’m infamous!!!

I didn't do anything wrong!.... and, I won't do it again.

by Rip Jersey on Aug 25, 2011 9:23 PM CDT up reply actions

I think Trindon is worth stashing on the practice squad.

Near-Olympic speed and some football ability are rare. And he might be healthy at some point, and at that same point, we might need him.

Also, if we could just get him say two to three really good games, we can trade him to Al Davis for a 1st rounder.

It could happen.

"Each in turn... volunteered his suggestions, his invaluable suggestions."

Twitter - xiane1
The Dreamshake

by Xiane on Aug 25, 2011 9:04 PM CDT up reply actions

A year of miracle grow injections too

by MeMongo on Aug 25, 2011 11:43 PM CDT up reply actions

I think Trindon is a lost cause at this point

But, Miracle-Gro would help and Miracle-Catch, if they made it, would be a requirement. Throw in some Miracle-Juke because with all the speed in the world, the guy has no moves. Then we might be talking. Can he get that on the practice squad? Your hopes are up higher than mine.

I didn't do anything wrong!.... and, I won't do it again.

by Rip Jersey on Aug 26, 2011 6:39 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

HAHAHAHA

I'm a man!! I'm forty!!

by Hydroshock on Aug 26, 2011 2:51 PM CDT up reply actions

Do we know if any of the following players are playing in week 3?

1. Steve Slaton
2. Trindon Holliday
3. Ben Tate (hope to see more runs from him)

by jkcheng122 on Aug 25, 2011 3:18 PM CDT reply actions

Tate yes

dont think holiday will.

by southpaw70 on Aug 25, 2011 3:22 PM CDT up reply actions

I believe slaton is still out

Kubiak said he’s only been running on the sideline and said it doesn’t look good for him.

Mario Williams will have 2 sacks and 6 tackles against the 49ers

by Tony Ung on Aug 25, 2011 3:26 PM CDT up reply actions

like the new sig!

I just got a new one myself;)

"There is nothing in that one preseason game that tells me that Shaun Cody is total suck." by Rip Jersey Aug 25, 2011 12:55 PDT

by Still Blue on Aug 25, 2011 3:37 PM CDT up reply actions

needed to tweak it

copy and paste:P

"There is nothing in that one preseason game that tells me that Shaun Cody is total suck." Rip Jersey Aug 25, 2011

by Still Blue on Aug 25, 2011 3:40 PM CDT up reply actions

Thanks Rip...

We got it. Now you can sign back in as yourself.

Bacon tastes good... Pork chops taste good.

by beefy on Aug 25, 2011 3:46 PM CDT up reply actions

What about mine?

Mario Williams will have 4 sacks and 1 int by Game 4 of the regular season.

by Barryfromtexas on Aug 25, 2011 7:29 PM CDT up reply actions

Yeah? And BFT's was first...

All that thought and time he put into his sig and no love for Barry?

"Then as that bitch karma reasserted herself, the trolls wandered off to eat their own boogers and peep through the keyhole at their sisters again and the level of discourse here improved accordingly." by DilloTex on Aug 25, 2011

by chuckiepoo on Aug 25, 2011 7:38 PM CDT up reply actions

hahahaha

I just had to jump on the bandwagon in this thread

Mario Williams will have 4 sacks and 1 int by Game 4 of the regular season.

by Barryfromtexas on Aug 25, 2011 8:00 PM CDT up reply actions

Wow! This is so awesome!

Proof that I truly know quality when I see it!

I didn't do anything wrong!.... and, I won't do it again.

by Rip Jersey on Aug 25, 2011 9:26 PM CDT up reply actions

That Xfinity offering is really....Smokin'!!

Need to get that one up on the local blog contest, eh?

there u go timmy. crisis deverted. can i call u timmy?? - FTJ

by chuckiepoo on Aug 25, 2011 4:32 PM CDT reply actions

Anyone else find it hilarious that Sports Illustrated listed the Steelers as having one of the six best off-seasons...

purely because Ben hasn’t raped anyone this year?

SI’s list of team’s ‘loving’ this preseason

This has been a nice offseason for Pittsburgh, though, because we can compare it in relative terms to last summer. And last summer, all anyone in Pittsburgh could talk about were the off-field allegations levied at quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Big Ben was suspended for the first four games of 2010 — Pittsburgh went 3-1 — and the controversy over his behavior lingered all season.

by Calvinball on Aug 25, 2011 4:56 PM CDT reply actions

I can see it now

The steelers went 0-16 this year but seeing as big Ben didn’t rape anyone they were given a spot in the playoffs regardless better luck next year Texans fans (who coincidentally went 16-0 before losing their coveted 1st seed spot to the rape free steelers)

by BC5 on Aug 25, 2011 5:55 PM CDT up reply actions

sigh,

even SI.com is using “it’s” wrong.

by jkcheng122 on Aug 25, 2011 5:56 PM CDT up reply actions

Must have been in the article

Don’t see an “it’s” up there

What do you mean even?

Mario Williams will have 4 sacks and 1 int by Game 4 of the regular season.

by Barryfromtexas on Aug 25, 2011 7:32 PM CDT up reply actions

wow, no mention of Texans

while Lions who didn’t sign any big names and lost their 2 top picks to injury is on there. Looking at preseason performance AZ shouldn’t be loving the Kolb trade either.

by jkcheng122 on Aug 25, 2011 6:00 PM CDT up reply actions

SI is still pissed about the 94 Nba Finals

Follow me on twitter: @Super_Stud2100

by Antho10000 on Aug 25, 2011 8:47 PM CDT up reply actions

We really don't know if Big Bennie has raped anyone this offseason.

All we know is he isn’t currently facing indictment for rape at present. I wouldn’t go any farther with that sleazeball.

"Each in turn... volunteered his suggestions, his invaluable suggestions."

Twitter - xiane1
The Dreamshake

by Xiane on Aug 25, 2011 9:06 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Heh

Shorter SI: “bfd is an outstanding person and sure-fire winner at life because he’s not known to have murdered a single puppy in the off-season. On a weekend. In July. Possibly June. We just don’t know.”

A Texans fan. Really. No, I'm not kidding.
http://www.battleredblog.com
"Blind fandom is all I got left." - LoneSpot

by bigfatdrunk on Aug 25, 2011 9:10 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs